The Spirit - Teacher And Guide
JOHN 14:26
- THE INDWELLING SPIRIT
1. Personal Knowledge
The attitude of the disciples: “but you know him…” [14:17].
§ γινώσκετε - “know” [14:17], present active, ‘to know with a focus on experience or personal relationship’;
2. The Present Time
The present: “he dwells with you…” [14:17].
§ μένει - “dwells” [14:17], present active, ‘remain in a place or state’;
§ παρʼ ὑμῖν - “with you” [14:17], παρa denotes ‘nearness’; ‘by or beside’;
a. The OT Church & NT Church
This is often interpreted as the distinction between the Old Testament church where the Holy Spirit was “with the church” and the New Testament church now characterised by the fact that the Holy Spirit is “in them”.
b. The Spirit & The Presence of Jesus
The distinction being made is with regard to the presence of Jesus:
§ During the days of his humiliation, the Spirit of Christ was on Christ: “John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him…” [1:32-33].
§ The Holy Spirit was in great measure with Jesus throughout his ministry: “he whom God hath sent speaks the words of God: for God gives not the Spirit by measure unto him” [3:34]; “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives…” [Luk.4:18].
§ In this sense, that is, in the physical presence of Jesus with them, the “Spirit of truth” was “with” [13:33] the disciples.
3. The Future
This was all to change after the resurrection: “and shall be in you” [14:17].
§ ἔσται - “shall be” [14:17], future middle,
§ ἐν ὑμῖν - “in you” [14:17], ‘withinness’; ‘indwelling’;
a. Post-Resurrection
After the exaltation Jesus would breathe his Holy Spirit into the disciples: “when he had said this, he breathed on them, and says unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” [20:22].
§ At the Pentecost event: “they were all filled with the Holy Ghost…” [Acts 2:4].
§ This is the defining characteristic of discipleship: “if any one does not have the Spirit of Christ…” [Rom.8:9].
Application
- THE COMFORTER AS THE TEACHER
The comfort of the Holy Spirit in this context [14:26] is effected by recalling the things which Jesus has already spoken to the disciples.
1. The Holy Spirit
a. The Comforter
Jesus introduces the second of five Paraclete passages: “But the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name…” [14:26].
§ ὁ παράκλητος - “comforter” [14:26], from para ‘beside’ and kalew ‘to call; ‘to call or come alongside to help’; ‘to present the case on behalf of another before a court of law’; ‘advocate’;
§ πέμψει - “send” [14:26], future active, ‘to cause one to depart’; ‘to cause one to carry something to a destination’; stresses the mere fact of sending;
b. The Holy Spirit
The comforter is “the Holy Ghost…” [14:26].
§ τὸ ἅγιον - “holy” [14:26], ‘sacred’; ‘set apart or consecrated’; only God is holy: “The high and lofty one that inhabits eternity, whose name is holy…” [Isa.57:15].
§ τὸ πνεῦμα - “Ghost” [14:26], ‘breath, wind, spirit’;
§ The verse shows him to be closely related to the Father and the Son and the fact that He is God is what is important to these first century Christian. The Spirit’s mission derives from both the Father and the Son.
c. The Spirit of Truth
The Holy Spirit is the “Spirit of truth” [14:17].
§ τὸ πνεῦμα - “Spirit” [14:17], ‘wind, breath, spirit’: “the wind blows where it lists…” [3:8];
§ τῆς ἀληθείας - “of truth” [14:17], ‘fact’; ‘that which is in accord with what really happens’; “grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” [14:17]; “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” [14:6];
§ The genitive is descriptive of a characteristic; the “Spirit of truth” communicates truth: “he shall teach you all things…” [14:26].
d. The Mission
i. The Father & The Spirit
The Father sends the Comforter “in my name…” [14:26].
§ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου - “in my name” [14:26],
§ ὀνόματί - “name” [14:26], in the Old Testament “name” spoke of someone’s character, personality and attributes.
§ Christ’s “name” is all that can be defined as to His nature and His work.
ii. The Father & The Son
Jesus came “in the Father’s name” [5:43; see also 10:25].
§ The purpose of Christ’s mission was to reveal God as His Father, and through this to make known His relation to men, and to humanity, and to the world.
