The Witness of The Spirit

John 5:32

Witness of the Spirit.

Christ did not identify who He meant by “another” (allos).  Most commentators believe He was referring to God Himself. I believe that Jesus was referring to the Father (v.37-38).  However we do know that the Holy Spirit Himself does bear witness of Jesus, therefore, I do want to go over passages on the witness of the Holy Spirit.       

There are reasons why the Holy Spirit is thought to be the One to whom Christ was referring.

1.    The Holy Spirit had already been given to Christ “without measure” ( John 3:34). He was, of course, very conscious of the witness of the Spirit both within and without Him. The Spirit was empowering Him and doing the works of God through Him.

A.     The Holy Spirit Points Us To Christ.

1.       Understanding What It Means to Have Christ At the Center of Our Lives.

a)        Fixing Our Eyes On Jesus (Heb.12:1-2)

It is one of the Holy Spirit’s key ministries to draw us to Christ initially, and it is also the Spirit’s work to keep us focused on Christ, exalting Christ, and glorifying Christ.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus Himself twice states that the Holy Spirit directs our attention to Christ:

"But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. (John 15:26 NKJV)

"He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.   "All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. (John 16:14-15 NKJV)

The Holy Spirit places the spotlight on Christ by bearing witness, which is an important and frequently     mentioned truth in John’s Gospel.

John writes of six other persons and things that bear witness to Christ:

God the Father (5:31–37; 8:18), Christ Himself (8:14, 18), the works of Jesus (5:36; 10:25), Scripture (5:39), John the Baptist (1:6–8), and various human witnesses (4:39; 12:17; 15:27).   

The Holy Spirit is One of the witnesses that bears witness of Christ (1 John 5:6-12). When John the apostle discusses the witness to Christ in his epistle, he mentions the Spirit (John 14:15-26; 16:7-15).

At work in the World doc. Holy Spirit folder

B.     You Have Sent To John (v.33).