SEV Biblia, Chapter 16:4
Mas os he dicho esto, para que cuando aquella hora viniere, os acordis que yo os lo había dicho. Esto empero no os lo dije al principio, porque yo estaba con vosotros.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - John 16:4
Verse 4. At the beginning] I would not trouble you by speaking of these things pointedly at first, when I chose you to be my disciples, but have referred them to the present time, lest you should be discouraged; and now only declare them because it is absolutely necessary that you should be put upon your guard.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 4. But these things have I told you , etc.] Christ enlarged on this disagreeable subject, and was the more particular in enumerating the evils his apostles were to endure for his names sake: that when the time shall come ; some copies read it, their time; so the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic render it; that is, the time when wicked men will be suffered to vent all their rage and malice: ye may remember that I told you of them ; which might serve greatly to confirm them in the faith of him as the omniscient God, and the true Messiah, and encourage them to depend on his veracity and faithfulness in his promises; that since the evil things which he spoke of came upon them, so they might hope, believe, and expect, that all the good things he had assured them of, should be accomplished; and also to engage them to bear their sufferings with the greater patience, since they were appointed by God, and foretold by their Lord and master. And these things , adds Christ, I said not unto you at the beginning ; when he first called them to be followers of him; for though when he ordained them, and sent them forth to preach the Gospel in the cities of Judea, which was some time after he had called them by his grace, he did acquaint them with some of the troubles and exercises they should meet with; as that they should be hated by all men, persecuted from city to city, beat in the synagogues, delivered up to councils, and brought before kings and governors; (see Matthew 10:17-19); yet he did not so fully and distinctly speak of these things, as here and at this time: his reason for such a conduct was this, because , says he, I was with you : wherefore he never spoke so fully and distinctly of their troubles, because he was with them, and took them upon himself; and indeed, whilst he was with them, the rage and malice of the Jews were not so much against his disciples, as himself; nor did he for the same reason speak so largely of the Comforter, and of the comforts they should receive from him, because as they had not the exercises they should afterwards have, so they had him to be their comforter.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-6 - Our Lord Jesus, by giving his disciples notice of trouble, designe that the terror might not be a surprise to them. It is possible for those who are real enemies to God's service, to pretend zeal for it This does not lessen the sin of the persecutors; villanies will neve be changed by putting the name of God to them. As Jesus in his sufferings, so his followers in theirs, should look to the fulfillin of Scripture. He did not tell them sooner, because he was with them to teach, guide, and comfort them; they needed not then this promise of the Holy Spirit's presence. It will silence us to ask, Whence trouble come? It will satisfy us to ask, Whither go they? for we know they wor for good. It is the common fault and folly of melancholy Christians to look only on the dark side of the cloud, and to turn a deaf ear to the voice of joy and gladness. That which filled the disciples' hearts with sorrow, was too great affection for this present life. Nothing mor hinders our joy in God, than the love of the world, and the sorrow of the world which comes from it.
Greek Textus Receptus
αλλα 235 CONJ ταυτα 5023 D-APN λελαληκα 2980 5758 V-RAI-1S υμιν 5213 P-2DP ινα 2443 CONJ οταν 3752 CONJ ελθη 2064 5632 V-2AAS-3S η 3588 T-NSF ωρα 5610 N-NSF μνημονευητε 3421 5725 V-PAS-2P αυτων 846 P-GPN οτι 3754 CONJ εγω 1473 P-1NS ειπον 2036 5627 V-2AAI-1S υμιν 5213 P-2DP ταυτα 5023 D-APN δε 1161 CONJ υμιν 5213 P-2DP εξ 1537 PREP αρχης 746 N-GSF ουκ 3756 PRT-N ειπον 2036 5627 V-2AAI-1S οτι 3754 CONJ μεθ 3326 PREP υμων 5216 P-2GP ημην 2252 5713 V-IXI-1S
Vincent's NT Word Studies
4. But (alla). Marks a breaking off of the enumeration of fearful details; but (to say no more of these things),I have spoken these, etc.At the beginning (ex archv). Properly, from the beginning. So Rev. The phrase only here and vi. 64.
