Eamon Younis: The Wonderful Counselor, The Other Counselor, And Christian Counseling

By George Scipione

Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia

I. Introduction

Who is the greatest psychologist and clinician that has ever lived? Who has contributed the most to our psychological understanding of man and offered the true solutions to his problem? If you are analytically oriented you might name Freud, Jung, Rank, Adler, Fromm, Horney, Sullivan, or Berne. If you lean toward behaviorism, probably you would cast your vote for Watson, Pavlov, Hull, or Skinner. However, if phenomenology is your interest you might advocate Rodgers, Perls, May, Binswanger, or Frankl. Perhaps you might even want to opt separately for a theoretician and a clinician. Your choice is significant because it indicates whom you depend upon for self-understanding as well as psychological understanding in general.

This choice is more difficult since, “a comprehensive view of the development of personality theory must surely begin with conceptions of man advanced by the great classical scholars … and also (must) deal with the contributions of dozens of thoughtful individuals … who lived in the intervening centuries.”[1] According to Hall and Linzey, psychology did not originate in the nineteenth century. Although they refer specifically to personality theories, what they say is true for the whole of psychology. Thus, the list of possible candidates increases.

While Hall and Linzey have included men such as Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Locke, and Machiavelli, they have forgotten Moses, Paul, Luther, and Jonathan Edwards. The absence of references to Bible characters and Christian leaders is disturbing to the Christian. But most of all, failure to take notice of Jesus Christ himself is the most serious omission of all. Without question, the choice for the believer cannot be Freud or Skinner; nor can it even be Moses or Calvin. It must be Jesus. He has contributed more to our understanding of who man is and to the solution of his problems than any other. When the nature of the question is understood, the answer is inevitable. Jesus the Christ is the greatest counselor who has ever lived.

While there are those who will admit this to be true, they nevertheless think of Christ as counselor in a naive, unintentional way. This article attempts to show that this is a false understanding of the situation. In it we shall show how the Bible clearly understands and presents Jesus as the greatest counselor.

Certain assumptions have been made. First, the Bible is the Word of God, infallible and inerrant in the autographs, the only rule for faith and practice. Second, man as creature and sinner needs the word-revelation of God to interpret reality. Third, the Bible is authoritative on all matters of which it speaks. Although it is not a book of science, its statements about any aspect of reality are true. On the basis of these assumptions, we will begin with exegesis of Scripture. God has revealed certain facts about the structure of created reality. He also has related much about the eschatological movement of history. Finally, he has given specific commandments for individuals. Thus we shall seek to discover exegetical answers about Jesus Christ that may be understood historically and applied personally. Our methodology is revelational, not empirical.

In this study, our efforts will center upon Isaiah 9:6 where Christ is called “The Wonderful Counselor.” We shall show also that this title is related to the “Paraclete” concept and the work of the Holy Spirit as described in John’s gospel. Finally, from our understanding of the Biblical data we shall draw several conclusions about Christian counseling.

II. Isaiah 9:6: The Wonderful Counselor

A. Preliminary Remarks

1. Problem Defined

In Isaiah 9:6, consider the following exegetical problem: the prophet says that the Messianic King will be called by various names. These names obviously describe his character and work. But the question that arises is: how many names are given? The history of the exegesis of these names is as varied as can be imagined. S. D. Luzzatto takes the eight words after שְׁמוֹ as one title or sentence.[2] Kimchi and others, on the basis of the Targum’s rendering of this text, consider all of the titles but one as names of God. They think that the subject of the active verb is God, and that Prince of Peace is the only Messianic title.[3] In Jerome’s view the first four words are individual names and the last two are pairs.[4] Others believe that all eight are separate titles.[5]

None of these answers is satisfactory. Delitzsch humorously evaluates Luzzatto’s view:

But granting such a sesquipedalian proper name to be possible, how unskillfully would it be formed, since the long-winded sentence, which yet should have been spoken in one breath, would resolve itself in this form into separate clauses which are again names and, moreover, contrary to expectation names of God![6]

Young also shows how this is impossible.[7] Calvin points out the fallacy of those translations resting upon the Targum: it is not grammatically possible to separate שְׁמוֹ from the name itself.[8] Jerome and others fail to take the parallelism of the verse seriously.

2. Solution Given

Two other interpretations of the text merit serious attention. The first is the exegesis of the Massoretic text, the Authorized Version, the American Standard Version of 1901, and the Berkeley Version. According to this position, words three through eight are pairs. Thus, the passage consists of two single titles and three paired titles, i.e., five in all. The translators who adopt this position begin to take the parallel phrases seriously. This view is the best known and is brought to mind by Handel’s Messiah. J. A. Alexander[9] and F. Delitzschl[10] also hold to this interpretation. Alexander argues that the fourfold name is impossible because the punctuation does not allow for it. While Delitzsch sees the possibility of the first two words constituting a unit— either as an inverted phrase or as a genitive or appositional phrase— he says the Massoretic telisha gedola would have to be a mapach to allow for this.

It is obvious that this exegesis rests upon the Massoretic pointing which places a telisha gedola on פֶלֶא, the first word. This is clearly a disjunctive accent.[11] Wickes points out in a lengthy footnote that commentators ignore this very point.[12] The Massoretes separate words one and two. However, word three has a munach joining it to word four. Words five and seven have mapachs joining them with words six and eight respectively. The Massoretes, therefore, saw five titles. For the most part, the text has been viewed in this way-apart from the above mentioned, unaccepted variants.

There are, however, three facts that render inconclusive an exegetical position resting heavily or exclusively upon Massoretic ‘pointing. First, we have no record of why these men punctuated a given text in a given manner. Since the Massoretes were not :inspired, they could be wrong. While their textual commentary is helpful it in no way is binding. Why these men thought that פֶלֶא and יוֹחּ should be separated is not clear. We only have a record of their opinions, not the reasons or logic behind them. Secondly, as Wickes points out, what the pointing is, i.e. its nature, must be kept in view. “The accent may be divided into two classes … conjunctive and disjunctive. In using these terms, however, we must be careful to remember that they apply, strictly speaking, only to the melody.”[13] The pointing is basically a melodic system for public singing of the text. Certainly, this system has logical connotations as well as musical. But, primarily, the division of the text is for melodic purposes. This understanding of what the pointing is makes us reluctant to base a view solely or primarily on the pointing. Thirdly, we should remember when the Massoretes wrote. These were men commenting on the text somewhere between the sixth and ninth centuries A.D.— certainly no earlier than the fourth. Thus we ask, “why are the last six words paired and the first two divided?” The answer is that the Massaretes thought so. Because of these three reasons, their view will not suffice.

The second exegetical position is that of the Revised Standard Version, the New American Standard version, and many modern commentators. This view sees the eight words to be four coupled titles, i.e. שׁר שׁלום ,אבי עד ,אל גבול ,פלא יועחּ. With Wildberger as support, Kaiser takes this position[14] Gray says, “the eight words of the name fall into four clauses, each containing two words closely connected; less probable views are that the first four, or first two words should be taken singly.”[15] Leupold states, “The parallelism requires that they be four compounds, as it were … besides, all four of the compound nouns used are objects, not some subjects and some objects.”[16] Perhaps the clearest exposition of the parallelism in the passage is in Young’s work. He establishes the view that it is grammatically correct to hold that the first two names contain appositional genitives in spite of Alexander’s protests. The last two names are in the construct state.[17] Young’s work is extremely valuable, although the present author cannot understand his statement that “the massoretic accentuation supports the position that there are four names.”[18] The very opposite is true. This is born out by Wilkes, as we have shown above.[19]

It is of interest to note that the translators of the LXX rendered פֶלֶא יוֹחּ as Μεγάλης βουλῆς ἄγγελος. While the translation itself is not very helpful, it does show that they took the two words as one phrase and not separately. This is not conclusive in itself. However, this view does antedate the Massoretic work by several centuries, and in fact may be the oldest interpretation of the text known.

Therefore, we see that recent expositors, with historical warrant, take פֶלֶא יוֹחּ as a unit and not as two separate titles. On this view the Messiah would be considered “a wonder of a counselor” or “a wonderful counselor.” There is good reason for assurance that this is the correct exegesis. We have seen that the Massoretic accentuation is mainly a fourth to ninth century A.D. melodic commentary which gives no reasoning for its interpretation of the text. The passage itself dictates parallelism which most expositors now see. There are no grammatical reasons which negate this interpretation. So in spite of the cantors in synagogues all over the world and choirs, who sing the Hallelujah Chorus with gusto, we shall insist פֶלֶא יוֹחּ be sung or expounded as a unit.

B. פלא

The Messianic King who will come as a light bursting in upon Zebulun and Naphthali, the way of the Gentiles, and who will be a light to the Gentiles (Is. 42:6, 16; 44:6), will have the Name or Character of פֶלֶא יוֹחּ. What is a פֶלֶא? We first find this word in Ex. 15:11.

1. Definition

The Song of Moses recorded in Exodus 15, was sung by Israel after seeing Jehovah’s hand stretched out against Egypt. The Egyptian Army lies dead upon the seashore. Israel is safe and dry on the other side. They could not help but sing! In the midst of the Song, Israel praises Jehovah for destroying the Egyptians in such an awesome fashion. They say in verse 11,

Who is like Thee among the gods, O Jehovah?
Who is like Thee, majestic in holiness,
Awesome in praises, working wonders?

God’s personal intervention in time and space to redeem Israel by drowning the Egyptians in a miraculous way is called a wonder. In fact, it is Jehovah who works or does these things. It is in connection with these redemptive acts of Jehovah the covenant God of Israel that the word פֶלֶא first occurs in the Scriptures. The use of this noun or its adjectival equivalent follows the pattern seen here. What is in view in this word is not so much the subjective reaction to the act, as the act itself. It is obvious that Jehovah’s acts are called wonders because they evoke awe and amazement. But this subjective element is not the focus of the word. The use of פֶלֶא in the Psalms bears out this contention.

In Psalm 77:11–15 the psalmist is raising a cry to God (vs. 1–6). He can find no comfort. This leads him to question God’s ultimate intentions for him (vs. 7–9). His thinking changes (vs. 10). What brings the change is thinking about the deeds of Jehovah who has acted in the past on behalf of his people. The content of Asaph’s meditation is the work of God. He is creator and sustainer of all things (vs. 12). But in particular (note, the psalmist is caught in a world of suffering) it is the redemptive wonders of God for his people that he contemplates (vs. 15). God has performed wonders of old (vs. 11). He is the God who works wonders among the peoples of the earth (vs. 14). The touchstone of comfort and reality for the suffering psalmist is the faithful covenant God who works wonders in saving his people. He looks back to the historical events of God’s intervention. The paradigm for such wondrous salvation is redemption from Egypt and from the Red Sea.

Perhaps this pattern can be seen in a clearer way in Psalm 78:12. The psalmist is reflecting upon the obligation of God’s people to instruct the next generation in the praises of Jehovah (vs. 1–4). Again, the ground for and content of the praise is the wonders of Jehovah (vs. 4). God himself established a law and a command to the fathers to teach their children (vs. 5). But Israel rebelled; they refused to keep his law (vs. 10) and forgot his deeds, i.e. his wonders (vs. 11). These are defined as done in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan (vs. 12). Verses 13–16 are an historical summary of God’s redemptive acts from the Red Sea to the giving of the water in the wilderness. Again wonders are seen to be God’s personal redemptive acts on behalf of his people. Forgetting the wonders leads to God’s wrath (vs. 21).

Psalm 89 records the failure of Israel to keep God’s commands as related in Psalm 78! The psalmist sings of God’s faithfulness. All of creation (especially the heavens) praises God’s wonders. What is emphasized in particular is God’s faithfulness in performing such deeds. But again, to stay with our immediate purpose, God’s victory by wonders is praised.

In fact the whole psalter is filled with the praise of God’s redemptive wonders. Twice his creation is seen as a wonder, e.g., 107:24; 139:14. However, the overwhelming reference is to God’s personal, covenantal (“supernatural”), intervention on behalf of his covenant people Israel. These acts are the wonders of Israel and the nations. The list is impressive, e.g. 7:1; 26:7; 40:5; 71:17; 72:18; 75:1; 78:4; 86:10; 96:3; 98:1; 105:2, 5; 106:22; 107:8, 15, 21, 31; 111:4; 136:4; 145:5. The psalter is primarily a worshipful reaction to God’s character shown in the redemptive wonders he has performed.

