Throughout John, Jesus has been repeatedly telling the disciples of this departure and of the coming of the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to be with them. While the fullness of the story of Jesus has not yet been realized, the disciples are consistently being told that the one they love is leaving. This text is not the first time they have heard this, yet each time has its own nuance and is Jesus’ attempt to prepare them for what is to come. Here Jesus describes the Spirit as one that will “guide you into all the truth”. The Spirit in John’s accounts is a wisdom, a guide, and a protector and defender who will journey with those Jesus has to leave behind, but who reflects the teachings and commandments of Jesus.

Jesus teaches them that community, and the work of their community, is even beyond his time here on earth; that the coming of the Spirit offers them access to what they have known and, most importantly, a guide to continue to do the work of Jesus. The gift of the Trinity as delivered by the Spirit is that the disciples are never left alone and that they as a community can and must continue even after Jesus is gone.