John 14:15-21

Summary:  Typically I have preached on the Acts 17 passage that matches up with this.  However, I would offer that this passage carefully shows that the work of Jesus and the Spirit are far more similar than we typically describe.  Still working on how this fleshes itself out into a Sermon -- likely the Acts passage puts this on display!  I wonder if the Acts passage shows this Spirit at work, as we bear witness to the truth.

Key words

αγαπατε & τηρησετε (love and keep)  These words are paired together a couple of times in this section.  A couple of points

• In verse 14:15 they are in the plural - if "you all love me..."  In verse 14:23 they are in the singular "anyone who loves me."  This is a reminder that the command to love Jesus is both personal and collective.
• Love and keeping commandments are related.  We so often think of holding to commandments as something that must be done out of duty alone; but here it is connected with love.
• I've been spending a lot of time reading the Gospel of John this year.  I still am looking for what Jesus considers to be his commandments.  In the Gospel of John, the commandments I can find seem to be about love and trust.  While beautiful, these are two things impossible to manufacture, but which can grow.  They are feelings, but they lead to concrete actions.  
• If I could put this together, Jesus is not saying, that the Holy Spirit will defend you against God when you don't do these things on the list; but rather, Jesus is saying, the Spirit will dwell in you so that love, faith and hope can grow.

αλλον (form of αλλος, meaning "another", 14:16)  While this word can mean "other" it can also mean "another."  I would lean toward "another" because in this way, Jesus identifies himself with the work of the Spirit.  The Spirit's activity will be the same as Jesus.  This is also suggested by Jesus' declaration that he will not leave them orphaned, but in fact, is coming to them.

παρακλετος (literally 'paraklete', meaning "counselor", 14:16)  I've done a longer posts on this word, you can read about this here:  http://lectionarygreek.blogspot.com/2013/05/john-1612-15-holy-trinity-sunday-year-c.html  Key nuggets

• Paraklete is often translated "advocate"; this is very "cold" translation of this term.  The idea is for more intimate in John's Gospel.  The NET Bible offers a good footnote on this.
• When advocacy is done by the Spirit, it is not protecting us from God's judgment, but rather giving us words of witness before the world.

η ("he is", forced into a subjective voice by the ινα clause).  My point:  The father intends to be with us.  Why I argue this, against the NIV translation that the Spirit will be with us?  The subject of the main sentence is "the father" as in the "the Father will give you another paraklete."  The subordinate clause, "in order that he might be with you forever" does not have a new subject in Greek.  The subject is included in the conjugated verb, "he/she/it is."  It does not make sense to me that the subordinate clause would get a new subject.  Jesus is making the point that the Father will still be with us through the Spirit. 

What is at stake here?  If you put together the idea of "advocate who is with us", too often we have a bad Trinitarian formulation in that God the Father is mad, God the son is bloody and God the Spirit is somehow arguing to God the Father that God the Father's judgment is all wrong, but that looking at God the Son, beaten up, will make God the Father forget his anger.  This is not the Gospel of Jhon.  Jesus is saying that God's Spirit will continue the work Jesus has done, to bring humanity back to God.

αληθεια (it adds an ς in the genitive case, means 'truth', 14.17)  First, I consider it ironic that the comforter is one who brings truth.  Typically truth and comfort do not go hand in hand!  Second, it is worth noting that Jesus just proclaimed himself the way, truth and life.  Now the Spirit is the vessel of truth.  Again, connecting the word of the Spirit and Jesus!

υμιν (you plural in dative form, 14.17 and 14.20)  Throughout this section, the you is always in the plural:  "All y'all will live."  "I am with all y'all."  This is especially worth noting when Jesus says "I am in you."  Typically we hear this in an inner-personal way -- Jesus is in my heart.  Yet this construction:  "εν υμιν" (20) should more be translated "among you."  The evidence of Jesus is not found within our own heart, but within the whole community.