The Names of Jesus - Elmer Towns

THE ASSISTANCE NAMES OF JESUS
Some of the service names of Jesus can best be described as “assistance names,” for their
primary emphasis points out how Jesus assists the believer in living the Christian life. The
Christian life has been explained as Christ living in and through the Christian (cf. Galatians
2:20). Because this is true, every one of the more than 700 names and titles of Jesus, in a sense,
is an “assistance name.” But the names considered in this section more properly belong here
because of the more direct role the Lord plays in our Christian life, as implied in these names.
The Intercessor
Jesus is our Intercessor; one of His primary works on behalf of the Christian today is that
of intercession. The writer to the Hebrews noted, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the
uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them”
(Hebrews 7:25). This is one of the two primary functions of Christ as our High Priest.
The need for an intercessor has long been felt by man. In the midst of his despair, Job
cried out, “O, that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!”
(Job 16:21). He realized man's greatest need was someone who could stand before a holy God on
behalf of a sinful human race and pray effectively for that race. That is why he earlier lamented,
“Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both” (Job 9:33). That
missing Daysman was the One whom Paul in the New Testament called “the Mediator” (I
Timothy 2:5).
The twofold purpose of the Intercessor's prayer on our behalf is to keep us from sinning
and, in so doing, save to the uttermost. Of the two primary ministries of Christ as our High
Priest, this is concerned most with preventing problems in the Christian life. The Intercessor is
known for what He does; He pleads that we might not sin.
The Advocate
The second of Jesus' ministries as a High Priest is advocacy. Jesus is called “an advocate
with the Father” (I John 2:1), meaning that He stands before God on our behalf. As Intercessor,
Jesus pleads that we might not sin. As Advocate, He stands by us after we have willfully sinned.
John uses the Greek word paraclete, meaning “one called alongside to help.” This is also a name
of the Holy Spirit, translated in another place “Comforter” (John 16:7).
The duty of an advocate is to stand by the person and/or principles which he supports.
One legal phrase used today to describe an advocate is “a friend of the court.” Years ago when I
had to go to court over a traffic accident, my insurance company supplied a lawyer who acted on
my behalf. Throughout the course of the case, the lawyer spoke on my behalf to insure that the
court heard my side of the traffic accident. Although I did not speak in the courtroom myself, my
case was heard and won because of the efforts of my advocate, the lawyer.
Similarly, Jesus acts as our advocate before the Father in Heaven when the devil accuses
us of sin. Jesus is the Man in the glory, a priest after the order of Melchizedek, who is both
qualified and capable to represent our cause in the court of Heaven.,He does not actually have to
plead our case every time we sin. His constant presence before the Father is the sufficient plea