John 16:5

My Notes

What Does John 16:5 Mean?

"But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?" Jesus observes a FAILURE in His disciples: He's telling them He's LEAVING — returning to the Father who sent Him — and NOBODY ASKS where He's going. The departure announcement produces SORROW (verse 6) but not INQUIRY. The disciples are absorbed by their OWN grief. They're not curious about Jesus' DESTINATION. The self-focus of the sorrow has eliminated the curiosity about the glory.

The phrase "I go my way to him that sent me" (hypagō pros ton pempsanta me — I am going to the One who sent Me) describes the DESTINATION of the departure: Jesus isn't just leaving. He's RETURNING — to the One who SENT Him. The going is a HOMECOMING. The departure from the disciples is an arrival at the Father. The leaving is a going-to, not just a going-from.

The "none of you asketh me, whither goest thou" (oudeis ex hymōn erōta me, pou hypageis — nobody from among you asks Me, where are You going?) is the observation that reveals SELF-ABSORBED grief: the disciples heard 'I'm leaving' and stopped processing. The sorrow consumed the curiosity. The grief about THEIR loss prevented the question about HIS destination. The sorrow is SELF-FOCUSED — they're grieving what they'll lose, not wondering what He'll gain.

Reflection Questions

• 1.Is your grief about what you're losing preventing your curiosity about where God is going?
• 2.What does Jesus' departure being a HOMECOMING (not abandonment) change about your response?
• 3.How does self-absorbed sorrow eliminate the curiosity that should accompany it?
• 4.What 'where are you going' question should you be asking about what God is doing next?

Devotional

I'm going to the One who sent Me. And NONE of you asks: where are you going? The disciples hear 'I'm leaving' and process nothing beyond their own grief. Nobody asks about the DESTINATION. Nobody wonders about the GLORY He's going to. The sorrow is so self-focused that it's eliminated the curiosity.

The 'I go my way to him that sent me' is HOMECOMING, not abandonment: Jesus isn't fleeing. He's RETURNING — going back to the Father who sent Him. The departure is the COMPLETION of the mission, not its failure. The going is a going-TO, not just a going-FROM. The destination is the Father's presence. The arrival is the reunion with the Sender.

The 'none of you asketh me, whither goest thou' exposes SELF-ABSORBED sorrow: the disciples are so consumed by THEIR loss that they can't consider HIS gain. The question 'where are you going?' would have opened the conversation to GLORY — the Father's presence, the right hand of God, the honor that awaits. But nobody asks. The sorrow absorbs all the bandwidth. The grief about their experience prevents the inquiry about His destination.

The observation is GENTLE REBUKE: Jesus isn't angry. He's NOTING the absence. The 'none of you' is an observation that something is MISSING from the conversation. The sorrow is REAL — Jesus acknowledges it (verse 6). But the sorrow has become so dominant that it's blocked the CURIOSITY that should accompany it. The disciples can hold grief AND wonder simultaneously. They're only holding grief.

Is your sorrow about what God is taking AWAY preventing your curiosity about where God is GOING?

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture