s this--that while libraries
have been written on what the Apostles thought and taught, their
teaching remains as the sufficient guide into all the truth regarding
Christ. Even in non-essentials it is marvellous how little has been
added. Many corrections of misapprehensions of their meaning have been
required, much laborious inquiry to ascertain precisely what they meant,
much elaborate inference and many buildings upon their foundations; but
in their teaching there remain a freshness and a living force which
survive all else that has been written upon Christ and His religion.

This instruction of the Apostles by the Spirit was to recall to their
minds what Christ Himself had said, and was also to show them things to
come. The changed point of view introduced by the dispensation of the
Spirit and the abolition of earthly hopes would cause many of the
sayings of Jesus which they had disregarded and considered
unintelligible to spring into high relief and ray out significance,
while the future also would shape itself quite differently in their
conception. And the Teacher who should superintend and inspire this
altered attitude of mind is the Spirit.[19]

Not only must the Spirit enlighten the Apostles; He must also convince
the world. "He shall bear witness of Me," and by His witness-bearing the
testimony of the Apostles would become efficacious. They had a natural
fitness to witness about Christ, "because they had been with Him from
the beginning." No more trustworthy witnesses regarding what Christ had
said or done or been could be called than those men with whom He had
lived on terms of intimacy. No men could more certainly testify to the
identity of the risen Lord. But the significance of the facts they spoke
of could best be taught by the Spirit. The very fact of the Spirit's
presence was the greatest evidence that the Lord had risen and was using
"all power in heaven" in behalf of men. And possibly it was to this
Peter referred when he said: "We are His witnesses of these things; and
so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey Him."
Certainly the gifts of the Holy Ghost, the power to speak with tongues
or to work miracles of healing, were accepted by the primitive Church as
a seal of the Apostolic word and as the appropriate evidence of the
power of the risen Christ.

But it is apparent from our Lord's description of the subject-matter of
the Spirit's witness that here He has especially in vi