2. פלא in Isaiah

The question comes to mind whether Isaiah uses פֶלֶא in the same way as Moses and the psalmists. Isaiah uses the noun 859 in 25:1 and 29:14. While he uses the verb פָלָא in the hiphil in 28:29 and 29:14.

In Isaiah 25:1 the salvation of Jehovah is extolled by the prophet. He is singing his own psalm of praise. The central focus of salvation is on God and what he has done. Isaiah says that the covenant God Jehovah is his God. This causes him to exalt him and give thanks to his name. The prophet is overwhelmed by the covenantal proximity of Jehovah. As the prophet continues to praise Jehovah he gives a reason (כִּי): Jehovah has worked wonders and saved his people. If there is any doubt whether פֶלֶא refers to redemptive acts in history, verses 2–5 answer this objection. Jehovah is the one who makes the city a heap never to be built again. He makes strong and ruthless nations praise him. He defends the defenseless. He subdues the nations. Jehovah, the covenant God, is the God of salvation. He is the faithful covenant God not only because he saves, but because what he planned long ago he performed with perfect covenant faithfulness. Jehovah effects the covenantally promised salvation as he himself says in Deuteronomy 7:8. He keeps his oaths! But his oaths are a promise to save his people, personally and wonderfully:

Isaiah 29:14 contains both the noun and the hiphil form of the verb: Jehovah is contrasting his holy plans with the evil wisdom and discernment of the wise men of Israel. Because the nation (vs. 13) draws near with its lips but not its heart, God is going to cause wonders to appear. These wonders will be judgmental, not saving. Whether God’s action here against his people is seen as discipline or final judgment may be debated, but there is no question that it is negative. However, the action still is personal and covenantal. God himself is going to do something to his people. Amazingly, even here God is represented as dealing with his people in this personal way through wonders. Although this is not an instance of blessing, פֶלֶא still plainly refers to personal, covenantal intervention by Jehovah.

In the previous chapter (28) Isaiah is prophesying of the general judgments of Jehovah. It is in this chapter that the prophet begins to condemn the sins of God’s people. In chapters 13-24 Isaiah predicts the judgment of God concerning the nations. Chapters 25-26 speak of an eschatological feast of God prepared for the nations. In chapter 27 he returns to the subject of God’s general judgments and finally to the judgment of his own people in Chapter 28. God’s judgment is revealed against all ungodliness whether in the nations or in Israel.

In particular, the false counsel and wisdom of the prophets is condemned. In 28:16 the Messiah is promised as the foundation stone for the new work of justice which Jehovah will bring about. It is in connection with this stone, i.e. Christ, and its part in the judgment of Ephraim that Isaiah says that Jehovah will rise up and do his task, his strange task and his alien work, which is destructive judgment (vs. 21). Isaiah sums up all of this by saying that Jehovah of hosts makes his plan or counsel wonderful and his wisdom great. God’s very plan is a wonder.

We can see from this study that Isaiah follows the general pattern of usage for the word פֶלֶא established first in the Song of Moses and continued throughout the psalms. As we might expect, his prophetic tasks include not only references to Jehovah’s. faithful past performance in personally anal miraculously saving Israel, but also to God’s covenantal discipline of the wayward covenant people. Isaiah’s usage stays within the. definition we have developed. He adds only a judgmental aspect to the discussion. of Jehovah’s personal covenantal wonders. Other prophetic usages of this word in the noun or verbal form, may be found in Lam. 1:2, Jer. 1; 2, Dan. 8:24, 11:36, 12:6, Mich. 2:15, and Zech. 8:6. All fit this definitional picture. Some have the covenantal judgment aspect in the foreground, while others have the salvation aspect in view. But, like Isaiah, they too see a wonder as an unusual, personal covenantal intervention of Jehovah in. time and space on behalf of his covenant people. With the lone exception of 2 Sam. 1:26 where David calls Jonathan’s love “wonderful,” every other occurrence of a verb form fits the picture we have found in the usage of the noun. We thus can almost universally assume that פֶלֶא or פָלָא or related words will refer to the personal covenantal acts of Jehovah in time and space with regard to his people.

This is important. For one thing, it means that we must affirm that Young is right when he says that פֶלֶא is a “designation of divinity.”[20] Since the ‘acts of God in history are called wonders, certainly when he himself. comes into history that is a wonder. Moreover, we can affirm with equal certainty that in Isaiah 9:6, the prophet follows the typical use of the term with the expected prophetic emphases added. If Jehovah’s previous acts in saving and disciplining his people are wonders, surely the uniquely redemptive act of sending the Messiah can be nothing less than a wonder.

3. God’s Word as פלא

Another aspect of the work of God is called a “wonder.” Not only are God’s personal redemptive acts of salvation and discipline seen as פֶלֶא, but also his words are wonders. Once again it is in the psalms that this concept is developed.

Psalm 105 is one of the psalms in which Jehovah is praised for his wonders. These wonders are cited as the reason that he is to be praised (vs. 1). His deeds are to be reviewed as the content of the news to the nations (vs. 1). Singing to him recalls his wonders (vs. 2). This introduction to a record of many of these acts includes (vs. 5) a command to remember his wonders, marvels, and the judgments of his mouth. Thus the word of God is placed on the same high personal level as the redemptive acts. Because Jehovah is the faithful covenant God (vs. 8–10) he personally guides and saves his people in order that they may “keep His statutes, and observe His laws” (vs. 45). Just as Jehovah’s personal acts are wonders so are his words, laws, and statutes. The reason he acts is that his people may hear and obey the wonder of his word.

Psalm 119 which is reflection upon the nature of God’s word echoes this concept in two places: vs. 18, 129. In verse 17, the psalmist pleads for mercy to live and keep God’s word. In verse 19 he views himself as a stranger who needs to see God’s word to find his way. The key is found in verse 18 where he prays that Jehovah will open his eyes that he may see wonders in the law. There are personal revelations of God and his will in the law. It is there the psalmist will see God’s wonders. As surely as historical acts are wonders, God’s words are wonders.

The פ section of Psalm 119 opens with the word פלאות. He says that the testimonies of Jehovah are wonders. The words of God not only speak of his wonders (vs. 18) but themselves are wonders. They give light to the understanding and lead one in the way that he should go.

Thus we see in the Old Testament that it was not only Jehovah’s acts which were considered to be divine, personal, covenantal interventions, but his law also was viewed similarly. There is no false dichotomy between the acts of God and his words even though they are not one and the same thing. So we have no difficulty understanding how God’s people could think of both the acts and words of Jehovah as wonders. Since the Messiah comes not only to perform acts of judgment and salvation but also to bring God’s word, it is appropriate to call him פלא.

4. God as פלא

One very important passage must be considered central to our understanding: Judges 13:1–23. This passage contains the record of the announcement of Samson’s birth. The angel of the Lord appears to Manoah’s wife. We know that the angel of the Lord is divine because he does wonders before Manoah and his wife (vs. 19) and ascends to heaven in the flame (vs. 20), and they say, “We have seen God” (vs. 22). But of greater significance is the angel’s answer to the question, “What is your name?” He replies: “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is פלאי?” (vs. 18). God’s name or character is פלא. God is “wonder.” God is the creator who is separate from and sovereign over his creation. He is the independent one: God. Yet, at the same time he is the faithful creator who has sovereignly bound himself to Israel covenantally and so comes down to tell Manoah and his wife that they will give birth to a savior of Israel. Truly he is the Wonder who counsels wonders from of old and performs them with perfect faithfulness.

In the end, we not only can infer from the occurrences of פָלָא and פֶלֶא the meaning of the word פלא, but we can see directly in Judges 13 that God is wonder. He is the creator who binds himself to a covenant people; then he talks to them and acts on their behalf. It is accurate to say, therefore, that the acts and words of God are פלאות because he is פלא. His acts and words. come from him and thus have this quality because of who he is. They reflect and witness to his character. This is why his personal covenantal communications and acts are seen as פלאות.

Something important is being said in the passage we are considering. The Messiah is פֶלֶא because he is God. True, his task is to bring God’s word and to do God’s acts or works of redemption. But, the emphasis of Isaiah 9:6 is that the Messianic King is פֶלֶא or God. It is because he is God that he can perform wonders and give wonderful counsel. This fact cannot be emphasized too strongly. When Isaiah prophesied that a virgin would give birth to a child (7:14) we know that the child was to be a sign. But here in Isaiah 9:6 the Messiah is wonder. God will be personally active in the most extraordinary way; i.e., he is personally coming to bring about eschatological salvation for his people.

We can summarize our study of פלא: Jehovah is wonder. Because he is, He has personally done wonders in saving his covenant people and has personally given to them the wonders of his Word: In Isaiah. 9:6 Jehovah promises to send the Messianic King who will be פֶלֶא, i.e., Jehovah himself. Is it any wonder then, that the Messianic King who is wonder can save his people?

C. יועחּ

The Messiah will not only appear as a wonder (or as a personal covenantal intervention of Jéhovah) but also as a counselor. He is the Wonder of a counselor or Wonderful Counselor. We have seen the beautiful meaning of פֶלֶא. Now what can we learn about the counsel that the פֶלֶא will give?

1. Definition

יוֹחּ is the Qal active participle of יָעַחּ, meaning: “to counsel” or “give advice.” This verb and its equivalent noun צָה (“counsel, advice, plan”, i.e. the result of counseling) occur frequently in the Old Testament. Perhaps the clearest indication of the meaning of these words when used in their typical way in reference to men, can be seen in II Samuel 15–17 where Ahithophel is called David’s “counselor” or adviser (15:12). Later he became Absalom’s adviser (15:31; 16:21; 17:1). The advice of Ahithophel was so good and wise that it was sought after as eagerly as if it were the word of God (II Samuel 16:23). The counsel given took the form of advice or plans to follow. Ahithophel tries to solve Absalom’s “problems” concerning David— by devising plans to disgrace him (16:21) and destroy him (17:1–4). Only God’s intervention through Hushai’s counsel saved David (17:14). We can see that planning or advising is essential to the meaning of יָעַחּ and that counsel, the result of that work, is, צָה, a plan of action, or advice. This is the general usage of the word in the Old Testament in regard to men.

Two kinds of human counselors appear in the Old Testament. First, there is the political advisor to the king such as Ahithophel. Such a man seems to be to the king what Henry Kissinger is to President Nixon. He advised the king of plans and often carried them out (II Sam. 16:21; 17:1). This is the predominant motif. Secondly, the prophet is a counselor. Often when a king sinned, his counselors were no better. At such times, Jehovah sent the prophets to counsel the king. II Chronicles 25:14–16 is a good example of this. Amaziah, undoubtedly the most ignorant king that Judah ever had, sinned by worshipping the gods of the sons of Seir (vs. 14). Most of the kings worshipped the gods whom they thought had defeated them. But Amaziah worshipped the defeated gods of Seir! Jehovah’s anger burned hotly against Amaziah and he sent a prophet to him. When he rebuked the king he became angry, and retorted, “Have we appointed you a royal counsellor?” (vs. 16). The prophet replied that he knows God has counseled to destroy Amaziah because he would not listen to his counsel (vs. 16). Both counseling positions are apparent in these verses. Amaziah looks to the official political counselors he has chosen. These are the official “royal” appointees. But God also has sent his counselor to reveal his plan to the wayward king. The prophets then, can be looked upon as God’s counselors to his covenant people.

These are the two uses of יָעַחּ, and צָה when refer to men. However, these verses speak also of God himself planning or counseling; That which he plans or advises is then revealed to his people through the prophets. Amos 3:7 says that Jehovah does nothing unless he reveals his. secret counsel to his servants the prophets. Their function is to reveal God’s counsel and warn the people. Jehovah himself,’ therefore, is ‘a God of counsel. We must consider what the Old Testament in general and Isaiah in particular say of this counsel:

2. Jehovah’s Counsel in Creation

Frequently Jehovah is presented as the Creator of the heavens and earth (echoing Gen. 1). This theme occurs not only in the historical section of Scripture like Genesis, but everywhere else as well. Creation is a theme deeply embedded in the Psalm[21]. It even comes into view in Proverbs.

