An Introductory Word from Bob: Biblical Words Related to Biblical Counseling
You’re reading Post #2 in my series on Biblical Counseling Word Studies.
- Read Post #1 Here: Biblical Counseling Word Study #1: Parakaleo—Empathize, Encourage, Exhort, Empower
There are many words in the Old Testament and New Testament that relate to one-another ministry, biblical counseling, soul care, pastoral care, shepherding, spiritual friendship, and being a soul physician. In this series on Biblical Counseling Word Studies, I’m posting about:
How we can become further equipped to counsel one another biblically by understanding and applying biblical words related to soul care.
Another Comforter/Counselor/Advocate
The disciples’ hearts were troubled. Jesus would be leaving them. How could they go on?
Shockingly, Jesus tells His troubled disciples that they will be better off after He leaves them!
“Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth; it is to your advantage that I am going away. For if I do not go away, the Paraclete (parakletos) will not come to you; but if I go away, I will send him to you” (John 16:7).
Jesus would not leave them (or us) as orphans. Instead, He would send them (and us) the Holy Spirit as our Paraclete—our Comforter, Counselor, Advocate, Encourager.
The Paraclete will not only be with us; He will be in us.
Jesus and the Holy Spirit
In the New Testament, parakletos is only used in John’s writings, and only 5 times.
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Paraclete (parakleton), to be with you forever” (John 14:16).
“But the Paraclete (parakletos), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will instruct you regarding all things, and cause you to remember everything that I have told you” (John 14:26).
“But when the Paraclete (parakletos) comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes forth from the Father, he will bear witness about me” (John 15:26).
“Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth; it is to your advantage that I am going away. For if I do not go away, the Paraclete (parakletos) will not come to you; but if I go away, I will send him to you” (John 16:7).
“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate (parakleton) with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one” (1 John 2:1).
Parakletos Outside the New Testament
Secular Greek used parakletos frequently for a helper in court—summoning a legal expert as ones legal representative, adviser, and court advocate. The parakletos is the defender of an accused person who pleads the case of the accused.
The Jewish Rabbis before the time of Christ used parakletos for a sinner’s advocate before God, pleading for God’s lovingkindness and forgiveness.
Christ: Our Advocate
In 1 John 2:1, parakleton clearly highlights Christ’s role as our advocate before the Father. Christ defends us before the Father’s holiness with Christ’s own perfect righteousness.
The living Christ intercedes at the right hand of the Father (Romans 8:34). Christ places His incorruptible life at the service of His people (Hebrews 7:25).
In our biblical counseling, many counselees come to us defeated by “the accuser of the brethren”—Satan (Revelation 12:10).
When Satan speaks words of condemnation, we have the privilege of encouraging our counselees to remember the gospel and to apply it to their lives. They remind themselves that when they confess their sins, that the Father is faithful and just and will forgive them their sins and purify them from all unrighteousness—through the righteousness of Christ—their Advocate (parakleton) before the Father.
The Holy Spirit: Our Comforter and Encourager
When applied to the Holy Spirit, parakletos seems to have less of a sense of “advocate.”
Instead, many commentators (such as Luther and Calvin), translators (such as Wycliff), and many early church fathers relate parakletos to the related word parakaleo and its emphasis on consolation, comfort, and encouragement (see Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Vol. 5, pp. 803-814). Thus the common translations in John 14-16 of the Holy Spirit as our Counselor, Comforter, Encourager.
In the context of John 14-16, where Jesus applies parakletos to the Holy Spirit four times, the focus is on comforting the hearts of the disciples (John 14:1—“let not your hearts be troubled”). And the immediate context of John 14:16-18 highlights the role the Spirit plays in assuring the believers that they will not be left as orphans.
Their grieving hearts will be comforted by the indwelling Holy Spirit—their parakletos.
Likewise, New Testament Greek expert, William Mounce, defines parakletos as counselor, intercessor, helper, one who encourages and comforts.
The Holy Spirit: Our Indwelling Christ-Centered, Gospel-Reminding Counselor
When I consider the meaning of the word parakletos in the context of John 14-16, I summarize parakletos as:
The Holy Spirit Is Our Indwelling Christ-Centered, Gospel-Reminding Encouragement Counselor Who Applies the Gospel to Us as Sufferers, Sinners, and Saints.
