14:15-17 Who is the Spirit of truth and what do we learn about Him from what Jesus says here?

The Spirit of truth is the Holy Spirit - the other "comforter" of V16 (CP V26). Jesus is alluding to the baptism in the Holy Spirit here which the disciples were soon to receive. They were already born of the Spirit - He dwelt with them - but they were not yet baptized in the Spirit, when He would dwell in them. Being baptized in the Spirit is the empowering believers receive for service (CP Mt 3:1-3, 11; Mk 1:6-8; Lu 3:15-16; 24:49; Jn 7:37-39; Ac 1:4-8).

We learn from what Jesus says in Jn 14:17 that there are two operations or ministries of the Holy Spirit: He dwells with believers when they commit themselves to Christ, as the disciples had done, and He dwells in, (indwells), them when they are baptized in the Spirit (CP Ac 8:14-17; Ro 8:9-11, 15; 1Cor 2:12; 3:16; 6:19; 2Cor 5:5; 6:16; Ga 3:2, 13-14; Eph 1:12-13; 2:22; 5:18; 1Th 4:8; 1Jn 3:24; 4:13).

Being born of the Spirit and being baptized in the Spirit were two separate and distinct operations of the Holy Spirit in the first century church, and they are two separate and distinct operations today. We need to be clear on this point. Many Christians in the contemporary church believe there is only one operation of the Holy Spirit; that believers are baptized in the Spirit immediately they come to Christ, but that is not correct.

It can happen that they are baptized in the Spirit immediately following upon their conversion to Christ, like Cornelius and those in his house in Ac 10, but they must believe on Jesus to be born of the Spirit first, as scriptures clearly teach (CP 1Cor 12:3 with Ac 10:1-5, 25-26, 30-32, 44-46).

See also comments on Mt 3:11; Mk 16:17-18; Lu 24:49; Jn 3:3, 3:5, 3:8, 7:37-38, 14:12-14, 20:22; Ac 1:8, 2:1-4 (A), 2:1-4 (B), 19:11-12; Ro 6:3-5, 8:26-27; 1Cor 12:1-11 (A), 12:1-11 (B), 13:8-12, and author's studies Baptism in the Spirit in his book Foundational Truths of the Christian Faith, The Work of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament Church, and The Doctrine of the Trinity in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 2).

John:-