What Happened to the Disciples During the Last Days of Jesus?
Bible Study Guide
(Verses 1-4) The emotions were high and the confusion was dense among the disciples. Their lives in sudden seclusion was changing rapidly. Some may have been terrified of the mystery of things to come. Other disciples may have been more confused based on what Jesus was now beginning to teach them.
While it may have been a tremendous blessing to have been in the presence of God the man when He walked the earth, we are also a blessed generation for the knowledge and wisdom we have that the disciples didn’t possess in their day.
Jesus was doing His best to to ease their anxiety and grief. But at the same time, Christ had to continue to prepare them for the events that were about to take place over the next several days leading to His crucifixion.
The stark reality of the separation of God and the world must’ve really hit the disciples hard when they heard Jesus say, “The time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. (John 16:2)”
Jesus reminds them that He has to tell them this now so that they can be prepared for His arrest, persecution and being nailed to a cross.
The last days of Jesus must’ve fallen upon the disciples like a two ton boulder causing them to gasp for air not knowing if they would survive.
The Last Days of Jesus Will Bring the Holy Spirit
(Verses 5-7) Like the good and perfect Teacher that He is, Jesus recognizes that He just gave His disciples another very hard pill to swallow. He will follow up with some words of comfort as He tells them that He understands the grief that they’re experiencing.
They’ll need reminding of what He’s already explained to them about the Holy Spirit being sent after He departs. He reassures them of the loving guidance and teaching that the Spirit of Truth will provide them as they grow in their faith and share the gospel with the world.
The last days of Jesus could’ve of been a time of protection and comfort had He chosen to protect His disciples from all that was about to take place. But it was important that they walk in the truth so their faith could grow and endure the days ahead.
Jesus Beautifully Outlines the Bible
(Verses 8-11) Jesus tells His disciples that in order for the Holy Spirit to be sent, He must depart and return to the Father.
Then He goes on to beautifully and concisely outline the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation. With three words in four simple verses, He shows us the outline of the entire Bible.
- Sin
- Righteousness
- Judgment
In doing this during His last days, Christ also summarizes for the disciples why He came into the world.
1. The Holy Spirit will testify to the sins of mankind.
Sin entered the world at the very beginning of creation. Thereby Christ makes it clear the separation that exists between the world and God. Christ will speak of this separation further in a prayer to the Father in the next chapter.
“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.” (John 17:13-16)
2. Jesus is going back to the Father in Righteousness and Holiness.
Because of sin, mankind has separated themselves from God. God cannot abide in sin. Thus, He exists apart from us in opposition to what He intended. He wanted to exist in the midst of His creation. The life we live today is not what God intended. Therefore, the world seeks answers to the questions of our existence.
Know God and you will know the purpose of our existence and you’ll understand that this world is not His intention.
The entire Old Testament points to Jesus Christ and our need of a Savior. He came so that He could leave behind God’s free gift of grace (salvation).
3. Judgment must follow.
Sin came into the world. God separated Himself from the world. Jesus came into the world the first time to provide a way to be reunited with God. Mission accomplished lovingly and mercifully.
Jesus will return to the world to judge all people. For every mention of Christ’ first coming as a child into the world, there are four mentions of Him returning a second time to judge in the Bible. Judgment must follow where sin was once.
There you have it. The entire outline of the Bible.
Words From the Last Days of Jesus Grow More Difficult
(Verses 12-13) It would be reasonable to think that the disciples would be at their wits end with all that has been told to them by Jesus. Unfortunately, the last days of Jesus will bring them even more news that will be difficult for them to bear.
Their Messiah continues to refresh their minds with the news of the coming Spirit of Truth (Holy Spirit). This is an important truth that Jesus wants to press on them. The Holy Spirit will take over as their Teacher and much more will be revealed to them. But for now, they get only a little at a time.
Peter reiterates this truth about the Holy Spirit in his second letter to his followers.
“Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:20-21)
This is an important truth that we must remind ourselves of today as we explore and study the parts of the Bible written by Christ’ apostles.
The Mystery of the Trinity
(Verses 14-15) The word “Trinity” does not exist anywhere in the Bible. It’s the English translation from the Latin word “Trinitas.” It was coined by the Christian writer Tertullian around the turn of the second century. He used it to describe the relationship between the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. It’s been used widely ever since.
The theology behind the Trinity is very real and exists in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Many believers today have questions about the Trinity relationship. Imagine how the disciples felt when they were learning this for the first time.
In this passage, we see Jesus making it clear to His disciples the very relationship that exists between Himself and the Holy Spirit along with the Father. Everything that the disciples will learn from the Holy Spirit in the days that will follow the last days of Jesus will come from Him.
He goes on to explain further that this teaching from Him and the Spirit comes from the Father. Therefore, what is given to the apostles will come from the Father in perfect unity with the Son and the Spirit.
As the faith of the apostles grows over time, they will come to better understand this Trinity relationship. It will provide them with comfort and joy knowing the closeness of Jesus and the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit within them.
This is a truth that we as believers must remind ourselves of when we face our own trials and tribulations in these last days before Jesus returns to gather His church.
<< John 15:18-27 “If the World Will Hate You, How Can You Live In It?” | “How Can We Turn Our Grief To Joy?” John 16:16-33 >>