Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 14:26
But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
26. But the Comforter ] Better, But the Advocate (see on Joh 14:16).
which is the Holy Ghost ] Even the Holy Spirit. The epithet ‘holy’ is given to the Spirit thrice in this Gospel; Joh 1:33, Joh 20:22, and here (in Joh 7:39 the ‘holy’ is very doubtful). It is not frequent in any Gospel but the third; five times in S. Matthew, four in S. Mark, twelve in S. Luke. S. Luke seems fond of the expression, which he uses about forty times in the Acts; and he rarely speaks of the Spirit without prefixing the ‘holy.’ Here only does S. John give the full phrase, both substantive and epithet having the article: in Joh 1:33 and Joh 20:22 there is no article.
in my name ] As My representative, taking My place and continuing My work (see on Joh 14:13). ‘He shall not speak of Himself He shall receive of Mine and shew it unto you’ (Joh 16:13-14). The mission of the Paraclete in reference to the glorified Redeemer, is analogous to the mission of the Messiah in reference to the Father.
shall teach you all things ] i.e. ‘guide you into all the truth’ (Joh 16:13). He shall teach them the Divine truth in its fulness; all those things which they ‘cannot bear now,’ and also ‘things to come.’
bring all things to your remembrance ] Not merely the words of Christ, a particular in which this Gospel is a striking fulfilment of this promise, but also the meaning of them, which the Apostles often failed to see at the time: comp. Joh 2:22, Joh 12:16; Luk 9:45; Luk 18:34; Luk 24:8. “It is on the fulfilment of this promise to the Apostles, that their sufficiency as Witnesses of all that the Lord did and taught, and consequently the authenticity of the Gospel narrative, is grounded” (Alford).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Will send in my name – On my account. To perfect my work. To execute it as I would in applying it to the hearts of men. See Joh 14:13.
Shall teach you all things – All things which it was needful for them to understand in the apostolic office, and particularly those things which they were not prepared then to hear or could not then understand. See Joh 16:12. Compare the notes at Mat 10:19-20. This was a full promise that they would be inspired, and that in organizing the church, and in recording the truths necessary for its edification, they would be under the infallible guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Bring all things to your remembrance – This probably refers to two things:
1. He would seasonably remind them of the sayings of Jesus, which they might otherwise have forgotten. In the organization of the church, and in composing the sacred history, he would preside over their memories, and recall such truths and doctrines as were necessary either for their comfort or the edification of his people. Amid the multitude of things which Jesus spake during a ministry of more than three years, it was to be expected that many things which he had uttered, that would be important for the edification of the church, would be forgotten. We see, hence, the nature of their inspiration. The Holy Spirit made use of their memories, and doubtless of all their natural faculties. He so presided over their memories as to recall what they had forgotten, and then it was recorded as a thing which they distinctly remembered, in the same way as we remember a thing which would have been forgotten had not some friend recalled it to our recollection.
2. The Holy Spirit would teach them the meaning of those things which the Saviour had spoken. Thus they did not understand that he ought to be put to death until after his resurrection, though he had repeatedly told them of it, Luk 24:21, Luk 24:25-26. So they did not until then understand that the gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles, though this was also declared before. Compare Mat 4:15-16; Mat 12:21, with Act 10:44-48.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 26. He shall teach you all things] If in the things which I have already spoken to you, there appear to you any obscurity, the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, Counsellor, and Instructer, will take away all your doubts, free you from all embarrassment, and give you a perfect understanding in all things: and this Spirit ye shall shortly receive.
And bring all things to your remembrance] Here Christ promises them that inspiration of the Holy Spirit which enabled them not only to give a true history of his life and death, but also gave them the most perfect recollection of all the words which he had spoken to them, so that they have been able to transmit to posterity the identical words which Jesus uttered in his sermons, and in his different discourses with them, the Jews, and others.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The word is the same which was so translated before; (see the import of it, Joh 14:16,17) he is there called the
Comforter, and the Spirit of truth; here, the Holy Spirit. The Father here is said to send in the name, that is, with the authority and upon the mediation, of the Lord Jesus Christ: and two pieces of the Spirits work, besides comforting, are here expressed.
He shall teach you all things; he shall more fully explain to you all things. Three of the apostles themselves had already in this chapter discovered great degrees of ignorance as to the doctrine of the Trinity, Christs union or oneness with his Father, &c. You shall not be left (saith our Saviour) in this ignorance; for when the Holy Spirit shall come, he shall more fully and perfectly instruct you in all things, in which I have already instructed you, and which are necessary for you to know in order to your eternal happiness.
