"Whom The Father Will Send"

It was to the Holy Spirit the Lord Jesus referred when He spake these words (John 14. 26), and from the well-known word "whom," we gather that the Holy Spirit cannot be either a thing or influence but a person, although He came not in bodily form. By three different names is He described in this chapter, not considering the margin: Comforter, Spirit of Truth, and Holy Spirit. The return of the Lord Jesus to His Father God meant that the Apostles would be left like orphans were no provision made for them: so we read, "1 will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter" (verse 16): and remarkable is it that the first reference in this chapter to the holy Spirit mentions Him as a Comforter, especially remembering that twice we have the Lord saying, "Let not your heart be troubled."

"Another Comforter" implies that the Lord Jesus also was a Comforter. Well knew those Apostles how repeatedly He had comforted them by His uplifting words; and as He had been, so was the Holy Spirit to be. But how would this One comfort them? By coming from the presence of God to them; by being in them; and by abiding with them. He would teach, and bring to their remembrance, when the Lord was absent, what He had spoken while with them, just as if He were still present. Thus would they be encouraged to remain faithful to their Master. Sayings and words which came from the Son have been preserved, all because the Father sent the Holy Spirit to bring those utterances to remembrance, and made them live in a very special sense by reason of his divine presence.

This Holy Being resembles the Lord Jesus in that He also was sent by the Father; and true, too, of Him is it that "He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God" (John 3. 34). He does not speak from Himself (see John 16. 7-14, verse 13 particularly). Although His ministry is varied, He is available to bring words of comfort to the children of God, as truly as in those memorable days when the Apostles missed their Master so much. By causing us to remember words of the Lord Jesus, and ponder over them, He comforts in a way we could not otherwise be comforted. To do this, He has been sent by the Father.

unknown | Sept 1932
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