This verse is part of a larger passage in which Jesus is preparing his disciples for his imminent departure and the coming of the Holy Spirit. In this particular verse, Jesus uses the analogy of a woman in labor to illustrate the disciples' upcoming experience of grief and sorrow at his departure, but also the eventual joy they will experience when they see him again.
The verse also speaks to the pain and joy that come with childbirth, and how the joy of a new life can overcome the pain and difficulty of the birthing process.
In the preceding verses, Jesus tells his disciples that they will weep and mourn while the world rejoices, but that their grief will turn to joy. He then uses the analogy of a woman in labor to explain how the pain and anguish of childbirth is forgotten in the moment of joy when the baby is born.
In this analogy, Jesus is comparing his departure and eventual return to the process of childbirth. The disciples will experience a period of pain and grief when Jesus leaves, but that pain will be forgotten and replaced with joy when Jesus returns to them.
This verse also speaks to the universal experience of childbirth, and how the pain and difficulty of labor is often outweighed by the joy and love that comes with a new life. It reminds us that even in difficult and painful times, there is the potential for great joy and hope.
Overall, John 16:21 is a powerful metaphor that speaks to the human experience of both pain and joy, and highlights the resilience and strength of the human spirit in times of struggle.
John 16:21. “A woman, when she gives birth, has sorrow, because her time has come. But when she has delivered the child, she doesn’t remember the anguish any more, for the joy that a human being is born into the world.”