second temple

The Spirit in John. Part 2 – The Spirit of Truth

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In the last post, “The Spirit in John’s Gospel. Part 1,” I discussed how John presented the Holy Spirit, paying close attention to his unique use of the term παρακλητος (sometimes semi-transliterated in English texts as “paraclete”). In today’s post I will examine the Fourth Gospel’s use of the term “The Spirit of truth”. Because John equates παρακλητος with the “Spirit of truth” (John 14:16–17; 15:26; 16:7, 13), one must look at both terms for a full accounting of John’s theology of the Spirit (so go read the previous post if you haven’t) .

Background to the term, “Spirit of truth” in the First-century: “Spirit of truth” appears in several Second Temple texts (Jubilees 25:14; Joseph & Aseneth. 19:11; Testament of Judah 20:1–5; 1QS 3:6–19; 4:18–25). At Qumran, a spirit of truth and a spirit of deceit are at odds within a person (1QS 3:17–19, also T. Jud. 20:1–5). However, this person-centered spirit of truth is not the only sense of the phrase in the Dead Sea Scrolls. The spirit of truth in Qumran carries a different nuance in 1QS 4:18–25. In this passage, the “spirit of truth” parallels the “spirit of holiness” as a cleansing agent in the last days (1QS 4:18–25), overriding the spirit of injustice within a person. In this one scroll then (1 QS), two concepts of “spirit of truth” coexist.[1] While both “spirit of truth”s may ultimately be from God (like all ruah), one is centered in people but the other comes directly from God. In this latter case, Qumran is similar to OT antecedents; the Spirit of truth is the Spirit from God who brings truth (or holiness).[2]

The divine sense for Spirit of truth is found in Joseph & Aseneth 19:11, wherein Joseph kisses Aseneth and gives her the “spirit of life.” He kisses her a second time and gives the “spirit of wisdom,” and then a third kiss gives her the “spirit of truth.” All three kisses seem to indicate giving the Spirit that brings life, wisdom, and truth. Although Joseph is imparting this spirit, it is the Spirit of the Hebrew God as Aseneth converts to Judaism.

John’s Use of the term “Spirit of truth”: From these extra-biblical writings, the “spirit of truth” seems to be a phrase with some flexibility, which makes it difficult to determine dependence. The Fourth Evangelist does not have the anthropologic sense in mind since he clearly links the Spirit of truth with the Paraclete (John 14:16–17; 15:26; 16:7, 13), who is himself identified as the Holy Spirit (John 14:26). The Spirit of truth in John holds the divine sense—the Spirit from God that brings truth.[3] This sense was not necessarily borrowed from Qumran or other texts, but was probably a part of common Jewish religious terminology and language.

By using the phrase “Spirit of truth,” John employs familiar terminology that advances and coheres with his previous presentation of the Spirit. In John’s, “of truth” probably functions as an objective genitive, “the spirit that conveys truth.”[4] In the first half of John’s Gospel, the Spirit is already portrayed as one who manifests the truth of the heavenly realm. As discussed in the previous post, eschatological worship will be “in Spirit and truth” (John 4:24) so that through the Spirit, worship will match the coming heavenly reality. This heavenly reality is itself “truth” that Jesus and the Spirit make available (John 1:17; 8:32; 14:6; 16:13). The Spirit also reveals (makes the truth known) Jesus’ identity to John the Baptist (John 1:33) and reveals the “words of God” to and through Jesus (John 3:34; 6:63).[5] Those who receive these words testify that “God is true” (John 3:33). The portrayal of the Spirit as the “Spirit of truth” builds off these previous concepts, but also leads into John’s more specific treatment of the Spirit/Paraclete in the Farewell Discourse (John 13:31-17:26) .

