Thomas Aquinas Commentary John 14:15-17

"If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever, [even] the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him: ye know him; for he abideth with you, and shall be in you." — John 14:15-17 (ASV)

1. Previously, our Lord consoled His disciples about His departure by promising that they would be able to approach the Father (as seen in chapter 14). But because this might have seemed to be in the distant future, and in the meantime they would remain sorrowful without their Teacher, He now soothes their sorrow by promising them the Holy Spirit.

Here we see three things:

1. The preparation needed to receive the Holy Spirit.
2. The promise of the Holy Spirit: he will give you another Paraclete.
3. The clarification of this promise: that he may abide with you forever.

Preparation for receiving the Holy Spirit was necessary for both the disciples and for Christ.

2. The disciples needed a twofold preparation: love in their hearts and obedience in their actions. Our Lord assumes they have the first, for He says, if you love me. It is clear that they do, because they are sad about His departure: you will give testimony, because you have been with me from the beginning (John 15:27). He commands the second for the future: keep my commandments. This is as if to say: "You express your love for me not with tears, but with obedience to my commands, for this is a clear sign of love," as stated in John 14:23: if anyone loves me, he will keep my word.

Thus, two things prepare a person to receive the Holy Spirit. Since the Holy Spirit is love, He is given only to those who love: I love those who love me (Proverbs 8:17). Likewise, He is given to the obedient: to this we are witnesses (Acts 3:15); I have put my Spirit upon him (Isaiah 42:1).

3. But is it true that the disciples' obedience and love for Christ prepare them for the Holy Spirit? It seems not, because the love by which we love God is from the Holy Spirit: God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Romans 5:5). Furthermore, our obedience is from the Holy Spirit: for all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God (Romans 8:14); I have run in the way of your commandments when you enlarged my heart (Psalms 119:32).

One might answer that by loving the Son we merit receiving the Holy Spirit, and by having Him, we love the Father. But this is false, because our love for the Father and the Son is the same love.

Therefore, we should say that it is a characteristic of God's gifts that if a person makes good use of a gift granted to him, he merits receiving a greater gift and grace. Conversely, one who uses a gift badly has it taken from him. For we read in Matthew that the talent the lazy servant received from his master was taken from him because he did not use it well, and it was given to the one who had received five talents (Matthew 25:24). It is the same with the gift of the Holy Spirit. No one can love God unless he has the Holy Spirit, for we do not act before we receive God’s grace; rather, grace comes first: he loved us first (1 John 4:10). We should say, therefore, that the apostles first received the Holy Spirit so that they could love God and obey His commands. But it was necessary that they make good use of this first gift of the Holy Spirit—through their love and obedience—in order to receive the Spirit more fully. And so the meaning is: if you love me, by means of the Holy Spirit whom you have, and obey my commandments, you will receive the Holy Spirit whom you will then possess in greater fullness.

4. Another preparation was needed on Christ's part, and regarding this He says, and I will ask the Father, and so on. Note that our Lord Jesus Christ, as a human being, is the mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5). As a man, He approaches God and asks for heavenly gifts for us; and by coming to us, He lifts us up and leads us to God. And so, because He had already come to us and, by giving us God's commandments, had led believers to God, He still had to return to the Father and ask for spiritual gifts. As Hebrews 7:25 says, by approaching God Himself, He is able to save forever. He does this by asking the Father, saying, I will ask the Father. As it is written: When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men (Ephesians 4:8).

Note that it is the same person who asks for the Paraclete to be given and who gives the Paraclete. He asks as a man; He gives as God. He says, I will ask, in order to banish their sorrow over His departure, because His very departure is the reason they can now receive the Holy Spirit.

5. Now we see the promise of the Holy Spirit. The word "paraclete" is Greek and means "consoler." He says, he will give you another Paraclete, meaning the Father—though not without the Son—will give the Holy Spirit, who is the Consoler, since He is the Spirit of love. It is love that causes spiritual consolation and joy: the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy (Galatians 5:22). The Holy Spirit is also our advocate: we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words (Romans 8:26).