§ The purpose of the Mission of the Holy Spirit is to reveal Christ, to make clear to the consciousness of the Church the full significance of the Incarnation.
§ Jesus came as the Father’s ambassador, so the Spirit comes in Jesus’ name.
Application
The sense of the promise is completely destroyed if “in my name” is interpreted as meaning nothing more than “as my representative” or “at my intercession”.
The Father and the Son are “present” with the disciples by taking up permanent residence with them.
§ This presence is surely by the power of the Spirit: “he shall give you another comforter…” [14:16].
§ The filioque clause; the double procession of the Spirit; the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son [14:16; Acts 2:33].
How is the Holy Spirit to ‘come alongside the disciples in order to help them’ in this instance?
2. The Subject
a. The Word of Truth (Salvation)
The Spirit’s activity is to do with “all things” [14:26].
§ πάντα - “all things” [14:26], ‘each individual in a class’; ‘everything belonging to a class’; a comprehensive term referring to ‘all that they need to know’;
§ This is comprised of Jesus “words” [14:23] as his gospel statement and Jesus “commandments” [14:21] as the boundaries and directions for living the life of discipleship.
§ It is clear that the Spirit brings no new revelation; it works with regard to “whatsoever I have said to you” [14:26].
i. Essence of the Gospel
The Spirit speaks in the ‘continuity of the office of proclamation’ in order to bring the knowledge of the core truths of the gospel. They will be taught inwardly the core truths of salvation:
§ They will be taught that nature of Christ’s relationship to the Father: “that I am in the Father…” [14:20]; that perichoresis which proclaims the ‘dancing around each other’ which speaks of ‘relationships’ and ‘the mutual love and harmony’ that exists between the persons of the Trinity.
§ They will be taught the nature of their relations to Jesus Christ: “you in me and I in you” [14:20]; that perichoresis which proclaims the ‘dancing around each other’ which speaks of ‘relationships’ and ‘the mutual love and harmony’ that exists between Jesus and his disciples.
§ This will be more fully developed as we enter into Chapter 15.
b. The Teacher
The role of the Holy Spirit will be that of teacher: “he shall teach you all things…” [14:26].
§ διδάξει - “teach” [14:26], future active, ‘to provide instruction’; ‘imparting of information’ and the ‘passing of knowledge’;
i. Etymology
The etymology of the word shows that διδάξει comes from di-dak-sko (root dek-, ‘to accept’, ‘extend the hand to’).
§ The reduplicated stem and inchoative suffix convey the idea of repeatedly extending the hand for acceptance; the word therefore suggests the idea of causing someone to accept something.
§ The word calls attention to two aspects, being applied on the one side to the insight of the one who is to be instructed and on the other to the knowledge presupposed in the teacher’.
c. The Enlightening of the Mind
The role of the Holy Spirit will be that of bringing illumination: “bring all things to your remembrance…” [14:26].
§ ὑπομνήσει - “bring to your remembrance” [14:26], future active, ‘to call to mind, call to attention’;
i. Etymology
The etymology of the word shows that ὑπομνήσει is derived from the root *men, ‘to think’;
§ the words from this root cover three areas of meaning: (a) me-, mn-, to intend, want, require; (b) to be enraptured, to rave; (c) mena-, menei-, to be mindful of), might, power, ferocity, liveliness, etc. (Gk. menos), to remember, recall, mention (Gk. mimnesko, -omai), counsellor (Gk. mnemon); memorial (Gk. mnema).
§ In Indo-European languages generally, the following complex of meanings arise: (a) to remember (referring to the intellectual ability, and its exercise, of linking the past to the present); (b) to consider, weigh up (where the present is linked to the future); (c) to be mindful, take into account, mention (assessing how the present relates both to past and future).
d. Gospel Examples
The work of the Holy Spirit in this case includes power of recall and the power to perceive the significance of what was said. Examples of the work in the life of the disciples:
§ The destruction of the temple: “when therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said…” [2:22].
§ The entry into Jerusalem: “These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him…” [12:16];
Application
In John’s gospel, the disciples are shown to fail in their understanding of Jesus. One of the Spirit’s principal tasks, after Jesus is glorified, is to remind the disciples of Jesus’ teaching and thus, in the new situation after the resurrection, to help them grasp its significance and thus teach them what it meant.
