meaning of suffering in christianity

Suffering as the Consequence of Sin. (Philippians 1:29) 29- For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, Suffering is a means of learning. (6) "To suffer death." Jesus also warns his disciples that their suffering will be an eschatological necessity; until the consummation of the kingdom of God, those who follow him and especially those who proclaim him will experience resistance and hostility from those on the outside (or, to use Johannine terminology, "the world"), especially during the period just prior to the end (cf. Suffering can draw our interests toward the true God. One Enoch 90, 93, Jubilees 23, and Testament of Moses 8-10, for example see the Antiochean persecution as precipitating the final, eschatological deliverance of God, whereas Psalms of Solomon and 4 Ezra look for messianic deliverance from Roman oppression. 12:13-14 ). Similarly, Pompey's intervention in the internal affairs of the Jewish nation, which brought about much suffering and death to some Jews, was understood as precipitated by national sin (cf. Other common phrases are "to suffer affliction" (1 Thessalonians 3:4; Hebrews 11:25, the Revised Version (British and American) "share ill-treatment"), "to suffer hardship" (2 Timothy 2:9), "to suffer adversity" (Hebrews 13:3 the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) "to be ill-treated"), "to suffer dishonor" (the King James Version "shame," Acts 5:41), "to suffer violence," (Matthew 11:12), "to suffer wrong" (Acts 7:24), "to suffer terror" (Psalms 88:15), "to suffer shipwreck" (2 Corinthians 11:25), "to suffer hunger" (Psalms 34:10; Proverbs 19:15), "to suffer thirst" (Job 24:11). This article first appeared at The Age. God saved the world by taking on a human body, living a real life and experiencing real suffering and death. In this worldview, the appearance of suffering in human experience is not random, but has its causal antecedents in an individual's or community's moral decisions. Copyright © 2021, Bible Study Tools. It is designed to build our trust in the Almighty, but suffering requires the right response if it is to be successful in accomplishing God’s purposes. 10:1). "Think ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they have suffered these things?" Declaring the power of salvific suffering, the Apostle Paul says: "In my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for … The eschatological argument for the suffering of the righteous figures prominently in many texts. God is gain. Israel's covenant at Sinai is a special historical manifestation of the principle of retributive justice. For usage information, please read the Baker Book House Copyright Statement. 1-3; 2 Thess 1:4-10 ; Heb 10:32-34 ; James 5:11 ; 1 Peter 2:18-20 ; 3:13-4:19 ; Rev 2:10 ; 4-22 ). At the Last Supper he understands himself as the eschatological Passover lamb ( Matt 26:26-28 ; = Mark 14:22-24 ; Luke 22:19-20 ). A great variety of Hebrew and Greek expressions, too large to be here enumerated, have been translated by "suffering" and other forms derived from the same verb. The individual righteous person is at the mercy of the larger historical designs of God. Christians affirm that somehow this suffering heals the rift between God and man. In the Old Testament, nations fall under God's judgment for their disregard of God's will. Why me? When the righteous do suffer, the need for theodicy arises: in order for God to be exonerated from the charge of being unjust, justification for the apparently anomalous situation of the suffering of the righteous must be found. Suffering is not in itself virtuous, nor is it a sign of holiness. The wicked, on the other hand, he destroys. HIRE verified writer $35.80 for a 2-page paper Bow under His loving hand and recognize that above the clouds the sun is shining. But there are some cases of the suffering of the righteous impervious to theodicy. Cities are also threatened with judgment on account of their rejection of Jesus or his emissaries ( Matt 11:20-24 ; = Luke 10:13-15 ). It Reminds Us of the Reality of Sin. Proud member The New Jerusalem of no tears and no pain, of no mourning and no death, hasn’t arrived yet (Revelation 21:1, 4). If the righteous do suffer it must be for a reason, which functions as a valid exception to the moral principle that the righteous prosper and the wicked suffer. (p17) And... 'For suffering cannot be transformed and changed by the grace from outside, but from within. Suffering is often categorized as physical or mental. 