The Proceeding Spirit - a podcast by Jonathan Michael Jones

John’s Gospel communicates
that prior to Pentecost, the Holy spirit had not yet been freely given to God’s
people (John 7:37-39), i.e. there is a chronological order to trinitarian work
(Morrison, 2007, p. 36): the Son proceeds from the Father and the Spirit from
both the Father and the Son. All three members of the Godhead are in agreement
with such work as the one triune God. As such a chronological order subsists
then, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is dependent on Jesus’ death, burial,
resurrection, and ascension (Morrison, 2007, p. 37). “In particular, without
the cross, there would be no Pentecost” (Morrison, 2007, p. 37). Jesus’
ascension is deeply tied then to the coming of the Holy Spirit.

John’s Gospel
includes a farewell discourse by Jesus. John 14:15-31 is Jesus’ promise of the
Holy Spirit who would serve as his ambassador. The Gospel of John already
includes more explicit references about the deity of Jesus than the other
Gospels; yet, Jesus’ discourse in these verses focuses significantly on the
promised Holy Spirit. This post will offer an analysis of three overarching
aspects found within Jesus’ discourse:

1)      trinitarian
work in the love among the three members of the Godhead,

2)      the
sealing work of the Holy Spirit, and

3)      the
ambassadorial role of the Holy Spirit.

These three aspects protrude from the
text in a profound manner to support the concept of the Holy Spirit which
proceeds from both the Father and the Son.

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