MEMORY VERSE: ‘I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come.’ John 16:12.
LESSON AIM: To show that there were understandings that the apostles would not have been able to understand at the beginning of their Christian experience.
‘The Great Teacher held in His hand the entire map of truth, but He did not disclose it all to His disciples. He opened to them those subjects only which were essential for their advancement in the path to heaven. There were many things in regard to which His wisdom kept Him silent. As Christ withheld many things from His first disciples, knowing that then it would be impossible for them to comprehend them, so today He withholds many things from us, knowing the capacity of our understanding.’ Evangelism, page 202.
1. Why was Jesus unable to say all that He wanted to the disciples in the upper room? John 16:12.
NOTE: ‘But after they were illuminated by the Holy Spirit, how they longed to see Him again, and to place themselves at His feet! How they wished that they might come to Him, and have Him explain the scriptures which they could not comprehend! How attentively would they listen to His words! What had Christ meant when He said, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now”? John 16:12. How eager they were to know it all! They grieved that their faith had been so feeble, that their ideas had been so wide of the mark, that they had so failed of comprehending the reality.’ Desire of Ages, page 507.
2. What direct words did Paul address to the Corinthian believers? 1 Corinthians 3:1-2.
NOTE: ‘Paul had necessarily adapted his manner of teaching to the condition of the church. “I, brethren could not speak unto you as unto spiritual,” he afterward explained to them, “but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.” 1 Corinthians 3:1, 2. Many of the Corinthian believers had been slow to learn the lessons that he was endeavouring to teach them. Their advancement in spiritual knowledge had not been proportionate to their privileges and opportunities. When they should have been far advanced in Christian experience, and able to comprehend and to practise the deeper truths of the word, (1 Corinthians 2:10) they were standing where the disciples stood when Christ said to them, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.” John 16:12. Jealousy, evil surmising, and accusation had closed the hearts of many of the Corinthian believers against the full working of the Holy Spirit, which “searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.”. However wise they might be in worldly knowledge, they were but babes in the knowledge of Christ.’ Acts of the Apostles, page 271.