Advocate

This is the 100th post to this blog.
Jesus describes the Holy Spirit to His disciples as the Comforter.
"And I will pray the Father and He will give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever-the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him for He dwells with you and will be in you."   Jn. 14:16-17

The word used for "Comforter" in Greek is "Parakletos". As much as this word means to give succor, comfort, and help, it also means one who pleads another's cause before a  judge, a counsel for the defense, an advocate, an intercessor.
Jesus is our Advocate with the Father as well:
My little children, these things I write to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for our sins only, but also for the whole world."   1 Jn. 2:1-2
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"But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore, He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."         Heb. 7:24-25

While I had been familiar with the scriptures about Jesus being our Advocate with the Father, I had not thought much about the Holy Spirit being an Advocate, according to the meaning of the term "Comforter".
King Solomon wrote of those who had no "comforter", no one on their side:
"Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun:
And look! The tears of the oppressed,
But they have no comforter-
On the side of the oppressors
there is power,
But they have no comforter."            Eccl. 4:1

I considered that as a believer. I have received the Holy Spirit. However, I do not spend much time as an advocate, pleading the cause of one before a judge. I don't give much thought or spend time as a counsel for the defense. While I pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ, I can't say that I advocate for those who are not. I pray for their repentance, and salvation, but I do not "advocate" for their defense.
Defense counsels do not always have an innocent for a client. Sometimes they defend the undefendable. That is sometimes difficult for us to accept, because our hearts cry out for justice. However, Jesus said, "They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick." How can I advocate, or make a defense for the guilty?
At His own crucifixion, Jesus was an advocate for the guilty:
"Then Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."    Lk. 23:34
After He had said this they mocked and ridiculed Him.
Whether they had knowledge of who Jesus was, or not, they certainly knew they had railroaded an innocent man to death on false charges. It doesn't get more undefendable than that. Yet Jesus advocated for them before the Father. What possible fruit could come of such advocacy?  Well, Christ's disciple, Joseph of Arimathea, sat upon the Sanhedrin, that Council of men who had falsely accused and judged Jesus (Mt. 27:57, Mk. 15:43). Jesus' secret disciple, Nicodemus, was also part of that Council (Jn. 3:1). The Centurion, partaking in the execution of Christ, ended up declaring, "Truly, this was the Son of God." (Mt. 27:54, Mk. 15:39). Many priests, who were the main accusers of Christ, would come to salvation after the resurrection (Acts 6:7). And we also, were just as guilty as they were, before we came to a saving knowledge of Jesus. When Jesus advocated for them, He was advocating for me. Shouldn't we advocate for others? Isn't that the very meaning of the Holy Spirit, Parakletos, in us?
When His disciples were clamoring for Him to judge those who had rejected Him, Jesus rebuked them and said, "You know not what manner of spirit you are of". (Lk. 9:55)
Before the time of the judgment, there is first the time for advocacy on behalf of the accused.
Moses advocated before God, pleaded with Him, on behalf of the rebellious children of Israel, when God was prepared to render judgment against them. Moses didn't defend them based upon their innocence, which was non-existent, but he defended them based upon upholding the glory of the name of the LORD before the other nations, and reminding the LORD of His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. The LORD relented from the harm He said He would do to His people. (Ex. 32:11-14).
The Spirit of Wisdom delights in the creation of God, including man:
"Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman;
And I was daily His delight.
Rejoicing always before Him,
Rejoicing n His inhabited world,
And My delight was with the sons of men."        Prov. 8:30-31

After creating man, God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. (Gen. 1:31). Shouldn't we advocate for what Elohim called "very good", and for what Wisdom delighted in?

Out of this very rejoicing and delight over the creation of man, comes the heart of advocacy and defense, which is the name and character of the Holy Spirit.

Our Father has given us the Spirit of the Advocate.


"Father Forgive Them"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX5GyVOW2ws