John 13:33--"My Little Children"

Jesus emphasized love on the night before his death in his "farewell discourse." He loved his own to the end (John 13:1), and taught his disciples a new commandment, namely, to love one another as he loved them (John 13:34-35). Compare 1 John 3:16.

In John 13:33, the Son of God uttered some interesting words:

Greek: Τεκνία, ἔτι μικρὸν μεθ' ὑμῶν εἰμί· ζητήσετέ με, καὶ καθὼς εἶπον τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ὅτι Ὅπου ἐγὼ ὑπάγω ὑμεῖς οὐ δύνασθε ἐλθεῖν, καὶ ὑμῖν λέγω ἄρτι.

ESV: Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’

I now post comments pertaining to this fateful verse:

J. Ramsey Michaels (NICNT):

Only here in the entire Gospel does he address them as “Children,”⁴⁷ that is, as actual small children, not simply offspring. This is perhaps a corollary of their characterization earlier as “his own” (v. 2), whom he loved. The affectionate address softens the bad news, that “yet a short time I am with you,” that “You will seek me,” and that “Where I am going you cannot come.”

Craig Keener (The Gospel of John, Baker Academic):

Jesus addresses his disciples as “children” in 13:33 (cf. παιδία in 21:5), which figures in the Jesus tradition[238] as well as being a standard title for disciples in John’s circle (1 John 2:1, 12, 28; 3:7, 18; 4:4; 5:21; παιδία in 2:14, 18). This title should not be thought to betray a confusion between the roles of Father and Son; apart from its application to Jesus, one would not even need to assume divine implications in Jesus being their implied “father” here.[239] Fictive kinship terminology based on active rather than genetic relationship was common (e.g., Phaedrus 3.15.18), and “father” was a title of great respect.[240] Ancients employed such fictive kinship terminology in an honorary manner, sometimes in direct address (e.g., 2 Kgs 5:13; 13:14; Diodorus Siculus 21.12.5); for example, they employed titles such as “father of the Jews” (2 Macc 14:37), “fathers of the world” for the first-century schools of Hillel and Shammai (Gen. Rab. 12:14),[241] “father of his country” or of the state for the emperor,[242] “fathers” for Roman senators,[243] for triumphant generals,[244] for other societal leaders or benefactors,[245] for rescuers in battle (Polybius 6.39.6–7), and for older mentors.[246] “Father” could apply to any respected elders;[247] thus, for example, the honorary title “father of a synagogue.”[248] Age by itself was grounds for respect,[249] so from the earliest period younger persons could address older men respectfully as fathers,[250] and older men could address younger men as sons,[251] as could leaders their followers (e.g., Virgil Aen. 1.157). One could address even an older stranger as “father” (cf. 1 Tim 5:1–2).[252]

After quoting numerous references, Keener concludes:

Thus Jesus’ use of the title “children” for his disciples is more the language of a teacher and mentor than of a surrogate for the Father (cf. 16:27); the author of 1 John employs the same language (1 John 2:1, 12–13, 18, 28; 3:7, 18; 4:4; 5:21; 3 John 4), and presumably elders in his community would do the same (1 John 2:13– 14; 2 John 1, 4, 13).

Compare the NWT 2013 study notes for John 13:33.

Robert H. Mounce writes:

As noted, the expression “my [little] children” reveals a special tenderness, and if the experience in the upper room is taken as a Passover meal, this designation would be especially suitable, since on that occasion parents explained to their children the meaning of the Hebrews’ deliverance from Egypt (Ex 12:26–27; 13:8).

Mounce, Robert H. John (The Expositor's Bible Commentary) (Kindle Locations 6851-6854). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.