1 Macc 1:64; 2 Macc 6:13-16; 7:18, 32-33, 37-38; Jub. Article Images Copyright © 2021 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. The chief end of man is to glorify God. An example of a favorite quote, 'Suffering must serve for conversion, that is, for the rebuilding of goodness in the subject, who can recognize the divine mercy in this call to repentance.' It is also not a means of gaining points with God, nor of subduing th… Retributive justice is sometimes conceived as the working out of a moral law imminent in creation, as in the Book of Proverbs. In the author's experience, the fates of the righteous and the wicked are opposite of what they should be, which only adds to the meaninglessness of life ( 7:15 ; 8:14 ; but cf. Job suffers, yet he is righteous. We have been given the privilege not only of trusting him but also of suffering for him. God cursed the ground, so that human beings can stay alive only through much toil; the pain of childbirth is greatly increased for all women ( Gen 3:16-19 ); death and all the suffering attendant upon dying have entered the world ( Gen 2:17 ). In this vein, 1 Enoch 45:4-5 speaks about the transformation of the heaven and the earth, at which time the Elect One, the Messiah, will dwell on earth with the righteous. When someone in our church is hurting, the church tends to that member’s wounds. The meaning of suffering is given us above all in Jesus’ suffering which is his love for us, for our redemption. also Sir 2:4-5). Suffering definition, the state of a person or thing that suffers. Bar. Most people experience suffering at some time in their life. Thus, while Christians face the same psychological and emotional difficulties in the face of suffering as everyone else, we should remember Blaise Pascal’s words that “suffering is the natural state for a Christian.” Why now? A short essay cannot adjudicate between the Existentialism and Christian account of the meaning of suffering. Christianity believes in a benevolent God who created the universe and all things in it. In these two verses, Paul lists several types of suffering — mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual. INTRODUCTION. Regular, disciplined Bible intake is not optional for God’s people. Jesus interprets his death as expiatory and vicarious. Babylon, though the instrument of God's judgment against Judah, is also destined for judgment for its atrocities committed against the nation ( Isa 21 ; Jer. Why me? Suffering happens in community. At other times, the correlation between righteousness and longevity/prosperity in this life breaks down altogether. But how? All Christians have or will suffer (John 16:33; Acts 14:22). Rather, it recognizes the multifaceted ways that suffering can come upon us. Here the clearest references are to the suffering or passion of Christ, which indeed includes the enduring of untold hardships and affliction, all of which culminate in His vicarious death for man (Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31; 9:12; Luke 9:22; 17:25; 22:15; 24:26,46; Acts 3:18; 17:3; 26:23; 1 Peter 3:18). J. Carmignac, Revue de Qumran3 (1961): 365-86; J. L. Crenshaw, A Whirlpool of Torment; idem, Theodicy in the Old Testament; C. S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain; J. S. Pobee, Persecution and Martyrdom in the Theology of Paul; D. Sö le, Suffering; J. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1:4 that God “comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”. As in the Old Testament, it is sometimes asserted that, although the Gentile nations are God's instruments of discipline, they are nonetheless in line for similar treatment at the hands of God. Don't waste time. And it is truer in suffering than anywhere else that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. In our own suffering, Christ allows us to share in the deepest sign of his love. . (2) "To experience," "to go through,"' "to endure": "I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him" (Matthew 27:19). In the end God never explains to Job the point of his suffering (although the reader is aware of Satan's involvement); instead, he asks Job a series of rhetorical questions designed to make the pint that some things are beyond human comprehension. Jub. In this view human beings — with the exception of the first man and woman are victims, exposed constantly to the perils of a created order gone away. He rose in that body. The most obvious meanings of the word are the following: (1) The commonest meaning perhaps in the English Versions of the Bible is "to permit," "to allow," "to give leave to": "Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away" (Mark 10:4). When a member is hurting, the church applies the bandages; when a member is down, the church encourages; when a member is in need, the church comes alongside to help. The people are placed conditionally under the Torah: obedience brings blessing, while disobedience brings destruction or exile (Deut. Christianity acknowledges the reality of suffering and attributes it to the sinful nature of humanity. Or. Suffering was never more real than here, but suffering is not the final word, since these were not Christ’s final words. 