Jesus as a counselor

“And His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor.” Isaiah 9:6 describes one of Jesus’ attributes in this manner, so let us explore the meaning of this title. The literal translation for wonderful is incomprehensible, which is something beyond our ability to understand or comprehend. Isaiah 28:29 offers this description: “He is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.”

Jesus’ qualifications as an excellent counselor tremendously exceed that of any human counselor. He does not need to learn about our past experiences to establish what is in our thoughts, as He knows each one of us completely and intimately. He loves us unconditionally, and only wants the best for our lives.

Why is it so important to have such a wonderful counselor? We live in a fallen, sin filled world. “In this world, you will have trouble, but take heart. I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Jesus has offered salvation to all who will come to Him. Human beings long to have a relationship with God, to have peace and order in their lives, to have a purpose for living. Not everyone recognizes or sees their need for God, although it is a universal desire. It has been stated that there is a God shaped hole within every human heart. Ecclesiastes 3:11 states “He has also set eternity in their heart”. Man was created for eternity and that desire for fulfillment and eternal purpose can only be filled by God.

Jesus is our example of the best counselor, but there are other examples of both good and bad counsel in the Bible. When two women disputed who the rightful mother of a baby was, Solomon wisely suggested that the baby be cut in half and offered to both women. This caused the child’s mother to exclaim “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!” Thus Solomon was able to determine the child’s true mother. Some examples of poor counsel are found in the book of Job. After a series of misfortunes, Job’s wife told him to “curse God and die.” (Job 2:9) His friends then proceeded to wrongly tell him that all his troubles were due to sin in his life.

In all of the examples listed above, no one had the complete and accurate facts of the situation from the start. However, Jesus knows the facts of every situation without being told or having to use discernment. He knows the reasons behind every trouble that occurs in our lives. A good counselor needs to discern the underlying causes of a person’s struggles, and not just focus on the symptoms. Alcoholics need counsel not only on how to deal with excessive alcohol consumption and the problems that it causes, but also the underlying causes of the client’s desire for drink. Because Jesus knows us so intimately, and is our Wonderful Counselor, He knows not only the root of our troubles but also how to overcome them.

Psalm 139:3-4 states that the Lord is intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all.” Isn’t it wonderful to have such an all-knowing wonderful counselor?