John 16:22
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus highlights that the sorrow they possess now is a weighty, personal experience, but this will be replaced by a joy that is unshakeable because it comes from knowing Him personally again, not from fleeting circumstances.
Jesus is preparing his disciples for his impending departure, explaining that their current sorrow over his leaving will be temporary, like labor pains that are quickly forgotten once the child is born. He reassures them that this sadness is a necessary prelude to a greater, lasting joy they will experience after his resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus connects the disciples' deep sadness to the pain of childbirth. What does this surprising comparison reveal about the nature of their sorrow and the joy to come?
Jesus uses a powerful image: childbirth. He tells his disciples, "So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again." This isn't just any sorrow; it's a grief that signals a profound transition. Like a woman in labor, whose pain is intense but purposeful, the disciples' sorrow is a necessary precursor to a new reality – their spiritual rebirth and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
This grief isn't a sign of failure or the end of things. Instead, it's a sign that something new and life-giving is about to be born. It's a sorrow that, in the end, will lead to a joy that is not just intense but also productive, bringing forth new life in others.
Jesus promises a joy that 'no one will take from you.' How is this joy different from fleeting happiness, and what makes it so secure?
The joy Jesus promises is fundamentally different from worldly happiness. It's not dependent on circumstances or external validation. This joy is rooted in the personal, abiding presence of Christ and the security of our relationship with God.
After his resurrection and ascension, Jesus would continue to be present with his followers through the Holy Spirit. This inner reality of God's presence, and the assurance that the atonement is complete and victory is won, creates a joy that threats, persecution, or even death cannot erase. It's a joy that stems from an unshaken faith in the Messiah, a joy that no external force can possibly steal.
Jesus' words in John 16:22 were spoken just before his arrest and crucifixion. His disciples were experiencing profound sorrow, but he promised a joy that would far outweigh their suffering, a joy rooted in his resurrection and the ongoing presence of the Holy Spirit, a joy that no external circumstance could steal.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus' Crucifixion and Burial
Jesus is arrested, tried, and crucified. His followers are plunged into deep sorrow and despair, believing their hopes for the kingdom are lost.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Resurrection
Jesus is raised from the dead on the third day. This event transforms the sorrow of his disciples into profound joy and unshakable faith.
c. AD 30
Jesus Appears to His Disciples
Over the next forty days, Jesus appears to his disciples multiple times, confirming his resurrection and solidifying their newfound joy.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Ascension
Jesus ascends into heaven, promising to send the Holy Spirit to empower and comfort his followers.
This passage describes the sorrow associated with childbirth, a comparison Jesus uses in the preceding verse to explain the disciples' current sorrow and future joy.
Isaiah 26:19This prophecy speaks of the dead coming back to life and rejoicing, echoing the theme of sorrow being replaced by enduring joy through a divine restoration.
Romans 8:22-23This passage talks about the whole creation groaning in travail and awaiting redemption, paralleling the disciples' temporary sorrow with a broader cosmic hope for future joy.
1 Peter 1:6-8This passage describes believers rejoicing with joy unspeakable and full of glory, even through trials, which directly connects to the idea of an unshakeable, enduring joy that Jesus promises.
Revelation 21:4This verse promises a future where God will wipe away every tear, and there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain, directly reflecting the permanent and unassailable joy Jesus assures his followers.
barnesJohn 16:22: "And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you."
I will see you again - After my resurrection. Your joy no man taketh from you - You shall be so firmly persuaded that I have risen and that I am the Messiah, that neither the threats nor persecutions of men shall ever be able to shake your faith and produce doubt or unbelief, and thus take away your joy. This prediction was remarkably fulfilled. It is evid…
vincentJohn 16:22: "And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you."
Have sorrow (λύπην ἔχετε)This form of expression occurs frequently in the New Testament, to denote the possession or experience of virtues, sensations, desires, emotions, intellectual or spiritual faculties, faults, or defects. It is stronger than the verb which expresses any one of these. For instance, to have faith is stronger than to believe: to have…
Jesus highlights that the sorrow they possess now is a weighty, personal experience, but this will be replaced by a joy that is unshakeable because it comes from knowing Him personally again, not from fleeting circumstances.
Jesus is preparing his disciples for his impending departure, explaining that their current sorrow over his leaving will be temporary, like labor pains that are quickly forgotten once the child is born. He reassures them that this sadness is a necessary prelude to a greater, lasting joy they will experience after his resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is preparing his disciples for his impending departure, explaining that their current sorrow over his leaving will be temporary, like labor pains that are quickly forgotten once the child is born. He reassures them that this sadness is a necessary prelude to a greater, lasting joy they will experience after his resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
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c. AD 33
Pentecost and the Coming of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples, filling them with power, boldness, and an unshakeable joy that sustains them through persecution.
c. AD 30-60
Early Church Persecution
The early followers of Jesus face intense opposition, imprisonment, and even martyrdom, yet their joy in Christ remains.
"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 highlights that the sorrow they possess now is a weighty, personal experience, but this will be replaced by a joy that is unshakeable because it comes from knowing Him personally again, not f…
