“He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”
My Notes
What Does John 16:14 Mean?
"He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you." Jesus describes the Holy Spirit's primary function: glorifying Jesus by taking what belongs to Jesus and revealing it to the disciples. The Spirit doesn't promote himself. He promotes Jesus. The Spirit's ministry is transmissive: he receives from Jesus and shows it to the believer. The content is always Jesus'. The delivery is the Spirit's. The result is Jesus glorified.
The verse establishes the criterion for evaluating any claim about the Spirit: does it glorify Jesus? If a supposed work of the Spirit draws attention to the Spirit rather than to Jesus, it doesn't match Jesus' description. The Spirit's spotlight is always aimed at the Son.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Does your experience of the Spirit consistently produce clearer vision of Jesus — or something else?
- 2.How does the Spirit's self-effacing role (glorifying Jesus, not himself) model genuine ministry?
- 3.What would change if you evaluated every 'spiritual experience' by whether it produced deeper love for Jesus?
- 4.Where has the spotlight shifted from Jesus to the manifestation — and how do you redirect it?
Devotional
He shall glorify me. That's the Spirit's job description in seven words. Not: he shall glorify himself. Not: he shall create an independent ministry. He shall glorify Jesus. By taking what belongs to Jesus and showing it to you.
Receive of mine. The Spirit's content comes from Jesus. The Spirit doesn't have an independent message. He receives — from Jesus' treasury of truth, grace, revelation — and transmits. The Spirit is the delivery system. Jesus is the content. The Spirit's role is to unwrap what Jesus provides and display it before your eyes.
Shew it unto you. The Spirit's ministry is revelation — showing, displaying, making visible what was previously hidden. The things of Jesus that you can't see on your own — the Spirit shows you. The truths about Jesus that your mind can't grasp unaided — the Spirit makes comprehensible. The glory of Jesus that requires spiritual sight to perceive — the Spirit opens your eyes.
The test for any claimed work of the Spirit: does it glorify Jesus? The Spirit that manifests in a way that draws attention to the manifestation rather than to Jesus isn't operating according to Jesus' description. The Spirit that produces experiences focused on the experience rather than on Jesus has drifted from the mission. The Spirit's spotlight is permanently aimed at one person — and it's not the Spirit.
This is the most self-effacing description of ministry available: the Spirit of God exists to glorify the Son of God by showing the things of the Son to the people of God. No self-promotion. No independent platform. No rival message. Just: receive from Jesus, show to you. Receive from Jesus, show to you. The cycle is the mission.
Every genuine work of the Spirit produces the same result: you see Jesus more clearly. You understand Jesus more deeply. You love Jesus more fully. If the result is anything else — attention on the experience, focus on the gifts, fascination with the manifestation — the mission has been redirected from its stated purpose.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
A little while and ye shall not see me,.... Meaning, that he should be quickly taken from them by death. And in a very…
Shall glorify me - Shall honor me. The nature of his influence shall be such as to exalt my character and work in view…
As it was usual with the Old Testament prophets to comfort the church in its calamities with the promise of the Messiah…
He shall glorify me Both pronouns are emphatic; -Me shall that Spirit of truth glorify." Just as the Son glorifies the…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture