(2) _His ascension was also a subject of prophecy_. "Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led away captives; thou hast received gifts among men, yea, among the rebellious also, that Jehovah G.o.d might dwell with them" (Ps. 68:18).
(3) _His coronation is foretold and described._ "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pa.s.s away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed" (Dan. 7:13, 14).
The above are only a few of the many predictions made by the Holy Spirit as to the character, life, sacrifice and dominion of our Lord. We notice now the work of the Spirit in, upon and through him.
1. HE WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit"
(Matt. 1: 18). "And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of G.o.d" (Luke 1:35).
2. HE WAS ANOINTED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of G.o.d descending as a dove, and coming upon him; and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matt. 3:16, 17). "And it came to pa.s.s in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in the Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens rent asunder, and the Spirit as a dove descending upon him: and a voice came out of the heavens, Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased" (Mark 1:9-11). "Now it came to pa.s.s, when all the people were baptized, that, Jesus also having been baptized and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form, as a dove, upon him, and a voice came out of heaven, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased" (Luke 3:21, 22). "And John bare witness, saying, I have beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven; and it abode upon him, and I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize in water, he said unto me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and abiding upon him, the same is he that baptizeth in the Holy Spirit" (John 1: 32, 33).
3. HE WAS LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil" (Matt. 4:1). "And straightway the Spirit driveth him forth into the wilderness" (Mark 1:12). "And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led in the Spirit in the wilderness" (Luke 4:1).
4. HE WROUGHT MIRACLES BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. "But if I by the Spirit of G.o.d cast out demons, then is the kingdom of G.o.d come upon you" (Matt.
12:28). "But if I by the finger of G.o.d cast out demons, then is the kingdom of G.o.d come upon you" (Luke 11:20).
5. HE OFFERED HIMSELF UP THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT. "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto G.o.d, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living G.o.d?" (Heb. 9:14).
6. HE WAS RAISED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Rom. 8:11). "Who was declared to be the Son of G.o.d with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead" (Rom. 1:4).
7. HE GAVE THE COMMISSION BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. "The former treatise I made, O Theophilus, concerning all that Jesus began both to do and to teach, until the day in which he was received up, after that he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit unto the apostles whom he had chosen" (Acts 1:1, 2).
8. HIS ASCENSION AND CORONATION WERE ANNOUNCED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.
"Being therefore by the right hand of G.o.d exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath poured forth this, which you see and hear" (Acts 2:33). "Let all the house of Israel therefore know a.s.suredly, that G.o.d hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified" (Acts 2:36).
Thus the Spirit predicted the coming of Jesus and the great facts of his birth, baptism, anointing, miracles, death, burial and resurrection, ascension and coronation, and then came from the Father to carry on the work of extending his kingdom. In the light of this testimony we can truly say with Paul in 2 Cor. 12:3: "Wherefore I make known unto you, that no man speaking in the Spirit of G.o.d saith, Jesus is anathema: and no man can say, Jesus is Lord, _but in the Holy Spirit_."
"I manifested thy name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them to me; and they have kept thy word. Now they know that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are from thee: for the words which thou gavest me I have given unto them; and they received them, and know of a truth that I came forth from thee, and they believe that thou didst send me.... While I was with them, I kept them in thy name which thou hast given me: and I guarded them, and not one of them perished, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.... I have given them thy word; and the world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldst take them from the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil one" (John 17:6-8, 12, 14, 15).
VI
THE SPIRIT AND THE APOSTLES
In interpreting Scripture, attention should be paid not only to the speaker and his message, but also to the parties addressed. There are pa.s.sages that are universal in their application, others that are national, and still others that are addressed to individuals only. Many promises are addressed to children of G.o.d only, and do not apply to those who are not citizens of Christ"s kingdom. Again, there are commands that are addressed solely to men in a state of condemnation, and have no relevancy when applied to the children of G.o.d. Christ uttered many things to his chosen amba.s.sadors, chosen to establish his kingdom on earth, which were never intended to be applied to any others.
