Is Christ saying that the Spirit of truth is our helper?

I am not comfortable thinking of the Spirit of God as my helper.  That sounds like God is subservient to me and that makes me start to listen for thunder and to watch for lightning.  Is God my helper, or am I His servant?

This is one of those cases where language becomes really important.  Scripture translators have a very difficult task.  They must know the language that they are translating out of and they must be experts and poets in the language that they are translating into.  In this case, the Greek for the word translated here as Helper is actually Paracletos.  It is a combination word in the greek; Para, (meaning along side of) and kletos, (meaning a calling).  This word has been translated as comforter, or as advocate, or as Counselor.  So the one who is called to stand along side of us is often called our helper in some translations. 

Paraclete is one of the names for the promised Holy Spirit of God.  In scripture, he is supposed to “lead us into all truth”.  That’s why in this passage he is called the Spirit of Truth.  In Latin the word Paraclete is translated as Adocatus.  This usage draws upon the Roman system of jurisprudence.  The Advocate is one who is wise and protective.  He guides us and stands up for us and protects us.  Imagine for a moment that, on the last day, you are standing before the Judge of all Creation being accused by Satan, (whose name means the Accuser) and who presents the case against you before the judge.  His testimony is a tapestry of lies and distortion and fabrication with the end in mind for you that you be consigned to the Lake of Fire.  Standing beside you is your defender, the Advocate who is called by God to unravel the truth from the lies and to plead for mercy for you.  So, let me ask you, would you call that guy your helper?  I don’t think the label quite fits the modern usage of that term.

Translators of the bible have a very difficult task that calls for accuracy and sensitivity and skill in the use of language.  One of the translators of the King James version back in the early 1600’s was a man who taught Hebrew at Oxford University.  He also taught English poetry.  Many of those translators had similar skills.  They worked with the best texts that were available in their day and for the most part their translating work has stood the test of time, but the true genius of their work was the beauty and poetry that they brought out of the Hebrew and Greek texts that spoke to the hearts of English speaking people down through the centuries.  And that’s the hard part of the translator’s art.  It is not too hard to render the literal sense from one language to another, but it is the sensitivity with which it is done which allows art and poetry and human language to come alive in the minds and hearts of human beings down through the centuries.  For that we need the good offices of the Helper.