1 John 2:1 English Standard Version (ESV) My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

The Greek word of advocate here is paraklētos and these are the biblical uses of that word.

I.                     summoned, called to one’s side, esp. called to one’s aid

A.                one who pleads another’s cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, an advocate

B.                one who pleads another’s cause with one, an intercessor

i.                     of Christ in his exaltation at God’s right hand, pleading with God the Father for the pardon of our sins

C.                in the widest sense, a helper, succourer, aider, assistant

 .                     of the Holy Spirit destined to take the place of Christ with the apostles (after his ascension to the Father), to lead them to a deeper knowledge of the gospel truth, and give them divine strength needed to enable them to undergo trials and persecutions on behalf of the divine kingdom

Biblical usages are important because they underline the connection to us and the scriptures in which they relate to our understanding. The first and primary usage listed is summoned. Think of this in the same manner as having a lawyer on retainer. He is the one you call when you are accused or guilty. He should always be your first call when in trouble. The subset A clarifies the intent. Subset B adds a level of detail that goes a little beyond the bounds of legal defense, that is as an intercessor.

The secondary inset defines our lead lawyer, the courtroom and the judge. The only case to be pleased is over the issues of sins committed.

C is where it gets interesting because the wider sense identifies actions that might best be seen as the legal team who take direction from the lead attorney, Christ. It calls out the Holy Spirit in His role on that team.

Think on this, John is doing the same thing in his epistle, exhorting us not to sin.

Genesis 32:24-26 English Standard Version

²⁴ And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. ²⁵ When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. ²⁶ Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

I have wrestled with this scripture for years. At times I have wondered if perhaps Jacob was wrestling with himself. Perhaps I thought this way because I am a stubborn person and I wrestle with myself.

In us there is the flesh and the spirit and they are opposed to one another.

Galatians 5:17 English Standard Version (ESV) For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

This battle does not end just because the spirit is stronger. The flesh cries out “you’re killing me” when crucified. Yet as much as we put the old man to death, our flesh still remains. We recognize which thoughts are generated by the flesh and which are spirit. The spirit warns us not to “go there”.

We have a long list of memories about what happens when we gave in to the flesh in the past. We wrestle with temptation to our own hurt, just as Jacob was pained in the flesh. The idiom, “getting one’s nose out of joint” refers to the displeasure of not getting things our way.

May our zeal for the Lord be stubborn enough to win over the flesh, Amen?