Senior Class Notes – April 11, 2021 – Toonigh Baptist Church

Spring 2021 Unit 1 Session 6 – The Work of the Holy Spirit – John 15:26-27; John 16:7-15 PSG p. 72 – 81

April 11, 2021

The Point: The Holy Spirit magnifies the work of Jesus.

Inspirational verse: “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8).

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: During Jesus’ last night with the disciples before His arrest, He explained why it was a good thing that He was going away (John 14). He explained it in terms of a gift – but this wasn’t just any gift. The gift was the Holy Spirit. The Holy Ghost aka Holy Spirit is mentioned infrequently in the Old Testament “Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.” (Ps 51:11); (Isa. 63:9-10). Jesus’ focus here was on the Spirit’s future teaching ministry (1 John 2:20, 27) (KJV). God’s Spirit would do two things for them: (PSG p. 74)

The Holy Spirit would testify about Jesus.
The Holy Spirit would empower the disciples to also testify about Jesus.

The Comforter or Spirit of truth is the Holy Spirit (v. 14:26), who guides disciples into all truth (John 16:13). The Spirit replaces Jesus’ physical presence by permanently indwelling His followers. Divine presence for Jesus’ followers includes: The Spirit (14:15-17), Jesus (14:18-21), and the Father (14:22-24) (KJV). The Comforter refers to the advocate beside us as we bear witness to Christ (cf.14:15-16). Proceedeth: The Holy Spirit, like the son, is God from God. The Son is “generated” or “begotten,” whereas the Holy Spirit “proceeds” from God. Again, while the Trinitarian relationships are a mystery to us, they are nonetheless very evident in the New Testament. The action of the word translated “Proceedeth” is “in the process – continually proceeds.” The eternal procession of the Spirit means that He continually proceeds from beside, not out of, the Father. If the Holy Spirit came out of God, He would be less than God. To be more specific, the Holy Spirit not only proceeds from the Father, but also from the Son. This means the Father and the Son continually send the Holy Spirit. This in no way suggests the Spirit is less in deity than are the Father or Son. Instead it explains the relationship among the three eternal persons of the trinity (KJBC).

John 15:27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. The call for Jesus’ followers to serve as His witnesses recalls Old Testament prophetic literature, where God’s end-time people are called His “witnesses” to the nation (Isa. 43:10-12; 44:8). In the New Testament, believers are promised the Spirit’s help in times of persecution (Matt. 10:20; Mark 13:11; Luke 12:12), and the Spirit played a vital part in the church’s mission (Acts 1:8; cp Luke 24:48; Acts 5:32; 6:10) (KJV). When Jesus goes to heaven, His testimony on earth will not go to heaven with Him but stay and be proclaimed by the Holy Spirit. Not only will the Spirit bear witness, but the disciples will bear witness as well. In the face of these witnesses, Jesus’ opponents will continue to reject the message just as they did when He walked the earth (KJVCRSB). Compare verse 27 with John 18:21 “Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.”. See also Luke 1:2 “Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the world” (KJV). The apostles would bear witness of Jesus, telling others what they heard and saw from the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. But when they passed from the scene, the Spirit of Truth living in those who had been taught the apostles’ doctrine would continue to testify of Jesus (KJVTSB). The witness of God’s Spirit will cooperate with that of the disciples to give powerful testimony to the mission and purpose of Christ (KJBC). One day the apostles would need to testify to their experiences with their Master, both while He was alive and after His resurrection. For this overwhelming task, they would need help. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would testify through the oral and written testimony of the apostles. The New Testament is no random compilation of thoughts but a carefully composed set of documents superintended by the Holy Spirit (NIVJSB).

John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. I tell you the truth: He explains the necessity of His departure. If the disciples would understand this truth, they would have reason for triumph and not tragedy. It was necessary for Christ to go so that the Holy Spirit would come (KJBC). It is expedient for you: The disciples must have thought, “How can it be expedient for us to be alone? The Romans hate us because they see us as disturbers of the peace. The Jewish leaders hate us because they see us as blasphemers.” Jesus explained the benefits of His departure. When Jesus left, the believers would have: (KJVFSB)

The provision of the Holy Spirit (vv. 7-15).
The potential of full joy (vv. 16-24).
The possibility of fuller knowledge (vv.25-28).
The privilege of peace (vv. 29-33).

