The remaining problem, which is the main problem, is how to translate ‘parakletos’. Could the Holy Spirit be described as ‘another advocate’, like Jesus? Well, in one instance, at least, Jesus acted as an advocate for his disciples: in Mark 2. 24 the Pharisees accuse them of breaking the Sabbath by plucking ears of corn to eat as they walked through the cornfield. This, to a Pharisee, was, in effect, reaping, and so working. Jesus then defended them against this accusation, so assuming the role of their advocate. The Holy Spirit, too, we are told, in certain circumstances, will help and support us in our hour of need just as an advocate does. In all three synoptic gospels Jesus warns his disciples of persecution to come as they preach the gospel. Mark’s version reads: “When they arrest you and hand you over for trial, do not worry in advance what you should say, but whatever is given to you at that moment, say it; for it will not be you speaking but the Holy Spirit” (13.11). Matthew (10. 19-20) describes the Spirit as “the Spirit of your Father”, and Luke (12. 11-12) says that the Spirit will “teach you what to say”, teaching being, as we shall see, one of the Spirit’s most important ministries. We could, then, describe the Holy Spirit as an ‘advocate’ in such circumstances; even though he does not actually speak on our behalf, as Jesus did for his disciples, he writes our lines for us, as it were, just as Demosthenes and Cicero wrote speeches for their ‘friends’ to deliver in court. We can, moreover, see Jesus’ promise being fulfilled in Acts 4 and 5. Twice the apostles are arrested, first just Peter and John after the healing of the lame man, and then all the apostles in a clamp-down by the authorities (4. 3 = 5. 18). On each occasion, when brought before the council they made powerful speeches testifying to Jesus and his resurrection, and proclaiming that he was the only author of salvation (4. 8-12, 5. 29-32). On the first occasion we are specifically told that “Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit”; on the second, we can infer this both from the parallel with the previous episode, and from the effect their words had on the authorities: “they were cut to the heart” (AV), just as the crowd had been by Peter’s Spirit-inspired sermon on the day of Pentecost (2.37); the Greek word is different, but the meaning is much the same. But whereas many in that crowd were led to repentance and faith as the Spirit brought Peter’s words right home to their hearts, the members of the Sanhedrin, or most of them, it seems, were hardened in their unbelief.
Thursday, 29 December 2011
PARAKLETOS (b) the Holy Spirit our Advocate?
The remaining problem, which is the main problem, is how to translate ‘parakletos’. Could the Holy Spirit be described as ‘another advocate’, like Jesus? Well, in one instance, at least, Jesus acted as an advocate for his disciples: in Mark 2. 24 the Pharisees accuse them of breaking the Sabbath by plucking ears of corn to eat as they walked through the cornfield. This, to a Pharisee, was, in effect, reaping, and so working. Jesus then defended them against this accusation, so assuming the role of their advocate. The Holy Spirit, too, we are told, in certain circumstances, will help and support us in our hour of need just as an advocate does. In all three synoptic gospels Jesus warns his disciples of persecution to come as they preach the gospel. Mark’s version reads: “When they arrest you and hand you over for trial, do not worry in advance what you should say, but whatever is given to you at that moment, say it; for it will not be you speaking but the Holy Spirit” (13.11). Matthew (10. 19-20) describes the Spirit as “the Spirit of your Father”, and Luke (12. 11-12) says that the Spirit will “teach you what to say”, teaching being, as we shall see, one of the Spirit’s most important ministries. We could, then, describe the Holy Spirit as an ‘advocate’ in such circumstances; even though he does not actually speak on our behalf, as Jesus did for his disciples, he writes our lines for us, as it were, just as Demosthenes and Cicero wrote speeches for their ‘friends’ to deliver in court. We can, moreover, see Jesus’ promise being fulfilled in Acts 4 and 5. Twice the apostles are arrested, first just Peter and John after the healing of the lame man, and then all the apostles in a clamp-down by the authorities (4. 3 = 5. 18). On each occasion, when brought before the council they made powerful speeches testifying to Jesus and his resurrection, and proclaiming that he was the only author of salvation (4. 8-12, 5. 29-32). On the first occasion we are specifically told that “Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit”; on the second, we can infer this both from the parallel with the previous episode, and from the effect their words had on the authorities: “they were cut to the heart” (AV), just as the crowd had been by Peter’s Spirit-inspired sermon on the day of Pentecost (2.37); the Greek word is different, but the meaning is much the same. But whereas many in that crowd were led to repentance and faith as the Spirit brought Peter’s words right home to their hearts, the members of the Sanhedrin, or most of them, it seems, were hardened in their unbelief.
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