Gene’s Daily Scriptural Postings

Inspiring a Gospel: John 14:15-31

Focus Passage: John 14:15-31 (GW)

On the night Jesus was betrayed and ultimately arrested, He promises to ask the Father to send the disciples help. The help Jesus promised comes from the Father in what Jesus describes as “the Spirit of Truth”. When describing how the Helper would come, Jesus tells His followers: “I have told you this while I’m still with you. However, the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything. He will remind you of everything that I have ever told you.” (v. 25-26)

It seems interesting in my mind that Jesus would describe the Holy Spirit as being sent from the Father in His name. In this verse, while the Holy Spirit comes in Jesus’ name, the description Jesus shares is that the Holy Spirit clearly comes from the Father.

Also contained in this short description is one of the things the Holy Spirit would do. Jesus tells His disciples that the Holy Spirit “will remind you of everything that I have ever told you.” (v. 26)

This detail is significant for us to pay attention to if we ever have doubts about whether the gospel writers could be trusted to accurately share what they witnessed while writing their respective gospels decades after the events actually happened. In John’s case, his gospel was the last to be written, and it may have been written so late in his life that all the remaining original disciples had already died.

As an old man, some skeptics might believe that we cannot trust John’s gospel record because it was written so long after the events he describes actually took place. However, if we think like a skeptic in this case, we are actually discounting the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

John says that the Holy Spirit’s role is reminding us of what Jesus has taught us, and this was true while he was writing his gospel record. John’s gospel shares a unique angle on Jesus’ ministry that can best be understood as simply inspired. While John may have held the pen, the Holy Spirit inspired the memories, events, and words that were written.

It is the same in our lives as well. While we were not present while Jesus walked the earth, the Holy Spirit is ready and willing to help us remember truth we learned while we were younger, and the Holy Spirit is happy to help redirect us back to focusing on Jesus. Jesus has offered to send the Holy Spirit to help us, and there are no downsides to accepting the Holy Spirit’s help with our lives.

This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!

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