What are the Groanings that Cannot be Uttered?

by
Jason Dulle
JasonDulle@yahoo.com

In Romans 8:26, Paul said “the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” when we don’t know how to pray as we ought. What, precisely, are these groanings that Paul speaks of?

The most common Pentecostal interpretation is that Paul was referring to praying in tongues (see 1 Corinthians 14:14-15). I adopted that perspective as a new believer, but later came to question it for a couple of reasons. First, Paul did not use the word for “tongues.” He spoke of “groanings,” which does not accurately describe praying in tongues. Second, these groanings are said to be “too deep for words.” That means they are not expressed verbally. Tongues, however, are expressed verbally. Tongues is a real language using real words. It does not make any sense to speak of a “language that is too deep for words.” That’s a contradiction in terms. As John Stott wrote, “These groans can hardly be glossolalia, since those ‘tongues’ or languages were expressed in words which some could understand and interpret.”1

I also considered the possibility that Paul was referring to literal groans. This is a phenomenon some Pentecostals have described as “travailing in the Spirit” or “intercessory prayer.” A person experiences a burden so intense that they are unable to articulate their prayer in words – whether in known or unknown languages. They express their anguish in literal groans until they “pray it through” and the burden lifts. The difficulty with identifying this experience with Romans 8:26 is that it is so infrequent. I have only witnessed it a couple of times in 35 years, and only experienced it once. Given how frequently do not know how to pray as we ought, how could the solution be so infrequent? This led me to believe Paul was not talking about travailing in the Spirit.

What does it mean, then, for the Spirit to intercede for us with groanings too deep for words? I think I know the answer, as well as why the answer evaded me for so long. I always assumed we were the ones who experienced these groanings. The text, however, clearly identifies the Spirit as the one who experiences these groanings. The Spirit is not causing us to groan as we pray, but rather the Spirit is groaning as He prays. The notion that the Spirit would pray for us sounds a bit odd, so let me explain.

The first thing to notice is that Romans 8:26 is not Paul’s first mention of groaning. He mentions it three times in chapter 8:

8 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 

There are three groups associated with these three mentions of “groanings:”

  1. Creation groans in the pains of childbirth because of our sin, as it waits for its freedom from corruption (20-22)
  2. Humans groan inwardly as we await adoption/resurrection (23)
  3. The Spirit intercedes for us with wordless groanings (26-27)

There are three reasons to think the Spirit is praying and experiencing the groanings, not us:

  1. Paul already addressed the groanings humans experience in verse 23, so why do so again in verse 26? He seems to be providing a list of all who groan due to the Fall, starting with creation and ending with the Spirit.
  2. Paul begins verse 26 with “Likewise….” This word indicates a continuation of the subject, but also an introduction of some new element to the discussion. It is used to compare what came before it with what comes after it. Since Paul had already discussed human groanings in verse 23, we would naturally expect the groanings of verse 26 to be experienced by someone or something other than humans. As William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker note, “Since in verse 23 Paul has already discussed the groanings of the saints, it is hard to believe that he would return to this subject in verse 26. Moreover, the words introducing verse 26, namely, ‘And in the same way’ [or ‘likewise’] imply a comparison; most likely between, on the one hand, the groanings of the creation and of believers (respectively verses 19–22; verses 23, 24); and, on the other, the groanings of the Spirit (verses 26, 27).”2
  3. Paul does not say “the Spirit intercedes through us with groanings too deep for words,” but rather “the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” The use of the intensive pronoun “himself” makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is the agent of this intercession, and the fact that Paul says He does this “for us” rather than “through us” indicates that this is an action of the Spirit taken on our behalf.3 We are the benefactors of the action, not the means by which God performs the actions.

That the Spirit is the one praying is made even clearer from verse 27, where Paul explains why the Spirit is able to intercede for us: “And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Once again, Paul says the Spirit intercedes for us – not through us. Also, if Paul were talking about human groans in verse 26, why talk about God knowing the Spirit’s intentions in verse 27? What does God knowing the intentions of the Spirit have to do with us praying/groaning? Paul’s point is that the Spirit knows God’s will, so His intercession for us does not need to be articulated in words. God already knows what the Spirit is thinking. Again, Hendriksen and Kistemaker write, “In order to make his meaning even more unambiguous, the apostle continues in verse 27 by saying, ‘And he who searches the hearts knows what is the Spirit’s intention.’ Not: the intention of believers, but that of the Spirit. Exegetically, therefore, I am forced to agree with those who say that the groanings to which reference is made here in verse 26 are those of the Spirit.”4

But one might wonder why the Spirit would pray for us? Paul tells us why: We don’t know how to pray as we ought. We are weak (Romans 8:26). But I think the deeper question here is why the Holy Spirit would pray at all. God has no need of prayer. While this is true, the Spirit is not praying for His own sake, but for our sake. The notion that God would pray for us is not unique to Romans 8. Scripture tells us that the glorified Jesus is praying for us in heaven right now (Romans 8:34; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 7:23-25; 9:24; 1 John 2:1). The intercessory prayers of Jesus are rarely discussed in most churches, so this may sound strange to your ears; nevertheless, it is the clear teaching of Scripture.  

Finally, one might wonder how the Spirit can groan. I would argue that Paul is not talking about sounds, but emotional pain. When he refers to our own groaning (v23), he describes it as an inward groaning – not something we do with our mouth. It’s a way of referring to our longing for complete redemption. The same is true of creation. Creation groans in a metaphorical sense, not a literal sense. This is likely true of the Spirit as well. It’s a way of referring to the Spirit’s emotional pain that He experiences on our behalf. Paul’s point seems to be that the Spirit takes on our emotional pain for us as we struggle with living in a fallen world while waiting for God’s ultimate redemption.



Footnotes
1. John R. W. Stott, The Message of Romans: God’s Good News for the World, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 2001), 244–245.

2. William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Exposition of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, vol. 12–13, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953–2001), 275–277.

3. This is not the only time we see Paul identifying the divine person as interceding on our behalf. In verse 34, he says “Christ Jesus is the one who died – more than that, who was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” Whereas verses 26-27 identify the Holy Spirit as our intercessor, verse 34 identifies Jesus as our intercessor. While some Trinitarians have attempted to explain this by saying Jesus intercedes for us in heaven while the Holy Spirit intercedes for us in our hearts (on Earth), this is not found in the text. Jesus seems to be identifying Jesus as the Holy Spirit, which is consistent with Oneness theology.  

4. William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Exposition of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, vol. 12–13, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953–2001), 275–277.

 

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