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Sent & Sending in the Gospel of John

Jesus was sent, Jesus then sent, and Jesus did send.

Written by Jacob Toman | Thursday, December 9, 2021
Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit, otherwise named the Advocate in the NIV, would come from the Father and from Jesus. That this Advocate the Holy Spirit would come after Jesus returned to the Father. This Advocate was going to be sent. The Advocate would not be “God’s JV team” although the Holy Spirit is sometimes thought of in this way. The Advocate would be a tremendous helper, teacher, and witness. Jesus saw his earthly departure and heavenly ascension as a great thing. Jesus’ departure was not to be a source of sorrow, but a source of rejoicing as the helper who would come would come being sent by the Father and Jesus the Son. 
Over the past year I am finding myself over and over going back to the Gospel of John and falling more and more in love with Jesus. I hold no grudges against the other gospels of Matthew, Mark, or Luke. Perhaps this is merely a part of my own journey or a phase, but the way how John reveals who Jesus is grows my affection and confidence in our God.

The verb “send” or “sent” is used 32 times in the Gospel of John. Being “sent” matters as it becomes a question of authority, position, power, and jurisdiction. Think of some children playing together. One of them decides to begin climbing a fence. “Hey, you aren’t allowed to do that!” says one of the other children. “Oh yeah? Who sent you to be in charge?” retorts the climber.

Being sent by someone carries with it weight. Representatives act on behalf of others who otherwise are not present. Those who are sent often bear a message, or act on behalf of the sending party. In John’s Gospel the issue of who sent Jesus is one that continually comes up. “πέμπω” (Pempo is how you pronounce this ancient Greek word) is the word that gets used to denote being sent, or sending.

30 out of the 32 uses of this word are by Jesus (the other two instances are people questioning John the Baptist in 1:22 and John the Baptist in 1:33). While teaching Jesus would frequently refer to the one who sent him:

22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. (Jn 5:22–23)

36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me. (Jn 5:36)

38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. (Jn 6:38)
16 But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. (Jn 8:16)
24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. (Jn 14:24)
5 but now I am going to him who sent me. (Jn 16:5)
Jesus was continually referring, revealing, and teaching about the one who sent him. In this way Jesus was sent.

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