In the Farewell Discourse, one of the primary functions of the Spirit/Paraclete is to reveal and guide the disciples concerning truth (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13–15), enabling them to testify to the truth/Jesus (Jesus is said to be the truth in the immediate pretext of 14:6).[6] In this sense, the “Spirit of truth” is similar to Jubilees 25:14, wherein the Spirit of truth is the Spirit of prophecy. The Fourth Evangelist goes further, in that revelation from God is but one gift from the Spirit. The Spirit brings spiritual rebirth (John 3:3–8) and renewed, eternal life (John 4:14; 6:63; 7:38). The Spirit also manifests the true heavenly presence (John 14:16–17). All of the above are Johannine examples of the Spirit manifesting heavenly truths on earth—these truths are more than revealed words.

Johannine pneumatology, therefore, cohesively presents the Spirit as the one who realizes heavenly realities to Jesus’ followers, followers who receive a “pneumatic assimilation to the heavenly realm.”[7] The realization of the heavenly realm on earth accords with eschatological hopes but with shifting imagery and varying terminology. The first half of John’s Gospel uses more cultic imagery to depict Jesus as the realization of the heavenly temple with the Spirit flowing from this messianic center. The second half of John’s Gospel employs more personal imagery and the Spirit’s effect on the post-ascension community. The Spirit (as another paraclete, John 14:16) will continue to manifest Christ’s presence and bring Truth to the disciples. Both halves of the Gospel depict the Spirit’s role in realizing these blessings (whichever image or term is used) to those who believe in Jesus. The various terms for the Holy Spirit: Spirit, Spirit of truth, and παρακλητος all contribute to John’s overall presentation of the Holy Spirit.

End Notes

[1] The various meanings for “spirit” in the same Qumran text parallel John Levison’s findings (The Spirit in First Century Judaism [AGJU 29; Leiden: Brill, 1997], 238–244) for Philo, Josephus, and Pseudo-Philo. In the first century, authors seem comfortable using “spirit” with multiple meanings. As Levison notes, this fact helps explain the Fourth Evangelist’s unannounced shift to Paraclete terminology in the Farewell Discourse. The different presentations of the Spirit cause more difficulty for modern scholars than ancient readers who were accustomed to the flexible use of the term.

[2] While the phrase “spirit of truth” does not appear in the OT, all the elements exist for the Spirit of God to bring the truth of God. For instance, Ps 31:5 and Isa 65:6 refer to “God of truth,” and 2 Sam 7:28 states, “Your words are truth” (see also Ps 43:3; Dan 10:21).The eschatological vision of Zech 8:3 states that Jerusalem will be called “the city of truth.” The truth as a quality of God would naturally be brought by his Spirit. This idea would be similar to the “spirit of wisdom” (Exod 28:3; Deut 34:9), the Spirit who brings wisdom from God. Similarly, Isa 11:2 states, “The Spirit of Yahweh will rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of Yahweh.” All these qualities are brought by the Spirit of God. It is not a stretch for “truth” to be added to these qualities, a development reflected in Jos. Asen. 19:11, the DSS, and John’s Gospel. This divine Spirit of truth concept is shared by John and these other writings because they share a common religious milieu. See James Charlesworth, “A Critical Comparison of the Dualism in 1QS iii,13–iv,26 and the ‘Dualism’ Contained in the Fourth Gospel,” NTS 15 (1969): 389–418, who argues that John may have borrowed some terminology from Qumran but not its theology.

[3] Craig Keener, The Gospel of John. 2 vols. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 2003. 2:969–971.

[4] Andreas Köstenberger, A Theology of John’s Gospel and Letters. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009., 395, n. 216; Barclay Newman, “Translating ‘In Spirit and Truth’ and ‘The Spirit of Truth’ in the Gospel of John,” in A Translators Handbook on the Gospel of John. ed. Barclay Newman and Eugene Nida; New York: UBS, 1980. 655.

[5] The revelatory function of the Spirit and word in John is closely connected to the heavenly origin of the Spirit and the word he reveals. This point draws in Porsch’s emphasis on the Spirit’s revelatory function. Felix Porsch, Pneuma und Wort: Ein exegetischer Beitragzur Pneumatologie des Johannesevangeliums. FTS 16; Frankfurt: Knecht, 1974. 404–407.

