Comfort and Encourage

NOTE: This is a written version of a message I delivered on February 18, 2025.

Philippians 2:1-2 (NASB) says the following:

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

Consolation equals comfort. Consolation is from con which means with and solace (or comfort). Comfort is from the prefix com from an old Latin word meaning "with, together" and fort from the Latin fortis meaning "brave." So, comfort means together brave. And there's encouragement, which comes from en plus courage, which means "in courage" and courage comes from the old Latin word cor meaning "heart." And then there is "in Christ". He is the source of our bravery, of our courage, should be first in our heart, the source of our comfort.

Let's consider the Greek words used in the passage and the insights thereof from Bible Hub:

Comfort comes from the Greek word παραμύθιον (paramuthion), which means comfort or consolation.

Encourage comes from the Greek word παράκλησις (paraklēsis), which means comfort, encouragement, exhortation, consolation. So, it menas much the same as the word for comfort, but it has an exhorting piece to it. Exhorting is to urge or persuade someone to do something.

And note from the verses in Philippians 2, in addition to the encouragement and consolation/comfort in Christ, the other key words bringing deeper meaning: love, fellowship (sharing all in common, of the Spirit), affection (affectio acting on, fondness), compassion (with bearing in suffering), joy, united, intent, purpose. It makes me think of Philippians 4:8 (NIV):

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

And it's a reminder of how to show encouragement and comfort. And it must be done in Christ if it's going to be lasting encouragement or lasting comfort of any worth.

Think about Philippians 2:1-2 again, considering what encourage, comfort, fellowship, affection, compassion mean: Therefore if there is any [in heart] in Christ, if any [together brave] of love, if any [sharing in common] of the Spirit, if any [act on in fondness] and [with bearing suffering], make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

Have a heart in Christ.
Be brave in Christ.
Share in Christ.
Act on, showing fondness in Christ.
Bear in suffering with others in Christ.
Complete your joy in Christ.
Be loving in Christ.
Be united in Christ.
Be intentional in Christ for your purpose is Christ.

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