Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he said unto us,
A little while, and you shall not see me: and again, a little while, and you shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?
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Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
Then said some of His disciples among themselves, What is this that He saith unto us? . . . We cannot tell what He saith. Christ"s words seemed to be obscure, a very enigma, and no wonder, for it is just the same to many Christians even now. Christ did this intentionally, to rouse the minds of the sorrowing Apostles to ask the meaning of this strange expression: so that Hebrews , in His answer, might remove, or anyhow mitigate, their sorrow. S. Chrysostom, Theophylact, and Euthymius give two reasons for their asking: because His words were obscure in themselves; and secondly, because they were weighed down with sorrow. Rupertus adds that they did not yet certainly believe that He would rise again on the third day. S. Augustine and Bede give a further reason for their being troubled at the twice repeated expression "a little while;" namely, that the brief pleasure of this life is changed, in the next life, into eternal and unbounded joy. Sec 2 Corinthians 4:17. Take which view you prefer.
