Pentecost according to John 14 (II)

And that (i.e. the importance of intimacy) is precisely what we discover when we look at the passage for the day. Three themes which call for mention appear in this passage: (1) the intimacy between Father and Son and, through them, among the Godhead and us; (2) the great works and "things" which the disciples will do; and (3) the Spirit of truth, who will prompt, teach and support us. Let's conclude with a word about each of these themes.

I. Intimacy (14:8-13)

Philip begins the conversation by asking Jesus to show him the Father and he will be satisfied. Philip's request doesn't come out of the blue. Jesus has just been saying some things that confuse the disciples, and Philip is trying to "pin Christ down" to get him to clearly state what he means. Christ had just been talking about seeing and knowing God and him. 'If you knew me, you would have known God. From now on, you know him and have seen him" (14:7). This is, at the least, a confusing statement. Earlier in the Gospel, the author had said, "No one has seen God at any time" (1:18). Indeed, Jesus affirmed this idea earlier in the Gospel when talking to the Jews. "You have never heard his (God's) voice or seen his form" (5:37). Now, when Jesus is saying that the disciples "have seen" the Father, he is no doubt confusing them. I would be confused, I can assure you. So, Philip's question is very natural. 'Jesus, just show us God and we will be satisfied' (14:8).

This request then provides the context for Jesus to explain the intimacy between Father and Son. So close are they that he can say:

"Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me" (14:9)?

Lest Philip miss the point, Jesus says, "the Father who dwells in me does his works." Realizing the biblical truth that a threefold cord is not quickly broken, Jesus then adds, "Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me" (v. 13). Why does he say it three times? Because the idea is a little hard to understand the first time we hear it. Once we truly believe, understand, grasp, etc. the truth of these words we will realize that our way to the Father is through Jesus, that our source of understanding the Father is provided by Jesus, that our means by which we live is to be connected with Father and Son. A few verses later (not in our passage for the morning), Jesus will tell the disciples a truly remarkable thought:

"On that day (when Jesus "comes to us" through the Spirit) you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you" (14:21).

I have italicized these last words because of the arresting nature of the thought process in these few verses. Philip starts it all off by asking to see the Father. He was struggling to keep up with Jesus' abundantly-flowing mind. But Jesus responds in ever more intimate language, finally culminating in the thought that we share in the intimacy of connection with God that is not too much different from that intimacy which Christ shares with the Father. The thought is so powerful that Jesus needs to develop another image to explain it (the vine and branches in ch. 15). The stunning reality of discipleship, brought through the gift of the Spirit, is that we share a like intimacy with the Godhead as Christ does with God.

II. Works (14:12)

If this wasn't enough for us, there is the promise in the middle of the passage of great things that disciples will be able to accomplish in Jesus' name. Care should be taken to the words of 14:12. It reads literally:

"Truly, truly I say to you (a phrase that is a "signal" by John to the reader about something of great significance about to be said--cf. 1:51), the one who believes in me, yes, this very one, shall do the words which I have been doing, and s/he shall do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."

To be emphasized are two things. First is the idea that John stresses "the very one" who believes will do great things. Not someone else. Not the religous leader who is hired to lead the flock. It is as if the Gospel writer is anticipating the objection that would be so common in our day: 'I believe the Gospel, but I am busy, occupied with so many things in life, that I really don't have much time to do much service, to do much evangelism, to do much study.' John will have none of this. The gifts of God and the grace of accomplishment are given to those who believe. It is as simple, and as challenging, as that.

Then there is that little word "greater" (meizona). What could it possible mean that those who believe would do even greater works than Jesus? Isn't salvation enough? The word greater is placed here in the neuter plural, and so it means "greater things," even though the "things" are left unspecified. Most commentators see in this a reference to the day of Pentecost itself in Acts, where more people came to faith through the preaching of the Apostles in one day than had inthe entire ministry of Jesus. I like that explanation, but it had the weakness that it tends to confine the meaning of Jesus' words to the immediate future. But as I have shown in previous essays on John 13-17, Jesus is very conscious of future generations, too ("I ask...for those who will believe in me through their word" (17:20). Thus, I think we need to see Jesus' words in 14:12 with reference both to immediate and to long-term future. What, then, could it mean for us? I think this is an indication of the wonderful and open-ended nature of the Gospel of John. It simply doesn't tell us what it means; we are the community of faith that needs to "put meaning" into these words. But what it does above all is to encourage us to think boldly and confidently about the future. Our ministry is still not fulfilled according to the promise of Jesus in John until there are "greater things" done for him. It begins, of course, with the love commandment and it ends, well..who knows? Let your imagination and prayer be the extent of your hope.

III. The Spirit (14:15-17)

Finally we get to the theme of the day, the promise of the Holy Spirit. I think this is the way it should be. Though the gift of the Spirit is presented in Luke-Acts as the beginning of the Church, the giving of the Spirit in John is seen as the culmination of intimacy and promise. The Spirit, then, is the one who accompanies us throughout life, the one who is, according to Jesus, "with you forever" (14:16). This Spirit of multiple ministries is called the Spirit of truth, and will lead us into truth. We already know the Spirit because the Spirit is "another paraklete," a manifestation of Jesus himself. Rather than emphasizing the Spirit as the be-all and end-all of Christian faith, then, the Gospel of John stresses the Spirit's prompting or reflective ministry. The Spirit reminds us of the things Jesus had said; the Spirit leads us deeper into the truth of the Gospel; the Spirit defends, comforts, advocates for us and accompanies us through life. But this isn't what we might call a "special work" of God; it is just Jesus in a new way manifest to us. He goes away and sends His Spirit as our presence, guide and empower.

Conclusion

Such is the spirit of Pentecost/such is the Spirit of Pentecost. Rather than healing or powerful sermons resulting from the presence of the Spirit (as in Acts), we have here a quieter, more ruminative, more full-orbed view of the Spirit in our midst. God knows we need both, and that is the Good News for us today.

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