The philosopher in me slips out now and then. I see that the message for Pentecost this Sunday is the second sermon this year I’ve given a title with the word “truth” in it. Our text is John 14:8-17, the end of which is the first mention of the Paraclete, John’s unique term for the Holy Spirit.
“Paraclete” has been variously translated as “Advocate,” “Counselor,” “Helper” or “Comforter.” It means literally one “called alongside,” and implies support and encouragement. It had a primarily legal sense in the Greek world, so the idea of an advocate in court should be heard in the term.
It’s tempting to take John’s naming of the Paraclete as the “Spirit of Truth” and go off on a rant about how little our present culture cares for truth and how often truth is distorted or ignored. That’s all well and good, but probably not at all what Jesus had in mind as He promised the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Truth.
Instead, with the Paraclete/Advocate concept in focus we can see the Spirit as the one who comes to the aid of believers by presenting the truth. This is the Gospel truth, the truth about Jesus. The Spirit is the one who instructs the Apostles in the Gospel and sends them out to bear witness to its truth. Like an honorable attorney in court, the Spirit’s aim is to bring the truth to light.
In verse 17, Jesus goes on to say that the Spirit of truth “abides with you, and he will be in you.” It’s the Spirit who comes down upon the disciples on Pentecost to push them out into the streets of Jerusalem speaking the truth they have come to know about Jesus. From that point on, the understanding is that the Holy Spirit lives in every believer with the same goal of presenting the Gospel truth.
I’m going to be thinking about how that same Spirit of Truth moves us out into the world to witness to the Gospel.