John 15:26 - 16:15

With thanks to page sponsor:
First United Methodist Church
Saranac Lake, NY.
(April 2006-07)

• Reading the Text:
  • NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser.
  • Greek Interlinear Bible, ScrTR, ScrTR t, Strong, Parsing, CGTS, CGES id, AV. Chapter 16.
  • The Bible Gateway: NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc.
  • The Blue Letter Bible
  • The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary (Matthew Henry, Wesley's Notes, Geneva Notes, etc) & sermons. Chapter 16
• Historical References, Commentary and Comparative Texts:
  • The Five Gospels Parallels, John W. Marshall, University of Toronto.
  • Comparative World Scriptures from United Communities of Spirit: Scripture Teaches in Parables.
  • XLVI.42-58; Tatian's Diatessaron (c. 150-160).
  • III.XVII.2, Adversus Haereses, Irenaeus of Lyons. (c. 180)
  • Chapter X, On Baptism,  Tertullian (c. 198)
  • Chapter VIII, Chapter XXII, Chapter XXVIII, The Prescription of Heretics, Tertullian (c. 200)
  • Chapter XVII, Chapter XXX, Against Praxeas,  Tertullian (c. 213)
  • II.12, Commentary on the Gospel of John, Origen. (c.228)
  • VII.XVII, Against Celsus, Origen. (c.246)
  • XI.14, Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, Origen. (c.247)
  • Epistle LV -- Cyprian of Carthage (c. 252)
  • "On Luke 10:22 (Matthew 11:27)," Athanasius (290-373).
  • From Augustine's Tractates on John: 
    • Tractate 92 (15:26, 27)
    • Tractate 94 (16-4-11)
    • Tractate 96 (16:12, 13)
    • Tractate 97 (16:12, 13)
    • Tractate 98 (16:12, 13)
    • Tractate 99 (16:13)
    • Tractate 100 (16:13-15)
  • Chapter XXVI, Proslogium, Anselm of Canterbury, 1077-1078.
  • "Christ's Defence against Those Who Slandered Him," John 15:26 - 16:4, Martin Luther, c. 1525.
  • From the Geneva Notes. Chapter 16
    • "The Spirit of God works so mightily by the preaching of the word that he forces the world, whether or not it wants to, to confess its own unrighteousness and Christ's righteousness and almightiness."
  • From Matthew Henry's Commentary. Chapter 16
    • "Christ's departure was necessary to the Comforter's coming. Sending the Spirit was to be the fruit of Christ's death, which was his going away. His bodily presence could be only in one place at one time, but his Spirit is every where, in all places, at all times, wherever two or three are gathered together in his name."
  • The Holy Spirit, Convincing the World of Sin, Righteousness, and Judgement (John 16:8): sermon by George Whitefield.
    • "For, as God is a sovereign agent, his sacred Spirit bloweth not only on whom, but when and how it listeth. Therefore, far be it from me to confine the Almighty to one way of acting, or say, that all undergo an equal degree of conviction: no, there is a holy variety in God's methods of calling home his elect."
  • From Wesley's Notes. Chapter 16
    • "It is universally allowed that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost dwell in all believers. And the internal agency of the Holy Ghost is generally admitted. That of the Father and the Son, as represented in this Gospel, deserves our deepest consideration."
  • From the Commentary on the Whole Bible (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871). Chapter 16
  • From The People's New Testament, B.W. Johnson, 1891. Chapter 16
    • "What seemed then a crushing sorrow was a real blessing. His mission could never be accomplished unless he went away."
• Contemporary Commentary, Studies, and Exegesis:
  • Commentary, John 16:12-15, Sarah Henrich, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2010.
    • "There is always a degree of finagling that goes on when any biblical text is called upon to support a doctrine or understanding of the church..."
  • More about the Spirit of Truth, audio telling, story in episodes, graphic, audio and written commentaries. Go Tell Communications, Biblical Storytelling for the Global Village, 2010.
  • John 16:12-15, Trinity C, Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
  • "First Thoughts on Year C Gospel Passages in the Lectionary: Trinity," William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia.
    • "Not everything which masquerades in garments of light brings light. To affirm this Spirit, this Christ of John, is to deny counterfeits and to encounter popular spiritualities inside and outside the church critically."
  • Exegetical Notes (Trinity C) by Brian Stoffregen at CrossMarks Christian Resources.
    • "The doctrine of the Trinity is not something Jesus explained to us. It, like most doctrines, came out of the experience of the early believers. How can we put our experiences of God the Creator and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit into words?"
  • Exegesis, Charles D. Myers,  Lectionary Homiletics sample, 2010.
    • "The point of these verses, then, is that the work of God continues through the work of the Spirit which is rooted in the revelation of God in Christ."
  • Lectionary Blogging, John Petty, Progressive Involvement, 2010.
    • "Anangello, then, has to do with 'reporting back' or 'sending news back.'  KJV has 'show.'  NIV has 'tell.'  NASB has 'disclose.'  NRSV has 'declare.'  These translations seem to assume that the Spirit knows the future, but they don't say it quite as clearly as 'report back.'"
