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October 27

John 16:12-15. Christ promises to send the Spirit to teach the disciples.

The Lord Jesus knew that this was his last conversation with his disciples before his death. He had said to them, while sitting at the supper-table, "Hereafter I will not talk much with you." But if he had had more time for discourse, he could not have taught them all he wished. And why not? Because their hearts were not in a fit state to receive all his instructions. The disciples were only babes in Christ, and they had need of milk, and not of meat. They had shown, a few hours ago, that they were only babes, for even at the last supper there had been a strife among those who should be the greatest. Christians who have grown much in grace do not desire to be exalted above their brethren.

The disciples must have been grieved when they heard their Master say, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now." They must have been grieved to find they lost many sweet disclosures of grace from the lips of the Son of God himself. There were many precious truths in their Lord's heart, which he would have communicated to his beloved children had they been able to receive them. If we would grow in the knowledge of the truth, we must lay aside all malice, and envies, and evil-speaking; for these sinful passions clog up the soul, and prevent the entrance of the truth.

In this farewell discourse the sympathizing Saviour never dwelt long upon any sorrowful topic, for it appears to have been his great desire to comfort his disciples. It was to comfort them he spoke of the coming of this Spirit, and of all the benefits he would confer. He made three promises concerning the Spirit. "He will guide you into all truth." "He will show you things to come." "He shall glorify me," that is, he will show you my glory. The writings of the apostles prove that the Lord fulfilled these promises.

In their epistles, (as in the whole Bible,) we find truth, without any admixture of error. In them we are told of "things to come." What a description the apostle Peter gives, in his second epistle, of the burning up of the world! and what wonderful scenes are opened to our eyes in the Revelation granted to the apostle John! In the epistles we see the accomplishment of the promise, "He shall glorify me." Three of the apostles had seen the glory of Christ on the mount of transfiguration. But there is a glory which cannot be seen by human eyes. The Spirit reveals this glory to the souls of all true believers, as the apostle Paul declares, "But we all, with open face, beholding, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Cor. 3:18.) Unbelief is the veil that hides the glory from the heart—but when the Holy Spirit, by his might, takes away this veil, then the glory of Christ shines into the inmost soul, true believers look with open or unveiled face into the gospel glass, (or mirror,) and behold the glory of the Son of God.

At first they see it very dimly—but they are changed into the same image from glory to glory. They grow in the knowledge of Christ. Let not those be cast down who have only just begun to seek Christ. Perhaps now you often say with tears, "Help my unbelief." Perhaps now you feel that these words concerning Jesus do not apply to you. "In whom, though now you see him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory." (1 Peter 1:8.) Pray that the Holy Spirit may enlighten your eyes, that you may by faith behold the glory of Christ—of that "High Priest who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens." (Heb. 8:1.) Earth contains no glory like his. Why has the heavenly city no need of the sun or moon to shine in it? Because "the glory of God lightens it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." (Rev. 21:23.)

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