And bring all things to your remembrance; whatsoever I have said unto you; and shall bring to your remembrance the things I have taught you, so as you shall more fully and clearly understand them; and though you may have forgotten them, yet they shall by the Holy Spirit be revived in your memories; so as they shall not be like water spilt on the ground, which cannot again be gathered up, but like seed sown in the earth; which, though it may at present rot, and die under the clods, or at least not spring up, yet it shall spring up, and bring forth desired fruit. It is one great work of the Holy Spirit, to bring the revelations of holy writ to our remembrance, and withal to clear to us the sense of them, and confirm our faith in them, and chiefly quicken us to practise what is our duty: but it is to be observed, that the Spirit doth not make revelations of new notions; it only brings to our remembrance what Christ hath said, and further revealeth what was before in the word revealed, though possibly particular persons were ignorant of such revelations of the word: so things may be new, and newly revealed to us, which in themselves are not so. There are no new truths, but particular persons may have new discoveries of old truth, which they had before misapprehensions of.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost,…. Before spoken of, Joh 14:16, for whom Christ promised to pray the Father that he might be given to them. The word used there, as here, signifies an “advocate”, and is so rendered, 1Jo 2:1, a patron, one that pleads and defends, the cause of another, before kings and princes; so the Jewish writers z use the word , the same with
, here, and give this as the sense of it: and which agrees well enough with the work and office of the Spirit of God, who has promised to the apostles to speak in them and for them, when they should be brought before kings and governors for Christ’s sake; and would so thoroughly plead his cause and theirs, as to convince the world of sin, righteousness and judgment; and who acts the part of an intercessor, or advocate, for private believers, in prayer to the King of kings: but inasmuch as it also signifies a “comforter”, and this being agreeably to the present condition of the apostles, as before observed; it may be most proper to retain that sense of it here, who is explained to be the Holy Ghost; which is a more clear and explicit account of him than before, and very distinctly points out the third person in the Trinity, who is in his nature holy, equally with the Father and Son, and the author of holiness in all the saints:
whom the Father will send in my name. The mission of the Spirit is here ascribed to the Father, but not to the exclusion of the Son, who is also said to send him, Joh 15:26, which was not so proper to be mentioned here, because he speaks of his being sent, “in his name”; that is, at his request, through his mediation and intercession, in his room and stead, acting, the same part, and bearing the same flame of an advocate or comforter, and for the glory and honour of his name: which act of sending does not suppose any local motion, which cannot agree with an infinite and immense spirit; nor inferiority in him to the other two persons, since he who is sent by Christ, and in his name, is also the sender of Christ; but it denotes the joint consent and agreement of Father, Son, and Spirit, in this affair:
he shall teach you all things: this is the proper work and business of the Spirit, to teach, interpret, and explain all things which Christ had said to them; to make them more plain and easy to their understandings; to instruct them in all things necessary to salvation, and to be known by them, that they might teach them others:
and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said to you; which through inattention, or want of understanding in them, had slipped their minds, and were forgotten by them. This accounts for it, how the evangelists some years after the death of Christ; at different times and places, and without consulting each other, could commit to writing the life, actions, sayings, and sermons of Christ, with all the minute circumstances attending them.
z Maimon. & Bartenora in Pirke Abot, c. 4. sect. 11.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Whom (). Grammatical neuter, but “whom” is correct translation. The Father will send the Holy Spirit (John 14:16; Luke 24:49; Acts 2:33), but so will the Son (John 15:26; John 16:7) as Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit upon the disciples (20:22). There is no contradiction in this relation of the Persons in the Trinity (the Procession of the Holy Spirit). Here the Holy Spirit (full title as in Mark 3:29; Matt 12:32; Luke 12:10) is identified with the Paraclete.
He (). Emphatic demonstrative pronoun and masculine like .
Shall teach you all things ( ). The Holy Spirit knows “the deep things of God” (1Co 2:10) and he is our Teacher in the Dispensation of the Holy Spirit of both new truth (verse 25) and old.
Bring to your remembrance ( ). Future active indicative of , old verb to remind, to recall, here only in this Gospel (cf. 3John 1:10; 2Tim 2:14) and with two accusatives (person and thing). After pentecost the disciples will be able better to recall and to understand what Jesus had said (how dull they had been at times) and to be open to new revelations from God (cf. Peter at Joppa and Caesarea).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
In my name. See on ver. 13.
He [] . Setting the Advocate distinctly and sharply before the hearers. The pronoun is used in John’s First Epistle, distinctively of our Lord. See 1Jo 2:6; 1Jo 3:3, 5, 7, 16; 1Jo 4:17.
I have said [] . The aorist tense, I said.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,” (ho de parakletos to pneuma to hagion) “Then the comforter, which is the Holy Spirit,” whom the Father will send at my request, and on your behalf, Joh 14:16; Joh 15:26; Act 2:4.
2) “Whom the Father will send in my name,” (ho pempsei ho pater en to onomati mou) “Whom the Father will send in my name,” by my authority, as my vice-gerant, my representative, Joh 16:6; Joh 16:15; Luk 24:49; Act 1:3-4. The phrase “In my name,” means to represent me and promote my interest.
3) “He shall teach you all things,” (ekeinos humas didaksei panta) “That one will teach you all things,” or guide you “into all truth,” Joh 16:13-15; And give you unction to understand and apply my message, 1Jn 2:20; 1Jn 2:27. He will continue to lead you in my teaching, imparting and understanding my doctrine.
4) “And bring all thing to your remembrance,” (kai hupomnesei humas panta) “And he will remind you all of all things,” cause you to recall them for purposes of witnessing to those who were inspired, and for purposes of witnessing for every believer, Act 1:8; Act 10:43; Rev 19:10; 2Ti 3:16-17.
