What is the definition of exhortation?

Romans 12:8. "Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity." The teacher has chiefly to do with the understanding, the exhorter with the conscience. It requires great grace to be an exhorter, and equally great grace to receive the word of exhortation. The gift is now rare in the church of God. Few have grace to bring the keen edge of the word down upon the conscience, and at the same time make the person feel that love rules, and that his good is the only object in view. Exhortation includes admonition, consolation; urging to practical duties, dissuading from the neglect of duty, pointing out shortcomings, applying the promises or the threatenings of scripture as the case may be. But we need not dwell on the difficulties of the exhorter, and the still greater difficulty of submitting to the exhortation. They must be apparent to all. Personal feelings are apt to arise and false motives to be imputed; still, the apostle presses the exercise of the gift as needed and wholesome for the members of the body of Christ. The Lord grant that in this day of high-mindedness, of insubjection to the word of God, our lives may be a constant testimony to the will of Christ, and our diligent attention to the things of the Lord both publicly and privately, a constant exhortation to our fellow-Christians. Then it will be not only, Do as I say, but do as I do.

(3) Teaching. (4) Exhortation. Teaching would seem to have more in view the orderly exposition of Scripture and its doctrines. Exhortation would appear to be the pressing home of some great truth in a practical way. Again, those who have these gifts are to give themselves to them, and not attempt a form of service for which they have no gift.

After prophecy, we find ministry. From the context it is evident that this is not ministering in temporal things, such as is the deacon's place: it is spiritual service. It differs from prophecy, however, in this, that prophecy is the word of power from God to exercise souls, while ministry is the lowly service of meeting needs of those who are exercised. It is blessed work. Teaching is different again, in that it is primarily addressed to the intelligence, and cannot fill the place of prophecy or ministry. Exhortation is simply the stirring up of souls to act upon the truth. These four are then gifts that are occupied with the Word, and the spiritual welfare of souls.

Exhortation really means encouragement. It does not mean, "give a lecture to", which may rather tend to discourage. The word means encouragement; let us, beloved, "encourage one another", as we are exhorted to do in another Scripture.

The words παρακαλέω and παραμυθέομαι are both translated 'to comfort,' but there is a difference between them. The latter word (from παρά and μῦθος, 'a word, speech') in the four places in which it occurs (John 11:19, 31; 1 Thess. 2:11; 1 Thess. 5:14) is translated 'comfort' in the A.V., and seems to be expressive of more tenderness than the former.

παρακαλέω (καλέω, 'to call'), which it is difficult to render in any uniform way, is calling upon a person in order to stimulate him to something, it may be to comfort; but it often refers to other things — to exhortation in general, as in Rom. 12:8; Titus 2:15; and in some passages may well be translated 'encourage,' as in Heb. 3:13, "Encourage one another daily," also in Heb. 10:25. See 2 Cor. 1:3-7 where the word, with the substantive formed from it, occurs several times with a more active force than 'comfort.' In Acts 4:36 the name Barnabas, υἱὸς παρακλήσεως, should probably be 'son of exhortation' rather than 'of consolation.'

An interesting instance of the two words occurring together is found in 1 Thess. 2:11, we are "exhorted (παρακ.) and comforted (παραμ.)"

As to the general use of the Greek word in verse 4, "encouragement" is better than "comfort"; but it is the word for "exhort, and comfort, and encourage": it means to stir up our hearts.

You will notice that in our beloved Authorised Version the word we have translated "encouragement" is there translated "consolation." And the word does have this meaning consolation. Dr. Vaughan beautifully says of it: "This great Gospel word is generally said to have two distinct senses, exhortation and consolation. But in fact the two meet in encouragement. On the one hand it never means cold or bare exhortation; on the other it never means mere soothing. It is always sympathetic, and it is always animating. It is cheering on. It is the call of the general who heads, sword in hand, the army which he would incite to bravery. The word encouragement (which is, by derivation, putting the heart into another) seems to be a fair summary of the contents of the Greek word… It is not necessary, however, to force the one rendering upon every passage. Here, (in Phil. 2:1), we need comfort for a different Greek word in the next clause." I might add that Mr. Darby generally translates this word encouragement, and, though he translates it comfort here, in the footnote in his larger edition, he says: the word "is 'encouragement', by word or any way, and so 'comfort.'"

MY DEAR BROTHER -, — * Perhaps the Lord showed you the need of exhortation here in London, that you might exhort. The power of doing so is a very distinct gift from God, and is much rarer than that of either evangelist or expositor, because in these two the mind is confined and limited — in the first to the good old gospel, and in the second to the passage of Scripture and what is in it. In the exhortation you have, I suppose, to apply truth of Scripture to the soul, and to know how to slide it in between flesh and spirit, so that it may condemn the flesh and give liberty to the spirit.

There are few things less understood than the real nature of exhortation. We are apt to attach an idea of legal effort to that word which is quite foreign to it. Divine exhortation always assumes that a certain relationship exists, that a certain standing is enjoyed, that certain privileges are understood. The Spirit never exhorts except on a divine basis. For example, “I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God” (Rom. 12:1). Here we have an excellent example of divine exhortation. “The mercies of God” are first put before us in all their fullness, brightness and preciousness, before we are called to hear the voice of exhortation.

This it is, which makes exactly the difference between a more natural, moral, or legal; and a Christian exhortation, or "exhortation in Christ."

The former appeals to the natural conscience of the old man (and thanks be to God that there is such a conscience in man, though acquired in consequence of his fall), whilst the latter appeals to the new nature. The former has for its motive either men's own relative notions, and measure of right or wrong, good or evil, true or false; or the requirements of God from man in the flesh, as given in the law of God, by which is the knowledge of sin, and which is the strength of sin (though in itself it is holy, just and good), and therefore must be the ministry of condemnation to man, as it gives him no power to keep it. But the Spirit of God, Who glorifies Christ, receives of His, and shows it unto us, and Who is, in connection with the written Word indited by Him, the only true Exhorter, Comforter, and Teacher; always appeals to the new man in the Christian, that is, to the Godward, Christward, heavenward desires, thoughts, and affections, created by God in him, and presents Christ to that new nature as its only true motive and object. It is, therefore, a great and mischievous mistake, and by no means of rare occurrence, to hear ministers of Christ, when addressing a word of exhortation to Christians, expressing themselves in such terms as these: "If you don't live up to what you profess, you are not honest;" or, "if you accept such a high position and heavenly calling, and profess such high truths, without acting upon them, you are the most inconsistent people in the world." All this is true enough, in a natural sense, and it is most sad and humbling, that so many Christians should be found, who, as to consistency between their walk and profession, are put to shame by many an unregenerate, honest, and moral man, and thus are stumbling blocks to precious souls, bringing reproach upon the way of truth, and dishonour on the blessed Name of our Saviour! All this is most lamentably true. But what I mean to say is this, that such moral and legal, that is, Christless exhortations, are of no avail for restoring such wanderers! It is worse than useless to say to such: "You ought to do this or that," or, "you ought not to act so or so, and if you do, you ought to be ashamed of yourselves." It is just like throwing stones at a hen with clipped wings, that has strayed into your garden, instead of lifting the poor, frightened thing over the hedge. It is of no use appealing to the natural conscience of a Christian, and to his natural morality or respectability. You only make him legal, and thus either miserable or self-sufficient, by throwing him back upon his natural resources, i.e., broken cisterns of natural respectability and morality or consistency. All this is not Christian, but only a Christless exhortation, and therefore powerless, and perhaps worse. Put Christ before the Christian's heart and conscience. If this won't do, nothing will.