The Holy Spirit - God's Spirit
E-book and Audio series
PART 2 - The Roles and Activities of the Holy Spirit
Chapter 24 - The Holy Spirit and the Disciples - Pt 1
Summary: The role of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the twelve disciples during Christ's ministry (Part 1).
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Study Notes No.24 - The Holy Spirit and the Disciples - Pt 1
(Some of these issues are discussed in more detail in the audio recording.)
Over the last few studies, we’ve been looking at the work of the Holy Spirit in the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus, and in the previous study, we focussed particularly on His death and resurrection. After He had been rejected by the religious leaders, they then asked Him for a sign. To this, He responded, “No sign shall be given except the sign of the prophet Jonah”, emphasising His death, and how after three days and nights, He would rise to life again. This process of His death and resurrection was enabled by the Holy Spirit. It was yet another sign that was rejected, as demonstrated by the chief priests bribing the soldiers guarding the tomb to give a false testimony about why the Lord’s body was no longer there.
We also saw how the same power that raised Christ from the dead will also raise us up, and is at work in us today in the form of God’s Holy Spirit within us.
In this study, and the next, I’d like us to turn our attention to the work of the Spirit in the lives of the 12 disciples.
The Twelve
READ Matthew 4:23,24 – The Lord Jesus is shown to be teaching, preaching and healing. Note that it is the Lord Jesus only, and that there were no "twelve disciples" yet.
After a period of teaching and performing miracles, He called out twelve of those who had been following Him.
READ Matthew 10:2-4 only.
The Lord had many disciples, and the list of twelve given here doesn’t include people like Nathaniel, whom the Lord described as “an Israelite in whom there is no guile”(John 1:45-51).
Peter, however, was one of those listed as one of the twelve. Earlier in the account (Matthew 8:14,15), we read how Peter’s mother-in-law was healed by the Lord. Peter was a disciple (i.e. a follower) by this time, but there is no indication of “twelve” special disciples at this stage.
READ Matthew 10:1 “He gave them power”
The Lord Himself was empowered by God’s Holy Spirit upon Him, and He obviously had the authority to bestow the Spirit upon the 12 disciples.
The Lord is unique, but a similar scenario takes place in 2 Kings 2:8-15. Elijah, a prophet upon whom was the Spirit of God, was also obviously authorised to bestow the spiritual gift he had upon Elisha, who then performed works via the Spirit.
Preaching and Healing
READ Matthew 10:1 …5-8 – Preaching and healing –
- these twelve people had two main jobs to do –
(1) to proclaim to Israelites only that the Kingdom of God was in their midst and could be ushered in soon, so they should prepare by repenting;
(2) to perform miracles which were demonstrative of God’s authority upon them.
- “teaching” not mentioned as such
In verses 14-20 we read of the sorts of dangers they would face, and the likelihood of people rejecting their message. Verses 40-42 – who receives a prophet (one of the disciples) in the name of a prophet (the Lord) shall receive a prophet’s reward (a reward befitting a prophet).
The parallel passage – READ Luke 9:1,2 … 6 … 10 – the disciples did as commanded, and then reported back.
Miracles
There are not many detailed accounts of the disciples’ ability to perform miracles, but we get a few hints here and there.
READ Luke 9:51-56
v.54 – Were James and John seeking the Lord's permission to perform a miracle of judgement, just like Elijah? Elijah was an OT prophet. The disciples were Gospel period prophets, and they would later become Acts period prophets.
READ Matthew 16:13-17 – revealed by the Father (I suggest, through His intangible arm – the Holy Spirit)
v.18-20 – speaks of the authority and role of leading God’s people that Peter will have in the future. In this passage (v.13-20) there is a hint that the Holy Spirit was going to work in Peter in the Acts Period in a similar way to the Spirit’s workings in the OT. In the OT, we read of three main roles or activities of the Holy Spirit: Enabler, Revealer of Truth, Guide. In Peter's life, the Spirit was working as:
- an enabler (Peter was already working miracles – Matthew 10)
- a revealer of truth (v.17 – he had already had great truth revealed to him; and he would later make great speeches and write epistles under the influence of the Holy Spirit)
- probably a guide – “whatever you bind (permit) on earth …” v.19
More about the work of the Holy Spirit in the Disciples' lives in the next study.
