We must learn how to rightly divide the Scriptures if we are to properly understand God’s will (2 Timothy 2:15). While reading the Bible, it is essential that we take note of who is speaking and what he is saying. It is also important that we identify the one (ones) to whom he is speaking. Some Bible passages are universal in their application. Others apply only to specific groups or individuals. Many teachings of the Bible are perverted by men today simply because of a failure to recognize the intended recipients of a passage.
In John chapters 14-16, Jesus gave specific instructions and promises to the apostles. These promises were great, but they were only given to these specific individuals. Some of the confusion and error that exists on the subject of the Holy Spirit results from a failure to make this important distinction. Many read the Lord’s words given to the apostles and make application to themselves, without stopping to ask whether or not these promises were meant for all Christians.
In this article, we will examine these chapters and learn what the Holy Spirit was to do for the apostles.
John 14-16 is the Lord’s “Farewell Address” to His apostles. It was the last time that He spoke to them before His death. With this teaching, He was doing His best to prepare them, not only for His death, but also for His departure after His resurrection. He told them that He was leaving them, which caused them sorrow. Jesus said that it was actually to their advantage the He depart so that He could send the Holy Spirit to them. Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit four times in these chapters (14:15-18, 26; 15:26-27; 16:7-15). It is in these verses that we will learn what the Holy Spirit was to do for the apostles.
1. A Helper, Comforter
“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever – the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:16-18).
Jesus was leaving them, but He was not deserting them as orphans. He would send “another Helper.” This “Helper” was identified by the Lord as the “Spirit of truth” (v. 17); the “Holy Spirit” (v. 26).
The word “Helper” or “Comforter (KJV)” is translated from the Greek word parakletos. There is not a single English word that can precisely express the meaning of parakletos. The word literally means “to call to one’s side” or to give aid.
The word is used only five times in the New Testament. Four times it applies to the Holy Spirit (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7) and once it applies to Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1).
The Holy Spirit “came to the side” of the apostles in that He took the place of Christ in their lives and in their work. The Holy Spirit was “another Helper” who was comparable to Christ. However, unlike Christ, He would not leave them, but would “abide” with them “forever” (14:16).
As we study the rest of the passages in these chapters, the Spirit’s role as a “Helper” or “Comforter becomes more understandable.
2. Teach All Things, Bring To Remembrance All Things
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26).
Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would equip the apostles with two things: inspired teaching and inspired memory.
The apostles were inspired by the Holy Spirit, and thus spoke and wrote by inspiration (1 Corinthians 2:12-13). The early Christians “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine” (Acts 2:42), which consisted of those things that were taught to them by the Holy Spirit.
Human memory is subject to limitations, imperfections, and bias. However, the apostles did not have to rely upon themselves to call to mind the things that the Lord had said and done among them. The Spirit would supply them with a perfect recollection of all the things that Christ had taught them personally.
Jesus had earlier taught the apostles that they were not to give any thought to how they would answer when they were brought before their enemies. “But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you” (Matthew 10:19-20).
Some denominational preachers claim to have this measure of the Spirit today, but such was not promised to anyone but the apostles. Jesus told the apostles not to give any thought to how they would answer, yet one of these apostles, Peter, told Christians to “always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15). Timothy, a man who had miraculous gifts of the Spirit (2 Timothy 1:6), was told to study to show himself approved unto God (2 Timothy 2:15), which means that he did not have this measure of the Spirit.
3. Testify of Christ
“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning” (John 15:26-27).
Jesus told the apostles that He would send the Holy Spirit unto them, and that the Spirit would take the things that are Christ’s and would declare them the apostles (16:14-15). The Holy Spirit did not have His own agenda, but continued the work that Christ began with the apostles.
The Holy Spirit is said to “testify” or “bear witness” of Christ. “Witness” is a much abused word in the religious world today. The only way that one can bear witness of another or give testimony is if they have actually seen it themselves.
Together with the Holy Spirit, the apostles were to bear witness to the world of the things they had heard and seen concerning Christ. The apostles were eyewitnesses of the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:21-22). Together with the Holy Spirit, they bore witness of the Lord’s resurrection on Pentecost (Acts 2:32-33). No one is a witness of Christ in this sense today.
4. Convict the World of Sin, Righteousness, and Judgment
“And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged” (John 16:8-11).
To “convict” or “reprove” is to expose one’s actions and prove that they are wrong. The Holy Spirit’s work through the apostles of convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment began on Pentecost when Peter’s sermon vindicated Jesus Christ before the Jews who had crucified Him (Acts 2). In this sermon, the Holy Spirit convicted them of…
Sin – “because they do not believe in Me” (v. 9). Their specific sin was not believing in Christ (Acts 2:22-24, 36). Had they believed Him, they would not have crucified Him (1 Corinthians 2:8).
Righteousness – “because I go to the Father” (v. 10). The world was convicted of Jesus’ righteousness. Jesus was charged with blasphemy and crucified because He claimed to be the Son of God. When God raised Him from the dead, He ascended into Heaven to be with the Father and from there poured forth the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:32-33). This proved that Jesus was who He claimed to be. He was righteous and innocent of the charge of blasphemy.
Judgment – “because the ruler of this world is judged” (v. 11). When Jesus rose from the dead, Satan (the ruler of this world) was defeated. While the death of Christ would seem to be a victory for Satan, it was actually the means of his ultimate defeat (Hebrews 2:14, John 12:31-32).
5. Guide the Apostles into All Truth
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come” (John 16:12-13).
Jesus had not taught the apostles all of the truth that they needed to hear. They were not of a frame of mind to receive all of the Lord’s teaching that evening. So, not only would the Holy Spirit remind them of things that Jesus had previously taught them, He would also teach them things that Jesus had yet to tell them.
There are some individuals who will only accept the words that were specifically spoken by Christ. Some Bibles have the words of Christ printed in red ink, and these individuals are only interested in the things that are found in the “red letters.” Those who limit themselves to the words spoken by Christ to His apostles while He was upon this earth are not receiving “all truth.”
Notice also that Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would guide the apostles into “all truth,” not just a portion of the truth. This promise does away with the validity of any supposed “latter-day” revelations from God. If the Holy Spirit guided these apostles into “all truth,” then there is no truth remaining to be revealed unto mankind.
6. Tell the Apostles of Things To Come
Not only did the Holy Spirit guide the apostles into all truth, but He also told them things that would happen in the future (John 16:13). Among these things were:
- The nature of the resurrection of the dead (1 Corinthians 15).
- The Second Coming of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
- The falling away (2 Thessalonians 2:3; 1 Timothy 4:1-3).
- The triumph of the church over the Roman Empire (The book of Revelation).
Conclusion
The Lord made great promises to the apostles regarding the help they would receive from the Holy Spirit, but we must understand that these promises were limited to the apostles. The Holy Spirit is not a Helper or Comforter for us in the sense that He was for the apostles. Jesus fulfills this role for us today (1 John 2:1).
However, we do benefit from the work that the Holy Spirit did through the apostles. As the Holy Spirit taught them all things, reminded them of all things, and guided them into all truth, they wrote it down. When we read what they wrote, we can understand all things that the Spirit has given to the apostles (Ephesians 3:3-5).
