The Holy Spirit in the Life of Christ

As we read through the New Testament, it is easy to see the dialogue between the Father and Son, and thereafter to see the effect of the Holy Spirit in the life of believers. However, we rarely look at the relationship between Christ and the Holy Spirit. Despite the two being equal members of the Trinity, we forget that just as the Father and Son share an intimate and perfect love for one another, so do the Son and the Spirit. Earlier I blogged on some things Christ said of the coming Spirit, and this will be something of a follow up. Now we will peer into the work of Holy Spirit in the life of Christ.

Something on the outset to notice is that Spirit always appears at pivotal moments in Christ’s life and ministry – pivotal moments. Lets trace them now, starting at his birth.

1. At Christ’s Birth: (Mt. 1:18 -20; Lk. 1:35)

· Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. (Mt. 1:18)

2. At Christ’s Baptism (Lk. 3:22)

· and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."

3. At Christ’s Temptation (Luke 4:1; Mt. 4:1; Mk. 1:12)

· And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness (Lk. 4:1)

4. As Christ Casts out Demons (Mt. 12:28)

· But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

5. At Christ’s Anointing from the Father (Lk. 4:18)

· "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
 because he has anointed me
 to proclaim good news to the poor. 
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives,
 and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."

(Quoting Isaiah, fulfilling prophecy)

Each of these events marks a transition in Christ’s life, from the incarnation to the various events leading up to his ministry. God the Son’s bond with the Spirit is equal to his bond with the Father, and throughout his lifetime, Christ depended upon the ministry of the Spirit to accomplish his Father’s will. Just as Christ is zealous to do his Father’s will, so the Spirit also is zealous to do the will of the Father. Now we will never really understand the Trinity, and the Holy Spirit, unfortunately, is the one we (or at least I) comprehend the least, except for his work in the life of believers. Hopefully these texts have brought out more of the relationship between the Son and the Spirit, and remember, Christ’s own zeal for the Spirit lies behind the one “unforgiveable sin” – blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Let us reflect upon the necessity of the Spirit in our own lives and humbly repent of our continual neglect of its power and magnitude as the third member of the Triune God. Father let us receive your Spirit with humility and gratitude, and forgive us of our neglect. Amen