John 14:26

14:26 Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit (see also 14:16; 15:26; 16:7, 12-14). • The Spirit will teach . . . everything, recalling Jesus’ words and clarifying their meaning. John experienced this power as he wrote his Gospel (2:22); Christians experience this work of the Spirit as they read the Scriptures.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Joh 14:26. Ἐκεῖνος, [That Person], He) So ch. Joh 15:26 [ἐκεῖνος], “He shall testify of Me;” Joh 16:8, “And when He is come, He (ἐκεῖνος) will reprove the world of sin,” etc.; 13, 14, “When He (ἐκεῖνος), the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you, etc.: He (ἐκεῖνος) shall glorify Me.”—διδάξει πάντα. He shall teach you all things) There is not added here the clause, which I said unto you. For that Paraclete taught other things also: ch. Joh 16:12-13, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit, when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth.” Nor, however, even subsequently, were the whole of the dogmas of Christian truth infused into the apostles in one condensed mass; but as often as they needed them, and as the occasion suggested, the Paraclete instructed them in all the parts of the Apostolic office.—ὑπομνήσει, shall bring to your remembrance) This very discourse (homily) furnishes an instance, as having been a long time afterwards so accurately written out by John. Add Act 11:16, [Peter says] “Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that He said, John indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.”

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh 14:26 . But His teaching would be continued and completed by the Paraclete: ὁ δὲ παράκλητος … ὑμῖν . The Paraclete is now identified with τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον , and His connection with Christ is further guaranteed by the clause ὃ πέμψει ὁ πατὴρ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου , “which the Father will send in my name,” that is, as representing me and promoting my interests. And this He will accomplish by teaching: ἐκεῖνος “He,” and no longer the visible Christ, “will teach you all things,” πάντα in contrast to the ταῦτα (Joh 14:25 ) with which Christ had to be satisfied; but πάντα must itself be limited by the needs and capacities of the disciples. καὶ ὑπομνήσει … “and will bring to your remembrance all that I said to you,” that is, the teaching of the Spirit should so connect itself with the teaching of Christ as to revive the memory of forgotten words of His, and give them a new meaning. Cf. especially Joh 16:12-14 .

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 26. He shall teach you all things] If in the things which I have already spoken to you, there appear to you any obscurity, the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, Counsellor, and Instructer, will take away all your doubts, free you from all embarrassment, and give you a perfect understanding in all things: and this Spirit ye shall shortly receive.

And bring all things to your remembrance] Here Christ promises them that inspiration of the Holy Spirit which enabled them not only to give a true history of his life and death, but also gave them the most perfect recollection of all the words which he had spoken to them, so that they have been able to transmit to posterity the identical words which Jesus uttered in his sermons, and in his different discourses with them, the Jews, and others.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(26) But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost.—Better, as before, but the Advocate . . . (Comp. Excursus G: The Meaning of the word Paraclete.) For the words “Holy Ghost” comp. Joh_7:39; Joh_20:22, which are the only passages where we find them in this Gospel. They are frequent in the earlier Gospels. (See Note on Mat_12:31.) In four passages in the New Testament (Luk_11:13; Eph_1:13; Eph_4:30; 1Th_4:8) our translators have preferred the rendering “Holy Spirit.” The identification here with the Advocate brings out the contrast between the practical obedience and holiness (Joh_14:23) of those to whom the Holy Spirit should be sent, and the disobedience (Joh_14:24) of those who rejected the revelation by the Son.

Whom the Father will send in my name—i.e., as My representative. (Comp. Joh_14:13.) Their Master will depart from them, but the Father will send them another Teacher who will make clear to them the lessons they have already heard, and teach them things which they cannot bear now.

He shall teach you all things.—Comp. Joh_16:13. The words are here without an expressed limitation, but the “all things” here is equal to the “all truth” in the later passage.

And bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.—The limitation, “whatsoever I have said unto you,” is to be taken with this clause only, and is not to be extended to the words, “He shall teach you all things.” For instances of the recurrence of words spoken by our Lord with a fulness of new meaning revealed in them by the Holy Spirit, comp. Joh_2:22; Joh_12:16. The Gospel according to St. John, with its full records of the words spoken by our Lord, is itself a commentary on this text.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

26. But the Comforter] Better, But the Advocate (see on Joh_14:16).

which is the Holy Ghost] Even the Holy Spirit. The epithet ‘holy’ is given to the Spirit thrice in this Gospel; Joh_1:33, Joh_20:22, and here (in Joh_7:39 the ‘holy’ is very doubtful). It is not frequent in any Gospel but the third; five times in S. Matthew, four in S. Mark, twelve in S. Luke. S. Luke seems fond of the expression, which he uses about forty times in the Acts; and he rarely speaks of the Spirit without prefixing the ‘holy.’ Here only does S. John give the full phrase, both substantive and epithet having the article: in Joh_1:33 and Joh_20:22 there is no article.

in my name] As My representative, taking My place and continuing My work (see on Joh_14:13). ‘He shall not speak of Himself … He shall receive of Mine and shew it unto you’ (Joh_16:13-14). The mission of the Paraclete in reference to the glorified Redeemer, is analogous to the mission of the Messiah in reference to the Father.

shall teach you all things] i.e. ‘guide you into all the truth’ (Joh_16:13). He shall teach them the Divine truth in its fulness; all those things which they ‘cannot bear now,’ and also ‘things to come.’

bring all things to your remembrance] Not merely the words of Christ, a particular in which this Gospel is a striking fulfilment of this promise, but also the meaning of them, which the Apostles often failed to see at the time: comp. Joh_2:22, Joh_12:16; Luk_9:45; Luk_18:34; Luk_24:8. “It is on the fulfilment of this promise to the Apostles, that their sufficiency as Witnesses of all that the Lord did and taught, and consequently the authenticity of the Gospel narrative, is grounded” (Alford).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,.... Before spoken of, Joh 14:16, for whom Christ promised to pray the Father that he might be given to them. The word used there, as here, signifies an "advocate", and is so rendered, Jo1 2:1, a patron, one that pleads and defends, the cause of another, before kings and princes; so the Jewish writers (z) use the word the same with here, and give this as the sense of it: and which agrees well enough with the work and office of the Spirit of God, who has promised to the apostles to speak in them and for them, when they should be brought before kings and governors for Christ's sake; and would so thoroughly plead his cause and theirs, as to convince the world of sin, righteousness and judgment; and who acts the part of an intercessor, or advocate, for private believers, in prayer to the King of kings: but inasmuch as it also signifies a "comforter", and this being agreeably to the present condition of the apostles, as before observed; it may be most proper to retain that sense of it here, who is explained to be the Holy Ghost; which is a more clear and explicit account of him than before, and very distinctly points out the third person in the Trinity, who is in his nature holy, equally with the Father and Son, and the author of holiness in all the saints:

whom the Father will send in my name. The mission of the Spirit is here ascribed to the Father, but not to the exclusion of the Son, who is also said to send him, Joh 15:26, which was not so proper to be mentioned here, because he speaks of his being sent, "in his name"; that is, at his request, through his mediation and intercession, in his room and stead, acting, the same part, and bearing the same flame of an advocate or comforter, and for the glory and honour of his name: which act of sending does not suppose any local motion, which cannot agree with an infinite and immense spirit; nor inferiority in him to the other two persons, since he who is sent by Christ, and in his name, is also the sender of Christ; but it denotes the joint consent and agreement of Father, Son, and Spirit, in this affair:

he shall teach you all things: this is the proper work and business of the Spirit, to teach, interpret, and explain all things which Christ had said to them; to make them more plain and easy to their understandings; to instruct them in all things necessary to salvation, and to be known by them, that they might teach them others:

and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said to you; which through inattention, or want of understanding in them, had slipped their minds, and were forgotten by them. This accounts for it, how the evangelists some years after the death of Christ; at different times and places, and without consulting each other, could commit to writing the life, actions, sayings, and sermons of Christ, with all the minute circumstances attending them.

