Holy Spirit as an Abiding Presence of Jesus

Holy Spirit as an Abiding Presence of Jesus
May 26, 2019

Holy Spirit as an Abiding Presence of Jesus

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| This is Jesus’s Farewell Discourse. This passage, set in John’s story just after Jesus washes the disciples, feet and dismisses Judas Iscariot. Judas (not Iscariot) has asked Jesus why he does not reveal himself to the world but only to them, the disciples. Jesus answered him; “those who love me will keep my word, …”

We see the similarities between Jesus’ words and the farewell speeches include appointing a successor, comforting those left behind, and announcing his death.

In a similar way to Elijah appointing Elisha or Moses appointing Joshua, Jesus appoints a successor. The successor Jesus appoints in this passage is the Holy Spirit. Of course, the Holy Spirit is different from these other successors, in that the Holy Spirit will remain with the believers for generation to come. The Holy Spirit is the successor who makes known the one who is no longer in their presence.

Jesus also promises that he will give the disciples his peace. Jesus encourages his disciples to be at peace, to not let their hears be troubled. Why is Jesus concerned about addressing his disciples’ fear? Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit was the response to the fears of the disciples. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit not as a private companion to each disciple, but as an abiding presence among the believing community. The disciples would experience Jesus’ continuing presence. Jesus reminds us that he is not leaving us alone. God’s teaching, guiding, comforting presence will be with us. The Holy Spirit is a continuation of Jesus’s own presence with us.

The Spirit, Jesus promises, will abide with Jesus’ followers. In John’s Gospel the distinctive term for the Spirit is “Paraclete”.

Now a Paraclete is someone who is called in, someone who can be counted on in an emergency, someone who stands beside us. Has a teaching function, reminding the disciples of what Jesus has said to them.  Jesus’ description of the Spirit as Paraclete points to a functional definition, what the Spirit does; teach, help, advocate, intercede and so on. Because the Paraclete is the Spirit of truth, it empowers the disciples to speak and act truthfully, even in the midst of opposition, temptation, and suffering. Jesus was trying to communicate to his disciples about the power of the Holy Spirit to come among us and with us to help us, to hold us, to advise us, to give us strength to carry on.

The Spirit’s teaching function operates both forward, guiding the disciples in God’ ways, and backward, reminding them of what Jesus said when he was among them. Grounded in their life with Jesus and led by the unfailing instruction of the Spirit, the disciples are able to experience peace. The peace that Jesus promises his followers is much more than simply a good feeling. The Gospels often associate the kingdom of God with peace, and Paul emphasises that “the kingdom of God is … righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17). Hebrew Scriptures also affirm that the messianic age, the coming reign of God, will be characterized be peace: “there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom” (Isa. 9:7). Indeed, this is not the peace of this world, but the peace of the coming kingdom of God, given in advance to the disciples through the Holy Spirit.
In Christ

Fr. László

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