Overview --This is the first section of a beautiful teaching
on the Holy Spirit about to be given to the Church: Jesus talks about absence,
transitions, and presence. This chapter is circular rather than strict linear logic.
In the latter part, Jesus moves toward ministry---they are to carry on, in fact,
exceed the ministry that Jesus has begun among them. Jesus’ words about "greater
than" will be talked about later, but certainly with the Holy Spirit as the exact
presence and replacement of Jesus now poured out on everyone who loves and keeps his
commandments, Jesus’ ministry can certainly be carried forward more than ever.
The Promise -- Prayer is now to be offered in Jesus’ name and
with the expectation that virtually all things are possible and limitless through their
relationship with Jesus through the Spirit. We now have the promise of the Holy Spirit-the
Comforter, Advocate and Spirit of Truth. Not only will he be an active force within the
world, but also a vital force within the Christian community and believer.
Theology -- Jesus’ description of being one with the Father has
been interpreted by various heterodox theologians throughout the centuries as modalism or
monarchianism that emerged in the 3rd century as a way to stress the unity of God, but
resulted in blurring the distinctions within the Godhead-"God is one individual being
and that the terms Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are simply names applied to the different
forms (modes) of action of that one being and, therefore, do not refer to eternal and
intrinsic distinctions within the godhead."
Works -- What are the "works" that Jesus refers to?
According to NIV, the works refer to all the acts of his ministry-words of teaching,
actions, as well as mighty works of healing and exorcisms. For the disciples to share in
Jesus’ works suggests that they will also share in the revealing of God to the world.
[1]
John's Gospel expresses the idea
of the abiding presence of God and Jesus within the community and thus the foundation and
the result of the community’s love. How is God's presence evident in the
Christian community today? How is the work of he Holy Spirit manifested? How
do we pray effectively in the name of Jesus?
Introduction: Seems we have some
confusion among Jesus’ conversation partners in our passage; this is not unusual,
however, since Jesus has experienced that throughout the fourth gospel: Jesus’
conversation with Jewish interlocutors. The only thing unusual about Thomas’ and now
Philip’s question is that this now comes from inside the inner circle of disciples.
Doesn’t Jesus give Philip a clean, clear answer? He says, "If you know
me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."
Sounds like that should clear the haze of unknowing away. Seems that Jesus cannot or will
not offer anything beyond what he has already made available to Philip and the
others-words and works that corroborate his witness to God’s presence in him.
Jesus’ "very truly," ushers us into a new teaching (12-14) that augments
the faith in Jesus that we see in 14:1-11, but that now speaks more to the empowerment of
the disciples for ministry through the extension of his works.
Who could ever do greater things than Jesus did (verse 12)? Perhaps greater because of
more "little christs" that the Spirit produces through Jesus going to the
Father. Perhaps anything done after the events of Jesus’ hour are greater because
they will reveal the completed story of the Word made flesh and hence the fullness of
God’s love (NIV). But the works are certainly not greater in the sense of quality or
anything else intrinsic to the disciples themselves.
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[1] The New Interpreter’s Bible IX , (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1995) page
764.
