LESSON V.—SABBATH, FEBRUARY 3, 1900
THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
On Mt. Olivet in the journey to Gethsemane, A.D. 31. 5 "But now I go unto Him that sent Me; and none of you 6 asketh Me, Whither goest Thou? But because I have spoken 7 these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto 8 you; but if I go, I will send Him unto you. And He, when He 9 is come, will convict the world in respect of sin, and of right- 10 eousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on 11 Me; of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and ye be- 12 hold Me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this 13 world hath been judged. I have yet many things to say unto 14 you, but ye can not bear them now. Howbeit when He, the 15 Spirit of truth, is come, He shall guide you into all the truth; for He shall not speak from Himself; but what things soever 16 He shall hear, these shall He speak; and He shall declare 17 unto you the things that are to come. He shall glorify Me; 18 for He shall take of Mine, and shall declare it unto you. All 19 things whatsoever the Father hath are Mine; therefore said I, 20 that He taketh of Mine, and shall declare it unto you. A little 21 while, and ye behold Me no more; and again a little while, and 22 ye shall see Me. Some of His disciples therefore said one to 23 another, What is this that He saith unto us, A little while, and 24 ye behold Me not; and again a little while, and ye shall see Me; 25 and, Because I go to the Father? They said therefore, What 26 is this that He saith, A little while? We know not what He 27 saith. Jesus perceived that they were desirous to ask Him, 28 and He said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves con- 29 cerning this, that I said, A little while, and ye behold Me not, 30 and again a little while, and ye shall see Me? Verily, verily, 31 I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the world 32 shall rejoice; ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be 33 turned into joy. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, 34 because her hour is come; but when she is delivered of the 35 child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for the joy that 36 a man is born into the world. And ye therefore now have sor- 37 row; but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and 38 your joy no one taketh away from you. And in that day ye 39 shall ask Me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If ye 40 shall ask anything of the Father, He will give it you in My 41 name. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name; ask, and 42 ye shall receive, that your joy may be fulfilled. 43 "These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: the 44 hour cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, 45 but shall tell you plainly of the Father. In that day ye shall 46 ask in My name; and I say not unto you, that I will pray the 47 Father for you; for the Father Himself loveth you, because ye 48 have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from the 49 Father. I came out from the Father, and am come into the 50 world; again, I leave the world, and go unto the Father. His 51 disciples say, Lo, now speakest Thou plainly, and speakest no 52 proverb. Now know we that Thou knowest all things, and 53 needest not that any man should ask Thee; by this we believe 54 that Thou camest forth from God. Jesus answered them, Do 55 ye now believe? Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is come, that 56 ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave 57 Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with 58 Me. These things have I spoken unto you, that in Me ye may 59 have peace. In the world ye have tribulation; but be of good 60 cheer; I have overcome the world." NOTE.—The texts inclosed in marks of parentheses, while not essential to the lesson study, will be found to throw much light upon the lesson, and are suggested for those who wish to study further. 1. On the way to Olivet, in what mood were the disciples? Why? John 16:5, 6. 2. How did Jesus explain the necessity of His going away? Verse 7. (John 7:39.) 3. Upon the advent of the Spirit, what was He immediately to do? Verse 8. (Acts 2:33.) 4. Why was He to do this? Verse 11. 5. In the midst of error and persecution to follow the departure of Christ, what place was the Spirit to fill? Verses 13-15. (Eph. 4:8, 11-15.) 6. What question seemed at that time to trouble the disciples most? Verses 17, 18. 7. Knowing what was in their minds, how did the Saviour explain the matter? Verses 19-22. (Luke 24:52, 53.) 8. From that time forward, how were their requests for heavenly favor to be made? Verses 23, 24, 26. See note. (John 15:11.) 9. What promise was given to those who thus ask? Verses 23, 24. 10. How did He say the Father regarded them? Verse 27. 11. What statement did the Saviour make which seemed to satisfy His disciples? Verses 28-30. 12. What question did Jesus then raise? What prediction did He make? Verses 31, 32. 13. Why did Jesus dwell upon these things? What assurance did He leave with the disciples? Verse 33. (2 Tim. 3:12; Rom. 5:37-39.) Side Lights.—"Desire of Ages," chapter 73. BEFORE this time the disciples had asked favors of Jesus in their own names, and for themselves; now everything was to be changed. The Holy Spirit, the representative of Jesus, was to be in them, prompting all their motives. Self was to be relegated to the background. Nothing was to be asked for simply to please self, but Jesus was the One to be pleased. Hence the name of Jesus was to be used, as tho the petitioner would ask only for Jesus' sake, that He might receive the coveted blessing to be used in Christ's service.