Day 1156: The Spirit of truth - John 16 vs 1 - 14

1-4 “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. 5-6 “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.

6 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8-11 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

12 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13-14 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.” John 16:1-14 English standard Version

Jesus knew a time would come when the disciples would be persecuted, and that whoever killed them would think he was offering service to God. (Think here of Saul, before he was changed to Paul!) He also knew their human weakness. There was a danger of their falling away from being His follower. So He warned them beforehand of what would happen, in order that, when the time came, they would recall His words. The words of Jesus should be the Christian's strength when persecution looms, and even their lives are threatened.

But there was more. Rather than being filled with sorrow because He was leaving them, He points out the tremendous advantage there would be by His sending the Holy Spirit to them. (vs 6) What would be the result of Holy Spirit coming into the world? (vs 8-11)

We should note here that the Holy Spirit had already been active in the lives of God's people even in Old Testament days. But Jesus speaks of a much more widespread, and more powerful ministry. J C Ryle points out that this work of the Holy Spirit would begin with the Jews. On the day of Pentecost the Jews were indeed convicted of their sin of unbelief, and that the man they had crucified had risen and ascended, and that Satan's power had been broken.

But the Holy Spirit's ministry would be effective in the world as well. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that makes the preaching of the gospel touch the lives of even hardened sinners. He shows men and women their unbelief, and points them to the righteousness of Christ. He reveals how Satan has been defeated, and announces the victory Christ has won. The apostle Paul could say to people at Corinth “my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:4-5) And he also said: “the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith.” (Romans 1:16-17)

Which brings me to a point I made in an earlier post. How did we get the Bible? How were the disciples able to remember all that Jesus did and said? Jesus gives the answer in vs 12-14.

The Spirit of truth would guide them into all truth. But there's a lesson for us there too. Few of us can take in too much truth in a short space of time. (vs 12) That's why we need to read the Bible often, and to listen with care when it is preached. The Spirit who guided the disciples to remembering what Jesus said, is the same One who accompanies that word with power whenever it is faithfully proclaimed. He takes all there is of Christ, and declares Him to us. Hallelujah.