Pictures of Jesus: Encouraging

The Holy Spirit is called the Paraclete in the Bible. The Greek word paráklētos means encourager or comforter. At the same time, Jesus is the Prince of Peace, the Good Shepherd, and the Lover of Our Souls. What an encouragement that is.

The writer to the Hebrews called Jesus “the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (Hebrews 12:3, NLT)

Consider this famous 19^th Century painting by Dutch artist Carl Heinrich Bloch (1834-1890). It’s called Consolator. The artist surely knew grief and life challenges. His own wife died after 18 years of marriage, leaving him as a single parent with eight children.

How many have clung to the cloak of Jesus, even figuratively, for consolation and comfort during difficult or distressing times?

This painting intrigues and also maybe confuses me a little. I love the sense of rest that seems evident on the faces of those finding their comfort in Christ. At the same time, I have to wonder why Jesus is looking away at this moment, instead of at those who have come to Him. Where is He looking?

This is no attempt at dogma, and I have to theological studies to back this up. And we can’t ask the painter why he depicted Christ as looking up and forward, instead of at His desperate followers.

But I think He was fixing His eyes on the Father and pointing His steps for the path set before Him, even as he offered healing and hope and consolation to those who sought Him. And He still does.

Consolator

by Carl Heinrich Block

19^th Century

Public domain

The Scripture memory tips series is ongoing, but the April A to Z Blogging Challenge has started, and Heart of a Ready Writer is participating again this year. Watch for the Bible memory series posts, which may be interspersed with the Pictures of Jesus series during the month of April.

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