The Other Pentecost Text

Below is a rough translation of John 14:8-17, and 25-27, the Revised Common Lectionary gospel reading for Pentecost Sunday. Because Pentecost Sunday is so dominated by the story of the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 and its antecedent texts from the Old Testament, the gospel lesson often gets bypassed. Perhaps one way to fold this reading into the overall theme of Pentecost is to focus, not so much on the significance of the term “Paraclete,” but on the word “participation.”

Paraclete is a fascinating Johanine term that provides a different way of perceiving the Holy Spirit than we get from Luke’s gospel and the book of Acts. It is worthy of attention in its own right, to be sure. I just question whether Pentecost Sunday is a day when that attention will get noticed, especially given the power of Luke’s story in Acts 2 and the place that Pentecost has in the church’s calendar.

Participation is a way of thinking about both the John text below and the Pentecost story in Acts. It would be ideal to begin the John text at v.1, except for the fact that John 14:6 is one of the most volatile and (IMHO) misappropriated texts in the Bible that sucks all of the energy out of the air whenever it is read. I think a valuable way to approach the gospel reading from John on Pentecost Sunday is to show how participation/unity/oneness is key for understanding everything else about being a disciple. Jesus does not simply ‘show’ the way. When we see that Jesus ‘is’ the way, that Jesus participates in God, that seeing Jesus is seeing God, then we know the way, we see God’s work in the works of Jesus and we hear God’s voice in the words of Jesus. Likewise, the commandments are not the way, but those who participate in the life of God in Christ participate in the meaning and fullness of the commandments.

I think the hermeneutical key to this text is to see participation – being – as the ultimate focus, with doing (commands) and thinking/believing/saying (words) as critical-but-secondary expressions of that ultimate focus.  

That’s my take, any way. Your insights are welcomed.

⁸ λέγει αὐτῷ Φίλιππος, Κύριε, δεῖξον ἡμῖν τὸν πατέρα, καὶ ἀρκεῖ ἡμῖν.

Philip says to him, “Lord, show to us the father and it is enough for us.”

λέγει: PAI 3s, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

δεῖξον: AAImpv 2s, δεικνύω, to show, exhibit

ἀρκεῖ: PAI 3s, ἀρκέω, 1) to be possessed of unfailing strength a) to be strong, to suffice, to be enough

1. The word “show” here is the same verb that John uses to describe Jesus showing the disciples his hands and side after the resurrection.

⁹ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Τοσούτῳ χρόνῳ μεθ' ὑμῶν εἰμι καὶ οὐκ ἔγνωκάς με, Φίλιππε; ὁ ἑωρακὼς ἐμὲ ἑώρακεν τὸν πατέρα: πῶς σὺ λέγεις, Δεῖξον ἡμῖν τὸν πατέρα;

Jesus says to him, “So much time I am with you and you have not known me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the father; how do you say, ‘Show the father to us’?

λέγει: PAI 3s, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

εἰμὶ: PAI 1s, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

ἔγνωκάς: PerfAI 2s, γινώσκω, 1) to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel 

ἑωρακὼς: PerfAPart nsm, ὁράω, 1) to see with the eyes  2) to see with the mind, to perceive, know 

ἑώρακεν: PerfAI 3s, ὁράω, 1) to see with the eyes  2) to see with the mind, to perceive, know 

λέγεις: PAI 2s, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

Δεῖξον: AAImpv 2s, δεικνύω, to show, exhibit

¹⁰ οὐ πιστεύεις ὅτι ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ πατρὶ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί ἐστιν; τὰ ῥήματα ἃ ἐγὼ λέγω ὑμῖν ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ οὐ λαλῶ: ὁ δὲ πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοὶ μένων ποιεῖ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ.

Do you not believe that I am in the father and the father is in me? The words which I say to you I do not speak for myself; But the father who is dwelling in me is doing his works.

πιστεύεις: PAI 2s, πιστεύω, 1) to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place  confidence in 

ἐστιν: PAI 3s, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

λέγω: PAI 1s, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

λαλῶ: PAI 1s, λαλέω, 1) to utter a voice or emit a sound 

μένων: PAPart nsm, μένω, 1) to remain, abide 

ποιεῖ: PAI 3s, ποιέω, 1) to make  1a) with the names of things made, to produce, construct,  form, fashion, etc. 