(z) Maimon. & Bartenora in Pirke Abot, c. 4. sect. 11.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Ver. 26. But the Comforter, &c.] The Spirit teacheth only things consonant to Scripture, and is thereby discerned from a spirit of delusion. He is not novarum revelationum architectus, author of new revelations, as Papists, Mahometans, Anabaptists, and Libertines would make him. The Jews also had many traditions and unwritten verities (as they called them) wherewith they believed their scribes and doctors were inspired, for the people’s better direction in observing the law. These they called Mashlamnuthoth, Completiones, Perfectiones, because they thought that the written law was perfected and completed by them. (Buxtorff.) These were those our Saviour cried down, Mat 15:5. And the prophet tells us, that in vain shall we look to hear the voice behind us, where our "eyes see not our teachers," Isa 30:20-21.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Will send in my name - On my account. To perfect my work. To execute it as I would in applying it to the hearts of men. See Joh 14:13.

Shall teach you all things - All things which it was needful for them to understand in the apostolic office, and particularly those things which they were not prepared then to hear or could not then understand. See Joh 16:12. Compare the notes at Mat 10:19-20. This was a full promise that they would be inspired, and that in organizing the church, and in recording the truths necessary for its edification, they would be under the infallible guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Bring all things to your remembrance - This probably refers to two things:

1. He would seasonably remind them of the sayings of Jesus, which they might otherwise have forgotten. In the organization of the church, and in composing the sacred history, he would preside over their memories, and recall such truths and doctrines as were necessary either for their comfort or the edification of his people. Amid the multitude of things which Jesus spake during a ministry of more than three years, it was to be expected that many things which he had uttered, that would be important for the edification of the church, would be forgotten. We see, hence, the nature of their inspiration. The Holy Spirit made use of their memories, and doubtless of all their natural faculties. He so presided over their memories as to recall what they had forgotten, and then it was recorded as a thing which they distinctly remembered, in the same way as we remember a thing which would have been forgotten had not some friend recalled it to our recollection.

2. The Holy Spirit would teach them the meaning of those things which the Saviour had spoken. Thus they did not understand that he ought to be put to death until after his resurrection, though he had repeatedly told them of it, Luk 24:21, Luk 24:25-26. So they did not until then understand that the gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles, though this was also declared before. Compare Mat 4:15-16; Mat 12:21, with Act 10:44-48.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, as proceeding also from me: and therefore Christ saith, in the next chapter, (ver. 26) that he himself will send him from the Father. He will teach you all things, &c. He will give you a more perfect knowledge of all those truths, which I have taught you. (Witham) --- Teach you all things. Here the Holy Ghost is promised to the apostles, and their successors, particularly, in order to teach them all truth, and to preserve them from error. (Challoner) --- The Scripture, in different places, remarks, that the apostles did not understand the accomplishment of prophecies, as soon as they were fulfilled. (Luke xxiv. 27.) They could not draw the comparison between the actions of our Saviour, and the figures of the old law: but no sooner had the Holy Ghost descended upon them, than they explained the Scriptures, their hearts and eyes being opened and enlightened by the light of the Holy Spirit. (Calmet) --- See chap. xvi. ver. 12. and 13.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The word is the same which was so translated before; (see the import of it, Joh 14:16,17) he is there called the

Comforter, and the Spirit of truth; here, the Holy Spirit. The Father here is said to send in the name, that is, with the authority and upon the mediation, of the Lord Jesus Christ: and two pieces of the Spirit’s work, besides comforting, are here expressed.

He shall teach you all things; he shall more fully explain to you all things. Three of the apostles themselves had already in this chapter discovered great degrees of ignorance as to the doctrine of the Trinity, Christ’s union or oneness with his Father, &c. You shall not be left (saith our Saviour) in this ignorance; for when the Holy Spirit shall come, he shall more fully and perfectly instruct you in all things, in which I have already instructed you, and which are necessary for you to know in order to your eternal happiness.

