I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
John 16:12-15

To frightened and confused disciples unable to handle much more, Jesus reveals the most remarkable thing: the Holy Spirit is the Truth about the Truth, about the Truth. This is no word game or redundancy, but the stunning reality that the Holy Spirit, or “Spirit of truth”, will guide them into “all the truth” about Jesus, who is the Truth about the True God.

Just as Jesus is “the way, and the truth” (John 14:6) who reveals the truth about the Father, so also the Holy Spirit reveals the truth about Jesus. The Holy Spirit will take the disciples by hand and guide them into deeper truth about Jesus. Reflecting the very lowliness and humility of Jesus, the Holy Spirit speaks not of Himself, nor on His own initiative, but speaks only of Jesus and His love. Note Jesus’ emphasis, as three times He says that the Spirit will take what Jesus teaches and make it clear: “he will take what is mine and declare it to you”.

While Jesus’ promise of the Spirit was first given to the disciples, it applies just as well to us today. To any heart that is willing and eager, the Spirit of truth will take Jesus’ words and make them alive and powerful. Everything we need to know about the Father, Jesus speaks to the Holy Spirit, who will make it know to us. The Spirit passionately longs to tell us more about Jesus.

John Robinson, the pastor of the Pilgrims, said: “I am verily persuaded the Lord hath more truth and light yet to break forth from his holy word.” Those words are just as true today as when Robinson spoke centuries ago. No one has ever grasped the inexhaustible riches of Jesus or wonders of His love.

May our prayer ever be that of the Apostle Paul, who prays for the Spirit to teach us yet more about Jesus and the Father’s heart:

“I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:18-19).

REFLECTION

What are there in Jesus’ words today to know; to feel; to do?