Our interest in creation is in connection with God’s counsel, or plan. In Proverbs 1:20–30 wisdom is personified as the one who counsels (vs. 25, 30). Again in Chapter 8 she is said to be able to counsel because counsel and power to do right is hers (vs. 14). She is also pictured as working in creation. Her wisdom and counsel were actively involved in the formation of the universe. Note that this counsel was prior to the creation and not part of it.

Even clearer than this metaphorical picture in Proverbs is a passage in Isaiah 40. There Isaiah represents God as the Shepherd of Israel his sheep (vs. 9–11). This image is comforting because the Shepherd is eternal and his word does not fade like the grass (vs. 5–8). Isaiah then reflects upon the nature of God himself. Jehovah is the great creator (vs. 12–31)—who made the earth. He compares God and man. Man measures the earth and tries to collect his empirical data to formulate a theory about the essential nature of reality. God is pictured (vs. 12) as putting together the earth as if it were nothing. Just as a child can build as he wishes with an erector set, without a strain, so God measured a little here, a little there. He measured the waters of the earth in his hand. He measured out the heavens as if they were made of cloth! He weighed out earth and mountains with the ease of a man counting pieces of candy. All this is not to show how God created but that his creating the world was not difficult for him. Verses 13–14 contain a profound evaluation of God’s knowledge and ability. The prophet, God’s counselor to his wayward people, asks who has “set in order” or prepared (תָּכַן) the Spirit of Jehovah. This same word is used to speak of Jehovah setting the heavens in order. The prophet rhetorically asks who created the Spirit of Jehovah. He continues, this time asking who is his. counselor (וְאִישׁ עֲצָתוֹ), who has taught him. What man has counseled with.: him and given him understanding or discernment (בִּין); what man taught ( לָמַן piel: to teach) him justice and knowledge? If the nations are nothing and less than nothing (vs. 17) to him, then what is one individual? This is an awesome picture of the wisdom and counsel of God. By his own counsel and plans he made the whole earth. Is there any wonder then that idols are sinful? Is it not proper that man should stand silent before the one who has created all things by his own counsel and by his own wisdom? God’s counsel, and his alone, is deeply involved in creation. He did not consult the United Nations, men, angels, or anyone but himself. However, he does not only plan creation. In fact the Old Testament in general and Isaiah in particular says far more of Jehovah’s counsel as related to history than to creation. His planning in either of these two areas is not opposed in any way to what he plans in the other. The latter builds on the former. Yet it must be remembered that the purpose of Isaiah is to bring God’s prophetic counsel to his straying covenant people. Isaiah therefore gives us a good view of God’s counsel especially as it relates to history.

3. Jehovah’s Counsel in History

Jehovah’s counsel often is set in opposition to the plans or counsels of sinful men. Quite frequently Isaiah (also Jeremiah), speaks of how the nations counsel together and devise evil plans intending to thwart God’s will (cf. Ps. 2:1–3). But God assures his people that what he intends happens; what he counsels stands (Is. 14:23). No man can frustrate his counsel (Is. 14:27). In Isaiah 14 God’s plan is his intention in dealing with Babylon (see also Jer. 50:45). Elsewhere the same idea occurs again with reference to other nations, e.g., Egypt (Is. 19:12, 17), Tyre (Is. 23:8), Edom (Jer. 49:20).

But God not only plans and counsels against the heathen, he stretches out his hand against all sin. In chapters 28 and 29 of Isaiah we read of judgment against his wayward people. This judgment is described as his counsel and wisdom (28:29): In this case the concept of personal covenantal intervention is involved since his counsel is seen as “wonderful” (הִפְלִיא צָה). Just as he personally redeemed Israel so he personally will chasten her. What we need to focus on is God’s counsel as it is determinative for all of human history. He opposes all sin. In the first 12 chapters of Isaiah there are many references to God’s judgment upon Israel. It is significant that as part of God’s judgment he will take away sound counsel from Israel because she would not take his counsel (3:3). God opposes all the proud counsels of sinful men. God’s plan of creation was not founded upon any plan of men. Certainly his plan for holiness among men is not the counsel of fallen men.

But, God not only counsels judgment upon the nations and personal covenantal punishment of Israel (Is. 28:29). He counsels the “wonders” of redemption and salvation. He plans personally to redeem Israel. We saw this all through the psalms. Constant praise is given to God for who he is. His counsel, or plan of creation, is praised because it is his work, the result of his plan. But more frequently, he is praised for working redemptive wonders in Egypt. The longing cry is for his renewed salvation. Jehovah is the faithful covenant God. As he has been so in the past, he is expected to be so now. Isaiah, no less than the psalmists, has this eschatological trust and hope.

Isaiah 25:1 2 is Isaiah’s personal psalm in which he extols God for his redemptive wonders. Jehovah has worked wonders and saved his people. Isaiah is not forgetful. He explains what these wonders are. They are צוֹת, plans or counsels which are ancient (רָחֹק), and done with perfect faithfulness (אֱמוּנָה אֹמֶן). God made plans personally to save his people and he kept his promises. God has made plans and revealed them to his people. He made covenant with Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David to save a people and he kept his word. For this Isaiah praises him.

Jeremiah expresses similar thoughts when he pleads for God’s salvation (ch. 32). Jeremiah exclaims that Jehovah has made the heavens and earth by his power (vs. 17). Thus, nothing is too difficult for him. He then quotes Deuteronomy 7:9 as to God’s disposition in saving and judging men. He says that he is great in counsel and mighty in deed (vs. 19). Jehovah did signs and wonders in Egypt (vs. 20). Thus Jeremiah ties together God’s greatness as Creator and Redeemer. The sum of the matter is that God plans or counsels wonders and then does them. Jehovah is the God of history and especially the faithful covenant God who keeps his promises to his covenant people.

The redemptive plan of Jehovah centers around signs and wonders because he personally saves. We must not forget that the title we are examining is given to the Messianic King. He is the great light shining in darkness. His is the very light of God’s presence. This light shines kindly upon Zebulun and Naphthali which had formerly known only contempt. Jehovah has planned to save his people by the Messiah who is part of that plan. But he is not only the one who acts out the plan as the Wonder who speaks and performs wonders, but he has planned them himself. With God there are no after thoughts. As he intended, so he did, and it stands firm! The Messiah is the perfect counselor because he was involved in creation (Gen. 1:1; Jn. 1:1–3). Jehovah is the counselor who planned creation and then did it. Jehovah is the counselor who devised the plan to redeem a people and did it. The Messiah who is counselor is the ideal counselor because he is God. Being God he has planned all things and as Messiah will bring them about. Clearly the Messiah is also the perfect prophet. He is the one who reveals God’s wise counsel to his people. God used the prophets of old, including Isaiah, to reveal his counsel to his people. But the Messiah is far better equipped to do this because he not only speaks the wonders and counsels of God’s word but is God. That the counsels of God in history are sure is comforting to know. However, this may be comforting on a broad scale, but what of individual saints? When God planned creation he did not do so in a haphazard fashion. Certainly he planned the salvation of a people and accomplished it. But, does he counsel individuals? Does he concern himself with counsel on a level as personal as this? Is the covenantal relationship individualized or merely collective? We can find the answer in the Old Testament.

4. Jehovah’s Personal Counsel

a. Job

The book of job is instructive in this concern. In responding to Zophar’s first speech, job talks about God’s character (Job 12:13–25). He does this by comparing him to foolish men. God is sovereign and puts all men down. In verse 13, Job says that wisdom and might belong to God. These qualities are a part of his character; men do not possess them. Also counsel and understanding are his.

Wisdom and counsel come from God’s consultation in secret council (בְּסוֹד).22 Job 15:8. God is described in anthropomorphic terms. Just as a city or national council decides what plan is wisest to follow, so God secretly decides things. Job believes this and boldly proclaims that he is wise and can counsel justice for a very particular reason. Eliphaz (15:8) chides him for claiming exclusive possession of wisdom, i.e. access to God’s secret council. Job (29:4) claims that God’s secret council was on his tent. The light of God’s presence was there (29:3). This is why he counseled others (vs. 21) and they listened to him. Job had experienced individual fellowship with Jehovah. He had received personal counsel from him. He sat in on the secret council of God. This is where he gained all o£ his insight and holiness.

However, he forgot that he was a creature. In his zeal to defend his integrity he darkened counsel without knowledge. God rebukes him for this (38:2). As God challenges his false counsel, he counsels him about the truth by personal, individual confrontation. Job finally agrees that he tried to explain things too wonderful— (נִפְלָאוֹת for him (42:3). God’s nature and actions are. too much for a sinful man to fathom. Job’s confession is a result of a personal confrontation with Almighty God. He has seen wonder “with the eye,” and he is humbled. His wisdom and counsel were without knowledge, but God’s counsel was complete.

The contrast between job’s incomplete and sinful counsel and God’s complete and holy counsel teaches many things. However, the point for us to consider is the personal nature of God’s counsel. We see that God does reveal his plans and counsel to individual man. He permits his people to know the results of his secret council. He will actually do this “over” the house of his children. When his children sin he counsels them from himself since he is all wise. Job’s life provides a beautiful mosaic of God’s personal counsel to an individual:

This kind of thinking is not limited to the book of job. We find it also in several places in the Psalms. In Psalm 16 David prays for Jehovah to preserve him (vs. 1), claims Jehovah as his portion in life (vs. 5) and praises Jehovah because he has counseled him (vs. 7). This seems to be one of the benefits Jehovah gives to those who choose him as their portion. Jehovah will give the right counsel. This is something that can be pondered in the night. Verbal instruction seems to be in view. As a result of choosing Jehovah, he will not perish in Sheol (vs. 10). Instead, he will experience everlasting pleasure in God’s presence (vs. 11). We know that this psalm was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, David’s greater son (Acts 13:35). Jesus Christ as the Messiah is counseled by the Father. He is raised from the dead and gains the guidance of the Holy Spirit for his people. Truly God does counsel us personally in Christ.

David knew the counsel of Jehovah. Psalm 32 deepens our understanding of this experience of being counseled. David has asked forgiveness and received it. Here is a joyful praise of God’s forgiveness. If one confesses his sins and prays to God while he can be found, he will be counseled. The counsel of God is declared to be instruction (שָׁכַל, piel) and teaching (יָרָה, hiphil) in the way to go. This is described as God counseling David with his eye upon him. The picture is of the coach who shows the player what to do and stands over him until he gets it right— very, very personal! This personal counsel keeps God’s servants from behaving like dumb animals which lack understanding. We see that God counsels his servant even after he sins. God is faithful and continues to bless his sinful servants not according to their merits, but according to his faithful covenant mercy.

In Psalm 73 Asaph confesses that he had become so bitter (vs. 21), that he was senseless and as a beast before God (vs. 22). Yet (vs. 23) God was still with him and had taken hold of him by his right hand. God never lets go of his child. Asaph knew that God would guide him with his counsel in this life and after that receive him to glory (vs. 24). He was sure God would not allow him to continue in sin. He had even reached the point of doing what David had warned not to do. Yet, Jehovah personally brought him back so that he might prove his works (vs. 28). God counsels sinful men so that he may receive glory.

Does God counsel individuals? Yes, he does! He not only plans and carries out creation, history, and the salvation of a covenant people, but he personally instructs and leads his saints as individuals. We might ask how God instructs and leads those whom he counsels. Whether he is counseling Israel collectively as the covenant community or whether he is confronting one righteous member of that community, God does so through his word of counsel.

5. Jehovah’s Counsel in His Word

When you think of counsel or advice you immediately think of someone—hopefully an expert or a particularly wise person— instructing you in what to do. This instruction involves spelling out the steps that must be followed to achieve the desired end. This idea of counsel is true of God’s counsel to man.

Psalm 33 sings the praise of the creator who preserves his people. In verses 6–12 the psalmist reflects upon the word of Jehovah. It creates the heavens and all their host (vs. 6), and by that word he sustains the world (vs. 7). Because of this all the earth should fear him. God’s word stands forever (vs. 9). Jehovah nullifies the counsel of the nations, i.e. all their plans (vs. 10) by his counsel, which is also said to stand forever, i.e., the plans of his heart (vs. 11). Obviously the word that stands forever and the counsel that stands forever are one in the same thing. God’s counsel is his word. The counsel or word of God leads to blessing (vs. 12). Verse 18 tells us that the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him. Again we see the word or counsel of God is personal counsel. The word of God is not to be divorced from him.

