OUR SPECIAL FRIEND

Jesus promised us a special friend who is called alongside us to help in our time of need (John 15:26). The word "paraclete" (παρακλητος) is hard to fully translate but is best understood as a legal friend not a spiritual comforter (Morris, John, pp. 662-666). What does Jesus tell us about our special friend?

1. He is our personal friend not an impersonal force. The word "spirit" (πνευμα) is neuter in gender leading some to imply that the Spirit of God is an influence or force.  However, the pronoun used (εκεινος) is masculine and the closest antecedent is πνευμα not παρακλητος. The pronoun indicates personality. Jesus consistently uses a personal masculine personal pronoun when speaking about the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 16:8,13,14) proving that He is a person not merely a force.

2. Jesus sends Him to us from the Father. Jesus says that the Holy Spirit is the one "whom I, myself, will send to you from the Father." The pronoun is emphatic (εγω πεμψω). Jesus had said earlier that He would ask the Father to give us a special friend (John 14:16). What the Father gives, the Son sends. Our friend is the answer to Jesus' prayers for us; the gift of our heavenly Father; and the commissioned representative of the Son.

3. He is the Spirit who speaks the truth.  Jesus calls Him "the Spirit of Truth" (το πνευμα της αληθειας). The genitive - "of the truth" - is best understood as an objective genitive. He is the Spirit who communicates the truth. We need a legal friend to speak the truth at all times even when the truth might be unpleasant or inconvenient for us.

4. Our friend proceeds from the Father. Twice Jesus uses the prepositional phrase "from the Father" (παρα του πατρος) in this verse. The preposition is used often for Jesus coming from God (John 7:29; 16:27) so the Spirit and the Son both come from the Father. The verb "proceed" (εκπορευεται) should not be understood in terms of eternal procession in this verse but rather in the sense of proceeding from the Father for a specific work. The use of the preposition παρα instead of εκ supports this understanding. The Spirit, as our friend, continues the work of Jesus, as our friend, and both come to us from the Father. All three persons of the trinity are intimately involved with our lives.

5. He points people to Jesus. Jesus says that "He will testify" (μαρτυρησει) about Me." The verb means to bear witness to, to speak well of, someone (BAGD, p. 493). The most important role our special friend has in our lives is to point us constantly to Jesus. The Spirit of God is the shy member of the trinity. He does not call attention to Himself but prefers to work backstage - behind the scenes - to magnify Jesus (John 16:14). Any work on earth that is truly Spirit directed, Spirit energized and Spirit stimulated will emphasize Jesus Christ over the Holy Spirit.