5. Scarlet (kokkivos) was obtained from the female of the kermes insect (Arab, kirmiz, whence the synonymous 'crimson'), which, when impreg- nated, attaches itself to the holm-oak, and was long supposed to be a red berry or seed — a mistake found in Pliny {UN xvi. 8). The insect (Coccus ilicis) is of the same family as the cochineal of Mexico, which yields a finer dye that has super- seded the ancient scarlet. Wool dyed scarlet was used in the Jewish ritual of sacrifice (He 9'"). Scarlet fabrics were among the merchandise of Rome (Rev 18'-) — 'rubro cocco tincta vestis ' (Hor. Sat. II. vi. 102 f.). The glaring colour was the sj-mbol of luxury and splendour. The great city was attired in it (Rev 18'*). The woman arrayed in purple and scarlet, and sitting on a scarlet- coloured beast, is an image of flaunting licentious- ness (17^'*).
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COMFOET
COMFOKT
6. Pale is one of the translations of xXwpos, an indefinite hue, applied as an epithet to objects so different as fresh green grass (Mk 6^^) and yellow sand (Soph. Aj. 1064). Both meanings were common from Homer downwai-ds. The pale horse in Rev 6^ has the livid hue of death.
7. Hyacinthine (vaKlvdivos) is one of the three colours of the breastplates of the fiendish horse- men in Rev 9^''. v&Kivdo's is the LXX tr. of nj^rp, a dye obtained from another shellfish on the Tyrian coast. It was blue-purple as distinguislied from red-purple; the Oxf. Heb. Lex. gives 'violet.' The cuirasses were also red like fire {irvplvovs) and yellow as brimstone [denhSeis).
The brilliant hues of the foundations, walls, gates, and streets of the New Jerusalem, and those of the robes of the inhabitants, suggest that ' the beauty of colour . . . will contribute its part to the blessedness of vision in the future world' (Delitzsch, Iris, 61). James Steahan.
COMFORT.— The word irapaKXtja-ts is generally translated in RV ' comfort' ; ' exhortation ' is used in Ac 1315, Ro 128, q Co 8", 1 Th 2^, 1 Ti 4'3, He 12^ 13^'^; 'encouragement,' He Q^^ ; 'consolation' or ' exhortation,' Ac 4=*^ 15^\ These translations indicate that the NT use of irapdKXTjai.i is more nearly equivalent to the root meaning of ' comfort ' (L. Lat. confortare, 'to strengthen') than to the narrowed present sense of ' consolation.' (The use of irapaKXTja-is as ' request ' occurs in 2 Co 8''' ; irapafjLvdia is rendered ' consolation ' in 1 Co 14^ ; ■n-apafivdiov, translated 'consolation,' rather indi- cates persuasive address in Ph 2^ ; the verb is used in 1 Th 211 . Trap-riyopia = ' comfort' in Col 4i'.)
It is one of the great functions of religion to transform the human pain, sorrow, and discourage- ment of life. The man of faith cannot escape the inevitable sorrows of the common human lot, but he can modify their values by his religious faith and hope. When faith does not remove mountains, it can give strength to climb them. The ' thorn in the flesh ' may remain, but the Divine grace proves ' sufiicient' (2 Co 12^- ^). God is recognized as the real source of all comfort (2 Co I'' ; cf. Ro 15^, 2 Co 7®, 2 Th 21^). He operates through the 'comfort of the Scriptures' (Ro 15S He 12^; cf. the name ' consolation ' [nehem^ta] given by the Jews to the Prophetic literature), through the faithfulness, love, and prosperity of the churches (2 Co 7^* ^ etc.), and the sustaining comradeship of friends (Col 411, Philem'). Ac 9^i supplies the phrase ' the comfort of the Holy Ghost,' although the translation is un- certain (see R. J. KnoAvling, EGT, 'Acts,' 1900, p. 244) ; but the idea is present in Jn 14-17, the section which commences with the note of comfort given in view not only of the coming bereavement, but of the difficulties of Christian life and work.
The terra 'comforter' in these chapters appears to be an inaccurate and inadequate translation of TrapaicXTjTo?. irapaKoXeoi has a double sense : (1) ' call in as a helper,' (2) ' comfort.' The passive form requires the former meaning: — the Paraclete is the one called in to help, advise, defend. 'Comforter' would be TrapaKK-qTiop as in Job 162 (gee HDB, art. ' Paraclete '). But the fact of having a Paraclete is i-tself a comfort and encourage- ment. The recognition and experience of the Divine in human souls inspires and sustains. The description of the Paraclete in these chapters of St. John's Gospel, as possessing mainl3' an intellectual function, makes the narrow identification with the ecstatic Pentecostal spirit of Acts improbable. The term rather indicates the growing- inward Logos, developed by the demands put upon the disciples after the death of Jesus (' If I go not away the Paraclete will not come unto you,' Jn 1&! ; cf. the thought in Emerson's essay on 'Compensation' — 'The angels go out that the archangels may come in ').
(«) One of the most obvious needs of the Church in NT times was that of comfort under circum- stances of persecution for Christ's sake (1 Th 3^ etc. ). The grounds of such comfort might be found in the tiiought that Jesus, the Captain and Per- fecter of their faith, had similarly sullered (He 12*,