A declaration from the One who holds all things.
In a world where courage is often self-manufactured, circumstantial, or fleeting, Jesus offers a form of courage rooted in His presence, His authority, and His victory. And He doesn’t whisper it. He declares it.
When the Son of God Commands Boldness
The Voice That Knows All
“Take heart; I have overcome the world.”
— John 16:33 (ESV)
When Jesus speaks, He does not speculate. He does not guess. He does not hope. He knows. And when the Son of God—who sees the end from the beginning, who walks on water and commands storms, who reads hearts and forgives sins—says “Take courage,” it is not a suggestion. It is a divine imperative. A command from omniscience to trembling humanity. A holy disruption of fear.
In a world where courage is often self-manufactured, circumstantial, or fleeting, Jesus offers something different: a courage rooted in His presence, His authority, and His victory. And He doesn’t whisper it. He declares it.
Why This Matters
This article explores every moment in the Gospels where Jesus uses the imperative tharsei—translated “take courage,” “take heart,” or “be of good cheer.” These are not casual phrases. They are theological anchors. Spoken in moments of healing, danger, despair, and revelation, they reveal the character of Christ and the nature of divine encouragement. When Jesus says “take courage,” He is not merely comforting; He is commanding a spiritual posture grounded in His identity as the Son of God.
These imperatives are not motivational slogans. They are declarations from the One who holds all things together (Colossians 1:17), who knows the number of our days (Psalm 139:16), and who has already overcome the world (John 16:33). When Jesus says “take courage,” He is inviting us into a reality shaped not by fear, but by faith in His finished work.
The Courage Imperatives of Christ
1. Courage in Forgiveness — Matthew 9:2
“Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” — Matthew 9:2 (ESV)
The paralytic lowered through the roof receives not legs first, but absolution. Jesus sees the deeper paralysis: sin. And His command to “take heart” is a declaration that guilt no longer has dominion. The Greek tharsei is singular, intimate, personal. Jesus speaks directly to the man’s soul.
This moment scandalizes the religious leaders. Who can forgive sins but God alone? Precisely. Jesus’ authority to forgive is the foundation of His command to take courage. The man’s healing is secondary to his restoration.
Application: Courage begins with knowing you are forgiven. The Son of God, who knows every sin, says “take heart”—because He has authority to erase it.
2. Courage in Healing — Matthew 9:22
“Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” — Matthew 9:22 (ESV)
The woman with the issue of blood had suffered twelve years. She approached Jesus secretly, hoping for healing without notice. But Jesus stops, turns, and speaks. “Take heart.” He names her “daughter.” He affirms her faith. He restores her body and her dignity.
This is the only time Jesus calls someone “daughter.” It’s a term of belonging, of familial love. Her courage to reach out is met with a greater courage spoken over her.
Application: Courage is not just for the bold—it’s for the broken. Jesus calls out hidden faith and meets it with healing.
3. Courage in Storms — Matthew 14:27 & Mark 6:50
“Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” — Matthew 14:27 (ESV)
The disciples are terrified, battered by waves, and see Jesus walking on water. They think He’s a ghost. But Jesus speaks over the chaos: “Take heart.” The Greek tharseite is plural—addressed to all. His presence is the antidote to panic.
This moment echoes Exodus 3:14—“I AM.” Jesus doesn’t just calm the storm; He reveals His divine identity. “It is I” is more than reassurance—it’s revelation.
Application: Courage is not the absence of storms—it’s the presence of Jesus in them. When the Son of God says “It is I,” fear loses its grip.
4. Courage in Calling — Mark 10:49
“Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” — Mark 10:49 (ESV)
Blind Bartimaeus cries out to Jesus. The crowd tries to silence him. But Jesus hears. And the crowd changes its tune: “Take heart; He is calling you.” Though not spoken directly by Jesus, this moment reveals how divine calling ignites courage.
Bartimaeus throws off his cloak—a symbol of his identity as a beggar—and runs toward Jesus. The courage to respond transforms his life.