5) “Whatsoever I have said unto you.” (ha eipon humon ego) “Which I told you all personally and directly,” Joh 2:22; Luk 24:25-27; Luk 24:44-45.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(26) But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost.Better, as before, but the Advocate . . . (Comp. Excursus G: The Meaning of the word Paraclete.) For the words Holy Ghost comp. Joh. 7:39; Joh. 20:22, which are the only passages where we find them in this Gospel. They are frequent in the earlier Gospels. (See Note on Mat. 12:31.) In four passages in the New Testament (Luk. 11:13; Eph. 1:13; Eph. 4:30; 1Th. 4:8) our translators have preferred the rendering Holy Spirit. The identification here with the Advocate brings out the contrast between the practical obedience and holiness (Joh. 14:23) of those to whom the Holy Spirit should be sent, and the disobedience (Joh. 14:24) of those who rejected the revelation by the Son.
Whom the Father will send in my namei.e., as My representative. (Comp. Joh. 14:13.) Their Master will depart from them, but the Father will send them another Teacher who will make clear to them the lessons they have already heard, and teach them things which they cannot bear now.
He shall teach you all things.Comp. Joh. 16:13. The words are here without an expressed limitation, but the all things here is equal to the all truth in the later passage.
And bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.The limitation, whatsoever I have said unto you, is to be taken with this clause only, and is not to be extended to the words, He shall teach you all things. For instances of the recurrence of words spoken by our Lord with a fulness of new meaning revealed in them by the Holy Spirit, comp. Joh. 2:22; Joh. 12:16. The Gospel according to St. John, with its full records of the words spoken by our Lord, is itself a commentary on this text.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
26. Teach you all things bring to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said The Paraclete should teach and remind; and the subject both of this teaching and reminding should be all things whatsoever I have said. That is, it should make clear all that they did not understand, and remind them of all they had forgotten, in the words of Jesus. Within their apostolic prerogative they should be enabled, by the Spirit impregnating the words of Jesus, fully and truly to expound his doctrine. They should be able, respectively, to preach, to record, and to transmit to posterity the true system of his religion without any deficiency or error.
We now suppose a pause in the discourse of Jesus. Still his intense thoughts rest upon his departure, and upon the loved ones he leaves on earth. He resumes in words of pathos and yet of consolation.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“But the ideal companion (paraclete), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and enable you to remember all that I have said to you”.
However, they need not fear for another will come Who will replace Him in this task. And that replacement is the Holy Spirit, Who will be sent to them from the Father (see also Joh 14:16), and Who elsewhere is sent from the Son (‘I will send Him to you’ – Joh 15:26; Joh 16:7). They need not fear therefore that they will forget or misinterpret His words in the future. His words are too important for that. The coming Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, will teach them the full truth from beginning to end and will bring to their memory all His words. Thus does He ensure the preservation of His word (only possible to Hs disciples Who had heard it), and put His seal on their interpretation of His death and resurrection.
These words are vitally important as stressing, on Jesus’ authority, that His truth will be reliably and accurately preserved by Divine assistance. The Apostles, and those who wrote under their guidance, will fully preserve the truth. It is probable that some among them such as Matthew the ex-tax collector had already recorded some in writing (it would have been instinctive to Matthew to record what was spoken). Thus does Jesus lay His personal seal on the New Testament, and these words explain why the early church only accepted as divinely authoritative writings with Apostolic connections.
While we ourselves can accept that the Holy Spirit does guide us into truth and often bring Scripture to mind when we need it (e.g. 1Co 2:11 ff), these words above do not literally apply to us. We are not promised that we will be infallibly guided by the Spirit. This was only so at the beginning among those set apart for this purpose.
How often men say, ‘the Holy Spirit has shown me’, or ‘I have been guided by the Spirit’. How often such claims are made to look foolish. For if by this they are claiming that this therefore guarantees the authenticity of what they say or do they are sadly mistaken (as their disagreements with equally ‘inspired’ interpreters demonstrate quite clearly. That is why Paul said that the prophets must test out the words of each other – 1Co 14:19). For our fallible minds are not reliable channels of the Spirit’s activity. That is why Paul said of those who ‘spoke by the Spirit’ or prophesied – ‘let the others judge’ (1Co 14:29).
That was before there was a New Testament. Now of course we have an infallible guide by which to judge men’s teaching in the Scriptures. But all interpreters can so easily be fallible so that we need carefully to interpret each Scripture in the light of the whole, and compare it with the teaching of other Spirit filled men who are not fully of our own narrow persuasion, and thus come to a consensus of opinion, recognising that where there are differences on secondary matters (even though they may seem primary to us) in some of those matters it may be we who are wrong.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Ver. 26. But the Comforter, &c. ] The Spirit teacheth only things consonant to Scripture, and is thereby discerned from a spirit of delusion. He is not novarum revelationum architectus, author of new revelations, as Papists, Mahometans, Anabaptists, and Libertines would make him. The Jews also had many traditions and unwritten verities (as they called them) wherewith they believed their scribes and doctors were inspired, for the people’s better direction in observing the law. These they called Mashlamnuthoth, Completiones, Perfectiones, because they thought that the written law was perfected and completed by them. (Buxtorff.) These were those our Saviour cried down, Mat 15:5 . And the prophet tells us, that in vain shall we look to hear the voice behind us, where our “eyes see not our teachers,” Isa 30:20-21 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
26. ] q. d. ‘I know that ye do not understand them yet: but’ &c.
