John 16:5-6
But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus points out that their current sorrow has made them so self-absorbed that they're not even asking the most important question: "Where is Jesus going?" Their distress blinds them to the true purpose and glory of His departure, which is actually about His return to the Father and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is explaining to His disciples that His impending departure, though it will cause them sorrow, is necessary for the Holy Spirit to come. He notes that while He was physically present, the world's hostility was focused on Him, but His leaving will turn that hatred towards them. He expresses a gentle disappointment that in their grief over His leaving, none of them are asking where He is going, missing the crucial purpose behind His departure.
Jesus is about to leave His disciples. Why are they so sad, and what is Jesus trying to show them about His departure?
Jesus tells his disciples, 'But now I am going to him who sent me.' The disciples are overcome with sorrow because Jesus is leaving them. They're focused on their own loss and the immediate pain of His absence.
However, Jesus emphasizes His own perspective: He is going to the One who sent Him. This isn't just an ending; it's a return to His source, fulfilling His mission. The disciples' grief blinds them to the greater purpose and the benefits that will follow His departure, like the coming of the Helper (the Holy Spirit). Their sorrow is about 'me and my loss,' while Jesus' focus is on 'God's plan and His glory.'
Jesus points out a question nobody is asking. What’s so important about this specific question?
Jesus observes, 'none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’' This isn't because the disciples hadn't asked variations of this question before (as seen in John 13:36 and 14:5). Instead, Jesus highlights their current state of mind.
Their previous questions were often driven by confusion or a desire for more information about His physical whereabouts. Now, their overwhelming sadness has silenced them. They are so consumed by their personal loss that they aren't asking the deeper question about His destination and the divine purpose behind it. Jesus wants them to look beyond their immediate sorrow and seek understanding about His mission and the Father's will, a focus that would bring true comfort and perspective.
Understand the original words
lypē · Greek Noun
A state of deep distress, sadness, or grief, often associated with loss or the anticipation of future hardship. Biblically, it can refer to emotional turmoil or the spiritual weight caused by separation or the fallen state of the world.
This verse captures a moment during Jesus' final days with his disciples, just before his crucifixion. Their sorrow and shock at his impending departure overshadow their ability to grasp the deeper spiritual significance of his going to the Father and the promise of the Holy Spirit's coming.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus' Final Week in Jerusalem
Jesus spends his last days teaching and ministering in Jerusalem, preparing his disciples for his imminent departure and the challenges they will face.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Arrest and Crucifixion
Jesus is betrayed, arrested, tried, and crucified in Jerusalem, a pivotal event that causes shock and despair among his followers.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Resurrection and Appearances
After his crucifixion, Jesus is resurrected and appears to his disciples over a period of 40 days, offering comfort and further instruction.
c. AD 30
The Ascension of Jesus
Jesus ascends into heaven, returning to the Father, which marks his physical absence from the disciples.
Jesus directly addresses the disciples' future anxieties by promising to prepare a place for them, linking His departure to their eventual dwelling place with Him.
John 13:36This passage shows Peter asking a similar question about Jesus' destination, highlighting the disciples' ongoing confusion and concern about His departure, even if their initial questions lacked the deeper understanding Jesus sought.
Acts 1:6-9After Jesus' ascension, the disciples still ask about restoring the kingdom, demonstrating their persistent focus on earthly outcomes rather than the spiritual mission Jesus was preparing them for through His departure and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Philippians 3:20-21Paul echoes Jesus' focus on a heavenly destination, reminding believers that their citizenship is in heaven and their hope is in Christ's transformation, a perspective Jesus was trying to instill in His disciples.
John 16:7Jesus immediately follows this statement by explaining the necessity of His going away for the coming of the Helper, directly answering the unspoken question and revealing the ultimate purpose behind His departure.
cambridgeJohn 16:5: "But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?"
5 . I go my way to ] Or, I go away unto ; the notion is that of withdrawal (see on John 16:7 ). Hitherto He has been with them to protect them and to be the main object of attack: soon they will have to bear the brunt without Him. This is all that they feel at present,—how His departure affects themselves, not how it affects Him. And yet this latter point is all important even as regards themsel…
jfbJohn 16:5: "But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?"
- But now I go my way to him that sent me—While He was with them, the world's hatred was directed chiefly against Himself; but His departure would bring it down upon them as His representatives.and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?—They had done so in a sort (Joh 13:36; 14:5); but He wished more intelligent and eager inquiry on the subject.
Jesus points out that their current sorrow has made them so self-absorbed that they're not even asking the most important question: "Where is Jesus going?" Their distress blinds them to the true purpose and glory of His departure, which is actually about His return to the Father and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is explaining to His disciples that His impending departure, though it will cause them sorrow, is necessary for the Holy Spirit to come. He notes that while He was physically present, the world's hostility was focused on Him, but His leaving will turn that hatred towards them. He expresses a gentle disappointment that in their grief over His leaving, none of them are asking where He is going, missing the crucial purpose behind His departure.
Jesus is explaining to His disciples that His impending departure, though it will cause them sorrow, is necessary for the Holy Spirit to come. He notes that while He was physically present, the world's hostility was focused on Him, but His leaving will turn that hatred towards them. He expresses a gentle disappointment that in their grief over His leaving, none of them are asking where He is going, missing the crucial purpose behind His departure.
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c. AD 30
The Coming of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost)
Ten days after the ascension, the Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples, empowering them and initiating the Church's mission.
"But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart." — Jesus points out that their current sorrow has made them so self-absorbed that they're not even asking the most important question: "Where is Jesus going?" Their distress blinds them to the true purp…
