Some time ago, a challenging event occurred in our family. The problem was this: It was an invisible event. We needed to know what had happened and what to do about it. However, we had no way to access that information since it was hidden from sight.

The incident occurred as my daughter was playing in the park. Not being adept at soccer, she stumbled over a ball and fell on her right arm, which became immediately painful. A significant event had just occurred. Hidden behind skin, tendon, and muscle, though, that event was not open to view. But in a local emergency room, a physician ordered an X‑ray.

The story of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the early Christian community at the time of the Feast of Pentecost (Acts 2:1–42) is a singular narrative in the New Testament. It would be unwise to separate the Pentecost narrative about the descent of the Spirit from the rest of the New Testament.

The Holy Spirit and the Exaltation‑Coronation of Jesus

A review of the New Testament about the Holy Spirit suggests passages in which the exaltation‑coronation of Jesus is paired with the outpouring of the Spirit. The obvious place to begin is Acts 2, followed by John 6, 7, 14 to 16; Revelation 4 and 5; and Ephesians 4:1 to 16. From the standpoint of the narrative time of John’s Gospel, the exaltation of Christ is a future event. In the narrative time of Revelation 4 and 5, the exaltation of Jesus occurs in present time. In Ephesians, Paul looks back to the exaltation of Christ as a past event.

The Spirit as witness to Christ’s exaltation‑coronation (Acts 2). On that Pentecost not long after Christ’s death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, the early followers of Jesus “were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability” (Acts 2:4).1 This presents a conundrum for the “devout Jews from every nation under heaven” who are in Jerusalem (vs. 5)—they hear those followers of Jesus in their own languages. Peter provides a preliminary answer to their riddle. The phenomenon represents the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy: “‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy’” (vss. 17, 18).

Before Peter offers a more definitive answer to what is troubling his hearers, he continues by reviewing Jesus’ life and death—and His resurrection: “‘But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power’” (vs. 24). Offering quotations from David as psalmist in support of this point, he again asserts, “‘This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses’” (vs. 32).

Only then does Peter answer his hearers’ questions: “‘How is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?’” (vs. 8); and “‘What does this mean?’” (vs. 12): “‘Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you both see and hear. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’” Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified’” (vss. 33–36).

The phenomenon they have experienced, says Peter, is the result of a set of most significant salvation-history events that have occurred at the throne of God, out of sight of humankind: (1) the exaltation of Jesus at the right hand of God; (2) God’s giving to His newly exalted Son “the promise of the Holy Spirit”; and (3) Jesus, from His newly exalted position of power, pouring out the Holy Spirit (vs. 33).

In Luke’s report of Peter’s Pentecost sermon (Acts 2:14–42), Peter refers to Jesus’ healing ministry, “‘a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you’” (vs. 22); betrayal “‘handed over to you’” (vs. 23); crucifixion (vs. 23), death (vs. 23), burial, mentioned obliquely through the parallel with David (vs. 29), resurrection (vss. 24, 31, 32); and exaltation‑coronation, “‘being therefore exalted at the right hand of God’” (vs. 36). As part of this series of unfolding salvation‑history events prophesied in the Scriptures, Peter includes Jesus receiving the Holy Spirit from the Father, “‘having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit’” (vs. 33); and Jesus pouring out of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (vs. 33).

In experiencing the Spirit‑inspired, multilingual communication at Pentecost, Peter’s hearers have had access to this final salvation‑history event: “‘he has poured out this that you both see and hear’” (vs. 33). This visible and observable event, the outpouring of the Spirit, signals an event that is invisible and unobservable: “‘Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified’” (vs. 36). Peter’s sermon underlines the link between what the crowd has seen—the manifestations of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost—and what has occurred in heaven—the exaltation‑coronation of Jesus at the right hand of God. The descent of the Spirit “‘upon all flesh’” (vs. 17), as prophesied by Joel, is the signal that Jesus is “both Lord and Messiah” (vs. 36).

When the listeners react to the sermon, “‘Brothers, what should we do?’” (vs. 37), Peter responds along the same lines: “‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him’” (vss. 38, 39).

