ACC ~ John 16 v29

DISCIPLES DO NOT EVEN KNOW THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND

AUGUSTINE: But how can they say, “Now you speak plainly and do not utter proverbs”? Had the hour, indeed, already come—the hour when he had promised that he would no longer speak to them with proverbs? Certainly such an hour had not yet come, as is shown by how he continues speaking to them. [1] … They say this then because, although our Lord’s communications to them still continue as proverbs to them, they are so far from understanding them that they do not even understand their own lack of understanding his words. They were still infants who had no spiritual discernment concerning what they heard. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 103.1. [2]

[1] See Jn 16:25-28.

[2] ESUS IS INFORMED THAT LAZARUS IS SICK | JOHN 11:1-5

Jn