A RULER ALREADY CONDEMNED

The Holy Spirit convicts the world concerning judgment, but it is not the judgment of the world that is the focus of the conviction. The Holy Spirit is not bent on convincing the world that they will be judged. He convinces the world that Satan, as the world's ruler, has already been judged. The ruler of this world has been condemned.

Jesus said that the Spirit, when He comes, will convict the world "concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged" (John 16:11). If we are to take the explanatory clause seriously, then the judgment pertains to Satan, not the world. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of its sin, Christ's righteousness and Satan's judgment (John 16:8). Each convicting work has a clause explaining the convicting work.

The verb translated "judged" (κεκριται) is a perfect tense and passive voice verb. The perfect tense is written from the perspective of a future time. Jesus predicts that, by the time the Holy Spirit comes after Jesus' death and resurrection, the ruler of this world "has been judged!" The passive voice tells us that the judgment is done by someone else. On the cross, God judged Satan!

The verb (κρινω) means to be condemned. It is a legal term indicating a judicial verdict has been reached, usually in an unfavorable sense (BAGD, p. 450). A sentence of condemnation was pronounced on the ruler of the world when Jesus died on the cross. The tables were turned on the malevolent ruler who orchestrated the crucifixion. The one condemned by the world pronounced condemnation on the one condemning Him. The cross was a victory not a defeat.

The Holy Spirit convinces the world that their ruler has been sentenced by God. Some sinners in this world will respond to the Spirit's message; confess their sin and trust in the righteousness of Christ. Every sinner who is rescued from the clutches of this world's ruler pounds another nail in the coffin of the condemned ruler (Godet, John, p. 871).

The Spirit convicts people, who consider themselves good, of their badness. The Spirit convicts people, who consider Jesus unrighteous, of Jesus' perfection. The spirit convicts people, who owe allegiance to the ruler of this world, of his condemnation. Sadly, some will choose to ignore the conviction and to side with the condemned ruler rather than trust the righteous Savior because they cannot accept their own sinfulness. One day, the one condemned by the world will condemn the world and all will know what the Spirit taught was true.  Until then, the Spirit continues to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.

WHOSE RIGHTEOUSNESS?

The Holy Spirit convicts the world "concerning sin and righteousness and judgment" (John 16:8). He clearly convicts the world of the world's sinfulness (John 16:9), but whose righteousness is in view in the second work of the Holy Spirit? He convicts the world "concerning righteousness because I go to the Father and you no longer see me" (John 16:10). Is He convicting the world of its own righteousness or of Jesus' righteousness?

Some argue that the three convictions must be consistent. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of its own sin, its own righteousness and its own judgment (Carson, Farewell Discourse, p. 141). In order to do this we must flip the meaning of righteousness to unrighteousness. He convicts the world of its own, sort of, "bad" righteousness. Otherwise, it is argued, we must change the meaning of convict to convince.

There is, however, no great semantic distinction between convict and convince. The verb (ελεγξει) has four possible meanings, but convict and convince are considered to be in the same semantic category - "to convict or convince someone of something" (BAGD, p. 249). The work of convicting is the work of convincing.

Each convicting work of the Holy Spirit contains its own explanatory clause. A causal οτι is used in each case. The cause for convincing the world about righteousness is the return of Jesus to the Father and the fact that the disciples no longer will see Jesus. So, the explanation for conviction of righteousness is Christological. The risen and ascended Christ is the focus. The Holy Spirit's work is to convince the world of Jesus' righteousness. The resurrection is the proof of His perfection which is why belief in the resurrection is foundational to our salvation.

The world has an inverted view of righteousness. We think we are righteous (Luke 18:9), and Jesus is a sinner (John 9:24). This was how the people in Jesus' world saw it (Morris, John, p. 698, fn. 20), and it is still the way the world views righteousness today. In one form or another, we consider ourselves good and Jesus not so good - or, at least, measured by our goodness. As Mary Magdalene famously sings in "Jesus Christ Superstar": "He's a man. He's just a man."

