16:1 “I have told you all these things so that you will not fall away. 1
16:19 Jesus could see 4 that they wanted to ask him about these things, 5 so 6 he said to them, “Are you asking 7 each other about this – that I said, ‘In a little while you 8 will not see me; again after a little while, you 9 will see me’?
14:5 Thomas said, 14 “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
14:22 “Lord,” Judas (not Judas Iscariot) 15 said, 16 “what has happened that you are going to reveal 17 yourself to us and not to the world?”
1 tn Grk “so that you will not be caused to stumble.”
2 sn Now the theme of Jesus’ impending departure is resumed (I am going to the one who sent me). It will also be mentioned in 16:10, 17, and 28. Jesus had said to his opponents in 7:33 that he was going to the one who sent him; in 13:33 he had spoken of going where the disciples could not come. At that point Peter had inquired where he was going, but it appears that Peter did not understand Jesus’ reply at that time and did not persist in further questioning. In 14:5 Thomas had asked Jesus where he was going.
3 sn Now none of the disciples asks Jesus where he is going, and the reason is given in the following verse: They have been overcome with sadness as a result of the predictions of coming persecution that Jesus has just spoken to them in 15:18-25 and 16:1-4a. Their shock at Jesus’ revelation of coming persecution is so great that none of them thinks to ask him where it is that he is going.
4 tn Grk “knew.”
5 tn The words “about these things” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
6 tn Καί (kai) has been translated as “so” here to indicate the following statement is a result of Jesus’ observation in v. 19a.
7 tn Grk “inquiring” or “seeking.”
8 tn Grk “A little while, and you.”
9 tn Grk “and again a little while, and you.”
10 tn Or “did not understand these things at first”; Grk “formerly.”
11 sn When Jesus was glorified, that is, glorified through his resurrection, exaltation, and return to the Father. Jesus’ glorification is consistently portrayed this way in the Gospel of John.
12 tn Grk “and that they had done these things,” though the referent is probably indefinite and not referring to the disciples; as such, the best rendering is as a passive (see ExSyn 402-3; R. E. Brown, John [AB], 1:458).
13 sn The comment His disciples did not understand these things when they first happened (a parenthetical note by the author) informs the reader that Jesus’ disciples did not at first associate the prophecy from Zechariah with the events as they happened. This came with the later (postresurrection) insight which the Holy Spirit would provide after Jesus’ resurrection and return to the Father. Note the similarity with John 2:22, which follows another allusion to a prophecy in Zechariah (14:21).
14 tn Grk “said to him.”
15 tn Grk “(not Iscariot).” The proper noun (Judas) has been repeated for clarity and smoothness in English style.
16 tn Grk “said to him.”
17 tn Or “disclose.”
18 tn Grk “it”; the referent (the meaning of the statement) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
19 sn The passive verb had been concealed probably indicates that some force was preventing them from responding. It is debated whether God or Satan is meant here. By 24:25 it is clear that their lack of response is their own responsibility. The only way to reverse this is to pay careful attention as v. 44a urges.
20 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate that in spite of their lack of understanding, the disciples were afraid to ask about it. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
21 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast.
22 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the twelve, v. 31) has been specified in the context for clarity.
23 tn Grk “And this.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
24 sn This failure of the Twelve to grasp what Jesus meant probably does not mean that they did not understand linguistically what Jesus said, but that they could not comprehend how this could happen to him, if he was really God’s agent. The saying being hidden probably refers to God’s sovereign timing.
25 tn Grk “the things having been said.” The active agent, Jesus, has been specified for clarity, and “said” has been translated as “meant” to indicate that comprehension of the significance is really in view here.