Encouraging - taking after God

THE GOLDEN GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: ENCOURAGING 

T.  ENCOURAGING, 15

This is a small section of the larger item looking at the twenty Gifts of the Holy Spirit to be found elsewhere on my Blog Site.  Please pray for its usefulness.

3870 Strong, parakaleo, par-ak-al-eh'-o, to call near, to invite, invoke, comfort exhort, beseech

3871 Strong,  paraklesis. par-ak-lay-sis  entreaty, imploration solace,  comfort,  consolation,  exhortation,  encouragement

3875 Strong,  parakletos.  par-ak-1ay-yos: advocate, intercessor, comforter,  comforter

A verb and two noun forms             

Kittel, vol V, pp773-799 - Otto Schmitz and Gustav Stahlim

This is one of the most  "versatile" word groups in our study. It ranges through at least four main areas: a pedestrian use for a physical position, a term often used of people coming to Jesus and beseeching him for help, the spiritual/emotiona1 use - which is our concern, and a descriptive noun for God Himself.

The everyday use is seen in:  Esther 5:1 e, 2 b (LXX);  Acts 8:31, 9:38, 13:42, 16:9, 15, 39, 19:31, 21:12, 27:33, 24:4, 28:14, 20;  2 Corinthians 8:4,6,17,  9:5,  12:18

Use by people, and even unclean spirits, approaching or beseeching Jesus for help: Matthew 8:5, 14:36,  26:53; Mark 1:40, 5:10, 18, 23,  6:56, 7:2, 8:22;  Luke 7:4, 8:41, 2 Corinthians 12:18

There is also a wide range of the word's spiritual and emotional use, which is very much dependent on the context.

Can you spot the gift in these responses to my sermon on the subject?   "You certainly have a gift for teaching": "Your thoughts really helped me";   "We have heard all this before!"

Firstly there is the element of admonition:  a positive critique to encourage improvement - an expression of true caring; "Faithful are the wounds of a friend."  (Proverbs 27:6)

Secondly we have:  to comfort and console, and to express sympathy. This may be from one human to another, or from God to a human.      In the LXX, comfort in bereavement is seen; there is the noting of misguided consolation, and the honour of being called to comfort: Genesis 5:29, 24:67, 37:35, 38:12; 2 Samuel 10:2 f, 12:24, 1 Chronicles 7:22, 19:2 f,  Job 2:11, 16:2, 29:25, 42:11; Jeremiah 16:5-7; Acts 20:12;  2 Corinthians 2:7;  1 Thessalonians 3:7, and 4:18.   Two names contain the thought of consolation: Noah, and Barnabas - which really means "prophet's son", but "encouragement" by implication. (Genesis 5:29, and Acts 4:36-37)   Barnabas was originally called Joseph, a Levite of Cyprus, was given this new name, "Son of Encouragement", by the apostles.      He encouraged Paul, when others rejected him.

(Acts 9:26-30)   He encouraged John Mark, when Paul sacked him.  (Acts 15:36-41)      Mark was strengthened, and had many years’ service ahead.

Kittel points out that in non-Christian Antiquity, there were the suggestions of: stop crying because it is pointless, think of your dignity, set an example.      Much thought, and a whole genre of literature were devoted to the different kinds of comfort, but little hope of success was anticipated.

The Scriptures show that some are in a comfortless position: Job 21:34;  Psalms 69:20, 77:2;  Ecclesiastes 4:l;  Lamentations 1:2, 9, 16, 21, 2:13;  Isaiah 22:4;  Nahum 3:7; and Zechariah 10:2.

Perhaps the most wonderful of human experiences is the offer of God's consolation and hope, to those previously under His wrath.   Kittel's writers observe:  "Comforting is God's proper work. He turns earlier desolation into perfect consolation both in individuals and also in the people of God."

"God's comfort, like the comfortlessness which he causes, is ultimately an eschatological reality ...  In the absolute it is deliverance in judgement, just as perdition is absolute desolation"  (vol. V, pp789-790).

The most effective comfort comes from God:  Psalms 18, 23:4, 71:21,  86:17,  94:19.   119:l-176;   Isaiah 28:29, 40:l ff, 51:3,12,19 ff,  54:ll ff, Two Old Testament metaphors picture God as a shepherd and a mother (Isaiah 40:l,  66:11-13,). His Servant  is a source of comfort:  Psalms 52.  76.  82,  Isaiah 61:2. Psalms, which contain the middle chapter and the middle verse of the whole Bible - its heart,  teach more than elsewhere the Character of God and also His care and consolation for the troubled.

Thirdly, a use found on many pages of the New Testament is that of encouraging:  the apostles were continually encouraging spiritual and moral development by helpful instruction:   (Luke 3:l0-18) Acts 2:40, 9:31, 11:23-24, 13:15  (to accept the Gospel) 14:22, 16:40, 20:1 f;  2 Corinthians 5:20, 6:1;  Philippians 2:1;  1 Thessalonians 2:3;  Hebrews 13:22;   (1 Peter 5:12 and Jude verse 3: it is the purpose of the letters), and especially in the final sections of the epistles: Romans 12:1, 8, 15:19,30; 1 Corinthians 1:10;  2 Corinthians 10:1;  Ephesians 4:1;  Philippians 2:1, 4:2;  1 Thessalonians 2:11 ff, 3:2, 4:1;  2 Thessalonians 3:12;  1 Timothy 2:1;  Hebrews 12:5, 6:18;  1 Peter 2:11, 5:1.

The means of encouragement was: the written word, a personal visit or news (Romans 15:4;  Colossians 2:2, 4:8;  Ephesians 6:22;  2 Corinthians 1:3-11, 7:4,6,7,13;  1 Thessalonians 3:7;  Philemon verse 7)

Second Corinthians, chapter 1, is the great passage on the nature and purpose of suffering:  so that we can receive, and minister, comfort in God's name.      The Church is to comfort the repentant sinner: and find comfort in the healing miraculous grace of God, but especially in the future hope of Christ's return (2 Corinthians 2:7;  Acts 20:12;  1 Thessalonians 4:8;  Matthew 5:4).   The rich have their transient comfort now; the oppressed can look for future redress (Luke 6:24, 2:38, 16:25).   At the beginning of the Gospel, there were those who anticipated the "consolation of Israel" (Luke 2:25, 38 with Isaiah 40:1 f).

"Thus  ...   (the word) is used for the wooing proclamation of salvation in the apostolic preaching."   (Kittel, vol. V, p 795)

A footnote in Kittel has this helpful summary: "Apostolic exhortation is a concerned and urgent address to the brethren which combines supplication, comfort and admonition"  (note 174, p 796, vol, V).

Its use as a name for God is most moving:  both in the hope it gives to us, and in the linking of the spiritual gift with God's own character: "The Father of Mercies and the God of All Comfort”; and the name for the Holy Spirit: "The Comforter".  (2 Corinthians 2:3;  John 14:16,26, 15:26, 16:7)

This is a most beautiful of gifts - all the others improve with its use.   How splendid to minister this gift, how glorious to be uplifted through its benediction.

Hebrews 3:12-13: "See to it brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage each other daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."

The gifts of the Spirit merge into each other, like the seven colours of the Rainbow.   So we can observe the close relationship of both teaching and prophecy, as well as among the caring gifts.