While the Gospel's author does not devote a great deal of text to the character of the Spirit, the role played by the Spirit is nonetheless significant. The Spirit is first introduced by author through the testimony placed on the lips of John the Baptist "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove"(cf. Jn 1:32). Later, in Chapter 14, the reader learns that the Spirit will comes to represent the real, eternal presence of the glorified Jesus (Jn 14:16, see also Schneiders, 59). Near the Gospel's conclusion, this same Spirit is received by the disciples (Jn 20:22) indicating the presence of the Spirit in the disciples.

Background Outside of John's Gospel

In the Judaism of the era in which John's Gospel was written, the concept of the "spirit of God" was closely associated with inspiration and the role of the Old Testament prophets (pneuma profetikon) or "prophetic spirit" (ABD III, 263). Thus, the spirit came to be associated with particular individuals and allowed those who received it to deliver God's message to Israel. For the First Century Jewish philosopher Philo, spirit (pneuma) had a wide range of meanings. Pneuma could be used to denote wind, air, breath, the human spirit, the spirit of God, or supernatural beings (ABD Vol. III, 264). In Greek thought, pneuma was alternately associated with breath (and thus with life and vitality), the soul, and in cosmology, the substance or "glue" holding the universe together (See TDNT VI, 336-339).

The author's portrayal of the Spirit as paraklhtoV (paraclete) or "Advocate"

(Jn 14:26, 14:26, 15:26, 16:7) is unique among the gospels. Outside the Gospel paraklhtoV is almost always a juridical term that refers to one who represents or "helps" another in court (see TDNT V, 801). The concept of spirit as advocate is only weakly attested to in the Old Testament (TDNT, VI, 388), making the author's usage of paraklhtoV even more striking.

Spirit in John's Gospel

Unlike several of the other significant themes in John's Gospel, the Spirit is not introduced in the Prologue. However, the Evangelist includes a description of the Spirit as part of the testimony provided by John the Baptist in Jn 1:32. As is the case with the divine logoV, the spirit "descend(s) from heaven," indicating its divine source. Similar to its characterization in the Old Testament, the author attests to the mysterious nature of the Spirit (Jn 3:8); and closely associates the Spirit with themes of re-birth and water (Jn 3:5). The association with water is probably an allusion to Ezekiel 36:25-27 (see Schneiders, 121), where the prophet speaks of being sprinkled with water as a symbol of spiritual renewal for Israel.

Unlike in the Synoptic Gospels, the Spirit in John's Gospel does not simply animate the works and words of Jesus (like the pneuma profetikon), but witnesses to the actual presence of God in Jesus and ultimately in the life of the believer (TDNT VI, 438).

Since John begins with an allusion to creation (Jn 1:1), his view of Spirit could be easily linked to the functioning of the Spirit in creation, particularly in light of his focus on rebirth. Genesis states that the Spirit was present at creation (Gen. 1:2), with the author closely tying this presence to that of the logoV (Jn 1:3). When the man is formed in the Genesis account, God breathes into him the "breath of life"(cf. Gen 2:7). John's goal of life for the believer is prototypically realized when Jesus breathes on the disciples and they receive the Holy Spirit (Jn 20:22).

In Chapters 14 through 16 of the Gospel, the reader begins to understand that the role of the Spirit on earth will be like Jesus'. The Spirit is "another Advocate" (Jn 14:16, emphasis added), sent by the Father (Jn 14:26), and like Jesus, is a revealer of the truth (Jn 14:17). The Spirit is a teacher and one who reminds the disciples of the words of Jesus (Jn 14:26). The Spirit continues the work of Jesus in Jesus' absence by guiding the believer and delivering the word of God (Jn 16:13).

Finally, the Spirit functions as the paraklhtoV in John, fitting well into the Evangelist's juridical themes of trial, witness and judgment. Just as Jesus is the appointed judge of the world (Jn 5:22), so too the Spirit will judge the world about sin (Jn 16:8-11). In the Spirit's action as paraklhtoV , the truth of God and Jesus' identity will continue to be revealed to the world (Jn 16:13-14). It is conceivable that the paraklhtoV also functions to argue the author's case to the reader, working to convince the reader that Jesus is who the Evangelist claims him to be, the divine logoV described in the Prologue.
 
 
 

See also entries under Truth in Section VII as the Spirit is John is often referred to as the "Spirit of Truth."