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Author: Stephen Weller
712 words, 4 minutes read time

Sorrow Turned Into Joy

Scripture: John 16:16-22

With the previous lesson we finished the section about the coming advocate, the Spirit of truth. With this lesson we will begin a section about the disciple’s sorrow being turned into joy.

^{Jn 16:16} “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again, a little while, and you will see me.”

The first “little while” would refer to the period of time between his crucifixion and his resurrection; the time when Jesus was in the grave. The second “little while” would refer to the time they will see him after his resurrection.

^{Jn 16:17} So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” ¹⁸ So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.”

The disciples repeat to each other what Jesus said to them as they try to figure out what he meant. It is clear that they did not understand what Jesus was saying. This lack of understanding goes back to John 7:33 where Jesus used the words “a little longer.” In John 12:35, Jesus referred to himself as the light that would be among them for “a little while longer.” Again, in John 13:33, we find “yet a little while I am with you.” In John 14:19 is the last “little while” before our verses. Numerous times Jesus has referenced that he would be with them only a little while longer and then they would see him again, but they could not understand because they had nothing in their experience to relate it to.

^{Jn 16:19} Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? ²⁰ Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.

Jesus knew that the disciples didn’t understand what he meant by a “little while” and asked them if that was what they were discussing among themselves. Knowing that was true, he, in typical Jesus fashion, does not try to explain the meaning to them, but simply tells them that during the first “little while” they will weep and lament over his death while the world rejoices. When it seems that all hope is lost, the second “little while” arrives and their sorrow turns into joy as Jesus rises from the dead. Jesus tries to help them understand that will an illustration.

^{Jn 16:21} When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. ²² So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

Jesus uses the illustration of the anguish a woman experiences in giving birth and describes it as sorrow. This relates to the sorrow the disciples will experience at the death of Jesus. Soon the baby is delivered, and the woman no longer thinks about the anguish she went through in delivery, for now she has joy in holding her newborn child. Likewise, the sorrow the disciples will experience will be replaced with joy when they again see the resurrected Jesus.

Conclusion

In a sense we as believers are experiencing the first “little while” as Jesus is with his Father in heaven, but one day we will rise from the dead to see him and experience great joy. When we then see him, we will not experience the second “little while” but instead it will be an eternity with him. Are you prepared to experience this great joy, or will it be anguish in an eternal hell?