. . ] The Paraclete is now more closely defined by this well-known Name, and, by , and , designated personally , as One sent, and One acting on them.
. , not, ‘in My stead,’ but in regard of Me ‘in answer to My prayer, and prayers in My name, to those who bear My name, and as a means of manifesting Me.’
. stands by itself, not with : shall teach you all things; ‘all that can and may be learnt by you, all that belongs to your work and life in Me.’
] What is not understood is liable to be forgotten; and therefore in this word is implied the giving them a right understanding of, as well as recalling, what Jesus had said to them: see ch. Joh 2:22 ; Joh 12:16 .
It is on the fulfilment of this promise to the Apostles, that their sufficiency as Witnesses of all that the Lord did and taught, and consequently THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE GOSPEL NARRATIVE, is grounded .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Joh 14:26 . But His teaching would be continued and completed by the Paraclete: . The Paraclete is now identified with , and His connection with Christ is further guaranteed by the clause , “which the Father will send in my name,” that is, as representing me and promoting my interests. And this He will accomplish by teaching: “He,” and no longer the visible Christ, “will teach you all things,” in contrast to the (Joh 14:25 ) with which Christ had to be satisfied; but must itself be limited by the needs and capacities of the disciples. “and will bring to your remembrance all that I said to you,” that is, the teaching of the Spirit should so connect itself with the teaching of Christ as to revive the memory of forgotten words of His, and give them a new meaning. Cf. especially Joh 16:12-14 .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
the Holy Ghost = the Spirit, the Holy. Greek. to Pneuma to Hagion. The only place in John where the two articles are found. Elsewhere Mat 12:32. Mar 3:29; Mar 12:36; Mar 13:11. Luk 2:26; Luk 3:22. Act 1:16; Act 5:3, Act 5:32; Act 7:61; Act 8:18; Act 10:44, Act 10:47; Act 11:15; Act 13:2, Act 13:4; Act 15:8; Act 19:6; Act 20:23, Act 20:28; Act 21:11; Act 21:28, Act 21:25. Eph 1:13; Eph 4:30. Heb 3:7; Heb 9:8; Heb 9:10. is. Twenty-eight times (7 x 4 = 28. App-10). See App-101.
he = that One. Greek. ekeinos.
teach. Greek. didasko. Occurs 97 times, always rendered “teach”. Compare 1Jn 2:27. Other words translated “teach “are katangello, Act 16:21; katecheo, 1Co 14:19. Gal 1:6, Gal 1:6; matheteuo, Mat 28:19. Act 14:21; and paideuo, Act 22:3. Tit 2:12.
bring, &c. = put you in mind of. Occurs seven times: Luk 22:61. 2Ti 2:14. Tit 3:1. 2Pe 1:12. 2Jn 1:10. Jud 1:5. Compare Joh 2:17, Joh 2:22; Joh 12:16. Luk 24:6, Luk 24:8 (a kindred word).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
26.] q. d. I know that ye do not understand them yet: but &c.
. .] The Paraclete is now more closely defined by this well-known Name,-and, by , and , designated personally, as One sent, and One acting on them.
. , not, in My stead, but in regard of Me-in answer to My prayer, and prayers in My name,-to those who bear My name,-and as a means of manifesting Me.
. stands by itself, not with :-shall teach you all things;-all that can and may be learnt by you, all that belongs to your work and life in Me.
] What is not understood is liable to be forgotten;-and therefore in this word is implied the giving them a right understanding of, as well as recalling, what Jesus had said to them: see ch. Joh 2:22; Joh 12:16.
It is on the fulfilment of this promise to the Apostles, that their sufficiency as Witnesses of all that the Lord did and taught, and consequently THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE GOSPEL NARRATIVE, is grounded.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 14:26. , [That Person], He) So ch. Joh 15:26 [], He shall testify of Me; Joh 16:8, And when He is come, He () will reprove the world of sin, etc.; 13, 14, When He (), the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you, etc.: He () shall glorify Me.- . He shall teach you all things) There is not added here the clause, which I said unto you. For that Paraclete taught other things also: ch. Joh 16:12-13, I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit, when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth. Nor, however, even subsequently, were the whole of the dogmas of Christian truth infused into the apostles in one condensed mass; but as often as they needed them, and as the occasion suggested, the Paraclete instructed them in all the parts of the Apostolic office.-, shall bring to your remembrance) This very discourse (homily) furnishes an instance, as having been a long time afterwards so accurately written out by John. Add Act 11:16, [Peter says] Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that He said, John indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 14:26
Joh 14:26
But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,-The disciples were now distressed that Jesus was about to leave them. The coming of the Holy Spirit to teach and strengthen them would be an especial comfort to them so he is called the Comforter. The Father would send him in his name to take the place as the representative of Jesus.
