“I will ask” . . . “and He will give” = The Father always gives that for which Jesus asks. What an incredible assurance that is for us since Jesus is our intercessor (Rom 8:34)!

Romans 8:34  Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

Maclaren notes that according to this verse and the previous ones, “If we ask, He does; if we do, He asks. His action is the answer to our prayers, and His prayers are the answer to our obedient action.” He does what we ask because He is God and in His divinity He hears our prayers and responds; He asks the Father on our behalf because He is our representative and the mediator between us and God (Heb 10:19-22).

Hebrews 10:19-22  Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,  by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,  and since we have a great priest over the house of God,  let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

“another” = allos = another of the same kind. Heteros, which is not used here, means another of a different kind. Jesus is going to ask the Father and He is going to send another paraclete of the same kind as the paraclete they already have, who is Jesus (1 John 2:1, Rom 8:26). In the gift of the Spirit is included the whole godhead. The Father is the source; the Son is the channel through which He comes; and the Spirit is the gift.

1 John 2:1  My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defence—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

Romans 8:26  In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

“Comforter” (KJV) is mistranslated although no single word does the Greek “paracletos” justice. Comforter is the traditional translation, following the translation into English by John Wycliffe who died in 1384. In those days, comforter meant strengthener or helper, but in more recent years has come to mean one who consoles. Comforter indicates making the best of a bad situation, but the real meaning of paracletos is not so much this as providing the help which will deliver the afflicted one from the situation itself. Paracletos literally means “called to the side of for the purpose of helping”. The Greeks used the term for someone who was called in to court to testify on behalf of someone, or of an advocate to plead the case of someone in need, or of someone who was called in to boost the moral of a company of troops. The word could perhaps be best translated as “Advocate” but even that is lacking in its scope, for it really means a friend, especially a legal friend. The Holy Spirit is indeed a comforter, but He is so much more than that!

The Holy Spirit is metaphorically described throughout the Bible and those metaphors help us to understand Who He is. He is the Fire which burns away all that is not of Christ; He melts us and cleanses us, but He also warms us and provides us with comfort. He is the Oil which heals the wounds in our hearts, souls, and bodies; and which also is the fuel by which we are enlightened. He is the Water of life which refreshes us, sustains us, and helps us to grow and which also cleanses us so we can be in fellowship with God. He is the Breath of God that whispers direction and truth in our ear but which may also increase in intensity and power to become a mighty rushing wind which enables us and empowers us to do God’s will. And He is God’s Dove, fluttering down to dwell in our hearts and be our guarantee of peace with God and a certain place in His family. He is all of those things.

Matthew 3:11  “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

1 Thessalonians 5:19  Do not put out the Spirit’s fire;

Leviticus 8:12  He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him to consecrate him.

1 Samuel 16:13  So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah.

John 7:38-39  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

John 20:22  And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

John 3:8  The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

Matthew 3:16  As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.

As previously mentioned, Jesus was the first Paraclete the disciples had, pleading the cause of God with them, guarding them and guiding them into all truth. But now His physical presence is going to be withdrawn from them and He is going into heaven where He will be their Paraclete, or Advocate with the Father. Edersheim notes that His first act of advocacy will be to ask the Father to send them another Paraclete Who will be with them forever. Robertson puts it thus: “So the Christian has Christ as his Paraclete with the Father, the Holy Spirit as the Father’s Paraclete with us.” (RWP) No wonder that Jesus would say it is better for us if He goes to be with the Father! We now have two Paracletes instead of just one.

Notice the word “forever”. This has great significance for us since the Spirit once given, which He was on the Day of Pentecost, will never be withdrawn from us. He remains with us even 2000 years later and He always will.