And bring all things to your remembrance; whatsoever I have said unto you; and shall bring to your remembrance the things I have taught you, so as you shall more fully and clearly understand them; and though you may have forgotten them, yet they shall by the Holy Spirit be revived in your memories; so as they shall not be like water spilt on the ground, which cannot again be gathered up, but like seed sown in the earth; which, though it may at present rot, and die under the clods, or at least not spring up, yet it shall spring up, and bring forth desired fruit. It is one great work of the Holy Spirit, to bring the revelations of holy writ to our remembrance, and withal to clear to us the sense of them, and confirm our faith in them, and chiefly quicken us to practise what is our duty: but it is to be observed, that the Spirit doth not make revelations of new notions; it only brings to our remembrance what Christ hath said, and further revealeth what was before in the word revealed, though possibly particular persons were ignorant of such revelations of the word: so things may be new, and newly revealed to us, which in themselves are not so. There are no new truths, but particular persons may have new discoveries of old truth, which they had before misapprehensions of.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

26. Teach you all things… bring… to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said—The Paraclete should teach and remind; and the subject both of this teaching and reminding should be all things whatsoever I have said. That is, it should make clear all that they did not understand, and remind them of all they had forgotten, in the words of Jesus. Within their apostolic prerogative they should be enabled, by the Spirit impregnating the words of Jesus, fully and truly to expound his doctrine. They should be able, respectively, to preach, to record, and to transmit to posterity the true system of his religion without any deficiency or error.

We now suppose a pause in the discourse of Jesus. Still his intense thoughts rest upon his departure, and upon the loved ones he leaves on earth. He resumes in words of pathos and yet of consolation.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In my name - For my sake, in my room, and as my agent. He will teach you all things - Necessary for you to know. Here is a clear promise to the apostles, and their successors in the faith, that the Holy Ghost will teach them all that truth which is needful for their salvation.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

26. The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost. More correctly, Holy Spirit. He shall teach you all things. A special promise to the apostles, which fitted them to preach the Gospel authoritatively and leave behind them the records of the New Testament.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

26. ἅγιον. This epithet is given to the Spirit thrice in this Gospel; Joh 1:33, Joh 20:22, and here: in Joh 7:39 ἅγιον is an insertion. It is not frequent in any Gospel but the third; 5 times in S. Matthew , 4 in S. Mark , 12 in S. Luke. S. Luke seems fond of the expression, which he uses some 40 times in the Acts; rarely using Πνεῦμα without ἅγιον. Here only does S. John give the full phrase: in Joh 1:33 and Joh 20:22 there is no article.

ἐν τ. ὀν. μ. As My representative, taking My place and continuing My work: see on Joh 14:13 and comp. Joh 16:13-14. The mission of the Paraclete in reference to the glorified Redeemer is analogous to that of the Messiah in reference to the Father. And His two functions are connected: He teaches new truths, ‘things to come,’ things which they ‘cannot bear now,’ in recalling the old; and He brings the old to their remembrance in teaching the new. He recalls not merely the words of Christ, a particular in which this Gospel is a striking fulfilment of the promise, but also the meaning of them, which the Apostles often failed to see at the time: comp. Joh 2:22, Joh 12:16; Luk 9:45; Luk 18:34; Luk 24:8. “It is on the fulfilment of this promise to the Apostles, that their sufficiency as Witnesses of all that the Lord did and taught, and consequently the authenticity of the Gospel narrative, is grounded” (Alford).

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

26.] q. d. ‘I know that ye do not understand them yet: but’ &c.

τὸ πν. τὸ ἅγ.] The Paraclete is now more closely defined by this well-known Name,—and, by ὃ πέμψει ὁ πατήρ, and ἐκεῖνος …, designated personally, as One sent, and One acting on them.

ἐν τῷ ὀν. μου, not, ‘in My stead,’ but in regard of Me—‘in answer to My prayer, and prayers in My name,—to those who bear My name,—and as a means of manifesting Me.’

διδάξ. πάντα stands by itself, not with ἃ εἶπον:—shall teach you all things;—‘all that can and may be learnt by you, all that belongs to your work and life in Me.’

ὑπομνήσει] What is not understood is liable to be forgotten;—and therefore in this word is implied the giving them a right understanding of, as well as recalling, what Jesus had said to them: see ch. 2:22; 12:16.

It is on the fulfilment of this promise to the Apostles, that their sufficiency as Witnesses of all that the Lord did and taught, and consequently the authenticity of the gospel narrative, is grounded.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

26. This is the fifth (and last) time that the Paraclete is mentioned (see on 15:26 for the meaning of the word). Here ὁ παράκλητος is for the first time identified with τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, an august title familiar to every Jew (cf. Psa 51:11, Isa 63:10). The complete title does not occur again in Jn. (but cf. 20:22). We have it, however, in Mar 3:29, Mar 13:11, Mat 12:32; cf. Luk 12:10, Luk 12:12.

