The word "paraclete" is used once in the New Testament, and several times in Aramaic translation of the Hebrew scriptures. What does the word mean?
In modern Hebrew, it means "Attorney", but is probably a loan word from Aramaic, where it seems to have had that meaning or the meaning of "advocate". It is also a Greek word with a different meaning. Let me examine what it means in each language. The Greek version of the New Testament has a number of Hebrew, Aramaic, and even Latin loan words in it, and since it is unusual in Greek, the possibility of its meaning coming from any language cannot be discounted.
GREEK
In Greek, it could mean "one called alongside". parakalew is the closest word in Greek to parakletoV which means "called alongside". But it is not a common word in Greek. The only known secular pre-New Testament usage of this word in Greek appears in The Peloponnesian War byThucydides, written 431 BC , where it appears in a slight variation from the way it appears in the gospel account (aparakletoi).
"...receiving some augmentations, many of the independent Thracians volunteers (aparaklhtoi) joined him in the hope of plunder" (The Peloponnesian War by Thucydides, 431 BC)
Paraklete is used in the negative here, since an alpha is in front of the word meaning the people involved are NOT "parakletes". Since "paraklete" means one called alongside, the usage here is that the soldiers were not "CALLED" (Drafted), but volunteered to serve. So a soldier drafted into the army would be considered a "paraklete". In the midst of our discussion, I've been giving this word some thought, and I do see now where the Greek etymology could CONNOTATE "comforter". "Paraklete" in Greek refers to someone called along another's side. Why is he there? Perhaps to comfort, though that's certainly not the role of a drafted soldier, and the term could be used for that situation as well. But the literal meaning is not "comforter" but "one called alongside".
ARAMAIC / HEBREW
The Aramaic and Greek translations of Isaiah 66:13, Job 16:20 & 33:23 use this word in both languages. It is a translation of the Hebrew word for "comfort" (nichem), and thus would seem to mean "comforter", which does not align with the Greek etymology, thus the Greek Isa 66:13 is probably a transliteration of the Aramaic. If the Aramaic etymology means "to break a curse", that could be a connection to "comfort", since breaking a curse brings comfort, but would not be as generic. But overall, I don't see these two connected here. I don't see a Greek etymology that builds a case for "paraklete" meaning "comforter" in Greek, thus its hard to say this arose as a loan word to me. "Paraklete" also appears in the Hebrew Mishnah (Avot 4:11a) to mean "advocate", so maybe it means 3 different things in 3 different languages. So this is a bit of a complicated issue
We do have evidence of this word being used in both Aramaic and Greek writings prior to the NT, so it could be that the word weaved it's way into the Aramaic language from the Greek.
- "Paraqlita" could have come from PaRaQ and LiT. "פרק" can mean either to join or separate, depending on how you pronounce it.
- Another possibility to consider is.... PRY = Hebrew for "fruit" QoL = Hebrew for "Voice" Coud "Paraqleeta" have evolved somehow from "fruit of the voice"? Yeshua is the Word. Ruach can mean "Spirit" or "Breath". The voice produces breath and words. "Paraqleeta" is used of the Ruach in Yochanan 14:6 and of Yeshua in 1 Yoch 2:1, so it applies to them both. So "fruit of the voice" could, by analogy, be said the fit both the Holy Word and the Holy Breath/Spirit/Ruach.
- In Aramaic, spelled Pey, Alef, Resh, Alef, and pronounced "PiARaA", which could easily contract to "para". Voice is "Qol" or "Qoli" and appears as "qoli" in Yochanan 10:16, 27, 18:37, Gal 4:20 fo the Peshitta. Now we just need to explain the "ta" added to the end. I'm not sure if this is providing a plural ending or not, but if so, and "paraqoli" means "fruit of the voice", then would "parakleetah" mean "fruits of the voice" or "fruit of the voices" or "fruits of the voices" or would this be more akin to "ElohIM".
Shalom,
Joe