John 14:15-30 – Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
Jesus spent his whole ministry caring about and looking out for others as these passages from John indicate. He is concerned for those close to him and he wants his followers (especially the apostles) to have a “Helper”. He is not going to be with them after his ascension and he realizes they will need help to continue the ministry that he began – and so enters the Holy Spirit.
I especially appreciate the way he introduces the Holy Spirit as “another Helper” – not Jesus’s replacement but a Helper, another part of the Trinity. He is not leaving them as orphans or abandoning them. Quite the opposite; he is asking the Father to give the followers more help to be with them forever. Some Bible translations refer to him as an advocate or counselor in place of a Helper, but I believe Helper is the better word choice for our day-to-day living and facing life’s experiences. It is difficult to only address particular sections of this scripture as one could explain and explore each sentence, but then this too is part of the gift of the scriptures.
These verses are full of promises beyond the giving of the Holy Spirit, starting with a simple affirmation of love on our part. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” That is what we must do to begin our relationship with Jesus and receive his promises. It does not seem to be such a great giving on our part, considering the amazing blessings Jesus is willing to give to us. Jesus repeats in verse 21 “whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” And yet again in verse 23 Jesus says, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word and my Father will love him and we will come to him and make our home with him.” It is important enough to Jesus that he mentions the necessity of keeping his commandments (teachings) three times within only a few verses.
Then Jesus continues with assurances for after he is gone by telling his followers more about the Holy Spirit as a Helper: “whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” A remarkable testimony to the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus then bring his followers’ focus to “do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid” because as he prepares to leave them, he wants them to know again that he will ask the Father to give them another Helper. What a Savior! And he had these plans in place long before his death.