It is a mistake for the Christian of to-day to make _universal_, promises that were intended by our Lord for special individuals. It confuses the whole scheme of redemption and makes a mystery out of Scriptures that are perfectly clear when proper limitations are made.
Things addressed to a chosen few have been wrongly applied to all and great confusion has resulted therefrom. It is my purpose in this chapter to notice some of these.
The fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth chapters of John contain a record of a private talk by our Lord to the twelve, and to _them alone_.
Jesus was approaching the close of his earthly ministry. He had chosen his apostles, and they had left all to follow him. He had eaten, slept and companied with them. He had taught them the great truths upon which his kingdom would be founded. They had learned to depend upon him for advice, instruction, comfort and guidance. They confessed this when they said, "Thou hast the words of eternal life."
He was soon to leave them, and knew that they would feel that they were "as sheep without a shepherd." He wishes them to know that they should not be left orphaned. He tells them, "I will pray the Father, and he shall give you _another_ Comforter that he may abide with you for ever,"
or to the remotest age. That is, as long as you shall have need of him.
The Greek word translated "for ever" does not necessarily mean unlimited duration. It is often applied to much shorter periods, even to a lifetime.
The word "Comforter" is a translation from the Greek word _Paracletos_, and it is a very inadequate translation. There is no word within my knowledge that will fully express in English the Greek word. It is much better to Anglicize the word into the English "Paraclete." This word is used of the Holy Spirit only four times in the New Testament, and is only used by the Saviour in his private address to the twelve, found in the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth chapters of John. It is never applied to the work of the Holy Spirit in relation to mankind in general. It is promised only to the chosen, and Jesus tells them that _the world_ can not receive "him."
This Paraclete is a distinct gift to the twelve, to take the place of the personal presence and guidance of the leader who is preparing to leave them.
What is the nature of this promised one? By examining the lexicons we find that Paraclete is:
1. One called or sent to a.s.sist another.
2. One who pleads the cause of another.
3. A monitor.
4. An instructor.
5. A guide.
6. A helper.
7. A supporter.
8. A comforter.
Of this Paraclete Jesus says:
1. Whom the world _can not receive_.
2. He dwelleth with _you_ and shall be in _you_.
3. He shall teach _you_ all things.
4. He shall bring all things to _your_ remembrance whatsoever I have spoken unto _you_.
5. He shall testify of me.
6. He shall convict the world of sin.
7. He shall convict the world of righteousness.
8. He shall convict the world of judgment.
9. He shall guide _you_ into all truth.
10. He shall show _you_ things to come.
11. He shall receive of mine and show it _unto you_.
Here we have eleven distinct things that the Paraclete is to do for the apostles.
All these offices of the Paraclete were needed by the apostles in their work of proclaiming Christianity and establishing the church. They were ignorant and unlearned, humanly speaking, and could never have gone forth to success without this supernatural Paraclete. They took no thought what they should say, for it was given them at the proper time.
Others have to take thought. Paul tells Timothy to "study to show thyself approved unto G.o.d, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Timothy had to study because he did not possess the Paraclete. Yet Timothy did possess the gift of the Spirit. "For which cause I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of G.o.d, which is in thee through the laying on of my hands" (2 Tim. 1:6).
Men to-day are required to study that they may know what to say. A failure to observe this exhortation of the apostle is the reason why a great many do not know what to say. The Paraclete was not only an instructor, but he was an infallible guide. This is evident from the fact that no apostle ever contradicted another nor said anything foolish. I never heard a man of to-day lay claim to being guided "into all truth by the Spirit," who did not say something foolish in the next five minutes. If any man claims the direct guidance of the Spirit to-day, he can not consistently deny that same claim to others. But we have all sorts of men teaching all sorts of doctrines, often contradicting each other. Does the Spirit guide one man to preach up Universalism and another man to preach it down! The same is true of Calvinism, Mormonism or any other ism.