5 “But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.
Jesus spoke in verses 5-15 of the Holy Spirit’s new ministry in the future. The Lord had already promised that the Spirit would enable the apostles to witness for Him (Jn 15:26).
16:5
“But now
“Now” indicates the immediacy of Jesus’ departure to the Father. This would be a momentous event, but the apostles were oblivious to it. Everything was about to change for the apostles. Their personal relationship with Jesus was about to transfer to the Holy Spirit.
I go away to Him who sent Me,
Jesus was about to return to the Father.
and none of you asks Me,
None of the apostles asked Jesus about His ascension. They were so preoccupied and absorbed with their own problems that they did not even bother to ask what was about to happen to Jesus.
The point Jesus made was not that no disciple had ever asked the question in the past but that the apostles did not ask the question in this context.
‘Where are You going?’
It is amazing that none of the apostles asked Jesus where He was going. This is especially true since the Lord spent so much time preparing them for His departure.
16:6
But because I have said these things to you,
This phrase continues verses 1 and 4.
sorrow [grief] has filled your heart.
The apostles were grieved about Jesus’ statements concerning His departure from them. All evening He had told them of the ominous events lurking just ahead.
PRINCIPLE:
Many people maximize their problems and minimize their blessings.
APPLICATION:
Many believers magnify their problems and fail to count their blessings. This is a problem of perspective. We need to make the most of what God has given us.