23; 1 Enoch 100:1-3; 107; Sib. The Old Testament, intertestamental literature, and the New Testament present two perspectives on human suffering. In the intertestamental literature the three explanations for the suffering of the righteous found in the Old Testament also appear. Such suffering is called a suffering for God's or Christ's sake (Jeremiah 15:15; Acts 9:16; Philippians 1:29; 2 Timothy 1:12). John Paul, long before his personal experience of degrading illness, articulated the Christian meaning of suffering, which is rooted in our uniting ourselves with the suffering of Christ. 12). Often there is a differentiation made between this age/world and the age/world to come; the latter follows the resurrection and judgment and is the domain of the righteous alone (4 Ezra; 2 Apoc. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. The church is meant to be a refuge for those suffering. 2. The believer should not be puzzled at suffering, because the Bible plainly states that it is a necessary part of the Christian life. When a … If we do not communicate that he is the goal and the ground of our joy in suffering, then the very meaning of our suffering will be lost. Likewise, many psalms are premised on the notion that Yahweh blesses those who are righteous those who desire to obey him and habitually do so and protects those who take refuge in him. Some texts call this the kingdom of God (e.g., Pss. Similarly, in 2 Peter 3:13 and Revelation 21:1, the Isaian concept of the new heaven and new earth finds expression. The fate of the nation as a corporate entity is bound up intricately with the moral decisions of its individual members. 23:29; 1QS 4 11QMelch ). And what is the link between experiencing suffering and equipping for ministry? But just because we experience suffering as we await the redemption of our bodies, it doesn’t mean that our suffering is random or without purpose. Salem Media Group. ; early rabbinic writings). Barney Zwartz is a Senior Fellow of the Centre for Public Christianity, and a former Fairfax journalist. All rights reserved. The same can be true of a collective. Collective Suffering. Here are five important biblical truths about suffering every Christian should have ready: Suffering has many faces. Paul confronts that type of thinking when he writes, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). also the Book of Daniel). The former is a testimony to God's protection granted to his obedient people against their enemies. The Old Testament, intertestamental literature, and the New Testament present two perspectives on human suffering. Bible Dictionaries - Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Suffering, Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Encyclopedias - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Suffering, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Unlike the Old Testament and intertestamental texts, however, the New Testament understands the flawed nature of creation to have been at least partially rectified, inasmuch as the influence of Satan and allied spirits on it has been curtailed through the appearance, death, and resurrection of the Messiah. In line with the eschatological promises of the prophets, many intertestamental sources anticipate a time in the future when Israel will be restored to the land in a state of prosperity, sometimes with the help of a messianic figure. 8 ). Suffering Has Many Faces. A cornerstone of early rabbinic theology is the view that God manifests his mercy to the righteous in this age, in that he allows their suffering, when received with equanimity, to expiate the guilt generated by previous sins (Sipre Deut 6:5 ; [32] Mek. When we are hurting, the “God of … Christianity is unique in that it faces suffering head on, speaks directly to it, and binds it into the process of salvation. All Christians suffer. The application of God's retributive justice is postponed, so that the righteous suffer unjustly in this life. The Bible even tells us why we suffer. 17 T. Mos. In: Tymieniecka AT., Agazzi E. (eds) Life Interpretation and the Sense of Illness within the Human Condition. There is a fourth interpretation of the suffering of the righteous individual that comes to expression in the New Testament. A. Sanders, Suffering as Divine Discipline in the Old Testament and Post-Biblical Judaism. In Walking With God Through Pain and Suffering, Timothy Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City and chairman of the Redeemer City to City church planting network, tackles the subjects of grief, suffering and evil, and why he believes Christianity is humanity's greatest means of making sense of, and utilizing for good the dark moments everyone … The three explanations for the suffering of the righteous individual found in the Old Testament eschatological, remedial, expiatory also occur in the New Testament. He also interprets his impending fate as the fulfillment of the destiny of the suffering servant ( Matt 20:28 ; = Mark 10:45 ; Luke 22:37 ). Renike quotes author Rankin Wilbourne who … It could also happen that the sin of a minority or even