John 15:26-27 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father… I. THE HOLY SPIRIT. 1. Our text speaks of the Holy Spirit as a Person. "He shall testify;" "and ye also" (see also John 16:7, 8, 13, 14, 15). In the first of these places He is spoken of as a Person acting with other persons, of whose personality there can be no doubt, viz., the apostles. In the last He is represented as acting intermediately between the Father, an undoubted Person, and the apostles. We know that the effects of His operation are sometimes personified. But still our Lord and the sacred writers speak of Him in a way which requires us to understand an intelligent agent, e.g., in the form of baptism (Matthew 28:19). If the Spirit is a figure of speech, so are the Father and the Son. 2. He is a Divine Person. Otherwise an idol is set up on the very threshold of the Christian temple; and we are taught by the form of baptism to worship a creature of our own fancy. If the inspired language is perplexing, if He is not a real Person, it is delusive and dangerous if He be not divine (Matthew 12:28; John 14:12; of. Romans 15:19). We turn our thoughts to the offer of forgiveness so free and wide (Isaiah 55:7; Mark 3:28); but amidst all this wealth of mercy we find a solitary exception — blasphemy against the Holy Ghost (Mark 3:29). Is a figure of speech the object of the one irremissible sin! 3. The Three Divine Persons, though equal in dignity and power, have been pleased to establish a method of procedure which corresponds in a measure to the mode of the Divine existence. The Father is "of none," and is never said to be sent or given. The Son is of the Father, and as the Son of the Father, is sent and given by Him (2 John 3; 1 John 4:9; John 3:16), The Holy Spirit is never said to give or send the Son; but to proceed from the Father, to be given, and sent by the Father. In like manner, also, as the Son is called the Son of the Father, the Holy Spirit is called "the Spirit of His Son," etc. (Galatians 4:6; 1 Peter 1:11), and is said to be sent and given by Christ (John 16:7; Acts 2:83). II. HIS WORK. 1. "The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy." All the preannouncements concerning the coming and work of Christ were but the voice of the Spirit (Matthew 1:22; Acts 28:25). This testimony is so manifold as to anticipate the gospel at every point (Acts 26:22). It was by the agency of the Spirit that this prophecy was turned into history. (1) Our Redeemer must be a man like ourselves, and a body was prepared Him by the agency of the Spirit (Luke 1:35). (2) He must be a holy man, and so that conceived by the Holy Ghost was "that holy thing," and continued so. (3) In His public capacity He was anointed with the Holy Ghost and power. (4) To the same gracious agency we are taught to ascribe the virtues exhibited in His passion. (5) After death Jesus was "quickened by the Spirit." 2. The Holy Spirit's testimony as borne by the apostles. (1) All Christ's oral teachings was recalled to their minds, and the knowledge, courage, etc., needed to discharge their duties. (2) Their testimony was confirmed by the Spirit in a wonderful manner in "wonders and signs," etc. (3) The spoken testimony has perished, but the written testimony remains from generation to generation. (4) In the long succession of faithful men who have been "able to teach others also," from that day to this the Spirit has borne a continuous testimony to Christ. 3. In the Church, as in the ministry, the Holy Spirit bears this testimony, and not only in many persons, but in many ways in the same persons. (1) He testifies to men's need of Christ, by convincing them of sin. (2) He reveals Christ as a Saviour, and enables the penitent to receive and rest on Him for salvation. (3) The spirit of adoption is a testimony of Christ. When we cry, "Abba, Father," it is by the spirit of God's Son. (4) The spirit of adoption is also the spirit of holiness, and growth in holiness is inseparably connected with the knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18; Hebrews 6:1). (G. Osborn, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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: |
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