4. — [But these things have I told, etc.'] Here once more our Lord repeats His reasons for telling tlie disciples what they must expect. " I have told you what treatment you will receive, in order that you may not be surprised when the time of trial conies, but may remember that I foretold you all, and not be cast down. Nothing unforeseen, nothing unpredicted, you will feel, happens to us. Our Master told us it would be so."
The word " I," in the sentence, " that ye may remember that I told you," is emphatic in the Greek. It seems to mean, " Re- member that I myself, your Master, told you."
Our Lord adds the reason why He had not dwelt on these trials before. " I did not tell you much of these things at the beginning of your discipleship, because I was with you, and would not disturb your minds with painful tidings while you were learning the first principles of the Grospel. But now that I am about to leave you, it is needful to forewarn you of things you are likely to meet with."
Of course it cannot be said that our Lord had never and in no sense before this time foretold persecution and the cross to His disciples. But it must mean that He did not think it needful to dwell much on the subject, so long as He was with them and taking care of them.
5. — [But now I go.. .whither goest thou ? "] These words seem to convey a reproof to the disciples for not inquiring more ear- nestly about the heavenly home to which their Master was go ing, Peter, no doubt, had said with vague curiosity, " Whither goest Thou ? " (John xiii. 36) ; but his question had not origi- nated in a desire to know the place, so much as in surprise that His Lord was going at all. Our Lord seems here to say, " If your hearts were in a right frame, you would seek to under- stand the nature of my going and the place to which I go."
Let us observe that the disciples, with all their grace, were slow to use their opportunities, and to seek the knowledge which they might have obtained. They had not because they not.
Let us observe that our Lord spoke of His departure as a " going back to Him that sent Him," His mission being finished and His work done.
6. — [But because. ..sorrow. ..your heart.] Here our Lord continues the reproof of the last verse. The minds of the eleven were ab- sorbed and overwhelmed with sorrow at the thought of their Master going, and they could think of nothing else. Instead of seizing the little time that was left, in order to learn more from His lips about His place and work in heaven, they were completely taken up with sorrow, and could think of nothing else but their Master's departure.
We should do well to mark how mischievous overmuch sor-