  • Holy Textures, Understanding the Bible in its own time and in ours, John 16:12-15, David Ewart, 2010.
    • "...we need to hear this brief section from Chapter 16, not as Jesus giving a lecture on the doctrine of the Trinity, but as a personally intense commitment of abiding, continuing, present love / loyalty / protection / guidance / bonding with his followers then - and now - and always."
  • First Look, John 16:12-15, Lee Koontz, reflectious, 2010.
  • Kairos CoMotion Lectionary Discussion, John 16:12-15, Wesley White. "A place of conversation regarding Progressive Christianity."
    • "So we are again and again in the middle of things received and passed on. All the while we move closer to one another."
  • "The Spirit's Swift Sword," Expository Essay, John 16:5-15, Dr. William R. Long.
    • "The Spirit's work is to make sure that Christ is the air we breathe, the best thoughts we have, the occupation of our lives."
  • Commentary, John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15, Sharon H. Ringe, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2009.
  • John 15:26-27; 164b-15, Pentecost B, Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
  • "First Thoughts on Year B Gospel Passages in the Lectionary," Pentecost, William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia.
    • "Jesus is not left behind that we might soar into spiritual fantasy and relish the prospects of more magic and more religion. John promises no such flights and is silent about future miracles. The task of the disciples and disciples after them is to bear fruit, to let the seed sown in death rise to new life. Transitional events are minimised. What matters is life and love."
  • Holy Textures, Understanding the Bible in its own time and in ours, John 15:26-27 and 16:4b-15, David Ewart, 2009.
    • "Whatever else we may want to say on this day of Pentecost about the Spirit, it is important to notice that Jesus always refers to the Spirit as the Spirit of truth. And in John truth is always the way, the life, the light, the joy, the friendship."
  • Pentecost According to John, Gospel Analysis, Sermons from Seattle, Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington. Detailed background and exegesis.
    • "...the Holy Spirit comes to convince the world (and the church) the truth about Jesus, the truth about sin, the truth about righteousness, the truth about judgment and this world in which we live."
  • Exegetical Notes (Pentecost B) by Brian Stoffregen at CrossMarks Christian Resources.
    • "Perhaps the paradoxical statement, "I believe that I can't believe," can lead us from being people of the world (I can do it myself, I understand it all myself) to people of God (God does for me what I can't do for myself and sometimes I am wrong)."
  • Marginally Mark, by Brian McGowan, Anglican priest in Western Australia.
  • "You Can Handle the Truth," Paige G. Evers, The Crossings Community, 2009.
  • Commentary by Hall Harris at the Biblical Studies Foundation.
    • "But why is it better for the disciples to have the presence of the Paraclete than the presence of Jesus himself as they do now? Because the Paraclete will not only be with them as Jesus has been, but in them as well (cf. 17:23, 26)."
  • "How to Handle a Hostile World (John 16)," by Robert Deffinbaugh at the Biblical Studies Foundation.
    • "The ministry of the Holy Spirit, with respect to the unbelieving world, is to confirm the witness of the believer. The matter of witnessing is a cooperative venture, involving men and the Holy Spirit."
  • "The Work of the Spirit," Rev. Bryan Findlayson, Lectionary Bible Studies and Sermons, Pumpkin Cottage Ministry Resources. Includes detailed textual notes.
  • The Announcing World of the Paraclete, Easter to Trinity with the Gospel of John: Bearing Witness to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Paul S. Berge, Word & World Texts in Context, Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary, 1995.
• Articles & Background:
  • "Worship in the Fourth Gospel: A Cultural Interpretation of John 14-17," Jerome H. Neyrey, Biblical Theology Bulletin, 2006. Part 2.
    • "...the personnel of worship are clearly defined: the Patron Father who bestows benefaction on his clients by means of Jesus, the Broker. Jesus, in turn, brokers the concerns of the clients to the Patron. Finally, the household with many rooms is not space out of the world, but relationships brokered by Jesus."
  • "Rethinking John's Social Setting: Hidden Transcript, Anti-language, and the Negotiation of the Empire," David Reed, Biblical Theology Bulletin, 2006.
  • "Aging from the Perspective of the Cross," Stephen Sapp, The Center for Christian Ethics at Baylor University, 2003.
    • "The discipleship of the cross recognizes that the cross Jesus Christ bids his followers to take up includes the ordinary, everyday sufferings of human life—including those associated with aging—that are borne as Jesus bore his sufferings."
  • "Towards Sharing the One Faith," Faith and Order Paper No. 113. World Council of Churches, 1996. A study/discussion guide on the Nicene Creed.
• Recommended articles from ATLAS, an online collection of religion and theology journals, are linked below. ATLAS Access options are available for academic institutions, alumni of selected theological schools, and clergy/church offices.
