Immanuel Bible College

Duterte Street, Banawa, Cebu City

Holy Spirit in Jesus’ Life and Ministry

A Term Paper

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Course

Systematic Theology 4: Life in the Spirit

Submitted to:

Rev. Joselito Eguia

Instructor

Submitted by:

Leonard John Flores

AB Religious Education

AY 2018
 THESIS OUTLINE

Topic: Holy Spirit in Jesus’ Life and Ministry

Thesis Statement: The Holy Spirit plays a great role on Jesus’ Life and Ministry. He worked from

Jesus’ birth and infancy, in Jesus’ Baptism, until Jesus’ Ministry.

Page Number

THESIS OUTLINE....................................................................................................................... 1

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 2

I. Holy Spirit in Jesus’ Birth and Infancy..................................................................................... 2

A. The Virgin Birth .................................................................................................................. 2

B. The Dedication of the Messiah ........................................................................................... 3

II. Holy Spirit in Jesus’ Baptism ................................................................................................... 3

A. John the Baptist ................................................................................................................... 3

B. Like a Dove ......................................................................................................................... 4

III. Holy Spirit in Jesus’ Ministry ................................................................................................... 5

A. Jesus Temptation in the desert ............................................................................................ 5

B. Jesus Miraculous ministry................................................................................................... 6

IV. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 7

Works Cited .................................................................................................................................... 7

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Introduction

Many papers have been written about the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus and ministry. There are a

lot of religious movements who does not even agree to the view that there is deeper work of the

Holy Spirit in Jesus Christ during His ministry here on earth or does not even agree that the Holy

Spirit is deity and a distinct personality. But the Pentecostals are firm that the Holy Spirit was at

work in Jesus life.

I will discuss about the Holy Spirit role in Jesus life and ministry. He has played a great role. He

works from Jesus’ birth, in Jesus’ Baptism, and Jesus’ Ministry. Holy Spirit in Jesus’ Birth and

Infancy

A. The Virgin Birth

Jesus was born by a virgin. In Greek, the word virgin is “parthenos” (Schenker). Which means, a

woman in a right age who is not married. The significance of the virgin-birth is its distinction from

other miraculous birth, like John the Baptist and Isaac. Their mother is both advanced in age, which

is impossible for them to give birth. But in Christ, He was conceived by a virgin, Mary. It was an

inconceivable miracle in their time (because right now a woman could be pregnant without the

help of man through implantation of sperm cell in woman’s womb).

Mary is a sinner and a normal woman who is not significant in her time. (Luke 1:46-55) “she

was an imperfect and sinful woman adds to the glory of this mystery and makes it the more perfect

type of the experience through which we also come into fellowship with our living Head.”

(Simpson) It is an amazing experience that God uses imperfect being to his perfect will.

Jesus Christ our Lord was born of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is involved in conception

and incarnation of Lord Jesus Christ. In Luke 1:35, “The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will
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come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born

will be called the Son of God.” (NIV) (the angel Gabriel prophesying to Mary about her conception

of Christ) So as Jesus was born in the Spirit, His follower should be born also with the spirit. As

what He said in John 3:5 “‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is

born of water and the Spirit.” (NIV)

B. The Dedication of the Messiah

After several days (probably 33 days) of Jesus’ circumcision, he was brought to the temple. It was

customary and as an act of obedience to the law to dedicate the firstborn child (Luke 2:23; Exodus

13:1-2) This shows that Mary and Joseph were obedient and faithful to the Lord. While they were

in the temple they had met Simeon and Anna. Both were Spirit led Jews who were waiting for the

“consolation” of Israel (Horton 79-80).

Through a brief insight into the activities of the Holy Spirit in every aspect of Jesus' human

life, we can see that the godly and old Simeon is entering the temple with the Holy Spirit.

According to him, he will not die until he sees the Messiah. With the Holy Spirit he blessed the

baby, prophesied Him, and dedicated Him to the ministry of His life.

Anna, the prophetess, prophesied while Simeon was blessing Jesus. She was a widow who

dedicated her life to the temple after her husband died. The Holy Spirit use her as a witness to the

Jews in the temple. As we can see, the Holy Spirit is evidently working on some Jews. The Holy

Spirit has never stopped working after the last chapter of the Old Testament.

I. Holy Spirit in Jesus’ Baptism

A. John the Baptist

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In Matthew 11:11, it is stated by Jesus that John the Baptist is the greatest figure that is produced

by the Old testament. He plays an important role for he linked the Old and the New Testament.

Like Isaac’s birth, his birth was also miraculous. John’s parents were both old. In Luke 1:15, the

angel proclaimed to Zechariah (John’s father) that he will be separated for the work of the Lord

and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He was chosen to serve and prepare the way of the

Messiah. And throughout his life, he was consecrated for the very purpose to welcome the Messiah

in His ministry. The Holy Spirit works in him so that he will be prepared for the greater task.

John in his declaration about Jesus, when he saw Jesus while he was baptizing, said Jesus will

be the one who will baptized in Spirit.