The link between the exaltation‑coronation of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and beyond seems incontestable within the context of Acts 2. Should it, though, be exported as a framework to understand the wider teaching about the Holy Spirit in the rest of the New Testament?

Summaries of the teaching about the Holy Spirit in the New Testament tend to be arranged either canonically, topically, or some combination of both. Such summaries often produce a list of functions or roles of the Holy Spirit such as Keith Warrington’s list for “The Holy Spirit in the Epistles”:

The Holy Spirit opposes the flesh and affirms believers (Rom. 8:1–13, 14–23, 26, 27);

The Holy Spirit provides gifts (1 Cor. 12:4–31; Rom. 12:6–8);

The Holy Spirit transforms (Gal. 5:16–6:2);

The Holy Spirit seals and guarantees believers (Eph. 1:3–14);

The Holy Spirit provides access to God (Eph. 2:11–22);

The Holy Spirit unifies (Eph. 4:1–16, 25–32);

The Holy Spirit fills (Eph. 5:18–6:18).2

In seeking to establish clearly the link that Luke makes in the Acts 2 narrative between the exaltation‑ coronation of Jesus and the descent or outpouring of the Holy Spirit, two things should be noted. The first is an aspect of the sign event, the descent of the Holy Spirit. As highlighted in Joel’s prophecy, the Holy Spirit is poured out “‘upon all flesh’” (vs. 17). The Spirit is no respecter of the boundaries of gender, “‘your sons and your daughters shall prophesy’” (vs. 17), “‘both men and women’” (vs. 18); age, “‘your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams’” (vs. 17); or social class, “‘Even upon my slaves, . . . in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy’” (vs. 18).

A second aspect of Luke’s presentation has to do with the titles accorded to Jesus in Peter’s sermon at Pentecost: “‘Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified’” (2:36). The use here of the word translated as “Lord” designates Jesus as “one who is in a position of authority, lord, master,” a use that “raises Jesus above the human level.”5 It is a distilled affirmation of the exaltation‑coronation of Jesus, as is the case when the term is used as part of the early Christian confession, “Jesus is Lord” (Rom. 10:9; 1 Cor. 12:3).

However, the occurrence of the term in contexts of exaltation‑coronation of Jesus suggests additional answers, especially since Christos brings to view “the ancient (biblical) practice of anointing with oil as part of ritual installation to office.”7 In Hebrews 1, the context is the exaltation‑coronation of Jesus: “He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs” (vss. 3, 4); “But of the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom’” (vs. 8); “But to which of the angels has he ever said, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet?’” (vs. 13). So, when the apostle cites Psalm 45:7, “‘your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions’” (Heb. 1:9), an anointing at Jesus’ exaltation‑coronation seems in view.

Recalling the three salvation‑history events mentioned in the verse, something similar seems active in Acts 2:33. Exalted at the right hand of God, Jesus “‘received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit,’” which He then poured out upon believers. It is justifiable, then, to view God’s giving of “‘the promise of the Holy Spirit’” (vs. 33) to His Son as an anointing of the Spirit.

With this evidence in view, Jesus’ identity as “the Anointed One” may be seen as unfolding through His incarnation, ministry, and resurrection (along the lines of Roman 1:4), while culminating in His ascension and exaltation‑coronation (Hebrews 1; Acts 2). The anointing of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus and His outpouring of the Spirit upon believers mark Jesus as “‘both Lord and Messiah’” (Acts 2:36).

The Spirit as witness to the glorified Jesus (John 6:60–71; 7:32–39; 14–16). John’s Gospel exhibits thoroughgoing interest in the Holy Spirit from John the Baptist’s testimony to the Spirit’s descent upon Jesus (1:32–34) to Jesus’ post‑resurrection giving of the Spirit to His disciples (20:19–23). The farewell discourse (John 14–16) accents the role of the Holy Spirit as the “‘Advocate’” or “Comforter” who extends the presence of Jesus in the experience of His disciples (14:15–31; 15:26, 27; 16:7, 8). To what extent is this wealth of material about the Holy Spirit informed by the meta-narrative so central to the Pentecost story in Acts, with Jesus ascending to heaven and bequeathing the Holy Spirit to His followers as signal and Messenger of His exaltation?

