SEV Biblia, Chapter 8:26
¶ Y asimismo tambin el Espíritu nos ayuda en nuestra flaqueza; porque orar como conviene, no lo sabemos; sino que el mismo Espíritu demanda por nosotros con gemidos indecibles.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Romans 8:26
Verse 26. The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities] The same Spirit, to pneuma, mentioned before as bearing witness with ours that we are the children of God; and consequently it is not a disposition or frame of mind, for the disposition of our mind surely cannot help the infirmities of our minds. The word sunantilambanetai is very inadequately expressed by helpeth. It is compounded of sun, together, anti, against, and lambanomai, to support or help, and signifies such assistance as is afforded by any two persons to each other, who mutually bear the same load or carry it between them. He who prays, receives help from the Spirit of God; but he who prays not receives no such help. Whatever our strength may be, we must put it forth, even while most implicitly depending on the strength of God himself.
For we know not what we should pray for as we ought] And should therefore be liable to endless mistakes in our prayers, if suitable desires were not excited by the Holy Spirit and power received to bring these desires, by prayer, before the throne of grace.
But the Spirit itself] auto to pneuma, The same Spirit, viz. the Spirit that witnesses of our adoption and sonship, ver. 15, 16, makes intercession for us. Surely if the apostle had designed to teach us that he meant our own sense and understanding by the Spirit, he never could have spoken in a manner in which plain common sense was never likely to comprehend his meaning. Besides, how can it be said that our own spirit, our filial disposition, bears witness with our own spirit; that our own spirit helps the infirmities of our own spirit; that our own spirit teaches our own spirit that of which it is ignorant; and that our own spirit maketh intercession for our own spirit, with groanings unutterable? This would have been both incongruous and absurd. We must therefore understand these places of that help and influence which the followers of God receive from the Holy Ghost; and consequently, of the fulfillment of the various promises relative to this point which our Lord made to his disciples, particularly in John xiv. 16, 17, 26; xv. 26, 27; xvi. 7; and particularly John xvi. 13, 14: Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities , etc..] The Spirit of God which dwells in us, by whom we are led, who is the spirit of adoption to us, who has witnessed to our spirits, that we are the children of God, whose firstfruits we have received, over and above, and besides what he has done for us, also helpeth our infirmities; whilst we are groaning within ourselves, both for ourselves and for others, and are waiting patiently for what we are hoping for. The people of God, all of them, more or less, have their infirmities in this life. They are not indeed weak and infirm, in such sense as unregenerate persons are, who have no spiritual strength, are ignorant of their weakness, do not go to Christ for strength, nor derive any from him, and hence can perform nothing that is spiritually good: nor are they all alike infirm; some are weaker in faith, knowledge, and experience, than others; some are of more weak and scrupulous consciences than others be: some are more easily drawn aside through corruption and temptation than others are; some have weaker gifts, particularly in prayer, than others have, yet all have their infirmities; not only bodily afflictions, persecutions of men, and temptations of Satan, but internal corruptions, and weakness to oppose them, and to discharge their duty to God and man; and also have their infirmities in the exercise of grace, and in the performance of the work of prayer; though they are not left to sink under them, but are helped by the Spirit: by whom is meant, not any tutelar angel, or the human soul, or the gift of the Spirit in prayer, but the Holy Spirit of God himself; who, as the word here used signifies, helps together, with hope and patience, graces which he has implanted, and which he invigorates and draws forth into act and exercise; or with the saints labouring under their burdens; or with the Father and the Son, who also are helpers of the saints: and this helping of them implies, that their infirmities and burdens are such as they must sink under, unless they are helped; and which is done by the Spirit, by bringing to remembrance, and applying the precious promises of the Gospel, by shedding abroad the love of God in their hearts, by acting the part of a comforter to them, by putting strength into them, and by assisting them in prayer to God: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought . The children of God are not ignorant of the object of prayer, that it is God, and not a creature, God, as the God of nature, providence, and grace, God in the persons of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Spirit, and with a view to his glorious perfections: nor of the way of coming to God in prayer, through Christ; nor of the manner of performing it in faith, with fervency, sincerity, reverence, humility, and submission; nor who they should pray for, for themselves, for all men, even enemies, particularly for the saints, and ministers of the Gospel; nor of many other things respecting prayer, as that it is both their duty and privilege; their own inability, and the need of the assistance of the Spirit in it; but what they are ignorant of is chiefly the matter of prayer: indeed the whole Bible is an instruction in general to this work, so is the prayer Christ taught his disciples, and the several prayers of saints recorded in the Scriptures; the promises of God, and their own wants and necessities, may, and do, greatly direct them; as for instance, when under a sense of sin, to pray for a discovery of pardoning