Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - John 16:12 - 16:15
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Joh_16:12-15
12"I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. 15All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you."
Joh_16:12 "you cannot bear them now" The term "bear" is used of an animal carrying a physical burden. Some of the things they could not understand were
1. Christ's suffering
2. Christ's resurrection
3. the world mission of the church
Modern readers must remember that in many ways the life of Christ represents a transition period. The Apostles did not understand many things until the post-resurrection appearances and the coming of the Spirit in fullness at Pentecost.
However, we must also remember that the Gospels were written years later for evangelistic purposes to certain targeted audiences. Therefore, they reflect a later, matured theology.
Joh_16:13 "the Spirit of truth" Truth (alçtheia) is used in its OT connotation of trustworthiness and only secondarily in a sense of truthfulness. Jesus said that He was the truth in Joh_14:6. This title for the Holy Spirit emphasizes His role as the revealer of Jesus (cf. Joh_14:17; Joh_14:26; Joh_15:26; Joh_16:13-14; 1Jn_4:6; 1Jn_5:7). See note at Joh_6:55.
▣ "He will guide you into all the truth" This does not refer to absolute truth in every area, but only in the area of spiritual truth and the teachings of Jesus. This refers primarily to the inspiration of the authors of NT Scriptures. The Spirit guided them in unique, authoritative (inspired) ways. In a secondary sense it relates to the Spirit's work of illuminating later readers to the truths of the Gospel. See Special Topics on Truth at Joh_6:55 and The Personhood of the Spirit at Joh_14:26.
hyperlink
▣ "for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come" The things that are to come refer to the immediate redemptive events: Calvary, the Resurrection, the Ascension, and Pentecost. This does not refer to a prophetic ministry of foretelling the future (i.e., Agabus, Act_21:10, see Special Topic: Prophecy at Joh_4:19).
The Spirit will receive truth from the Father, as Jesus did, and pass it on to believers, as Jesus did. It is not just the content of the Spirit's message that is from the Father, but the methodology (i.e., personal, see Special Topic at Joh_14:26) as well. The Father is functionally supreme (cf. 1Co_15:27-28).
Joh_16:14-15 "He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you" The primary work of the Spirit is the lifting up and explaining of Jesus the Messiah (cf. Joh_16:15). The Spirit never shines the spotlight on Himself, but always on Jesus (cf. Joh_14:26).
▣ "all things that the Father has are Mine" What an astonishing claim (cf. Joh_3:35; Joh_5:20; Joh_13:3; Joh_17:10; Mat_11:27). This is analogous to Mat_28:18; Eph_1:20-22; Col_2:10; 1Pe_3:22.
There is a functional order, not an inequality, within the Trinity. As Jesus reflected the Father, the Spirit reflects Jesus.