JOHN 16: 5-15
In St. John’s Gospel we see that
Jesus Christ tells the disciples that He will send them the advocate, the
Spirit of truth, who will testify on his behalf [Jn.1526 ;1613-14]. Jesus Christ knew that he was going to be killed and that
He rises again on the 3rd day. He also knew that when he ascends to
the Father, He will send the Holy Spirit to be with them forever to teach and
testify about Christ. Jesus focuses on the work of the Holy Spirit in the
world. Jesus addresses the Holy Spirit as HE. On the day of Pentecost,
the Holy Spirit came upon all the people who believed and accepted Jesus Christ
as their Lord and the saviour; as a mighty rushing wind and as a tongues of
fire and they began to speak in many different languages. From that day till
today Almighty God continues to pour out His Holy Spirit upon the church, the
people of God. Almighty God and Jesus Christ have kept their promise and the
Holy Spirit is available to all who believes in Jesus Christ as their Lord and
saviour.
The
Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are distinct from one another. The Father
honours the Son; the Son honours the Father and the Holy Spirit honours the Son
(Jn.171, 8, 22). In the unity of the Godhead
there is a trinity of Persons working out redemption.
- God the Father is the creator and the ruler of man
& the provider of the redemption through His love [Jn.316].
- God the Son is the redeemer, who became man for the
purpose of our redemption.
- God the Holy Spirit is the “Executive of the Godhead”
who applies to each believing soul the benefits of redemption.
“I believe in One God, the Father Almighty,
Creator of Heaven and Earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God,
Begotten , not made, One in being with the Father,
Through Him all things were created.
I believe in Holy Spirit, the Lord, giver of life,
Who proceeds from Father and the Son,
With Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.”
It treats the Father, the Son and
the Holy Spirit as individual persons within the Godhead. The basis idea is
that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are coequal and coeternal centers
of the self-awareness, each being “I” in relation to the other two, who are
“you” and each partaking of the full divine essence along with the other two.
Jesus Christ also assumed the doctrine of Trinity when He prescribed baptism-
“in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” [Mt.2819]. the three persons share one name
because they are one God. Jesus
Christ teaches his disciples in the vs.5-15 about the Holy Spirit. In vs.5 Jesus
wanted his disciples to concentrate on the result of His departure- the coming
of the Holy Spirit rather thinking where Jesus Christ was going. Vs.6-7 The
disciples were grieved at the going of Jesus, but the coming of Holy Spirit at
the day of Pentecost would assure them of Almighty God’s presence at their side
anywhere and everywhere in the world. Jesus wanted to tell his followers that
he was on the earth for a limited time for a specific task given to him by His
heavenly Father. The will or the task was to born like a man, die on the cross
for the sins of many and then rise again on the 3rd day. Jesus
Christ by becoming obedient to Almighty God, came victorious on the cross over
the powers hostile to God. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth that brings
people to the truth of Almighty God. The world doesn't notice the Spirit of
truth, but this Spirit was with Jesus’ disciples and would be in them forever. Vs.8-9 The
Holy Spirit will convict the world that we are all sinners, and would lead us
to repentance and salvation. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, the world
cannot accept him because they are not aware of him; but we as believers know
the Spirit as it is with us. The expression “the Spirit of Truth”
is often used in the Gospel is always in reference to Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ
earlier in this gospel John 146 declares Himself to be the truth. The Holy Spirit also
convicts every human of righteousness and of judgment. The world’s ways of
righteousness and the judgment is wrong and is on the principles of the worldly
rulers. The world is equally condemned with its rulers. Vs.13-15
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth that leads the followers into all the
truth by reminding them about all Jesus Christ had said and done. The Spirit
was meant to be the one who communicates the truth to the hearers. Only through
Jesus Christ we can understand who Almighty God is? The church of God is the
character of Jesus Christ. Holy Spirit will bring glory to Jesus as the plan of
redemption centers in Christ; this is the topic on which Holy Spirit
concentrates its teachings (John 1526). The close
inter-relationship between the three persons of Trinity is once again
emphasized. The
Holy Spirit anoints and empowers to do what He directs him to do (Luke 414-15; 18-21).
It also empowers to preach and heal (John 826); He is the advocate that pleads
our cause before the Almighty God for us. Holy Spirit is also seen as a helper
or a comforter that gives us peace and guidance at the time of trouble and it
also intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. He helps us to
pray (Rom.826). Jesus
Christ had to go to the Father in order to send us the Paraclete, Holy Spirit
that resides in us forever (1Cor.316). The Spirit of God remains with
every believer forever. The Old Testament people did not have this advantage.
The Spirit of God came upon them but for a certain task and then left them; but
post Pentecost every believer is equipped with the Holy Spirit forever. Today
as we focus on the Trinity – God, the Father, God the Son and God the Holy
Spirit, how much do we reflect their aspect in our lives? Do we find it easier
to relate to relate to the Godhead as individuals – as Almighty God the Father,
Jesus Christ his Son and the Holy Spirit the Comforter?