[6]D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John. Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991. 500.

[7] David Edward Aune, The Cultic Setting of Realized Eschatology in Early Christianity. NovTSup; Leiden: Brill, 1972, 105.

Did God dwell in the second temple?

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My latest article, “Did God dwell in the second temple? Clarifying the relationship between theophany and temple dwelling,” appears in this month’s Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society. JETS_Logo

Here is the article’s abstract:

Unlike the tabernacle or Solomon’s temple, the Bible does not describe the glory cloud of the Lord filling the second temple. This difference has caused many commentators to ask whether God’s presence “dwelled” in the second temple. An accurate answer requires a clarification of what temple dwelling means during the Second Temple period. A broad analysis of temple theology within the biblical and Second Temple literature reveals that the glory cloud relates to theophany, which is only one part of broader “presence” and “dwelling” concepts. The interplay between these concepts and developments in temple theology shifted the meaning of “dwelling.” This shift provided the avenue by which first century Jews could believe that the glory cloud was never manifested and that God still “dwelled” in the second temple. Understanding these beliefs should give interpreters pause when assigning significance to the lack of a cloud theophany in the second temple. In practice, placing more significance on the glory cloud than historically warranted raises other interpretive issues—especially for evangelical interpreters.

The full issue of JETS can be found at: https://www.etsjets.org/JETS_current_non.

Here is a pdf of the full article: JETS_61.4_767-784_Greene

Returning and Rebuilding after the Exile. Study 9.

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Study Series Note: This study is the ninth in a series that examines the Bible’s sacred places (tabernacle, temple, etc.).  The previous study discussed the prophet Jeremiah’s warnings that empty ritual in the temple would bring about its destruction. This post discusses the rebuilding of the temple and the role of God’s Spirit presence in the restoration.

As the prophet Jeremiah predicted, the Babylonians destroyed the temple and deported the people of Jerusalem. This time in captivity was known as the “Exile.” The Exile had a profound effect on how the Jewish people viewed God’s presence and the temple. In particular, the concept of God’s Spirit gained greater prominence when describing God’s active presence among his people.flame Moreover, God’s Spirit would bring the needed heart restoration so that God’s glory could dwell closely with his people again.[i]

The Exile ended when the ascendant Persian empire allowed the Jewish people to return and rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. The Old Testament books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Haggai describe this rebuilding. The rebuilt temple is often referred to as the “second temple.” The second temple was much more modest than Solomon’s temple and the Holy of Holies lacked the Ark of the Covenant. For this and other reasons, many Jews maintained an emphasis on the Spirit as God’s presence among his people, even though the temple (the traditional place of God’s special presence) was rebuilt.[ii]

God’s Presence among his People

The Exile culminated with the destruction of the temple, but even before this event some Jews like Ezekiel were exiled to Babylon. From exile, Ezekiel predicted that the temple would be destroyed and the remaining Jews also would be sent into exile. Ezekiel (like Jeremiah) also spoke against those in Jerusalem who thought that they had a superior status because of their closeness to God’s presence in the temple. Ezekiel (chapter 11) would proclaim that the Jerusalemites had nothing to boast over the exiles.[iii] In fact, Ezekiel was granted a vision of God’s glory leaving the temple in response to Israel’s apostasy. Whether in exile or in Jerusalem, God would choose to be near those who followed him and stayed true to the covenant.

Scripture study and Discussion:

Ezekiel 11:14-16: 14 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 15 “Son of man, your brothers, your relatives, your fellow exiles and the whole house of Israel, all of them, are those to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Go far from the LORD; this land has been given us as a possession.’ 16 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, Though I had removed them far away among the nations and though I had scattered them among the countries, yet I was a sanctuary for them a little while in the countries where they had gone.”‘

These verses describe how those living in Jerusalem felt that God had removed the exiles from his presence (in the temple) to give the land to those whom he allowed to remain. But God’s presence was not confined to the temple nor was God done judging the nation. Ezekiel’s vision of God’s glory leaving the temple, and the temple’s eventual destruction, confirmed these truths.

