Chaplaincy Commentary

What is the Chaplain's role in the hospital? The Hospital Chaplain is between two worlds. The Chaplain, often being an ordained minister, has specialized training as a pastor in the context of a local church. The pastor becomes a Chaplain and is then thrust into a foreign, highly specialized field with a distinct vocabulary and unique set of problems. According to Lawrence Holt:

So where can the Chaplain go for help in understanding his or her or her role? There are some models of ministry to the suffering that can be explored from Scripture. Three of these models are: an ambassador (2 Corinthians 5²⁰), a neighbor (Luke 10^30-37), and a comforter (2 Corinthians 1^3-4).

In 2 Corinthians 5²⁰, Paul writes that we are "ambassadors for Christ." What does it mean to be an ambassador? An ambassador is one who speaks on the behalf of the sovereign who sent him/her. It is the duty of the ambassador to faithfully and accurately proclaim the message that was entrusted to him/her by the sovereign. In a real sense, therefore, it can be said that the message of the ambassador is the message of the sovereign.

The Apostle Paul goes on to say: "We are ambassadors for Christ as though God were entreating through us . . . ." That means that wherever we go, everything we do or say will be "as though God were entreating through us." As one person put it, we may be the only "Living Bibles" anyone will ever read.

That is a sobering thought. As a Chaplain-Ambassador for Jesus Christ enters the hospital environment, his/her role as ambassador does not automatically go on hold or into remission because he/she has entered a secular institution. The ambassador for Jesus Christ is an ambassador no matter where he or she happens to be at the moment. Ambassadors never really go on vacation. They are always hard at work, servants of their King "twenty-four/seven," as they say. This insight should deeply influence our thinking and behavior as Chaplains.

The ambassador for Jesus Christ, through his/her words and actions, is a representative of Jesus Christ. Often the sufferer is looking for a word from God and is trying to make some sense out of his/her pain and is waiting for God's ambassador to help.

An effective ambassador must have three essential skills to help meet this need. First, he/she must have some basic knowledge (an accurate mind). Minimally, an ambassador must know the fundamental character, mind and purposes of his/her King. Second, this knowledge must be deployed in a skillful way. There is a tactful and artful diplomacy that makes our (His) message persuasive. We call this wisdom (an artful method). And third, because an ambassador brings him/herself along in everything he/she does, he or she must have character (an attractive manner). Our personal maturity and individual virtue will either make or break our message. These three indispensable skills combine to make you a high impact representative for the Lord Jesus Christ.

The second role that Scripture mentions explicitly in relation to suffering is the role of demonstrating compassion and mercy. The parable of the good Samaritan provides a basis for a theology of compassion. In response to the question, "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus responds with the account of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10^30-37,

On the surface level, Jesus is teaching that a person, like the Samaritan, should help others in need. However, in light of the context of the rejection of Jesus, this parable can be seen as a reflection of the ministry of Jesus. Jesus, like the Samaritan, was the outcast One, who was willing to seek and save people who were perishing. Whether one looks at the surface or views the passage as a reflection of Jesus' ministry, the message remains: we are to "go and do the same," as it says in verse 37.

What does it mean to behave like a neighbor? What are we to do? Two items are mentioned in this passage. We are to have compassion (verse 33) and to show mercy (verse 37).

The parable first mentions that the Good Samaritan "felt compassion" (verse 33). Jesus too felt compassion on numerous occasions. Scripture also notes that Jesus often felt compassion for the lost sheep. The term compassion is also used in Scripture to describe the emotions of the Father as He deals with His children. Indeed, the Lord is full of compassion (Psalm 116⁵)!

In the Old Testament, h_mal is translated "to have pity" or "to have compassion." The word indicates "that emotional response which results (or may result) in action to remove its object . . . from impending difficulty."[2] And God deeply cares about us. The word r_ham means "to love deeply" and thus "to be compassionate."

The Greek word splanchnizomai originally indicated the inner parts of the body and came to suggest the seat of emotions-particularly emotions of pity, compassion, and love. This is the word used in the Gospels to speak of Jesus having compassion on someone in need. And in comment on the New Testament examples of compassion, Lawrence Richards says, "The loving compassion of one person can literally change the life of another, for the person who cared was moved to act and so set the needy person on a new course in life."[3]

For the believer, putting on compassion, or having compassion for one another, is a command. Colossians 3¹² reads, "...put on a heart of compassion." The believer is to exhibit the same heart of compassion to the suffering and the lost that Jesus exhibited in His life-changing ministry.

