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Joh_16:31-32. Since ἄρτι must bear the emphasis, and since Jesus could not and would not doubt of[184] the faith of the disciples at this moment, ἄρτι πιστ . is not to be taken interrogatively, with Euth. Zigabenus, Calvin, Wetstein, and several others, including Kuinoel, Olshausen, De Wette, B. Crusius, Tischendorf, Hengstenberg, Ewald (according to the analogy of Joh_1:51, Joh_13:38, Joh_20:29), but concessively: “Now, just now, ye believe, but how soon will ye become vacillating?” οἱ λέγοντες ΠΙΣΤΕΎΕΙΝ ΦΕΎΞΕΣΘΕ ΜΙΚΡῸΝ ὝΣΤΕΡΟΝ , ΚΙΝΗΘΕΊΣΗς ὙΜῶΝ ὙΠῸ ΤΟῦ ΦΌΒΟΥ Τῆς ΠΊΣΤΕΩς , Apollinarius. The faith itself did not pass away (hence there is no contradiction to Joh_16:27, comp. Luk_22:32), but it did not stand the test of self-denial and of heroism. This must first appear in the school of conflict and experience.
ΚΑῚ ἘΛΉΛΥΘΕΝ ] so immediately at hand is it.
ἽΝΑ ] See on Joh_16:2.
ΕἸς ΤᾺ ἼΔΙΑ ] into His own, i.e. His own place of sojourn (Joh_19:27; Plat. Pol. 8, p. 543 B). Opposite of κοινωνία , which is thus rent asunder: ἈΠΌΣΣΥΤΟς ἌΛΛΟς ἈΠʼ ἌΛΛΟΥ , Nonnus, comp. Plat. Gorg. p. 502 E: ἕνεκα τοῦ ἰδίου τοῦ αὑτῶν ὀλιγωροῦντες τοῦ κοινοῦ . On the prediction itself comp. Mat_26:31, and on its fulfilment Mat_26:56.
ΚΑΊ ] The emphatic and …, which (with a pause to be supplied in thought) unexpectedly introduces the contrast. See on Joh_7:28.
οὐκ εἰμὶ μόΝΟς , Κ . Τ . Λ .] The calm, clear self-consciousness of the Father’s protection, elevated above all human desertion, comp. Joh_8:29. The momentary feeling which appears in Mat_27:46 is not in conflict with this.
[184] “He will not punish them nor discountenance them, as those who are as yet weak and without understanding, but answers them in the most friendly manner, as though He should say: Ye are good pious children, you may probably imagine that you understand and believe, and it is indeed true that you now believe, as you in truth acknowledge from the heart that He went forth from God (which is ever the true faith), but ye know not how it will go, and how weak your faith is,” etc., Luther.