THE FRIENDSHIP OF THE SPIRIT

The role of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers changed significantly with the physical departure of Jesus from this world. Jesus promised His disciples that the Father "will give" (δωσει) the disciples a friend to come alongside them when He is gone (14:16). This friend is called the "Spirit of Truth" (14:17) and the "Holy Spirit" (14:26). He is a friend who provides a depth of intimacy we could never have enjoyed prior to the departure of Jesus.

Jesus told His disciples that they currently knew this friend "because He abides with you and will be in you" (14:17).  The external textual support is strong for either a present tense or a future tense, but the context requires a future tense. There would be no reason for Jesus to request another "friend" if the friend was already there in the same way as He will be there later.  The future tense of "will give" (δωσει) in verse 16, and the undisputed future tenses in verse 26 require us to understand the coming of the Spirit as future to that day. We enjoy a more intimate work of the Holy Spirit than believers in the Old Testament experienced.

Three prepositions teach us about the changing role of the Spirit. In verse 16, Jesus says that the friend "may be with you forever" (μετα). In verse 17, the Spirit "is abiding with" them (παρα). A change is coming and the Spirit "will be in" them (εν). We cannot make ironclad distinctions between prepositions, but, when used in a context like this, we can draw out some nuances of meaning in the contrasting phrases.

The base meaning of the preposition μετα is "in the midst of" or with someone in the sense of a union or association (Robertson, p.609). The fellowship of the Spirit is with us in our Christian lives (2 Cor. 13:14). The simplest meaning of the second preposition παρα means beside or alongside of someone. It emphasizes His personal presence with us. Jesus has already been with them in this sense along with the Holy Spirit (14:25), and Jesus promises to continue to be with them in the future (14:23). The idea is that both are with us in the sense of at our homes (Robertson, p.614).

The third preposition εν introduces the new role of the Spirit. The emphasis of εν in this context is that our friend will not just be near us but inside of us. This is the basic meaning (Robertson, p. 586), and Jesus implies this very distinction here regarding the changing role of the Spirit. The Spirit had formerly been alongside them but now will be inside them. This will be the new role of the Spirit unknown and not experienced before this time.

The third preposition εν is the most intimate of the three. This preposition is a favorite word used by Jesus to explain our new intimacy with God in this chapter, so we should understand it in its full force. Jesus has just told them in verse 9 that He has been with them (μετα), so they should have known the Father because Jesus is in (εν) the Father and the Father is in (εν) Jesus (14:11). He tells us to ask our requests in (εν) His name (14:13-14). Jesus culminates the lesson in intimacy in verse 20 by saying, "I am in (εν) the Father, and you are in (εν) Me, and I am in (εν) you" (14:20).

The trinity is our foundation for intimacy. We can enjoy a deeper intimacy with God because our friend, the Holy Spirit, lives inside us.  We enjoy the intimacy of our friend named Jesus who lives in perfect intimacy with the Father. We are wrapped in an intimate embrace with the godhead because our hearts are joined as one with all three persons of the godhead. It is a friendship deeper than any words and stronger than the strongest bonds.

WHAT IS A PARACLETE?

Jesus promised us an additional paraclete from the Father (John 14:16, 26) - one who would be like Him. A quick survey of translations finds the following meanings for paraclete (παρακλητον): comforter (KJV), advocate (NIV), helper (ESV & NASB), and counselor (RSV). The word paraclete is so rich in meaning that it is probably impossible to find a single English word which can plumb its depths (Morris, John, p. 666).

The verb form of this word (παρακαλεω) means "to call along side" and can be used for either exhortation or consolation (BAGD). The noun (παρακλητος) can certainly carry a sense of comfort or consolation, and the early church fathers translated it this way. The word can also be used in a technical sense of attorney or advocate. We can see this sense of the word used for Jesus and His role in God's courtroom when we sin.  "If anyone sins, we have an Advocate (παρακλητον) with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous" (1 John 2:1). Jesus is our defense attorney whenever we are charged with sin before a Holy God. The Holy Spirit, in John 14:16, is "another" παρακλητον like Jesus so many opt for "advocate" in keeping with the image of a defense attorney in 1 John 2:1.

However, by the time of the New Testament the technical legal meaning of the word had diminished in usage (BAGD) and the word had taken on a more general meaning of a helper - one who comes to the aid of another. This is a common way to understand the word.  The context of John 14 supports a meaning that is less technical and more supportive given the emphasis on teaching and peace (John 14:26-27). Helper moves us in this direction, but I think it loses some of the richness of the meaning we find for paraclete.