Two narratives in John offer important framing for the discussions of the Holy Spirit in the farewell discourse (John 14–16). The first of these is John 6:60 to 71. In the knowledge that His disciples were “‘grumbling’” (vs. 61, ESV) about His statements concerning eating His flesh and drinking His blood (vss. 52–58), Jesus asks, “‘Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life’” (vss. 61–63, ESV).

If the idea of Jesus as the Bread of life who descends from heaven confuses His disciples, how will they make any sense of the more challenging concept of His ascent to heaven (especially since it comes through the Cross)? Left to themselves, they will never grasp such a profound truth since “‘the flesh is useless’” (vs. 63). It is only the Spirit who can help them understand it: “‘It is the spirit that gives life’” (vs. 63), vivifying the words Jesus has already spoken to them. The Spirit is the One who dis-closes the meaning of His ascent‑exaltation. The Spirit is the Revealer of the exalted Jesus.

In the narrative time of the story, the “glorification” of Jesus has not yet occurred. The “glorification” of Jesus refers to the sequence of coming events, the death‑ resurrection‑ascension‑exaltation of Jesus, with emphasis on the culmination of the sequence in the exaltation of Jesus. While John 6:60 to 71 has already suggested an answer, the story in 7:32–39 leaves obvious questions: In what way are the coming of the Spirit and the departure and “glorification” of Jesus linked? Why must the coming of the Spirit await the glorification of Jesus?

The definitive answer to why the coming of the Holy Spirit is so closely linked to the glorification of Jesus comes in His final statements about the Holy Spirit in the farewell discourse. In the context of the guilt of the world for rejecting Him (15:18–24), Jesus offers a summary of the work of the Holy Spirit: “‘When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning’” (15:26, 27). Following the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, the Holy Spirit will come to “‘testify’” to Him, bearing witness to events to which the disciples have had no access—the exaltation‑coronation of Jesus. They will then extend that testimony to others as ones who now know the story from start to finish (15:27).

In the context of the guilt of the world (John 15:18, 22–25), Jesus’ description of the Holy Spirit’s work (16:8–11) is set in a juridical context, reversing the situation of persecuted followers before earthbound tribunals (15:18–21; 16:1–4). “The picture is clearly one of a trial, in which the Paraclete has the role of prosecuting attorney and the world is the defendant, standing before the believing community.”8 The Spirit will “‘prove the world wrong . . . because they do not believe in me’” (16:8, 9). The focus is on the future, post‑exaltation work of the Spirit. Not only have they incurred guilt by rejecting the person and work of Jesus during His earthly ministry (8:24; 15:22–24), they will also add to that guilt by rejecting the future testimony of both the Spirit and the disciples to the exalted Jesus (15:26, 27).

In the third explanatory phrase, the Spirit will “‘prove the world wrong . . . about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned’” (16:8, 11), a condemnation rooted in Christ’s death on the cross, when the “‘ruler of this world’” is to be judged and to be “‘driven out’” (12:31, 32). In the context of the Spirit’s post‑ exaltation witness, the ongoing failure of the world “to acknowledge Jesus as the rightful Lord of the world, in-stalled by God, implicates it in the judgment that took place in the cross and resurrection of Jesus. Like the prince of this world, its cause is lost; it has been judged.”10 “The very fact that Jesus stands justified be-fore the Father means that Satan has been condemned and has lost his power over the world.”11

In reviewing John 16:12 to 15, it is important to recall that, as with the definitions of sin, righteousness, and judgment (vss. 8–11), truth is not defined as a broad, ethical concept but a Christological one. Jesus has already noted the inability of the disciples to grasp His future ascension (6:61–63), which becomes an important referent of Jesus’ statement that there are “‘many things’” the disciples “‘cannot bear’” in that moment of time (16:12). The “‘Spirit of truth’” will “‘guide you into all the truth’” (vs. 13), the full truth about the exalted Jesus. That the Spirit “‘will declare to you the things that are to come’” (vs. 13) refers to the important salvation history events that, from within the narrative time of the story, are about to occur—Christ’s death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and exaltation. Verses 12 to 15 are an expansion on the central role of the Spirit: “‘When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf’” (15:26).

