Day Seventeen

Paracelete (pair-uh-kleet), the transliteration of a Greek term meaning “called to the side of” and hence “advocate (cf. 1 John 2:1). Its importance derives from its use in the Gospel of John (14:16-17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-11; cf. 16:13-15), where Jesus promises his disciples that when he departs he will send them another Paraclete (RSV and NIV: “Counselor”; KJV: “Comforter”; JB and NEB: “Advocate”) to remain with them. As the Fourth Gospel makes clear, the Paraclete is the Holy Spirit, or Spirit of Truth (14:17, 26). In fact, the Fourth Gospel’s teaching about the Holy Spirit is set forth in terms of the Paraclete, who continues the work of Jesus himself (14:16-17), recalling things the earthly Jesus taught or revealing things he was unable to convey (14:26; 16:12-14). In John’s view, this spiritual knowledge of insight, unavailable until after Jesus’ death and resurrection, makes for the first time Christian faith and understanding fully possible. (Dwight Moody Smith, Ph.D., Professor of New Testament Interpretation, Divinity School, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina; HARPER’S BIBLE DICTIONARY, Copyright 1985 by the Society of Biblical Literature, Harper & Row Publishers Inc., NY, NY)

“I have told you these things while I am still here with you. Yet the advocate, the holy spirit the Father will send in my stead, will teach you everything and remind you of everything I told you. Peace is what I leave behind for you; my peace is what I give you. What I give you is not a worldly gift. Don’t give in to your distress or be overcome by terror. You heard me tell you, “I’m going away and I’m going to return to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I’m going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am. So I have now told you all this ahead of time so you will believe when it happens. (John 14:25-29 The Scholars Version, THE FIVE GOSPELS: THE SEARCH FOR THE AUTHENTIC WORDS OF JESUS, Copyright 1993 by Polebridge Press, Macmillan Publishing Company, NY, NY)