Psalm 106:12–13 bears out this conclusion. As the result of the destruction of the Egyptians, Israel believed his words and sang his praise (vs. 12). Sadly, verse 13 reveals what else happened: they quickly forgot his works (i.e. his wonders) and did not wait for his counsel. To reject God’s words is to reject his counsel and vice versa. This rebellion is further described as not believing in his word and not listening to his voice (vs. 24–25). Again Jehovah’s counsel is identified with his words given to Israel.

Psalm 107 is praise to Jehovah for his redemption of Israel. One phrase is repeated in all but one of the five stanzas: “Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness, and for His wonders to the sons of men” (vs. 8, 15, 21, 31). God’s people dwelt in darkness and in the shadow of death (vs. 10). The reason for this was their rebellion against the words of God and their spurning of the counsel of the most High (vs. 11). These two reasons are paralleled and are therefore equivalent to each other. As we noted above, to reject God’s counsel is to reject his words. They cried to him and he personally (via wonders) brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death (vs. 14). Notice how very close this imagery is to that of Isaiah 8:19–9:2. Since God’s word is a lamp to feet and a light to paths (Ps. 119:105), it is not surprising that rejection of it brings darkness. The main point for our study is that God’s counsel and words are identical.

One more passage will suffice to show that God counsels in his word, Psalm 119:24. In this psalm which so extensively teaches us about the nature of God’s word and how we should respond to it, Jehovah’s statutes and testimonies are themselves declared to be “men of my counsel” or “my counselors” (אַנְי עֲצָתִי). The words of Jehovah are counselors. They are the advisors to the king. They are the prophets coming and telling the results of God’s secret council, i.e., his counsel or plan. The Old Testament law-the portion of the Bible existing at that time—was the psalmist’s counselor. Others might turn to counselors, but the prophetic word of Jehovah was his guide and counselor.

So we conclude that Jehovah does guide his people collectively and individually. But in either case he counsels through his word. This word is delivered to the people through God’s chosen means, i.e., his servants the prophets.

6. Jehovah’s Counsel Through the Prophets

In section 1, “Definition,” we mentioned the fact that the prophets were one of two types of counselors typical to the Old Testament. It is necessary simply to remind ourselves that this was God’s chosen way of giving counsel to his people. This study is not the place for an extended discussion of the prophetic office. For this one must look to a work that attempts such a large task.[23] However, it is important to refer once again to Amos 3:7 and other similar references in which it is clear that God reveals plans that are the outcome of his secret council. Such counsel was given to the prophets to deliver to the covenant people. It is given to be obeyed. “Counsel” is not merely friendly communication (“How’s the weather?”) from the covenant Lord. It reveals his will and plan for history in general and Israel in particular. Through the “wonder” of his words God counsels his people. The prophets come bearing that word which tells Israel who God is, what he has done, what he will do and what he wants them to do. Thus God gives men to counsel and guide his people (counselors). How gracious he is in doing this! He gives men who can tell the covenant people what he has decided to do and what he wants them to do in obedience. God provided all that his people needed, but they sinned, rejected his words of counsel and killed his servant-counselors, the prophets.

7. Jehovah’s Ultimate Counsel Is the Messiah

In spite of this rejection the Messiah is going to come. His name will be “the Wonder Counselor.” He will be Jehovah, the Planner, and Creator of the universe, the one who ordains and controls all of history, the God who holds the world in his hands. His counsel stands forever. The Messiah, as God, also will be the Planner of redemptive wonders. He not only controls all things, but his plan involves a covenantal relationship that lasts for eternity.

But as the Messiah, true man as well as true God, born of a woman, he will also be the counselor to end all counselors. He is the true prophet who reveals the “wonders” of God’s words. He is the great and final prophet (Deut. 18:15), who brings God’s Word as counsel to his people.

By the words of God he will be able to counsel God’s people perfectly both as a nation and individually. He will shepherd them personally. He will come along side and tell them God’s plans and words. This Messianic light will restore the light that was lost because the word of God was ignored (Is. 8:19–22). This Messianic king will need no human advisors like Ahithophel. He will not even need prophets to bring the words of Jehovah because he is the great prophet. This King’s plans are from eternity and now in time and space he needs no man to help him. He does not need a prophet because the Holy Spirit will be upon him (Is. 11:1-3). He is the Spirit of wisdom, understanding, strength, knowledge, the fear of Jehovah and counsel. As God, he knows God’s counsel. But as Messiah, he also humanly has the same Holy Spirit who enabled the prophets to say “thus says Jehovah.” Yet unlike the prophets before him the Spirit is given to him without measure. So in every way he is fit to be the prophetic counselor.

The Messianic king will also be the Wonder-Counselor not on because he is God, and brings God’s words of counsel, but also because he accomplishes the redemptive wonders of God’s plan of salvation. He did for his people what they could not do as sinners: He fully accomplished the counsel or will of the Father. There is an awesome gap between seeing the Law of God and living it. How the hearts of God’s people would have dropped if they had seen the person of God more clearly without the Messianic Servant’s death (Is. 52:13-53:12)! He came as God, revealing his own plan or will, and then accomplished its fulfillment. The Wonder who counsels came.

Can there be any doubt that Jesus Christ, who was the fulfillment of this prophecy, is the greatest counselor that ever lived? His word and counsel made the world. His word and counsel sustain it. His word and counsel accomplish salvation. His word and counsel tell us how to live. Would you dare mention a Freud, Jung, Adler, Rodgers, or Skinner in the same breath with him? How long will we seek the counsel of men when in him we have the counsel of God? Jesus Christ is the God-man who counsels. We must look to him in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. He is the Wonder of a counselor who does the wonders of God’s counsel (Is. 25:1) and who brings the wonder-counsel of God’s word.

Jehovah, Thou wilt establish peace for us. Since Thou hast also performed for us all our works (Is. 26:12).

III. The Wonderful Counselor And The Other Counselor

In the New Testament Jesus Christ is written on every page. In a straightforward manner everything in one way or another is related to his work and his word. Clearly Jesus Christ is presented as equal to God and as God himself. Very often he appears as the Messiah who gives his people the words of the Father to aid them. From the abundance of these references one cannot but come to the conclusion that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, the Wonder of a counselor. As such, Jesus answers all of the needs of his covenant people including the need for counsel and advice. Moreover, Christ thought of himself as the WonderCounselor (Jn. 14:16). Since this assertion raises another exegetical question we must try to show that this is in fact the concept that Jesus had in mind when he called himself παράκλητος. First, we shall look briefly at the New Testament data. Secondly, we shall examine the use of the term in John’s gospel. And, thirdly, we shall look at the παράκλητος concept itself.

A. The New Testament

In the New Testament the concepts of wonders and counsel reappear. Both of these elements which we found in פּלא־יוחּ are important concepts in the New Testament as well. This fact enables us to see if there is any fundamental involvement of the works and words of Jesus Christ approximating that which we found in the Old Testament.

1. Wonders

As we saw in the Old Testament God personally involves himself in history to fulfill his covenantal commitments. This was called פּלא. There are other Hebrew words that are translated “wonder.” These are parallels to the usual פּלא. One is מופת. (see Is. 8:18; Joel 3:3). This is translated τέρας in the LXX. פּלא s often translated by θαυμάσια in the LXX. However, θαυμάσια is used only once in the New Testament, Mt. 21:15. We find τέρας 16 times in the New Testament. All the writers in the New Testament prefer τέρας to θαυμάσια (even Matthew Uses τέρας). However, the same phenomenon is in view regardless of which word is used.

With one exception (Acts 2:19), τέρας always occurs with σημεῖον, or sign in the New Testament. Are these words different or are they parallel? Trench says, “These words have this in common, that they are all used to characterize the supernatural works wrought by Christ in the days of His flesh.”[24] In regards to the difference between τέρας and σημεῖον he states, “They will be found, on closer examination, not so much to represent different kinds of miracles, as miracles contemplated under different aspects and from different points of view.”[25] If this is true, both terms signify the personal intervention of God in history.

The Messiah performs signs and wonders. Jesus says (Mt. 24:24) that false Christs and false prophets will arise and do great signs and wonders. These are so great they would deceive the elect, if that were possible. This shows that Jesus saw part of his Messianic task as performing true signs and wonders. Jesus was empowered to do these signs and wonders by the Holy Spirit. Luke tells us that he was full of the Holy Spirit and led by the Spirit (Lk. 4:1); he came to Galilee in the power of the Spirit (4:14); also, he was the Messiah because the Holy Spirit was upon him to proclaim the year of jubilee (4:18 in fulfillment of Is. 61:1-2). This power is from Jehovah. We see that the New Testament pictures Jesus as the promised Christ who is the servant empowered by the Holy Spirit. Signs and wonders are the products of this personal, divine blessing upon the Messiah.

We can see that signs and wonders are part and parcel of the Messianic kingdom as we consider the apostles. These men who are the foundation of the church, along with the cornerstone Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:20), received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2). Through his work they were enabled to perform signs and wonders. Paul often mentions this. Before the council of Jerusalem Barnabas and Paul relate what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles (Acts 15:12). When he writes to the Romans, he reminds them that the obedience of the Gentiles happens by Christ accomplishing it through him. This was in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit (Rom. 15:18-19). Christ, through the Holy Spirit, worked in his apostle. Again Paul mentions this in his apostolic defense to the Corinthians. He states that the signs of a true apostle were performed in Corinth with all perseverance by signs, wonders, and powerful acts (II Cor. 12:12). This is not only Pauline thinking. In Hebrews 2:3-4 the writer reasons in the same way. After the word of salvation was spoken through the Lord Jesus, it was confirmed to those who heard. God bore witness to them (i.e. to Jesus and his apostles) by signs and wonders and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his own will.

We see, especially from the Hebrews passage and Paul’s thinking in Romans 12, that God attests the validity of the person, work, and words of Jesus Christ and his commissioned apostles by signs and wonders worked by the Holy Spirit. Thus the church is founded upon the God-man and men who are deeply involved in wonders. It takes a completely biased person to miss the fact that the God of the New Testament is a personal covenantal God who involves himself in history. Criticism tried to erase “wonder” from its pages. The best it could come up with was Bultmann’s program to explain away the “myths” of Scripture. What is important to note here is the fact that “wonder” or the supernatural is so obviously a part of the New Testament world and life view that Bultmann had to admit that this is what the authors wanted to say.[26] The New Testament, no less than the Old, has “wonder” woven into it in such a way as to make its removal from the text nothing less than exegetic theft.

2. Counsel

The New Testament has the concept of “wonder” as an integral part of its conceptual structure, just as the Old Testament does. Similarly, the concept of God’s counsel is a main facet of its teaching. Indeed, we might go farther and say that the New Testament fills in and expands our understanding of these two realities. We can note briefly four things about the counsel of God.

First, we note that the counsel of God (βουλή)[27] is sovereign or determinative of all things. Paul clearly states that God is the one who works all things after the counsel of his will (Eph. 1:11). When God wants to do something he makes a plan or counsel. He then follows his own plan in bringing all things to pass. This is an all embracing statement. It summarizes succinctly all that we found in the Old Testament to be true of God’s counsel. There his counsel stood in creation, providence, and redemption. Here we find that God works everything according to the plan or counsel of his will. Of course, the major emphasis within this over-arching assumption is God’s sovereign planning and working out of the redemption of his people.

In connection with God’s sovereignty in saving his covenant people the writer of Hebrews asserts that God wanted his people to know the unchangeableness of his plan (Heb. 6:17). Therefore, he swore an oath to save them. God not only has a purpose or plan to save his people, but he is unswerving in his resolve to do it. He is not ashamed to put his name on the line in making his promise. God’s purpose is not only sovereign, but it is unchanging.

Second, as we have already seen in Hebrews 6:17, God’s counsel is sovereign or determinative in redemptive history. The comfort is not only that God works everything according to the plan of his will, but that the redemption of his sinful covenant people is included in the all embracing plan or counsel. There is no comfort merely in knowing that an all powerful God controls all. Sinners can take less comfort in knowing that he is just and holy. But to know that he has planned or counseled my salvation is comforting. Acts helps us to see this.

