Pinagpala, what does it mean?
Many consider the Ancient Greek language as superior over other languages because of its richness and depth. Greek affords multiple equivalents to many English words enabling one to express himself as precisely as possible. One example that illustrates this is the English word “love”.
You know how inadequate English is in that your love for Doritos is the same word you use to describe your affection for your spouse or girl or boyfriend. In contrast, Greek translates the word “love” into four words, namely “eros”, “philia”, “storge” and “agape”, depending on what kind of love it is.
I am not an expert in ancient Greek but if love can be translated into four (4) distinct words, then Greek can be pretty precise.
While we can marvel at the richness of the Greek language, I like to introduce you to a word in the “Tagalog” dialect that expresses a manifold and deep meaning that we Filipinos can certainly be proud of. It is the word “pinagpala”. Let me explain why and consider its meaning.
“Pinagpala”
Noun | pinag – pala
Meaning – 1) Someone who by grace is benefitting and enjoying his (her) good standing before Almighty God; 2) someone who is favored with good things, not only in the physical sense but more importantly in the spiritual sense; 3) a state in which one acknowledges that he is blessed, contented with the provision received from God as to health, well-being, sense of safety and security, finances and all areas of life that impact personal peace, fullness, and joy.
Loosely translatable to the English word “blessed” which in English is also translated as “happy”, “pinagpala” is more than a happy person. We know that happiness is dependent on the circumstances a person is in at that time. But one who is ‘pinagpala” can be happy and joyful in spite of his or her personal situation. This one has an inner peace that is beyond understanding.
He is “pinagpala” who receives the blessing that the LORD instructed Aaron to bless the Israelites who left Egypt on the way to the promised land. In Numbers 6:22 -27, the Lord instructed Aaron through Moses in this way:
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,
The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.
So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel and I will bless them.”
When these words were given, the Israelites were about to engage in battle after battle to destroy and drive out the Canaanites from the land that the LORD is giving them.
So, in the human sense, what is ahead is not going to be without conflict and challenges. They were shepherds and construction workers in Egypt, not army combatants. So, the blessing is very meaningful especially in the Hebrew language in which it was actually given.
As we explain the verses in English, please note how inadequate the English rendering of the verse is and what “bless” actually mean;
- Approval and safety are both implied in the words “bless and keep” when this blessing is pronounced. If one is approved, his position and standing are settled. There is no ambiguity or doubt as to his standing or as to whom one belongs and is accountable to. To “keep” someone means to uphold and keep from falling or protect from trouble or sickness or harm.
- For “His face to shine” is to enlighten the person, to provide clarity, direction, and purpose. Being “enlightened” also denotes reflecting the “light” to others as they see the “light” in you. When the Lord Jesus said in the beatitudes to “let your light so shine before men that they may see your good work and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16), He certainly meant – if you are blessed, do not hide it and let others know.
In the second part of the verse, the prayer is that God be gracious to the one blessed. Grace is a gift, unmerited, undeserved, and cannot be paid for. “May God be gracious” means asking God to meet us in whatever point of need we are in and give to us what is needed at that time.
God is generous. He gives exceedingly, abundantly more, beyond and above our expectations. We deserve punishment for our failures and sin, but instead of punishment, He cuts us slack and gives us mercy from His storehouse of blessing.
- To ask that God lift up His countenance upon us means to ask Him to turn His face toward us and pay particular attention to our personal and private situations. Remember the God of the universe has many things to attend to but here He encourages us to ask Him to turn His face toward us. For what? You say; so He will see our particular and specific need and give us peace in that situation. Now, this peace is not the peace that we are familiar with. In English, the word “peace” is tranquility due to the absence of conflict. This is a very narrow meaning compared to the Hebrew word “Shalom” which it is meant to translate. Shalom really means peace with wholeness, good health, security, inner harmony, wellness, material prosperity, long life, social and physical health.
- Yes, the High Priest is the one pronouncing the blessing but in verse 27, it says, “I will bless them” those “who put My name upon them”. This is the key, we see that to receive the blessing, we need to belong to Him. Look at this verse repeated many times in scripture, “You will be my people and I will be your God.” The blessing is to those who belong to Him.
Personal Example
I heard the word “pinagpala” before I came to know the Lord but it did not elicit any serious thought. I did not understand it until I myself grew a thankful heart. I began to give notice to it when a beloved family friend used the word to respond to my greeting “How are you?” She said, “Here am I, pinagpala!”
Knowing her story, it is then that I marveled at this unique word because it amply and adequately describes where she was in her walk with the Lord. I have not asked her permission to write about her so I will not mention her real name. Let me call her Ruth (that is because she was abandoned and there was a Boaz in her life).