We measure Jesus by our goodness instead of measuring ourselves by His goodness. Therein lies a fundamental problem for mankind so the Holy Spirit convinces people that Jesus is "Perfect Righteousness" in human flesh! He is the standard by which we are measured and fall short.  Here is the starting point for our salvation. We have no hope of righteousness in ourselves when measured by His perfection, and any attempt to bring Jesus down to our level leaves us hopeless in our unrighteousness. Our only hope for righteousness rests in His perfect righteousness imputed to us by God when we believe (2 Cor. 5:21).

The Holy Spirit convinces us of Jesus' righteousness so we will not rest our faith in our perfection but in His!

GETTING AT THE ROOT OF SIN

The Holy Spirit convicts the world about sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8). The first conviction is manward in emphasis. The second emphasis is Christward and the third is Satanward. The explanatory clauses point toward the emphasis in each case (John 16:9-11).

First, Jesus says that the Holy Spirit convicts the world "concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me" (John 16:9). The focus here is manward. The word translated "because" (οτι) could be translated "that" indicating the content of the conviction, but it is better understood as the cause or grounds for the sin. Unbelief in Jesus is the grounds for the conviction.

Jesus says "sin" (αμαρτιας) not "sins" (αμαρτιων) as the object of the preposition "concerning" (περι). The prosecution proves the sin. Sins, plural, are the symptoms not the disease. Sin, singular, is the disease, and the disease is unbelief in Jesus. The Holy Spirit does not convict people of breaking the "Ten Commandments" except as a means to prove the sin of unbelief. Breaking specific laws are sins but not sin itself. Sin, the heart of the disease, leads to lawlessness, the symptoms of the sickness (1 John 3:4). The Holy Spirit uses the Law to prove sin like a doctor uses an MRI to prove a disease. The disease at the root of all our sins is the sin of unbelief.

The sin of Adam and Eve in eating of the fruit of the forbidden tree (Gen. 3:6) was an act that demonstrated a faithless heart. Unbelief issues in rebellion and leads to lawlessness. Paul wrote, "Whatever is not from faith is sin" (Rom. 14:23). Jesus said that people are convicted because they do not believe in Him. The ultimate sin is a sin of omission not commission. The ultimate sin is something we don't do instead of something we do! Not believing in Jesus is the source of all sins.

The Holy Spirit convicts the world individually not collectively. The "world" (κοσμον) is singular. The verb "they do not believe" (πιστευουσιν) is plural. The Holy Spirit proves sin to the world by proving sin to each individual in the world. The sin of unbelief is individual not corporate, and the guilt is personal not collective.

No matter how much good we do in life, the good we do cannot outweigh the one thing we fail to do if we fail to trust Jesus. Sooner or later the unbelief produces sinful actions. Unbelief is the root of sin. Just like a gardener must pull up the weeds by the roots so the Holy Spirit must convict us of our sins at the root. We can do many good works, but, if we do not believe in Jesus, we stand guilty before God's eternal court.

The prosecuting attorney will never rest His case until He proves our guilt leading either to conversion or condemnation.

THE PROSECUTING PARACLETE

Photo by Pat Bartlett

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to "convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment" (Jn16:8). The verb translated "will convict" (ελεγξει) has 4 possible meanings: 1) to expose; 2) to convict; 3) to reprove; 4) to punish (BAGD, p. 249). The same meaning should be applied to all 3 targets - sin, righteousness and judgment - which eliminates #1 and #4. To merely reprove the world seems rather weak so the best understanding is to convict or convince the world.

The Holy Spirit convicts the whole world. He does not convert the whole world. The verb was used in a legal setting meaning "to cross-examine for the purpose of convincing or refuting an opponent" (Bernard, John, 2:506). Jesus says, "I am sending the paraclete (παρακλητος) to you" (προς υμας), in other words to believers, as a legal friend (Jn. 16:7). The paraclete is our legal friend, but He is also the world's prosecutor.

The prosecutor's role is to prove sin, righteousness and judgment to the world whether the world changes or not. The prosecutor proves the guilt to the world so the world can see where they stand before God. The guilty verdict has already been pronounced on the world (Jn. 3:18, 36), but the world needs to be convicted of their guilt before they will ever accept a Savior (Carson, The Farewell Discourse, p. 139).

