As a little background, the disciples don't want Jesus to go back to Judea because some people there are trying to kill him. Then Jesus bust out this metaphor. There are two primary schools of thought on the meaning behind Jesus' words, both of which point back to John 9:4-5.
[1] Jesus is playing off his statement that he is the light of the world. If you walk with Jesus, you won't stumble. If you go it alone, it's like walking in the dark. Sooner or later you'll end up with a face full of dirt.
[2] Jesus is reiterating that he is near the end of his ministry, but he still has some time left. Even though it is dangerous, he must keep working now before his time is over.
This kinda stuff is what I like to call “Constitutional wording.” The United States Constitution uses a lot of intentionally vague wording to allow for modern interpretations so it's laws don't become outdated. It seems like Jesus frequently does the same thing with his ministry. I mean it wouldn't be too helpful if we had Jesus quotes along the lines of “Peter, go get that guy some food” or “Thomas, you need a haircut.” The problem with Constitutional wording is that it requires a lot of time and effort to interpret. So much so that many people dedicate their lives to the task.
If you become Chief Justice of the Jesus Court:
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