Reference to the Comforter harks back to the anticipated coming of the Spirit and the inauguration of the age of the kingdom in Old Testament prophetic literature (Isaiah 11:1-10; 32:14-18; 42:1-4; 44:1-5; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 11:17-20; 36:24-27; 37:1-14; Joel 2:28-32) (KJV). Since Jesus lived under the constraints of humanity before His resurrection, His ministry was limited by time and space. He could only be in one place at one time for thirty-three years. But the Spirit has no such boundaries. The Spirit can reach every corner of creation and has been doing so for two thousand years. Jesus recognized the benefits of the Spirit’s work among His people even if His disciples could not (LG p. 74).

John 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: The job of the Holy Spirit is to speak with Jesus’ authoritative voice to both the world and the church. His message to the world is that of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. Deep down, even the most hardened heart has to admit that there is right and wrong and that the latter deserves punishment (KJVTSB). He will reprove: (Greek elengcho), This means “convince” or “convict.” The Holy Spirit would demonstrate the truth of Christ beyond the fear of contradiction. The Holy Spirit convicts unbelievers through believers who witness about Christ (John 15:26-27). Believers are the mouthpiece for God’s voice (KJVFSB). We can infer that when the Holy Spirit comes to us, He will do His convicting work through us. As we share the gospel and witness for Christ, the Spirit will use our witness to convict unbelievers in three areas. (PSG p. 77)

Sin. The Holy Spirit convicts us of all sins, but the sin Jesus was referring to here is the sin of unbelief. As He clarified in verse 9: “Of sin, because they believe not on me.”
Righteousness. Even unbelievers can have a notion of what righteousness is, but the Holy Spirit convicts them about the righteousness of Christ. He leads them to see the truth of who Jesus is: the righteous, holy Son of God. Jesus clarified this in verse 10: “Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more.”
Judgment. The work of Satan and our sin were judged on the cross of Christ. Our sin was judged and dealt with through the death of Jesus, and salvation is complete. In verse 11, Jesus clarified: “Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”

John 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; The Holy Spirit will judge the world’s sin of unbelief on the basis of His righteousness (KJV). The Holy Spirit reveals the need of redemption. Because they believe not on me: the greatest sin is unbelief “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18), while the greatest work is belief “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:29) (KJSB). Such belief was the main reason John wrote his Gospel in the first place “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31). But our example and our reflection of Jesus through the Spirit should have a positive impact on those around us. The Spirit uses believers to encourage unbelievers to follow Jesus. Our words and actions should prompt unbelievers toward a faith-based relationship with Christ (LG p. 75). The Holy Spirit, through the Word of God and preaching convicts men of their sin (KJBC).

John 16:10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Righteousness: The Holy Spirit reveals the possibility of redemption. Because I go to my Father: Christ goes to the Father after a righteous life, and a death that will impute this righteousness to others (KJSB). Of righteousness: Although the world would reject the work of the Righteous One, the Father would accept it (I go to my Father). God’s Spirit would convict men of true righteousness (KJBC). While He walked the earth, Jesus presented a living example of righteousness every day. He was perfect in every aspect. But because He returned to the Father, we see … no more the physical example He provided. Of course, no other human could be that kind of role model. That’s where the Spirit’s work comes in. He empowers humans to realize just how far they fall short of Jesus’ standard – and how their self-righteousness can never measure up. The Spirit leas us to grow in righteousness and to demonstrate that righteousness in front of a watching world. That points them toward the Savior. As Jesus said, when He is lifted up, He will draw people to himself “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32). He was physically lifted up on the cross, opening the door to eternity. Now, through the Spirit’s help, His people continue to point others to the cross. As He is lifted up, people keep coming to Him (LG p. 75).

John 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. Of judgment: Satan, the ruler of the world, rules in the hearts of unregenerate people and blinds their minds (1 Cor. 2:6-8). Satan was judged at the cross, and the Holy Spirit would convince people of the judgment to come. Satan has been judged, so all who side with him will be judged with him (KJVFSB). The prince of this world in its fallen, sinful state is Satan (John 14:30; 16:11; 1 John 5:19) (KJV). Judgment: The Holy Spirit reveals the reality of redemption. Because the prince of this world is judged: The power of Christ to judge Satan and to overthrow his kingdom is not future, but at the Cross and the Resurrection. Is Judged (Greek Kekritai) means “has been judged” (KJSB). The final judgment would come. The Spirit will convict men of this final judgment (KJBC).