¹¹ πιστεύετέ μοι ὅτι ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ πατρὶ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί: εἰ δὲ μή, διὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτὰ πιστεύετε.

Believe in me because I in the father and the father in me; If not, believe through these works.

πιστεύετέ: PAImpv 2p, πιστεύω, 1) to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place  confidence in

πιστεύετέ: PAImpv 2p, πιστεύω, 1) to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place  confidence in

1. I’m curious as to why so many translations have “believe me” instead of “believe in me,” since μοι is in the dative case, not the accusative.

2. The word ὅτι can be either “that” or “because,” and sometimes works as the beginning of a quote. If one keeps μοι in the dative (believe in me), then I think ‘because’ is the best choice. If one makes μοι into an accusative (believe me) then “that” fits better.

3. Either way, there is no verb in the phrase “I in the father and the father in me.” Most translations supply ‘am.’

4. The relationship between parts a and b of this verse seems to be that one can believe in Jesus because of his co-inherence with God or one can believe in him because of “these works.”

¹² ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ τὰ ἔργα ἃ ἐγὼ ποιῶ κἀκεῖνος ποιήσει, καὶ μείζονα τούτων ποιήσει, ὅτι ἐγὼ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα πορεύομαι:

Amen amen I say to you, the one who believes in me will likewise do the works which I do, and will do greater than these, because I am going to the father;

λέγω: PAI 1s, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

πιστεύων: PAPart nsm, πιστεύω, 1) to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place  confidence in

ποιῶ: PAI 1s, ποιέω, 1) to make  1a) with the names of things made, to produce, construct,  form, fashion, etc. 

ποιήσει: FAI 3s, ποιέω, 1) to make  1a) with the names of things made, to produce, construct,  form, fashion, etc. 

ποιήσει: FAI 3s, ποιέω, 1) to make  1a) with the names of things made, to produce, construct,  form, fashion, etc. 

πορεύομαι: PMI 1s, πορεύομαι, 1) to lead over, carry over, transfer  1a) to pursue the journey on which one has entered, to continue on  one's journey

1. Jesus’ first response in vv.10-12 stressed his identity with God (identity in the philosophical sense of being one), yet this sentence stresses Jesus’ difference from God. The identity lies in phrases like, “If you have seen me, you have seen God” or “the father and I are one,” whereas the difference here is that Jesus is “going to the father,” implying that they are presently separated.

¹³ καὶ ὅ τι ἂν αἰτήσητε ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου τοῦτο ποιήσω, ἵνα δοξασθῇ ὁ πατὴρ ἐν τῷ υἱῷ:

And whatever you might ask in my name that I will do, in order that the father might be glorified in the son;

αἰτήσητε: AASubj 2p, αἰτέω, 1) to ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require 

ποιήσω: FAI 1s, ποιέω, 1) to make  1a) with the names of things made, to produce, construct,  form, fashion, etc. 

δοξασθῇ: APSubj 3s, δοξάζω, 1) to think, suppose, be of opinion  2) to praise, extol, magnify, celebrate  3) to honour, do honour to, hold in honour 

1. This verse would be back to stressing the identity between Jesus and God, where what Jesus does glorifies the father in him.

¹⁴ ἐάν τι αἰτήσητέ με ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου ἐγὼ ποιήσω.

If you might ask me anything in my name I will do.”

αἰτήσητε: AASubj 2p, αἰτέω, 1) to ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require 

ποιήσω: FAI 1s, ποιέω, 1) to make  1a) with the names of things made, to produce, construct,  form, fashion, etc. 

