Give You Another Comforter

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“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;” John 14

Pulpit Commentary
“The greatest Gift – the other Advocate. .. that he may be with you for evermore. …translate this word “Comforter,” “one called in,” or “called to the side of another” for the purpose of helping him in any way, …the rabbinic writers adopt the Greek word פרקליט, in opposition to ‘accuser.’ …the only meaning here that is adequate is that of one who pleads, convinces, who strengthens on the one hand, and defends on the other. Christ, as the Advocate, pleads the believer’s cause with the Father against the accuser…The Advocate who is to be with the disciples forever, arguing down opposition and silencing cavil, is the Spirit of truth. …the whole of this passage would read, “He will give you another Helper or Advocate, that he may be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot seize (or take from you), because it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye are learning to know him, because he, according to the eternal laws of his being, dwelleth with you, and will be in you, and be altogether beyond the malice of the world.”

“In the words of St. John: “He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever.” This Comforter I understand to be Divine Science.” By Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health p. 55

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COMFORT (Webster’s 1828)
“To strengthen; to invigorate; to cheer or enliven, to console; to give new vigor to the spirits; to relieve from depression, or trouble.
The title of the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name–he shall teach you all things. John 14:16.”

Before Plainfield I thought this Comforter was going to bring me a sense of ease, absence of difficulty or effort, no problems. I did not realize that this was impossible because I was seeking ease in sin. It turned out that I needed to face evil; not hide, avoid or run away from it as I was trying to do. This requires understanding how evil operates, how to handle it (prove it’s nothingness) and keeping a spiritually active thought. In fact by ignoring evil I was allowing it to continue. This has been proven each time when I practice the practical Christian Science taught here, where I am finding that even when it seems hard to face evil, there is a strength, peace, and comfort when evil is uncovered and destroyed.

“This spirit of God is made manifest in the flesh, healing and saving men, —it is the Christ, Comforter, “which taketh away the sin of the world;” and yet Christ is rejected of men! The evil in human nature foams at the touch of good; it crieth out, “Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, . . . ? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.” The Holy Spirit takes of the things of God and showeth them unto the creature; and these things being spiritual, they disturb the carnal and destroy it; they are revolutionary, reformatory, and —now, as aforetime —they cast out evils and heal the sick. …for the spirit giveth him liberty: “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” By Mary Baker Eddy, 1901 p.8

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