The word paraclete was used for a friend of an accused person not his hired attorney. The friend was more than just a helper. He was called alongside to speak about a person's character and provide personal support for his friend in need (Moulton & Milligan, p.485). He was first a friend.  He was a "pleader" on behalf of his friend. I like the thought that the Holy Spirit, as our paraclete, is a "legal friend" (Morris, John, p.649). He is our helper in a legal sense, but he is more than a hired helper and more than a legal advocate. The paraclete is a true friend who pleads for us and stands with us in our times of need.

We have two friends in high places. Jesus is our first paraclete. He is now in heaven. The Holy Spirit is our friend on earth. He is with us, and in us, here and now.  They both vouch for us when we have needs so that we find peace in their friendship.  We have two friends who stand with us through our struggles in life - one friend in heaven and one friend on earth! With friends like these, we are never alone and never at loss.

ANOTHER HELPER

Our intimacy with Jesus is grounded in the intimacy of the trinity. We catch a glimpse of this spiritual intimacy in John 14:16 where Jesus promises us, "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper." The Father's gift of a Helper for us comes at the request of the Son on our behalf. Jesus' request to the Father rises from an intimate conversation about us with the Father.

The verb translated "will ask" (ερωτησω) suggests an open dialogue between two people face to face. It meant to ask a question in a conversation. Another common word for "ask" (αιτεω) is used of making a request from an inferior to a superior.  When the disciples ask God for anything in prayer,αιτεω is used, but αιτεω is never used of Jesus' own requests to God. The word for Jesus' requests to the Father is either ερωταω or δεομαι. The word ερωταω indicates an intimate conversational setting (Colin Brown, NIDNT, 3: 856-857).

Jesus promises the disciples that in the near future (note future tense) He will have an intimate conversation with the Father. The topic of this conversation will be us! I take it that Jesus continues to have intimate conversations with the Father about us. The result of these intimate conversations is that we continue to enjoy the help we need with the problems we face in this life.

Jesus asks the Father to give us another (αλλον) Helper.  The word "another" (αλλον) indicates another helper who is different but not antithetical to the first helper. The new helper is an additional helper.  There are two Greek words for "another." The first word for "another" (ετερος) tends to distinguish two subjects. The second word for "another" (αλλος) tends to add two subjects. The second word is the word used here. Jesus requests more help, or additional help, for us.

Jesus, of course, is the first Helper. He has just pledged His help in verses 13-14. What we ask in His name, He pledges to do for us as long as it brings glory to the Father. Jesus is still our advocate or helper today.  "And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate (Helper - same word) with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John 2:1). As if Jesus is not enough help for us, Jesus requests an additional helper. We are doubly helped by the Son and the Spirit as a gift from our Father rising out of His ongoing intimate conversations with the Son about us.

Thank you, Father, for your loving gift!
Thank you, Jesus, for your loving request!
Thank you, Spirit, for your loving help!

LOVE'S OBEDIENCE

Freedom in our obedience flows out of the fullness of our love. Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments" (John 14:15). Obedience is the natural, but not obligatory, consequence of love. Love does not demand obedience, but obedience expresses love.

The verse is conditional. It is a third class condition sometimes called a "more probable future condition" (Dana & Mantey, p.290). The construction suggests an element of uncertainty expressed in the future tense of the apodosis - "you will keep my commands." The majority text uses an imperative (τηρησατε), but the better attested reading is a future indicative (τηρησετε) which also fits better with the third class condition and the future tense of "ask" (ερωτησω) in verse 16.

The stress of the apodosis is on "my" commands. The pronoun is emphatic (τας εμας). There is absolute authority bound up in this pronoun. Moses told the Israelites, "These are the things the Lord has commanded you" (Exodus 35:1). Now Jesus talks about "my commandments" recalling the Lord's commands in the Law of God. Yet, instead of making obedience a response to authority, Jesus teaches an obedience that flows from love. Here is no legalistic duty to obey but a free desire to obey with an element of uncertainty in the obedience because Jesus seeks the heart more than the act of obedience.

How then can we learn to love Jesus more? We can learn to love Jesus more as we study the words and the will of the one we love.  Jesus promises us help for our obedience as we learn His ways. Verse 16 is tied grammatically to verse 15.  The promised "helper" will be in us helping us as we obey out of a heart of love.

Intimacy with Jesus is the foundation for obedience to His will.