J. C. Lambert.
'Cock' and 'Time,' cf. Extra Vol.
COINS.— See Money.
COLT — See Animals, p. 63^, and Entey into Jerusalem.
* A reference to the cock is found by some scholars in Pr 3031 (EV 'ttreyhound'), where the Tni (mrzlr) of MT is rendered b.\ the LXX ixixr^^p ; similarly Aquila and Theodotion, the Peshitta (-/llihakM) and the Vulgate (gatliiK).
COMFORT — The English word ' comfort ' means being made strong together. The idea seems to be that sorrow weakens or shatters the whole system of the afflicted man, and that the dispelling "of his grief braces him up anew. The sore is not merely plastered over or covered with a surface skin, but healed, so that the sufferer becomes as vigorous as before. Such is, indeed, the comfort imparted by Christ. In connexion therewith the words Trapa- KaXiu and Bapaiu, or Bappiw, are both employed. In NT 'beseech,' 'entreat,' 'exhort' are all used as equivalents for wapaKoKioi, while irapiK^ritrii is most frequently rendered ' consolation ' in AV, and eapaiui or eappiui (the former in imperat. only) is commonly translated 'to be of good cheer.' But both TrapaKa\4w and Trap6.K\-q(ri.s are occasionally rendered 'comfort' in AV {e.g. Mt 6*, 2 Cor P), while in RV 'comfort ' has usually been substituted for ' consolation ' of AV in the rendering of the noun. In three places (Mt 9", Mk 10*', Lk 8^) AV renders edpaei ' Be of good comfort.' In the first two RV substitutes ' Be of good cheer,' and in the last drops eipau from the text. In Jn. TrapdK\7jTos, which occurs four times (14'^' -'' 15-* 16'), always appears in EV as ' the Comforter.'
While the mission of Christ was mainly to save men from their sins, it was also His purpose to bring them true relief from their troubles. In His sermon at Nazareth (Lk 4'""") He applied to Him- self the prophecy of Isaiah (61'-3), which tells that the Messiah was ' to comfort all that mourn.' He would indeed have failed to fulfil the Messianic expectation if He had not set Himself, alike by His person, His gospel, and His work, to heal the broken in heart and to comfort the jieople of God's choice (cf. Is 40'). Among pious Jews the phrase had become a holy oath, Ita videam coiisolatio7zcm, etc. (Alford on Lk 2-^). Thus Simeon is said to have been ' looking for the consolation of Israel ' {loc. cit.), where vapaKKrjcLv has almost a personal import as though equivalent to rbv Xpurrbv Kvpiov. The whole gospel of Jesus Christ is therefore one of good tidings to the afflicted, the destitute, the oppressed. The removal of the cause of woe in- volves the furtherance of the cure of woe. In answer to the Baptist's question, Jesus named, as one of the signs that He was 6 'Epxif^efos, 'the poor have good tidings preached to them ' (ei;o77€M- loDTai). Accordingly, in the very forefront of His l)rogramme as announced in the Sermon on the Mount, Christ gave the beatitude of comfort to the mourners (Mt 5*). As the Revealer of the Father, moreover. He was bound to make comfort one of the most prominent features of His ministry, not less in action than in word. The Fatherly pity (Ps 10313) and the Motherly tenderness (Is 66") of the All-merciful must be set forth by the Son of God, if, looking on Him and listening to Him, men were to be able to see the image and to hearken to the voice of God.
Christ is well fitted to afford comfort not only by His Divine knowledge of our deepest needs and of what best meets these needs, but by His own human experience of affliction and woe. The Man of Sorrows, the One acquainted with grief, as well as the God of all comfort, He can appre- ciate the necessity of consolation as well as apply the consolation that is availing. Having suflered in temptation, He is able to succour them that are tempted (He 2'8). The pangs of Him who ' himself bare our sicknesses ' fitted Him for being the true Physician for the wounded in heart. Through His own weariness He has won multi- tudes of the heavy-laden to come to Him for rest.* The exceeding sorrow even unto death of His own soul as He took the cup from Hi.s
COMFORTER
COMING AGAIN
Fatlier's hand tliat He might taste death for every man, has made Him able to give ease and peace to His people in the valley of the shadow. One of the occasions when comfort is most needed is bereavement : and perhaps the tears of Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus (Jn U^) have been as potent to solace the stricken as His Avord to the widow of Nain, ' Weep not ' (Lk 7"). When upon the cross He commended to one another's care and sympathy the Virgin Mother and the beloved disciple : ' Woman, behold thy son ! ' ' Behold thy mother ! ' ( Jn 19-°- "), we see how truly Christ entered into the heart of the afflicted children of men.
Christ's dealing with His own chosen followers was one of special tenderness in their hour of sorrow. He knew that while on the wliole His departure was expedient for them, yet it would be a terrible wrench, and expose them to bitter persecution. He therefore consoled them wlien sorrow filled their heart by telling them that He would not leave them orphans (dp<f>avovs, AV ' com- fortless,' RV ' desolate '). After His ascension He would be nearer to them in spiritual presence than when with them in the flesh (Jn U's-:*, cf. Mt 2S^). By rising from the dead He would be Victor over the world in its direst and fiercest assault, and if they shared with Him the world's hate they would also share His triumpli. The discourse (Jn 14-16) which began, ' Let not your heart be troubled : ye believe in God, believe also in me,' fitly ended, ' In the world ye shall have tribulation : but be of good cheer ; I have overcome the world.'