[B-Greek] PARAKLHTOS

Fridolin Janzen fjanzen at gmx.net
Sun Jun 11 00:54:39 EDT 2006


Dear friends,

In the first place I would like to thank all of you that made comments and
gave enlightenment to help solve the doubts about how PARAKLHTOS should be
translated. 
Some considerations first:
1. I have come to the conclusion that we will never come to a unanimous
consensus in how the word should be translated.
2. I believe Jesus wanted the Holy Spirit to be to us everything He Himself
represented to the disciples while with them, and used the word not only in
relation of His suffering, neither only with regard to reinforce the
witnessing of the apostles (although this was included), but in every aspect
we would need the PARAKLHTOS in our daily walk with God, just as the
disciples needed the Lord Himself.
3. What did Jesus do when he was "called to the side of the disciples"? The
resulting answers will determine the activity of the Holy Spirit in relation
to us.
4. What I did not realize before, is that the Holy Spirit is also the
PARAKLHTOS of the unbeliever. In this respect He is not able to be
"Comforter", or "Advisor", or "Mentor", or "Advocate",  (John 16:7-11). The
text says that the Comforter will reprove the world . (A Comforter will
reprove?) So reproof is part of the ministry of the PARAKLHTOS, just like
the Lord proceeded with the Pharisees and other hypocrites. 
5. So I came to the conclusion that we do not have a broad enough term in
our language that encompasses all these aspects of the work of the
PARAKLHTOS.
6. Since we do have a transliterated word for PARAKLHTOS in the Portuguese
language, "Paracleto", I decided, as of now, to use this word and then
explain it, with the following footnote:
7. PARAKLHTOS (parakletos): "called to the side of". Usually translated as
"Comforter", which is but one of His activities. Jesus was the PARAKLHTOS
and was substituted by the Holy Spirit. Someone who is at our side as:
Advocate, Helper, Intercessor, Counselor, Instructor, Mentor, Comforter,
Witness, etc. In relation to the unbeliever He is the "prosecuting
attorney", accusing him of sin, righteousness and judgment. Since we do not
have a word which encompasses all these meanings in our language, we will
use the transliterated word "Paracletos".
8. The last alternative that remains is to proceed in the same manner as I
did with the word "phone". According to the context use a different term. 
Shortly I will come up with other doubts I am still having. Thank you so
much!

Pastor Fridolin Janzen





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