Last Day's Essentials-6

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

If you love me, you will keep my commands, my mitzvot. It is wrong to think of Messianic Judaism or Christianity as "easy," requiring only pleasant feelings of love but no actions to prove it. Dake's Annotated Reference Bible lists 1,050 New Testament commands which, according to this verse, are to be obeyed by those who love Yeshua. The distinction drawn between Old Testament Judaism as a religion of law and New Testament faith as a religion of love is unfounded. In both the Tanakh and the B'rit Chadashah biblical religion is based on both love and law, both mercy and justice; it has always been so and always will be.

If...

ἐάν

ean

eh-an'

From whether, that and wish; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.; often used in connection with other particles to denote indefiniteness or uncertainty: - before, but, except, (and) if, (if) so, (what-, whither-) soever, though, when (-soever), whether (or), to whom, [who-] so (-ever).

ye love...

ἀγαπάω

agapaō

ag-ap-ah'-o

Perhaps from ἄγαν agan (much; or compare [to breathe after]); to love (in a social or moral sense): - (be-) love (-ed).

Me (Christ Jesus),...

μέ

me

meh

A shorter (and probably original) form of I, me, my; me: - I, me, my.

keep...

τηρέω

tēreō

tay-reh'-o

From τηρός teros (a watch; perhaps akin to to be a spectator of); to guard (from loss or injury, properly by keeping the eye upon; and thus differing from to watch, which is properly to prevent escaping; and from like a sentry- watch, which implies a fortress or full military lines of apparatus), that is, to note (a prophecy; figuratively to fulfill a command); by implication to detain (in custody; figuratively to maintain); by extension to withhold (for personal ends; figuratively to keep unmarried): - hold fast, keep (-er), (ob-, pre-, re) serve, watch.

My ( Christ Jesus)...

ἐμός

emos

em-os'

From the oblique cases of I, me (to me, of me, me); my: - of me, mine (own), my.

Commandments

What is His commandment? That we love one another as He has loved us. In John, again, in writing his epistle, speaks about keeping His commandments. But then, he says, His commandment is that we should love one another, even as He gave His commandment. "If you love me," Jesus said, "keep My commandment." So, I show my love to Him by loving you. Yes, I love Him. And for that reason, I love you. Because that’s what He has commanded. But, fortunately, it’s very easy because you’re so loving. Isn’t that neat?

commandments...

ἐντολή

entolē

en-tol-ay'

From to enjoin; injunction, that is, an authoritative prescription: - commandment, precept.

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, "Parakletos," one to come alongside of you and help you.

That he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth;

So here we have the Trinity. Jesus is saying, "I’m going to pray to the Father. He’s going to give you another Comforter, the Spirit of truth, that He may abide with you forever." And so, the Father, the Son and the Spirit.

Whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knows him; but you know him; for he dwells with you, and shall be in you.

And so here we see a twofold relationship of the disciples to the Holy Spirit. Number one: He is dwelling para, with you...the same "parakletos," but this is just para, the preposition, "He’s dwelling with you, alongside of you."

"But He shall be in you." He’s going to come on in.

Now, prior to your receiving Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit was dwelling with you. It was the Holy Spirit that caused you to realize that you were a sinner and you needed help. It was the Holy Spirit that pointed out Jesus Christ as the answer to your sin problem. It was the Holy Spirit that drew you to Jesus Christ and caused you to come and say, "Oh, Lord, come into my life and take over." That was the work of the Holy Spirit with you, to bring you to that place of surrendering your life to Jesus Christ. And the moment you surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit came in you and began to indwell you.

"Ye know him," Jesus said, "this Spirit, because He is with you, but He is going to be in you. He’s going to come and indwell in your life." Paul said, "Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you? You’re not your own; you’ve been bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God with your body and your spirit, which are His" (1Cor. 6:20).

So, the Holy Spirit; the twofold relationship, dwelling with me to bring me to Christ, and then, now dwelling in me now that I have received Jesus Christ. But, as we move on to the book of Acts, we find one further relationship, where Jesus, in Acts 1:8 ,said, "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes epi, upon you." And so, there is that empowering of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer, which we will touch on when we get to the book of Acts as soon as we finish the book of John. So, here we find a twofold relationship. There is a threefold relationship, but Jesus isn’t making mention of that here.

John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH

There is no adequate translation for the word Paraclete. It may be rendered “interpreter,” “comforter,” “advocate,” but no one word suffices. The Greek means “one whom you call to your side in the battle or law-court.” His advent depends upon the praying Christ (I will pray the Father), and upon the praying Church (ye shall ask). The Holy Spirit must be a person, or He could not be compared as “another” to Christ. It is characteristic of this dispensation that He shall be in us, and His indwelling brings with it that of the Father and the Son.

We will… make our abode. That word abode is the same Greek word as is rendered mansions in the former part of this chapter. God prepares a mansion for those who believe in Christ, and asks in return that we shall prepare our hearts as guest chambers for Him to dwell in. As He enters the loving, cleansed, and believing heart, we hear Him say: “This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it,” Psm.132:14. And what a word is that, my Father will love him. That He should love the world is wonderful, but that He should love us would be incredible, were He not infinite, and did He not see us in Jesus Christ our Lord.