“children” (NIV) =  teknion =  diminutive of teknon (which means a child) which expresses affection; little children. “In the light of his near separation  Jesus looked upon his apostles as about to be made orphan children.” (McGarvey) Jesus knows that what He is telling them is difficult and the times to come will be hard, but He wants them to be certain of His affection and concern for them.

Interestingly, this phrase must have made a great impact on John, for he himself used it 7 times in his epistles.

Jesus had already told the Jews something similar (7:33-34, 8:21), but here He leaves out part of what He had said to the Jews those two times. In all three instances He said that they would look for Him, but He told the unbelieving Jews that they would not find Him and that they would die in their sins. Here He tells His disciples that they will look for Him but He leaves out the other two things. Do you think there is any significance to this? Why?

John 7:33-34  Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time, and then I go to the one who sent me.  You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”

John 8:21  Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”