John 16:18 - Exposition

They said, What is this little while whereof he speaketh ? £ ( λέγει ; Vulgate, dicit ). (The R.T. and Westcott and Hort invert the τοῦτο and τί , and thus greatly increase the simplicity of the passage.) What are these two short periods of which he speaks, so full of mysterious significance? We know not what he saith ( λαλεῖ ; Vulgate, loquitur ). We do not apprehend the wonderful interchange of vision and blank darkness—of presence and absence and presence again!