The Convincing Spirit of Truth
“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 you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:7-8).
What did Jesus mean when he told the apostles that when the spirit would come to the world, it would “convict [it] … concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin” (John 16:8)?
Remarkably, the context of the passage has been described by some commentators as “mysterious,”1 and it is said that the English translation contains “too weak a word to express what is meant.” 2 Others have said that “the exegesis of this verse is extremely difficult, and consequently it is difficult to translate.” 3
Brother Russell wrote, that “all of the Church, begotten of the holy Spirit and thus enlightened, are to let their light so shine before men that it will reprove the world. That which reproves the world is the holiness of the Church” (R4165:6). This should be done, “Not with that attitude which proudly says, ‘I am holier than thou,’ but which, on the contrary, says, ‘I am no better than thou, except for the influences of divine grace, which are free to all who will accept them’ ” (R2099:3). “The testimony of a holy walk and conversation cannot fail to be to the glory of God, to the reproof of unrighteousness, and to the fact of a coming judgment in which righteousness shall surely triumph” (R2099).
Regarding this passage, John Walvoord, a conservative Christian scholar, states that the world has a “need to know that sin was judged in the cross, and for those who trust in Christ there is deliverance from judgment upon sin and deliverance from condemnation. The unsaved must see Christ as judged and executed for them, and their judgment for sin as already past.”4
A CLOSER LOOK
Is this really what Jesus meant? If the world cannot receive the spirit (John 14:7), why does Jesus tell his disciples that the world was to be convinced by the spirit? Certainly individuals have been touched by our examples and the words we have given them, but is it our duty to reprove the world of their sins, and to convince them of sin and righteousness today? Are we doing this in our witness efforts when we tell others about the good news of the kingdom? Convicting the world through the examples of our lives is fundamental for those of us who have already been convinced by the spirit, but is there more significance to these words from Jesus?
Earlier in his dissertation to the apostles, Jesus expresses the idea that the spirit was to testify about Christ (John 15:26-27). This message of the hope of Jesus as the world’s deliverer from sin was first given to the Jews, and later to the world, yet neither the Jews nor the gentile nations have been convinced or convicted of its truth to this day. The Jews misunderstood righteousness and strove to follow the letter of the law and its works, and the world still fails to believe in Christ and his mission, for “the Spirit of truth … the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him” (1 Corinthians 2:11).
The word, “reprove” (Strong 1651, elengko), in John 16:8, is described as having “no English word that has so wide an application as the Greek word has.”5 It “involves the conceptions of authoritative examination, of unquestionable proof, of decisive judgment, and of punitive power. He who ‘convicts’ another places the truth in a clear light before him, so that it must be seen and acknowledged as truth … He who then rejects … rejects it with his eyes open and at his peril.”6
It also “implies the refutation of error, the discovery of wrong-doing, the bringing it home to the person convinced, and thus convicted … making such a one see that he is open to the condemnation of conscience, or of men, or of the Law of God.”7
“Convince” would be a better word if the verse were dealing with believers, but it is dealing with the world. The Greek expression does not “designate a definitive condemnation” 8 and is often used “to present or expose facts, to convince of the truth.”9
EXAMPLES OF THIS WORD
This is true in other places where this word is used in Scripture. Consider these passages where this Greek word is used in the New Testament.
“When Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the wicked things which Herod had done” (Luke 3:19). John the Baptist convicted him by proving that his actions were condemned by the law, yet this did not provoke a change in the course of Herod’s life.
People often feel sorry when they are caught in sin, but this does not always lead them to repentance. Herod “was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; but he used to enjoy listening to him … although the king was very sorry, yet because of his oaths and because of his dinner guests, he was unwilling to refuse her” (Mark 6:20, 26).
In the ecclesia arrangement we are to be our brother’s keepers. If it is seen that “your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother” (Matthew 18:15). If we convince our brother of the error of his way we will be able to “save his soul from death” (James 5:20). In situations like this the entire case of evidence against their course of action should be brought forth. If the brother then continues in sin, he is then sinning in full light since he was given all of the evidence. At that point further action should be taken to prevent the sin from spreading within the congregation.
We should be careful that we first examine ourselves, to be sure that we are not in some manner incorrect regarding the situation, and when we speak to our brother about the matter, that we do not judge his standing with the Lord. We should keep in mind that “in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you” (Matthew 7:1-2).
The Apostle Paul expresses an interesting thought in Ephesians, where he nearly defines this Greek word elengko in his letter. He tells them to “not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them … But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. For this reason it says, ‘Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you’ ” (Ephesians 5:11-14).
Jesus, whose principles expose darkness.
Paul encourages a similar course of action in his letter to Titus regarding our brethren. We should encourage each other to continue in the faith in accordance with scripture, and if we find they are not doing this we should “reprove them so that they may be sound in the faith” (Titus 1:9, 13, 2:15) and live a true life of faith (Titus 1:16-2:10), for “the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men” (Titus 2:11).
The epistles to Timothy also exhort us, “those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning” (1 Timothy 5:20), and to “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction” (2 Timothy 4:2).
Paul encouraged the brethren in Corinth to order their services so that a visitor to the Church could be both edified and convinced about the message. “But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all” (1 Corinthians 14:24).
James warned that “if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors” (James 2:9). When our conscience may not convict us of sin, a better understanding of the law, and of Scripture (and putting it into practice), will.
