PARAQLITA... PARACLETE... PARAQLEETA...

RE-POST FROM 12-26-11 . . .

 Any way you spell it,  in any language you put it,  Paraqlita is a LOANWORD from the Greek language, just like it comes into the Aramaic Peshitta, meaning HOLY SPIRIT or Comforter or Advocate. English. "Comforter" = "One Who Thoroughly Strengthens" ... never REDEEMER+, as stated in the "Golden Translation" of the Aramaic New Covenant.   



Linguistical and historical evidence show the "new" understanding of the Aramaic Paraqlita ( as "Redeemer+") to be a false gnosticism, a false knowledge, a false understanding. 

A note to each reader: Please do verify all this information for yourself; do not simply take my word for it. If you find factual information that conflicts with this, please write the reference and info into a comment. I will be greatly appreciative, as I have spent hours researching this information and want it to be honest and correct... for the love of TRUTH+ and hatred of deceit.  

Let's start with the LANGUAGE evidence.

1. On-line Information:  This interesting note on [b-aramaic] under the thread of Eastern Orthodox Bible and Revelation   , was found when I searched for Paraqlita. It is message #1041 of 1082 and written by Jack Kilmon, who is well-known in Aramaic language circles on the web. He says: 

"The Aramaic Targums also borrow the Greek word as prqlyt  and prqlyta. The pointing makes it clear that the Greek word is borrowed. "
.
He says, further: " I seem to remember  paraklatos having been used in GREEK for a Targum on Job for melak ( an angel who pleads for man to GOD)."

2. In the same thread on [b-aramaic], on 12-8-99, James Trimm, another Aramaic language Hebrew Root-ist, wrote this: " Paraclete... the paraclete or intercessor ... is called "an interceding angel." He cites a Jewish Dictionary, pages 514-515 as his reference. [Although I do not doubt the veracity of his page references,  I cannot find this specific dictionary on line./ Sr.JH]

3. The classic Christian Greek-English Lexicon reference work of BAGD (Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich, and Danker, 2nd Ed, 1979) includes the standard meaning as comforter, advocate, helper, intercessor = HOLY SPIRIT (i.e., not "REDEEMER+" ), page 618. 

Of even more interest, however, is BAGD'S historical literature references for Paraqlit. To wit:  

"... so the Jews adopted it as a LOANWORD. Pirqe Aboth 4:11"  ( see #3 below for more details of this citation).  In Job 16:2 Aquila and Theodotion translate menachem (comforters) as paraklaroi. ... and so did Ephraem the Syrian."

And, in reference to meaning, Paraclete is established: "This is supported now by IQS3, 24 f; and IQM 17. 6-8"...
[These are the Qumran Scrolls: IQS = The Manual of Discipline; IQM = War of the Sons of Light and the Sons of Darkness. ]


All this information is found on page 618, BAGD, 2nd Edition, 1979.


4. How can there be developed an ARAMAIC etymology for a GREEK word? (That's quite a linguistic trick! But, it only works on the un-suspecting reader.) In the introduction of the 3rd Edition, mis-pagination Ed.,  of this "golden, historic" translation, on page iv, 2nd paragraph,  the reader is informed that there are indeed Greek loanwords in the Peshitta.

5. This same translation DID use the GREEK meaning of "advocate" for Paraqlita (same word, same grammatical form) in I John 2:1... but gave Paraqlita an Aramaic etymology and definition of "REDEEMER+" in the 4 verses in the book of John (as seen on previous blogs). 

So... why would the SAME word toggle between coming from the Aramaic in 4 verses... and coming into the Peshitta as a GREEK loanword... in the 5th verse? And, all verses were written by the same Apostle !   

The Main Historical Issues include: 

1. Time Frame:  This new "understanding" was developed between 15 and 10 years ago. Neither the Early Church writers and   scholars nor ANY Aramaic scholars up to 15 years or so ago had any such concept for that  word, which is  found in  the Peshitta ... and also in the Targums, the Old Covenant books written in the Aramaic tongue !

2.  Older Scriptures: The Septuagint (LXX),  the translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into the Greek, was done approximately 250 years before CHRIST .  This Old Covenant is quoted in the New Covenant... even in the Aramaic New Covenant, "Golden Translation". 

These verses in this "Golden" Aramaic New Covenant are directly from the LXX -- the Greek-- version of the Old Covenant: Matthew 1:23, Hebrews 10:5, and 2 Timothy 2:19.  Matthew was written in Hebrew or Aramaic, according to historical sources, but that apostle QUOTED the Greek translation of the Old Covenant, not the Hebrew Scriptures. 

There are 14 Old Covenant verses with Paraclete or a form of that word in the LXX, found in : Job, Proverbs, Psalms, Isaiah , Jeremiah, Hosea, Nahum, and Zechariah... covering a broad time frame and a broad spectrum of writers.  

3. Other Ancient Writings: Paraqlit is found in ancient Hebrew writings, also.

from Mishnah Avot 4:13 (some cite it as 4:11) , Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya'akov ll, a Tanna of the 2nd Century:

 13. Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob used to say: He who performs one commandment acquires for himself one advocate, (p'raklit)* while he who commits one transgression has gotten for himself one accuser. Penitence and good deeds are as a shield against punishment. quote from online website, JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA; P'raklit*  from James Trimm, from [b-aramaic] on same date 12-8-99 , thread listed above.

There is a REASON why the occurrence in the old literature is important. Stay tuned !


ውህይ
(More to come )...  Sr. JH