Tag Archives: Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit: John’s Gospel: Chapters 3 and 4

Spirit without measure (John 3:34 ESV) 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. This is a classic proof text, going back at least to H. Leo Boles’ famous book on … Continue reading

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The Holy Spirit: John’s Gospel — Jesus’ baptism and Nicodemus

I’ve been looking forward to John’s gospel. It’s just always a challenge — but an enlightening one — to sort through the text. John has a writing style that is simple and direct, which yet conceals great depth. It’s just … Continue reading

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The Holy Spirit: The Book of Jubilees

It’s important as we weigh the words of Jesus and his apostles to consider the background against which they spoke. The Jews of First Century Palestine not only knew their Tanakh (the Old Testament), they knew many uninspired works as … Continue reading

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The Holy Spirit: The Synoptic Gospels, Summary

The synoptic Gospels, especially Matthew, begin and end with the Spirit. They are centered on Jesus, but the Spirit nonetheless permeates their narratives. The Spirit conceives Jesus. The Spirit inspires prophets to glorify God in announcing the birth of the … Continue reading

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The Holy Spirit: The Synoptic Gospels, Part 3

Missionaries (Mat 10:16-22 ESV)  16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you … Continue reading

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The Holy Spirit: The Synoptic Gospels, Part 2

The baptism of Jesus (Mat 3:15-17 ESV) 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from … Continue reading

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The Glory and the Spirit

[I meant to post this before the posts on the Gospels, but I got distracted by vacation and such.] Clouds of glory This lesson begins on top of Mt. Sinai. Moses was called by God to the top of the … Continue reading

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The Holy Spirit: The Synoptic Gospels, Part 1

Matthew, Mark, and Luke are very similar in the teachings on the Spirit, and relate many of the same events, often in nearly the same words. I’ll work primarily in Matthew, but cite to the parallels. Conceiving the Messiah The … Continue reading

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The Holy Spirit: And He Lives Forever with His Saints to Reign

(Gen 1:26-27 NAS)  26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all … Continue reading

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N. T. Wright’s After You Believe: The Nature of the Spirit’s Work, For Discussion

Regarding the Spirit’s work, Wright notes (and this is a point of repeated emphasis) — Paul’s answer is emphatic, here and throughout his writings. Christian virtue, including the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit, is both the gift of God and … Continue reading

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