The Bible speaks about the Spirit of God right from the beginning of the Bible. Two important terms for the Spirit in the Bible are ruah (in Hebrew) and pneuma (in Greek). The Spirit of God as described in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible gives life to the entire creation. For St. Paul, creation is not yet completed. It is still longing for its liberation from whatever holds it captive and prevents it from living fully the new life Jesus has brought (Romans 8:22-23). Through the Spirit, it is God himself who is present and active. Earlier on Jesus had foretold that all who believe in him would receive the Spirit (John 7:39). Now in his farewell speech Jesus promises again the Spirit of Truth to come and stay with the disciples (John 14:15). There is continuity between Jesus and the community of believers, the Church. As Jesus was guided throughout his ministry by the Spirit, so the Apostles and the first Christian community felt strongly that the Spirit of Jesus was present in them and among them. The Acts of the Apostles describe how the Spirit made them understand the deep meaning of the message of Jesus and gave them courage to proclaim it openly without fear. The Church still lives in the faith that the Spirit will continue to show it how to continue the mission of Jesus today.
| john_14_vs_8-17_vs_25-27_pentecost_bible_study_2016.pdf |
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