The fact that He says, another, indicates a distinction of persons in God, in opposition to the heresy of Sabellius.

6. An objection might be raised that the word "paraclete" suggests an action of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, by saying another Paraclete, a difference in nature seems to be indicated, because different actions imply different natures. If so, the Holy Spirit would not have the same nature as the Son.

I reply that the Holy Spirit is a consoler and advocate, and so is the Son. John says that the Son is an advocate: we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1). In Isaiah, we are told He is a consoler: the Spirit of the Lord has sent me to comfort those who mourn (Isaiah 61:1). Yet the Son and the Holy Spirit are not consolers and advocates in the same way, if we consider the appropriation of persons. Christ is called an advocate because as a man He intercedes for us with the Father; the Holy Spirit is an advocate because He moves us to ask. Again, the Holy Spirit is called a consoler because He is formally love, whereas the Son is a consoler because He is the Word. The Son is a consoler in two ways: through His teaching and because He gives the Holy Spirit and incites love in our hearts. Thus, the word another does not indicate a different nature in the Son and the Holy Spirit. Rather, it indicates the different way each is an advocate and a consoler.

7. Now the promise of the Holy Spirit is given. We see:

1. How it is given.
2. What the gift itself is.
3. Those who receive it, for as it is written, if you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them (John 13:17).

8. The Spirit is truly given because He is given forever. Thus He says, that he may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth. When something is given to a person only for a time, it is not a true gift; but there is a true gift when something is given to be kept forever. And so the Holy Spirit is truly given because He is to remain with them forever. He is with us forever: in this life, He enlightens and teaches us, bringing things to our minds; and in the next life, He brings us to see reality itself. And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward (1 Samuel 16:13). Although Judas had received Him, the Spirit did not remain with him forever, because he did not receive Him to remain forever, but only for a temporary state of righteousness.

According to Chrysostom, one could say that our Lord said these things to dispel a certain physical interpretation the disciples might have had.Commentary on Saint John 75. They could have imagined that this Paraclete, who was to be given to them, would also leave them after a while through some kind of suffering, like Christ. He rejects this when He says, that he may abide with you forever. This is as if to say, "The Spirit will not suffer death as I do, nor will He leave you."

9. We saw above that it was said to John the Baptist: he upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining, it is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit (John 1:33). From this, it seems peculiar to Christ that the Holy Spirit remains with Him forever. However, this cannot be true if He also remains with the disciples forever.

According to Chrysostom, the solution is that the Holy Spirit is said to remain in us by His gifts.Commentary on Saint John 75. Certain gifts of the Holy Spirit are necessary for salvation; these are found in all the saints and always remain in us, such as charity, which never falleth away (1 Corinthians 13:8), since it will continue into the future. Other gifts are not necessary for salvation but are given to the faithful so they can manifest the Spirit: to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7). With this in mind, the Holy Spirit is with the disciples and the saints forever by the first type of gift. But it is unique to Christ that the Spirit is always with Him by the second type of gift, for Christ always has a plenitude of power to work miracles, to prophesy, and so on. This is not true of others, because, as Gregory says, the spirits of the prophets are not under the control of the prophets.Moralia in Job 2.56.90–92.

10. The Spirit is a most excellent gift because He is the Spirit of truth. He is called the Spirit to show the subtlety or immateriality of His nature, for the word "spirit" is used to indicate something imperceptible and invisible. The Holy Spirit is also imperceptible and invisible: The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes (John 3:8). He is also called the Spirit to indicate His power, because He moves us to act and work well. The word "spirit" indicates a certain impulse, which is why it can also mean "wind": for all who are impelled by the Spirit of God are sons of God (Romans 8:14); let your good Spirit lead me on a level path! (Psalms 143:10).