John 16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Jesus is beginning to draw His instruction to a close. It is time for them to endure the next few days. After that, the Spirit will work on their behalf (KJVCRSB). After describing the Spirit’s work in the world, Christ now elaborates on the Spirit’s work with regard to the disciples. The disciples were not ready spiritually to accept all that Christ wanted to tell them (KJBC). Even after three years of intense training, the disciples still had a lot to learn. But Jesus would not be around to teach the many things they still needed to know. What’s more, they simply weren’t ready yet – they weren’t able to bear some of what they needed to discover (LG p. 76).

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. The Holy Spirit dwells in all believers, and He does everything for us Jesus did for His disciples. Followers of Christ have the exact same Spirit that Jesus promised His disciples, and He dwells within us to empower and guide us in the ways that please the Lord (PSG p. 77). The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity – equal with the Father and Son in essence, separate in person, and submissive in duties. Since one major aspect of God’s nature is that He is a person, it follows that the Holy Spirit is a person. The Scriptures clarify this by ascribing the attributes of personality to the Holy Spirit, addressing Him as a person, describing the personal actions of the Holy Spirit, and ascribing masculine pronouns to the Holy Spirit (John 14:17; 16:13). Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-10) lost their lives in a foolish attempt to deceive the Holy Spirit. This was because The Holy Spirit is a divine person who is Omniscient, Omnipresent, and Omnipotent (KJSB). The Spirit’s ministry of guiding Jesus’ followers into all truth will fulfill the Psalmists’ longing for divine guidance (Ps. 25:4-5; 43:3; 86:11; 143:10). The word shew (Greek anangello, lit. “declare”) occurs over 40 times in the book of Isaiah, where declaring things to come is said to be the exclusive domain of God (Isaiah 48:14) (KJV). The Spirit works within the church to guide you into all truth. It is important to know that the word “you” in this case is plural. The Holy Spirit comes to the church to give truth to the church, not conflicting revelations to individuals; that would only cause division. It is not a matter of what the Spirit tells me, but a matter of what Jesus wants His church to know (KJVTSB). The Spirit of truth: the phrase means that the Holy Spirit is the source of truth (John 14:17; 15:26). He will guide you into all truth: The Holy Spirit would not compel or carry the disciples into truth. He would lead; their job was to follow (KJVFSB). What the Spirit hears, He will speak. This indicates the close relationship of the Trinity. Things to come: The Book of Revelation is an example of this (KJBC). In every area of our inadequacy, the Holy Spirit indwells us to meet our needs in the way that honors God (Roman 8). He draws us to salvation (John 6:44; 1 Cor. 2:6-16; 12:3), regenerates us (Titus 3:5), convicts us of our sinfulness and teaches us to live in the righteousness of Christ (John 14:26; 16:8) and seals us for redemption (Eph. 4:30). Everything that God calls us to do, the spirit equips and empowers us to accomplish it (Matt. 10:19-20; Acts 1:8; 1 Co 2:3-5; 12:4-13; 2 Peter 1:21). How does the Holy Spirit help and direct you? He does so in a manner that is: (CFSLPB).

The Holy Spirit warns you of perils ahead and equips you to succeed in the tasks he has assigned to you. He knows exactly how much strength, wisdom, resources and encouragement you need for whatever is ahead.
He understands exactly what you require to grow in the likeness of Christ, and He enables you to become the person the Lord created you to be.
Twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year, the Holy Spirit is there for you. He never sleeps but is constantly working in and through you for your good.
There’s no problem you face that God can’t handle. In fact, not only will the Holy Spirit help you get through your heartaches, but He will also use your burdens to teach you about the love, wisdom and power of God.

Even when you don’t know what to ask for in prayer, the Holy Spirit will intervene for you (Romans 8:26-29). Though God’s Word may not make sense to you, he will show you what it means (Co. 2:12-14). If there is something within you that is hindering God’s work, He will reveal it to you (John 16:8). When you feel inadequate, He bestows you with the giftedness you need to live the Christian life (1Co. 12:4-11). And in your greatest moments of weakness and distress, the Holy Spirit can energize, encourage and empower you to overcome whatever afflicts you (Romans 5:3-5) (CFSLPB).

