"He will glorify me because it is from me that He will receive what He will make known to you." (John 16:14)
How will God glorify Jesus?
One might wonder how God will glorify Jesus if he is being persecuted like a criminal, and put to death on the cross. This certainly doesn't sound too glorifying.
Throughout the ordeal, Jesus was the recipient of grotesque insults and physical beatings. These were hardly glorifying. So what is Jesus referring to?
"Glorify" here is translated from δοξάζω (doxazō). The word can certainly mean "glorify" in some contexts, but its primary meaning according to Thayer's lexicon, "is to think, suppose, be of opinion."
It can also mean "to honor, do honor to, hold in honor;" "to make renowned, render illustrious;" and "to cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing to become manifest and acknowledged." It can also mean "to give splendor" according to common usage.
The better choice of translation would be "honor." God will honor Jesus.
The better choice of translation would be "honor." God will honor Jesus.
We have seen this result for the past 2,000 years, as Jesus is revered throughout the world to this day. That revere is based upon the honor that God bestowed upon Jesus.
"Will receive" is translated from λαμβάνω (lambanō), but this word means "to take" as in " to take with the hand, lay hold of, any person or thing in order to use it;" "to take in order to carry away;" and more importantly, "to take what is one's own, to take to one's self, to make one's own." This meaning is also captured by the word "derived."
God does not need Jesus to glean information from His students. God does not need anyone. God is self-sufficient, and this is why He is called God.
But certainly, God can receive an offering from His beloved servant. Jesus can, therefore, make an offering of his teachings and his followers to God. And should this happen, God can certainly utilize that offering.
But God doesn't need it. God can do anything want he wants.
Thus we can see that the concepts are a little more complex than indicated by the translation above. The translation makes it seem that the Holy Spirit or Spirit of Truth - πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας - must rely upon Jesus, and needs Jesus in order for the Holy Spirit to teach them. The translation is making it sound like God in the form of the Holy Spirit does not know the Truth on His own. That He needs to learn it from Jesus first.
The more appropriate translation is based upon revealing, and this is based upon a relationship. Whan a person knows one person in a relationship, they can more easily get to know the other person. That is the nature of relationships. Jesus and God are involved in a loving relationship.
That is why knowing Jesus will more easily get us hooked up with the Holy Spirit.
This is the role of God's representative. He introduces us personally to God.
This relates directly to the meaning of Jesus' statement above. Jesus is talking about the fact that they're coming to know the Supreme Being has been the result of Jesus having introduced them to God. The current state of their heart with respect to God has come about as a result of Jesus' teachings - and the extent by which they have followed those teachings.
Therefore, their own relationship with God - through the Holy Spirit - draws from their relationship with Jesus and the extent by which they follow Jesus' teachings. There is a three-way bind, so to speak, between the student, God's representative and God.
Let's say that we want to come to know an important person on a personal basis. How would we do that? We can be introduced to them by a mutual friend. If we know this friend and they trust us, then they can relay that trust to the important person.
This element of trust is a big one, however. How is trust established? This friend would need to feel that we were sincere and not just being their friend because we have wanted to get something from them - maybe use them to gain attention or something. This kind of trust is established typically by doing things to please them. This is what friendship is about.
And once the introduction is made, all three can be mutual friends.
In the same way, Jesus must trust that the follower is sincere and ready to be introduced to God. This will be automatically vetted out by us following Jesus' teachings. Then once he introduces the follower to God, they will be irrevocably bound in this relationship.
God is a Person. He enjoys personal relationships. He enjoys seeing His personal friends introduce others to Him. This is part of His enjoyment because He is the Supreme Personal Being and He enjoys friendships and relationships.
Jesus is having an intimate discussion with his closest followers, and this intimacy is being wrapped with his intimate relationship with God. It is a very confidential matter, that not many are let in to. Why not? Because most of us simply want to use whatever we derive for our own advantage. This self-focus makes us blind to the real confidential nature of Jesus' relationship with God, and his students.
Just consider, for example, what a self-centered person might do - and have done - when given a small piece of confidential information about the Supreme Being. They might try to use it to their advantage.
God has to receive this from Jesus?
This translation makes it seem that Jesus is God's superior. That God must wait for Jesus to give something to Him. That God is somehow dependent upon Jesus?"Will receive" is translated from λαμβάνω (lambanō), but this word means "to take" as in " to take with the hand, lay hold of, any person or thing in order to use it;" "to take in order to carry away;" and more importantly, "to take what is one's own, to take to one's self, to make one's own." This meaning is also captured by the word "derived."
