2 CORINTHIANS 1
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. – 2 Corinthians 1:1-7
2 CORINTHIANS 1 THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
As you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ
You are given the Helper so you can be alive
Even if you are afflicted with many adversities and trials
God’s grace will abound and you’ll be able to endure them
The God of all comfort will never forsake you
He is with you always especially in your afflictions.
In this letter, Paul begins greeting the Corinthian church by alleviating their lives full of affliction by reminding them that the Lord is a God of all comfort. According to Baker’s Evangelical dictionary, the basic concept for comfort in both the Old and New Testaments is encouragement, whether by words or the presence of another to help in time of need. Some synonyms would be console, help, give relief, cheer up, exhort, and fear not. In the Old Testament, ‘naham’ is the most often translated “to comfort.”
Paul describes God as the one who comforts us in all our difficulties, challenges, trials and hardships. His use of the word “comfort” connotes encouragement. He is reminding the believers in Corinth that amidst all these afflictions, they can be assured of God’s comfort.
REFLECTION
- How is the word “comfort” twisted by the world as opposed to its true meaning?
