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Beauty InformationTranslator Robs Words of Beauty
by:
Paul Griffitts
Now we are looking at one of the most beautiful words in the Bible that has been rendered about empty and its power stripped by the translators. Let's begin by taking a look at Heb. 13:22.
I bid you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation, (Heb. 13:22) the meaning of the word translated exhortation as set forth here in Hebrews is the Greek word paraklesis.
This word paraklesis is used twenty nine times in the Bible and is translated consolation fourteen times, exhortation eight times, comfort six times and prayer one time. This wish give you a flavor of how the word is used in the King James Version it is the writers contention that exhortation may be a poor translation of the word and that comfort or comforter is the proper translation of paraklesis .
Paraklesis is defined by the dual suggestion that that which comforts, comforts from two unique positions. Consider the paraklete or the Holy Spirit (John 14:26) and besides consider the Advocate parakletos (I Jo 1:2) here we have the dual nature of the paraklesis one as Comforter the another as Christ the legal defense of the Believer.
We should look at Luke 2:25 "And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name [was] Simeon; and the same man [was] just and devout, waiting for the consolation paraklesis of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him." This is wherever
we see that exhortation as a equivalent word of comfort as a meaning for paraklesis just cannot work.
Matt. 8:5 "And once
Christ was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, adjuratory him," parakleo this is much apprehensible a use of the word than exhort. Look at one much 2 Cor. 1:4 "Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewithal
we ourselves are comfortable
of God." Parakleo, parakleo, paraklesis and parakleo, used severally
of the word comfort in the verse. Now substitute exhort and the verse does no sense.
The phrase "we ourselves are comforted" takes on an absorbing meaning because of the tense of the verb. It is in the present tense but in the passive voice which represents the subject as being the recipient of the action or the comfort. The phrase is besides in the indicative mood which is a simple statement of fact; it says it happened therefore we are comforted. The Word of God is wonderful.
2 Tim. 4:2 "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." Here exhort paraklaeo cannot be translated right and must be rendered bid or comfort. The same applies to 1 Tim. 2:6 teach and exhort.
In paraklesis or parakleo we have therefore a word which can easily be robbed of its beauty and power by the application of an ingenious mechanical rule. Its etymology reveals that it means, "to call to one's side"; its usage shows that according to the context, it means either; to bid as in "I beseech", admonish as in "I exhort" and consolation as in "I comfort" and that in each shade of meaning, the another aspects are present. The adjuratory wish not be so gentle as to be weak, the admonition wish not be so harsh as to be repugnant, and the consolation wish not be without comfort.
Just about the Author
Paul Griffitts has been a Bibical Research worker for over 30 years
Currently Paul is the Editor of The Nice News Letter for Believer.com
Click here for a Free eBook The Two Natures in the Child of God
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