Word to the Wise
Monday, May 10, 2021 - 6th Week of Easter - Mon
[Acts 16:11-15 and John 15:26-16:4a]"When the Advocate comes who I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning. I have told you this so that you may not fall away. They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God." [John]
Jesus now introduces a new character in the Farewell Discourse, the "Advocate." Some translations use the word, "paraclete," which is an English rendering of the Greek verb, parakletos, - a person who speaks or intercedes on behalf of someone. Jesus refers to this person as "the Spirit of truth," which recalls to my mind his words to the woman at the well in Ch. 4:24, "God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth." The reason is to assure the disciples that Jesus' departure is part of a bigger reality and they will not be "left as orphans." (14:18). The Spirit of truth will "guide you to all truth." [16:13].
Church history is always a good teacher. Christians fought with one another later on about how the Spirit of truth was sent. The dispute was called "the Filioque" problem. The Latin means "and the Son." Every Sunday at the Creed, we profess that the Holy Spirit, "who proceeds from the Father AND THE SON." This was decided at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. So, for nearly 300 years, there were debates about how Jesus accomplished the promise he made. This may seem like ancient debate over something that doesn't matter now, but the import of it comes home when we realize that we are accompanied by the entire truth about God in our faith. The disciples would need that accompaniment as they were being expelled from the synagogues. We need it today as we confront an indifferent and sometimes hostile secularism that pushes religious faith to the margins of life. The evangelist John would not have known about our later speculations on the Holy Trinity, but he has preserved the words of Jesus that remind us that we are not "orphans" but are beloved children of God and we can be sure of God's guidance. AMEN