Matthew Poole and continuators on John 16:20

20 Verily, verily I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoyce : and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy .

Our Saviours reply is no litteral answer to their question, or exposition of the term which appeared so difficult to them to understand; but yet it is a substantial answer, by which he let them know, that he should be absent from them for some time, which time would be to them a time of mourning, and sadness, as he had before told them; that when the Bridegroom should be taken from them, then they should mourn; that time would be to the wicked part of the World, a time of mirth and jollity:

But their sorrow should be turned into joy when they shall see him again, both upon his Resurrection, and in the general Resurrection. The time of this life is the worldlings hour, and for the most part the power of darkness, to such as love and fear God; but as the worldlings joy shall at last be turned into sorrow; (they compass themselves about with sparks, but they shall at last lye down in sorrow) so the godly mans sorrow shall be turned into joy; Christ will say to the good servant, Enter thou into thy masters joy, Matth. 25.23.