Application: When Jesus calls, courage is the first response. The Son of God invites the overlooked to stand and be seen.
5. Courage in Overcoming — John 16:33
“But take heart; I have overcome the world.” — John 16:33 (ESV)
This is Jesus’ final discourse before the cross. He does not promise ease. He promises victory. “Take heart” is not denial—it’s defiance. Jesus knows the cross is coming. He knows the resurrection is coming. And He speaks from that vantage point.
The Greek tharseite here is plural, communal. Jesus speaks to all disciples. The courage He commands is collective, rooted in His triumph.
Application: Courage is not naive optimism—it’s resurrection realism. The Son of God speaks from the future into our present.
6. Courage in Resurrection — Matthew 28:10
“Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” — Matthew 28:10 (ESV)
After the resurrection, Jesus meets the women at the tomb. His first words: “Do not be afraid.” This echoes the angel’s message, but now it comes from the risen Christ Himself. The command is followed by a mission: “Go and tell.”
Application: Courage is not just comfort—it’s commission. The risen Son of God sends us out with boldness.
Word Study: Tharseō, Tharrheō, Tharsos
In Greek grammar, an imperative is a command—not a suggestion. It expresses urgency, authority, and intentionality. When Jesus uses the imperative form of tharseō, He is not offering encouragement. He is issuing a divine directive.
- Tharseō (θαρσέω): Used by Jesus in imperative form. Divine command to be courageous.
- Tharrheō (θαρρέω): Used by Paul. Rational confidence in God’s promises.
- Tharsos (θάρσος): The noun form. Inner boldness, often contrasted with fear.
Jesus uses tharseō not as a suggestion but as a spiritual imperative. It’s not “try to be brave.” It’s “be brave because I am here.”
Paul picks up this theme in 2 Corinthians 5:6–8, where he says, “We are always confident… we are of good courage.” The Greek tharrheō reflects a settled conviction, a confidence born of faith. It’s the echo of Jesus’ command, lived out in the early church.
Theological Weight: Why It’s Impactful
When Jesus says “take courage,” He speaks as:
- The Omniscient One — He knows the outcome.
- The Omnipotent One — He controls the outcome.
- The Compassionate One — He walks with us through the outcome.
This is not motivational speech. It’s divine speech. The Son of God, knowing all things, speaks into fear with authority. His words do not merely comfort—they transform.
Each imperative is a moment of divine interruption. Jesus does not wait for courage to arise naturally. He commands it. And in commanding it, He creates it.
He Commands Courage
“Take heart; I have overcome the world.”
— John 16:33 (ESV)
Jesus ends His earthly ministry with the same imperative He began with: tharseō. From forgiveness to healing, from storms to calling, from suffering to victory—He commands courage. Not because we are strong, but because He is. Not because we know the future, but because He holds it.
When the Son of God says “take courage,” it is not a pep talk. It is a proclamation. A divine imperative from the One who has overcome the world.
So take heart. Not because the world is easy. But because Jesus is victorious.
Editor’s Note: To “take courage,” “take heart,” or even “be of good cheer” can feel hollow in the midst of trouble and tumult. When spoken by mere humans, such phrases may sound trite, even dismissive. But not so when spoken by God.
Jesus Himself warned us: “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, ESV). James exhorts us to “count it all joy… when you meet trials of various kinds” (James 1:2–3), and Paul reminds us that “suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3–4). Trouble is not a surprise—it’s a certainty. As Jesus said plainly, “Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34).
So when the Son of God says “take courage,” it is not sentimental comfort—it is a divine imperative. It is backed by omniscient knowledge, sovereign power, and ever-present companionship. Jesus does not merely soothe the sorrowful; He commands His followers to stand firm, because He has already secured the victory.
We are not called to courage for courage’s sake. We are called to courage because we are citizens of a coming Kingdom. We are in this for the end—for the prize, the pearl of great price, the eternal life with the King. And when King Jesus says “take heart,” He speaks as the One who holds the world, the future, and our souls in His hands.