ὃ πέμψει. For ὅ, אcL have ὅν. The Old Syriac treats the Spirit as feminine, but the Peshitta does not follow this Semitic doctrine.

ὃ πέμψει ὁ πατήρ. This is the Lucan doctrine, that the Father sends the Spirit (Luk 24:49, Act 2:33), and we have had it already at v. 16; but at 15:26, 16:7 the Spirit is sent by the Son (see also 20:22). This is only an additional illustration of the Johannine doctrine that what the Father does, the Son does (see note on v. 13 above).

ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου. “In my stead” does not convey the meaning adequately. At 5:43 Jesus said that He had come “in the Name” of the Father, and at 10:25 that He wrought His works in the same Name; the meaning in both cases (see notes in loc.) being not only that He came as the Father’s representative, but as One to whom “the Name,” i.e. the providential power of the Father, had been given, and who was to reveal the Father’s character and purpose. So here it is said that the Spirit will be sent “in the Name” of Christ, to explain His mission and to reveal its consequences. As the Son was sent in the Name of the Father (5:43), so the Holy Spirit will be sent in future “in the Name” of the Son. This does not imply that the Holy Spirit was not operative before the Incarnation, but rather that after the Passion and Resurrection (see on 16:23; and cf. 7:39) He will come with the more effective quickening power of the new revelation of God in Christ.

ἐκεῖνος. It is He, the Spirit, whose twofold work is now described in relation primarily to the listening apostles, but probably what is said may apply in some measure to all Christian disciples of succeeding generations.

ὑμᾶς διδάξει πάντα. This has already been said at 16:13 ὁδηγήσει ὑμᾶς εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν ἀλήθειαν. The two phrases are treated as identical at Psa 25:5: ὁδήγησόν με ἐπὶ τὴν ἀλήθειάν σου, καὶ δίδαξόν με. Cf. also Psa 25:9:

ὁδηγήσει πρᾳεῖς ἐν κρίσει,

διδάξει πρᾳεῖς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ.

See, for other apparent reminiscences of the Psalter, on 16:13.

πάντα in this verse corresponds to εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν ἀλήθειαν of 16:13, and stands in contrast to ταῦτα of v. 25, sc. the things that have already been taught by Jesus. For πάντα, cf. 1Jn 2:27 τὸ αὐτοῦ χρίσμα διδάσκει ὑμᾶς περὶ πάντων. The reference is only (see again on 16:13) to religious doctrines (cf. 1Co 2:10 πνεῦμα πάντα ἐρευνᾷ, καὶ τὰ βάθη τοῦ θεοῦ), but of these Divine truths the Spirit is to teach new things as time goes on.

καὶ ὑπομνήσει ὑμᾶς πάντα ἃ εἶπον ὑμῖν. BL add ἐγώ after ὑμῖν, and this would bring out the emphasis well; but it is omitted by most authorities. “And He will bring to your remembrance all that I said to you,” the aor. εἶπον indicating that the personal oral teaching of Jesus was ended. This is the second side of the work of the Spirit, who not only was to reveal what was new, but was to recall to the memory of the apostles the old truths that Jesus had taught. Cf. 2:22, 12:16, Act 11:16, for illustrations of the fact that after His Resurrection the apostles entered more fully into the meaning of His words than they had done at the time they were spoken. Here, however, the promise is that their memory of them shall be stimulated. Bengel says pregnantly, “Exemplum praebet haec ipsa homilia.”

ὑπομνήσει ὑμᾶς πάντα. ὑπομιμνήσκειν does not occur again in Jn.; but cf. Luk 22:61, where Peter “remembered” the words of Jesus. There is a literary parallel (but no more) in Jubilees xxxii. 25, where God says to Jacob after his vision, “I will bring all things to thy remembrance.”

26. This is the fifth (and last) time that the Paraclete is mentioned (see on 15:26 for the meaning of the word). Here ὁ παράκλητος is for the first time identified with τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, an august title familiar to every Jew (cf. Psa 51:11, Isa 63:10). The complete title does not occur again in Jn. (but cf. 20:22). We have it, however, in Mar 3:29, Mar 13:11, Mat 12:32; cf. Luk 12:10, Luk 12:12.