John 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. The Holy Spirit glorifies Christ by declaring Him or making Him known. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to throw light on Jesus Christ, who is the image of the invisible God. Christ is to be on center stage; that is the desire of both the Father and the Spirit. The apostles received truth from the Holy Spirit, truth about things to come, and truth about Christ. Then, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they wrote those truths in documents known today as the New Testament (KJVFSB).

John 16:15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. We can be sure the Spirit shares everything the Father wants us to know. He is personal, and His message is personal. Individuals need to hear different God’s truths at different times in their lives. There is no “one-size-fits-all” word that nurtures all of us. The Spirit takes what He hears and shares it in a way that meets each person where he or she lives. That encourages obedience and adds to the glory of Christ. In traditional Jewish thought, the transmission of spiritual information from one party to another – in this case from God through the Spirit to the disciples – was a familiar concept. For centuries, rabbis served as connections between God’s Word and God’s people – with the assumption that nothing was lost in the process. Even though human communication is often flawed, divine communication maintains complete integrity. As the Spirit speaks what He receives, we can trust what He says will always be in conformity with God’s character and Word (LG p. 78).

References: Spring 2021

(CWB) – Commentary on the Whole Bible by Matthew Henry Copyright © 1960 by Zondervan Publishing House – Grand Rapids, Michigan.
(ESVSB) – The English Standard Version Study Bible, Personal size. Copyright © 2008 by Crossway. Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway.
(ETB) – Explore The Book by J Sidlow Baxter. Copyright © 1960 by J. Sidlow Baxter. Published 1960 by Zondervan Publishing House – Grand Rapids, Michigan.
(IMO) – On occasion, with the prayerful guidance of the Holy Spirit, I will make comments of my own, based on my understanding of the events. I will indicate such times with – In My O
(NIDNTT) – The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology Copyright © 1967, 1969, 1971 by Theologisher Verlag Rolf Brockhaus, Wuppertal. English Language edition Volume 1 Copyright © 1975, 1986, The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.A. and The Paternoster Press, Ltd. Exeter, Devon, U.K.
(NIVBTSB) – The New International Version Biblical Theology Study Bible Copyright © 2018 by The Zondervan Corporation. Text from the Holy Bible, New International Version Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. previously published as The New International Version Zondervan Study Bible.
(NIVCBSB) – The New International Version Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Copyright © 2016 by The Zondervan Corporation text from the Holy Bible, New International Version Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. published by the Zondervan Corporation.
(NIVJSB) – The New International Version Jeremiah Study Bible, Copyright © 2016 by David Jeremiah, Inc. Using the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan.
(NIVMEB) – The New International Version Ministry Essentials Bible, Copyright © 2014 by Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, LLC. Based on The Holy Bible, New International Version NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.
(NIVSB) – The New International Version Study Bible Copyright © 1985 by the Zondervan Corporation text from the Holy Bible, New International Version Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by the New York International Bible Society.
(NIVZSB) – The New International Version Zondervan Study Bible Copyright © 2015 by the Zondervan Corporation. Text from The Holy Bible, New International Version Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.
(NCBD) – The Nelson’s Compact Bible Dictionary Copyright © 2004 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. with Scripture Quotations from the New King James Version of the Bible Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982, 1990 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
(NKJVSB) – Holman Study Bible, New King James Version Edition Copyright © 2013 by Holman Bible Publishers Nashville, Tn. Text from the New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
(PSG) – Bible Studies For life – King James Version Adults Personal Study Guide Spring 2021 Vol. 1, No. 1
(QNBD) – Quick Notes Bible Dictionary based on text from the King James Version of the Bible and cross referenced with the NIV and NRSV Bibles. Copyright © 1998 by George W. Knight and Rayburn W. Ray.
(SEC) – Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible with Dictionaries of the Hebrew Bible and the Greek Testament words. Copyright © 1890 by James Strong. Based on the King James Version of the Bible.
(TDNT) – Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
(THBC) – Today’s Handbook of Bible Characters Copyright © 1979 by E.M. Blaiklock, published by Bethany House Publishers.
(TZPEB) – The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, copyright © 1975, 1976 by the Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan
(WSJ) – William Samuel J This is stating that I found the information on the internet. It is not my opinion and not quoted from the Bible or any Bible commentary.