Charles Ellicott Commentary John 15:26

"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall bear witness of me:" — John 15:26 (ASV)

But when the Comforter is come.—A better rendering is, But when the Advocate is come. (Compare to Excursus G.)

Whom I will send unto you from the Father.—Compare to John 14:16, and Note on John 15:26. The pronoun is emphatic here. “Whom I will send . . .” The mission by the Father in answer to the Son’s prayer, the mission by the Father in the Son’s name, and the mission by the Son Himself, are thought of as one and the same thing.

Even the Spirit of truth.—Compare to Note on John 14:17.

Which proceedeth from the Father.—The force of these words is to give weight to the witness which the Spirit will bear of the Son. He is the Advocate whom the Son will send from the Father, but He is also and emphatically the Spirit of Truth proceeding from the Father, and His witness therefore will be that of the Father Himself.

These two clauses (“whom I will send unto you from the Father,” “which proceedeth from the Father”) are to be regarded as parallels; and both of them probably refer to the office of the Holy Spirit.

The Vulgate renders the verb in the latter clause with the word “procedit,” and the older expositors generally understood it as referring to the person of the Holy Ghost. The Eastern Church, since the days of Theodore of Mopsuestia, has claimed this text as proving the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father only, and has quoted it as decisive against the addition of the “filioque clause” in the Nicene Creed. The Western Church, comparing it with John 16:15, and such texts as Romans 8:9, Galatians 4:6, Philippians 1:9, and 1 Peter 1:11, has held that it includes the procession from the Son.

If it refers to the person of the Holy Spirit, it must be granted that the ipsissima verba of our Lord favor the interpretation of the Greek Church. However, if it refers, as is much more probable, to the office of the Holy Ghost, then these words have no bearing on the doctrinal question at issue. The student should read on this subject Pearson, On the Creed, Art. viii., particularly his invaluable collection of notes.

He shall testify of me.—A better rendering is, shall bear witness of Me. (Compare to Notes on John 1:7 and 1 John 5:6).