# It's not you who speak but the Holy Spirit



## Puritan Sailor (Feb 17, 2004)

Mark 13 (NKJV)
11But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate[3] what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

(ESV)
11 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 


In light of our discussions of late regarding the view of prophecy held by the Reformers, Scots, and Puritans, I was wondering how we should interpret this verse. Could we consider the words a believer speaks &quot;in that hour&quot; to be prophecy and therefore authoritative? After all, it is the Holy Spirit who speaks, not the believer right? Curious to here your thoughts.


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## Puritan Sailor (Feb 18, 2004)

Duet 18 (NKJV)
15 &quot;The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear, 16according to all you desired of the LORD your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, &quot;Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die.' 
17&quot;And the LORD said to me: &quot;What they have spoken is good. 18I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, [b:08115ea8e8]and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. [/b:08115ea8e8]

This similarity in language to the prophecy of Christ is interesting. Any thoughts or insights?


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## Canadian Baptist (Feb 20, 2004)

I think the context indicates that Jesus is speaking to the disciples. His comments surround the upcoming events in connection with the trouble and upheavel prior to and including the destruction of Jerusalem. THEY will be beaten in synagoges and They will be delivered up to Jewish councils and roman rulers and kings. THEY will speak by the Holy Spirit.
Just my thoughts.
Soli Deo Gloria


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## Puritan Sailor (Feb 20, 2004)

[quote:b96a8bcf64][i:b96a8bcf64]Originally posted by Canadian Baptist[/i:b96a8bcf64]
I think the context indicates that Jesus is speaking to the disciples. His comments surround the upcoming events in connection with the trouble and upheavel prior to and including the destruction of Jerusalem. THEY will be beaten in synagoges and They will be delivered up to Jewish councils and roman rulers and kings. THEY will speak by the Holy Spirit.
Just my thoughts.
Soli Deo Gloria [/quote:b96a8bcf64]

So this has no bearing for us today then?


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## Canadian Baptist (Feb 21, 2004)

I was just referring to what I think the original context and intention was. Many of the principles in the passage in Mark 13 could apply to all believers, but when it comes to prophecy I have trouble accepting that anything but scripture would in any manner be authoritative. I'm not sure here Patrick, what do you think? 
My personal experience had been with the Seventh Day Adventists and their &quot;prophetess&quot; Ellen G. White, and I see the damage that so called prophetic revelation has. I keep crying out Sola Scriptura, but they can't see their error. 

2 Peter 1:20
knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. 21For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Soli Deo Gloria.


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## Puritan Sailor (Feb 21, 2004)

[quote:59b6525364][i:59b6525364]Originally posted by Canadian Baptist[/i:59b6525364]
2 Peter 1:20
knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. 21For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.[/quote:59b6525364]

See, there's another verse, with the same language used as in the Mark 13 verse. Now, I don't for a minute believe in revelatory prophecy like the charasmatics and all her cultic stepchildren. But, I also don't wish that presupposition to blind me to the intent of this promise in Mark 13 or it's application to us today. How do we treat the words of a believer in the situation described there? If the Holy Spirit is the one giving him the words to say, then how do we regard them? 

Now you raised another important dimension, the apostolic audience of this promise. If this verse only applied to the apostles, we would have the grounds to accept the testimony of the apostle's before king's and synagogues as Scripture because they are prophets and we would expect them to deliver the words given them by the Holy Spirit (kinda like Paul's sermons before the authorities in Acts have become Scripture). But does this mean this promise doesn't apply to us at all? And if it does apply to us, then in what way? And how should other people treat our &quot;Spirit given&quot; words in those situations?


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