full sense of the words wlien tliey first heard tliem, tlie niglit before the crucifixion.
18. — \_They said therefore. ..little ^ohile.] This sentence shows that it was the " time " mentioned — " a little while " — which per- plexed the disciples. We may conjecture that they could not make out whether it meant " literally " a few days or hours, or figuratively a comparatively short time. And is not this pre- cisely the point on which all students of unfulfilled prophecy disagree ? The verse before us is curiously applicable to many a prophetical controversy.
[We cannot tell... saith.] The words would be more literally rendered, " We do not know what he is speaking of."
19. — [Wow Jesus knew. ..ask Sim.] Here, as in other places, our Lord's perfect knowledge of the hearts and thoughts of all around Him is pointed Out. The word "ask," we should care- fully note, is literally " to ask questions about a thing," It is the same word that is used in verse 23 : " at that day ye shall ask Me nothing."
[And said, etc.] The word rendered, " Do ye inquire among yourselves of that ? " would be more literally, "Concerning this, do ye seek with each other ? "
20. — [Verily... say unto you.] It should be observed in this verse that our Lord gives no reply to the inquiry of the disciples. He does not tell them what He meant by saying " a little while," Questions about times and dates are rarely answered in Scrip- ture. Our attention is rather turned to practical things.
[ Ye shall weep and lament, etc.] I believe, with Augustine and Bede, that the whole verse is meant to be a general descrip- tion of the state of things between the first and second advents of Christ. " During my absence from the world after my as- cension, you, my beloved disciples, and believers after you, shall have many reasons to lament and mourn, like a bride separate from her husband, while the wicked world around you shall re- joice in my absence, and not wish to see Me return. During this long weary interval, you and all believers after you shall often have sorrow and tribulation ; but at last, when I come again, your sorrow shall be turned into joy." In support of this view I advise the reader to study Matt. ix. 15. The idea in each place seems the same. (Compare also Is. Ixv. 14.)
Poole remarks, " The time of this life is the worldling's hour, while it is for the most part the power of darkness to all wlio love and fear God. But as the worldling's joy shall at last be turned into sorrow, so the godly man's sorrow shall be turned into joy." (Isai. 1. 11 ; Matt. xxv. 33.)
The interpretation of Chrysostom, Cyril, and others, which makes the wliole verse fulfilled by the crucifixion and resur- rection of our Lord, appears to me very unsatisfactory. It hardly