¹⁵ Ἐὰν ἀγαπᾶτέ με, τὰς ἐντολὰς τὰς ἐμὰς τηρήσετε:

If you love me, you will attend to my commands;

ἀγαπᾶτέ: PASubj 2p, ἀγαπάω, 1) of persons  1a) to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly

τηρήσετε: FAI 2p, τηρέω, 1) to attend to carefully, take care of 

1. While there is an ‘if … then’ construction to this sentence, the verb τηρήσετε is future, not imperative.

¹⁶ κἀγὼ ἐρωτήσω τὸν πατέρα καὶ ἄλλον παράκλητον δώσει ὑμῖν ἵνα μεθ' ὑμῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ᾖ,

And I will ask the father and he will give to you another advocate in order that it might be with you into the age,

ἐρωτήσω: FAI 1s, ἐρωτάω, 1) to question  2) to ask  2a) to request, entreat, beg, beseech

δώσει: FAI 3s, δίδωμι, 1) to give  2) to give something to someone

ᾖ: PASubj 3s, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

1. The paraclete (παράκλητον) is an interesting term. The definition via greattreasures.org is:

called to one's aid (properly a verbal adjective implying capability or adaptation for giving the aid). Here as a subs. with article, he who has been or may be called to help (especially in a court of justice, a legal assistant). Used of both the second and third persons in the Holy Trinity. (1Jo 2:1, so that there is one paraclete with us that we may not sin, and 'another' paraclete with the Father if we do sin.)

That definition, oddly enough is an explanation of this word rendered as ‘comforter.’ I worry that ‘comforter’ brings to mind a snuggie, something that wraps around us when we are sick and keeps us snug and warm. The way that John is using the word in this context suggests that ‘advocate’ is a better choice for translation.

2. The ‘another advocate’ seems to be that Jesus is one advocate – by asking something of the father on their behalf – and what Jesus is asking is that they get another advocate, which will stay with them and be in them after Jesus departs.

3. The last verb, ᾖ, is in the 3^rd persons singular, meaning it has an implied subject which could be translated he, she, or it. Grammatically, the antecedent of that subject could be the advocate or the father. Because of what follows, I think the antecedent is the advocate, which, for clarity’s sake, I will translate as ‘it’ rather than ‘he.’

4. The phrase εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ‘(into the age) is usually translated as ‘forever.’ I think that translation loses some of the nuance of the word αἰῶνα, which is rooted in the verb for ‘breathe or blow’ and, as such, refers to transitory life, like a generation, a dispensation, or an age. One can say that, for Jesus in John’s gospel, the age at hand is different from all other ages and never-ending, but that is more of an interpretive leap than I am willing to make in a rough translation.

¹⁷ τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας, ὃ ὁ κόσμος οὐ δύναται λαβεῖν, ὅτι οὐ θεωρεῖ αὐτὸ οὐδὲ γινώσκει: ὑμεῖς γινώσκετε αὐτό, ὅτι παρ' ὑμῖν μένει καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν ἔσται.

The spirit of truth, which the world is not able to receive, because it does not behold or know it; you know it, because it remains with you and will be in you.

δύναται: PMI 3s, δύναμαι, 1) to be able, have power whether by virtue of one's own ability and  resources, or of a state of mind, or through favourable  circumstances, or by permission of law or custom

λαβεῖν: AAInf, λαμβάνω, 1) to take  1a) to take with the hand, lay hold of, any person or thing  in order to use it

θεωρεῖ: PAI 3s, θεωρέω, 1) to be a spectator, look at, behold

γινώσκει: PAI 3s, γινώσκω, 1) to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel

γινώσκετε: PAI 2p, γινώσκω, 1) to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel

μένει: PAI 3s, μένω, 1) to remain, abide 

ἔσται: FMI 3s, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

1. It seems reasonable to see the phrase “the spirit of truth” as another way of expressing “another advocate” of v.16. However, in v.16 Jesus is praying that God will give (future) another advocate and in this verse Jesus says he remains (present) with them, but will be (future) in them. It is like the “yet, but not yet” rhythm that many theologians use to speak of Jesus’ coming is – in John’s gospel – the way the spirit of truth is ‘with, but not yet in’ the disciples when Jesus was present.

2. I remember from my Pentecostal Holiness days that some pastors whom I admired used this verse to describe the infilling of the Spirit as a second definite work of grace. It is ‘with’ us enabling us to be saved; it will be ‘in’ us when we are ‘filled with the Spirit.’ I actually think that pattern is correct, with one caveat: The ‘us’ in this phrase is the disciples, who received the infilling, not on the day of Pentecost (this is John’s gospel after all, not Luke’s), but when Jesus visited them behind closed doors after the resurrection (John 20:22).

