Is there any difference between “loving one another” (1st John 4:7) and “preferring one another” (Romans 12:10) and “forbearing one another” (Ephesians 4:2) and today’s Lesson, “comforting one another?”

Yes, or the Holy Spirit would not have singly listed these duties, as He so clearly does!

Obligations we Christians owe “each other!”

Just slight shades of difference in some cases, maybe, but differences nonetheless.

So we notice 1st Thessalonians 4:18. “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” The Apostle Paul wrote this sentence, using an imperative mood verb. It’s a command!

Oh, that we Christians better practiced this art!

The verb selected (for “comfort”) is “parakaleo,” used a hefty 109 times in the New Testament. (“Hefty” is an old English word meaning “hard to raise up.” I was personally curious and thought some of you might like that background. Thus in our context here it means “heavy, weighty, significant!”)

By grammatical definition “parakaleo” blends two Greek words, “para” (a preposition) and “kaleo” (a verb). They mean, when used jointly, “to be called to a person’s side” … in order to help that man or woman!

An encourager!

An exhorter!

A cheerleader of sorts!

An uplifter of spirits.

Wow!

In fact, “parakaleo” is akin to the New Testament noun “parakletos,” the very word Jesus loved to use for … the Holy Spirit, our COMFORTER!

So … I have warrant to say that we can (having the God given ability to do so) comfort one other (parakaleo) … because of our relationship to the Holy Ghost (parakletos), Who abides within us as Believers in Jesus.

This is exciting!

“Wherefore comfort one another … thank you, Paul.

But … how?

The rest of the short verse. “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” By means of the powerful Word of God! By staying “in” (Greek “en” here being used for the preposition “with” in English) the “Word!” Live “in” God’s Word. Stay there!

Psalm 23 surely would comfort a grieving Brother or Sister, who had just lost a loved one.

And Revelation 21 would edify a saint who was about to die.

And Psalm 63 would help an individual who can’t sleep, but badly needs to do so. (Just worship God a while, though it be early in the morning, 2:00 AM say!)

Plus … hundreds of other Passages!

Romans 15:4 actually says that the Bible presents massive doses of “comfort” (paraklesis) for those of us who are saved. “For whatsoever things were written aforetime (the Old Testament) were written for our learning, that we through patience and COMFORT of the scriptures might have hope.”

Need I say any more?

By the way, I said “Old Testament” above for this reason. The New Testament (all 260 chapters) had not yet been written, not completely anyway.

Yes, the Old Testament is God’s Word too!

Lord willing, another verse tomorrow morning.

Until then, let’s diligently try to enact today’s verse in our lives. “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

Amen.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell