John 16 Who was the "Advocate"?

[mystic]

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Now I am going to the one who sent me,
and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’
But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts.
But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go.
For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you.
But if I go, I will send him to you.
And when he comes he will convict the world
in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation:
sin, because they do not believe in me;
righteousness, because I am going to the Father
and you will no longer see me;
condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.”

Who is that Advocate please?

[alon]

John 16:7 (ESV) Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

Helper is rendered variously as Comforter, Consoler, Advocate, or Counselor (and possibly others) in different translations. The Greek term is παράκλητος paraklētos. According to my Vine's, the word means "a calling to one's side," "speaking closely to someone," addressing someone, aiding someone. It can also mean the process, or being the instrument of any of those things. These describe the office of the Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit, which is who this means.

While Yeshua was with the disciples they were gathered at His feet to learn. He fulfilled all those offices for them, and they were dependent on Him to do so. Now it was time for them to go out as shaliachim, apostles. They would become scattered, acting independently to spread the gospel message and establish His qahal, His congregation of believers. They would also almost all of them be called to die for Him. They would need God's presence with them not in a physical manifestation, which could only be in one place at a time, but in a more omnipresent form. I believe the Ruach of HaShem was present throughout Yeshua's time on earth. But they needed to learn now to depend on that Ruach as they had on Yeshua. They needed to remember the teachings of their Rabbi, Yeshua; but now to hear that still, small voice and to act on that. This is why and how the Spirit came to them when Yeshua had gone.

[alon]

I expected some push-back on that last part, "but now to hear that still, small voice and to act on that. This is why and how the Spirit came to them when Yeshua had gone." Didn't the Ruach come to them at Pentecost with fire and a rushing wind? Yes. But when they went out, they had to depend on that inner voice. The one that most of us argue with ourselves endlessly about; "Was that God, or was it just me?"

Acts 3:6 (ESV) But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”

There was no wind, no loud voice recorded there. Just Peter acting as the Ruach instructed him.

Acts 8:14-17 (ESV) Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

Peter and John were sent by other apostles. But they prayed in agreement with the Ruach, laid hands on the believers when the Ruach told them to, and the gift of tongues was given. But without agreement, which comes from listening to the Ruach HaKodesh, and without the laying on of hands when instructed and no sooner or later, this could not have happened.

In Acts 9 Peter healed Aeneas and raised Tabitha from the dead. In Acts 13 Shaul cursed Elymas. No wind, no fire, no voice from heaven. Just that internal voice of the Ruach. These are just a few examples. So yes, "Pentecost" resembled the giving of Torah at Sinai. That was a sign to all that something miraculous was happening, and it was from HaShem. But where the apostles went and the things they did from that time on was due to following that small internal voice.