Quotes & Notes on:     John 14:16   John Wesley,  Notes On the New Testament (1755): And I will ask the Father-The 21st verse, Joh 14:21, shows the connection between this and the preceding verses. And he will give you another Comforter-The Greek word signifies also an advocate, instructer, or encourager. Another-For Christ himself was one. To remain with you for ever-With you, and your followers in faith, to the end of the world. Reginald Fuller's Preaching the Lectionary (1984):  To be posted.   William Baird, Interpreter's Commentary, 1971:  To be posted.   J. McNicol, The New Bible Commentary, 1954:  To be posted.   I.H. Marshall, The New Bible Commentary, 1970:  To be posted.   David Guzik, Study Guide: To be posted.   Chuck Smith, Study Guide: To be posted.   Catechism of the Catholic Church: To be posted.   J. Norval Geldenhuys, Bible Expositor, 1960: To be posted.   Abingdon Bible Commentary (1929): To be posted.   D.D. Whedon, Commentary on Luke, 1866: To be posted.   Joseph Parker, People's Bible, 1901: To be posted.   The Fourfold Gospel:  The word "Comforter" does not fully translate the Greek word Paraklete; no English word does. The word "Advocate" may be used, and "Helper" is as good if not better than "Comforter." We should observe that by the use of the word "another" Jesus shows that he himself had been and would be a Paraklete. But earthly fellowship with him was about to be cut short, and therefore the Holy Spirit would come, with whom fellowship would never be interrupted. Treasury of Scripture Knowledge: * I will. Joh 14:14; 16:26; 17:9-11,15,20; Ro 8:34; Heb 7:25; 1Jo 2:1 * another. Joh 14:18; 15:26; 16:7-15; Ac 9:31; 13:52; Ro 5:5; 8:15,16,26; 14:17 Ro 15:13; Ga 5:22; Php 2:1 * abide. Joh 4:14; 16:22; Mt 28:20; Eph 1:13,14; Col 3:3,4; 2Th 2:16   Robertson's Word Pictures:  And I will pray the Father (kagô erôtêsô ton patera). Erôtaô for prayer, not question (the old use), also in Joh 16:23 (prayer to Jesus in same sense as aiteô), Joh 14:26 (by Jesus as here); Joh 17:9 (by Jesus), "make request of." Another Comforter (allon paraklêton). Another of like kind (allon, not heteron), besides Jesus who becomes our Paraclete, Helper, Advocate, with the Father (1Jo 2:1, Cf. Ro 8:26). This old word (Demosthenes), from parakaleô, was used for legal assistant, pleader, advocate, one who pleads another's cause (Josephus, Philo, in illiterate papyrus), in N.T. only in John's writings, though the idea of it is in Ro 8:26-34. Cf. Deissmann, Light, etc., p. 336. So the Christian has Christ as his Paraclete with the Father, the Holy Spirit as the Father's Paraclete with us (Joh 14:16,26; 15:26; 16:7; 1Jo 2:1). For ever (eis ton aiôna). This the purpose (hina) in view and thus Jesus is to be with his people here forever (Mt 28:20). See Joh 4:14 for the idiom.   William Burkitt's Notes: Christ comforteth his disciples here, with a promise of the mission of the Holy Spirit, to supply the want of his bodily presence. Where observe, 1. The procurer of this blessing, and that is Christ, by his prevailing prayer, and powerful intercession; I will pray: it runs in the future tense; and so it is a promise of Christ's continual intercession. As long as Christ is in heaven, a Christian shall not want a supply of comfort and consolation here on earth. Observe 2, The author and donor of the blessing, and that is, God himself; I will pray the Father, and he shall give. The Father, that is, my Father, your Father, and he that is the Father of comfort and consolation; I will pray, and he will give. It is an expression of great assurance. Observe, 3. The blessing itself, the Holy Ghost, called here, Another Comforter. Where note, 1. The divinity of the Holy Ghost; he that will supply the comforts of Christ's presence, must be as Christ is, the God of all comfort. Note, 2. The person of the Holy Ghost; he is a divine person, not a divine quality or operation; then we might call him a comfort, but not a comforter. Note, 3. The office and employment of the Holy Ghost; He is a Comforter; that is, an advocate, an intercessor to sue for us; an encourager, and one that administers consolation to us; and as he is an Holy Spirit, so are his comforts holy comforts. Observe, 4. The stability of this blessing; That he may abide with you for ever. The best of our outward comforts are sudden flashes, not lasting flames: but the consolations of the Holy Spirit are strong consolations, they are abounding consolations, and everlasting consolations; especially the Holy Spirit will be the comforter of good men in the day of affliciton, in the day of temptation, and at the hour of death, when all other comforts flag and fail. Observe lastly, The additional title given to the Holy Ghost, he is called the Spirit of truth; partly in opposition to Satan, who is called a lying spirit, partly because he teacheth and revealeth the truth, leadeth his people into all truth, and sealeth and confirmeth truth to the souls of believers: he is the spirit of truth, both in his essence and in his operations. Learn hence, That as the Holy Spirit is true in his essence and nature, so is he true in his office as a comforter to good men; all his consolations being real and solid, and free from imposture and delusion.   Family Bible Notes: Another, Comforter; another than myself, one who shall make good to you the loss of my personal presence. This is the first time that the word "Comforter" is applied, in the Scriptures, to the Holy Ghost. The Greek word, which occurs only in writings of John, means both advocate--as it is rendered in 1Jo 2:1, where it is applied to Christ--and Comforter. The Holy Spirit is the Counsellor and Guide, as well as the Comforter of God's people.   1599 Geneva Bible Notes: No comment on this verse.   People's New Testament Commentary:  I will pray the Father. Rather, request. The Greek word [eratao] is not the one used when we are bidden to pray [--proseuchomai is]. The creature prays; the Son requests. He shall give you another Comforter. The Holy Spirit; the Helper. The latter word more nearly expresses the idea of the Greek term parakletos than the word "Comforter." Abide with you for ever. The Lord had been with them over three years, but is about to depart. Henceforth he will abide with them, not in person, but by the Holy Spirit that he shall send. Through this agency he will be with his people "always" [Mt 28:20].   