John's View of the Holy Spirit in the 4th Gospel

This paper will trace the views of the author regarding the role of the Holy Spirit as presented in John’s Gospel.A summary of John’s major ideas regarding the Holy Spirit will be surveyed and critiqued according to literary and social context. The historical background and the larger context of the Fourth Gospel will be analyzed along with various articles, commentaries, and scholarly works to determine the author’s intent. Relevant life applications will be documented. Sources will be cited and to explain and defend the position regarding John’s views. A critique of the major viewpoints and a conclusion of the issues will also be included.

Topics to be explored and analyzed include: The roles of the Holy Spirit; the unique use of words and names to describe the Holy Spirit and their significance; the relationship between the glorification of Jesus and the sending of the Spirit included promises made by Jesus; John’s use of the glorification of Jesus and the role it plays in the larger Gospel context and use in Old Testament passages; the relationship between the sending of the Spirit and Jesus position with the Father and what it means for worship in the contemporary church; the promises of God and how the Scriptures are viewed and used in modern church settings based on John’s view of glory and truth; John’s crucial understanding of the reality of the deity of the Spirit; the Holy Spirit as a person uniquely portrayed and revealed in John’s Gospel.