The Work of the Spirit
Unit 9: Essay: The Work of the Spirit in John’s Gospel
In John 14:15-16, Jesus promises his disciples that in the waking of his leaving God will send “another Advocate” (NRSV translation of the Greek, parakletos), whom Jesus calls “the spirit of truth” and “the Holy Spirit.” Jesus describes the work of this spirit in 14:26 and further in 15:26-27 and 16:5-14. In John 20:19-23, Jesus fulfills his promise to the disciples when he “breathed” on them and invited them to receive the spirit.
1. How circumstances prompt Jesus to explain the work of the Spirit in chapters 14-15? What is significant about the particular time and place where the disciples receive the spirit? How does the work of the Spirit, as Jesus describes it earlier, relate to the mission Jesus gives them at the same time? Consider here the range of possible meanings for the Greek word parakletos. See “Paraclete” entry in HCBD and commentary on p. 725 in NIB One Volume Commentary.
2. How it the work for which the Spirit equips the disciples connected with Jesus’ redemptive work as God’s Logos as described in the prologue of the gospel (1:1-18)? Are there reasons to suspect that the disciples’ faith and their understanding of Jesus as God’s Logos will grow from this point forward? Consider their level of faith and understanding when they receive the Spirit. What does 1 John say about what constitutes full or complete faith and understanding?
3. Consider why persons for whom John’s Gospel was written might have identified with the disciples as they appear and act at the end of chapter 20. Note the two possible understandings of “that you may believe” in 20:31 (see footnote n in NISB ). Is the stated purpose of John’s Gospel to bring persons to faith, as the NRSV translation reads, or to assist persons in continuing to believe, where continuation in faith leads to deeper understanding? The gospel may have a dual purpose, but does structure of the gospel suggest one purpose is primary? Recall where Peter speaking on behalf of the twelve tells Jesus, “We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God” (6:69). What prompts Peter to say this and what does Jesus’ response to his statement imply? Note also Thomas’ lack of faith in the preceding episode. Consider what Jesus’ words in 16:12-15 imply about the connection between faith and understanding.
4. What parallels, if any, do you see between Jesus’ disciples and the original audience of John’s Gospel, on the one hand, and Christian communities today, on the other?
I
Sample Solutions
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Phasellus hendrerit. Pellentesque aliquet nibh nec urna. In nisi neque, aliquet vel, dapibus id, mattis vel, nisi. Sed pretium, ligula sollicitudin laoreet viverra, tortor libero sodales leo, eget blandit nunc tortor eu nibh. Nullam mollis. Ut justo. Suspendisse potenti.
Get sample solution
Sed egestas, ante et vulputate volutpat, eros pede semper est, vitae luctus metus libero eu augue. Morbi purus libero, faucibus adipiscing, commodo quis, gravida id, est. Sed lectus. Praesent elementum hendrerit tortor. Sed semper lorem at felis. Vestibulum volutpat, lacus a ultrices sagittis, mi neque euismod dui, eu pulvinar nunc sapien ornare nisl. Phasellus pede arcu, dapibus eu, fermentum et, dapibus sed, urna.
Morbi interdum mollis sapien. Sed ac risus. Phasellus lacinia, magna a ullamcorper laoreet, lectus arcu pulvinar risus, vitae facilisis libero dolor a purus. Sed vel lacus. Mauris nibh felis, adipiscing varius, adipiscing in, lacinia vel, tellus. Suspendisse ac urna. Etiam pellentesque mauris ut lectus. Nunc tellus ante, mattis eget, gravida vitae, ultricies ac, leo. Integer leo pede, ornare a, lacinia eu, vulputate vel, nisl.
Suspendisse mauris. Fusce accumsan mollis eros. Pellentesque a diam sit amet mi ullamcorper vehicula. Integer adipiscing risus a sem. Nullam quis massa sit amet nibh viverra malesuada. Nunc sem lacus, accumsan quis, faucibus non, congue vel, arcu. Ut scelerisque hendrerit tellus. Integer sagittis. Vivamus a mauris eget arcu gravida tristique. Nunc iaculis mi in ante. Vivamus imperdiet nibh feugiat est.
Ut convallis, sem sit amet interdum consectetuer, odio augue aliquam leo, nec dapibus tortor nibh sed augue. Integer eu magna sit amet metus fermentum posuere. Morbi sit amet nulla sed dolor elementum imperdiet. Quisque fermentum. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis xdis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Pellentesque adipiscing eros ut libero. Ut condimentum mi vel tellus. Suspendisse laoreet. Fusce ut est sed dolor gravida convallis. Morbi vitae ante. Vivamus ultrices luctus nunc. Suspendisse et dolor. Etiam dignissim. Proin malesuada adipiscing lacus. Donec metus. Curabitur gravida