I was recently reflecting on John 14:18 and as I dug into other translations, I was captivated with the variety of terms used for “comfortless”. Considering the different translations together added depth of understanding and a new appreciation for this passage.
King James Version: I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
New Living Translation: I will not abandon you as orphans – I will come to you.
Greek: ouk aphēsō hymas orphanous erchomai pros hymas
Spanish: No os dejaré huérfanos; vendré a vosotros.
I love how the Greek, Spanish and most English translations use “orphans”. Christ will never abandon us. He will not leave us to our own devices or our own strength after we have covenanted to bear His cross. Disciples forsake everything to follow Him, and while abandoning us is what a mortal leader would do, His grace is not bound by mortality. He will always be with us to strengthen us with the Spirit and His grace, or enabling power.
When I read “comfortless”, I think of being sad, perhaps even sorrowful. When I combine “comfortless” with “orphans”, I begin to sense the depths of sorrow that His disciples felt as He was betrayed, arrested and then lifted onto the cross. They must have felt sorrow for Him, despair for what His death meant and terror for what could happen to them without His protection.
The disciples must have felt the solitude and sadness that we can sense when a baby animal is separated from its mother – it looks defenseless and hungry, it calls out for her but she does not respond. We get the sense that there is no other being in the world that can comfort or care for that baby. After the sermon on the mount, Jesus asked his disciples if they would go away and Peter boldly replied, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). I have to think that in the days following Jesus’ arrest, the disciples felt like orphans who had been separated from their only source of nourishment, protection and comfort.
I hope that as they passed through those tragic days, the disciples were able to reflect on the words of Isaiah that Jesus spoke to the Nephite people, “For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee” (3 Nephi 22:10).
We recently watched a nature show about a puma in the Patagonia mountains. At just 16 months, her mom heard the call of a male puma, walked away without a goodbye and left her and her two brothers to fend for themselves. They had seen her hunt but they had never hunted before. They had seen her seek and find safe shelter but had never done so for themselves. In some sense, these three pumas were abandoned and orphaned. Nevertheless, as the show unfolded, their mom leaving turned out to be just what they needed to progress and grow. They survived, learned and thrived.
The disciples endured a similar experience as they were left to cope with the loss of the Savior. He knew this temporary loss would ultimately strengthen them and prepare them for their ministry following His ascension. He also promised to provide them with the Holy Spirit to comfort and guide them.
Today, I’m choosing to be grateful for both the Savior’s enduring loyalty and His Holy Spirit. I know that He won’t abandon me as an orphan and that He will be there in my moments of need. I also take comfort in knowing that any separation from Him is temporary and will ultimately accrue to my eternal benefit.
Thank you so, so much for each of your thoughtful blog posts! I don’t always comment, but I read each one, and I really appreciate the way you bring so many ideas together in a way that consistently strengthens my faith in Jesus Christ.
This one was specifically helpful for me today. I lost both my parents in the past few years, and sometimes “being the parent” feels a bit heavy, as I miss being able to turn to them for the love and support they so generously gave me.
I’m simultaneously helping my daughter navigate the newborn stage with her first child, and seeing how much she loves and cares for him—and how she would do anything to protect and support him, as I would do for her—reminds me to cherish that protective, supportive relationship the Savior has always offered to me. It is a blessing to know we will never be left alone.
Thank you for sharing your personal study notes with all of us and for consistently testifying of Jesus Christ.
Thank you for your kind comment. I’m grateful that the insights in the blog are meaningful to you. Thanks for sharing your experiences about how family relationships have helped you understand and appreciate the love of Jesus Christ.