John 16:20-21 to Jeremiah 31:13

OT Source(s):

Jeremiah 31:13 ("turn their mourning into gladness")
Isaiah 61:1-3 (comfort and joy instead of sorrow)
Jeremiah 22:10 (mourning terminology)
Esther 9:22 (sorrow turned to joy at Purim)
Isaiah 13:8 (woman in labor—extremely common in prophetic OT)
Jeremiah 4:31 (labor imagery)
Daniel 12:1 (day of Lord as "time of distress")
1QH XI, 8-12; Revelation 12:2-5 ("birth pains of the Messiah")
Matthew 24:8, 21, 29 (Jesus' teaching: "beginning of birth pains," "great distress")

Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Reference Type: Allusion

Connection Method(s): Promise-Fulfillment + Longitudinal Theme

Significance: OT: God can "turn mourning into gladness," give "comfort and joy instead of sorrow" (Jeremiah 31:13; Isaiah 61:1-3). Purim celebrates "sorrow turned into joy" (Esther 9:22). Woman in labor image EXTREMELY common in prophetic OT, frequently applies to coming of end-time salvation through Messiah. Day of Lord regularly portrayed as "time of distress" (Daniel 12:1; Zephaniah 1:14-15). Second Temple Judaism coined phrase "birth pains of the Messiah" for tribulation period preceding final consummation (1QH XI, 8-12; cf. Revelation 12:2-5; Brownlee).