One of the things that always stands out to me when I read the gospels is Jesus’ obvious care for his disciples. He really, truly loves them; which is to say, he really truly loves us. Jesus comforts us, even as he teaches, and often corrects us. And that stood out to me once again as I prepared to teach the conclusion of Jesus’ farewell discourse in John 16:16–33, and in particular verses 16-19.
The anxiety of the Eleven
““In a little while you will see me no longer,” Jesus said (16). “Again after a little while, you will see me.” The way Jesus said this was not unfamiliar. He had used this kind of language before.1
But in hearing it, the disciples were confused. They didn’t understand exactly what he meant. “What is he talking about?” they asked among themselves—but didn’t ask Jesus directly (17-18). Why not? The text isn’t clear on this. Perhaps they were too embarrassed or afraid. After all, they had been with Jesus for years by this point. They had heard him say things like this before. Shouldn’t they have understood?
Thanks to the blessing of hindsight, we can understand why they didn’t get it. The concept of a Messiah who would die and rise again was not fully formed in their thinking. It was part of what they “could not bear” as Jesus said in verse 12—a mystery they could only come to understand with the help of the Holy Spirit after it actually happened (see John 16:12–15).
The kindness of Jesus to the Eleven—and to us
Jesus was not unaware of their confusion and their anxiety. And he didn’t need to access his divine attributes to recognize it. But seeing it, he asked the question they wanted to asked—not as a correction, but as a kindness.
“Are you asking each other about this,” he said, “that I said, ‘In a little while you will not see me; again after a little while, you will see me’?” (19)
This kind act of Jesus is powerful. Just by giving voice to what concerned them, Jesus showed that he cared for them. That he recognized their anxiety, their confusion, and concern. And by doing so, by not allowing them to remain confused in silence, he was offering them comfort. Even without answering the question at this point, he shows so much kindness.
He does the same for us, too.
But how? After all, Jesus is not physically in the room with each one of us he was with the 11 disciples in the upper room 2000 years ago. But, even so, Jesus comforts us. And he does so in three ways.
Jesus comforts us through his Word
The Bible is primary means through which God speaks to us—it is how we know what he is like, his plans and purposes for this world, and all that he has done to rescue and redeem us through Jesus Christ. It is a book that guides and instructs us in how to live faithfully. But it is so much more than that. It is a book that is filled with words that speak to the deepest needs of the human heart. To our anxieties and fears.
When I’ve felt weighed down by the concerns of life, there have been many times when I’ve experienced this comfort. Sometimes it’s through a verse of the day app featuring a passage that happens to speak to my particular needs. Other times it will be as I’m reading in my Bible itself. Other times still, it may be a passage that I read weeks or even years earlier that will suddenly come to mind. This is Jesus providing comfort through his Word.
Jesus comforts us through his Spirit
While Jesus is not physically present with each one of us, he is present in all of us through his Spirit—the Holy Spirit who dwells within everyone who trusts in Christ. As the Spirit guides us, teaches us, draws our attention to Scripture, and even through knowing that the Spirit is indeed with us—this is another way Jesus comforts us.
Jesus comforts us through his people
Other Christians are a third way Jesus comforts us. We are called the body of Christ for a reason—because each of us represents him in part in this world right now. And the Bible has so much to say about why we need one another, even if it can be difficult. We often experience tremendous comfort just through another believer sitting with us and saying nothing. Listening, praying, possibly offering a hug if you’re someone who is okay with physical contact…
This is why Jesus places so much emphasis on loving one another, because this is how we are known to be his people. We are called to weep with those who weep, and mourn with those who mourn. To encourage and comfort one another, and to spur one another on to love and good works as we seek to live faithfully here and now. And in all of it, Jesus is comforting us as we comfort one another.
Comfort for today—and until the last day
Let’s be honest, there is much to be anxious about in this world. Perhaps we are looking at what’s happening in the world around us and we struggle to make sense of it. Or maybe our anxieties and sorrow are rooted in our homes and families. We have tension in our marriages. One of our children seems to reject the faith we cling to. Whatever the case, the anxiety, the trouble and sorrow is there. And it is real.
And we need to know, today, that Jesus sees it. He is not unaware or standing far off. He is with us in the moment, as a man of sorrows who is acquainted with grief. Through his Word, his Spirit, and his people, Jesus comforts us—and he will keep comforting us until the day when we stand before him, and he wipes that final tear from our eye.
Photo by Tim Wildsmith on Unsplash
- See John 7:33, 12:35, 13:33, 14:19, and 16:5. ↩︎