The connection between the Spirit’s testimony to Jesus and His exaltation is far more important than mere chronology. It is the divine vindication represented by the resurrection‑ascension‑exaltation that is the particular focus of the Holy Spirit’s work of convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment in His role as Witness to the exalted Jesus (John 15:26). The coming of the Spirit must await the glorification of Jesus because it is the glorified‑exalted Jesus who bequeaths the Spirit (15:26), His vindication‑exaltation is the subject and focus of the Spirit’s testimony to Him (16:8–11), and it is the exalted Jesus who both personifies and defines the content of the Spirit’s witness (vss. 3, 14). The rich revelations concerning the Holy Spirit, disclosed in the Gospel of John, are structured and framed by important features that also appear in the Pentecost story.

The Spirit as worldwide witness to Christ’s exaltation‑coronation (Revelation 4 and 5). Revelation 4 and 5 contain the transcript of a profound worship event occurring at the throne of God. John, following the invitation to “‘Come up here’” (4:1), sees God’s throne and experiences a sound and light display—“flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder”—glistening and echoing off a crystalline sea of glass (vss. 5, 6). Four “living creatures” praise in song the holiness of “‘the Lord God the Almighty, who was and is and is to come’” (4:8). This prompts worship by the 24 elders, singing their own hymn of praise, which celebrates the worthiness of God as Creator of all things (vss. 9–11).

This triggers expanding, hymnic worship. First, the four living creatures and 24 elders sing a hymn praising the worthiness of the Lamb (Rev. 5:9, 10). Then, a crowd of angels add their praise (vss. 11, 12). Finally, all creatures everywhere bless “‘the one seated upon the throne’” and “‘the Lamb’” (vs. 13). The worship event concludes with a resonant “‘Amen!’” (vs. 14).

What role does the Holy Spirit play in the worship event in Revelation 4 and 5? First, it is notable that the chapters follow the exhortation of the risen Christ repeated to each of the seven churches, “‘Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches’” (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22), identifying the letters (2:1–3:22) as joint communiques of Christ and the Spirit.

Second, immediately prior to Revelation 4 and 5, the final communique from the risen Christ and the Spirit offers direct announcement of Christ’s ascension‑ coronation: “‘To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my throne, just as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches’” (Rev. 3:21, 22). Following a repeated literary feature of the Apocalypse, this announcement, concluding the letters to the seven churches, telegraphs the content of the next scene—the exaltation‑coronation of Jesus.

Third, John’s access to this “special occasion” comes through the Spirit: “At once I was in the Spirit” (Rev. 4:2, ESV; see also 1:10; 17:3; 21:10) with each instance of being “in the Spirit” introducing a vision of Jesus. John sees and shares with his readers that which the Holy Spirit deems important. The scene of Christ’s exaltation‑ coronation in Revelation 5 is the testimony of the Spirit to the exaltation‑coronation of Jesus. It should come as no surprise that a Spirit‑inspired vision focuses on the exalted Jesus.

As the dramatic heavenly scene unfolds, there is another presentation of the Holy Spirit. When the Lamb appears (“‘the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David’” who “‘has conquered’” [Rev. 5:5]), the Spirit is symbolized with the Lamb Himself: “Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth” (vs. 6). Again, the symbolism is drawn from Zechariah 4: “‘These seven are the eyes of the Lord, which range through the whole earth’” (vs. 10). With “seven eyes” representing omniscience, Stefanovic elucidates the symbolism further: “this is a symbolic reference to the sending of the Holy Spirit by Christ throughout the world. The Greek word [translated as] ‘to send forth,’ ‘to send out’ was a tech-nical term among the Jews for sending out an official representative with a special task. . . . The term here refers to the worldwide mission of the Holy Spirit in the full authority of Christ.”19

Whereas the symbolism of the seven torches before the throne may be viewed as suggesting the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the Father, this instance “pictures the relationship between Christ and the Holy Spirit.”20 In the context of describing the coming of the Holy Spirit as Comforter, Jesus can say, “‘I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you’” (John 14:18). It is this type of collaboration and intimacy that seems symbolized here.

