The Ultimate Emphatic Triplet

June: John 14-17

In the Hebrew language there is no way to express good, better and best by adding a suffix to a word like -er or -est. For example, instead of saying holy, holier and holiest, they would say “holy, holy holy.” By repeating they word three times, it means “triple” holy. This is called a Semitic Emphatic triplet and is found all over the Bible.

In Revelations 4:8 and again in Isaiah 6:3, great beasts in the presence of God cry, “Holy, Holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts.”

In most of the Old Testament the term “verily” is used once, but in the New Testament Christ says “Verily, verily” for greater emphasis, but oddly only in the book of John. (See John 3:3; 5:19; 6:32; 8:57; 10:1; 13:38; 12:23; 14:11; 16:20 and 21:18)

“Wo, wo, wo” were the first words spoken to the decimated Nephites before Christ appeared to teach those prepared to receive him in the Americas. 3 Nephi 9.

When Ezekiel was warning the Israel that they would be taken captive into Babylon, he said “I will overturn, overturn, overturn it: and it shall be no more.” Ezekiel 21:27

In John 14, the Savior uses another emphatic triplet that is a little more subtle during his sermon after the last supper. Having just taught the “NEW’ commandment of loving each other as he loves us, Jesus goes on to state that “If you love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) Then he repeats this charge with a different blessing attached.

In verse 15 he says,

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.” So, Christ promises that as we keep the commandments, we will have the Holy Ghost.

Then in verse 21 he says,

“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth the, he it is that loveth me… and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” So, as we keep the Lord’s commandments, we are given the promise of being in Christ’s presence.

Finally, two verses later Jesus teaches,

“…If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” If we keep the Lord’s words, ultimately, we will make our abode with the Father.

As we look at the blessings of obedience, we can see the ultimate emphatic triplet of receiving the Holy Ghost, a face-to-face experience with Christ and our ultimate home at the foot of the Father’s throne.

With such great blessings, is there any wonder it has been said, “Obedience is the first law of heaven, the cornerstone upon which all righteousness and progression rest”?