§ The two tasks are strictly complementary and almost identical
§ The former office – “teach” - appears to find its fulfilment in the interpretation of the true character of Christ, of what He was, and what He did.
§ The latter office – “bring to remembrance” – appears to find its fulfilment in opening the minds of the disciples to the right understanding of Christ’s words.
The Spirit’s ministry in this respect was not to bring qualitatively new revelation, but to complete, to fill out, the revelation brought by Jesus himself.
- THE COMFORTER AS THE SERVANT
The comfort of the Holy Spirit in this context [16:12-15] is to do with ‘fresh revelation that is mediated through the Spirit from the risen Christ, and which is always controlled by the Spirit.
1. The Witness to Jesus [15:26]
a. The Characteristics of the Spirit
i. The Spirit of Truth
The Spirit is again: “the Spirit of truth…” [15:26].
§ τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας - “Spirit of truth” [15:26], as the words of [14:17]; see above.
§ The genitive is descriptive of a characteristic; the “Spirit of truth” communicates truth: “he shall teach you all things…” [14:26].
ii. The Spirit of Christ
The Spirit of Christ: “the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you…” [15:26].
§ ἐγὼ - “I” [15:26],
§ πέμψω - “send” [15:26], future active, ‘cause to depart’; the stress is more on ‘the fact of sending’; with apostellw the stress is on ‘an envoy/ambassador and recipients’; ‘cause one to carry something to a destination’.
§ Jesus was sent by the Father: “Jesus said unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me…” [4:34].
iii. The Spirit of the Father
The Spirit: “proceeds from the Father…” [15:26].
§ παρὰ - “from” [15:26], ‘from beside’; ‘from the presence of’;
§ τοῦ πατρός - “Father” [15:26],
§ ἐκπορεύεται - “proceeds” [15:26], present middle, ‘to depart out of’; ‘to go out, flow out, go forth’; ‘to march’;
§ The filioque clause: the Holy Spirit ‘proceeds from the Father and the Son’ [15:26;
b. The Witness to Christ
The Ambassador is the witness to Jesus: “he shall testify of me” [15:26]
§ μαρτυρήσει - “testify” [15:26], future active, ‘to give testimony’; ‘to bear witness to something based on first-hand knowledge’;
§ περὶ ἐμοῦ - “of me” [15:26],
i. Etymology
As far as etymology is concerned, μαρτυρήσει comes from the root ‘to bear in mind’, ‘to remember’, ‘to be careful’;
§ ‘The proper sphere of μάρτυς is the legal, where it denotes one who can and does speak from personal experience about actions in which he took part and which happened to him, or about persons and relations known to him’;
§ ‘The group of words now refers not merely to the establishment of events or actual relations or facts of experience on the basis of direct personal knowledge. It signifies also the proclamation of views or truths of which the speaker is convinced’;
§ The “world” is the ‘legal setting’ or ‘theatre’ in which the testimony of the witness is given.
c. The Disciples’ Witness
The disciples were also to be witnesses: “you shall also bear witness…” [15:27].
§ μαρτυρεῖτε - “bear witness” [15:27], plural present active, ‘to give testimony’; ‘to bear witness to something based on first-hand knowledge’;
§ The context seems to suggest that the imperative is meant: you shall bear witness of me!
§ ὅτι - “because” [15:27], introducing purpose clause;
§ ἐστε - “have been” [15:27], plural present active, ‘to be’;
§ μετʼ ἐμοῦ - “with me” [15:27],
§ Witness is based on “being with me”; first-hand knowledge of things;
Application
2. The Spirit is the Disciples’ Guide
The principles had been fully laid down (15:15); yet there was still need of a divine commentary to apply these to individual life, and to the formation of a universal Church. In especial the meaning of the Passion had to be unfolded, for though the Passion was potentially included in the Incarnation, neither the one nor the other could be grasped by the disciples till the Son of man was outwardly glorified.
a. The Disciples’ Inability
Whatever Jesus still had to say to them would be too much for them now: “I have many more things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now” [16:12].