David served God’s purpose or plan in his generation (Acts 13:36). The men in the Old Testament were used according to God’s plan. Jesus Christ was delivered up by the hands of godless men “according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23). Herod, Pontius Pilate, the gentiles and peoples of Israel gathered against Jesus, “to do whatever thy hand and thy plan had predestined to take place” (Acts 4:28). Nations and individuals do what God determines. These passages are instructive in showing that the details of redemption are parts of God’s plan or counsel. This is not just an isolated fact containing some comfort for the believer; the counsel of God is central to the gospel.

When Paul was making his farewell speech to the Ephesian elders, he claimed to be pure from the blood of all men. He was able to do so because he did not shrink from declaring to them “the whole plan of God” (Acts 20:26f.). The content of Paul’s message and instruction was the whole counsel of God. In a prophetic way, Paul declared the revealed will or plan of God to the Ephesians. This is not just a limiting concept, but the content of his teaching and preaching. Paul writes that “the mystery” was revealed to him (Eph. 3:1-6). His understanding of God’s will by revelation is the basis of his message. He is the apostle or sent one who bears a message, i.e., the whole counsel of God. This has been given to him by God who commissioned him as a messenger to bring the Gentiles into obedience to Jesus Christ. This commission sounds very similar to work of the prophetic counselors of the Old Testament theocracy. Because the counsel of God is the content of the apostle’s message, we can see just how important God’s counsel is in the New Testament. The apostles go forth as God’s representatives in the New Covenant age to continue the work of Christ in spreading the gospel and recording the records of Christ’s life and his teaching concerning it. Their part in the finishing of the canon as they proclaim the whole counsel of God seems to indicate a strong link between the whole counsel of God as preached and as it is found in Scripture. The apostles are the foundation of the church because God uses them to establish the New Covenant people, i.e. the church, by preaching and recording inspired teaching.

Third, we may note that God’s individual counsel is sovereign or determinative. Notice Jesus’ prayer in Mt. 11:25-26 (see Lk. 10:21-22). He thanks God that the revealed things are hidden from the wise. Jesus then explains that everything has been given to the Son by the Father. No one knows the Son except the Father. No one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom he wills to reveal him (Mt. 11:27). “Coming to Christ” implies a knowing of the Father which results in rest. The Messiah must will that a person know the Father. To know God is the only hope of a sinner finding peace and rest. To be counseled by the Father one must have the Son reveal him to him. This is sovereignty in action.

Not only is the Son sovereign in helping believers; the Holy Spirit’s aid to believers is no less sovereign. Paul tells us that the gifts which the Holy Spirit gives to believers “for the common good” are distributed to each one individually as he wills. Again the work of God’s grace is sovereign and sufficient for an individual’s need for counsel. The Son reveals the Father and the Spirit gives gifts. The will of God is determinative in individual lives, in redemptive history, and, indeed, in all things.

Fourth, we may make one final observation about the counsel of God. This is not an observation as to the nature of the counsel, but an important exegetical point. We should take the willing of God and the result of this process, i.e. the will of God, to be co-extensive with the counseling of God and his plan or purpose. The linguistic difference between θέλω-θέλημα and (βούλομαι-βουλή)in Biblical greek is slender to say the least.[28] God wills or takes counsel in his heart and arrives at a plan which is his will. Consider two texts that indicate this. Paul writes in Eph. 1:11 that the βουλή of God is the result of his θέλημα. The plan or counsel is the result of the working of his will. When Jesus pleaded that he might be spared the cup of suffering that Calvary would mean, he said, “Father, if thou art willing (εἰ βούλει), remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will (μὴ τὸ θέλημα μου), but thine, be done” (Lk. 22:42). Here we see the opposite of Ephesians 1:11: the θέλημα is the result of the action of βούλομαι. The two concepts seem to be interchangeable. The reason this is important is that John prefers θέλημα to βουλή. However, this does not mean that John has no interest in the concept of βουλή. He just has a linguistic preference for θέλημα.

B. John's Gospel

We are trying to prove that Jesus had the name פּלא יוחּ in mind when he called Himself παράκλητος; in Jn. 14:16. We have shown that the ideas contained in the title are present in the theological structure of the New Testament. We will now look at the thematic framework of John’s gospel to see if it has any connection with our passage in Isaiah 9 in a general way. We will then see if the title has any specific connection to the παράκλητος concept in John 14, 15 and 16.

1. General Considerations

It is beyond the scope of this article to deal with John’s dependence upon the book of Isaiah. The best we can hope for is to observe many similarities between these two books.

Jesus Christ is presented as the light of the world which comes in darkness (Jn. 1:4-6). The light of Jesus Christ is opposed by the darkness. This imagery of light and darkness is common to Isaiah. God’s light is where the Israelites should walk in contrast to the darkness of the East (2:5). The light of Israel will become a fire and his Holy One a flame (10:17). When judgment comes from God via exile, the nation is sent into darkness (13:10). There will be a great light after the Messianic teacher comes (30:26). The Messiah is said to be a light to the gentiles (42:6, 16; 49:6). God’s justice will be a light of the people (51:4). The Lord shines on Israel and the nations come to this light (60:1-3). God is the glory of Israel and replaces the sun and moon (60:19). Jehovah is an everlasting light (60:20).

Isaiah 8:22-9:6, which contains the phrase we are studying, is central to Jesus Christ as the light of the world. Matthew quotes Isaiah 9:1-2 (Mt. 4:15-16). Luke tells us that Simeon quotes Isaiah 42:6 and 49:6 (Lk. 2:32). John does not quote these or the other passages in Isaiah concerning light. However, it cannot be denied that John uses the theme of divine light versus the sinful darkness of men more than any of the synoptics (Jn. 1:4, 5, 7, 8, 9; 3:19, 20, 21; 5:35; 8:12; 9:5; 11:9, 10; 12:35, 36, 46). The prologue of John’s gospel represents Jesus as the glory or brightness of God’s person in the flesh tabernacling with us: This is the eternal Logos in the flesh. This is the Shekinah glory of Jehovah in the flesh. Such concepts leads us to believe John was very familiar with Isaiah in general and Isaiah 9:1-2 in particular.

Although light versus darkness is the major area of similarity between Isaiah and John, there are many others, especially with themes in the first twelve chapters of Isaiah. These chapters are the unit in which our prophecy occurs. In Isaiah 1-6 there is the recurring theme of darkness upon an abandoned Israel. We have already remarked that John uses this same imagery quite extensively. There is the Emmanuel concept of Isaiah 7:14 constituting the bulk of John’s prologue which, in turn, is underlined by his narratives of Jesus’ life. Jehovah becomes the sanctuary (Is. 8:14); John says the Logos tabernacled with us (Jn. 1:14). Jesus refers to his body as the temple (Jn. 2:19-21). The sons of the Messiah are signs and wonders (Is. 8:18; Heb: 2:13). John, more clearly than the synoptics, emphasizes the new birth from above (Jn. 3:15) and becoming sons of light (Jn. 12:36). The messianic vine images in Isaiah (5:1 ff.; 11:1) are picked up by John (Jn. 15). These parallel themes taken individually do not prove anything. Together, it must be admitted, they do not prove anything. However, the extensive parallelism of thought should lead us to conclude that if John did not have Isaiah’s prophecy consciously in mind, it certainly had its effects upon him.

We know John knew of this book since he quotes it four times: Moreover, John quotes from Isaiah more frequently than from any other prophetic book. Zechariah is quoted twice and Micah once. Since the number of quotations is so small, the percentages do not mean that much. But the quotations do mean that John knew of Isaiah and it seems very likely that he used its concepts. At any rate there can be no question that Jesus did. He not only quoted from Isaiah but saw his preaching as a fulfillment of Isaiah 61:1-2 (Lk. 4:18-19). In fact, the servant concept which Jesus stressed before the last supper (Jn. 13:1-20), is a prevalent theme in Isaiah (42:1-9; 43:10; 44:1-5; 49:1-7; 50:10; 52:13-53:12 ; 61:1-2). John, who was closest to the Lord, as a member of the inner three and the “beloved disciple,” knew Jesus more intimately than any other man. If Jesus saw himself in the terms of prophetic concepts in Isaiah, certainly this would bear upon John’s thinking.

Again, this limited discussion is not final proof of John’s literary dependence upon Isaiah. However, it gives us an understanding that this dependence or interconnection is more than just a remote possibility. This, coupled with Jesus’ self understanding that He was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, helps us to see a connection between John and Isaiah.

2. Considerations of Wonder and Counsel in John’s Gospel

Even if we were absolutely sure John depended upon Isaiah, it would not necessarily mean that John picked up the particular concept we are examining. Therefore, we must ascertain if John does, in fact, have the concepts of wonder and counsel in his mind.

While John does not use θαυμάσια or τέρας, he uses σημεῖον quite extensively. Although there is a slightly different emphasis, as we noted earlier, Trench says that these words all deal with the same phenomena.[29] In other words, with a σημεῖον we are dealing with a personal covenantal act of God. The phenomenon exists and John takes note of it even if he uses another term to describe it. John is very conscious of signs. In fact one might call John a book of signs.

John starts out as if he is going to number every sign Jesus did. John 2:11, “This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory.” John 4:54, “This is again a second sign that Jesus performed.” After this the numbering drops off.

When Jesus talked with Nathanael in John 1:47-51, he promised that Nathanael would see greater things than he had just experienced. In fact, he would see angels ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. Jesus promised to show signs or wonders, i.e. God’s own hand at work. John knows this and begins to list signs. Perhaps he stopped numbering because of the reasons given in 21:25. John does record many other signs, however (5:1-9; 6:1-14; 6:16-21; 9:1-6; 11:1-53; 20:20-21). Signs are constantly a source of argument between Jesus and the Jews. They ask for signs (2:18; 3:2; 4:48; 6:30; 7:31; 9:16). Jesus told them of signs. He turned water into wine; he healed people; he raised Lazarus; and he told them to destroy his body and he would raise it in three days. But though he performed many signs they still did not believe (12:37).

The crux of the problem can be seen in 6:25-71. The Jews ask Jesus for a sign to prove that he is the One sent from heaven in whom they must believe (vs. 30). They ask for a sign, a work to be performed. Their fathers at least had manna that came from heaven (vs. 31). Jesus’ reply is that he is the bread of life that comes down from heaven and gives life (vs. 33). They ask for signs. He says he is the sign. They want a σημεῖον or τέρας and Jesus says he is sign or wonder. John relates to us that consciously Jesus does see himself as פּלא. He is God in the flesh. He is wonder. This is God personally, covenantally saving his people. John presents Jesus to us as he consciously viewed himself, i.e. as פּלא. He is the angel of Jehovah; God himself. Sinners want spectacular signs and wonders. Jesus says that I AM the sign or wonder. I am God. Sinners always want God to perform for them. Jesus rightly reminds the Jews that the manna never kept their fathers alive. He is the life of men, the light of the world. It is this truth which many could not stomach: they go away. Only Jesus, the sign remains. Surely John saw Jesus as “wonder” because Jesus saw himself that way. Thus we learn that the wonder concept is deeply woven into the fabric of John’s gospel.

God’s counsel is also a fundamental part of the thinking of Jesus, and therefore of John’s thinking. We must remember that θέλω and βούλομαι are parallel terms, because John prefers θέλω. The result of God’s wishing is his θέλημα. Again and again in John’s gospel, Jesus refers to his Father’s will. He tells us that He has come to do his Father’s will (4:34; 5:30; 6:38). Jesus did not see himself as an innovator. He did not come to do “his own thing.” He came for a purpose. The purpose was to do the will of the One who sent him.

The will of the Father is explained in 6:38-40. Again Jesus insists that he has not come from heaven to do his own will but the will of the One who sent him. The will of the Father is that Jesus lose nothing that the Father gave him, and that Jesus raise it up on the last day. The will or counsel of the Father for the Son is that he save God’s people. Jesus accomplished just that. This will is active; this counsel is sovereign or determinative. We know this from 1:13 where the will of man is contrasted with the regenerating will of God. The Father plans salvation for his people. This is his will. The Son comes and does his Father’s will; he saves them. How beautiful is this indication of Trinitarian unity.