Here the Lectionary cuts to vv. 25-27

²⁵ Ταῦτα λελάληκα ὑμῖν παρ' ὑμῖν μένων: 

These things I have said to you while remaining with you.

λελάληκα: PerfAI 1s, λαλέω, 1) to utter a voice or emit a sound  2) to speak 

μένων: PAPart nsm, μένω, 1) to remain, abide

1. I added ‘while’ to relate the present participle to the perfect main verb.

2. This is one of those places in the gospels where the narrator’s voice seems to speak through Jesus’ voice oddly. Within the narrative itself, Jesus is with the disciples and the use of the perfect tense or even a reference to a time when Jesus was remaining with the disciples makes no sense. So, as a direct quote in story time, this verse is odd. However, as a gospel written after the fact, it makes perfect sense for the narrator to speak of a time when Jesus had said things to them while remaining with them.

²⁶ ὁ δὲ παράκλητος, τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ὃ πέμψει ὁ πατὴρ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου, ἐκεῖνος 

ὑμᾶς διδάξει πάντα καὶ ὑπομνήσει ὑμᾶς πάντα ἃ εἶπον ὑμῖν [ἐγώ]. 

Yet the paraclete, the holy spirit which the father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and will remind you all things which I [I] said to you.

πέμψει: FAI 3s, πέμπω, 1) to send 

διδάξει: FAI 3s, διδάσκω, 1) to teach 

ὑπομνήσει: FAI 3s, ὑπομιμνήσκω (μιμνήσκω with ὑπό implying stealth, prefixed) to call to one's mind, privately, silently, by hints or suggestions; hence, to suggest to one's mind, put in mind of, bring to remembrance.

εἶπον: AAI 1s, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak  

1. I am transliterating paraclete, because I am unsure whether John is intending the reader to know something by that term of whether he is stipulating a new meaning for the term. It is originally introduced in vv. 14:16-17 (see notes above). I am more comfortable letting it be its own word, without assuming that it means anything more than what John says it to mean.

2. Play close attention to the etymology of the verb ὑπομνήσει (remind). According to the lexicon from greattreasures.org, the prefix ὑπό implies “stealth.” That would imply that disclosure from the paraclete to the one who loves Jesus and keeps his word is an unseen, perhaps even uncanny, remembrance of Jesus’ teaching. If this isn’t Gnosticism proper, it seems close.

²⁷ Εἰρήνην ἀφίημι ὑμῖν, εἰρήνην τὴν ἐμὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν: οὐ καθὼς ὁ κόσμος δίδωσιν ἐγὼ δίδωμι ὑμῖν. μὴ ταρασσέσθω ὑμῶν ἡ καρδία μηδὲ δειλιάτω.

Peace I leave to you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled nor fear.

ἀφίημι: PAI 1s, ἀφίημι, 1) to send away  1a) to bid going away or depart 

δίδωμι: PAI 1s, δίδωμι, 1) to give 

δίδωσιν: PAI 3s, δίδωμι, 1) to give 

δίδωμι: PAI 1s, δίδωμι, 1) to give 

ταρασσέσθω: PPImpv 3s, ταράσσω, 1) to agitate, trouble (a thing, by the movement of its parts to and fro)  1a) to cause one inward commotion, take away his calmness of  mind, disturb his equanimity

δειλιάτω: PAImpv 3s, δειλιάω, 1) to be timid, fearful 

1. I’m curious about the similarities and differences of the first and second clauses here. Is there a difference between ‘peace’ and ‘my peace’? If so, the first and second clauses say different (though closely related) things. If not, the second clause is a repetition of the first in some way. Relatedly, are ‘leaving’ and ‘giving’ peace the same things?

2. Is Jesus making a distinction between how the world gives and how he gives? Or, is he making the distinction between the peace that the world gives and the peace that he gives? If the ‘peace’ that the world gives is the ‘peace through victory through violence’ that the Pax Romana offered, the question might be whether the peace that Jesus gives looks any different or is accomplished differently.

3. The verb ταρασσέσθω (troubled) is a passive imperative in the 3^rd person – not typical. The next verb, δειλιάτω (fear) is likewise a 3^rd person imperative, but it is active. Many translations treat it as if it were passive as well.