John 16:4

“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 name’s 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,…”

“these things I said not . . . at--from. the beginning--He had said it pretty early (Luk 6:22), but not quite as in Joh 16:2. because I was with you.”

“These things - These things which are about to happen, John 16:1-2. He had foretold them that they would take place. Ye may remember ... - By calling to mind that he had foretold these things they would perceive that he was omniscient, and would remember, also, the consolations which he had afforded them and the instructions which he had given them. Had these calamities come upon them without their having been foretold, their faith might have failed; they might have been tempted to suppose that Jesus was not aware of them, and of course that he was not the Messiah. God does not suffer his people to fall into trials without giving them sufficient warning, and without giving all the grace that…”

“I did not tell you these things at the beginning, because I was with you - To bear the chief shock in my own person, and to screen you from it. John 16:5”

“that when: Joh 13:19, Joh 14:29; Isa 41:22, Isa 41:23; Mat 10:7, Mat 24:25; Mar 13:23; Luk 21:12, Luk 21:13; Act 9:16, Act 20:23, Act 20:24; Pe2 1:14 because: Joh 17:12, Joh 17:13; Mat 9:15; Mar 2:19 John 16:5”