⁷ Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. ⁸ And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: ⁹ concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; ¹⁰ concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; ¹¹ concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
¹² “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵ All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

1) Why did Jesus say it was to the disciples’ advantage that He leave them?
In verse 7, Jesus is comforting His disciples. In the previous verses, He had told His disciples that He would be returning to the Father soon, which made the disciples sorrowful. But Jesus tells them that if He doesn’t leave, the Holy Spirit won’t come, and it is actually to their advantage to have the Holy Spirit. Think about that—Jesus says that it is better for his followers to have His Spirit in their hearts, rather than His bodily presence in their midst. If Jesus could walk right next to each one of us all the time, we would benefit from His help and leading, but this is not possible because his human body was limited to being in one place at a time. But the Holy Spirit is omnipresent—able to be in the hearts of every believer, all around the world, all of the time. So it is better for us, individually and as the Church, to have the Holy Spirit in our hearts.

2) What is the name that Jesus calls the Holy Spirit in verse 7, and what is its significance?
Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the Helper. The Greek word is paráklētos, which means intercessor, consoler, advocate, comforter, or one who comes alongside someone in aid. Jesus gives us His Spirit to aid us in the things He has called us to do. He has not left us alone!

3) According to these verses, how does the Holy Spirit work in our hearts and in the world?
The Holy Spirit will convict the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. It is the Holy Spirit that convicts people of their sin and their need for a Savior. Believers are the means through which that conviction is delivered, because we are where the Spirit dwells, but without the Holy Spirit, our words have no power. The Holy Spirit also guides believers into all truth—helping them remember what Jesus taught as well as have the ability to discern the truth in a world where there are so many false teachers.

4) According to these verses, how does the Holy Spirit interact with the other members of the Trinity?
The doctrine of the Trinity is one that our finite minds have a hard time understanding, but there are clues throughout the Bible that show us how this mysterious Three-In-One works. Verse 14 tells us that the Holy Spirit does not speak of His own authority, but that He speaks what He hears (from the Father, from Jesus Christ). This shows us the unity of the Trinity—all three persons are united in the truth that they communicate in different ways. Verse 14 tells us that the Spirit will glorify Jesus, which shows us that the members of the Trinity are united in their purpose of glorifying Christ.

1) Why did Jesus say it was to the disciples’ advantage that He leave them?
I’m tempted to whine and wish that Jesus was right beside me to audibly tell me what to do in certain situations. But I have the Holy Spirit living inside me! Jesus Himself said that this is better for me. If I want Jesus to lead me, I need to learn to listen to the Spirit, which happens more and more as I grow in my knowledge of Christ through His word.

2) What is the name that Jesus calls the Holy Spirit in verse 7, and what is its significance?
Praise You, Jesus, for giving me a Helper to aid me in my work for You. You have given me great things to do that are beyond my human ability, but you have not left me without the power to accomplish what you’ve called me to. Help me to rely on my Helper for strength, comfort, discernment, and guidance.

3) According to these verses, how does the Holy Spirit work in our hearts and in the world?
As believers, we are the means through which the Holy Spirit communicates to the world. This is an important job, but we need to remember that it is not by our human effort that people are convicted of their sin and their need for Jesus. Nothing we say or do has any power apart from the Holy Spirit. As you seek to be a witness to unbelieving friends, neighbors, and family members, remember to pray that the Spirit will move in their hearts, and that your words and actions will be guided by the Spirit within you.

4) According to these verses, how does the Holy Spirit interact with the other members of the Trinity?
The Trinity gives us an example of unity of purpose and message, but worked out in different ways in its different persons. As Christians, we have one message and one purpose, but different members of Christ’s body have different roles to play in how that message and purpose are worked out in the world. Pray that God would help you discern your place, and that you would be obedient to whatever He calls you to do.

Don’t miss today’s other Journey Study, Messy Love
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We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

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