Paraclete (J\apaK\i]Toc, lit. one called near for aid; A.V. "Comforter"). This word is applied in the original to Christ in 1 John ii, 1, where it is translated "advocate" (q. v.). Indeed, in that famous passage in which Christ promises the Holy Spirit as a paraclete (" comforter") to his sorrowing disciples, he takes the title to himself: "I will send j^ou another paraclete" (John xiv, 16). The question then is, In what sense does Christ denominate himself and the Spirit sent from him and the Father, Trapc'iKXiirog, paraclete ? The an- swer to this is not to be found without some difficulty, and it becomes the more difficult from the fact that in genuine Greek the verb TrapaKuXiXv has a variety of significations: (!) To call to a place, to call to aid; (2) to admonish, to persuade, to incite; (3) to en- treat, to pray. To these may be added the Hellenis- tic signification, " to console ;" " to soothe ;" " to encour- age." Finally, the rabbins also in their language use the word L3"'!pp'nQ (perakiit) for the Angel of Inter- cession (Job xxxiii, 23), a fact which must be taken into consideration. In the explanation of the word the leading circumstance to guide us must be to take that signification which is applicable to the different passages in which it occurs. For we may distinguish three interpretations: (1.) Origen explains it where it is applied to the Holy Spirit by " Consolator" (jropa- Hv5r]Tr]<;), while in 1 John ii, 1 lie adopts the significa- tion of " Deprecator." This is the course taken by most of the Greek commentators (Suicer, Thesaur. s. v.), and which has been followed by Erasmus, Luther, and oth- ers. But to this Tholuck and others object that, not to insist that the signification cannot be grammatically established (for no admissible instance can be adduced where the passive izapc'iKX^TOQ is used in an active sense for TrapuK\ii~wp), it is suitable to a verj' few passages only, while to others it is either too circum- scribed or altogether inappropriate. (2.) Aware of this, others, after the example of Theodore of Mopsuestia, sanctioned by jNIede, Ernesti, and others, would trans- late it teacher. But neither does tliis sense seem adapted to all the passages. It would also be difficult to deduce it from the usages of the language ; for — not to mention that in this case also the active signification would be assumed for the passive form — we are pressed with the question whether the verb izapaKaXilv can anywhere in the New Testament be found in the sense of "to teach," as this hypothesis assumes. It is at least very certain that this sense never was transferred to the rab- binical Sli'^bp'nQ, the perukltid, advocate or interpreter
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(Buxtorf, Lex. Talmudicum, col. 1843). (3.) The con- siderations which tell against these views incline the balance in favor of a third sense, which is that of assist- ant, "helper," coadjutor; hence "advocate" (interces- sor). Demosthenes uses it with this force in a judicial sense (see Index, ed. Reiske) ; and it occurs in the same sense in Philo (see Lcesner, Ohservatt.), and in the rab- binical dialect. It is supported by Kom. viii, 26, and, which is still more to the purpose, is appropriate to all the passages in the New Testament where the word oc- curs. After the example of the early Latin fathers, Calvin, Beza, Lampe, Bengel, Knapp, Kuinol, Tittmann, and many others, have adopted this sense. Tertullian and Augustine have advocate. The A.V. renders the word by "advocate" in 1 John ii, 1, but in other places (John xiv, 16, 26; xv, 26; xvi, 7) by "comforter." How much better, however, the more extensive term " helper" (including teacher, monitor, advocate) agrees with these passages than the narrow term "comforter" may be shown by a single instance. Jesus says to his disciples, " I will send you another paraclete" (John xiv, 16), implying that he himself had been such to them. But he had not been in any distinguishing sense a " comforter" or " consoler," because, having him present with them, they had not mourned (Matt, ix, 15). But he had been eminently a helper, in the ex- tensive sense which has been indicated ; and such as he had been to them — to teach, to guide, and to uphold — the Holy Spirit would become to them after his re- moval (see the commentators above named, particularly Tholuck and Tittmann on John xiv, 16 ; also Knapp, De Sp. S. et Christi Parade/is, Halle, 1790 ; Hare, Mis- sion of the Comforter). — Kitto, s. v. See the treatises De Paracleto, by Scherff (Lips. I'ii), Knapp (Halle, 1790), Yolborth (Gritting. 1786), Hugenholz (Leyden, 1834). See Holy Spieit.
Paracletice (TrapaKXijTiicl]) is a book of anthems or hymns used among the Greek Christians, and de- rives its name from its office, as it chiefly tends to com- fort the sinner, or because the hymns are partly invo- catory, consisting of pious addresses to God and the saints. The hymns of the Paracletice are not appro- priated to particular days, but contain something proper to be recited every day, in the mass, vespers, matins, and other offices. Allatius finds great fault with this book, and says there are many things in it disrespectful to the Virgin Mary, and many things ascribed to her against all reason and equity ; that it affirms that John the Baptist, after his death, preached Christ in hell; and that Christ himself, when he descended into hell, freed all mankind from the punishments of that place, and the power of the devil.