The preposition "concerning" (περι) which is repeated with all 3 categories of conviction can simply be understood as an undefined "with regard to" but seems to carry greater weight. It is better translated as "about" indicating that the Spirit convicts the world of the facts about sin, righteousness and judgment. The conviction does not guarantee the conversion. Conviction is the necessary prerequisite to conversion, but conversion requires regeneration to be complete.

How does the Spirit do His convicting work in the world? He does it, at least partly, through us. Twice in these verses Jesus uses the second person pronoun not the third person pronoun showing us that He is addressing the disciples not the world. Jesus sends the Holy Spirit "to you" (Jn. 16:7) meaning the disciples. He also addresses the disciples by saying "and you no longer see Me" (Jn. 16:10). So Jesus speaks of the work of the Holy Spirit in the world but sends the Holy Spirit to believers transforming believers into the Spirit's conduit to the world (Carson, The Farewell Discourse, p. 143).

The Holy Spirit uses us to bring conviction to the world, but He alone accomplishes conviction. This truth simultaneously relieves our pressure and endows us with confidence as we witness. We don't have to convince anyone by ourselves , and yet our words are invested with His convicting power!

ABSENT BUT PRESENT

Photo by Pat Bartlett

Jesus raises a perplexing question in the minds of the disciples. Why is it better for Jesus to leave them than to stay with them? Up until now, He has walked and talked with them; taught them and showed them how to live; and encouraged and strengthened them with His presence. How could it possibly be better for their friend and teacher to leave them now? Yet Jesus said it. It must be true.

"I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you" (John 16:7). Grammatically, the clause "that I go away" (ινα εγω απελθω) is the subject of the verb "it is to your advantage" (συμφερει). The verb carries commercial overtones of profitability (Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary, p. 598). Jesus says it is profitable, or expedient, for them that He go away.

John only uses the term two other times in his gospel (John 11:50; 18:14), and both times it comes from the lips of Caiaphas, the High Priest. The words of Caiaphas give us the first clue to a partial answer.  "It is expedient (συμφερει) for you that one man die for the people" (John 11:50). It is better - more profitable - that Jesus go away because He goes away to die so they might live.

The self-absorbed disciples did not grasp the greater purposes behind Jesus' departure. Jesus had come to die. The cross was God's purpose for Him from before time began. He was also  leaving them so the Holy Spirit, the Helper, could come. The Spirit's purpose in coming was to glorify Christ, but the Spirit must have a glorified Christ to glorify  (John 7:39). The ascension of Jesus following His cross work glorified Him. He left to be glorified, and the Holy Spirit continues to magnify Him as the risen Lord.  The glorification of Jesus leads to the empowering of the disciples through the Holy Spirit.

The personal presence of Jesus would eventually hinder the personal growth of the disciples and the expansion of His kingdom on earth.  As long as Jesus remained in bodily form, His presence was limited to His physical location on earth. Omnipresent indwelling was only possible if Jesus left them and ascended into heaven as the glorified Christ. It was better for Jesus to depart so that that He could always be with them as they scattered around the globe (Mt. 28:20) through the presence of His Helper wherever they might be.

The Holy Spirit does not merely replace the absence of Jesus on earth. He completes His presence in our lives (Bernard, John, 2:504). We can experience the depths of spiritual intimacy with Jesus in our lives because Jesus departed and the Holy Spirit arrived. The Holy Spirit fills our daily lives with the presence of Jesus in ways that would be impossible if Jesus still walked this earth. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for your empowering presence.

USING JESUS VS. FOLLOWING JESUS

Sea of Galilee

Jesus has more users than followers in the American church today.  We use Jesus to sanctify our success and stimulate our worship experiences. Blinded by our self-interests, we often seek a Jesus who serves our needs and promises our prosperity. Our hearts grow restless and bored unless the sermon shows us quickly how Jesus can meet our specific needs now - today - in this moment! We care more about our earthly Jesus than our heavenly Lord.

Jesus saw these tendencies in His first disciples as well. He wistfully said, Now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, 'Where are you going?' (John 16:5). Yet Peter had just asked Jesus that very question only a few hours earlier (John 13:36). How do we harmonize the two verses? What is the question Jesus longs to hear from us?