he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you.-He was to teach all things needful to their well-being and to guide them into all truth, and to recall to their remembrance his teaching. Man is forgetful and a divine Monitor is sent to them to call to their memory all things he had taught them. The ground for their reliance on the certainty of the word of God is that the Spirit of God guided into the truths stated. All departure from the word of God concerning entrance into the church and into Christ come from the idea that the Spirit teaches outside of the word of God. All additions to the church in its order, organization, and work come from the idea that the Spirit dwells in. guides, and directs the church apart from his teaching in and through the word of God. To give up the word of God as the only direction and guidance of the Spirit is to give loose reign to the dreams and imaginations, the reasonings, and philosophies of men as the directions of the Holy Spirit. It is to substitute these for the revelations of God when men spake from God. being moved by the Holy Spirit. (2Pe 1:21). There used to be a dilemma about creeds. If a creed has more than is in the Bible, it has too much; if it has less than is in the Bible, it has too little; if it differs from the Bible, it is wrong; if it has just what the Bible has, it is the Bible, and not a human creed. So if the Spirit teaches more than the Bible teaches, he teaches too much; if he teaches less, he teaches too little; if he teaches different from the word of God, he teaches wrong; if he teaches what the word teaches, he teaches through the word, for no uninspired soul ever learned a spiritual truth save through the words of the Bible.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
the Comforter: Joh 14:16
Holy Ghost: Joh 7:39, Joh 20:22, Psa 51:11, Isa 63:10, Mat 1:18, Mat 1:20, Mat 3:11, Mat 28:19, Mar 12:36, Mar 13:11, Luk 1:15, Luk 1:35, Luk 1:41, Luk 1:67, Luk 2:25, Luk 3:22, Luk 11:13, Act 1:2, Act 1:8, Act 2:4, Act 5:3, Act 7:51, Act 7:55, Act 13:2, Act 13:4, Act 15:8, Act 15:28, Act 16:6, Act 20:28, Act 28:25, Rom 5:5, Rom 14:17, Rom 15:13, Rom 15:16, 1Co 2:13, 1Co 6:19, 1Co 12:3, 2Co 6:6, 2Co 13:14, Eph 1:13, Eph 4:30, 1Th 1:5, 1Th 1:6, 1Th 4:8, 2Ti 1:14, Tit 3:5, Heb 2:4, Heb 3:7, Heb 9:8, Heb 10:15, 1Pe 1:12, 2Pe 1:21, 1Jo 5:7, Jud 1:20
whom: Joh 14:16, Joh 15:26, Joh 16:7, Luk 24:49, Act 1:4
he: Joh 6:45, Joh 16:13, Joh 16:14, Psa 25:8, Psa 25:9, Psa 25:12-14, Isa 54:13, Jer 31:33, Jer 31:34, 1Co 2:10-13, Eph 1:17, 1Jo 2:20, 1Jo 2:27, Rev 2:11
bring: Joh 2:22, Joh 12:16, Act 11:16, Act 20:35
Reciprocal: Exo 4:12 – General Psa 25:5 – Lead Psa 119:12 – teach Psa 143:10 – thy spirit Isa 51:12 – am he Eze 11:19 – I will put Zec 2:8 – sent Luk 24:8 – General Joh 13:7 – What Joh 17:3 – and Jesus Act 2:33 – having 1Co 1:4 – the grace 1Co 2:14 – the things 2Co 1:4 – comforteth Eph 3:5 – by 1Th 4:9 – for ye 1Ti 6:13 – who quickeneth 2Ti 2:7 – and
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE DIVINE TEACHER
The Holy Ghost He shall teach you all things.
Joh 14:26
I. Merely human teaching will never make a Christian.The great difficulty of all teaching is to rouse attention. The scholar must co-operate with the teacher,
(a) This is one reason why sermons are so often in vain. They fall on dull ears, and never enter at all.
(b) The same thing makes preaching bad. A preacher longs to rouse attention; so he tries to say something new, or in a new way. But truth is old, and the best way was found out long ago. So sermons are dull, for who can help being dull when he knows it matters nothing what he says?
(c) And even supposing that the mind takes in what it hears, and assents to what is proved, there is another struggle yet. For we have to act and live by our rules. Some think the fall of man consisted in the loss of his power to govern himself; and certainly it is very weak. Memory, judgment, will all fail us at times. A crying need for something beyond ourselves.
II. The remedy for it all is the power of the Holy Ghost.
(a) The outward Teacher is not so great as the inner Helper.
(b) We have not lost Christ when the Holy Ghost brings to our remembrance all He was, and did, and said.
III. The Holy Ghost is everywhere the pervading influence of God.By the one Spirit come all gifts, inward and outward.
(a) The Sacraments are His.
(b) The renewed heart is His dwelling-place.
(c) Christian graces are His work.
(d) Whatsoever we see in the world, of good, is His.
(e) He is the finger of God, by which great works are done.
IV. Hence the absolute necessity of prayer and submission, and the inevitable humility of a Christian. For, we can consent, we can co-operate, but alone we can do nothing. The work may all be ascribed to God, because without His strength it is nothing; and yet it is our work, because it is by our will that God acts. A Christian, then, need fear nothing if the Holy Spirit be his Comforter. And for this must come
(a) A willing mind.
(b) A longing prayer.
(c) A ready consent and obedience.
We know how, by the use of natural force, men can do work beyond all unaided human strength. When mens strength fails, they call on Gods creatures to help them. There is a greater power than all natural forces. May we have grace to ask for and use well this power, which is Gods Holy Spirit.
Bishop Steere.
