Encouragement (exhortation) (3874) paraklesis

Encouragement (3874) (paraklesis from parakaléo = beseech <> pará = side of + kaléo = call) refers to calling to one's side or one's aid which can be for the purpose of providing solace, comfort, consolation, exhortation, encouragement. Encouragement is from en = in + corage from Latin cor = heart. It describes the act of inspiring one with confidence and/or hope, filling with strength, and suggests that the raising of one’s confidence is accomplished especially through an external agency. Comfort is from Latin com = with + fortis = strong, and means to invigorate, to enliven, to cheer, to strengthen one's mind when depressed, to give new vigor to one's spirits, to give strength or hope to another, to ease their grief or trouble. Exhortation is from ex = out + hortari = to urge or incite and means incitement by argument or advice, a strong urging, an urgent appeal, an earnest persuasion, giving strong advisement, animation by arguments to a good deed or laudable conduct or course of action. MacArthur writes that... Paraklēsis (encouragement) has the root meaning of coming alongside someone to give assistance by offering comfort, counsel, or exhortation. It is precisely the kind of assistance exemplified by the Good Samaritan, who, after doing everything he could for the robbed and beaten stranger, “took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you’ ” (Luke 10:35; cf. Lk 10:30, 31, 32, 33, 34). (MacArthur, J. Philippians. Chicago: Moody Press or Logos) Wuest on paraklesis... The word has various meanings; “a calling near, a summons, imploration, supplication, entreaty, exhortation, admonition, encouragement, consolation, solace.” The well-rounded all-inclusive idea is that of encouragement, of aid given the needy person, whether it be consolation, exhortation, or supplication. (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans or Logos) Paraklesis - 29x in 28v - Luke 2:25; 6:24; Acts 4:36; Acts 9:31 (Note Who gives comfort?); 13.15" class="scriptRef">Acts 13:15; 15:31; Ro 12:8-note; 15:4-note, Ro 15:5-note (Who gives encouragement in this verse?); 1 Cor 14:3; 2 Cor 1:3, 4, 5; 7.4" class="scriptRef">7:4, 7, 13; 8:4, 17; Phil 2:1; 1Th 2:3-note; 2Th 2:16 (Note the Source of the saint's comfort and its longevity. How does it come to us? [by what?]); 1Tim 4:13; Philemon 1:7; Heb 6:18-note; Heb 12:5-note; Heb 13:22-note. NAS = appeal(1), comfort(13), consolation(1), encouragement(6), exhortation(7), urging(1). Below are a few of the NT uses of paraklesis... Luke 2:25 And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking (prosdechomai in the present tense = looking expectantly which motivated living righteously and devoutly, cp the charge in Titus 2:12 with the motivating Blessed Hope in Titus 2:13-note) for the consolation (Paraklesis in this context is not a concept but a living Person, the Messiah, the One Who is the ultimate Source of encouragement, comfort and consolation. Why do so often when in distress, run everywhere but to Him? Let us run quickly and often to the Consolation of Israel, Yeshua, the one Who saves us the first time [justification] and then Who is able to save us daily [sanctification], e.g. When in distress, when afflicted, when downcast, etc, let us take a moment and meditate on Him as our Refuge in Ps 2:12-note, Ps 5:11-note, Ps 11:1-note, Ps 14:6-note, Ps 16:1-note, Ps 17:7-note; Ps 18:2-note, Ps 18:30-note; Ps 25:20-note; Ps 31:1-note, Ps 31:19-note; Ps 34:8-note, Ps 34:22-note; Ps 36:7-note; Ps 37:40-note; Ps 46:1-note; Ps 52:7-note; Ps 55:8-note; Ps 57:1-note; Ps 59:16-note; Ps 61:3, 4-note, Ps 62:7,8-note, Ps 64:10-note; Ps 71:1-note, Ps 71:7-note; Ps 73:28-note; Ps 91:2-note, Ps 91:4-note, Ps 91:9-note; Ps 94:22-note; Ps 104:18-note; Ps 118:8, 9-note, Ps 141:8-note; Ps 142:5-note; Ps 143:9-note; Ps 144:2-note. (Note: All notes are C H Spurgeon's excellent commentary) Hide yourself in Him beloved!) of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. Comment: Note that the context of this passage is the "hope" of the Jews (who were true believers) to realize the final and ultimate fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant promises, which Messiah will in fact bring to pass in the Millennium. In this way, Jesus to the Jews who were looking for Him was envisioned as their Consolation. Acts 4:36 Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement), (Clearly as in here in Philippians, God uses godly men and women as His arms and feet, to go to those in need of encouragement, comfort and uplifting. Are you known as a "Barnabas" in your sphere of influence, or as a "son of discouragement"?!) Romans 12:8-note or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. (Paul's point is to "stay" within the sphere of your gift.) Ro 15:4-note For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Comment: In one sense the entire Bible is a paraklesis, exhorting, admonishing and encouraging us to be strong in our faith. 