In her reading of John 14 KATHLEEN RUSHTON points to the climax of the passion as the giving of the Spirit. 

From Easter to Pentecost we’ll hear sections of the farewell discourse of John 13-17 read several times at our liturgies. This parallels John’s intention. The writer is not just recording what happened at that supper in the month of Nisan in the early 30s CE. He is telling of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and of its significance for a community in another time and place: the 90s, and probably in the Roman city of Ephesus. Its significance continues for Christians in 2017 who assemble at the Eucharist to hear the Word of God.

From my desk window in a secluded corner of Vaughan Park Anglican Retreat Centre, framed by pōhutukawa trees and flax flowers, I can see a seat on a grass-covered rise overlooking the sea. Usually, someone is seated there gazing at the beauty before them in the Book of Nature while I sit working on the Book of Scripture. Early Church theologians taught that God’s loving self-communication, or what is called revelation, is revealed through the Book of Nature and the Book of Scripture. In holding these together the role of the Holy Spirit is essential. In these weeks leading up to Pentecost, John 14 offers a springboard to look at the Spirit in John.

Spirit in John

The Greek word pneuma is used throughout the Scriptures translating the Hebrew ruah meaning the “wind”. Sometimes it is translated as “breath” which is necessary for life. Wind and breath are beautiful images which describe the Spirit as an unseen wonder known by what it does, the effect it has and how it feels. The Spirit flows through all creation bringing life and love. Earlier in John, Jesus says: “The wind (pneuma) blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit (pneuma)” (Jn 3:8).

Creation is evoked in the first words of John: “In the beginning. . .” (Jn 1:1) which here refers to the period before creation, what we would call before the Big Bang. The Spirit brooded over our universe from the beginning. For John, the beginning of creation is when through him “all things came into being” (Jn 1:3). Jesus as Wisdom-Sophia is with God in the beginning (Proverbs 8:22–23).

The climax of the passion is not the death of Jesus but a giving of the Spirit: “When Jesus had received the wine, he said, ‘It is finished.’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his [in Greek, ‘handed over the’] Spirit” (Jn 19:30). James Swetnam SJ explains Jesus’ handing over of the Spirit to the women and the Beloved Disciple: “Jesus’ ‘death’ as God is a leavetaking in which he is replaced by the Spirit.” The Spirit remains with the Church, the new family of God created when blood and water flowed from the pierced side of Christ (Jn 19:34). Jesus was buried and rose in a garden evoking new creation. After his resurrection, Jesus breathes on the disciples (Jn 20:22) as the Spirit of God breathed over the primal waters (Gen 2:7).

Doing the Works of God

Jesus speaks often of God as “still working” and of himself: “I am still working” (Jn 5:17). He speaks of finishing the works God gave him to do. His last words were: “It is finished.” Jesus speaks of God doing works through him (Jn 14:10) and those who believe in Jesus “will do the works that I do and, in fact, greater works than I do” (Jn 14:12). Underlying the words of Jesus in Jn 14 is the assurance that when he is absent he is present through the Holy Spirit. Now, those earliest disciples didn’t get it! Jesus’ talk is interrupted by Thomas, Philip and Judas (not Iscariot). Jesus had begun, and ended, by saying: “Do not let your hearts be troubled” (Jn 14: 1, 27). “Troubled” literally means stirred up as when the waters of the pool were stirred up in the story of the man who is ill (Jn 5:7). Jesus is truly the Word made flesh for this word describes his inner agitation and emotional distress at the death of Lazarus (Jn 11:33), heard when he speaks of his death (Jn 12:27) and his betrayal (Jn 13:21).

The Spirit is the Paraclete who is presented as a person (Jn 14:15-16, 25-26; 15:26-27; 16:14-15) and is the One who will be with disciples who do God’s works. Under the name Paraclete, many meanings come together in a rich, all-embracing picture of the Spirit as: presence, teacher, comforter, guide, helper, friend, advocate, one who intercedes, consoler, spokesperson, witness and companion.

Resemblance to Jesus

Almost everything said about the Paraclete has been spoken elsewhere about Jesus. Raymond Brown groups these resemblances in four ways. The first concerns the coming of Jesus into the world (Jn 5:43; 16:28; 18:37) and the Paraclete who will come only if Jesus departs (Jn 15:26; 16:6-8, 13). Both come forth from God. As Jesus was sent (Jn 3:16) in the name of God (Jn 5:43) so the Paraclete will be sent in Jesus’ name.

Second, Jesus and the Paraclete share titles. Jesus speaks of asking God to give the disciples “another Paraclete” (Jn 14:15). This implies that he is the first Paraclete. Jesus is “the truth” (Jn 14: 6) and the Paraclete is the Spirit of Truth (Jn 14:17; 15:26; 16:13). As Jesus is the Holy One of God (Jn 6:69), so we find the Holy Spirit of God (Jn 14:26).

Third, the relationship of Jesus and the Paraclete with the disciples is described in similar ways. Being with Jesus is about enduring relationships of abiding (translated as “stay” or “remain” in Jn 14:10; 15:4–10). The Holy Spirit “abides with you and will be in you” (Jn 14:17; 16:13; 17:23, 26). The Spirit will “guide you into all truth” while Jesus is the way and the truth (Jn 14:6). Jesus teaches (Jn 6:59; 7:14, 18; 8:20) and, too, the Paraclete teaches (Jn 14:26, 16:13). The Paraclete’s teaching glorifies Jesus (Jn 16:14), Jesus glorifies God (Jn 11:4; 14:13; 17:4).

Finally, in their relationship to the world, Jesus is at times unseen (Jn 16:2) and unknown to those who encountered him (Jn 16:3; 7:28) and these ones neither see nor know the Spirit (Jn 14:17).

Ongoing Creation and Re-Creation

What is God’s work that is Jesus’ work and our work? Pope Francis reminds us that in the Bible, “the God who liberates and saves is the same God who created the universe, and these two divine ways of acting are intimately and inseparably connected” (LS par 73). It is striking that this gospel has no description of Jesus’ future return, or of the heavens opening, or of Jesus coming down on the cloud of heaven in judgment. Instead Jesus speaks in relational language: “I ... will take you to myself” (Jn 14:3). This promise centres on a person, on a relationship and on finding Jesus in the present, in our world. We will find that in our work in God’s ongoing creation and re-creation (salvation), “[t]he Spirit, infinite bond of love, is intimately present at the very heart of the universe, inspiring and bringing new pathways” (LS par 238).

Tui Motu Magazine. Issue 215 May 2017: 24-25