Spirit of Knowledge (John 14, 16, 2 Peter 1)

A little bit of knowledge can be a powerful thing, but it can also be a dangerous thing.

When it comes to the work of the Holy Spirit, we may have some grasp and understanding of it, but we are also quick to say “I know”.

God does want us to know and have the knowledge that He has purposed that we should have about His works and plans for eternity. Our challenge is whether we know the Holy Spirit whose joy it is to grant us this knowledge. And are we leaning on Him to help us grasp it all spiritually.

(A) The Spirit of knowledge extends and empowers Jesus’ ministry (Jn 14:16-31)

We have been learning much about the Holy Spirit. John 14:16-31 connects some of the threads. The Spirit is the Spirit of Life (Eze 37) who brings us to life and makes us new. John 14:16-20 tells us that the Spirit is sent or given (passive). He will dwell with us, be with us and in us. The world cannot receive and know Him but we can. The Spirit is by our side and is so close to us that the Bible speaks of Him being in us.

We also learn that the Spirit is the Spirit of Christ (Isa 11). He is a Person in the Triune God. He is given by the Father at Jesus’ request. He is sent in the Son’s name (Jn14:26) and the Son is sent by the Father (Jn 14:20-26).. There is a series of activity in the Triune God and these actions are not interchangeable. There is an internal, divine economy within the Triune God and assigned to each person.

The Spirit of Pentecost (Acts 2) dwells in and empowers His people. According to Jesus, the Spirit will bring to the disciples’ remembrance all that Jesus has said to them (Jn 14:16-17,26). Jesus sends them the Helper, the Spirit of Truth to face the difficult days ahead. This Spirit will teach them from the words of Jesus.

Does this apply to us now? In one sense, this has a limited application to the disciples who heard Jesus’ teachings. In Ephesians 2:20, Paul writes about how the church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. This is why the Spirit is given to preserve the teachings of Jesus.

The Spirit of Holiness (1 Cor 6) cleanses and transforms us. Jesus taught the disciples that the world cannot receive Him and see Him (Jn 14:17). He is a Holy Spirit and the world has no interest in knowing God. The world, by its very nature, is hostile to the Spirit.

(B) The Spirit of knowledge convicts and communicates the Gospel (Jn 16:4-15)

the Spirit is given to aid remembrance as Jesus prepares to depart for the Cross. The Spirit will come and convict the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgement (Jn 16:8). Concerning sin, it is a spiritual work that we can say that we are sinners. We will not hate our own sin from our own point of sin, or from the flesh. The Spirit of God has to show us that we are sinners. He shows us our rejection of Christ and how we do not believe in Him (c.f. Jn 14:9). The Spirit shows us the glory of Jesus.

Concerning judgement, the Spirit helps us to see that the ruler of the world is judged and Jesus reigns. Practically, this means we ask for help to know more and more who Jesus is and to look forward to when Jesus returns and His enemies are finally dealt with. This is what mature Christians desire.

When the Spirit of truth comes (c.f. Jn 14), He will guide the disciples into all the truth, declare the things to come, glorify Jesus. In John 17:15-23, Jesus prays for His disciples, specifically for those present there. He is praying that the Father will watch and guide them, and also for those who will believe through their word (Jn 17:20). This is how it applies to us — people who have believed because of the words of the apostles.

Friends, see that we have Scripture today because God answered Jesus’ prayer. What we hold in our hands is a result of this prayer. Woe to us who pit the Spirit against the Word! Woe to us who ignore the Word.

Jesus is absolutely clear that His purpose is to give us the word of God. The Spirit of truth will take His teaching given to the disciples, grant them understanding and they will write it down so that many can read Scripture, be given understanding by the Spirit, know the Son and therefore the Father.

John 16 builds on John 14, which is entirely premised on the Triune God making Himself known — the Father sends the Son who sends the Spirit,

Practically, this means we give thanks for our Bible! Thank God that we have a Bible, and we can know Him according to His word, and we can treasure the Scriptures.

Are you able to help someone else know Jesus? Are you able to sit with someone and introduce them Scripture and therefore, who Jesus is according to the Bible? This is for every Christian! All Christians can read the Bible and help others to do so.

This is the main job of the Spirit. The Spirit reveals and convicts.

(C) The Spirit of knowledge is the Divine Author as Human Authors write Scripture (2 Pet 1:16-21)

We read Peter’s writings in 2 Peter. In 2 Peter 1:16-18, Peter is saying that he apostles were eyewitnesses of Jesus’ majesty who saw Jesus’ divinity, glory and power for themselves and were not following cleverly devised myths (2 Pet 1:16). They were reliable witnesses! Peter writes about the transfiguration here in 2 Peter 1:17-18, and recorded by Matthew in Matthew 17:1-7.

Peter then speaks about “the prophetic word more fully confirmed” (2 Pet 1:19) and says that believers will do well to pay attention to this. There is something better than seeing it for ourselves — Scripture.

Scripture is like a lamp shining in a dark place (2 Pet 1:19). It is our real source of light that we have been waiting for. When God speaks, we have Truth. The best human author pales in comparison to Scripture written by man and carried along by the Spirit (2 Pet 1:20-21). Peter is trying to help us see that the Bible is authored by humans and also by the Spirit. This is the concursive authorship of Scripture. This is how the NT authors also understood the writing of the OT. The Divine Author leads human authors to write Scripture.

At the end of 2 Peter, in 2 Peter 3:15-16, Peter is saying that Paul’s writings (a fellow apostle) are also part of Scripture. This should give us great confidence and joy as the apostles regarded each others’ writings as Scripture. Read it. Treasure it. And recognise that the Holy Spirit has given this gift to us. Ask Him to open our hearts, and illumine our minds such that we have more than information transfer, but will have life in His word.