Raised in a dysfunctional family she married into and became part of another dysfunctional family. Her husband was from a rich family who supported him and his serious addiction to drugs. They had two children who were raised in that less-than-ideal environment.
As you can imagine, there was so much contention and conflict in that family that she was unhappy and hopeless. To make a long story short, she escaped from there and ended up in Kuala Lumpur where she tried to work as a domestic worker.
Even there her troubles haunted her – loneliness, troubles at home, hopelessness, money problem, and turmoil. In her dire situation, she would come to the Catholic church and spend hours in prayer and lament.
One time, a well-off businessman noticed her troubled look and began a conversation. They became friends. The man frequents the Catholic church. He is married with children but willing to help her. This threw Ruth into a dilemma and she searched for direction.
In her search, a friend brought her to a pastor of an evangelical church and she heard about Jesus and how Jesus can restore broken lives. The seed was planted and eventually, she came to know the Lord. Although her problems and troubles did not go away, there is now a God, who specializes in the difficult and the complicated, who became part of her life.
A few years later, God placed her in a ministry of caring for the abused Filipina workers in Kuala Lumpur. She led many to Christ and encouraged many whose lives are also broken like hers.
When she responded to me “How have you been?” with “pinagpala!”, I now, totally get it, having observed how broken her life was, how God rescued her, gave her hope, peace, and joy, provided for her needs and finances and even used her to help others in a similar situation.
“Pinagpala”, The Recipient of Grace
When a person admits that he or she is “pinagpala” or when someone observes that somebody is “pinagpala”, they understand that there is and has been a supernatural event in that person’s life that caused healing, restoration, resolution of conflict and putting back into order what was previously messed-up.
The result is wholeness, order and everything functioning optimally and right. Also, there is no contention or enmity with God. Life’s purpose and one’s trajectory and direction are in line with His.
The person who knows he is “pinagpala” acknowledges the grace upon his life and is thankful to God whom he knows is responsible for such kindness upon him. He acknowledges that what happened to him is not because of his own effort but that Someone higher than himself is responsible for it. The result is gratitude that leads to a worshipful heart.
God may not have done great work in your life just as He has done to our Ruth. What Jesus did on the cross cannot be done by anybody else. There is no other perfect lamb. Only He, who was sinless was a viable substitute for us because He did not have any sin of his own that he had to pay for. It was all done in the perfect plan of God and by a willing Savior who did not refuse death so that you and I can be saved.
But, to all who know, who admit that their sins have been forgiven through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, they respond with appreciation and understanding that they are “pinagpala”. Because we know, we respond to the One who is responsible for it with praise and thanksgiving.
“Tagapagpala”, the Giver of Grace
In Tagalog, if the “pinagpala” is the person who is blessed, the person from whom the blessing comes is the “Tagapagpala”.
Who was behind the blessing? Where was it from? Many folks attribute things happening to them, good or bad, as coincidence, or in some cultures, it is “Karma”. In God’s economy, there is no such thing as coincidence or karma. Everything is either caused by the Lord or allowed to take place with His consent. Consider these verses:
- God is privy to what we even consider trivial: “And not one of them (sparrows) falls to the ground apart from the Father’s will.” (Matt 10:29 b)
- Events in life that we think we’re not good, or even evil, are used by God for His purpose. Paul wrote: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) And, Joseph, confronting his brothers who sold him into slavery to the Midianites told them “you meant evil against me but God meant it for good in order to bring about, as it is this day, to save many people alive.” (Genesis 50:20)
- We all know that the religious leaders in Jesus’ time conspired to put Him to death and the Romans actually did it. But, in Isaiah 53:10, it is written “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin”. There we see that the authorship of the Lord’s death was by the Father, by His eternal plan. The evil that the religious leaders concocted and the Romans executed fell in line with God’s plan.
Going back to the prayer of blessing that God instructed Moses and Aaron to bless the Israelites with, we read in verse 27 that even if the High Priest is pronouncing the blessing, it is actually God who is blessing them.
Everything we said above (items 1-4), yes, all the explanation of what the Lord wanted His High Priest to bless the people with, that is His desire for His people – favor, safety, security, a good testimony, abundant grace, meeting of every need, wholeness, good health, inner harmony, wellness, material prosperity, long life, social and physical health.
God’s heart is holy and His motive pure. He wants the best for His people. In sin and rebellion which is opposite of the place He wanted us to be, is harmful to us and God’s blessing is not in them.
That is the God we have, merciful, gracious, abounding with kindness, loving, long-suffering, holy and just. The opportunity to know if we are “pinagpala” is already here. If you can’t say you are, just desire and seek His blessing, put His name upon you (in other words place yourself subject to His authority), and believe. He is faithful to do the rest.
The song below was written based on Numbers 6:22-27. It helps expound an aspect of what the blessing from God is.
