In conversations about comparative religion and the historical texts of the Bible, questions often arise around specific original words and their translations. One such word is found in the Gospel of John, between chapters 14 and 16: the Greek word parakletos.
But what does parakletos actually mean, and who is Jesus referring to when He uses it?
An Advocate and Comforter
Simply put, the Greek word parakletos translates to “advocate” or “comforter”.
It is a beautiful, powerful term used by Jesus as He prepares His disciples for His departure from the earth. He promises that they will not be left alone, but that the parakletos will be sent to them.
Who is the Parakletos?
Sometimes, when examining this text, claims are made that lift these Bible verses out of their historical and literary setting. For instance, Muslim friends will sometimes point to the word parakletos and argue that this was a prophecy referring to Muhammad.
However, when we look closely at the text with integrity, we see that Jesus explicitly connects the parakletos to the Holy Spirit. Jesus describes the parakletos doing specific things that do not fit a human prophet coming centuries later:
Indwelling Believers: Jesus states that this helper or comforter would come to actually live within and indwell His followers.
Glorifying Jesus: The parakletos is specifically sent to testify about Jesus and to glorify Him.
These descriptions fundamentally do not fit Muhammad, who came centuries after the New Testament was written and who actually denied key aspects of Jesus’s identity.
Conclusion: The Holy Spirit With Us
To try and insert an alternative meaning into the word parakletos undermines the integrity of the scriptures. Instead, what we discover is a wondrous promise from Jesus: the parakletos is the Holy Spirit, the divine advocate and comforter sent to indwell believers, testifying to the truth of Jesus Christ and ensuring we are never alone in this world.
