Montanism and the human Paraclete
How did the Montanists believe in the human Paraclete and regard their founder as such?
The Montanists were a Christian sect that emerged in the late 2nd century, founded by Montanus, who claimed to be a prophet and the mouthpiece of the Holy Spirit.
Montanism emerged as a significant and controversial movement within early Christianity, and it was recognized by many mainstream Christian authorities of the time as a heretical group.
The movement was characterized by the belief that Montanus himself was the embodiment of the Paraclete, or the Holy Spirit, which Jesus promised in the Gospel of John. This belief in Montanus as a prophetic figure who would deliver new revelations and guidance was central to Montanism and contributed to its contentious relationship with established Christian orthodoxy.
Montanus, along with his followers, including two prophetesses named Prisca (or Priscilla) and Maximilla, claimed to receive direct revelations from the Holy Spirit.
This belief in Montanus as the human Paraclete was central to their teachings. They saw him as the final and ultimate revelation of the Holy Spirit, which they referred to as the "New Prophecy." This new revelation was considered a continuation and fulfillment of the teachings of Christ and the Apostles.
This is a complex theological topic that has been debated by scholars. Here's an overview of the different perspectives:
The traditional Christian interpretation:
Most Christian theologians and denominations interpret John 16:13 as referring to the Holy Spirit. In this view, Jesus is describing the role of the Holy Spirit who will come after his departure. The Spirit speaks what he "hears" from the Father and Son, not on his own authority, emphasizing the unity of purpose within the Trinity.
The argument for a human paraclete:
Some scholars have proposed that this verse could be referring to a human prophet or messenger rather than the divine Holy Spirit. Their arguments include:
1. The language of "not speaking on his own" and "speaking only what he hears" seems more fitting for a human prophet acting as God's mouthpiece.
2. In various religious traditions, particularly within Islam, this verse has been interpreted as a prophecy regarding a forthcoming human messenger. Some interpretations indicate that this messenger is, in fact, Muhammad.
3. The Greek word "parakletos" (translated as Helper, Advocate, or Comforter) could potentially refer to a human figure.
Islamic Correlation
An interesting parallel can be drawn from Quranic references. Surah 61, verse 6 states:
"And when Jesus son of Mary said, 'Children of Israel, I am indeed the Messenger of God to you, confirming the Torah that is before me, and giving good tidings of a Messenger who shall come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.' Then, when he brought them the clear signs, they said, 'This is a manifest sorcery.'”
This verse suggests the idea of a human messenger after Jesus, reinforcing the argument for alternative interpretations of the Paraclete concept.