To think of the Holy Spirit as Witness to the exalted Jesus as the truth presented in the figurative account of Revelation 4 and 5 should not be surprising. “‘When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf’” (John 15:26).

The Spirit and the exalted Christ as Giver of gifts (Ephesians 4:1–16). That manifestations of the Holy Spirit bear witness to the exaltation‑coronation of Jesus, is worked out in further detail in the Epistle to the Ephesians. Early in the letter, Paul connects the glorified Jesus with the “the seal of the promised Holy Spirit” (1:13) in the lives of believers and offers one of the most important New Testament witnesses to the exaltation‑coronation of Jesus in 1:20 to 23. Paul prays for a fresh outpouring of the Spirit in the lives of his addressees (vss. 17, 18). He imagines that believers, having experienced such an infusion of the Spirit, will know “the immeasurable greatness” of God’s power for them (vs. 19). He continues by elaborating the source of that grand power: “God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come” (vss. 20, 21). Paul retells this story of the exaltation‑coronation of Jesus as he applies it to believers: “even when we were dead through our trespasses,” God “made us alive together with Christ . . . and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (2:5, 6). “These verbs (‘made alive,’ ‘raised,’ and ‘made to sit’) refer to three successive historical events in the saving career of Jesus, the resurrection, the ascension and the session.”21 (Session is an archaic synonym for the coronation or exaltation of Jesus.)

Paul introduces the exalted Christ as Giver of the gifts (which here refer to gifted individuals rather than spiritual gifts given to individuals) with a quotation from Psalm 68:18: “‘When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people’” (Eph. 4:8). In the Old Testament passage, it is the Lord who receives “gifts from people.” But Paul has Christ giving gifts. Christ is portrayed “as the triumphant Divine Warrior who, after he has ascended his throne, blesses his people with gifts.”22 The psalm concludes, “Awesome is God in his sanctuary, the God of Israel; he gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!” (Ps. 68:35). God, as Giver of gifts to His people, is an important thought for this psalm. Paul, then, is not misquoting it but “rather appropriating the narrative movement of the entire psalm.”23

Modern translations are correct in setting Ephesians 4:9 and 10 apart as a parenthetical statement, which comments on the citation just given (Ps. 68:18). In verse 9, Paul asks a question. That question should be translated as in the NIV: “What does ‘he ascended’ mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?”

Paul is interested in two actions that he sees attributed to Yahweh in Psalm 68:18: (1) Yahweh’s ascent; and (2) Yahweh’s descent to the earth. In the psalm, the context is the familiar Old Testament one of Yahweh portrayed as a conquering general. Having won a great victory, He “ascends” to His capital city to celebrate. But what is the “descent,” which does not seem to be discussed there?

The interpretive comment on Psalm 68:18 that Paul now offers helps with this question. The comment is focused on identifying the One who descends with the One who ascends: “He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things” (Eph. 4:10, ESV). The hearers will now know that it is Jesus who is under discussion, since Paul has earlier used such language of Him (1:20–23).