§ πολλὰ - “more things” [16:12],
§ βαστάζειν - “bear” [16:12], ‘to take up’; ‘to take away’; ‘to accept’;
§ ἄρτι - “now” [16:12], ‘at this point’;
§ This implies that such a teaching would have been a crushing burden.
b. The Guide
The Spirit is the guide: “he will guide you into all truth...” [16:13].
§ ὁδηγήσει - “guide” [16:13], future active, ‘to guide in learning’; ‘to instruct, explain’; from ὁδos, ‘way or path’, and ; ‘to lead on a way’; ‘to show the way’;
i. The Path / Destination
The Spirit guides: “into all truth…” [16:13].
§ ἐν - “into” [16:13], ‘withinness’; ‘within the boundary of’;
§ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ πάσῃ - “all truth” [16:13], ‘into the complete understanding of and sympathy with that absolute Truth’.
§ The Spirit guides them “into the Truth,” which is the ‘domain upon which they enter’, and not something to be gazed upon from afar’;
ii. The Unknown
The guide is the security blanket when we enter the unknown.
§ The guide is a resource of information and insight when there are no roads: “Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed…” [Exo.15:13].
§ The guide is invaluable when the faint trails that are there seem to crisscross without rhyme or reason’: “He restores my soul: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake” [Psa.23:3]; “Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation…” [Psa.25:5-6].
Application
‘the focus is upon one’s life-defining orientation with God and in turn how that affects the way one is guided and related to the various information highways of life’;
§ There is progression and development in discipleship. The disciples’ experience sets a limit to their ability to perceive.
§ Learning and teaching is done in stages and moving from one level to another as the pupil develops and is able to cope with additional information.
3. The Spirit is the Informed Guide
A guide is beneficial only when the guide is well informed: “Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch” [Mat.15:14].
a. The Spirit is the
The Spirit is not self-portraying or self-projecting: “he shall not speak of himself...” [16:13].
§ οὐ λαλήσει - “not speak” [16:13], ‘to talk, in some contexts with the semantic focus on telling’;
§ from λέγω with the basic meaning of ‘to gather, count, narrate’, and λόγος, ‘collection, counting, reckoning’; ‘
§ ἀφʼ ἑαυτοῦ - “of himself” [16:13], ‘from’; to denote a ‘point at which something begins’.
b. The Spirit is the Informed Guide
i. The Received Information
The Spirit’s role is informed and limited by way of hearing: “whatsoever he shall hear....” [16:13].
§ ὅσα - “whatsoever” [16:13], correlative accusative plural, ‘as many as’; ‘as much as’; ‘to the degree that’;
§ ἀκούσει - “hear” [16:13], future active, refers primarily ‘to the reception of sound by the perception of hearing’;
§ ‘the use of ἀκούω and its derivatives in the NT reflects something of the significance of the Word as it is spoken and as it is to be heard in the reciprocal NT relationship between God and man’;
ii. The Transmitted Information
The information received is then transmitted: “that shall he speak…” [16:13].
§ λαλήσει - “speak” [16:13], future active, ‘to talk, in some contexts with the semantic focus on telling’;
§ The “hearing” corresponds to “speaking”; one ‘hears’ what has been ‘spoken’.
§ In this case ‘what one speaks’ is ‘what one has heard’.
Application
The issue here is the continuity of the Spirit’s word in relation to that of Jesus as revelation that goes back to the Father.
4. The Information Transmitted
a. Things to Come
i. The Re-Announcement
First of all, the Spirit: “he will show you things to come” [16:13].
§ ἀναγγελεῖ - “show” [16:13], singular future active, ‘to inform, tell, report, announce’; ‘to bring back word’;
§ from ajggevllw, ‘to announce’, and ἀνα, ‘again’; ‘a re-announcement of what has been communicated before’; the aggelloj is the ‘messenger’;
§ ‘it is used of the proclamation or declaration of a king; of the reports of envoys; of an unconcealed message of sorrow; of communications’;
ii. The Content
The content of the announcement: “things to come” [16:13].
§ τὰ ἐρχόμενα - “things to come” [16:13], present middle participle, ‘future things’; ‘things to do with the later stages of the kingdom’?
