Our Advocate
Hebrews 2:14–18
That he might become a merciful and faithful high priest. Hebrews 2:17
Jesus fulfilled his priestly role, first, by the offering up of himself as a sacrifice for sin and, second, by interceding for his people in heaven. There is a wonderful word that is used for this mediatorial function of intercession, and it is doubly wonderful because it is also used of the earthly ministry of the Holy Spirit on our behalf. In the Greek language the word is parakletos. In English it is translated “comforter” or “counselor” or “advocate.”
A paraklete is one called alongside another to help him, in other words, a lawyer, precisely the meaning for “advocate.” The picture, then, is of something we might call a heavenly law firm with us as clients. It has a heavenly branch presided over by the Lord Jesus Christ and an earthly branch directed by the Holy Spirit. Each pleads for us. It is the Spirit’s role to move us to pray and to intensify that prayer to a point of which we ourselves are not capable. Paul writes of this ministry, “Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered” (Rom. 8:26 KJV). Similarly, it is the ministry of the Lord in heaven to interpret our prayers aright and plead the efficacy of his sacrifice as the basis of our coming to God.
The consequence of this is that we can have great boldness in prayer. How could we ever have boldness if the answering of our prayers depended either upon the strength with which we pray or upon the correctness of the petitions themselves? We could not. Our prayers are weak, as Paul confesses, and we often pray wrongly. But we are bold, nevertheless, for we have the Holy Spirit to strengthen the requests and the Lord Jesus Christ to interpret them rightly.
What things should we be bold about in our prayers? Certainly that we might grow and become strong in the faith. That God might do things in us individually and in his church that we have not dreamed possible. That he might work through us to our communities to do something really remarkable, memorable, and spiritually lasting for his grace. Let us pray these things boldly and ask the Lord to bless us as we do.
Taken from Come to the Waters by James Boice ISBN 9798887790954 used with permission from P&R Publishing, Phillipsburg NJ 08865
Scripture quotations are from the ESV (the Holy Bible English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.