Illustration
The Spirit of God is eternal, not only in time, but also in sympathy and power. And there is no nation and no race, however abject, however far, that the Spirit does not reach, and draw into the bonds of Christian fellowship. And what holds true of the Church is also true of the individual. He who has the Spirit of God may fall, yes, does fall, yet will, and can rise up again because of the all-powerful presence and indwelling of the Spirit. No true Christian, true in will and purpose, however feeble in effort or in accomplishment, need despair. It is not the individuals strength, but the Spirits strength which will enable him to recover his ground, and overcome the temptation, or triumph over the habit, or purify the life.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
The Ministry of the Spirit
Joh 14:26-30; Joh 16:7-13
INTRODUCTORY WORDS
Christ came to His own, and His own received Him not. The Holy Spirit came to His own, seeking to bring every possible spiritual gift and blessing, but His own have received Him not. Many believers are seeking to paddle their own canoe, and to work out their own will, wholly forgetting the Spirit and His ministry.
There is nothing that comes in the life of the believer, whether in the way of victory in his walk, power in his work, or guidance in his way, apart from the Spirit of God.
We made our beginning in the Spirit, for we were begotten of the Holy Ghost. We must continue to walk in the Spirit, if we would know spiritual success in our life. It is not in a man to order his own steps. The natural man cannot understand the things of the Spirit. A Christian, apart from the Holy Spirit, is just as helpless as is a branch apart from the vine.
When we consider the life of Christ, we observe that He was born of the Spirit; He was anointed of the Spirit; He was filled with the Spirit; He was led of the Spirit; He went about doing good in the Spirit; He was raised from the dead by the Spirit; and He gave His final command for the evangelization of the world in the Spirit.
When we consider how Christ commanded the disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high, we begin to realize our utter dependency upon the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit came to meet the need of the believer. God sent Him because He knew that we could not walk without Him. It is for this cause that we believe that, ever and anon, we should stop to ponder the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit.
We recognize that the Spirit of God came to take of the things of Christ, and show them unto us; however, unless we recognize the Spirit, and give ear to His voice, He can show us nothing by way of revelation.
We are sure that the Holy Spirit came to give us the enduement of power in service; and therefore, unless we have the anointing of the Spirit we cannot have the power which we so much need in order to serve.
We know that the Spirit of God came to renew our mind, and to teach us spiritual things, therefore, if we fail to listen to His voice we cannot understand the mystery of God.
The Holy Spirit is just as necessary to our spiritual life as the air which we breathe is to our physical life.
I. IT IS THE MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT TO CONVICT (Joh 16:7-10)
1. The Holy Spirit came to convict the sinner of his sin. The minister of the Gospel is absolutely shut up to God the Spirit, when he desires to see the old time conviction of sin falling upon his audience. Every human argument, every tear-producing story, and every human manipulation must utterly fail to bring men to a sense of their sin, unless the Holy Ghost is present to empower our word and work with convincing, reproving, and convicting power.
(1) The Holy Ghost convicts men of sin, because they believe not in Christ. Conviction of sin is not merely a sinner’s sense of self-corruption. It is, pre-eminently, his sense of separation from God by his rejection of Christ.
All mankind knows that, morally, they are corrupt. The Spirit comes to show a sinner, lost in iniquity, that his chief need is a Saviour; while his chief sin is his unbelief in the Lord Jesus Christ.
(2) The Holy Ghost will convict men of righteousness, because Christ has gone to the Father. The Spirit shows the guilty and sin-pressed soul that the way to righteousness is now open through the Lord Jesus: God’s sinless sacrifice for sin has ascended, and has been proclaimed a Saviour.
The unsaved may know himself a sinner and feel his sin, without realizing that righteousness is possible in the ascended Lord. The Holy Spirit came to convince him that a new walk, and a new righteousness is possible in Christ Jesus.
(3) The Holy Ghost will convict men of judgment because the prince of this world is judged. The Spirit will convince the heart of the wicked, that he will see his own undoing and judgment, because Satan has been judged.
It was at the Cross that Christ met principalities and powers and triumphed over them openly. It was in the ascension that Christ Jesus passed up through these powers of darkness and sat down with them beneath His feet.
When the sinner sees that the good of this world has met his defeat, and awaits his casting down into the abyss, and his final casting down into the lake of fire; the Spirit will convince him that he needs to sever himself from obeisance and obedience to a defeated devil.
2. The sinner should not resist the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit convicts the sinner of his sin, until he sees the villainy of his heart; and, when his sin in the rejection of Christ lies heavily upon him; he must not resist the Spirit’s call, lest he find himself cast off from God without hope in this age, or in the age to come.
II. IT IS THE MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT TO WALK ALONG WITH THE CHILD OF GOD (Joh 14:26, f.c)
1. Christ said that the Comforter would come. The word “Comforter” comes from a Greek word “Paracletos,” which anglocized, is “Paraclete.” The word “Paraclete” means, “at your side.”
It was the purpose of the Father, then, to send us One to walk with us in our journey through life. He was to walk at our side in order to be our Guide, our Comforter, our Teacher.