§ ‘All that transpires in consequence of the pivotal revelation bound up with Jesus’ person, ministry, death, resurrection, and exaltation’.
§ This includes the pattern of life and obedience under the in-breaking kingdom, up to an including the consummation.
Application
But the future was also an unknown page for them, since these Paraclete passages indicate that the coming times would be traumatic for them and that in such times the disciples would need the truthful and authentic Spirit to guide them through their forthcoming wilderness.
§ It is in this combination of farewell and hope of guidance that contemporary readers can find this passage to be of great significance for their lives of discipleship.
§ The words “things to come” is not to be understood in a specifically apocalyptic sense but in more general terms: the Spirit will lead the believing community on its way into the future “into all truth” as it will need it then.
b. The Glory of Christ
The Spirit is the servant of Christ: “he shall glorify me...” [16:14].
§ δοξάσει - “glorify” [16:14], future active, ‘to honour, extol’; ‘to shine’: “Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone…” [Exo.34:29].
i. The Old Testament
As the word is used in the OT LXX, it speaks of the luminous manifestation of God, his glorious revelation of himself: “I am the Lord: that is my name; and my glory I will not give to another…” [Isa.42:8].
§ Characteristically the verb kabod is linked with the verbs of seeing: “I beseech thee, show me thy glory” [Exo.33:18]; “the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together…” [Isa.40:5].
§ We recognise/see God’s glory in creation, but especially in salvation history and in God’s presence with his people: “I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord…” [Exo.33:19; 34:5-6].
§ The aorist passive was the expected way to translate the MT’s use of the Hebrew niphal of nikbad, used of the revelation God’s splendid activity: “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendour” [Isa.49:3].
Calvin - It is, because by it (cross) he glorifies God the Father [13:31-32]; for in the cross of Christ: as in a magnificent theatre, the inestimable goodness of God is displayed before the whole world.
c. The Things of Christ
The means is the unfolding of Jesus’ person and work: “for he shall receive of mine...” [16:14].
§ λήμψεται - “receive” [16:14], future middle, ‘to take hold of’; ‘to acquire possession of’; ‘to grasp’;
§ ἐκ τοῦ ἐμοῦ - “of mine” [16:14], ‘all the revelation bound up in Jesus’ person and mission are pressed home on the disciples’.
§ In particular this refers to the words which Jesus has spoken and the work that he has done on the Father’s command: “into all truth…” [16:13]; “bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” [14:26].
§ The person of Jesus: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life…” [14:6].
i. Activity
This ‘gives the notion of activity and effort on the part of the recipient’: “the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God” [1Cor.2:10];
§ ἐραυνᾷ - “searches” [2:10], present active, ‘try and learn’; ‘try and find out’; ‘to trace out, examine, and search’.
ii. The Announcement
The things of Christ are then announced: “shall show it unto you” [16:14].
§ ἀναγγελεῖ - “show” [16:14], ‘to inform, tell, report, announce’; ‘to bring back word’;
§ ὑμῖν - “unto you” [16:14], ‘to the disciples’;
iii. The Revelation of the Father
This is nothing less than the revelation of the Father himself: “all things that the Father has are mine...” [16:14].
§ πάντα ὅσα - “all things” [16:14], ‘as many as’; ‘as much as’; ‘to the degree that’; ‘every individual in a group’;
§ ἔχει - “has” [16:14], present active,
§ ἐμά ἐστιν - “are mine” [16:14], possessive adjective of the first person,
Application
The Spirit then is the deliverer of the saving message, which the world received through the disciples.
§ The message of Christ given in His historical, human life, was in itself complete at once. The interpretation of that message by the Spirit goes forward to the end of time.
§ The Spirit, by this utter dependence, ensures the unity of God and the revelation God graciously grants.
§ The Spirit will not bring new illumination, or disclose new mysteries; on the contrary, in the proclamation effected by him, the word that Jesus spoke continues to be efficacious.
To be authentically Christian in a hostile world, according to John, is not to be pneumatically centered nor Christocentric but theocentric. The Spirit serves the mission of Jesus, just as Jesus served the will of the Father. The Godhead is united in purpose and mission.
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