What does Jesus mean by ‘a little while’ (John 16:16-22)?

A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me. 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? So they were saying, What does he mean by a little while? We do not know what he is talking about.

In a little while you [Apostles] won’t see Me [Jesus], and then in a little while you will. So some of the twelve discussed amongst themselves what He meant by this and that He was going to the Father. They didn’t know what He meant by “a little while”.

This entire section of Scripture (John 13-17) is Jesus in the upper room with the twelve apostles. He speaks to them directly and gives them instructions about his coming death and what will follow.

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?’ 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 their question before they asked it. He told them that in reference to their question about “a little while” and they will not see Him and then see Him again, He said they would be sorry while the world rejoiced, but their sorrow would turn to joy.

This entire section of Scripture (John 13-17) is Jesus in the upper room with the twelve apostles. He speaks to them directly and gives them instructions about his coming death and what will follow.

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. 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.

During childbirth, a woman is in pain. But afterward, she doesn’t even remember given the joy she feels for the new baby. In this same way, the Apostles would be sorrowful temporarily, but it would be replaced with a joy that no-one could steal.

This entire section of Scripture (John 13-17) is Jesus in the upper room with the twelve apostles. He speaks to them directly and gives them instructions about his coming death and what will follow.

But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Nobody knows when the final day of the Lord will come, including even the angels in heaven and God’s only Son. Only the Father knows. Jesus' return will be just as God's judgment was in Noah's day.

This chapter, along with the next (chapter 25), constitutes a discussion between Jesus and his disciples sometimes referred to as the “Olivet Discourse.” Matthew is the only gospel writer to record the second half (chapter 25), while shorter versions of the first half can be found in Mark 13:1-37 and Luke 17:20-27 & 21:5-36. Upon leaving the temple, Jesus comments on its destruction (vs 2). Subsequently, they wanted to know about three things from Jesus: 1) the timing of the temple’s destruction, 2) the sign of His coming, and 3) the end of the age (vs 3). Jesus begins His answer, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and they will lead many astray.” (vs 4-5)Taking this backdrop and chapters 24 & 25 together it is clear Jesus is addressing God’s judgment on both the nation of Israel and His final judgment on all mankind. We can further contextualize this discussion by looking at other instances when God, through a prophet, would pronounce judgment on a nation. When we read Amos or Hosea regarding Israel’s judgment, Isaiah or Jeremiah regarding Judah’s judgment, or Obadiah regarding Edom’s judgment, we read about not only God’s judgment on that nation (a near-term “day of the Lord”) but also His eventual judgment on all mankind (a longer-term final “day of the Lord”). In fact, often the prophet (e.g. God) will go back and forth between near-term judgment events and long-term judgment events. This is the same with Jesus and how He speaks about God’s judgment in chapter 24. Remember, the disciples had asked about both the timing of the destruction of the temple and His return (vs 3). Jesus shares events (vss 15-28) that will take place in their generation (vs 34) regarding the destruction of the temple (in fact, taking place about forty years later in 70AD). He then speaks primarily about what will happen “immediately after the tribulation of those days” (vs 29), namely His return (vss 29-44), before concluding with three parables and describing what the final “day of the Lord” will look like. Detail of the sequencing of Jesus’ prophecy re: a near-term “day of the Lord” and the final “day of the Lord”:

• 24:4-14 – A broad review of events during the ‘end times’ (both near-term and long-term) when “lawlessness is increased”.
• 24:15-28 – A near-term description of events that they would experience relating to the destruction of Jerusalem. Something that in fact, would happen about forty years later (70AD).
• 24:29-31 – A long-term description of the events of the second coming, the final judgment.
• vss 32-34 – The near-term timing that He relates and explains with a parable about the fig tree for how they would identify the occurrence of “these things” (vs 33) and says, “this generation will not pass away until all these things take place” (vs 34).
• 24:35-44 – The long-term timing, transitioned by contrasting things that will and won’t pass away (vs 34-35) and with “But…” (vs 36). This timing “no one knows” – not even Himself (vs 36).
• 24:45-25:30 – Three parables about being ready for His coming because we don’t know when it will be:
  • 24:45-51 – The “faithful and wise servant”
  • 25:1-13 – The “ten virgins”
  • 25:14-30 – The “talents”
• 25:31-46 – Description of how it will be on that final “day of the Lord”. A good portion of this is repeated by Jesus in a different setting in Luke 17:20-27.

And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

We [apostles] are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

The Apostle John’s opening in a letter written to Christians encouraging them to love each other (as God loves) and resist false teaching. This verse begins with the conjunction “And.” It’s connected to the preceding verse where John says that he wants to make sure that they remember everything they had already been told and taught “so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ” (vs 3).

Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts: "O my people, who dwell in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrians when they strike with the rod and lift up their staff against you as the Egyptians did. For in a very little while my fury will come to an end, and my anger will be directed to their destruction."

God tells those in Judah (e.g. "Zion") not to be afraid when the Assyrians come against them just as the Egyptians did. It will not last, and ultimately, He will turn His anger against their own destruction.

The full discourse begins back in chapter 7 through 12 during the reign of Ahaz in Judah. He reigned sixteen years beginning around 750BC and was succeeded by his son, Hezekiah. Assyria, under Tiglath-Pileser III, was already wreaking havoc throughout Israel, but it would not be until Sennarcharib (around 700BC) that the north would be destroyed. It would be about another one hundred years when Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon would destroy Assyria at the Battle of Charchmish (605BC).

Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”

Don’t throw away your assurance and its great reward. You need to endure and continue to do the will of God in order to receive what [He] has promised. Remember what God has said through the prophets, “In a little while the one will come and not delay; but until then my righteous will live by faith, not shrinking back so that I can approve him.”

The Hebrews writer is beginning the conclusion of his letter imploring the Jewish Christians to remain faithful and not forget all of the “better” things they have in Christ. A Christian continuing to sin willfully is further described as “one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace” (vs 29). The writer appears to be quoting from both Haggai 2:6 and Habbakuk 2:3-4.