To understand the order of ascent and descent is to take full account of Paul’s citation of Psalm 68:18. In his comment on the passage, is not adjusting but reflecting its narrative order. In the passage, the “ascent on high” or “far above all the heavens” takes place first, followed by the “descent,” an event to be equated with the “giving of gifts to men” in Psalm 68:18 (Eph. 4:8) and the “filling of all things” (vs. 9). The “descent” that Paul is discussing is then the descent of Christ‑in‑the‑Spirit following His exaltation, to provision His church with gifted people. The “movement in thought from Christ’s ascent to his gifts in the Church requires a descent in the Spirit . . . The one who by his Spirit is active in giving gifts to the Church and equipping it for its role is the same one who by virtue of his ascent became cosmic Lord.”24

The Holy Spirit’s Witness to the Exaltation-Coronation of Jesus as Organizing Theme

The detailed development of the idea of the Holy Spirit as Witness to the exaltation‑coronation of Jesus in Acts, John, Revelation, and Ephesians suggests that this is the central, defining role of the Holy Spirit. This theme may summarize and integrate the complex, multifaceted testimony to the Spirit in the New Testament. There are four broad New Testament themes about the Holy Spirit: (1) the Spirit and the life of Jesus; (2) the Spirit and the disciples of Jesus; (3) the Spirit and the church of Jesus; (4) the Spirit and the return of Jesus.

The Spirit and the life of Jesus. Caught up in the theme of the Spirit’s witness to Christ’s exaltation‑ coronation, we may forget that the New Testament portrays the Holy Spirit as deeply involved in the earthly life and ministry of Jesus from the beginning. In fact, reminding ourselves that the Holy Spirit collaborates with Jesus through His life and ministry on earth casts in high relief the culminating nature of the Spirit’s witness to Jesus’ exaltation.

Matthew directly credits the conception of Jesus as a human being to the creative work of the Holy Spirit. He reports that Mary “was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 1:18) and an angel, appearing to Joseph in a dream, says to him, “‘Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit’” (vs. 20). In Luke’s birth narrative, an angel responds to Mary’s request for an explanation by saying, “‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God’” (1:35). Moreover, a few days after Jesus’ birth, when He is presented in the temple, Simeon bears Spirit‑inspired testimony to His identity (2:25–35).

Judging by the New Testament record, the Holy Spirit attends Jesus throughout His earthly ministry. After His baptism, Jesus is led into the wilderness by the Spirit (Matt. 4:1; Luke 4:1), where He overcomes temptations from the devil. His Galilean ministry is empowered by the Spirit (Luke 4:14). Still early in His ministry, Jesus Himself uses the words of Isaiah 61:1 and 2 to announce His anointing by the Holy Spirit: “‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor’” (Luke 4:18). His preaching and teaching ministry is inspired by the Holy Spirit since Jesus, the One God has sent, “speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure” (John 3:34). The Holy Spirit is also involved in the concluding events of Jesus’ earthly ministry. In a reference to the Cross, it is “through the Spirit” that Christ “offered himself without blemish to God” (Heb. 9:14). And Paul associates the Spirit with the resurrection of Christ (Rom. 8:9–11).

● “‘I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire’” (Matt. 3:11, 12, italics supplied).

● He proclaimed, “‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit’” (Mark 1:7, 8, italics supplied).

● “As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire’” (Luke 3:15–17, italics supplied).

● “And John testified, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God’” (John 1:32–34).

In company with the other Gospel writers, Luke designates Jesus as the One who will “‘baptize you with the Holy Spirit’” (Luke 3:16). In addition, he echoes that idea in Acts 2:33 to 36 where the exalted Jesus “pours out” the Holy Spirit. In addition, in his introduction to Acts (1:1–5), Luke reports that Jesus, during the 40 days between His resurrection and ascension, orders “the apostles” to stay in Jerusalem and “wait there for the promise of the Father” (vs. 4). He completes his introduction with these words from Jesus: “‘This . . . is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now’” (vss. 4, 5). The repetition of the theme of Jesus as the One who gives the Holy Spirit and its prominence at the beginning of Acts offers evidence of its importance for Luke.

