PARACLETE1

Etymology: Paraclete comes from the Koine Greek word (parkltos) that can signify
"called to one's aid in a court of justice", a "legal assistant", an "assistant", or an "intercessor".The
word for paraclete is passive in form, and etymologically (originally) signified "called to one's
side". The active form of the word, parakletor, is not found in the New Testament but is found in
Septuagint in Job 16:2 in the plural, and means "comforters", in the saying of Job regarding the
"miserable comforters" who failed to rekindle his spirit in his time of distress.

Paraclete, Comforter (L. Consolator; Greek parakletos). The Greek word which, as a designation
of the Holy Ghost at least, occurs only in St. John (14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7), has been variously
translated "advocate", "intercessor", "teacher, "helper", "comforter". This last rendering, though at
variance with the passive form of the Greek, is justified by the Hellenistic usage, a number of
ancient versions, patristic and liturgical authority, and the evident needs of the Johannine context.

The early church identified the Paraclete as the Holy Spirit.In first-century Jewish and Christian
understanding, the presence of the Holy Spirit is to claim rebirth of prophecy. During his period
as a hermit in the mid-12th century, Peter Abelard dedicated his chapel to the Paraclete because "I
had come there as a fugitive and, in the depths of my despair, was granted some comfort by the
grace of God."

Paraclete in Classical Greek and Judaism: The term is not common in non-Jewish texts. The
best known use is by Demosthenes:

Citizens of Athens, I do not doubt that you are all pretty well aware that this trial has been
the center of keen partisanship and active canvassing, for you saw the people who were
accosting and annoying you just now at the casting of lots. But I have to make a request
which ought to be granted without asking, that you will all give less weight to private
entreaty or personal influence than to the spirit of justice and to the oath which you
severally swore when you entered that box. You will reflect that justice and the oath
concern yourselves and the commonwealth, whereas the importunity and party spirit of
advocates serve the end of those private ambitions which you are convened by the laws to
thwart, not to encourage for the advantage of evil-doers. (Demosthenes On the False
Embassy 19:1)

1
Class notes-Billy J Zorinthara
In Judaism, Philo speaks several times of "paraclete" advocates primarily in the sense of human
intercessors. The word later went from Hellenistic Jewish writing into rabbinical Hebrew writing.
The word is not used in the Septuagint, the word "comforters" being different in Job. Other words
are used to translate the Hebrew word ( mnam "comforter") and ( Melitz
Yosher). In Modern Hebrew, the cognate 'praklit' ( )means 'solicitor' or 'legal counsel',
'praklit ha-mechoz' means district attorney, and 'praklitut ha-medina' the Israeli equivalent of the
solicitor-general.

Rabbinical term adopted from the Greek (= "advocate," "intercessor"): Targumic

translation of (Job xvi. 20, xxxiii. 23): "He who performs one good deed has gotten to himself
one advocate [paraclete], and he who commits one transgression has gotten to himself one accuser"
(Abot iv. 11). "Whosoever is summoned before the court for capital punishment is saved only by
powerful advocates[paracletes]; such paracletes man has in repentance and good works, and if
there are nine hundred and ninety-nine accusers and only one to plead for his exoneration he is
saved" (Shab. 32a; comp. Job xxxiii. 23-24). "The works of benevolence and mercy done by the
people of Israel in this world become agents of peace and intercessors [paracletes] between them
and their Father in heaven" (B. B. 10a; Tos. Peah iv. 21). The sin-offering is like the paraclete
before God; it intercedes for man and is followed by another offering, a "thank-offering for the
pardon obtained" (Sifra, Meora', iii. 3; Tos. Parah i. 1). The two daily burnt offerings are called
"the two paracletes" (Yer. Ber. iv. 7b), and the four kinds of plants at Sukkot are termed
"paracletes" for the year's rain (Yer. Ta'an. i. 63c).

The paraclete or intercessor created through each good deed is called "angel" (Ex. R. xxxii., with
reference to Ps. xxxiv. 8; comp. Job xxxiii. 23"an interceding angel," A. V. incorrectly
translating "a messenger," "an interpreter"). In the sense of "Intercessor," the name "Paraclete" is
given also to the Holy Spirit in the New Testament (John xiv. 16, 26; xv. 26; xvi. 7 [A. V.
incorrectly, "Comforter"]; I John ii. 1 [A. V. "advocate"]), just as the Midrash calls the Holy Spirit
"Synegor," which is the same as "Paraclete" (Lev. R. vi. 1; Deut. R. iii. 12). In the same sense
Philo speaks of the "Logos" ("De Vita Mosis," iii., 14) as the "Paraclete" who is to procure for
the high priest forgiveness of sins, just as he uses the term "paraclete" elsewhere in the sense of
"advocate" and "intercessor" ("In Flaccum," 3, 4; "De Opificiis Mundi," 6: "God is in no need
of an 'intercessor,'" i.e., a helper).

