How does John 16:17 connect with Jesus' resurrection and ascension? Immediate Setting in the Upper Room - Jesus has just told the Eleven: “In a little while you will not see Me, and then after a little while you will see Me” (John 16:16). - Verse 17 records their confusion: “What does He mean… and ‘because I am going to the Father’?” - Two prophetic moments are compressed into one statement: His disappearance (death) and His reappearance (resurrection), followed by His departure to the Father (ascension). “You Will Not See Me” – Good Friday’s Darkness - Within hours, Jesus is arrested, tried, and crucified (John 18–19). - The disciples literally “do not see” Him as He lies in the tomb (John 19:38-42). - Their sorrow fulfills His warning in John 16:20: “You will weep and wail while the world rejoices.” “After a Little While You Will See Me” – Resurrection Morning - Three days later He stands alive among them: • John 20:19: “Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’” • Luke 24:36-43 and 1 Corinthians 15:5-7 list multiple appearances. - The disciples’ sorrow turns to joy exactly as promised (John 16:22). “Because I Am Going to the Father” – Ascension Fulfilled - Forty days after the resurrection Jesus is “lifted up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9-11). - Mark 16:19: “He was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.” - This move “to the Father” launches His ongoing high-priestly ministry (Hebrews 7:25) and paves the way for the Spirit’s coming (John 16:7; Acts 2:33). Why the Resurrection and Ascension Belong Together - Resurrection proves victory over sin and death (Romans 4:25; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4). - Ascension secures His enthronement and the believer’s access to the Father (Hebrews 4:14-16; Ephesians 2:6). - Together they fulfill Psalm 110:1 and Daniel 7:13-14, showing Messiah both conquering and reigning. Practical Takeaways for Today - Confidence: Because He rose, every promise He made is trustworthy (2 Corinthians 1:20). - Assurance: His ascended position guarantees continual intercession (Romans 8:34). - Expectation: “In a little while” also points forward to His return (John 14:3; Acts 1:11). John 16:17, therefore, links the empty tomb to the occupied throne, assuring followers that the same Jesus who vanished in death reappeared in life and now reigns in glory—until we see Him again. |
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