ἀλλὰ ταῦτα … ὑμῖν. This repeats John 16:1, but He now adds an explanation of His silence up to this time regarding their future: ταῦτα δὲ ὑμῖν … ἤμην. ἐξ ἀρχῆς = ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς of John 15:27, Holtzmann. If there is a difference, ἐξ ἀρχῆς indicates rather the point of time (cf. its only other occurrence, John 6:64) while ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς indicates continuity. The fact of the silence has been disputed: but no definite and full intimations have hitherto been given of the future experience of the Apostles, as representing an absent Lord. The reason of His silence was ὅτι μεθʼ ὑμῶν ἤμην, “because I was with you”. While He was with them they leant upon Him and could not apprehend a time of weakness and of persecution. See Matthew 9:15.

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Old Testament