Lessons in Greek
“I shall ask the Father, and He shall give you another Paraklete, so that He will be with you forever… The Paraklete, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything…” – John 14:16, 26
In John chapters 14 15, 16, & 17, Jesus gives some clear teachings about Himself and the relationship between Himself, the Father and the Holy Spirit. These teachings played a significant role in helping later theologians establish the doctrine of the Trinity, and to confirm the full divinity of Jesus.
When describing the nature and role of the Holy Spirit, John quotes Jesus as using a well-known secular Greek word: paraklete (παρακλητος). This term is variously translated as advocate, comforter, counsellor, helper, or supporter. A paraklete is someone who is called in to help; a supporter (in a lawcourt); a counsellor, advocate, exhorter, encourager, comforter, consoler, stimulator, provoker.
John was probably the best educated of Jesus' disciples as reflected in his use of Hellenistic terminology and thought. The term paraklete is only used in John's Gospel and in I John. John's spelling of paraklete with the accent on the pará-, indicates that this personal advocate is a permanent position and is someone on whom we can call at any and all times. John uses the term a total of five times. Four of these are in the Gospel of John (14:16, 14:26, 15:26, 16:7), and the fifth is in 1 John 2:1. In the Gospel of John, the paraklete is identified as the Holy Spirit. Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit as “another Comforter” (John 14:16), who will guide and teach believers, reminding them of Jesus' teachings (John 14:26). The Holy Spirit is also described as bearing witness to Jesus (John 15:26) and convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:7). In 1 John 2:1, the paraklete is applied to Jesus Christ, referring to Him as our advocate with the Father. This verse emphasizes Jesus' role as a mediator or intercessor for those who have sinned.
The word comes from the Greek verb parakeleuomai (παρακελευομαι) and is military in origin. It refers to the rousing speech of instruction, encouragement, and exhortation a commander gives to the troops before battle. Anyone in a position of authority may be called upon to “rouse the troops”, be they family members, team players, employees, or co-workers, etc. In a legal setting, defence counsel assumes the role of paraklete on behalf of their client.
Jesus' Jewish disciples would have been very familiar with the term papaklete, both in its secular context, as well in the Jewish Scriptures. Jews of the New Testament period almost exclusively used the 3rd Century BC Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testment. A single Hebrew word equivalent for paraklete does not exist in Hebrew, however the concepts it conveys are found in various ways. For example, the Hebrew word for “helper” (עזר) is used in Genesis 2:18 to describe a partner who aids in tasks. The word for “comforter” (נחם) is used in Isaiah 61:2, where God promises to comfort those who mourn. The concept of an intercessor or one who pleads for others can be found in other parts of the Old Testament. For instance, the term "messenger" (רַ כֵ ב) is used in Zechariah 6:5 to describe a messenger who is sent to bring a message of comfort.
What can the Old Testament tell us about this paraklete job? The first connotation is one of comfort. The best example is from Isaiah 40:1, where the Hebrew text says “Nachamu, nachamu ami” (“comfort, comfort my people”). It was translated as “Parakleite, Parakleite” long before John did so in his Gospel. We also see this in Job 16:1, where Job expresses his disappointment in his friends for being such poor comforters.
A second connotation can also be found in Job 16:20 and again in Job 33:23, where the Aramaic translation of the Hebrew text “Melitz” is פְּרַקְלִיטָא. Here the sense is not comfort but rather a kind of spokesperson who speaks in favour of the accused and advocates on his behalf “declaring him upright” before God.
Finally, we find a third connotation by association. The Hebrew word “melitz” (that gets translated as פְּרַקְלִיטָא in Job), in Genesis is used for the intermediary or interpreter between Joseph and his brothers.
Therefore, while there isn't a single direct equivalent for paraklete in the Old Testament, the concepts it represents, such as helper, comforter, and intercessor are expressed through various Hebrew words and phrases. So when the earlyJewish followers of Jesus heard the word paraklete, they would have immediately heard all of these Biblical associations together: of profound comfort during a time of perceived abandonment, of an intermediary who stands between one person and another helping to increase understanding, and of someone standing alongside and advocating on someone's behalf.
What a comfort, indeed to know that our holy Paraklete is permanently advocating for us, groaning and interceding on our behalf with words inexpressible.
“Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, Who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” – Romans 8:26-27
