John 16:6

But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) Sorrow hath filled your heart.—The thought of their own separation from Him, and of the dark future which lay before them, so filled their hearts that it left room for no thoughts of Him, and the brightness of the glory to which He was returning.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

16:1-6 Our Lord Jesus, by giving his disciples notice of trouble, designed that the terror might not be a surprise to them. It is possible for those who are real enemies to God's service, to pretend zeal for it. This does not lessen the sin of the persecutors; villanies will never be changed by putting the name of God to them. As Jesus in his sufferings, so his followers in theirs, should look to the fulfilling of Scripture. He did not tell them sooner, because he was with them to teach, guide, and comfort them; they needed not then this promise of the Holy Spirit's presence. It will silence us to ask, Whence troubles come? It will satisfy us to ask, Whither go they? for we know they work for good. It is the common fault and folly of melancholy Christians to look only on the dark side of the cloud, and to turn a deaf ear to the voice of joy and gladness. That which filled the disciples' hearts with sorrow, was too great affection for this present life. Nothing more hinders our joy in God, than the love of the world, and the sorrow of the world which comes from it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Now I go my way - Now I am about to die and leave you, and it is proper to announce all these things to you.

None of you asketh me ... - They gave themselves up to grief instead of inquiring why he was about to leave them. Had they made the inquiry, he was ready to answer them and to comfort them. When we are afflicted we should not yield ourselves to excessive grief. We should inquire why it is that God thus tries us; and we should never doubt that if we come to him, and spread out our sorrows before him, he will give us consolation.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

6, 7. But because I have said these things … sorrow hath filled your heart—Sorrow had too much paralyzed them, and He would rouse their energies.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

But all your thoughts are taken up about yourselves, what you shall do for want of my bodily presence; and sorrow for that hath so overwhelmed your hearts, that you cannot enough deliberate with yourselves, as to consider either mine or your own advantages, from my death, resurrection, and ascension.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But because I have said these things to you,.... Of being hated and persecuted by the Jews, of being put out of their synagogues, and of losing of their lives; and particularly of his departure from them, or the loss of his bodily presence:

sorrow hath filled your heart; sorrow for his absence so possessed their minds, seized on all the powers and faculties of their souls, and engrossed all their thoughts, that it never entered into the heart of any of them, to inquire about the place he was going to, or the state he should enter upon; which had they had any right notions of, would have greatly contributed to have abated their sorrow, quieted their minds, made them easy under, and reconciled them unto, his departure from them.

Geneva Study Bible

But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

6. I have said] Better, I have spoken as in John 16:1. A similar correction is needed in John 16:4 for ‘have I told:’ it is the same Greek word in all three cases, and means ‘to speak,’ not ‘to say’ or ‘to tell.’

sorrow hath filled] So that there is no room for thoughts of My glory and your future consolation.

Bengel's Gnomen

John 16:6. Ἡ λύπη) that sorrow, which already was felt by them, became increased and prevented their asking the question.—καρδίαν, heart) John 16:22, “Ye now therefore have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice.”

John 16:6