Bestowal of the Spirit of Truth 

On June 22, 26 CE, at the synagogue in Capernaum, Jesus first predicted the coming of the Spirit of Truth when he said the Father in heaven sends his spirit to indwell human minds, and when he finishes his work on earth, the Spirit of Truth will be poured out upon all flesh.

Almost four years later, on the morning of May 18, 30 CE, the resurrected Jesus said a final farewell to his apostles. At this time, he spoke once more about a new spirit that would soon come. After he ascended, his promise was fulfilled later that day. The apostles and other believers were praying in the upper room where the Last Supper was enacted. Suddenly, they became aware of a strange presence. All of them felt a new and profound sense of spiritual joy, security, and confidence. Jesus personally left the world, but he sent in his place the Spirit of Truth.

This spirit is available to all of us. It is designed to restate the message of Jesus so that every generation has a new and up-to-date version of the gospel. This restatement is manifested in the lives and service of every gospel believer. It takes as many forms as those who receive this gift of spirit uplift, but the effect is the same on all: they are embraced by an unmistakable sense of truth, guidance, and comfort.

Jesus bid a final farewell to his apostles in his last resurrection appearance at half past seven on Thursday morning, May 18, 30 CE. As part of his farewell, he said, “I am now about to take leave of you; I am about to ascend to my Father, and soon, very soon, will we send into this world of my sojourn the Spirit of Truth; and when he has come, you shall begin the new proclamation of the gospel of the kingdom, first in Jerusalem and then to the uttermost parts of the world.”

After he disappeared from them, the apostles returned to their brethren in the upper chamber of the Mark home where the Last Supper was held. They arrived at about noon. Peter then summoned all the believers to prayer so that they might be ready to receive the gift of the spirit that the Master had promised to send.

At about one o’clock, as the one hundred and twenty believers were engaged in prayer, the Spirit of Truth was bestowed on the world and the apostles and disciples suddenly felt as though they had been transported to another world. They felt a new presence of joy, power, and glory.

Peter stood up and declared this must be the coming of the Spirit of Truth that the Master had promised. He was deeply moved and proposed that they go to the temple and begin the proclamation of the good news committed to their hands. The apostles had been in hiding since Jesus died and now these frightened men emerged from six weeks’ seclusion to appear boldly in the temple, where they began to preach the new message of a risen Messiah. After preaching at the temple – the very place where Jesus had last taught – Peter and others led more than two thousand to the pool of Siloam and baptized them.

The Jewish authorities who thought they had done away with Jesus were astounded at the boldness of his apostles and disciples, and they were afraid to arrest them because there were so many. The Spirit energized the apostles and destroyed all their fears. In less than a month after its bestowal, the apostles made more individual spiritual progress than during their almost four years of personal and loving association with the Master.

The Spirit of Truth was bestowed on the apostles, disciples, and all sincere believers. And it continues to be available to everyone in accordance with their love for truth and the capacity to grasp and comprehend spiritual realities. With the bestowal of the Spirit of Truth, there came the realization that God is not a doctrine in the mind; God is a living presence in the heart. And this spirit is accessible now, to every generation, to each individual.

The enthusiasm and joy recipients felt on the day of the bestowal were infectious and transformative. Unmistakably, a new fellowship was arising in the world, united by this new sense of spiritual well-being and connectedness. The Greek believers were mightily moved by the bestowal; they made many converts among the Hellenists. One of their early converts was Stephen. He and his Greek associates began to preach more as Jesus taught, and this brought them into immediate conflict with the Jewish rulers. Stephen was stoned to death and became the first martyr of the new faith and the specific cause for the formal organization of the early Christian church.

Since the bestowal of the Spirit of Truth, we are subject to the teaching and guidance of a threefold spirit endowment: the spirit of the Father, the Thought Adjuster (Indwelling Spirit of God); the spirit of the Son, the Spirit of Truth; and the spirit of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of Truth and the Indwelling Spirit of God cooperate to develop and mature a new entity, the soul, in each person. The soul is what survives and resurrects in the first heaven, the mansion worlds, that Jesus spoke about when he said: “In my Father’s house there are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you.” Before the bestowal of the Spirit of Truth, not everyone received the Indwelling Spirit of God. Since the bestowal, every normal-minded person has received one of these indwellers who works in divine harmony with the Spirit of Truth to prepare the host soul for eternal life.

The Spirit of Truth has other names, the Advocate, the Comforter, and the Paraclete, and is sometimes confused with the Holy Spirit. Whatever its name, it is not a set of rules or laws, but rather a deep conviction and assurance of true meanings on spiritual levels. The Spirit of Truth helps to understand and appreciate spiritual realities, it guides believers in living a life that reflects the teachings and character of Jesus. It is a gift given to all sincere believers, not just a select few. In them, it fosters and personalizes truth, destroys feelings of loneliness, and helps in the connection with God.

This bestowal of the Spirit of Truth was a significant step in the spiritual progress of humanity. It provided a strong foundation for the realization of great achievements for the human race. Before the Spirit of Truth came, religion was often controlled by priests and sacred classes. After it was bestowed, there developed a liberation of spirit and recognition that each person can connect with God directly.

In the Bible’s New Testament, Jesus predicted the bestowal of a personal spirit to replace him. He referred to it as “the Advocate.” In the gospel of John, chapter 16, Jesus says this:

“Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you...”

Before that, in John 14 and 15, he alludes to the coming of the Spirit of Truth. Also, in the book of Acts, chapter 2, the bestowal of the Spirit of Truth is recorded, although it is referred to as the Holy Spirit. This spirit came on the day of Pentecost, a feast day on the Jewish calendar celebrated on the fiftieth day after Passover.

Pentecost is one of the Great Feasts in the Eastern Orthodox Church, a Solemnity in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, a Festival in the Lutheran Churches, and a Principal Feast in the Anglican Communion. Many Christian denominations provide a special liturgy for this holy celebration. Since its date depends on the date of Easter, Pentecost is a "moveable feast." The Monday after Pentecost is a legal holiday in many European, African, and Caribbean countries.

Within Christianity, Pentecost (also called Whit Sunday or Whitsun) is a holiday that takes place on the seventh Sunday after Easter Sunday. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Virgin Mary and the Apostles of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:1–31).