John 14:16

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him: ye know him; for he abideth with you, and shall be in you.

This is the first of the five Paraclete sayings in John, concerning which Hans Windisch published a thin tract upholding the thesis that these sayings form no part of John's original Gospel but are interpolations! After listing a few so-called arguments, he asserted:

This confirms our thesis: the five Paraclete sayings do not belong in the original text of the farewell discourses. They are alien entities in the course of both dialogues (John 13-14, and John 15-16).[11]

And what is the evidence that supports such a thesis? Absolutely none whatever, as a glance at Windisch's so-called reasons will prove. Here are the particular prejudices presented by him as "evidence."

1. "They can be removed from the context without leaving a gap."[12] Is this a reason? One might remove any of the beatitudes without leaving a gap, or take a whole paragraph out of the Declaration of Independence without leaving a gap.

2. "The idea that Jesus comes back to his own is nowhere to be found, apart from the Paraclete references."[13] The argument (!) of this is that: after removing the five passages from John's Gospel, the idea that Jesus will come to his own in spirit form is nowhere to be found. This is like saying, "When we take out a, e, 1o, u, and y, there are no vowels in the alphabet!" or "If we take out all references to it, the thing is nowhere visible!" Windisch is inaccurate in his allegation that these passages alone teach the coming of the Holy Spirit. See under John 7:37-39.

3. "The sending of the Holy Spirit is an entirely new idea which is not prepared for in what comes before it and is not referred to in what follows."[14] Only a person shutting his eyes against one of the most conspicuous elements in Christianity could make a statement like that. The preparation for this discussion of the Paraclete was laid as early as John 7:38-39 (which see) and was fully anticipated by the statement in John 14:12 that Jesus was going to the Father.

Abideth with you ... refers to the unlimited identification of Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, as evidenced by the descending dove at his baptism. Further, as related by all the synoptics, and which John had in view throughout, the concept of the Spirit being in the disciples was dogmatically affirmed from the very first.

And when they bring you to trial and deliver you up, do not be anxious beforehand for what you are to say; but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak but the Holy Spirit (Mark 13:11; Matthew 10:19ff; and Luke 12:11ff).

In this light, it cannot be logically said that the reception of the Holy Spirit as an indwelling force in Christians (especially the apostles) is "an entirely new idea." We might ask, "New to whom?"

Now the above three alleged reasons were presented as the sole support of Windisch's ridiculous thesis; and they have been presented and exposed here to show how groundless and unreasonable are the efforts of "scholars" to butcher the Gospel of John. We shall now give attention to the blessed words of the promise itself.

He shall give you another Comforter ... Note that the Holy Spirit, called here the Comforter, will come as a result of Jesus' action in praying the Father; and this is consistent with the thought that Jesus himself sent the Spirit. His actions and the Father's actions are one, as repeatedly affirmed throughout John. Ferm's definition of the term "Paraclete" is:

A term applied in John to the Holy Spirit, though in 1John it is used of Christ himself. It means literally, "called to one's side," for the purpose of assistance, and thus corresponds exactly to the Latin "advocatus". In the newer versions of the New Testament, it is translated "Advocate," but this unduly narrows the meaning. It implies not merely intercessory help but help of every kind; and the old rendering, "Comforter," is still the best one, when taken in its original sense of "strengthener."[15]

Another Comforter ... identifies Jesus himself as the Comforter of the disciples up until that time, but he was preparing them for his departure to the Father.

That he may be with you forever ... Unlike his own brief ministry, that of the Holy Spirit would be coextensive with the whole Christian dispensation.

The Spirit of truth ... This is another name of the Comforter and stresses his function of guiding the apostles into all truth.

Whom the world cannot receive ... The life founded upon materialism and sense alone cannot partake of the indwelling strength available to Christians.

Ye know him, for he abideth with you ... The Holy Spirit "without measure" (John 3:34) dwelt in Christ during his ministry. Therefore, the apostles did "know him," whether "him" is referred to the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit, the latter being meant here.

And shall be in you ... refers to the Spirit's indwelling, especially of the apostles.

[11] Hans Windisch, The Spirit-Paraclete in the Fourth Gospel (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1968), p. 3.

[12] Ibid., p. 2.

[13] Ibid.

[14] Ibid.

[15] Vergilius Ferm, An Encyclopedia of Religion (New York: Philosophical Library, 1945), p. 560.