My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 1 John 2:1
Parakletos is the Greek word translated here as advocate and literally means one called to the side of another. An advocate in our legal system is someone who pleads in favor of you, someone who stands up for your rights. We have no rights as sinners, but because of the atonement of Christ our penalty debt has already been paid. Jesus is my Advocate who stands before a Holy Judge to declare my innocence.
Easton’s Bible Dictionary describes parakletos this way: one who pleads another's cause, who helps another by defending or comforting him. It is a name given by Christ three times to the Holy Ghost.
Parakletos is translated in the gospels, not as Advocate, but as Comforter. There is comfort in having someone come alongside to stand up for you. Likewise, some translations use Counselor or Helper. You can see that all of these together help us to understand God’s action toward us as One who comes alongside.
Saying Jesus is my Advocate conveys the power of the truth of Christ’s sacrifice and the atonement. But I also need to be reminded of His constant Presence as Counselor, Comforter and Helper in the Person of the Spirit. I am grateful for the Parakletos, the One who came to my side.
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of Truth. John 14:16-17