To feel compassion will be evidenced by pity, sympathy, understanding, patience, sensitivity and love to those who are underprivileged, sick or suffering. Compassion is defined by Webster's dictionary as sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it. The good Samaritan felt compassion for the man along the road and, therefore, he responded. We, as believers, are to do the same.

The second thing that the Good Samaritan did was to "show mercy" (verse 37). Even though different Hebrew words may be found where English versions translate "mercy," the underlying concept shines through. Mercy is condescending love, reaching out to meet a need without considering the merit of the person who receives the aid. To show mercy means to give of oneself willingly and cheerfully. The Good Samaritan gave of his time and money to help someone in need.

The Greek verb "to show mercy" is elee_. "Originally, this word expressed only the emotion that was aroused by contact with a person who was suffering. By New Testament times, however, the concept incorporated compassionate response. A person who felt for and with a sufferer would be moved to help."[4]

Mercy is compassionate treatment of the unfortunate in order to meet their need. And because in mercy God has brought us to life in Jesus, showing mercy to those around us is also to be a part of our life. Our own compassion is a witness to the loving mercy of God.

Who is my neighbor? Our neighbor is anyone who is in need, and whose need we are able to meet. And while we may not be able to explicitly define who one's neighbor is, we certainly can be a good neighbor. A person should be a neighbor to anyone that they meet who is in need.

It should be noted that showing mercy is mentioned as a gift of the Spirit in Romans 12:8. This does not mean that only those who have the gift of mercy are to be involved in this ministry. All of us who have been transformed by the compassionate mercy of God are to be involved in this ministry. However, some will show an exceptional ability in this area and will see an abundance of fruit as a result.

The third role that Scripture mentions explicitly in relation to suffering is the role of comforter. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1^3-4,

All Christians experience afflictions. And probably no one experienced any more afflictions as a Christian than Paul. He was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, robbed, hungry and weak. Through all of this, Paul encourages the readers to shift their perspective from the temporal to the eternal. Christians are to keep their eyes focused on Jesus Christ and not focused upon the temporal sufferings that might steal their attention away from the Lord.

The source of all comfort in the midst of our afflictions is God Himself. He is the God of all comfort. Comfort that is received from God enables believers to comfort others. The comfort of God is channeled through people to help others in the midst of their affliction.

Two questions probably need to be raised in order to properly evaluate the minister's role as it relates to this aspect of ministry. Firstly, is this affliction only referring and applicable to outside pressures and not to physical affliction? Secondly, what does it mean to comfort one another?

First, is this verse applicable only to outside pressure and afflictions? Are physical afflictions excluded? While it is true that the Corinthian church was experiencing a great deal of outside pressure, it does not appear that this can be limited only to outside pressure. In verse 4, when Paul speaks of afflictions (thlipsei), he is referring to any kind of pressure or helpless distress. When the word is used in the verse with the article, it means: "all tribulation actually encountered." When the word is used without the article, it means "any kind of affliction." In other words, with the article the words mean "the whole of" affliction; without the article, as here, it means "every kind of" affliction.

God comforts us constantly and unfailingly, not intermittently. And He does so in all of our afflictions, not just in certain kinds of suffering. For us as believers then, our ministry should be in line with the ministry of God. We should comfort and encourage others in whatever affliction they may be suffering.

Secondly, what does it mean to comfort? The word comfort means to impart strength and hope. It includes the concept of soothing distress or depression. The word that is used here is from the word paracl_sis. This is the same word used to describe the ministry of the Holy Spirit. It describes, in the basic sense, one who stands beside a person to encourage him/her when that person is undergoing severe testing. The Holy Spirit, as our "Paraclete," strengthens and guides us, comforts and consoles us. Likewise, our ministry to others who are suffering should be one of standing beside them, comforting and encouraging them during their time of need.

Scripture does provide some models of ministry to the suffering. Three scriptural models of ministry to the suffering might be classified as ambassador, neighbor and comforter. The characteristics that can be isolated from these models include: one who is a witness for Christ, has a compassionate heart, shows mercy, is a comforter and stands beside the person to encourage him/her during times of need. These five characteristics make up the roles that are described as ambassador, neighbor and comforter.