Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort … (2 Corinthians 1:3)

Since we believe the Scripture teaches Jesus is God, then what is true of God is true of Jesus. Often, in looking at individual passages, the distinction between God the Father and God the Son is clear, but sometimes there is overlap or lack of a clear line of demarcation. In our passage today, we need to peel back the layers carefully.

First, the reference to God and Father is not contemplating two separate entities, but rather one. This is what linguists call a hendiadys, where two words connected by “and” refer to the same thing. For example, we might say, “I am good and ready” or “I am husband and father.” Paul, the inspired author, calls for a blessing to the one who is both God and Father. The latter term refers to His relationship with the “Lord Jesus Christ.” And it is in His fatherly relationship to Christ, that He is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.

Notice the interesting chiasm (the reversal of order):

Blessed be the God
     Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
     Father of mercies
God of all comfort

Writers of Scripture often use a poetic style to convey profound truth. Our verse today possibly reflects early church hymnody, with its metric flow and rhythm. This comforting God is reminiscent of the many psalms that convey God’s protection, such as the classic shepherd’s psalm, “Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Ps 23:4).

Father God’s comfort for us emanates from His relationship with His Son, the perfect love that existed between them from eternity past. We are now brothers of Christ: “For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Heb 2:11). We are now children of God: “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God” (1 John 3:1). And “if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ” (Rom 8:17).

As members of God’s family, sharing with Christ in all things, we have access to His Father, the God of all comfort. No matter what difficult times we may go through, we trust that He will comfort us with His eternal love.

Lord, I ask for Your comfort in my life and in the life of that person You are bringing to my mind right now.