You remember as Rebecca journeyed across the desert sands, Eliezer of Damascus, Abraham’s faithful servant, rode by her side. Rebecca would have been very loathe to take the journey through the desert alone. She was comforted, encouraged, and aided, however, in every possible way by the man who journeyed with her.
It is thus, also, that God has given us a Companion to journey with us through the wilderness of this world. He is with us as Heaven’s official Guide in our Heavenly pilgrimage.
Can you imagine the message which Eliezer bore home to the heart of Rebecca as they journeyed along? He spoke of Isaac. He elaborated on the greatness of Abraham; and showed that Isaac was Abraham’s son and heir. So, also, does the Holy Spirit elaborate on the glories of Christ. He tells us of the Father and of the Son.
2. What should be the believer’s attitude to the Comforter? The believer should give ear to the Spirit. He should listen with all intentness, that he may catch every word which is freely given him from God.
The believer should do more than that. He should give audience to the Spirit, but he should also obey the voice of the Spirit.
You remember the Scripture which reads, “As the heart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God.” The word “panteth” carries the thought of “following hard after.” That is just what we should do-we should follow hard after the Holy Ghost.
III. IT IS THE MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT TO TEACH THE CHILD OF GOD (1Jn 2:27)
1. It is impossible for the mind of man to comprehend the things of God. The Word of God is plain in this matter. “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
We who are sent forth to preach Christ are to preach Him, not in the wisdom of words, lest the Cross of Christ should be made of none effect. We have received not “the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”
The Apostle Paul said that he spoke “wisdom among them that [were] perfect”; however, he quickly added, “Yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world.” Paul spoke the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory.
2. It is possible for the Spirit of God to teach us the deep things of God. It is true that the natural ear hath not heard, nor the eye seen, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him; “But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.”
The words of our text do not mean that the one who is taught of the Spirit may not himself teach others. They do mean that man, in his own wisdom, cannot teach the child of God. They also mean that the child of God is not dependent upon men to teach him, but the anointing which he received of God will teach him.
We have known some dear old saints who were very ignorant in worldly lore, and yet, they knew more in the realm of spirituals than the wisest of men not taught of God.
IV. IT IS THE MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT TO TRANSFORM THE BELIEVER (2Co 3:18)
1. The Holy Spirit came to fashion us into the glory of the Lord; He wants to make us like Christ. This is not the work of a moment. Paul spoke of dying daily. Our text says, “We * * are [transformed] * * from glory to glory.”
The chief desire of every believer’s heart should be to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our ambition should be to go on to perfection. We should never be satisfied until we have reached the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. This is a particular ministry of the Holy Ghost.
Jesus Christ was transfigured, until the fashion of His countenance was altered, and His raiment was white and glistening. This is exactly in line with what the Holy Spirit wants to do in us.
We are all familiar with Rom 12:1-2, where we are taught to present our bodies a living sacrifice unto God. It is there that we are admonished by the Spirit: “Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The word transformed is the same as the word transfigured.
God wants us to walk as children of the light. He wants us to put off the flesh, and to walk in the Spirit. He wants us, as a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a peculiar people, to show forth the praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.
2. Since the Holy Ghost seeks to fashion us into the glory of the Lord, we must not grieve Him. What is it that grieves the Spirit? He came to form Christ in us, and when we permit anything to dominate our lives which is contrary to the life of Christ in the believer, we grieve the Spirit. It is for this cause that we read, “Wherefore putting away lying.”
“Let not the sun go down upon your wrath.”
“Let him that stole steal no more.”
“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth.”
“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.”
V. IT IS THE MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT TO EMPOWER THE BELIEVER FOR SERVICE (Act 1:8)
1. A great task is committed to saints. We are the salt of the earth. We are the witnesses of God. We are commissioned to go unto the ends of the earth making disciples. We are told to preach the Gospel to every creature.
This commanded service is a great undertaking, and there are many obstacles. The heart of man is set in him to do evil. Satan is seeking to catch away every seed of Gospel Truth which we attempt to sow.
As we face the command of God, we realize our utter inability. Of ourselves we can do nothing. We are dependent wholly upon God.
2. A great promise is given to saints. The Lord Jesus said, “All power is given unto Me in Heaven and in earth.” He also said, “Go,” and, “Lo, I am with you.”
Not only this, but the Lord Jesus commanded His disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high. He taught, “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.”
God has not sent us forth on a mission for Him, and left us weaklings unable to accomplish His commanded work. He will back up, with all of the authority of Heaven, those who go forth obedient to His voice.
3. A great warning is given to saints. In Thessalonians we read, “Quench not the Spirit.” The thought is of the Spirit as a great fire; and the warning is, do not quench the fire. In other words when the Holy Spirit calls us into fellowship with Him, in any ministry, we must stand ready to undertake for God. Even though we have but five loaves and a few fishes, we must bring them to the Lord, trusting in Him to multiply them.
If we are ignorant, we must look to His wisdom; if we are weak, we must trust His power; if the way seems dark, we must wait on Him for light.
AN ILLUSTRATION
The sad results of resisting the Spirit is set forth in the following story.
