PARACLETE

:''For the school of Peter Abelard, see Oratory of the Paraclete.''
'Paraclete' comes from the Koine Greek word (Parakletos) (Strong's G3875) meaning "one who consoles - a comforter" or "one who intercedes on our behalf - an advocate". It may reflect ''m^ənaḥḥēm'' "comforter". According to Walter Bauer's ''Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature'': "the technical meaning 'lawyer', 'attorney' is rare." The word appears a few times in the New Testament and, as a title for the Holy Spirit, is used in Christian Pneumatology and Trinitarian theology.

Contents

'Paraclete' in Christianity

'Paraclete' in Islam

Other uses of 'Paraclete'

See also

'Paraclete' in Christianity

'Paraclete' appears in the New Testament in the Gospel of John (, , , , ) where it may be translated in English as "Counselor", "Helper", or "Comforter". The Early Church identified the ''Paraclete'' as the Holy Spirit (,,,) and Christians continue to use Paraclete as a title for God's Spirit.
In "paraclete" is used to describe the intercessory role of Jesus Christ. And in John 14:16 Jesus says "another paraclete" will come to help his disciples, implying Jesus is the first paraclete.
In and John the Baptist says a powerful one coming after him: "will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire." (NIV)
Verses like these are often used by Christians in Trinitarian theology to describe how God is revealed to the world and God's role in salvation. According to trinitarian doctrine, the Paraclete or Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity who among other things provides guidance, consolation and support to people. Other titles for the Holy Spirit include 'Spirit of Truth', Lightfull Spirit of God Almighty, Holy Breath, Almighty Breath, Giver of Life, Lord of Grace, Helper, 'Comforter', 'Counsellor' and 'Supporter'.
Some early Christians may have believed that Jesus himself returned after his death to indwell his followers as the Spirit and Helper.
Rene Girard, a Christian anthropologist / philosopher, argues that Paraclete ought to be translated as the Defense Attorney who is defending human beings against the assaults of Satan (the Prosecuting Attorney, the Accuser, the fomenter of violence). See Girard's book I See Satan Fall Like Lightning, pages 189-90, for his argument.

