John 16:12 Commentary and Bible Study

These are Christ’s last four promises to his disciples, and not only to the apostles, but to all believers in all ages. They are given to brace the disciples and prepare them for what is to take place. They are intimate and they delivered are exclusive to the disciples; no one else is present. Nevertheless, they are in large measure ongoing in character.The first promise is that there is much to be revealed. Of course, it has one sense for the apostles, and it has a different sense for us. As far as the apostles were concerned, the remaining portion of Scripture was to be revealed to them. The books of the New Testament in effect, revelation was to be completed. In case of all other disciples throughout the ages to follow, it is the promise of ever increasing knowledge of God through the Christian life from the word, ever increasing knowledge of the doctrines of God, and the person and work of Christ and the commands of Christ, and the plans of God for the future. One of the greatest privileges of the Christian life is that we are engaged in a constant learning process. Constantly being deepened and added to and instructed and helped. One of the greatest tragedies of the Christian life is when converted people stop learning and bring to an end their thirst and their desire to learn.There were many things to be taught, and they could not bear them, which means literally what it says. They could not lift them, is the Greek verb; they could not carry them; they could not cope with them. It is a sympathetic statement, and there were solid reasons for that. Of course, Calvary has not happened yet. The Lord is about to allow himself in apparent weakness to be arrested and falsely tried and crucified and slain, and then the resurrection and the ascension will take place. The disciples do not understand yet how he will be the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. They do not understand the concept of atonement and his suffering and death on Calvary. Once this last piece of the ministry of Christ takes place, they will understand everything that they have ever learned so much more clearly, and they will be ready for the last phase of their instruction that must be given them after the death and resurrection of Christ.Furthermore, because Christ had not yet died and risen again and returned to his heavenly reign, the Holy Spirit has not yet come. Christ has been telling them about the Holy Spirit and how the Holy Spirit will teach them and empower them, invisibly, from within and from above. But they only have a slight understanding up till now of these words. They do not grasp that when the Spirit comes they will know Christ, but now by faith. Then everything will be mediated to them by the work of the Spirit in their souls, and that is not yet grasped.