How does the Lord respond in verse 16 to those who would say that the exiles were away from the sanctuary so that they were away from the Lord? (Suggested answer: By saying, “though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a while in the countries where they have gone” the Lord confirms that his presence has been with the exiles. The Lord, therefore, has been a sanctuary for them because the temple is really about God’s presence. The Jerusalemites can’t boast that they have the temple, especially since the temple was about to be destroyed anyway. The Lord was not done judging the nation, nor was he done bringing about an eventual restoration.)

Ezekiel 11:17-21: 17 “Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries among which you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.”‘ 18 “When they come there, they will remove all its detestable things and all its abominations from it. 19 “And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God. 21 “But as for those whose hearts go after their detestable things and abominations, I will bring their conduct down on their heads,” declares the Lord GOD.

God’s plan is eventually to restore his people to the land. As these verses describe, however, the Lord is less concerned with the temple rituals and more concerned with a people that follow him from the heart.

What does God promise to do for his people in this restoration? (Suggested answer: He will give them a new spirit so that they live out covenant faithfulness from the heart. Note verses 19-20, “And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.”)

Despite God’s presence in the temple, his people are unfaithful to him and profane his holiness. Mere rituals in a temple do not honor God, but faithfulness from the heart is what God desires from his people. For true restoration to happen, God’s people need a heart transforming Spirit. God must work inside people and not merely inside the temple. This reality is highlighted in Ezekiel’s vision of the glory leaving the temple in the next verses.

Ezekiel 11:22-25: 22 Then the cherubim lifted up their wings with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel hovered over them. 23 The glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city and stood over the mountain which is east of the city. 24 And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God to the exiles in Chaldea. So the vision that I had seen left me. 25 Then I told the exiles all the things that the LORD had shown me.

The cherubim are part of the great throne chariot that carries God’s glory. Before his vision ends, Ezekiel sees God’s glory presence depart from the temple and the city.

In verse 16 God is a sanctuary to his people in a far-away land, but in these verses God’s glory presence leaves the sanctuary in Jerusalem. What do these contrasting verses reveal about God? (Suggested answer: God can choose to manifest his presence wherever and however he wants. God is more concerned with faithfulness than ritual, so God can be with Ezekiel in Babylon while departing from the sacred sanctuary in Jerusalem.)

This passage in Ezekiel further demonstrates that Yahweh’s presence is connected to, but not dependent on, the temple. Yahweh’s presence is not confined to his house, especially in the midst of a sinful people. This thought also leads into the future promise that Yahweh would again gather the people and restore the covenant relationship. This promise includes an implicit assurance of the return of the glory and an explicit promise of a new spirit within God’s people. When God’s Spirit of holiness indwells his people, the glory presence of the Lord will return. Ezekiel 43 predicts the return of the glory presence to a future temple.

Rebuilding the Temple

After 70 years the exile ended, but the people were still weak and discouraged when they returned to a ruined capital and temple. The concept that God could be present with his people apart from the temple actually encouraged the people to finish rebuilding. God was not impotent and absent without the temple; he was with them and continuing to work out his sovereign plan.

Haggai 2:1-9 On the twenty-first of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet saying, 2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people saying, 3 ‘Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem to you like nothing in comparison? 4 ‘But now take courage, Zerubbabel,’ declares the LORD, ‘take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,’ declares the LORD, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ declares the LORD of hosts. 5 ‘As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!’ 6 “For thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. 7 ‘I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD of hosts. 8 ‘The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the LORD of hosts. 9 ‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ declares the LORD of hosts.”

How is Haggai encouraging the people? (Suggested answer: He tells them that God is with them and that although things look bad now, greater things are yet to come.)

