Comforter, Helper, Advocate—there are several translations for the word. And none of them are wrong. But who are we talking about? In fact, there are even two of them in the Bible.
The “Comforter” has disappeared. At least that is what anyone familiar with the King James Version—which was the official Bible of the New Apostolic Church in all English-speaking countries until 2002—might think. Because the New King James Version, the official Bible in use since then, only speaks of the “Helper”, for example in John 16: 7.
The same is true, but in a different way, in the French Louis Segond Bible. There, the “Comforter” in the 1979 edition officially used by the New Apostolic Church has mutated to “Defender” in the modern Segond 21. Only the German Luther Bible and the Spanish Biblia Reina Valera have retained the old designation even in new editions.
How are such differences possible?
The issue with the Paraclete
Paraklētos is the word in the original Greek text of the New Testament. Literally translated, it means “someone who is called”, more precisely called to one’s aid. Outside of the Bible, this was only used in a legal context. So helper, intercessor, advocate, and defender are quite suitable as translations.
Only “comforter” does not fit in this context. This term is less a translation than a reproduction of the content of the original. The Paraclete is named after what He does—comfort, but not necessarily in the sense as we understand it today: turning to human beings to alleviate their emotional pain.
The meaning originally had a different focus: “to make strong” and “to encourage”. This is also reflected in the Latin root of the word “comfort”: con-fortis = with/together + strong.
The Paraclete is therefore the encourager and strengthener. The only question is: who exactly is meant by this?
The Comforter 1.0
Paraklētos only appears five times in the New Testament, four of them in the gospel of John. It is in John 14: 16 that Jesus says for the first time that God the Father will “give you another Helper”. Wait a minute: another one? Who is the first one?
Christ Himself is of course number one: He encouraged the weak (“Do not be afraid!”), comforted the grieving (“Do not weep!”), and defended the marginalised (“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.”). His sacrifice is the ultimate support, and His resurrection is the ultimate source of courage.
The Comforter 2.0
Then a little further on in the text, the other Comforter is also named: “the Spirit of truth” (John 14: 17 and 15: 26), that is, “the Holy Spirit” (John 14: 26). Jesus Himself describes Him as a teacher, witness, admonisher, and guide to the truth. He is the Spirit of strength, love, and prudence.
However, “It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you,” Jesus says in John 16: 7. Why?
From “with us” to “in us”
Jesus was the first advocate on earth: personal, visible, and even able to heal outwardly. The Holy Spirit is the second advocate: invisible, active only within. As a human being, Jesus was bound to time and place. However, the Holy Spirit can work in all believers at the same time and makes it possible that we can experience the omnipresence of God.
With the ascension of Christ and the sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, a new era in God’s plan of salvation dawned: the “with you” is followed by “in you”. The era of the law and the phase of incarnation are now followed by the era of the church and the sacraments.
But the first Paraclete has not disappeared. For the fifth and last time, the word appears in 1 John 2: 1: “We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” The Helper and Counsellor as Advocate and Defender—what comfort.
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