Living Like Yeshua, Part 2 (Matthew 5:4)

 

Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Matthew 5:4

Happy are them lamenting, because they paraklēthēsontai
Literal Greek to English

 Here we have Yeshua's second teaching from His Sermon on the Mount. His second lesson about "you have already become my disciple, you've already repented, already committed to learning my way of life, so here is how I live"

But wait! Because they paraklēthēsontai? What kind of a word is that? Well, it is Greek.

But wasn't I doing a Greek to English text analysis? Yes. So why did I leave a Greek word there?

Well, most Bibles render this as "they will be comforted". But this big, complex word contains so much more than that. There is no English equivalent.

So let's look at the root, parakaleo.

Para: very close-beside, in the presence of, alongside, very near

This denotes a nearness and closeness that is often lost to translation. Think about parallel lines.The two 'L's in parallel are para L's (and there is my bad pun for the day...) :p

Kaleo: to call near, bid, invite, invoke, call forth, call by name.

Hold up... This word is supposed to mean "comforted", right? This isn't sounding a whole lot like "to soothe, to console". Not that it sounds like the opposite. But it doesn't sound like "comforted".

I will take a moment to note that these two words are used to form the word parakleton, from which we get the word paraclete. Which is a term that can be used as "lawyer" or "legal advocate". And this is the word that Yeshua used in John 14:16 when He said He would send the Holy Spirit. In other words, not sending us someone to snuggle us in a blanket when we are sad, but rather someone to defend us in court.

Now, yes, Yeshua will comfort those who are sad. But this is way more than that.

Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be called by name to come very close into my presence. 

This is starting to take on a new light, is it not?

But let us take a moment to look at mourn/lament.

The root word is pentheo. Sounds a lot like penance, right? Yeah. Same root. And it absolutely can be mourning as in sadness. Your dog died, or you totaled your car, or your Grandma got really sick. But often times, this involves bitter sorrow and deep regret. Which can be those things. But more than that, in the context of being called into a close proximity of His presence, I think that this verse is specifically implicating that those who mourn over their sins can take comfort in knowing that they are forgiven and Yeshua will call them into His presence.

Think of the thieves on the cross. Both were mourning their deaths. One was mourning his life, regretting that he had lived it so foolishly. Yet he dared to ask Yeshua for mercy.

"Lord, remember me when you enter your kingdom."

"Truly, I say to you, today, you will be with me in Paradise."

This was Yeshua living out His second beatitude, as He was dying.

But I said that this was Yeshua teaching His disciples how to live like Him. They were already past repentance and commitment. So why tell them that those who mourn over their sins will be called into His presence?

Maybe He is telling us that we have the same duty to do as He did for the repentant thief. Perhaps the English rendering of "they will be comforted" is not so far off, in terms of maybe we are to bring jopy and comfort to those lamenting for their sins, by giving them the assurance that Yeshua has forgiven the truly repentant heart. That they are now secure in the hope of being with Him in His kingdom.

Happy are them lamenting for their sins, because you will be their advocate that they will enter into my presence.