Who is the “other Helper” that Jesus said would come?
Channel: Galen Currah
Date: 2016-02-26

Another Helper
Who is the “other Helper” that Jesus said would come?
A biblical teaching
Biblical quotations taken from English Standard Version (2001)
www.wordwatchers.link

Some say that Jesus could not be the final Messenger from God, because he announced that someone else would come after him. 
So, just who is this “other Helper(*)” that Jesus said would come?
(*) Helper (Greek:  παρακλητος, paraklétos). All known, ancient Greek, Gospel manuscripts have this spelling.

(A paraklétos  is “‘one who is called to someone’s aid’ … In the few places where the word is found in pre-Christian and extra-Christian lit. as well it has for the most part a more general sense: one who appears in another’s behalf, mediator, intercessor, helper.” Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich and Danker, Greek-English Lexicon of the NT)

Here are Jesus’ words about the “other Helper,” from four Bible passages:

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:15-17

“The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 14:26

“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.” John 15:26

 “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. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” John 16:7

From those four texts, one can affirm the following eight truths about the Other Helper (with commentary in parentheses):

THE OTHER HELPER

1. He is another Helper like Jesus. (“If anyone sins, we have an advocate [helper] with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1)

2. He comes in Jesus’ name. (He represents Jesus in his followers’ experience.)

3. He comes to those who keep Jesus’ commandments. (Not to those who follow another religion.)

4. He remains forever. (He neither departs, dies nor is replaced by anyone else.)

5. He is a Spirit whom the world can neither see nor know. (He is not a visible human being.)

6. He revealed truth to Jesus’ apostles, reminded them of Jesus’ words, and empowered them to testify. (He inspired them to write the New Testament of the Holy Bible.)

7. He dwells with, and indwells, all those who obey Jesus. (All who repent, and are baptised in Jesus’ name, receive the Holy Spirit.)

8. He convicts the world. (He shows men their sin of unbelief towards Jesus.)

Jesus commanded: “Repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15 

His apostles explained: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38

Thus, Jesus allowed for no other human Messenger from God. Rather God sends his Holy Spirit to those who obey Jesus. 

No revelation from an angel, from a man, or from a holy book can abrogate Jesus’ teaching.