But, further, observe that this will or counsel is not some eternal plan that remains unknown. Jesus reveals this will of the Father to those around him. He also (6:28-29) reveals how one can do the works of God. And, he reveals how one can be God’s child (3:1-21). The One who himself does the will of the Father tells men how they also may do his will. A primary task (if not the primary task) of Jesus is to reveal the Father (1:18). No man has seen God. We cannot know what he wants. But, the Son comes and tells us of the Father and of his will. If any man is willing to do the will of the Father, he can know if Jesus is true (7:17). Man can know God. Man can know the will or plan of God. This was amazing enough in the garden of Eden. But, now, in a sinful world of darkness, we can know the light of God’s presence. We can know what He wants and has planned for us. Jesus prized nothing more highly than the counsel (or will) of the Father. When it came to a choice between avoiding torture and crucifixion and doing the will of the Father Jesus chose the Father’s will. John does not record this aspect of Christ’s life. He does not have to. He has shown over and over again that Jesus did the Father’s will. As a result of Christ’s obedience to the Father’s plan of redemption, we can believe and know God. In Johannine terms that means that Christ’s obedience won our salvation and enables us to be obedient to God. Can we ever praise Jesus enough? Even our praise is a result of his obedience.

Well, then, we see that the Messianic Wonder (or sign) comes to do all of the counsel (or will) of his Father. He also comes to reveal that counsel to his people in order that they may become obedient to his Father and do his will and works. Can there be any doubt that John sees Jesus as the fulfillment of פּלא יוחּ? John saw him as the light of the world, the fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 9:1-6 because Jesus saw himself as the light of the world. Because Jesus clearly, consciously saw himself as the fulfillment of this concept found in Isaiah 9:1-2, it is not at all far-fetched to suppose that He understood himself to be the “wonder of a counselor.” After all, the light of 9:2 would bear this name. However, it does remain to be proven from the specific contexts that this concept was indeed the one he had in mind when he called himself παράκλητος. We have been taking the long, but necessary, route to our discussion of this term. Yet it can be understood only against the background that we have studied. But before we examine the evidence believing that παράκλητος in John refers to Jesus Christ as the wonder-counselor, we must add a final note to our study of wonder and counsel in John’s gospel. We noted that the New Testament enriched and expanded the concepts of פּלא and יוחּ as we discovered them in the Old Testament. All the data were given just to show this very point. All these data from John’s gospel has been given to show that of all the New Testament writers, John presents most clearly Jesus as the wonder or sign and makes the counsel of God central to Jesus’ life, mission, and message.

3. παράκλητος

There is an exegetical problem that must be faced. Only in John 14:16 does Jesus refer to himself as παράκλητος. Only John uses the term (Jn. 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7; I Jn. 2:1). Defining the word has been, and continues to be an exegetical puzzle. Behm tells us that non-biblical Greek in general “yields the clear picture of a legal advisor or helper or advocate in the relevant court.”[30] However, “the use of the term, παράκλητος in the N.T., though restricted to Johannine writings, does not make any consistent impression, nor does it fit smoothly into the history of the word as described 800-803.”[31] Behm shows that the legal metaphor, so clear in I John 2:1, is not adhered to in the gospel.[32] He also shows that the active understanding of παράκλητος, i.e. “comforter,” is not correct.[33]

Morris agrees that the active sense is not correct.[34] He insists that no one aspect of the Holy Spirit appears to be in mind when παράκλητος is used.[35] He rejects the translations of “Comforter” by Wycliffe ,[36] “Convincer” by N. H. Smith ,[37] “Spirit of Christian paraclesis” by C. K. Barrett,[38] and “Advocate” by New English Bible, Reid, Weymouth, Plummer, et al.[39] Friend comes closer because a professional legal defense attorney is not in view, but anyone who aids in one’s defense .[40]

We can see that the precise translation of παράκλητος is, a problem. If the normal usage was in view then “Advocate” would be the best translation. However, it is not. Behm and Morris do cut down the possibilities. We can drop the active sense of the word, Comforter. We also can drop the straight legal imagery of a defense attorney. This is not just because Behm and Morris say so, but because the Holy Spirit is called παράκλητος. While the Holy Spirit is clearly pictured in John’s Gospel, and elsewhere, as continuing the work of Christ, it does not fit into the biblical picture to see Him as the defender of Christians. This is the work of Christ as the High Priest and Mediator of the New Covenant.

This narrowing is helpful but where do we go from here? Since the Holy Spirit is called ἄλλος παράκλητος in John 14:16, his work and that of Jesus must be the same: I suggest that we translate παράκλητος as “Counselor.” This translation should be used because it is Isaiah 9:6 and פּלא יוחּ that Jesus has in mind when he calls himself παράκλητος. This term will suffice to include all of the functions attributed to the Holy Spirit as παράκλητος without unnaturally forcing the legal imagery where it will not fit. Yet, it will be a term which could include the “counsel for the defense” as a sub-category of the main idea. The defense attorney is nothing more than a trained person who comes alongside and advises and helps a person in need in a specific legal context. He is a counselor-at-law. A counselor, in general, is one who comes alongside, advises and helps a person with a need or problem. This understanding of παράκλητος would solve the perplexing, longstanding problem of why the use of παράκλητος in John’s gospel does not fit the normal meaning of the word.

We have seen how Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of פּלא יוחּ in the New Testament in general, and in John’s Gospel in particular. He is “wonder” or “sign.” He is God in the flesh. However, he not only is God in the flesh, but the counselor par excellence. He is the eternal Son, who with the Father, has counseled the plans of creation and redemption. He is the One who has come and performed redemptive wonders to save his people. But as the Messiah, he also is the final Prophet who comes and reveals God’s counsel, plan, or words to his people. He is the Messiah, the Son of God, and witnesses to his Father’s glory. He comes with the Word of God, to enable the covenant people to obey God’s will. He is the prophetic counselor pay excellence. Because he is the counselor, as Messianic king he needs no man to tell him what to do or say. He does what he sees the Father doing; he says what the Father says. He is the perfect revealer of God and his counsel. Let us look at this in more detail.

Jesus saw himself as the Messianic king. This is the main thrust of Isaiah 9:6. A great light shines in Galilee. The Messianic king is that light; Jesus is that king. When Pilate is interrogating Jesus he asks him if he is the King of the Jews. (Jn. 18:33-38). Jesus affirms this by saying that he came to be a king and to bear witness to the truth. Here we see Jesus consciously connecting his Messianic kingship to prophetic witness-bearing to the truth. These are not two separate ideas, but related facets of Jesus’ incarnation. He is the King and thus bears witness to the truth he has seen from all eternity.

We know from John’s prologue that Jesus is the only One who has revealed God to us. The Word comes in the flesh and dwells among men (1:14). This results in our seeing the Son’s glory or brightness which is grace and truth. No one has ever seen God at any time; the unique One, i.e., the incarnate word, explains the Father. This revealing of the Father, by witness-bearing to the truth, is a theme of John’s gospel.[41] It is, as we have seen, part of the task of the Messianic king.

However, Jesus must not only bear witness to the Father, but also to himself. He is wonder. Therefore, when he reveals God’s will, it is also his own. When he reveals the Father, he also reveals himself as the One who is one with the Father. The Jews could not grasp this. The disciples themselves had a difficult time understanding, as Philip’s question indicates (14:8). Jesus is the truth (14:6). Thus to bear witness to the Father is to bear witness to himself as the divine Messianic king.

Jesus is indispensable for coming to the Father. He is the way to the Father because he is truth. He is life which (1:4) is the light of men. As the light, i.e. the Messianic king who is God himself, Jesus illumines the truth about himself as the way to the Father. In John, Jesus himself is the truth who is necessary for worship (4:23-24), for freedom (8:32), and for holiness (17:17). Thus, Jesus comes to reveal truth, i.e.; to reveal the Father and himself. And by revealing the truth he shows God’s will for his people. Personally, he enables God’s people to worship, to be free, and to be sanctified.

We must note at this point that there is no dichotomy in Jesus’ mind between the truth of the persons of the Father and himself on the one hand and their words on the other. He is the truth, but he is also the Logos. As the truth, he is the way to the Father; but again, the Father’s words are sanctifying truth. Moreover, we must note that because of the persons of Jesus and the Father, their acts and words are equally ultimate. There is no playing of the one against the other in Jesus’ own mind. Jesus personally is truth and reveals the truth of the Father. But he also puts into words or propositional statements the will of the Father.

Strange as it may seem, part of Jesus’ kingly task is to bear witness to the truth of the Father and himself to their acts and words. In other words, the Messiah is Jehovah’s anointed Servant, the kingly representative of Jehovah in the world. He witnesses to divine truth in contrast to every terrestrial being or kingdom. Thus we can see where the aspect of counseling or revealing God’s will or counsel comes in. He reveals the will of God to the world. The sons of light, born of God’s will, obey and live. The world rebels in darkness and dies. What is truth? Jesus reveals Himself. He is truth; his redemptive acts are true; his words are true. Just as the Messianic king will be the Mighty God, the Father of Eternity, and the Prince of Peace, so he will be the Divine Counselor - the Wonder who counsels. He reveals truth and bears witness to it. We see that the Messianic king does not need a prophetic counselor because he takes over this function. He takes it over because he knows the Word of God himself and does not need anyone to proclaim it to him. He is the possessor of all wisdom and counsel because he has the Word of God. Because (Is. 11:2) he has the Holy Spirit, he will not need a prophet to declare God’s plan to him. But he now can reveal it as God’s representative to Israel and to the nations.

Jesus is the light, the Messianic king, the sign or wonder. Jesus, as God, planned wonders long ago. We have seen that John also presents Jesus as the fulfillment of these; indeed, as the One who does the wonders counseled by God. When he does the work of the Father (5:19) his acts as Messiah are the wonderful acts of redemption. When he says what the Father says (8:26, 28; 12:49; 14:10; 17:8), his words are the wonderful words of the Messianic prophet-counselor. For John, Jesus is the Messianic counselor who is God come in the flesh to reveal himself as the truth to mankind.

In John 14:10, mentioned above, Jesus calls himself παράκλητος. Immediately before this Jesus called himself the truth (14:6). In answer to the request to see the Father, Jesus underlines the fact that he is the truth. His correction of Philip serves this purpose. In explaining his unity with the Father, Jesus states that he does not speak on his own initiative. Their unity is the mystery of the Trinity that is a wonder. In verse 11, Jesus in effect says, “believe because of the nature of the Godhead which I reveal and to which I bear witness; if not, believe because of the works (i.e., wonders) that I do.” Jesus bears witness of himself as the revealer of the Father and the doer of God’s will. Without a doubt, the passage makes it clear that this is the function of a παράκλητος. He is the one who reveals God and His counsel. Jesus, of course, also performs that counsel to the Father’s glory and to His people’s benefit. Jesus, therefore, is the παράκλητος par excellence.

We might ask why παράκλητος was used and not πρόφητης. The answer lies on the fact that the light is the Messianic king. As we have seen above, the king also fills the prophetic office by virtue of the Holy Spirit (Is. 11:2; 61:1). The word of God or counsel comes to the Messianic king directly. Thus, he knows truth and witnesses of it by the word of God. The rule of salvation ushered in by this divine king is the point in view.’ The witness of the Messianic king to his Father is a necessary part of his over-all mission, but not an exhaustive explanation of this mission. The concept of counsel is set in, and is a subheading of, the context of Messianic rule and victory. After all, as we noted before, there is no comfort in Jesus as the Wonder of a counselor, unless He also accomplishes the counsel. We, as sinners, cannot do the counsel of God. The knowledge of this counsel would drive us to despair of the deepest sort unless we also saw that Jesus did the will of the Father perfectly. As the Messianic king, Jesus has gained our salvation. As the divine or wonderful counselor, He is the One who instructs us in the way that we should go and aids us in our battle to obey.

Jesus, the παράκλητος, The Counselor, gives true advice because that advice is the will and counsel of His Father. The Christian does not need human advice because Christ gives us the very counsel of God.