God does not need Jesus to glean information from His students. God does not need anyone. God is self-sufficient, and this is why He is called God.
But certainly, God can receive an offering from His beloved servant. Jesus can, therefore, make an offering of his teachings and his followers to God. And should this happen, God can certainly utilize that offering.
But God doesn't need it. God can do anything want he wants.
How does God need Jesus to make this known?
"Will make known" is translated from ἀναγγέλλω (anaggellō), which means "to announce, make known," and "to report, bring back tidings, rehearse" according to the lexicon. Thus, "reveal" is more appropriate.Thus we can see that the concepts are a little more complex than indicated by the translation above. The translation makes it seem that the Holy Spirit or Spirit of Truth - πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας - must rely upon Jesus, and needs Jesus in order for the Holy Spirit to teach them. The translation is making it sound like God in the form of the Holy Spirit does not know the Truth on His own. That He needs to learn it from Jesus first.
The more appropriate translation is based upon revealing, and this is based upon a relationship. Whan a person knows one person in a relationship, they can more easily get to know the other person. That is the nature of relationships. Jesus and God are involved in a loving relationship.
That is why knowing Jesus will more easily get us hooked up with the Holy Spirit.
Is this the role of God's representative?
God's representative is a loving servant of the Supreme Being, who is sent by God to introduce his followers to Him. Those who follow the instructions of God's representative, then, are introduced to God. Jesus clearly stated this when he said to his students:"I will show you what He is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice." (Luke 6:47)In this statement, "words" is translated from the Greek word λόγος (logos), which is better translated to "teachings." But whether translated to "words" or "teachings," Jesus is clearly stating here that those who hear Jesus' teachings and then follow them, will be introduced to God. Isn't this what "show you what He is like" means? Certainly, the Greek also indicates this.
This is the role of God's representative. He introduces us personally to God.
This relates directly to the meaning of Jesus' statement above. Jesus is talking about the fact that they're coming to know the Supreme Being has been the result of Jesus having introduced them to God. The current state of their heart with respect to God has come about as a result of Jesus' teachings - and the extent by which they have followed those teachings.
Therefore, their own relationship with God - through the Holy Spirit - draws from their relationship with Jesus and the extent by which they follow Jesus' teachings. There is a three-way bind, so to speak, between the student, God's representative and God.
Let's say that we want to come to know an important person on a personal basis. How would we do that? We can be introduced to them by a mutual friend. If we know this friend and they trust us, then they can relay that trust to the important person.
This element of trust is a big one, however. How is trust established? This friend would need to feel that we were sincere and not just being their friend because we have wanted to get something from them - maybe use them to gain attention or something. This kind of trust is established typically by doing things to please them. This is what friendship is about.
And once the introduction is made, all three can be mutual friends.
In the same way, Jesus must trust that the follower is sincere and ready to be introduced to God. This will be automatically vetted out by us following Jesus' teachings. Then once he introduces the follower to God, they will be irrevocably bound in this relationship.
God is a Person. He enjoys personal relationships. He enjoys seeing His personal friends introduce others to Him. This is part of His enjoyment because He is the Supreme Personal Being and He enjoys friendships and relationships.
Jesus is having an intimate discussion with his closest followers, and this intimacy is being wrapped with his intimate relationship with God. It is a very confidential matter, that not many are let in to. Why not? Because most of us simply want to use whatever we derive for our own advantage. This self-focus makes us blind to the real confidential nature of Jesus' relationship with God, and his students.
Just consider, for example, what a self-centered person might do - and have done - when given a small piece of confidential information about the Supreme Being. They might try to use it to their advantage.
They might try to, for example, start-up their own church and try to gain many followers based on the fact that they had a vision of some sort - ultimately twisting their vision into some big doctrine.
This is the kind of thing that goes on within hell in the name of religion. Instead of being humbled by scripture, some have tried to use scripture and the teachings of Jesus to gain fame, followers and create false authority. This is why Jesus instructed his disciples:
*Here is the translation of Jesus' statement from the Lost Gospels of Jesus:
"Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces." (Matt. 7:6)
*Here is the translation of Jesus' statement from the Lost Gospels of Jesus:
"He will honor me, for He takes from me and reveals it to you.” (John 16:14)
