John 14:15-19 If you love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him: but you know him; for he dwells with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world sees me no more; but you see me: because I live, you shall live also.
If you love Jesus, keep His commandments. Be a doer of the Word and not just a hearer. (Jas. 1:22) Live in obedience to the Word.
‘And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you …’ The 33rd New Testament prophecy in John fulfilled and being fulfilled. Jesus became the Mediator between God and man (1Tim. 2:5), and through His mediation and intercession, all blessings of grace shall come to us (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25). ‘Another’ not Christ, but another divine person – the Comforter is the Holy Spirit who is our helper.
‘Abide with you for ever’ for those who stay in Christ, there will always be access to the Holy Spirit who is the one that convinces of sin and reminds us of the Word as long as we don’t quench Him (1Thess. 5:19) or grieve Him (Eph. 4:30) by living in sin. He is the Spirit of the truth because He teaches the Truth [the Word]. The world – unsaved – cannot receive Him. Therefore, all men do not have the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9, 14-16; Gal. 4:6; 1Cor. 3:16-17) because they refuse to “see” or understand Him (1Cor. 2:14) or become acquainted with Him by receiving the gospel and permitting His work in their lives (John 1:12; 3:5, 16-20, 36; 5:24; 16:7-15).
‘You know him’ You disciples know the Holy Spirit or have experienced Him, for He dwells in you in a measure and He shall come into your lives in all fullness when you are baptized in the Spirit [that happened about 50 days later]. (John 7:37-39; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-8)
The word ‘with’ in verse 17 is the Greek word para which means beside, alongside of, proving that the Spirit was with the disciples. He was even “in” them (Matt. 10:1-8, 20; cp. Mark 6:7-13; Luke 9:1-10; 10:1-20). If He was in them and yet shall be in them it could only refer to receiving the Spirit in greater, baptismal measure as Christ had (John 3:34). Christ came to give all disciples this fullness of the Spirit (Matt. 3:11; John 1:31-33; 7:37-39; Luke 11:13; 24:49; Acts 1:4-8; 2:16-21, 33, 38-39; 5:32; Gal. 3:14). The doctrine of interpenetration does not mean physical entrance into, but union with, so the idea is that there is a measure and a fullness, a partial union with and a complete union with the Spirit.
‘Comfortless’ is the Greek word orphanos. Disciples of a particular teacher were called his children and upon his death, they were considered orphans. Christ calls His disciples children (John 13:33) and now promises that He will not leave them orphans.
‘I will come to you’ He did so as promised after His resurrection (John 20:1-31; Acts 1:3). ‘Yet a little while’ it was about 20 hours when He would be taken down from the cross. Because He was resurrected they will also one day be resurrected. His resurrection will be a pledge and proof of ours (1Cor. 15:1-58).
Living the Word 