Albert Barnes' Commentary:   I will pray the Father. This refers to his intercession after his death and ascension to heaven, for this prayer was to be connected with their keeping his commandments. In what way he makes intercession in heaven for his people we do not know. The fact, however, is clearly made known, Ro 8:34; Heb 4:14; 13:25; 7:25. It is as the result of his intercession in heaven that we obtain all our blessings, and it is through him that our prayers are to be presented and made efficacious before God. Another Comforter. Jesus had been to them a counsellor, a guide, a friend, while he was with them. He had instructed them, had borne with their prejudices and ignorance, and had administered consolation to them in the times of despondency. But he was about to leave them now to go alone into an unfriendly world. The other Comforter was to be given as a compensation for his absence, or to perform the offices toward them which he would have done if he had remained personally with them. And from this we may learn, in part, what is the office of the Spirit. It is to furnish to all Christians the instruction and consolation which would be given by the personal presence of Jesus, Joh 16:14. To the apostles it was particularly to inspire them with the knowledge of all truth, Joh 14:26; 15:26. Besides this, he came to convince men of sin. See Barnes for Joh 16:8. It was proper that such an agent should be sent into the world-- 1st. Because it was a part of the plan that Jesus should ascend to heaven after his death. 2nd. Unless some heavenly agent should be sent to carry forward the work of salvation, man would reject it and perish. 3rd. Jesus could not be personally and bodily present in all places with the vast multitudes who should believe on him. The Holy Spirit is omnipresent, and can reach them all. See Barnes for Joh 16:7. 4th. It was manifestly a part of the plan of redemption that each of the persons of the Trinity should perform his appropriate work--the Father in sending his Son, the Son in making atonement and interceding, and the Spirit in applying the work to the hearts of men. The word translated Comforter is used in the New Testament five times. In four instances it is applied to the Holy Spirit-- Joh 14:16; 21:25; 15:26; 16:7. In the other instance it is applied to the Lord Jesus--1Jo 2:1: "We have an advocate (Paraclete -- Comforter) with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." It is used, therefore, only by John. The verb from which it is taken has many significations. Its proper meaning is to call one to us (Ac 27:20); then to call one to aid us, as an advocate in a court; then to exhort or entreat, to pray or implore, as an advocate does, and to comfort or console, by suggesting reasons or arguments for consolation. The word "comforter" is frequently used by Greek writers to denote an advocate in a court; one who intercedes; a monitor, a teacher, an assistant, a helper. It is somewhat difficult, therefore, to fix the precise meaning of the word. It may be translated either advocate, monitor, teacher, or helper. What the office of the Holy Spirit in this respect is, is to be learned from what we are elsewhere told he does. We learn particularly from the accounts that our Saviour gives of his work that that office was, 1st. To comfort the disciples; to be with them in his absence and to supply his place; and this is properly expressed by the word Comforter. 2nd. To teach them, or remind them of truth; and this might be expressed by the word monitor or teacher, Joh 14:26 Joh 15:26,27. 3rd. To aid them in their work; to advocate their cause, or to assist them in advocating the cause of religion in the world, and in bringing sinners to repentance; and this may be expressed by the word advocate, Joh 16:7-13. It was also by the Spirit that they were enabled to stand before kings and magistrates, and boldly to speak in the name of Jesus, Mt 10:20. These seem to comprise all the meanings of the word in the New Testament, but no single word in our language expresses fully the sense of the original. That he may abide with you for ever. Not that he should remain with you for a few years, as I have done, and then leave you, but be with you in all places to the close of your life. He shall be your constant guide and attendant. {o} "another Comforter" Joh 15:26   Jamieson-Faussett Brown:  No comment on this verse.   Spurgeon Devotional Commentary:  No comment on this verse.   Adam Clarke's Commentary:  I will pray the Father] After having made an atonement for the sin of the world, I will become the Mediator between God and man; and through my mediation and intercession shall all the blessings of grace and glory be acquired. Another Comforter] The word signifies not only a comforter, but also an advocate, a defender of a cause, a counsellor, patron, mediator. Christ is thus termed, 1Jo 2:1, where the common translation renders the word advocate. Christ is thus called, because he is represented as transacting the concerns of our souls with God; and for this cause, he tells us, he goes unto the Father, Joh 14:12. The Holy Spirit is thus called, because he transacts the cause of God and Christ with us, explains to us the nature and importance of the great atonement, shows the necessity of it, counsels us to receive it, instructs us how to lay hold on it, vindicates our claim to it, and makes intercessions in us with unutterable groanings. As Christ acted with his disciples while he sojourned with them, so the Holy Ghost acts with those who believe in his name. For ever] As the death and atonement of Christ will be necessary to man till the conclusion of the world, so the office of the Holy Spirit must be continued among men till the end of time: therefore says Christ, he shall continue with you for ever, teaching, comforting, advising, defending, and interceding for you and for all my followers to the end of time.   Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary: To be posted.

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See also:  220.7 - Bible Commentaries; 251 - Homiletics;  252 - Sermon Texts