grace; when under darkness and desertions, for the light of God's countenance; when under a sense of weakness of grace, and the strength of corruptions, for fresh supplies of grace and strength, for communion with God in ordinances, for more grace here, and glory hereafter; but what of all things they seem to be, at least at some times, at a loss about, is what to pray for with respect to things temporal, such as riches, honour, friends, etc.. to have present afflictions removed, or temptations cease; and too often it is, that they pray with greater importunity for lesser things, than for things of more importance; and more from an intemperate zeal, and with a view to self, than for the glory of God: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession, for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered ; not the spirit of a man; or the gift of the Spirit in man; or a man endued with an extraordinary gift of the Spirit; but the Holy Ghost himself, who makes intercession for the saints: not in such sense as Christ does; for he intercedes not with the Father, but with them, with their spirits; not in heaven, but in their hearts; and not for sinners, but for saints: nor in the manner as Christ does, not by vocal prayer, as he when on earth; nor by being the medium, or way of access to God; nor by presenting the prayers of saints, and the blood and sacrifice of Christ to God, as Christ does in heaven; nor as the saints make intercession for one another, and for other persons: but he intercedes for them, by making them to intercede; he indites their prayers for them, not in a book, but in their hearts; he shows them their need, what their wants are; he stirs them up to prayer, he supplies them with arguments, puts words into their mouths, enlarges their hearts, gives strength of faith in prayer, and all the ardour and fervency of it; he enables them to come to God as their Father; and gives them liberty and boldness in his presence, which requires an heart sprinkled from an evil conscience, faith in the blood and righteousness of Christ, and a view of God, as a God of peace, grace, and mercy: and this intercession he makes, with groanings which, cannot be uttered; not that the Spirit of God groans, but he stirs up groans in the saints; which suppose a burden on them, and their sense of it: and these are said to be unutterable; saints, under his influence, praying silently, without a voice, as Moses and Hannah did, ( 1 Samuel 1:13), and yet most ardently and fervently; or as not being able to express fully what they conceive in their minds, how great their burdens are, and their sense of their wants.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 26, 27 - Though the infirmities of Christians are many and great, so that the would be overpowered if left to themselves, yet the Holy Spiri supports them. The Spirit, as an enlightening Spirit, teaches us what to pray for; as a sanctifying Spirit, works and stirs up prayin graces; as a comforting Spirit, silences our fears, and helps us ove all discouragements. The Holy Spirit is the spring of all desire toward God, which are often more than words can utter. The Spirit wh searches the hearts, can perceive the mind and will of the spirit, the renewed mind, and advocates his cause. The Spirit makes intercession to God, and the enemy prevails not.
Greek Textus Receptus
ωσαυτως 5615 ADV δε 1161 CONJ και 2532 CONJ το 3588 T-NSN πνευμα 4151 N-NSN συναντιλαμβανεται 4878 5736 V-PNI-3S ταις 3588 T-DPF ασθενειαις 769 N-DPF ημων 2257 P-1GP το 3588 T-ASN γαρ 1063 CONJ τι 5101 I-ASN προσευξωμεθα 4336 5667 V-ADS-1P καθο 2526 ADV δει 1163 5904 V-PQI-3S ουκ 3756 PRT-N οιδαμεν 1492 5758 V-RAI-1P αλλ 235 CONJ αυτο 846 P-NSN το 3588 T-NSN πνευμα 4151 N-NSN υπερεντυγχανει 5241 5719 V-PAI-3S υπερ 5228 PREP ημων 2257 P-1GP στεναγμοις 4726 N-DPM αλαλητοις 215 A-DPM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
26. Helpeth (sunantilambanetai). Only here and Luke x. 40, on which see note. "Lambanetai taketh. Precisely the same verb in precisely the same phrase, which is translated 'took our infirmities'," Matt. viii. 17 (Bushnell).As we ought (kaqo dei). Not with reference to the form of prayer, but to the circumstances: in proportion to the need. Compare 2 Cor. viii. 12; 1 Pet. iv. 13.
Maketh intercession for (uperentugcanei). Only here in the New Testament. The verb ejntugcanw means to light upon or fall in with; to go to meet for consultation, conversation, or supplication. So Acts xxv. 24, "dealt with," Rev., "made suit." Compare Rom. viii. 34; xi. 2; Hebrews vii. 25.
Which cannot be uttered (alalhtoiv). This may mean either unutterable or unuttered..
Robertson's NT Word Studies
8:26 {Helpeth our infirmity} (sunantilambanetai tei asqeneiai hemwn). Present middle indicative of sunantilambanomai, late and striking double compound (Diodorus, LXX, Josephus, frequent in inscriptions, Deissmann, _Light, etc._, p. 87), to lend a hand together with, at the same time with one. Only twice in N.T., here and #Lu 10:40 in Martha's plea for Mary's help. Here beautifully Paul pictures the Holy Spirit taking hold at our side at the very time of our weakness (associative instrumental case) and before too late. {How to pray} (to ti proseux"metha). Articular clause object of oidamen (we know) and indirect question with the deliberative aorist middle subjunctive proseux"metha, retained in the indirect question. {As we ought} (katho dei). "As it is necessary." How true this is of all of us in our praying. {Maketh intercession} (huperentugchanei). Present active indicative of late double compound, found only here and in later ecclesiastical writers, but entugcanw occurs in verse #27 (a common verb). It is a picturesque word of rescue by one who "happens on" (entugcanei) one who is in trouble and "in his behalf" (huper) pleads "with unuttered groanings" (instrumental case) or with "sighs that baffle words" (Denney). this is work of our Helper, the Spirit himself.