ὃ πέμψει. For ὅ, אcL have ὅν. The Old Syriac treats the Spirit as feminine, but the Peshitta does not follow this Semitic doctrine.

ὃ πέμψει ὁ πατήρ. This is the Lucan doctrine, that the Father sends the Spirit (Luk 24:49, Act 2:33), and we have had it already at v. 16; but at 15:26, 16:7 the Spirit is sent by the Son (see also 20:22). This is only an additional illustration of the Johannine doctrine that what the Father does, the Son does (see note on v. 13 above).

ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου. “In my stead” does not convey the meaning adequately. At 5:43 Jesus said that He had come “in the Name” of the Father, and at 10:25 that He wrought His works in the same Name; the meaning in both cases (see notes in loc.) being not only that He came as the Father’s representative, but as One to whom “the Name,” i.e. the providential power of the Father, had been given, and who was to reveal the Father’s character and purpose. So here it is said that the Spirit will be sent “in the Name” of Christ, to explain His mission and to reveal its consequences. As the Son was sent in the Name of the Father (5:43), so the Holy Spirit will be sent in future “in the Name” of the Son. This does not imply that the Holy Spirit was not operative before the Incarnation, but rather that after the Passion and Resurrection (see on 16:23; and cf. 7:39) He will come with the more effective quickening power of the new revelation of God in Christ.

ἐκεῖνος. It is He, the Spirit, whose twofold work is now described in relation primarily to the listening apostles, but probably what is said may apply in some measure to all Christian disciples of succeeding generations.

ὑμᾶς διδάξει πάντα. This has already been said at 16:13 ὁδηγήσει ὑμᾶς εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν ἀλήθειαν. The two phrases are treated as identical at Psa 25:5: ὁδήγησόν με ἐπὶ τὴν ἀλήθειάν σου, καὶ δίδαξόν με. Cf. also Psa 25:9:

ὁδηγήσει πρᾳεῖς ἐν κρίσει,

διδάξει πρᾳεῖς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ.

See, for other apparent reminiscences of the Psalter, on 16:13.

πάντα in this verse corresponds to εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν ἀλήθειαν of 16:13, and stands in contrast to ταῦτα of v. 25, sc. the things that have already been taught by Jesus. For πάντα, cf. 1Jn 2:27 τὸ αὐτοῦ χρίσμα διδάσκει ὑμᾶς περὶ πάντων. The reference is only (see again on 16:13) to religious doctrines (cf. 1Co 2:10 πνεῦμα πάντα ἐρευνᾷ, καὶ τὰ βάθη τοῦ θεοῦ), but of these Divine truths the Spirit is to teach new things as time goes on.

καὶ ὑπομνήσει ὑμᾶς πάντα ἃ εἶπον ὑμῖν. BL add ἐγώ after ὑμῖν, and this would bring out the emphasis well; but it is omitted by most authorities. “And He will bring to your remembrance all that I said to you,” the aor. εἶπον indicating that the personal oral teaching of Jesus was ended. This is the second side of the work of the Spirit, who not only was to reveal what was new, but was to recall to the memory of the apostles the old truths that Jesus had taught. Cf. 2:22, 12:16, Act 11:16, for illustrations of the fact that after His Resurrection the apostles entered more fully into the meaning of His words than they had done at the time they were spoken. Here, however, the promise is that their memory of them shall be stimulated. Bengel says pregnantly, “Exemplum praebet haec ipsa homilia.”

ὑπομνήσει ὑμᾶς πάντα. ὑπομιμνήσκειν does not occur again in Jn.; but cf. Luk 22:61, where Peter “remembered” the words of Jesus. There is a literary parallel (but no more) in Jubilees xxxii. 25, where God says to Jacob after his vision, “I will bring all things to thy remembrance.”

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In my name. See on ver. 13.

He [εκεινος] . Setting the Advocate distinctly and sharply before the hearers. The pronoun is used in John's First Epistle, distinctively of our Lord. See 1Jo 2:6; 1Jo 3:3, 5, 7, 16; 1Jo 4:17.

I have said [ειπον] . The aorist tense, I said.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.