Some have suggested that the answer is in the present tense of the verb "ask" (ερωτα) as if Jesus was saying that no one (ουδεις) was asking Him the question at that precise moment.  He was not thinking of what Peter said hours earlier that evening.  However, such a solution seems a bit disingenuous, as if Jesus cared more about the timing of the question than the heart of the questioner.

Jesus knew Peter had asked the question that Peter cared about instead of asking the question Jesus wanted Peter to care about.  The words are the same, but the intent is so very different. Peter didn't care about the destination of Jesus only that he felt abandoned by Jesus, and it led to a false bravado in his infamous pledge. The disciples were devastated that Jesus was leaving them (John 16:6). They were not interested in the plans of Jesus only the loss they feared for themselves.  They only cared about the problems for them not the purposes of the Lord (Morris, John, pp. 695-696).

We, too, seek selfish answers for life on earth not serious inquiries to understand the glories of our Lord in heaven. Like a child whose father is leaving us to go to work, we often ask "Where are you going?" The father will not be present to play with us! Our intent in asking is selfish. How different the question of a lover who wants to know all the details about where and what because of love for the one leaving not merely the loss of personal presence.

Jesus cares more about the heart of the questioner than the form of the question. A follower of Jesus wants to know everything there is to know about Him and His eternal purposes even if the knowledge is not immediately applicable to his earthly situation. A user of Jesus only cares to know what will meet his problems in that specific moment and cares little to know what is not an immediate life app!

What drives our questions shows the shallowness - or depth - of our relationship with Jesus.

AVOIDING THE BAIT STICK

Why did Jesus warn us about suffering and persecution in this world? He wanted us to expect hardship so that we might "be kept from stumbling" (John 16:1). It is a purpose clause introduced by 

ινα, and the verb is the passive form of a word (σκανδαλισθητε) from which we get our English word "scandal." Jesus warns us so that we will not be scandalized by the sufferings we experience in life.

The noun originally referred to a stick of wood that kept open a dead fall trap for small animals (Colin Brown, Dictionary, 2:707). The bait stick held up a rock or a log which would crush the prey when the bait stick was dislodged. The word later came to mean a stone or other obstacle over which a person tripped and fell down.

The verb meant "cause to sin" (to fall) and in the passive meant being led into sin through unbelief or apostasy (BAGD, p. 752). The connection to apostasy is important in the passive. The verb mean to fall away from what was once believed or to be misled from the truth (Colin Brown, Dictionary, 2:708). A professing Christian is scandalized when pressure entices him to fall away from the truth he once clung to by faith.

In the parable of the soils, the seed that fell on the rocky soil sprouted quickly (Mt. 13:20-21). The person received the gospel with joy "yet he has no root in himself, but is temporary, and, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away" (σκανδαλιζεται). Pressure (θλιψεως) causes the person to strike the bait stick in his agitation and be crushed by the enemy's trap.

Jesus predicted that there will come times of persecution (θλιψιν) when Christians will be hated. "At that time, many will fall away (σκανδαλισθησονται) and will betray one another and hate one another" (Mt. 24:9-10). The lie that God promises us prosperity and popularity is the bait stick of Satan leading many to fall away from Christ.

Avoid the bait stick! How? We must remember Jesus' warning that suffering, pressure, and persecution will come to us (John 16:4) so we will be prepared to face the hardships with faith. As the saying goes, "forewarned is forearmed." The best defense against the scandal of suffering is to expect the suffering. If we are not prepared for hardship, we will fall away and cause others to stumble with us.

After Jesus told the disciples that He would suffer and be killed, Peter vehemently objected.  Peter told Jesus not to think this way (Mt. 16:21-22). Bad things wouldn't happen to Jesus because God wouldn't let them happen. I recognize my own false trust in this same bait stick many times. Peter was the epitome of positive thinking. Jesus called him, "Satan," and said that Peter was a bait stick in Satan's trap because he was not setting his "mind on God's interests but on man's" (Mt. 16:23).

Lord, help me to avoid the bait stick by expecting pressure in this world and by keeping my mind on your interests instead of mine!