Jesus performs all the functions of the פּלא יוחּ. He does so consciously, even integrating this fact into His final message to His disciples: Since the παράκλητος concept, as defined in the mind of Jesus, is the same as the description of the concept of פּלא יוחּ as defined by Isaiah, then they are one concept. Because the usual translation of παράκλητος (“advocate”) is not acceptable, and no other proposed solution fits comfortably, we are shut up to the view that we have proposed. Since פּלא יוחּ fits in all respects, and since there are no apparent exegetical barriers to this concept, it should be adopted.

4. ἄλλος παράκλητος

Jesus calls the Holy Spirit “another counselor.” ἄλλος is better taken as “another of the same” and not “another of a different kind.”[42] The Holy Spirit comes when Jesus goes to the Father. In Messiah’s stead, he takes over the work of counseling God’s people. Jesus will not abandon his disciples (Jn. 14:18). He asks the Father and they both send the Holy Spirit (Jn. 14:16; 15:26). We note two things about the Holy Spirit: he does what Jesus does and he does the work of counseling.

First, we observe what the Holy Spirit does. He is closely associated with Jesus’ ministry, and baptizes him for his Messianic work (1:32-33; 3:34). He is active in the salvation of God’s people by regenerating them (3:5, 6, 8). He gives life (6:63). He is living water (7:39). He is necessary for the work of the apostles in founding the Church (20:22).

We observe that as παράκλητος, the Holy Spirit dwells with and in believers (14:17, 20), teaches all things and reminds of the words of Jesus (14:26), bears witness of Jesus (15:26), convicts the world (16:8), and leads the disciples into all truth (16:13).

But, everything the Holy Spirit is or does is also said of Jesus. Jesus is the Messiah (Jn. 1). Jesus saves His people (Jn. 1:29, 36 ; Jn. 3:14-15). Jesus gives life (Jn. 6:39-40, 63, 68). Jesus is living water (Jn. 4:7-15; 7:37). Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the head of the Church (Jn. 20:30-31) .

In addition, everything -that the Holy Spirit does as παράκλητος, Jesus does.[43] Jesus is with and in believers (Jn. 14:18, 20; 15:4, 5), teaches (Jn. 1:38, 49; 3:2, 26; 7:14; 13:13-14), gives the words of God (1:26, 28; 12:49; 14:10; 17:8), bears witness to the truth of himself (8:14; 14:6), convicts the world (5:45ff.; 8:43-47; 12:47-48), and leads the disciples to himself who is truth and the word of God which is truth (Jn. 14:6; 17:14-17).

One cannot but conclude that the Holy Spirit continues the work of Jesus. Jesus is the truth. It is not surprising that the title “The Spirit of Truth” is given to the Holy Spirit. Witness bearing to the truth is central to Jesus and to the Holy Spirit as παράκλητος. The Holy Spirit does what Jesus does in general and what He does as παράκλητος in particular.

Second, we concluded from our observations that the work of the Holy Spirit as παράκλητος is that of counseling. Teaching, bearing witness to the truth of Jesus, giving the words of the Father and Jesus, convicting the world, and leading the disciples are all jobs of a counselor. These functions fit into the concept of counselor far better than advocate or any other concept. Friend is close, but too broad and vague. The Counselor comes and gives aid and advice. This is the picture of the counseling ministry of the Holy Spirit. Jesus did these things while on earth. Bearing witness to the truth of the Father and himself involves giving the words or counsel of God. This results in conviction of the darkness of the world as it opposes his light. This is the counseling-prophetic function of the Messianic king of Isaiah 9:6. This is the function of a παράκλητος in the mind of Jesus and on the pages of John’s gospel. The main focus of the counseling ministry of Jesus and the Holy Spirit is bearing verbal witness to the truth of God, i.e., who he is, what he does, and what he says. The counseling of these two divine counselors consists of bearing witness to the truth and then teaching this truth. This is prophetic proclamation and teaching. It is not unusual to view the work of Christ in this manner; the unusual aspect is that the prophetic or teaching function has been so closely tied into the kingly rule of Jesus. This is understandable when we think upon the simple fact that all the Old Testament types and offices are fulfilled in Jesus Christ. This may not seem profound; but the fact that a single person could fulfill all these things is beyond our comprehension. Yet this fulfillment is in the person, work and word of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ.

We can sum up our study by viewing the results in relationship to redemptive history. Isaiah is God’s prophet who is bringing God’s word of judgment against His wayward people. Israel is rejecting Jehovah (1:1-4) and his word (8:19-20; 30:8-17). As a consequence of this rebellion, Jehovah is cutting off his counsel to Israel. He will cut off their counselors in judgment (1:26; 3:3). This is part of removing all help. Jehovah cuts off the men of battle as well as the judges and the prophets. He brings a scathing covenant law suit against his rebellious people (Is. 41:21-24). They are idolators. He speaks to their idols and challenges them to do his works. They cannot. Their idols, are wind and emptiness (41:29). The people have become like them. Jehovah looks for someone to declare the truth, to give His words of prophecy (41:26). There is no one. Jehovah evaluates the situation this way, “But when I look there is no one, and there is no counselor among them who, if I ask, can give an answer.” (41:28). This is the sad picture of the theocracy in Isaiah’s time. The prophets do not bring God’s counsel. The people do not want it. They sit and dwell in darkness and death.

However, Jehovah promises to send His Servant (42:1-9). The Messiah will be the chosen one of Jehovah who has the Holy Spirit upon him (vs. 1). He will bring forth justice (vs. 1-3), be a covenant to the people (vs. 6), and a light to the nations which opens blind eyes, frees prisoners, and brings out people from darkness (vs. 6-7). This Messianic king, the light of the nations, will restore the prophetic word of God; thus, he brings back God’s counsel to his people. In doing so, he is the Wonder who counsels (9:6).

The darkness of the nation is a result of ignoring the prophetic law of God (8:20). God dispels this gloom by bringing the light (9:1-2). This light will bring back God’s wonderful counsel because he will be פּלא יוחּ. The king who sits upon David’s throne and rules his kingdom will be the Wonder who counsels.

In the fullness of time Jesus comes. He is born of a virgin and is the promised Messiah. As the light of the world, he dispels the darkness of false counsel and lies. He brings the true counsel and word of God because he is truth and he is the word. As the king, he gains total victory. As counselor, he brings the advice or word of God. He reveals and accomplishes God’s plan to save a people and make them holy as he is holy. He teaches the truth of God to his people and confronts Satan’s kingdom of darkness. He tells men how God plans for them to live. This Wonder of a counselor comes in the flesh, lives a perfect life, dies a substitutionary death, and is raised and glorified. He has accomplished his work and fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 9:6 as the פּלא יוחּ. He has done this by giving the word of God to the disciples. He leaves to reign at God the Father’s right hand.

But, he does not leave the church without a guide or counselor. He prays to the Father and they both send the Other Counselor, i.e. the Spirit of Truth. He comes continuing the work of Jesus Christ. He bears witness to Jesus and his words. He teaches the church and leads them into all truth.

God really is the only counselor because he is the only One who knows the truth; he is the source of all wisdom and knowledge. He created the world by his wisdom according to his counsel. He controls history by his wisdom according to his counsel. He redeems a people by his wisdom according to his counsel. He makes his people, as a body and as individuals, holy by his wisdom according to his counsel. In time and space, he has sent his Son, the Wonder who counsels. In time and space, he and the Son have sent the Other Counselor. We now live in the age of the Spirit. The Other Counselor is at work. Since all of this is historical fact, it must make a difference in the way that we counsel as Christians. It into this proposition we now turn.

IV. Christian Counseling

A. Christ Centered Counseling

1. The Person of Jesus Christ

In seeking to develop a Christian concept of counseling, Jesus must be at the center. Without him, we may have a system, but not one that is Christian. He is פּלא, i.e., God. The Messiah is the mystery of God in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:2-3).

First, Jesus who is the Creator of all things (Jn. 1:3; Col. 1:16), knows perfectly the structure of created reality. That means that he knows everything about the structure and function of man. For this reason, he is not bound by man’s finitude.

Secondly, Jesus is the sustainer of all things (Heb. 1:3). He is not a deistic god. He knows and cares about what happens in the world; indeed, he controls it (Eph. 1:11). The problems that man faces are not unknown to him. Whatever level of reality exists, from the individual level to the societal, he knows how it functions.

Thirdly, Jesus is the Wonder who performs wonders. Our study of פּלא has shown that he redeems God’s people. The Messiah comes revealing the wonders of God’s word that were used in redeeming the elect. The Servant of the Lord performed redemptive wonders on behalf of his chosen flock.

Jesus Christ as the Wonder of wonders answers our dual problems of finitude and sin. He not only brings knowledge, but the knowledge of God that saves lost men. Without any doubt, Christian counseling must start with Jesus Christ, the Wonder, or sink into the same finite, sinful abyss into which all secular psychology falls.

Because the above is true, Christian counseling must be Christ-centered, not client-centered. Much of contemporary psychology, especially Rodgers’ client-centered therapy, has exposed the faults of counseling that centers around the therapist or social values. The individual who needs counsel is the object of concern. But; for the Christian, the glory of Jesus Christ is the center of all of life. If one is more concerned about helping the counselee than he is in pleasing Jesus Christ, he fails to engage in Christian counseling. Jesus Christ must be worshipped even in the counseling room (Phil. 2:5-11). To remove Jesus Christ from counseling is to destroy the one ultimate hope that man has. This is just as true for theory building as it is for clinical application.

The claim that this approach destroys the possibility of counseling non-Christians cannot be made. Who or what do they need more than Jesus? True counseling of unbelievers begins with the acceptance of the good news. Phil. 2:1-4 shows that all true encouragement comes from Christ. Thus, it is impossible to pit the glory of God in Christ over against helping men. Man’s chief purpose in life is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. The joy and peace that are possible are available only in Christ. In short, Christian counseling must be Christ-centered counseling. Jesus Christ is the center of counseling because he is God. As the Savior, he is the solution to all of man’s dilemmas. It is only in union with him that man can permanently appropriate these answers. While presenting Christ is not the only aspect of Christian counseling, Christian counseling can never be less than presenting Christ.

There remains one point to be considered in relation to the Person of Christ. Union with Christ is foundational for doing Christian counseling. If Jesus Christ is not Savior and Lord of the counselor himself, then there is no possibility of Christian counseling. It seems too simple even to mention this; however, it is necessary. If the counselor has not been regenerated by God’s saving work in union with Christ, then the counselor is still a rebel in need of counseling from the Wonder of a Counselor.

2. The Counsel of Jesus Christ

Jesus is God in the flesh. His coming meant that God was revealed to the world. However, his coming is not raw power; there is content to his redemptive activity. His redemptive wonders are foretold and explained by the wonders of his word. The counsel of God reveals his plan in creation, history, and redemption. Since by his plan God controls all things (Eph. 1:11), it includes counsel for individual living, not only in worship, but in all of life. The Messiah reveals God, his plan, and how men may conform to this plan.

Jesus’ counsel is necessary for Christian counseling. He planned the new creation that he is now bringing into being in the kingdom of God. Jesus is the revealer of God the Father and what the Father is going to do. Since God’s plan will. come. to pass, it is urgent to bring men into conformity to it or they will be swept away in judgment. If men want to know who they are and what they should be, they must listen to the revealed counsel of God. If the human counselor seeks lasting change in the counselee then his counsel must flow out of the counsel of Jesus Christ. His word alone abides forever (I Pet. 1:22-25); he alone is truth (Jn. 14:6). Jesus by his word sets men free. Christ provides the content of truth that both counselor and counselee need.

One further point must be made about truth revealed in Christ. Christian counseling must not only present the Wonder of Christ’s person, his redemptive acts and word, but it must also use Christ’s methods. Christ not only is the focal point of Christian counseling, He also tells how to handle men. When Christian counselors “lose” counselees by telling the truth or by following the methods of Jesus (Mt. 19:16-30; Mk. 10:17-31; Lk. 18:18-30) they know that they have succeeded as counselors because they have pleased him. Due to space limitations this point cannot be discussed in full: further study, however, will clarify the point[44].

3. Results of Christ-centered Counseling.

Jesus promised his disciples that they would do greater works than he (Jn. 14:12) because he was going to the Father. A Christian counselor who knows the truth of Jesus and his word will have real results. God has promised to bring in his elect and sanctify them. Thus the results are assured by Jesus himself. If one centers his counseling around Jesus Christ and not human wisdom; if one employs his methods rather than those emanating from human theories, he will see God at work. The work of Christian counseling is a ministry of the Body of Christ. Therefore, the truth of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Word of God and the methods used by him and his apostles are normative.