It is also of interest that both contexts, Acts 2 and the four Gospels, use Old Testament liquid metaphors to describe Jesus’ role as Giver of the Holy Spirit (Isa. 32:15; Eze. 39:29; Joel 2:28). In the Gospels, Jesus will “baptize” with or in the Holy Spirit. The term offers an inspiring portrait of the Holy Spirit’s presence in the lives of believers since it means here “to cause someone to have an extraordinary experience akin to an initiatory water‑rite, to plunge, baptize.”25 In the context of the fourfold Gospel witness to the story of John baptizing at the Jordan, it becomes a moving image of intimate and thorough immersion in the Holy Spirit by the coming Messiah. The terminology of Acts 2, “pour out,” is often associated with “what comes from above” and so is appropriate to the context of Jesus as the exalted‑ crowned One granting the Holy Spirit. It also suggests the abundance of the gift, since “to pour out” means “to cause to be emitted in quantity” and the context of Joel’s prophecy uses the terminology in relationship to a prophecy about rain (2:23).

The Spirit and the disciples of Jesus. Paul often alludes to the dramatic moment when the Holy Spirit invades the human heart and the unbeliever is transformed into a believer. Having reviewed a list of wrongdoers, he says to the Corinthian believers, “This is what some of you used to be. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:11). The Spirit’s presence at their conversion transformed them “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,” actualizing the unseen but effective lordship of the exalted Jesus. At conversion, believers, through the witness of the Spirit (Col. 1:18), ac-knowledge that Jesus is Lord and in so doing are “rescued . . . from the power of darkness” and “transferred . . . into the kingdom of his beloved Son” (1:13). With eyes now focused on the exalted Christ, their newly identified Lord who is “seated at the right hand of God” (3:1), their citizenship is in heaven and they await His return from heaven as their “Savior, the Lord Jesus” (Phil. 3:20).

If an outward transformation of behavior indicates the Holy Spirit’s presence in the life, there is also an inner dimension. A “battle royal rages in the lives of believers; a far greater battle than before their union with Christ. This is because the Spirit is opposed to the fallen nature I am born with (and do not lose after my incorporation into Christ).”26 The motivation for participating in this interior work of discipleship and character formation is, again, a vision of the exalted Jesus. The apostle exhorts: “let us . . . lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:1, 2).

The Spirit demonstrates a remarkable commitment to the believer. The Spirit does not just “visit” but “abides” or “dwells” with the disciple (John 14:16, 17). And the Holy Spirit does not depart when the disciple misbehaves. Rather, the Spirit remains and is “grieved” (Eph. 4:30). Through the Holy Spirit, we have “access” to the grace offered by “our Lord Jesus Christ” and undertake the hard work of Christian growth motivated by “God’s love” that “has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Rom. 5:1–5).

The Spirit and the church of Jesus. Beyond inspiring individuals, the Holy Spirit creates and fashions Christian community, the church. The Pentecostal outpouring of the Spirit (Acts 2) is sometimes thought of as the birth of the church. The Holy Spirit, as announcer of the exaltation‑ coronation of Jesus, calls and shapes an anointed community to extend the ministry of Jesus. Like the experience at Pentecost, the experience of the Holy Spirit within that community was very real. In those early days, the presence of the Holy Spirit “made a difference to their lives, outwardly and emphatically. It had powerful and palpable effects. The love of God burned in their hearts, people spoke God’s word with boldness, they prophesied and saw visions, they healed the sick. The Spirit was not a theory but altered real‑life situations.”27 Jesus, raised to life and exalted at the right hand of His Father, identified Himself with His followers (Acts 9:5), and baptized His disciples with the Holy Spirit, just as it had been prophesied about Him (Luke 3:15, 16; John 1:33). The Holy Spirit, by whom believers were “baptized” into “one body” (1 Cor. 12:13), and who fostered unity, fellowship, and reconciliation among them (Eph. 2:14–16; 4:1–6), bore witness to the exaltation‑coronation of Jesus.

Similarly, just as the Word of God played such an important role in Peter’s preaching at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit affirms the inspiration of the Old Testament (Mark 12:36; Acts 1:16, 4:25; 2 Peter 1:19–21) and inspires the writers of the New Testament (1 Cor. 2:13, 16; 14:38; 2 Peter 3:15, 16), all in the interest of affirming Jesus as Savior and Lord. Paul, in 2 Corinthians 3, “the classic chapter for the role of the Spirit as illuminator of the Scriptures,”29 argues that the Spirit inspires appropriate understanding of the Old Testament. The believer, who allows “the Spirit of the Lord” to make the Word of God clear, beholds “the glory of the Lord” (vss. 17, 18). Unbelievers who, in reading the Scriptures, resist the enlightening work of the Spirit miss “the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God,” the truth of “Jesus Christ as Lord,” and “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (4:4–6).