Mark 1:7-8, 7 “And this was his message: ‘After me will come one more powerful than I, the

thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8I baptize you with water, but

he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’” (NIV)

This prophecy of John was taken in the Old testament in Joel 2:28, Isaiah 44:3, Ezekiel 33:26,

39:29. “But John adds a new thought not mentioned in the Old Testament. The Spirit is not only

to be poured out upon them; they are to be immersed in Him, saturated with Him.” (Horton 84)

B. Like a Dove

The four gospels describe the Holy Spirit as a dove in Jesus baptism (Matthew 3:16,17; Mark

1:10,11; Luke 3:21,22; John 1:32-34). Menzies in his book “Empowered for Witness”, he agreed

with L.E. Keck’s view that the Holy Spirit descriptions as the dove in the four Gospels has its

ambiguity but later was misinterpreted and given adjectival significance (135). We cannot properly

conclude that the Holy Spirit formed as a dove in the Baptism, rather we could interpret “the dove

as a metaphor and more significantly, the declaration of the heavenly voice.” The description of
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the Holy Spirit “is the motion of the Spirit and the movement of a dove” (Keck 52). “The

comparison could be made with any bird” (Menzies 135).

He sided with Keck because for him it is more convincing view than other’s view (134-135).

However, his conclusion was the event in Jordan river is an in inauguration of Jesus’ messianic

task. “Jesus pneumatic anointing… is the means by which Jesus equipped for his messianic task”

(Menzies 138).

But we could not deny the Baptism of Christ is far more meaningful than the incarnation of

Christ. Before Jesus in His incarnation there was one personality, and then after the baptism there

were two personality. For the Holy Spirit has been added to Christ. Jesus has accomplished His

work, His Word, and fulfilled His ministry in the earth through the power of the Holy Spirit that

indwells upon Him. (Simpson 14,15)

“Jesus Christ was baptized by the Holy Spirit. Not only did He derive His person and His
incarnate life from the Holy Spirit, but when at thirty years of age He consecrated Himself
to His ministry of life and suffering and service, and went down into the waters of the
Jordan, in token of His self-renunciation and His assumption of death, the heavens were
opened and the Holy Spirit, by whom He had been born, now came down and personally
possessed His being and henceforth dwelt within Him.” (Simpson 14,15)
So as Jesus himself was baptized with the Spirit we as his followers should be baptized also in

Spirit for us to work in God’s entrusted ministry in us.

II. Holy Spirit in Jesus’ Ministry

A. Jesus Tempted in the desert

Jesus resisted the temptations he faced through the power of the Spirit. The Spirit drove him

into the wilderness (Mark 1:12) and Luke indicates (4:1) that he was not only “led by the Spirit”

but was “full of the Spirit” and leaves the temptation “in the power of the Spirit” (Luke 4:14). I

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the power of the Spirit, Jesus is what Israel should have been in the wilderness and all that Adam

should have been in the garden (the reference to the wild beasts in Mark 1:13 is informative here).

B. Jesus Miraculous ministry

Jesus performed his mighty works through the power of the Spirit. Immediately after returning

to Nazareth in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14), Jesus reads from the scroll of Isaiah about the

eschatological proclaimer and miracle-worker who would do mighty works because the Spirit of

God was upon him (Luke 4:18-19; cf. Isa. 61:1-2). Matthew uses a different but similar passage

to demonstrate the same point but adds to it by describing the Pharisees’ dispute with Jesus about

the casting out of a demon in which Jesus describes his work as being done “by the Spirit of God”

(Matt. 12:28) and then goes on to explain the Pharisees’ attitude as one of “blasphemy against the

Holy Spirit” (Matt. 12:31-32).

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III. Conclusion

Jesus set an example for us to follow. He fulfilled the word of Isaiah or any prophets that had

prophecy about His coming as a form of a man. In his life and ministry, the Holy Spirit had worked

in Him. From His birth he was born of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit had worked on most OT figures

to prepare the people for the coming Messiah. He had chosen certain people like Simeon, Anna,

and John the Baptist each with different part for Messiah’s life here on earth. Through the Holy

Spirit He was lead and had overcame the temptation. And even on His miraculous works it is done

through the power of the Spirit.

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Works Cited

Bickersteth, E. H. (1976). The Holy Spirit: His Person and Work. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel

Publications.

Green, M. (1975). I Believe in the Holy Spirit. Great Britain: Hodder and Stoughton.

Holy Bible, The New International Version. (1984). Grand Rapids: Zondervan House.

Horton, S. M. (1976). What the Bible says About the Holy Spirit. Springfield, Missouri: Gospel

Publishing House.

Keck, L. (n.d.). The Spirit and the Dove.

Menzies, R. (2004). Empowered for Witness: The Spirit in Luke-Acts. New York: T&T Clark

International.

Palma, A. D. (2001). The Holy Spirit: A Pentecostal Perspective. Springfield, Missouri: Gospel

Publishing House.

Rea, J. (1974). The Layman's Commentary on the Holy Spirit. Plainfield, New Jersey: Logos

International.

Schenker, A. (Ed.). (2006). Interlinear Transliterated Bible.

Simpson, A. B. (n.d.). The Holy Spirit or Power from on High: An unfolding of the Doctrine of the

Holy Spirit in the Old and New Testament (Vol. II). Harrisburg, PA: Christian Publications,

Inc.