So some of his disciples said to one another, “What does this mean
that he is saying to us, ‘A little while and you will not see me,
and again a little while and you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am
going to the Father’?” So they said, “What is this ‘little while’
of which he speaks? We do not know what he means.” John
16:17–18
How about you? Do you know what Jesus means? Or do you find that
you are confused by what He said just like these disciples were?
Though pride may tempt you to claim that you fully understand all
that Jesus taught, the humble and honest truth is that you are
probably very much like these disciples in their confusion. And
that is not necessarily a bad place to be.
First, the confusion of these disciples shows they took Jesus
seriously. They were not indifferent. They cared, were interested,
wanted to understand, and must have had some level of faith in
Jesus. Otherwise, they would have ignored Him. But they didn’t.
They listened, tried to understand, discussed His teaching, thought
about His words and humbly concluded that they didn’t
understand.
Jesus is not critical of their confusion. He sees that they are
trying and that they have some level of faith. And even though
these disciples are confused, Jesus continues to speak to them in
figures of speech rather than directly and clearly. One of the
reasons that Jesus speaks in figurative language is because the
message that He is teaching is profound and deep. It’s not
something that can be quickly and easily understood and mastered.
The mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven are so deep, vast, profound
and mystical that the only way to begin to understand them is to
first have faith. Faith does not mean you fully understand
everything. Faith is a supernatural gift by which you come to
believe without fully seeing and understanding. The certainty comes
for God, not from your own reasoning ability. But faith always
leads to deeper understanding. Therefore, as these disciples
professed their faith, they also came to understand. And even
though Jesus speaks in this figurative way, these disciples
ultimately made the choice to believe. Later in this chapter they
conclude, “Now we realize that you know everything and that you do
not need to have anyone question you. Because of this we believe
that you came from God” (John 16:30).
If you find yourself confused about various matters of faith, God,
morality, and the like, or if you find yourself confused about the
various mysteries of life itself, or your life in particular, do
not be afraid to admit to this confusion. Admitting confusion is
the humble admittance of the truth, and this humility will be a
helpful step toward the gift of faith.
Reflect, today, upon whether you struggle at all with indifference
toward the mysteries of life. If so, commit yourself to be more
like these disciples who intentionally grappled with all that Jesus
spoke. Do not be afraid to admit your confusion and to place that
confusion before our Lord. Strive to have the gift of faith and
allow that spark of faith to become the pathway for your deeper
understanding of the many mysteries of life.
My mysterious Lord, You and all the mysteries of the Kingdom of
Heaven are so deep and profound that no one will ever fully
comprehend their depth, breadth and beauty. Please open my mind,
dear Lord, to a deeper understanding of You so that I may profess
my faith in You and in all that You have chosen to reveal. I do
believe, my God. Help my unbelief. Jesus, I trust in You.
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Featured image above: Christ Washing the Feet of the
Disciples By Paolo Veronese, via Wikimedia Commons
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