John 16:14

John 16:14, in plain English

Jesus says the Spirit will glorify Him by taking what belongs to Jesus and making it known to you. The Spirit's job is to help you see Jesus more clearly.

Why it's here

When the Spirit is at work, the result is always a clearer picture of Jesus. Every genuine spiritual experience leads you back to Christ.

Who's speaking

Jesus explains the Spirit's christocentric purpose.

Where it sits in the story

The Holy Spirit is not the main character; Jesus is. The Spirit's whole purpose is to take the beauty, truth, and love of Jesus and reveal it to your heart. When the Spirit is working, you see Jesus more clearly than ever.

The scholarly reading

The Spirit will glorify (doxasei) Jesus by taking from what belongs to Him and disclosing (anangelei) it to the disciples. The Spirit's ministry is fundamentally christocentric, always pointing back to Jesus.

Language and setting

The Spirit does not draw attention to Himself but serves to illuminate Christ. This is a key test of genuine spiritual experience in Johannine theology: does it glorify Jesus?

Voice

Jesus explains the christocentric nature of the Spirit's ministry.

Significance

Jesus reveals that the Spirit's primary role is not to promote Himself but to glorify Jesus. Everything the Spirit reveals and teaches will point back to Christ, taking from Jesus' infinite treasury and making it known to believers. The Spirit is the spotlight; Jesus is the one illuminated.

12I still have much to tell you, but you cannot yet bear to hear it.

13However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.

14He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.

15Everything that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take from what is Mine and disclose it to you.

16In a little while you will see Me no more, and then after a little while you will see Me.”

Read all of John 16 — Jesus warns of persecution and promises the Spirit of truth. A woman in labor forgets her anguish when the child arrives — and so will they.