John 16:12-16: a reflection

12“I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. 13However, when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will speak. He will declare to you things that are coming. 14He will glorify me, for he will take from what is mine and will declare it to you. 15All things that the Father has are mine; therefore I said that he takes of mine and will declare it to you. 16“A little while, and you will not see me. Again a little while, and you will see me.”

On the night before he died, Jesus tells his disciples that there is much more he would say to them, but they cannot bear it now. And he promises them a helper: When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will glorify me, taking what is mine and declaring it to you. The disciples would not be left to grope for truth on their own; the Spirit would come to guide them into it, and to point them to Christ.

Notice the ministry of the Spirit that Jesus promises: to guide into truth, and to glorify Christ. The Spirit would lead the disciples into the truth they could not yet grasp, and he would do so by pointing them to Jesus, taking what is Christ's and making it known. The Spirit does not draw attention to himself, but glorifies Christ; his work is to lead us into truth, and to make Jesus known and treasured.

That is a comfort and a guide for us. We are not left to find and understand the truth on our own, by our own cleverness; we have been given the Spirit of truth, who guides us into truth and points us to Christ. When we struggle to understand, when we seek the truth, we can rely on the Spirit to guide us, and we can be sure that his leading will always glorify Christ, drawing us to him. Rely on the Spirit to guide you into truth, rather than trusting only your own understanding. Ask him to lead you, to open the Scriptures, to make Christ known to you; for this is his ministry: to guide us into all truth, and to glorify Jesus. Yield to the Spirit of truth, who leads us into truth and makes Christ known and treasured; and let all your seeking of truth be led by him and centered on Christ.

Lord Jesus, on the night before you died, you promised your disciples the Spirit of truth, who would guide them into all truth, and would glorify you, taking what is yours and declaring it to them. Thank you that I am not left to find and understand the truth on my own, by my own cleverness; I have been given the Spirit of truth, who guides me into truth and points me to Christ. When I struggle to understand, when I seek the truth, help me rely on the Spirit to guide me, and be sure that his leading will always glorify you, drawing me to you. Help me rely on the Spirit to guide me into truth, rather than trusting only my own understanding. I ask him to lead me, to open the Scriptures, to make Christ known to me; for this is his ministry: to guide me into all truth, and to glorify you. Help me yield to the Spirit of truth, who leads me into truth and makes you known and treasured, and let all my seeking of truth be led by him and centered on you.