B. Holy Spirit Guided Counseling

1. The work of the Holy Spirit

Jesus promised that his people would do mighty works because he was going to the Father (Jn. 14:12). His leaving results in power because the “Other Counselor” was to come (Jn. 14:16; 16:7-14). The Holy Spirit did come in power (Jn. 20:22; Acts 2:17-21) .

The Holy Spirit continues the work of Christ. He points to the person (Jn. 15:26) and words of Jesus (Jn. 15:26; 16:1314). He reveals truth as did Jesus (Jn. 14:17, 26; 16:13). He guides believers into all truth (Jn. 16:13). In short, He leads by revealing Jesus Christ and his word; he continues to counsel as Jesus did.

2. The Necessity for the Holy Spirit in Counseling

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth (Jn. 14:17; 15:26; 16:13). He is the one source of all right advice. Counseling becomes a hopeless morass of relativism and failure apart from truth. Counsel given on a basis other than the divine standard of right and wrong is not only relativistic, but morally criminal. Only the counsel of the Holy Spirit can prevent this failure in a human counselor.

Secondly, the Holy Spirit brings conviction (Jn. 16:8). He is needed, therefore, to bring about real change. Often a person rebels at what is good for him. He will not do what is right because he (wrongly) believes that he is right. To break down such hardness of a stubborn, sinful heart is the work of the Holy Spirit.

Thirdly, the Holy Spirit teaches (Jn. 14:26 ; 16:13-15) that a man who is convinced that he is wrong and wants to do what is right must be taught what is right. Since truth resides in Jesus (Jn. 14:12) it can be known only through the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 2:6-16). The Holy Spirit does the long arduous task of correcting and teaching men to be holy. He alone can form in them “the mind of Christ” and strengthens them to do it.

Fourthly, the Holy Spirit personally gives guidance and strength (Jn. 16:13). Peter, at Pentecost, discussing the Holy Spirit, quotes Joel 2:28-32 (Acts 2:16-21). He relates the work of the Holy Spirit to the risen exalted Lord Jesus 2:32-35) by quoting from Psalm 16:8-11, in which God promised to raise the Messiah up from Sheol. The whole process of resurrection is part of God’s counsel or guidance to the Messianic king. Psalm 16:7 says, “I will bless the Lord who has counseled me.” When the Messianic king was raised by the power of the Holy Spirit, the resurrection was an extension of God’s continuous, personal counsel to Him during every phase of his life. Similar continuous, personal counsel is promised to the believer.

All of God’s children are born by the work of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 1:13; 3:8). All are led by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:14). The counsel of the Holy Spirit is given for Christians. He aids the believer.

3. Prayer in Counseling

A Christian counselor must pray. He cannot counsel from his own flesh. The Holy Spirit who leads him also leads him into proper prayer (Rom. 8:26-27). The Holy Spirit helps the weakness of the Christian counselor, who makes mistakes, does not know what to say, and may be confused. Often the problem may be so serious that he does not even know how to pray. The Holy Spirit intercedes for the counselor, and for the Christian counselee as well. The Holy Spirit always intercedes according to the counsel of God.

The Christian counselor must not only present Christ and His word, but must also depend upon the work of the Holy Spirit. Christian counseling not only points to God but is totally dependent upon Him for its success. Prayer is the heart of this humble stance. Here the counselor stands with the counselee before a holy, righteous, and sovereign God. Both are subject to the same problems and obligations. The Christian counselor comes not only boldly in the name of Jesus Christ, but also humbly because he has been counseled by Jesus concerning his rebellion and lostness.

Christian counseling points to the person and work of Jesus Christ; not to the person and work of the counselor. Prayer means that the Christian counselor must sustain a vital, personal relationship to Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. Truly, such counseling is so much more demanding than any other. No wonder sinful men look for easier ways. There is a necessity for the counselor himself to be counselled by God and to live according to His word. However, this is the only method of counseling which holds out the assurance of permanent results (Jn. 14:12) .

The Christian counselor should seek to incorporate true prayer into his daily life. Prayer cannot be sprinkled over the work to make it “Christian”; it must be the essence of preparation for counseling. The Christian counselor must grow in his own faith. Prayer in the Holy Spirit and conformity to the life of Jesus Christ are essentials in the life of any one who does Christian counseling. This brings us to the third area of concern, Biblical counseling.

C. Biblical Counseling

1. Jesus Christ and the Bible

The concepts of פּלא יוחּ and παράκλητος are primarily concerned with Christ’s prophetic-teaching office. He reveals God the Father (Jn. 1:18; 14:10) and teaches God’s children (Jn. 7:17). The Holy Spirit continues this teaching ministry (Jn. 14:26; 16:13). The content of the teaching of Jesus that the Holy Spirit brings to mind is the word of God (Jn. 14:26). That is to say, what Jesus said is the counsel of the Holy Spirit. The words of Jesus are found in the Scriptures (Jn. 2:22). The Bible, consisting of the Old Testament Scriptures, Jesus’ own words, and the words of his inspired apostles and writers, is the word of God. Space does not permit a defense of this position; it can only be stated as a presupposition.

2. The Holy Spirit and the Bible

The Holy Spirit counsels men by means of the Bible. He does not work in a willy-nilly arbitrary fashion. The importance of this statement cannot be over emphasized. If any one factor predominates in the formulation of a theory of Christian counseling, it is the word of God. The Holy Spirit searches the depths of God and reveals the mind of Christ to believers (I Cor. 2:10–16). The wisdom of God is revealed to us in his word. By revealing the word of God, the Holy Spirit continues the prophetic or teaching work of Jesus: Like Jesus, he does not speak on his own initiative but discloses: what he hears (Jn. 16:13). This disclosure is the word of God. The Holy Spirit’s use of the Scriptures is so vital a subject that it really demands consideration in a separate study.

3. The Nature of the Bible

II Timothy 3:16-17 describes the Scriptures. The Bible is the breath of God. It is a wonder, but it is also useful (“profitable”). The Bible is good for us because it is useful for four things. Firstly, it is valuable to teach us what we should do. Secondly, it is good for a slap on the hand to reprove us when we do the wrong thing. Thirdly, the Bible is profitable for correction. Once men know what is right and are convicted about falling short of this, they must be told how to straighten out their ruined lives. Finally, the Scriptures are essential for training in righteousness. Men need to be trained. Doing what is right does not become a life pattern overnight. A daily process of training is needed. The Bible teaches us and changes us. What more could a counselor ask than that?

4. The Necessity for the Bible

Christian counselors must follow the example of the Wonderful Counselor. Both Jesus and the Holy Spirit point to Jesus and his word. This fact is so central that any departure from it constitutes nothing less than a secularization of Christian counseling. Jesus Christ saves men through the Holy Spirit’s use of the word of God. Therefore, in counseling non-Christians, counselors must aim at this end and use God’s means. Christ sanctifies believers by the Word (Jn. 17:17). Therefore, Christian counselors must acknowledge this and employ the divinely appointed means. The Christian counselor must know the Bible and should make a lifetime effort to know more of its content, know how to apply it to others and to live its truths himself.

As to theory, problem solving, and methods, Christian counseling must be biblical. That means that at root Christian counseling will be exegetical. Created reality and redeemed reality are revealed in the Bible. If we do not start with the word of God, we cannot hope to find reality. Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor, calls his people to submit all of their thinking to the word of God. Psychological theories must be built upon the revealed truth of the Scriptures. Otherwise, in time, these systems will be cast into the theoretical rubbish heap. Why should Christians intentionally become involved in the failures of falsehood?

As sinners they will fail frequently enough. How then can they dare to ignore the Bible in counseling? Every effort should be exerted to preserve, understand, and teach the revealed truth of God’s word. Exegesis must precede theory building and research; this is why all Christian counselors must be trained primarily in the exposition of the Scriptures rather than in psychological theories. Meaninglessness is the only alternative. Any counseling theories, methods, or practices not directly related to Jesus Christ by his Holy Spirit through the word, are not Christian. Not only will they fail, but they dishonor the Lord by failing to acknowledge Him as the Wonderful Counselor. Hopefully, this study will cause some to rethink their theories, methods, or practice of counseling to the end that the Wonderful Counselor may receive all the praise.

Notes

C. S. Hall and G. Lindzey, Theories of Personalities (New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1957), pp. 1-2.
S. D. Luzzatto, 11 Profeta Isaia Volgarrizzato a Commentato ad use degl’ Israeliti (Padova, 1855), quoted in E. J. Young, The Book of Isaiah, New International Commentary on the Old Testament I (Grand Rapids: W. B. Eerdmans, 1965), p. 332.
Ibid.
G. B. Gray, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Isaiah, vol. I. The International Critical Commentary, ed. C. A. Briggs, S. R. Driver, A. Plummer (Icy.: Scribner’s Sons, 1912), p. 172.
Idem.
F. Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah, trans. from 4th ed. by S. R. Driver, I. (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1889), p. 244.
Young, op. cit., pp. 332–3.
J. Calvin, Commentary on the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, trans. W. Pringle, I. (Edinburgh: Calvin Translation Society, 1850), p. 309.
J. A. Alexander, Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Pub. House, 1953), p. 204.
Delitzsch, op. cit., pp. 245–6.
W. Wickes, A Treatise on the Accentuation of the Twenty-One So-Called Prose Books of the Old Testament, The Library of Biblical Studies, ed. H. M. Orlinsky (New York: KTAV Pub. Co., Inc., 1970), reprint of 1887 ed., under the title Two Treatises on the Accentuation of the Old Testament, p. 10.
Ibid., pp. 13, 134-135.
Ibid., p. 9.
O. Kaiser, Isaiah 1 12: A Commentary. The Old Testament Library (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1972), pp. 124f., 128–9.
Gray, op. cit, p. 172.
H. C. Leupold, Exposition. of Isaiah, I. (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1968), p.185.
Young, op. cit., pp. 333-335.
Ibid., p. 333.
See note 11.
Young, op. cit., p. 333.
N. Weeks, unpublished M.Th. thesis, Westminster Theological Seminary, 1968.
סוד is practically a synonym of יָעַחּ. However it puts more of- an emphasis on a meeting of many to decide. It therefore is translated council and not counsel. The two terms are closely related in English. They are even closer in Hebrew.
E. J. Young, My Servants the Prophets (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1968).
R. C. Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1953; 9th ed.), 1880, 339.
Ibid., 340.
R. Bultmann, “The Case for Demythologizing: A Reply” in Kerygma and Myth: A Theological Debate, II, ed. H. W. Bartsch, (London: SPCK, 1962) 181-194.
βουλή is the usual LXX rendering of עצה.
“The usage must be investigated in epochs, since the two terms mostly express the same thing.” G. Schrenk, “θέλω, θέλημα, θέλησις” in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, III, (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1965), 44. For precise difference see G. Schrenk “βούλομαι, βουλή, βούλημα” TDNT, I, 629–637.
See notes 23 and 24. [Editor’s note: n. 23 in previous article, n. 24 = n.1 in this article].
J. Behm, “παράκλητος,” Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, V (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1967), 803.
Idem.
Ibid., 804.
Idem.
L. Morris, The Gospel According to John: The English Text with introduction, exposition and notes. The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1971), 662.
Ibid., 663.
Ibid., 663–4.
Ibid., 664.
Idem.
Ibid., 665.
Ibid., 665–6.
J. Calvin, Ibid., 310. Calvin sees the connection between יועחּ and Jn. 1:18. Jesus comes as the perfect teacher of God’s will because He, comes from the bosom of the Father. Thus, revealing God’s counsel in His teaching is the fulfillment of this prophecy. He also sees some connection of Christ’s counsel and the battle involved in going to the Father which is part of John 14 where Christ introduces the παράκλητος concept.
Morris, Ibid., ft. 42, 648–9. This is a complete discussion of the difference between ἔτερος and ἄλλο.
Ibid., 663. See ft. 95 on this page.
See J. Adams, Competent to Counsel, (Nutley: Presbyterian and Reformed Pub. Co., 1970).

Eamon Younis

Wednesday 22 April 2020

The Wonderful Counselor, The Other Counselor, And Christian Counseling

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