THE SPIRIT IS ANOTHER OF THE SAME KIND
Jesus sought to comfort His disciples by explaining that although He must return to the Father, He would send “another Advocate” to be with them always. In the Greek, the word “Advocate” is “Paraklētos,” which literally means, “one called alongside.” It might also be translated, “Helper” or “Comforter.” This “Advocate” is the Holy Spirit.
If the Greek word “Paraklētos” is revealing, then the Greek word translated “another” is perhaps even more so. For there are two words translated “another” in the Greek. The first word is “eteros,” which has the meaning of “another” that is similar, but of different character (i.e., “May I have ‘another’ piece of fruit, maybe an apple instead of an orange?”). But the Greek word used by Jesus was “allos,” which means “another” of the same kind (i.e., “May I have ‘another’ apple?”).
Why is this significant? Because Jesus was making the point that the Advocate is “another” of the same character as He. Jesus, the Son of God, was sent by the Father. Now, as He returned to the Father, He would ask the Father to send “another” of the same kind to be with His disciples. The Father, the Son and the Spirit are of the same kind. As the hymn declares, “God in three persons, blessed Trinity.”
This is why the apostle Paul referred to the Holy Spirit as both the “Spirit of God” and the “Spirit of Christ” in the same verse (Rom. 8:9). For if we have received Christ as our Lord and Savior, then we have received His Spirit, which is “another” of the same kind. So, we are able to say along with the apostle Paul, “Christ in us, the hope of glory!” (Col. 1:27). For in Christ, the “Paraklētos” lives in us!