Scholar interpretations

The starting point of what Jesus says about the person of the Holy Spirit is that he was leaving the
world and would send in his stead allon paraklton, another Paraclete, identified as the Spirit
of truth (14:16). The Greek term parakltos appears in the Bible only in these passages in John
14-16 and in 1 John 2:1. John 14:16 quotes Jesus as saying "another Paraclete" will come to help
his disciples, implying, according to Lawrence Lutkemeyer, that Jesus is the first and primary
Paraclete. Raymond Brown (1970)supported by George Johnston (2005) also says that the
"another Paraclete" of John 14:16 is in many ways another Jesus, the presence of Jesus after Jesus
ascends to his Father. Brown opines that the one whom John calls "another Paraclete" is another
Jesus. Since the Paraclete can come only when Jesus departs, the Paraclete is the presence of Jesus
when Jesus is absent. Jesus' promises to dwell within his disciples are, the Holy Spirit continues
the presence of Jesus. Thus the one whom Jesus calls "another Paraclete" is in many ways another
Jesus.The Gospel of Matthew twice uses the passive form of the corresponding verb ,
in 2:18 and 5:4. In both instances, the context is of mourning, and the meaning of the verb is "to
be comforted"

Paraclete as Advocate

Here is the context of the passage in John (14:15-27), with the translation of Paraclete as Advocate
shown in bold:

15 If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another
Advocate to help you and be with you forever 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept
him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will
be in you 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you 19 Before long, the world will not
see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will
realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you 21 Whoever has my commands
and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I
too will love them and show myself to them.

22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and
not to the world?

23 Jesus replied, Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we
will come to them and make our home with them 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey
my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

25 All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the
Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have
said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

According to John the mission of the Paraclete is to abide with the disciples after Jesus has
withdrawn His visible presence from them; to inwardly bring home to them the teaching externally
given by Christ and thus to stand as a witness to the doctrine and work of the Saviour. There is no
reason for limiting to the Apostles themselves the comforting influence of the Paraclete as
promised in the Gospel (Matthew 10:19; Mark 13:11; Luke 12:11, 21:14) and described in Acts 2.
In the above declaration of Christ, Cardinal Manning rightly sees a new dispensation, that of the
Spirit of God, the Sanctifier.
The explicit connection drawn between the Spirit and the Son by Jesus reference to the Spirit as
another Paraclete (14:16-17) is fleshed out throughout the Gospel in its parallel descriptions of
Jesus and the Spirit. Practically everything that is said about the Paraclete Holy Spirit is also said
about Jesus Christ.

The Son is a Paraclete (14:16; cf. 1 John 2:1); the Holy Spirit is another Paraclete
(14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7).

God gave the Son (3:16); the Father will give the Holy Spirit (14:16).

The Son was with (meta, meth) his disciples (3:22; 6:3; 7:33; 11:54; 13:33; 14:9;
15:27; 16:4; 17:12; 18:2); after the Son left, the Holy Spirit was going to be with
(meth) the disciples (14:16).

The Son spoke to the disciples while he remained with them (14:25); the Holy Spirit
will remain with the disciples after the Son is no longer physically with them (14:17).

Unbelievers do not receive the Son (1:11; 5:43), but believers do receive him (John
1:12; 13:20); unbelievers also do not receive the Holy Spirit (14:17) but believers do
receive him (John 7:39; 20:22).

The world will not see the Son any longer, while believers will see him (14:19); the
world does not see the Holy Spirit (14:17).

The world did not know the Son (1:10; 16:3) while believers do know the Son
(10:14; 17:3; 1 John 2:3-4); the world does not know the Holy Spirit, while believers
do know the Holy Spirit (14:17).

The Son is the Truth (14:6); the Holy Spirit is the Truth (1 John 5:6; cf. John 14:17;
15:26; 16:13; 1 John 4:6).

The Father sent the Son (e.g., 14:24; 15:21; 16:5); the Father will send the Holy
Spirit (14:26, cf. 14:24); the Son will send the Holy Spirit (15:26, cf. 15:21; 16:7, cf.
16:5). Notice that in all three of the references to the sending of the Holy Spirit, there is
in the immediate context a reference to the sending of the Son.

The Son came in the Fathers name (5:43); the Holy Spirit came in the Sons name
(14:26).

The Son taught (6:59; 7:14, 28; 8:2, 20; 18:20); the Holy Spirit will teach (14:26).
 The Son told the disciples all things that the Father said (15:15); the Holy Spirit will
remind the disciples of all things that the Son said (14:26).

The Son came from the Father (16:28); the Holy Spirit came from the Father (15:26).

The Son testifies to the truth and to himself (3:11; 4:44; 5:31; 7:7; 8:14, 18; 13:21;
18:37); the Holy Spirit testifies to the Son (15:26).

The Son will execute judgment of all people (5:22, 27, 30; 8:16); the Holy Spirit will
prepare people by convicting the world about judgment (16:8, 11).

The Son speaks (e.g., 16:1, 4, 6, 33; passim); the Holy Spirit will speak (16:13).

The Son does not act or speak on his own (aph heautou, 5:19; 7:18; cf. 7:17; 8:28;
12:49; 14:10); likewise, the Holy Spirit will not speak on his own (aph heautou,
16:13). The deference of the Son to the Father is matched by the deference of the Holy
Spirit to the Son.

The Son speaks what he heard from the Father (8:40); the Holy Spirit will speak
what he hears from the Son (16:13).

The Son came to glorify the Father (12:28; 14:13; 15:8; 17:1, 4); the Holy Spirit came to
glorify the Son (16:14).

The Son will declare all things (4:25); the Holy Spirit will declare the Sons things
(16:14-15).