Parakletos in Rabbinic Writings

"Rabbinical term adopted from the Greek παράκλητός (= "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, Meẓora', 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)."

Jewish Encyclopedia

NET Bible Comments

"2. General Meaning: In general the word signifies: (1) a legal advocate, or counsel for defense, (2) an intercessor, (3) a helper, generally. The first, or technical, judicial meaning is that which predominates in classical usage, corresponding to our word "advocate," "counsel," or "attorney." The corresponding Latin word is advocatus, "advocate," the word applied to Christ in English Versions of the Bible in the translation of the Greek word parakletos, in 1 Jn 2:1. There is some question whether the translation "Comforter" in the passages of John's Gospel in the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) is warranted by the meaning of the word. It is certain that the meaning "comforter" is not the primary signification, as we have seen. It is very probably, however, a secondary meaning of the word, and some of its cognates clearly convey the idea of comfort in certain connections, both in Septuagint and in the New Testament (Gen 37:35; Zec 1:13; Mt 5:4; 2 Cor 1:3,4). In the passage in 2 Corinthians the word in one form or another is used 5 times and in each means "comfort." In none of these instances, however, do we find the noun "Paraclete," which we are now considering. 3. In the Talmud and Targums: Among Jewish writers the word "Paraclete" came to have a number of meanings. A good deed was called a paraclete or advocate, and a transgression was an accuser. Repentance and good works were called paracletes: "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." The sin offering is a paraclete; the paraclete created by each good deed is called an angel (Jewish Encyclopedia, IX, 514-15, article "Paraclete"). 4. As Employed by Philo: Philo employs the word in several instances. Usually he does not use it in the legal, technical sense. Joseph is represented as bestowing forgiveness on his brethren who had wronged him and declaring that they needed "no one else as paraclete," or intercessor (De Joseph c. 40). In his Life of Moses, iii.14, is a remarkable passage which indicates Philo's spiritualizing methods of interpreting Scripture as well as reflects his philosophic tendency. At the close of a somewhat elaborate account of the emblematic significance of the vestments of the high priest and their jeweled decorations, his words are: "The twelve stones arranged on the breast in four rows of three stones each, namely, the logeum, being also an emblem of that reason which holds together and regulates the universe. For it was indispensable (anagkaion) that the man who was consecrated to the Father of the world should have, as a paraclete, his son, the being most perfect in all virtue, to procure the forgiveness of sins, and a supply of unlimited blessings." This is rather a striking verbal or formal parallel to the statement in 1 Jn 2:1 where Christ is our Advocate with the Father, although of course Philo's conceptions of the Divine "reason" and "son" are by no means the Christian conceptions."

Concerning the above comments, carefully note those passages which refer to the Priest as anointed (both noun and verb forms).

Paraclete: NET Bible

Parakletos in Philo

The Johannine Parakletos

The Greek word parakletos is found in the Gospel of John and historically translated into English by the words "paraclete," "counsellor," "helper" and "comforter."

The Risen Jesus is explicitly called Paraclete by John

My little children, I write these things to you that you might not sin and if anyone should sin we have a parakletos with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.
(1 John 2:1).

It is interesting to observe how Trinitarian translators make sure that this particular Greek word in John's letter is usually translated as "Advocate" but in John's gospel they never translate this same word as "Advocate." It certainly appears that they would like to make sure that readers do not draw any association between the Parakletos in the Gospel with this Parakletos in his letter.

Observations concerning Jesus and the Parakletos

†	The Holy Spirit	The Risen Jesus
Called "Parakletos"	John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7	1 John 2:1
Spirit	Self-evident	1 Corinthians 15:45; 2 Corinthians 3:17
The Truth	John 14:17; 16:13	John 1:17; 14:6; Compare John 1:1 & 17:17
Truth	I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Paraclete, to be with you for ever, the the Spirit of Truth. (14:16) When the Paraclete comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify concerning Me. (15:26) But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. (16:13)	I am the way, the Truth and the life (14:6) In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God.... and the Word became flesh and dwelled among us.... full of grace and truth (1:1-18) Sanctify them in the Truth; Your Word is Truth (17:17). John... has testified to the Truth. (5:33)
With disciples Will be in disciples	I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Paraclete, to be with you for ever, the the Spirit of Truth. (14:16)	I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you (14:17).
Breathes	The Spirit breathes (3:8)	He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. (20:22)
Hear voice/sound (phone/phoneo) Born out of the dead	Hear the voice of the Spirit. (3:8) See also Heb 3:7,15; 4:7	The dead will hear the voice of the Son of God/Man (5:25-28; cf. 11:43; 12:17) Sheep hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. (10:3-5,16,27; cf. 18:37).
Whereabouts unknown	You do not know where the Spirit comes from and where the Spirit is going. (3:8)	You do not know where I come from or where I am going. (8:14).
Descends from Above, Out of Heaven	I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven. (1:32). You will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man (1:51). Born of the Spirit is born from above (anothen) (3:3-7). See Galatians 4:19.	No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended out of heaven: the Son of Man. (3:13) The bread of God is that which descends out of heaven (6:33; cf. 38, 41-42, 50-51, 58) He who comes from above is above all, he who is out of the earth is out of the earth and speaks out of the earth. He who comes out of heaven is above all. (3:31) You are from below, I am from (ek) above. (8:23).
World doesn't Receive Disciples do Receive	The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see him or know him (14:17) He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (7:39) Receive the Holy Spirit (20:22)	He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world did not know him. He came to his own, and those who were his own did not receive him. (1:10-11) I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. (5:43) For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. (1:16) What he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his testimony. He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true (3:32-33)
Sent from God		For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God (3:34) My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. (4:34) He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. (5:23-24)
Does not speak on own authority

The Risen Jesus IS the Parakletos

When Jesus introduced the Parakletos to his disciples, he said to them, "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Parakletos that He may be with you to the age." Remember what Jesus said to the disciples in the Gospel of Matthew, "I am with you always until the end of the age."

When Jesus introduced the Parakletos to his disciples, he said to them, "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him." Let us recall then these words, "the world did not know Him" (1:10).

When Jesus introduced the Parakletos to his disciples, he said to them, "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Parakletos that He may be with you to the age." If they are to receive "another" Parakletos, who then is the current Parakletos? The new man, the risen Christ. "Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead.... so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter. Notice carefully, that Paul is saying they had died with Christ (see 6:3-5) so that they might belong to "another" and he identifies this "other" husband as the risen Christ. The first is the mortal man, the second is the new man, the second Adam, "another" husband.

When Jesus introduced the Parakletos to his disciples, he said to them, "He abides with you and will be in you." Notice what says to them in the same context, "These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. The Greek word used here is para which is the prefix of the word para kletos and it means to be by one's side or be "beside."

When Jesus introduced the Parakletos to his disciples, he said to them, "He abides with you and will be in you," and then he immediately says, "I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you."

Last Updated: February 19, 2011