Through the prophet Haggai, the Lord encourages the exiles that he is with them. God doesn’t need a fully refurbished house to do his work, so the exiles are not separated from God during this difficult rebuild. Instead God has providentially set the stage for their return and he calls his people to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple knowing that God has a plan for a brilliant future where his glory will be manifested in an unprecedented manner. Notice the association in these verses between God’s presence, his Spirit, and his glory. God can be present with his people by way of his Spirit, and it is by his Spirit (remember Jeremiah and Ezekiel) that the inner heart restoration will take place. God’s glory presence in the temple and his Spirit presence among his people were both manifestations of the one true God. These concepts would develop in the following years and find full flowering in the teachings of Jesus.

Through the Exile, the Jewish people were reminded that God was not confined to a holy place. In fact, even in the midst of a prisoner of war camp or a ruined city, God could be a sanctuary for the exiles. How could this fact help you in a time of trouble? How could this spur you on to live all of life in God’s presence? (Possible answers: God is accessible to his people even in the midst of trouble, not just in sacred places. Because God is not confined to his house, we should not confine him to certain compartments of our lives. God desires a heart faithfulness that affects all of life. His Spirit is meant to permeate all that we do.)

 Epilogue and Christ Connection

Did God’s glory presence return to the second temple? Some later Jewish writings show that many had their doubts.[iv] What is certain is that inasmuch as the temple was the central sacred place of God’s people, God was there. In the centuries following the temple’s rebuilding, the priesthood became entangled in political intrigue and foreign influence. The corruption of the priesthood caused some Jewish sects (like those in Qumran who wrote the Dead Sea scrolls) to withdraw from temple worship. Other Jews never returned from exile. They remained dispersed throughout the world and distance prevented them from worshiping at the temple. Because of prophets like Ezekiel, these groups knew that God’s Spirit would dwell with those who were faithful. They chose, therefore, to follow Torah and seek God’s Spirit to bring the long awaited restoration for their community.

A couple decades before the birth of Jesus Christ, King Herod led a massive rebuilding project that increased the size and splendor of the temple so that it was even greater than the first temple. Nevertheless, the Holy of Holies remained empty and the ruling priests were largely puppets of the ruling Roman authorities. For these reasons many Jews still awaited the restoration of God’s people. Many believed that a Spirit-anointed Messiah would begin this restoration. In the midst of these hopes, Jesus began his ministry proclaiming that the kingdom of God had arrived (Mark 1:15).

End Notes

[i] A more thorough examination of the Spirit in the Old Testament can be found in Hildebrandt, Wilf. An Old Testament Theology of the Spirit of God. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1995. An enlightening (even more academic) work on the Spirit in the OT is  Presence, Power and Promise: The Role of the Spirit of God in the Old Testament (Eds. David Firth and Paul Wegner; Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2011).

[ii] For an in-depth examination of how God’s presence both in the temple and with his people became associated with the Holy Spirit, see Joseph R. Greene “The Spirit in the Temple: Bridging the Gap between Old Testament Absence and New Testament Assumption,” JETS 55 (2012): 717-742.

[iii] Daniel L Block, The Book of Ezekiel; Chapters 1–24 (NICOT; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997), 350.

[iv] The second temple  literature is divided with some passages suggesting that Yahweh’s presence was no longer in the second temple (1 Macc 2:7–8; Sib. Or. 4:6–31; 2 Bar. 8:2; 64:7;  Josephus J.W. 6:300, Tacitus Hist. 5.13; CD 1:3; b. Yoma 21b) and other passages suggesting that he was present (2 Macc 2:5–8; 14:35–36; Sir 50:1; 3 Macc 2:16; Jub. 1:17). Davies gives further evidence of both in, G. I. Davies, “The Presence of God in the Second Temple and Rabbinic Doctrine” in Templum Amicitiae (ed. William Horbury; JSNTSup 48; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic, 1991): 32–36.