Concoll()ia Theological Monthly JANUARY 1952 I f ARCarv Notes on John 16:5-16 By J. T. MUELLER THERE is no doubt that the Gospels arranged by the ancient Church for the Sundays between Easter and Pentecost belong to the most comforting of the entire church year. This is true especially of those that are taken from Christ's farewell address to His disciples delivered shortly before His suffering and death. But the very fact that they are taken from an allocution of our Lord on a special occasion and for a very special purpose renders them also (at least in part) difficult of interpretation and application. His last words were not only to comfort His sorrowing Apostles during the immediate time after His departure from them, but they were to prepare them for their entire Apostolic ministry, which was preceded by the Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Ghost, and for the work, benefit, and tribulation of that trying and troubled service. No doubt the words meant much more to the disciples than they mean to us today, upon whom the blessings of the Apostolic ministry have come in so rich a measure and whose lot as disciples of our Savior is much more bearable than was theirs. Difficulties attach especially to the interpretation and application of the Gospel for Cantate, John 16:5-15, and here, in particular, of verses 7-11. The exegetical difficulties seem to be centered not only in the scope of the revelation, but also in the meaning of the words EAEYXELV, xoaflos, and the t1: .. ..ree terms describing the Spirit'S areas of activity: aflu(yda, ()L%ULO