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COMFORTER the designation of the Holy Ghost (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7; R.V. marg., “or Advocate, or Helper; Gr. paracletos”). The same Greek word thus rendered is translated “Advocate” in 1 John 2:1 as applicable to Christ. It means properly “one who is summoned to the side of another” to help him in a court of justice by defending him, “one who is summoned to plead a cause.” “Advocate” is the proper rendering of the word in every case where it occurs.

It is worthy of notice that although Paul nowhere uses the word paracletos, he yet presents the idea it embodies when he speaks of the “intercession” both of Christ and the Spirit (Romans 8:27, 34).

COMING OF CHRIST (1) with reference to his first advent “in the fulness of the time” (1 John 5:20; 2 John 1:7), or (2) with reference to his coming again the second time at the last day (Acts 1:11; 3:20, 21; 1 Thessalonians 4:15; 2 Timothy 4:1; Hebrews 9:28).

The expression is used metaphorically of the introduction of the gospel into any place (John 15:22; Ephesians 2:17), the visible establishment of his kingdom in the world (Matthew 16:28), the conferring on his people of the peculiar tokens of his love (John 14:18, 23, 28), and his executing judgment on the wicked (2 Thessalonians 2:8).

COMMANDMENTS, THE TEN (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 10:4, marg. “ten words”) i.e., the Decalogue (q.v.), is a summary of the immutable moral law. These commandments were first given in their written form to the people of Israel when they were encamped at Sinai, about fifty days after they came out of Egypt (Exodus 19:10-25). They were written by the finger of God on two tables of stone. The first tables were broken by Moses when he brought them down from the mount (32:19), being thrown