(Some of these issues are discussed in more detail in the audio recording.)
Over the last few studies, we’ve been looking at the work of the Holy Spirit in the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus, and in the previous study, we focussed particularly on His death and resurrection. After He had been rejected by the religious leaders, they then asked Him for a sign. To this, He responded, “No sign shall be given except the sign of the prophet Jonah”, emphasising His death, and how after three days and nights, He would rise to life again. This process of His death and resurrection was enabled by the Holy Spirit. It was yet another sign that was rejected, as demonstrated by the chief priests bribing the soldiers guarding the tomb to give a false testimony about why the Lord’s body was no longer there.
We also saw how the same power that raised Christ from the dead will also raise us up, and is at work in us today in the form of God’s Holy Spirit within us.
In this study, and the next, I’d like us to turn our attention to the work of the Spirit in the lives of the 12 disciples.
The Twelve
READ Matthew 4:23,24 – The Lord Jesus is shown to be teaching, preaching and healing. Note that it is the Lord Jesus only, and that there were no "twelve disciples" yet.
After a period of teaching and performing miracles, He called out twelve of those who had been following Him.
READ Matthew 10:2-4 only.
The Lord had many disciples, and the list of twelve given here doesn’t include people like Nathaniel, whom the Lord described as “an Israelite in whom there is no guile”(John 1:45-51).
Peter, however, was one of those listed as one of the twelve. Earlier in the account (Matthew 8:14,15), we read how Peter’s mother-in-law was healed by the Lord. Peter was a disciple (i.e. a follower) by this time, but there is no indication of “twelve” special disciples at this stage.
READ Matthew 10:1 “He gave them power”
The Lord Himself was empowered by God’s Holy Spirit upon Him, and He obviously had the authority to bestow the Spirit upon the 12 disciples.
The Lord is unique, but a similar scenario takes place in 2 Kings 2:8-15. Elijah, a prophet upon whom was the Spirit of God, was also obviously authorised to bestow the spiritual gift he had upon Elisha, who then performed works via the Spirit.
Preaching and Healing
READ Matthew 10:1 …5-8 – Preaching and healing –
- these twelve people had two main jobs to do –
(1) to proclaim to Israelites only that the Kingdom of God was in their midst and could be ushered in soon, so they should prepare by repenting;
(2) to perform miracles which were demonstrative of God’s authority upon them.
- “teaching” not mentioned as such
In verses 14-20 we read of the sorts of dangers they would face, and the likelihood of people rejecting their message. Verses 40-42 – who receives a prophet (one of the disciples) in the name of a prophet (the Lord) shall receive a prophet’s reward (a reward befitting a prophet).
The parallel passage – READ Luke 9:1,2 … 6 … 10 – the disciples did as commanded, and then reported back.
Miracles
There are not many detailed accounts of the disciples’ ability to perform miracles, but we get a few hints here and there.
READ Luke 9:51-56
v.54 – Were James and John seeking the Lord's permission to perform a miracle of judgement, just like Elijah? Elijah was an OT prophet. The disciples were Gospel period prophets, and they would later become Acts period prophets.
READ Matthew 16:13-17 – revealed by the Father (I suggest, through His intangible arm – the Holy Spirit)
v.18-20 – speaks of the authority and role of leading God’s people that Peter will have in the future. In this passage (v.13-20) there is a hint that the Holy Spirit was going to work in Peter in the Acts Period in a similar way to the Spirit’s workings in the OT. In the OT, we read of three main roles or activities of the Holy Spirit: Enabler, Revealer of Truth, Guide. In Peter's life, the Spirit was working as:
- an enabler (Peter was already working miracles – Matthew 10)
- a revealer of truth (v.17 – he had already had great truth revealed to him; and he would later make great speeches and write epistles under the influence of the Holy Spirit)
- probably a guide – “whatever you bind (permit) on earth …” v.19
More about the work of the Holy Spirit in the Disciples' lives in the next study.