The parakletos is the Spirit of truth (John 15:26) who instructs us by causing us to remember the gospel teachings of Jesus (John 14:26), and by bearing witness to the life, death, burial, resurrection, and person of Christ—the gospel (John 15:26).
The Holy Spirit: Our Comforter and Consoler in Suffering
Our Parakletos applies the gospel to our suffering.
When overcome by suffering, the Spirit—our Parakletos—reminds us that our God is our Father of compassion and the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). He reminds us that Jesus is the Man of Sorrows, acquainted with our grief, who sympathizes with us in our weakness and provides grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16). He reminds us that He groans with us and intercedes for us (Romans 8:26-27).
In our suffering, the Spirit—our Parakletos—opens our eyes to an eternal perspective, reminding us that present suffering, no matter how difficult, cannot be compared to our future glory (Romans 8:14-18). He opens the eyes of our hearts to our sure hope in Christ (Ephesians 1:17-18).
The Holy Spirit: Our Encourager and Helper
Our Parakletos applies the gospel to our sinning.
When overwhelmed by our sin, the Spirit—our Parakletos—reminds us that there is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). He reminds us that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ (Romans 8:38-39).
When our conscience is condemned by sin and Satan, it is the Spirit—our Parakletos—who reminds us of gospel truths like Luke 15 and the forgiving Father of the prodigal son.
The Holy Spirit: Our Empowerer and Equipper
Our Parakletos applies the gospel to our sainthood in Christ.
As we seek to become more like Christ, the Spirit reminds us of Christ’s resurrection power at work within us (Ephesians 1:19-23). The Spirit empowers us to become more like Christ through Christ’s power working within us (Ephesians 3:16-17).
The Spirit also reminds us of and helps us to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of God in Christ—so that we may be filled to the full measure of all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:17-19).
God the Father: The God of Encouragement
While parakletos is not used directly of God the Father, in at least two passages the Father is called “the God of Encouragement” (paraklesis):
“For whatever was written at an earlier time was written for our instruction/discipleship that through endurance and the encouragement (paraklesis) of the Scripture we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement (paraklesis) enable you to live in harmony with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:4-6, my translation from the Greek).
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort/encouragement (paraklesis), who encourages (parakaleo) us in all our troubles, so that we may be able to encourage (parakaleo) those experiencing troubles with the encouragement (paraklesis) with which we ourselves are encouraged (parakaleo) by God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, my translation from the Greek).
The phrase “the God of _____” is both quite rare and quite significant. It communicates a substantial summary of the nature of God in His relationship to His children.
God’s very nature is to encourage His children—to comfort them, to console them, to strengthen them, to en-courage them—to place courage within them.
The Romans 15 passage also links encouragement with hope. God is our hope-giving, encouraging Father.
Both Romans 15:4-6 and 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 link God’s encouragement to our encouragement of one another and to our unity with one another. In harmony, we comfort one another. In harmony, with one voice, God’s children glorify our Father of Encouragement.
Homework for Biblical Counselors: 8 Assessments of Our Parakletos-Inspired Biblical Counseling
As we counsel Christians struggling with Satan’s condemnation, how do we direct them to Christ who is their Advocate before the Father?
How do we demonstrate that our biblical counseling is Spirit-empowered and Spirit-dependent, rather than being dependent upon our own training, experience, wisdom, and strength?
How well do we reflect the Holy Spirit’s Christ-centered, gospel-reminding counseling as we apply the gospel to sufferers, sinners, and saints?
How do we help our suffering counselees to apply the gospel truth that the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—consoles, comforts, and encourages them in their suffering?
How well do we help our suffering counselees to apply an eternal gospel perspective to their difficult, temporal suffering?
How well do we help our counselees who are struggling against sin to remember the gospel truth that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus?
How well do we enlighten our counselees to their sainthood in Christ by encouraging them to remember and apply Christ’s resurrection power?
How well do we enlighten our counselees to their sainthood by encouraging them to ponder the infinite love of Christ for them?
