I just finished spending a couple of months teaching the teen guys at Robinson Avenue on Wednesday nights. I really enjoyed getting to know this great group. We swam in the deep end of the pool during our study time: we studied the Holy Spirit.
One part of Scripture that we really spent some time with was Jesus’ final discourse in John. Jesus calls the Spirit the Paraclete (the anglicized form of the original greek word parakletos). I know that to a group of athletically minded teenager guys the term Paraclete must sound a lot like “pair of cleats” – I don’t know if this made things confusing or provided an easy way for them to remember a Greek word. Paraclete is a combination of two Greek words: Para is a preposition meaning “beside” or “along with; Kaleo means “to call”. Putting these two words together we learn that the Paraclete is one who is called beside or summoned.
Our English translations attempt to translate this word in so many ways: counselor, comforter, advocate, helper, friend, etc. Which translation is best? I don’t know – I’m just glad that the Holy Spirit has been summoned into my life to help me in my journey. The way is treacherous and slippery and I know I need the traction and footing that only the pair of cleats paraclete can provide.
