“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 authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” John 16:12-15
Thayer’s Greek Lexicon renders this word ‘bear’ as - to take up in order to carry or bear; to put upon oneself (something) to be carried; to bear what is burdensome:
Galatians 6:5 uses this word as well with the instruction Each will have to bear his own load.
Jesus had a conversation in Matthew chapter twenty with his disciples, generated by a question the mother of James and John asked. He responded to them, “you don’t know what your are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?”
Like James and John, most of us our confident we are able (ability) to bear the load we are asking for and while Jesus said, you will drink my cup, they had no understanding of the process they would go through to prepare them to carry the responsibility and bear the burdensome.
The foundation we have built through our intimacy with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit must sustain the weight we are to carry. In other words, is my foundation strong enough to sustain the responsibility and carry the burden?
We aren’t given what we cannot carry. A thought here about operating outside of our personal graces; it will destroy us when we pursue what is not ours to have. Jesus distributes the gifts according to the creation of God’s workmanship.
Jesus said I have many things to say that you can’t bear now, but when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. This is process. This is timing.
This is revelation that comes in the timing of God. Like Jesus, the Holy Spirit waits to hear. he does not speak from His own authority, but hears, speaks and declares as we are able to hear.
Interesting to note the use of the words “speaks and declares”. While the two words seem to be repeating a thought, they are actually two different words, one means to talk (Spirit of truth) while the other means disclose5297 hypophérō (from 5259 /hypó, "under" and 5342 /phérō, "bear, carry") – properly, carry-under (like an under-current of a river carrying someone away, LS); (figuratively) to endure because carried safely away from danger. He will disclose the things which are to come. We shall know the truth and the truth shall set us free.
All truth is wisdom, revelation and knowledge. With truth, we also need counsel, understanding and might to carry it out. This is the the help we are given in order to bear our individual loads.
The question, can you bear it, holds another close on it heals, will you bear it?
Psalm 105:19 tells us that until the word came to pass, it tried Joseph. Our individual paths will be filled with tests to check our foundations. Can we bear it? Will we engage with the Holy Spirit and yield to His processes? Will we receive the words that he brings, the truth he discloses, in order to prepare us? Will we allow our lives, hearts, minds; our very character to be so conformed to Christ that we are becoming perfectly one with Him?
Jesus told James and John they would drink his cup. Not then, but in the days ahead, after they had been prepared and yielded, their lives would be poured out for the cause of Christ.
“I have things to say that you can’t bear now” is an invitation to continue being with Him as He works, both to will and to do of His good pleasure, always strengthening and enlarging our foundations so that we can bear it!