He adds, of truth, because this Spirit proceeds from the Truth and speaks the truth, for the Holy Spirit is nothing other than Love. When a person is impelled to love earthly things and the world, he is impelled by the spirit of the world: Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God (1 Corinthians 2:12). When one is impelled to works of the flesh, he is not impelled by the Holy Spirit: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit (Ezekiel 13:3).

But the Holy Spirit leads to the knowledge of the truth, because He proceeds from the Truth, who says, I am the way, and the truth, and the life (John 14:6). In us, love of the truth arises when we have conceived and considered truth. So also in God, Love proceeds from conceived Truth, which is the Son. And just as Love proceeds from the Truth, so Love leads to knowledge of the truth: he will glorify me, because he will receive from what is mine and will show it to you (John 16:14). Therefore, Ambrose says that any truth, no matter who speaks it, is from the Holy Spirit.This quote, in fact, belongs to Ambrosiaster, Commentary on 1 Corinthians 12. No one can say: Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3); when the Paraclete comes, whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth (John 15:26). It is a characteristic of the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth because it is love that impels one to reveal his secrets: I have called you friends, because all things whatever I have heard from my Father, I have made known to you (John 15:15); he showed it—the truth—to his friend (Job 36:33).

11. The ones who receive the Holy Spirit are those who believe; He says, whom the world cannot receive.

First, He shows to whom the Spirit is not given; second, to whom He is given, you will know him.

First, He shows that He is not given to the world; second, He explains why, for if you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them (John 13:17).

12. As to the first, He says, whom the world cannot receive. Our Lord is here calling those who love the world, the world. As long as they love the world, they cannot receive the Holy Spirit, for He is the love of God. And no one can love, as his ultimate end, both God and the world: If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him (1 John 2:15). As Gregory says: "The Holy Spirit inflames everything he fills with a desire for invisible things. And because worldly hearts love only visible things, the world does not receive him, because it does not rise to the love of what is invisible. For worldly minds, the more they widen themselves with their desires, the more they narrow the core of their hearts to the Spirit."Moralia in Job 5.28.50. The Holy Spirit of discipline will flee from the deceitful .

13. Regarding the second point, why He is not given to the world, He says, because it sees him not, nor knows him. Spiritual gifts are not received unless they are desired: she, divine Wisdom, hastens to make herself known to those who desire her .

Now, there are two reasons why they are not known. First, because one does not want to know them; and second, because one is not capable of such knowledge. These two reasons apply to the worldly. In the first place, they do not desire this, and regarding this He says, because it sees him not, that is, does not want to know Him: they have fixed their eyes on the ground (Psalms 16:11). Furthermore, they are not capable of knowing Him, and regarding this He says, nor knows him. As Augustine says: "Worldly love does not have invisible eyes, which alone can see the invisible Holy Spirit."Tractates on the Gospel of John 74.4. As is written: the sensual person does not perceive those things pertaining to the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:14). Just as a tainted tongue does not taste sweet flavors, so a soul tainted by the corruption of the world does not taste the sweetness of heavenly things.

Here is the interpretation of Chrysostom.Commentary on Saint John 75. I say that he will give you another Paraclete... the Spirit of truth, but He will not assume flesh, because the world sees him not, nor knows him; that is, the world will not receive Him, but only you will.

14. Now He mentions, first, to whom the Spirit is given, and second, He gives the reason.

The Holy Spirit is given to believers. He says, you, who are moved by the Holy Spirit, will know him. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God (1 Corinthians 2:12). This is because you scorn the world: we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen (2 Corinthians 4:18).

The reason for this is, for he will abide with you. Note, first, the familiarity of the Holy Spirit with the apostles: for he will abide with you, that is, for your benefit. Let your good Spirit lead me on a level path! (Psalms 143:10); O, how good is your Spirit, O Lord, in all things . Second, note how intimate His indwelling is: and will be in you, that is, in the depths of your heart. I will put a new spirit within them (Ezekiel 11:19).