The Spirit and the return of Jesus. The church, fashioned and inspired by the Spirit, looks toward the return of Jesus. What will be the role of the Spirit in preparing for that great event? In Revelation 19:11 to 16, the Revelator portrays Christ astride a white horse and trailed by the armies of heaven, on His way to take vengeance on His enemies. He comes to actualize fully on earth that which has long been true elsewhere in the cosmos, the name inscribed on His thigh, “King of kings and Lord of lords” (vs. 16). Refracting the Old Testament tradition of a gathering of the nations to Israel (Isa. 56:6, 7; Zech. 2:11; 8:21–23), worldwide messages of invitation and warning are issued prior to this event (Rev. 14:6–12; 18:1–8).

Given that God used the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost as a partial fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel 2, it may be assumed that He will again use a special outpouring of the Spirit at the end of time to complete the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy (Matt. 24:14; 28:18–20). Like the outpouring at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit will again announce Jesus as “King of kings and Lord of Lords” in preparing for His return.

It should come as no surprise that the Holy Spirit is powerfully active at the end of human history. The Spirit has been engaged, with Jesus, at each new salvation-history event. It is entirely consistent that the Spirit would be involved in preparing for the Second Coming. By the time of the New Testament, the Spirit was thought of “in eschatological terms, as the power of the End, the hallmark of the new age.”30 This is reflected repeatedly in the New Testament, where the Holy Spirit is the “first installment” of what is to come (2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5). To share in the Holy Spirit is to taste “the powers of the age to come” (Heb. 6:5). As such, the Spirit is part of both the “now” of Christian experience and the “not yet” of the Christian hope, pointing in a special way toward the re-turn of Christ and fullness of the kingdom of God initiated by that event. The access to the new era represented by the “first fruits” of the Spirit, causes us to “groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies” (Rom. 8:23). Believers are “marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit,” which is “the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people” (Eph. 1:14).

Conclusion

The narrative of Acts 2, with its scene of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as direct result and signal of the exaltation of Jesus, is a unique story. The rest of the New Testament, though, offers profound witness to central elements in the great meta-narrative it reflects. John, in his Gospel, places the testimony of the Paraclete to the risen and exalted Jesus at the heart of His expansive teaching about the Spirit. In the worship tableau of Revelation 4 and 5, the Apocalypse provides figurative testimony to the worldwide witness of the Spirit to the coronation of Christ. Paul, in Ephesians, offers in his exposition of Psalm 68:18 a view of the conquering, ascended Jesus as the Giver of Spirit‑inspired gifts to His church.

When the testimony of Acts 2, confirmed and detailed in the genres of gospel, apocalypse, and letter, is used as a lens through which to view the many New Testament references to the Holy Spirit and His work, it offers fresh focus and coherence to broad themes of the Spirit’s work in the life of Jesus, in shaping the discipleship of believers, in creating and nourishing the church, and in relationship to Christ’s return. What comes into view is the considerable extent of New Testament testimony to the link between the Holy Spirit and the exaltation of Jesus, suggesting that His work as Witness to the exalted Jesus is His central, integrating role.

It is understandable when, in the hustle and bustle of life, we lose sight of that which is invisible—the exaltation‑coronation of Jesus Christ—and fail to take advantage of the X‑ray vision of the Holy Spirit. The everyday realities we confront pummel us with the reality of worldly traumas and earthbound powers. We need the Holy Spirit’s witness still, this One who invites us to join in His testimony that Jesus Christ, already exalted Lord, is returning to claim His own.

John K. McVay, PhD, is President and Professor of Religion at Walla Walla University in College Place, Washington, U.S.A.