The role of the spirit in the fourth Gospel

Abstract

In images and scenes that portray the grandeur of God's plan of salvation, the Fourth Gospel speaks the truth of Jesus Christ, the foundation of the Church throughout the ages. John's Gospel reveals the truths which support the church, but it is at the same time, the fruit of the very church to which it speaks. It reflects the grace of the Spirit working in the midst of a people. We call the Fourth Gospel, the Gospel according to St. John, but this moving book reflects the life of an entire community of believers, who learned the gospel of Jesus Christ under the guidance of one of Jesus' original disciples - most likely, John the apostle. As a people gathered around this disciple (called the "Johannine Community") and began to pray and live out the gospel, their experience of the new life in Christ likewise grew. They were touched by the Spirit, both individually and as a body, and the Spirit's touch enabled them to deepen their understanding and proclamation of the Gospel. As a result, they were able to produce an account of Jesus' life, death and resurrection, which reflected their experience.