One day my telephone rang and a lady said, “Can you come down and visit my husband? He is very, very sick. The doctors say he will die, and he is not a Christian.” I said, “All right, I will come down,” I went and stood by the bed-the man had double pneumonia-and I said, “Old boy, I am sorry you are so sick.” After a while, as the Lord helped me, I talked of the Lord Jesus, and he said, “Here and now I receive Him, and I will tell you what I will do, If the Lord will restore me, I will forsake my sin, and I will come down and join your church, and be baptized.” Moreover he said, “I do receive Christ right now.”
I went on to my prayer-meeting that night, and said, “Brethren, I had a wonderful revival in a sick-room today. Mr. B——– told me he was saved, and he promised me that if the Lord would make him well, he would come down and join our church. Let us pray for him.” In a few days I went again to see Mr. B—. He was out of danger. On my third visit, I found him sitting out on the wood-pile, in the back yard. He loved good horses, and loved fine chickens, and he was out on the wood-pile, watching his chickens. I sat down beside him, and said, “Old boy, I am glad you are getting well. You will soon be ready to come to church.” He said, “Brother Neighbour, I am going to keep my promise, and unite with your church, and be baptized, a week from this next Sunday.” A couple of weeks went by, he did not come. One day I saw him on the street riding a beautiful, black steed. I hailed him and said to him, “Wait a minute, old boy.” Then I said, “I thought you were coming on and live for Christ.” He said, “Oh, Brother Neighbour, I will come.” But he didn’t come.
Week after week passed. Then, one day, as I was walking down the street, a groceryman, a member of our church, said to me, “We are going to have a sudden death in this city.” I said, “Who do you think is going to die?” He said, “The man that promised you all sorts of things, when he thought he was dying. As sure as you live, he will die shortly. The Word of God says: ‘He that being often reproved, and hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy.'” I do not believe a week had passed until I heard that man’s wife, over the telephone. She said, “Oh, Brother Neighbour, come, come, B——– is dead. He was at a banquet in the hotel and he fell over dead. Oh, Brother Neighbour, he is lost, he is lost, he is lost.” I went up and tried to comfort her. I think that was the saddest funeral I ever attended. They had to take the body to another town for interment, and on the train his wife collapsed a number of times. At the grave she said, “Oh, I could stand it, but he is not saved; I know he is lost. Oh, Brother Neighbour, he is lost.”
Fuente: Neighbour’s Wells of Living Water
6
Comforter is from PARA-KLETOS, and Thayer defines it, “A helper, succorer, alder, assistant.” He then explains his definition, “So of the Holy Spirit destined to take the place of Christ with the apostles (after his ascension to the Father), to lead them to the deeper knowledge of gospel truth, and to give them the divine strength needed to enable them to undergo trials and persecutions on behalf of the divine kingdom.” In view of the meaning of the Greek word, we can understand why the King James translators gave us “Comforter” in these passages. The apostles had been used to leaning on the counsel of Jesus for guidance, and to have that taken from them would give them a feeling of helplessness as well as loneliness. The Spirit would thus overcome this state of mind and really give them comfort. The inaccuracy of unaided human memory would have made the historical reports of the apostles rather uncertain. But with the guidance of the Spirit, they could relate the various conversations of Jesus with infallible accuracy.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
[He shall teach you all things.] So Joh 16:13; “He shall lead you into all truth.” Here it might be very fitly inquired, whether any ever, besides the apostles themselves, were “taught all things,” or “led into all truth.” It is no question but that every believer is led into all truth necessary for himself and his own happiness; but it was the apostles’ lot only to be led into all truth necessary both for themselves and the whole church.
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
Joh 14:26. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and he will bring to your remembrance all things that I said unto you. Again we meet with the expression in my name already considered by us at Joh 14:13, where we saw that it primarily refers to the name Son, and then to the revelation of the Father in the Son. It will be found that this conception suits each of those nine places in chaps, 14-17 where the words occur, as well as the two others in chap. 17 where Jesus speaks of manifesting or declaring the name of God. Here the Father sends the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus; that is, the sending of the Spirit is grounded in the Fathers revelation of Himself in the Son. It is because in Him He reveals Himself to us as our Father, because He makes us by faith in Him His own sons, that we are brought into that relation to Him which enables us to receive the fulness of His Spirit. In this verse, as contrasted with Joh 14:16, we have not merely a promise of the Spirit of the truth. There is an advance of thought, and the Spirit is spoken of in His training power, as He applies to the heart the truth which is His being. Several particulars in the words before us illustrate this. First, there is the epithet holy, which here, as throughout this Gospel, expresses the idea of complete separation from all that is of the world, and complete consecration to all that is spiritual and heavenly (comp. chaps. Joh 3:34, Joh 10:36). Secondly, the Father is to send the Spirit to the disciples even as He sent the Son (Joh 14:24), a statement indicating that He is sent to be in them for a similar purpose. And lastly, the all things that the Spirit is to teach must (according to the rules suggested by the climactic structure of our Gospel) be included in the all things spoken by Jesus, and now to be brought to their remembrance. What Jesus taught shall be the all things that they are taught; can they be taught for any other purpose than to be again spoken for the salvation of men? In the words of Jesus all things needed for mans salvation are implicitly contained, and with that teaching the disciples shall be filled. These considerations lead directly to the conclusion, of which we shall often have to make use in the closing chapters of this Gospel, that Jesus is now dealing with His disciples not as simply believers in His name, but as persons about to enter on His work.