The Holy Spirit, our teacher

14:25-27

While he can, Jesus takes this opportunity to impress these profound truths on his disciples (25). But his departure won’t mean the end of the opportunity to learn from him. He again tells them that after he has gone the Holy Spirit will come from the Father (26), to be “another Counsellor” to them (14:16). He will be sent in the name of Jesus i.e. as the representative of Jesus who will continue to be all that Jesus has been to them.

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In particular, Jesus emphasises here the Spirit’s work as teacher who will cause the disciples both to remember and to understand the things that Jesus has taught them (e.g. 12:16). This is why, at the conclusion of that evening, Jesus can pray, “I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known” (17:26).

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So the disciples did not need to be troubled (27; 14:1), because in Jesus they may know his own peace. “Peace”, the Hebrew word shalom, was (and is) the standard Jewish greeting, referring to fullness of life in God, which is what Jesus came to give (10:10). Nothing in this world can give such peace, for, along with love, it is the fruit of the Spirit (26; Gal.5:22) who the world cannot know (14:17) but who is given to all who believe in Jesus.