We shy away from some parts of the Bible
because they are harder to understand than others, and our understanding of the Holy Spirit is one that thus suffers. And no wonder that it seems hard to grasp, because it is impossible to explain spiritual reality in material terms. The best we can hope to do is illustrate the unseen with the seen.We live in a physical world defined by created time and materials, but a spirit, and especially the Holy Spirit of God cannot be defined by either of those values as real as they are. Jesus said that God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit. It is no wonder then that it is difficult for us to grasp many of the things that the Bible says about the Spirit of God.
However there is in the Gospel of John a passage that shines light on this problem and helps us to understand more about Him and to harmonize the seeming problems. The Gospel of John chapter 8 is that passage. It illustrates in real life how our concerns can be answered and how we can know Him better. The Holy Spirit was there in John 8, but not in the way we experience Him now.
Do we wonder how it could be said in Jesus time that the Spirit was not yet given, when there are so many references to what He did in the Old Testament and at the birth of both John and Jesus? We accept that the Bible is the Truth, so there must be something we need to know that is not initially apparent. It is written that we will then know if we continue on to know the Lord, and in chapter 17 Jesus told us that things would be different when He, the Holy Spirit, comes. What things we may ask would be different, and how would they be different, and for the more curious, why would they be different if He is the same holy Spirit, and since we are orthodox we believe that God is the same yesterday, today and forever?
The Gospel of John has a story about Jesus and the woman taken in adultery that happened in the midst of a great crowd of onlookers. There is no question that forgiveness is the main point of the story. Yes, God is able to forgive any repentant sinner, and the point was made very clear when Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you”. And we wonder if the Jews in the story were not half expecting Jesus to forgive, although they did not see how He was going to get around the law and the snare they had set for Him. That He did not get around or flout the law is clear, because they had nothing to say about the way He handled the case.
John 8:1 - 11
Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
The woman, on the other hand, must have been very surprised when she looked around to see that none of the men were left there condemning her, and she must have gone away shaking her head when Jesus said that she could go. Did she understand why it had all happened? It is not likely, but she had seen what Jesus did, and she would have a lot of time later to reflect on it and to do her part of repenting and sinning no more. Yes, it would take time for it to sink in, -- actually the rest of her life.
Time seems to be the key idea in this passage. The Jewish legalists had likely thought long about how to trap Jesus, and they had planned very carefully how they would embarrass Him before a big crowd. And they no doubt thought that by suddenly confronting the Teacher with the need to make a weighty decision in haste that they had a real advantage. But they did not know that they were dealing with the Creator of time. However, Jesus knew that even the Holy Spirit needs a space of time to do His work in hearts – not that He is limited by time, but we are.
The Spirit of God applies the Word or Law of God to the hearts and consciences of those who He deals with and, as Jesus said, “When He is come He will reprove the world of sin and righteousness and judgement.” Did Jesus stoop and doodle on the ground to communicate something to people? Not likely, because they were well acquainted with Moses law. Did He need to write out their particular offences? Not likely again, for He knew that His Holy Spirit was about His business of convicting and that He without any help was well able to prove each one guilty of failing to keep the law. And the woman too, certainly she felt the condemnation of the law and the Spirit of holiness. That was the reason Jesus was stalling -- yes He did stall for time so the Holy Spirit could work without any interference. Although we are not told it, He was also working in the hearts and minds of the crowd of onlookers, of course He was.
By stepping back and just doodling Jesus knew that He was doing the will of God. He Himself said that he did not come to judge, even though He clearly did call all men to repentance. Although we do read that the Spirit was “not yet given”, we cannot say that The Spirit of God had never convinced anyone of sin in the Old Testament. And that He – the Spirit -- was given after Jesus arose must mean that after the resurrection He was newly authorized to give assurance of forgiveness. This seems to agree with the experiences of both Old and New Covenant believers. Our experience of assurance of forgiveness is based on the death and resurrection of Jesus. At the time of this incident Jesus had not yet been crucified, so just imagine the agony of conviction of the poor sinner standing before the Holy One while the Spirit condemns her, -- until Jesus spoke those gracious words. Under the Law her only hope would be to wait until the months away Day of Atonement.
Forgiveness is the main teaching of the passage, but forgiveness based on repentance. The accusers were all gone by the time Jesus offered forgiveness, so we may safely assume that they were not included in His gracious statement. And yet to show how important Jesus thought that making a time space for His Holy Spirit to work was, we can see that those accusers may have left the physical presence of Jesus without ever getting away from the Spirit of Truth that went with them. Maybe some of them did afterward repent – they could do so at any time. And the forgiven woman certainly would need the Spirit to go with her and remind her of both her past and her future so that she could “sin no more”.
What Jesus wrote on the ground was not important, but what the Spirit wrote on hearts was. And it is the same today as the Scripture says, He has written on the tables of our hearts. That day He wrote “Guilty” and could go no further; today He can also write “Guilty but forgiven for Jesus Sake.”
Here then is an explanation for what the difference in the work of the Holy Spirit is now and what it was in Old Testament times. Simply the fact that He had no basis to give assurance of forgiveness before Jesus died. Again think of the turmoil and terror in the heart and mind of that poor sinner as she stood before Jesus with the Spirit probing her thoughts and reminding her what a sinner she was. Contrast that with our own salvation when we were condemned as surely as she was and knew just as well that we were lost and guilty, yet when we repented the Spirit Himself could, and He did, add the words of forgiveness immediately. Now He can do this, because Jesus has paid the price, He died for me, and on that basis the Holy Spirit is much more than just my accuser. He is now the assurance giver, the Comforter and much more. He makes the things of Christ real to me, especially the atonement and forgiveness and all that goes with it.
The coming of the Spirit was promised in the Old Testament, so when He came at Pentecost He came with full power and authority to echo Jesus, “Neither do I condemn you” and to make the things of Christ real to us. These things include a great deal more than assurance of forgiveness, but that is the starting point, the sine quae non of all the Christian’s joy and knowledge. Yes, we can with full hearts sing the old song and spread the tidings around so that others can have this full assurance of hope.
The Comforter has come!
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/c/o/comfortr.htm
The Comforter has come
O spread the tidings ’round, wherever man is found,Wherever human hearts and human woes abound;
Let ev’ry Christian tongue proclaim the joyful sound:
The Comforter has come!
RefrainThe Comforter has come, the Comforter has come!
The Holy Ghost from Heav’n, the Father’s promise giv’n;
O spread the tidings ’round, wherever man is found—
The Comforter has come!
The long, long night is past, the morning breaks at last,
And hushed the dreadful wail and fury of the blast,
As o’er the golden hills the day advances fast!
The Comforter has come!
Lo, the great King of kings, with healing in His wings,
To ev’ry captive soul a full deliverance brings;
And through the vacant cells the song of triumph rings;
The Comforter has come!
O boundless love divine! How shall this tongue of mine
To wond’ring mortals tell the matchless grace divine—
That I, a child of hell, should in His image shine!
The Comforter has come!