'Paraclete' in Islam

And because of their saying: We slew the Messiah Jesus son of Mary, Allah's messenger They slew him not nor
crucified, but it appeared so unto them; and lo! those who disagree concerning it are in doubt thereof; they have no
knowledge thereof save pursuit of a conjecture ; they slew him not for certain,(Quran 4:157)
Since the founding of Islam in the 7th century, some Muslims have identified Muhammad as the Paraclete promised by Jesus. They draw on similarities between the words "Parakletos" and "periklutos", meaning 'Comforter', which can be translated as "Ahmad" and is another name used to refer to Muhammad in the Qur'an. The Quranic verse to which Muslims refer is:
: ''"And remember, Isa Bin Mariam ("Jesus, son of Mary") said: O Children of Israil! I am the apostle of Allah (sent) to you, confirming the Law (which came) before me, and giving Glad Tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad. But when he came to them with Clear Signs, they said, this is evident sorcery!"'' (Sura 61:6)
Muslims believe also that Muhammed will be the interceder in the judgement day, and it's commonly named "شفيع هذه الأمة" ie "interceder of this nation [i.e. the Muslims]). In Sahih Bukhari:
: "...Then I will be addressed: 'O Muhammad! Raise your head; intercede, for your intercession will be accepted, and ask (for anything). for you will be given." (Sahih Bukhari,Prophets book,hadith 556)
'"Muhammad is but a messenger, messengers (the like of whom) have passed away before him. Will it be that, when he dieth or is slain, ye will turn back on your heels? He who turneth back on his heels doth no hurt to God, and God will reward the thankful." (Quran 3:144)'
According to Muslims who argue that Muhammad is the Paraclete promised by Jesus, this is taken to mean that Muhammad's support and approval will be with Muslims and the true believers of one God. In addition, many Muslims believe the permanent light mentioned by Jesus refers to Mahdi.
Also, from : "But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. UNLESS I go away, the Comforter will NOT come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you."
Although Christian Scholars refer to Paraclete as Holy Spirit, this can contradict their claim since Holy spirit, in Christianity, is regarded as one existed before Jesus came to men, while as mentioned above, the comforter could come ONLY after Jesus left.
"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me."
"And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning."
No mainstream teaching of Islam describes Muhammad as having come to mankind by being 'sent by Jesus from God'; the general understanding is that Muhammad was created by God as a perfect creation and sent directly to preach commands of God to all mankind, and for him to 'be sent from God' by Jesus' command would suggest that Muhammad is to a certain degree subordinate to Jesus. This contradicts the claim that Muhammad is the last of the prophets and Muslims make no distinction among the prophets (see Seal of the Prophets).
'"Say (O Muhammad): We believe in God and that which is revealed unto us and that which was revealed unto Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and that which was vouchsafed unto Moses and Jesus and the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and unto Him we have surrendered." (Quran 3:84)'
Also, it is stated that the disciples of Jesus will experience ('bear witness to') the Paraclete in their lifetimes '(which they did, according to Christian tradition-however this Christian claim is self contradictory because according to Christians the Paraclete will be "with you forever", there simply isn't any eternal person existing from the time of disciples of Jesus who testifies Jesus and teaching God's commands )'. However, the Muslims argue that Muhammad, being the Paraclete, immortalize his teachings through the unchanged Quran now available to the masses following the teachings of past prophets and Jesus as well in line with the verse,"with you forever". This is in contrast to what Christians had been taught by Paul in the New Testament to forsake the teachings of past prophets like Moses. Hence, Muhammad the Paraclete, had been sent to return believers to the teachings of Moses and other past prophets.
As a young man and a merchant, Muslim tradition reports that Muhammad was known to be trustworthy, honest and truthful. Meccans called him al-Amin (Arabic for "the trustworthy one"). Muslims argue that the "spirit of truth" mentioned in is Muhammad al-Amin, the truthful and trustworthy one, and the message Muhammad brought, the Quran, came direct and unaltered from God.
In addition to that, in : "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you unto all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me".
This supports Muslim's argumant as God says in Quran, that Muhammed enjoins only which is inspired into him from God.
Quran 10:15 --"And when Our clear revelations are recited unto them, they who look not for the meeting with Us say: Bring a Lecture other than this, or change it. Say (O Muhammad): It is not for me to change it of my accord. 'I only follow that which is inspired in me'. Lo! if I disobey my Lord I fear the retribution of an awful Day."
"Say (O Muhammad, to the disbelievers): I say not unto you (that) I possess the treasures of God, nor that I have knowledge of the Unseen; and I say not unto you: Lo! I am an angel. I follow only that which is inspired in me. Say: Are the blind man and the seer equal? Will ye not then take thought?" (Quran 6:50)
According to Muslims, The Spirit of Truth, spoken about in this prophecy refers to none other than Prophet Muhammad. They believe the Prophet Muhammad spoke what he heard from Angel Gabriel, who carried the Word of God to Muhammad. The message of God to Muhammad, the Quran, testifies and glorifies Jesus as a great prophet and a miracle worker who received revelation from God. This is not accepted by Christians, who perceive Jesus as the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16) and as the Lord and Saviour, rather than a prophet in the mould of the Hebrew prophets.

Other uses of 'Paraclete'

'Some' people including Montanus in the mid 2nd century and Mani (210-276) claimed to be the promised paraclete of John 14:16.
The leading authority on classical Greek ( Liddell, which is of course slightly different than biblical Koine Greek ) portrays the word Paraclete as an antonym for Diabolos, characterizing the former as a defender and the latter as an accuser. The 'clete' syllable derives from the same etymological origin as 'ecclesia' - the infinitive of which means "to call". By the 'ecclesia', the church is called to assemble. Similarly, the Paraclete is "called" to the side of the one on trial.

See also

★ Holy Spirit
The paraclete is ''to pneuma'' (the spirit) ''to hagios'' (the pure one) often translated as the Holy Spirit. A pneuma can be an emissary, or messenger (angel), but is always a being without a body. At the Baptism of Jesus at the Jordan River, a pneuma (Pure Spirit) descended and remained on Jesus throughout his ministry. Jesus cast out demons by the pneuma. He told Nicodemus "the pneuma moves where he wants to and you are hearing his voice, but do not know where he comes from or where he is going." Before he died, he told his followers that they knew the Pneuma (for he had been speaking through Jesus for three years). Jesus said when he reached heaven, he would petition the father to send another pneuma (pure spirit) to be in them throughout the age. As the first emssiary came from God to help Jesus, the second emissary would be commissioned, or sent, by Jesus to help his followers throughout the age. Since Jesus was "The Truth" the second Pure Spirit would be the ''to pneuma tes alethiea'' the emissary of Jesus -the Pure Spirit of the Truth.
Two Paracletes are mentioned in the Gospels, they are diembodied beings sent by God to help. They are not God, but angels of God. The second paraclete was sent to clarify the message of Jesus, the parables, and dark sayings, and difficult prophecies about his return. The second Pure Spirit brought no new doctrines of salvation, rituals, or prophecies. He did not come to give a roadmap of the future, but to help the followers understand the words that Jesus spoke.

★ Christianity and Islam

★ Paraclete High School