  • Aloisi, John, "The Paraclete's Ministry of Conviction: Another Look at John 16:8-11," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 2004.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Anderson, Paul N., "The Having-Sent-Me Father: Aspects of Agency, Encounter, and Irony in the Johannine Father-Son Relationship," Semeia, 1999.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Bammel, Ernst, "The Farewell Discourse of the Evangelist John and Its Jewish Heritage," Tyndale Bulletin, 1993.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Berge, Paul S. "Easter to Trinity with the Gospel of John: Bearing Witness to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit," Word & World, 1998.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • D'Angelo, Mary Rose, "Imitating Deity in the Gospel of John: Theological Language and 'Father' in 'Prayers of Jesus'," Semeia, 1999.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Domeris, Bill, "The Paraclete as an Ideological Construct: A Study in the Farewell Discourses," Journal of Theology for Southern Africa, 1989.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Jeske, Richard L., "Expository Article: John 14:27 and 16:33," Interpretation, 1984.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Jones, David Lee, "Visitation, Declaration, Trepidation, Implication and Anticipation: : Reflections on the Lectionary Readings for June," The Living Pulpit, 2007. (See also "Atonement," issue focus of The Living Pulpit, 16.2, 2007.)
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Lutkemeyer, Lawrence, "The Role of the Paraclete (Jn 16:7-15)," The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 1946.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Morrison, Craig E., O. Carm., "The 'Hour of Distress' in Targum Neofiti and the 'Hour' in the Gospel of John," The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 2005.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • O'Brien, Bill, "Coming into Focus," The Christian Century, 2003.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Peterson, Eugene, "The Story Behind the Story: John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15," Journal for Preachers, 2003.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Peterson, Robert A., "Is Christ 'The Electing God'?" Presbyterion, 2004.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Smith, D. Moody, "John 16:1-15, Expository Article," Interpretation, 1979.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Stefan, Crinisor, "The Paraclete and Prophecy in the Johannine Community," Pneuma, 2005.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Welker, Michael, "The Holy Spirit," Theology Today, 1989.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
• Reviews:
  • Review: L. Scott Kellum, The Unity of the Farewell Discourse: The Literary Integrity of John 13.31-16.33. T&T Clark, 2004. Review by Joseph Matos in SBL's Review of Biblical Literature.
  • Review: George L. Parsenios, Departure and Consolation: The Johannine Farewell Discourse in Light of Greco-Roman Literature. Brill, 2005. Review by Jan van der Watt, Review of Biblical Literature, 2007.
• Sermons:
  • "The Dance," the Rev. Canon Charles K. Robertson, Day 1, 2010.
  • "The Church's Hope," the Rev. Dr. Fred R. Anderson, Day 1, 2009.
  • "Difficult Things," The Festival of the Holy Trinity, 3 June 2007, Luke Bouman, Goettinger Predigten: Every Sunday Sermons based on the RCL by a team of Lutheran theologians/ pastors.
  • A Sermon Based on John 15:18-21, 30 October 2005, Bruce D. Shields, Göttinger Predigten im Internet: Every Sunday Sermons based on the RCL by a team of Lutheran theologians/ pastors.
  • "Sincerely Wrong," Dr. Renita Weems, 30 Good Minutes, Chicago Sunday Evening Club, 2002.
  • "New Law, New Temple, New World," Dr. NT Wright. A sermon at the Eucharist on the Feast of Pentecost, 2003, Westminster Abbey.
  • "Your Spirit Guide," John Jewell, 1998.
  • "The Spirit of Truth," "The Counselor," Ed Markquart, Sermons from Seattle.
  • Father Andrew M. Greeley, "Priest, Author, Sociologist," Commentary and Homily
    • Pentecost, 2006
    • Trinity, 2004
    • Pentecost, 2000
• With Children:
  • "The Unseen Power," Charles Kirkpatrick, Sermons4kids.com.
  • "The Holy Spirit Brings Us Together," Sunday School Lessons: Family Bible Study, art projects, music, stories, etc.
  • "Jesus Ascends," Jim Kerlin, childrensermons.com.
  • John 15 & 16 Word Search, Don Crownover's Bible Puzzles.
• Drama:
• Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
  • Clip Art, John 16:13, Fr. Richard Lonsdale, Resources for Catholic Educators.
  • Images for this week's readings, Pitts Theology Library Digital Image Archive.
  • John 15:26 - 16:4, John 16:12-15, John 15:26 - 16:15, John 15:26 - 16:4, Liturgical Drawing, Maria d.c. Zamora, Claretian Resources, Philippines. ("Download and use these for free.")
  • Clip Art, Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld woodcuts, World Mission Collection, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
• Hymns and Music:
  • Contemporary/Praise Song suggestions, Together to Celebrate, David MacGregor.
  • Hymns with Scripture Allusions: John 15:26; 16:7, 13. The Cyber Hymnal.
  • Hymnal Scripture References, John 15, The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship.
  • Hymnal Scripture References, John 16, The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship.
• Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
• Movies scenes with the following themes, listed at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance:
• Study Links and Resources for the Book of John