When we find ourselves on a path or a course of action which the Lord might not approve, he gives us the experiences we need in order to make a correction so that he can guide us in the paths of his righteousness (Psalm 23:3-4). The writer of Hebrews alludes to this when he encourages us to “not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by him” (Hebrews 12:5).
Jesus promised us, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent” (Revelation 3:19). Jesus also warned that “everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed” (John 3:20). When the Pharisees resorted to ridiculing Christ and accusing him that his father was the devil, Jesus responded stating, “which one of you convicts me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe me?” (John 8:46). Not a single one of them could prove anything that Jesus was saying was false.
THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH
Further on in his discussion with the disciples on the way to the Garden, Jesus remarked that when “the Spirit of truth comes, it will guide you into all the truth; for it will not speak on its own initiative, but whatever it hears, it will speak; and it will disclose to you what is to come” (John 16:13).
What was to come? Jesus stated emphatically that he did not come into the world to judge it at that time (John 12:27). The Gospel of Luke records that while on the journey to Gethsemane, Jesus promised his apostles they would “sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Luke 22:30).
In John 16, Jesus’ words about the conviction of the spirit upon the world places it “in the position which it will occupy at the last judgment … It has been urged that the word carries the connotation of educative discipline … it means to convict or convince someone about something.” 10 This describes the work of the millennium and while conviction is not the same as conversion, it is a necessary prerequisite.
Concerning this text, Reprint 4166 states that, “The effect of this will be three-fold … (1) “It will reprove the world of sin” – that is to say, it will make the world conscious of its sinful condition, it will show to the world more and more the exceeding sinfulness of sin … (2) It is not enough that the world be convicted of sin … in his wonderful plan he has arranged for eternal life to be granted only to the righteous… (3) The Spirit of the Lord in his people will convince their neighbors, all who come within the range of their light and their message, that the present life is not all that there is, that there is a trial purposed in God’s arrangement for the whole world of mankind, a judgment, a test … such as are not thus exercised or influenced are to be instructed through the Church … In God’s plan he has provided a day of judgment in the future for the world, in which all shall have full opportunity of being judged, of being tested along the lines of their loyalty to the Lord. Nevertheless their conduct in the present life has to do with that future judgment or trial. In proportion as they may disobey their conscience and fail to follow the leadings of the truth in the present time, they will have stripes, difficulties to overcome in the future, and to whatever extent they now seek to live in accord with righteousness they will lay up for themselves a blessing which shall assist them in that day of judgment.”
The Jews were not convinced by Jesus’ message. The world is not convicted by ours. The Jews did not believe that Jesus was Messiah because they were blinded by the god of this world. In the book of Romans Paul quoted an Old Testament scripture stating that “their eyes be darkened to see not” (Romans 11:10), and the reason he gave to explain this was “God has shut up all in disobedience so that he may show mercy to all” (Romans 11:32).
Jesus of Nazareth
In the next verse (John 16:9), Jesus tells us both who he was talking about, and why they needed to be convinced of these things. He simply said that it was “because they do not believe in me.” The Jewish nation had rejected Christ, but the prophecies promise that at some point in Israel’s future the spirit will be poured out on them and they will recognize Jesus, believe in him, and recognize their sins. Then their conviction and judgment will ensue.
“In that day I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look unto me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn” (Zechariah 12:9-10, see also Zechariah 14:1-3).
Though many in the world know of a coming judgment day, the world has not yet been convinced of judgment. The counselor will be sent unto them in that day. “Counselor” is a word with legal implications. “[It means] to cross-examine for the purpose of convincing or refuting an opponent (the word being specially used of legal proceedings).” 11 The relation between the “comforter,” the “advocate,” 12 and the word “convict” in this context, is striking. In it we must recognize that this is the work of the spirit, and not the work of man.
The world is not yet convinced, but it will be. This same word, convict, is also used in Jude describing the work of Jesus and his bride: “Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him” (Jude 14-15).
Then “it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the L ORD of hosts” (Zechariah 14:16).
The lesson of the permission of evil today, and the effect of the Spirit touching their hearts and minds in that future day of judgment, will help convince the world of righteousness and judgment concerning sin. “For when the earth experiences your judgments, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness” (Isaiah 26:9).
– Jeff Mezera
(1) Gray, James M., Commentary on the Whole Bible, Spire Books, 1953
(2) Jamieson, Fausset, & Brown, Commentary, Critical, Practical and Explanatory, Jerome B. Names & Co., 1883, page 443.
(3) UBS New Testament Translators Handbook Series, United Bible Society, 2004.
(4 ) Walvoord , John F., The Holy Spirit: A Comprehensive Study of the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit, page 114, Zondervan, 1991.
(5) Eclectic Notes, Online Bible electronic edition, www.onlinebible.net, 2008.
(6) Wescott, Brooke Foss, The Gospel According to John, John Murray Printers, 1896, page 228.
(7) Pulpit Commentary, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids Michigan, Reprinted 1983, page 301.
(8) Godet, Frederic Louis, Commentary on the Gospel of John, Funk & Wagnalls, 1886, page 309.
(9) Walvoord, John F., and Zuck, Roy B., The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Cook Communications, 2004.
(10) Sanders, J. N., The Gospel According to St. John, Harper and Row, 1968, page 351.
(11) Morris, Leon Lamb, The Gospel According to John, William B. Eerdmans, 1995.
(12) Strong’s Greek Definition #3875.