John 14:19

"I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you."

Key Reflection

In first-century Palestine, the term "orphans" was used metaphorically to describe those left without a divine guide or protector. Jesus reassures his disciples by promising they will not be abandoned; instead, he pledges to return and be with them in spirit. This promise resonates deeply within the context of Jewish expectation for the Messiah, who would bring both physical presence and spiritual guidance to his people.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Verse 19. A little while. This was the day before his death. Seeth me no more. No more until the day of judgment. The men of the world would not see him visibly, and they had not the eye of faith to discern him. But ye see me. Ye shall continue to see me by faith, even when the world cannot. You will continue to see me by the eye of faith as still your gracious Saviour and Friend. Because I live. Though the Saviour was about to die, yet was he also about to be raised from the dead. He was to continue to live, and though absent from them, yet he would feel the same interest in their welfare as when he was with them on earth.

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