According to G.Jon 7:39 there was as yet in the story no H.S. dispite the other Gospels claiming that the H.S. was actively involved in miraculous births, drawing disciples, reavealing truths, prophesying, and miracles by the hand of his disciples. Aditionally, according to Acts 2 the disciples are lost and confused until the arrival of the H.S. at Pentecost. G.John on the other hand has Jesus promise the holy spririt would come from within himself at his glorification (resurrection in this tradition) (7:38,39) and 'breathes' the H.S on them at 20:22. Notice tho how John 14:16,17 and 15:26 and 16:13 (within later aditions to body of G.John) Jesus promises a H.S. arrival from the Father at a later time as a harmonization with Acts 2. It is reasonable to then suggest that the original author of G.John was unaware of the Pentecost tradition or rejected it.
Holy Spirit traditions
by peacefulpete 6 Replies latest watchtower bible
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Leolaia
I have to say that the GJohn tradition seems superior to the Pentacost tradition in Acts. In the latter, there is a delay between Jesus' ascension and the arrival of the Spirit (how long I'm not sure off hand), and the Spirit is vaguely described as coming from heaven but not explicitly from a personal divine source. In John, after the resurrection the disciples are never alone, having either Jesus, the Spirit, or both, and the Spirit is given directly from Jesus. It also nicely alludes to the breath of God being the source of life in Genesis, while Acts draws on the pneuma being both "spirit" and "wind"....Also, Q and Matthew pretty much present the coming of the Spirit/Wisdom as not related to the death or resurrection of Jesus but via his life and teaching, as being Wisdom incarnate. Luke's tradition seems to be secondary to this.
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Narkissos
What I especially feel to be late and artificial in GJohn 14:16f etc. is the identification of the unpersonal Spirit with the personal Paraclete (paraklètos). Jesus is a Paraclete in Johannine thought (John 14:16, "another paraclete"; cf. 1 John 2:1), and this role could have suited a spiritual leader such as the beloved disciple in the early Johannine community. The identification of Paraclete and Spirit seems to fit a later stage, also bridging the gap with the Great Church (Lukan) pneumatology...
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peacefulpete
narkissos,intersting suggestion, quite probable, that "Helper" additions were not theological as much as pratical. The Muslims latched upon it haven't they.
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Leolaia
Good point....so how is the term parakletos used in a theological context in pre-Christian literature (or is it used?)? I bet there is an article on this in the TDNT that covers this.
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Narkissos
From a quick look at Behm's article in TDNT the only verbal parallels are in Philo and the Mishna (in Hebrew or Aramaic transliteration); they consistently point to the meaning "advocate", which is sometimes used in a theological way: advocate before God (= 1 John 2:1). In the rabbinical texts the "paracletes" are most commonly one's or the ancestor's good works, but in Philo other paracletes are found: God's own benevolence and the patriarchs' intercessions (Exsecr. 166), the Universe itself as God's Son, symbolized by the adornment of the High Priest's garment (Vit. Mos. II, 134).
Of course many more conceptual (i.e., nonverbal) parallels can be found from the OT and pseudepigrapha for the functions of "advocate" or more generally helper (especially from the Mandean writings and the Odes of Solomon in this broader sense), as the second part of the article shows (p. 806ff).
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peacefulpete
My poor choice of words. I meant it was motivated by necessity (need to control)rather than pure speculative exegesis.