2Cor 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort (How much? cp Isa 40:1, 51:3; 52:9; 66:13); 4 Who comforts (parakaleo in the present tense = continually!) us in all our affliction (thlipsis - word study) (Note if we don't "feel" comforted, what might be the source of the feeling? Cp 2Co 5:7) so that (What is one purpose of any affliction God allows into our life beloved?) we may be able (dunamai [think "dynamic", "dynamo"!] the present tense = continually ready to come alongside our brethren!) to comfort (parakaleo) those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. 1Th 2:3-note For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit. Comment: John MacArthur writes that here "The word exhortation (paraklesis) means an urgent cry, appeal, or call, with an emphasis on judgment. Such usage stressed for Paul’s readers the urgency and directness of his preaching. He did not stray from the truth or operate apart from the standard of divine revelation. Paul assured them there was no false teaching or living—in other words, error—in his ministry. 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Moody Press or Logos) 1Ti 4:13 Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. Comment: Clearly paraklesis as manifest by encouragement was to be a major focus of Timothy's ministry in Ephesus. It follows that Biblical exhortation. As the Pastor MacArthur observes "Exhortation challenges people to apply the truths they have been taught. It warns people to obey, in light of the blessing to come on them if they do, and the judgment if they do not. Exhortation may take the form of rebuke, warning, counsel, or comfort, but always involves a binding of the conscience." (1Timothy Moody Press or Logos) Heb 12:5-note and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by Him Comment: "Turning to Scripture is listening to God, for Scripture is His Word. For believers, it is the Word of their Father. This forgotten exhortation tells us of two perils of discipline—regarding it lightly, and fainting because of it." (MacArthur, John: Hebrews. Moody Press or Logos) Heb 13:22-note But I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation, (referring to the epistle to the Hebrews - see Acts 13:15 where this same phrase is used as the designation for a sermon) for I have written to you briefly. Comment: MacArthur "The book of Hebrews is a great treatise preached with a pen. It is an urgent call to the readers to come to single-minded devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ and to complete satisfaction with the New Covenant. The high and lofty doctrinal themes are the foundation for this primary exhortation." (Ibid) Marvin Vincent has a detailed note on this word group writing that parakaleo literally means... a calling to one’s side to help; and therefore entreaty, passing on into the sense of exhortation, and thence into that of consolatory exhortation; and so coming round to mean that which one is summoned to give to a suppliant—consolation. Thus it embodies the call for help, and the response to the call. Its use corresponds with that of the kindred verb , to exhort or console...In some instances, the meaning wavers between console and exhort. In the sense of exhortation or counsel, the noun (paraklesis) may be found in Acts13:15; Ro 12:8; Heb 13:22. The verb, in Acts 2:40; 11:23; 14:22; Ro 12:8; Titus 2:15. Neither the noun nor the verb appear in the writings of John, but the kindred word the Paraclete, Comforter, or Advocate, is peculiar to him. It should be noted, however, that the word comfort goes deeper than its popular conception of soothing. It is from the later Latin , to make strong. Thus Wycliffe renders Lk 1:80, “the child waxed, and was comforted in spirit” and Tyndale, Lk 22:43, “there appeared an angel from heaven comforting him” (AV., strengthening). The comfort which Christ gives is not always soothing. The Holy Spirit, the Comforter, is to convince of sin and of judgment. Underlying the word is the sense of a wise counsel or admonition which rouses and braces the moral nature and encourages and strengthens it to do and to endure. When, therefore, Christ says “they that mourn shall be comforted,” he speaks in recognition of the fact that all sorrow is the outcome of sin, and that true comfort is given, not only in pardon for the past, but in strength to fight and resist and overcome sin. The atmosphere of the word, in short, is not the atmosphere of the sick-chamber, but the tonic breath of the open world, of moral struggle and victory; the atmosphere for him that climbs and toils and fights. (Word Studies in the NT - Notes on Luke 6:24) Robertson writes that "If one's own life in Christ does not stimulate the soul to the noblest effort, it is useless to go on with the appeal." Two of the paraphrases pick up this same thought -- "If the fact that you are in Christ has any power to influence you" (Barclay) "If then your experiences in Christ appeal to you with any force.." (Lightfoot) Is there encouragement in Christ? Of course there is. Godly Simeon called Jesus the "the Consolation (paraklesis) of Israel" (Lk 2:25) Paul taught that "just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our COMFORT (paraklesis) is abundant through Christ." (2Co 1:5) If there be any encouragement in Christ - Not "if" but "since", for this is comfort in Christ! (cp 2Co 1:3, 4, 5) Every believer has received encouragement, exhortation, and comfort from and through Christ Who is like an artesian well (see Artesian Well diagram) that effortlessly, endlessly flows through us as we surrender our will to His sweet will and in the context as the saints at Philippi enter into the reality of Christ Who is now their life, and the result of this common experience will serve to draw them together and unite them. F B Meyer writes regarding the bonds of unity in a local body that... The first bond is the consolation which is in Christ. For consolation let us substitute exhortation, or, better still, persuasiveness, so that we might put it that the first bond of Christian fellowship is Christ's persuasiveness. That Jesus Christ is interested in every Church fellowship is obvious, but we do not always realise how much He is always doing to persuade us to main-rain it. Have there not been times in your life when you have been greatly incensed, but have realised that there was a voice speaking within your heart, and a gentle influence stealing over you, a yearning towards the brother about whom you had cherished hard and unkind feelings? That has been the persuasiveness of Christ. It is He who has besought you to check that word, to refrain from writing that letter, to abandon that bitter and offensive way which had seemed so befitting a method of repaying your enemy to his face. It was Christ who was persuading you to drop the weapon from your hand, and to reach it out in brotherhood, and this because He was so eager to keep the unity of the Spirit unbroken in the bond of peace. (The Epistle to the Philippians ) IF THERE IS ANY CONSOLATION OF LOVE: ei ti paramuthion agapes: (Ps 133:1; Jn 15:10, 11, 12; Acts 2:46; 4:32; Gal 5:22; Eph 4:30, 31, 32; Col 2:2; 1Jn 4:7,8,4:12, 4:16) The second foundation stone for unity CONSOLATION OF LOVE Love is agape which ultimately is God's love (cf the quality & quantity of that love in Jn 3:16 Torrey's Topic "Love of God") since there is a certain tender persuasion that comes from divine love (Wuest) by whatever persuasive incentive there is in love (Amp), if there is any persuasive power in love (Weymouth), If love has any power by its tenderness to stir your hearts, then listen to me. (Robertson) Pentecost phrases it this way... The fact that Christ loved me ought to move me to love the brethren. We could paraphrase the phrase, “if any comfort of love,” with these words, “if the love of Christ exerts any persuasive power, if love supplies an incentive or gives encouragement,” then fulfill my joy by loving one another. The fact that God loved me, as unlovely as I was, ought to move me to love the brethren. (Pentecost, J. D. The Joy of Living: A study of Philippians. Kregel Publications)

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Encouragement (exhortation) (3874) paraklesis

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