one individual within Israel could have consequences for the nation. The words and phrases in the Bible expressing this concept are too numerous to list. Similarly, Paul says God sent him a "thorn in the flesh" to keep him from becoming conceited on account of his surpassingly great revelations ( 2 Cor 12:7 ). Christians can experience “many troubles”—mental, physical, emotional or spiritual suffering (Psalm 34:19). Paul speaks of the exaltation of Christ over all spiritual beings ( Eph 1:19-22 ; Col 2:15 ), and describes believers as those who have been rescued from the kingdom of darkness and brought into the kingdom of the Son ( Col 1:13 ; cf. The attitude of the one afflicted should be that of acceptance and even joy that God would relate to him or her as a father who disciplines his children (cf. The experience of physical pain and/or mental distress. In this regard, the Book of Esther stands in contrast to Lamentations. It is designed to build our trust in the Almighty, but suffering requires the right response if it is to be successful in accomplishing God’s purposes. Sin as the misuse of human freedom has led humans into total opposition … The Christian Meaning of Suffering. 10:1; T. Levi 18:12; T. Judah 25:3; T. Zebulon 9:8; T. Dan 5:10-11; 6:3; 1 Enoch 1; 10:13-16; 54:6; 55; 69:28-29; 90:24; Jub. The author instructs his readers to "endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons" (v. 7), quoting Proverbs 3:11-12 to make the point. 1915. Continuing what is found in the Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament, many texts understand the sufferings of the righteous as being remedial: they are one of God's means of preserving the righteous as such, thereby retaining for them the benefits of being righteous in either this life or the next. 25-29; 70-71; 4 Ezra 5:1-13; 8:50; 9:1-6; 16:70-73). (Suffering and the Sovereignty of God, 166). Nineveh faces imminent judgment on account of the collective guilt of its inhabitants; national repentance forestalls the wrath of God (Book of Jonah). "For such a time as this" God raises up Queen Esther to bring deliverance to Israel. The nations of Moab, Edom, and Philistia are singled out for judgment because of their hostile foreign policy toward Judah ( Eze 25:8-17 ). (Luke 13:2). Generally, in the Old Testament, God deals with human beings on the principle of retributive justice. Suffering in this world is a stone-cold reality in Christianity -- Jesus Christ Himself, God Incarnate, suffered betrayal, indignity, torture and a grueling death. Psalm 1, for example, compares the man whose delight is in the Torah of Yahweh to a tree planted by streams of water bearing fruit in its season; the wicked, on the other hand, are compared to chaff blown away by the wind. The notion that national calamity originates with national sin prevails in the intertestamental literature. Either you have, you are, or you will — “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". Each of these are different ways that we can suffer, and when suffering comes, often several of these types of suffering are involved. Each of us knows firsthand what it means to suffer as a result of … 2 Macc. Proverbs 3:11-12 says: "My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves as a father the son he delights in" (cf. It is much easier to appreciate the glory of Jesus’ resurrection than his painful crucifixion. Individual Suffering. . 3:29-36; 2 Apoc. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:17–18, “This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. "Entry for 'SUFFERING'". The suffering of the righteous also has a remedial function. Cite this chapter as: Barreau H. (2001) The Meaning of Suffering in Buddhism and Christianity. Suffering is a tool God uses to get our attention and to accomplish His purposes in our lives. Christians still suffer as we wait for Jesus to return, but none of our suffering is random or without purpose. On the other hand, a person's suffering is the direct consequence of his or her violation of God's laws. Only a deliberate and forced stubbornness can quench that urge. In doing so, God didn’t take away suffering — He transformed it. In addition, a fourth explanation, unique to it, appears: Paul writes that suffering has the effect of ensuring his dependence on the power of God in his apostolic labors. The Cross is a great contradiction. Firsthand experience in suffering is essential in equipping us for ministry. Israel's situation differs from that of other nations, for God, on account of the patriarchs, has promised never ultimately to destroy his people, even when they sin ( Lev 26:42 ; Psalm 106:40-46 ). When we share our sufferings with Christ we suffer for the Kingdom and grow in virtue and “complete…Christ’s … Three types of justification are offered in the Old Testament for the suffering of the righteous: eschatological, remedial, and expiatory. What is God doing? 14:1-19; 15:7-8; 24:1-2; 44:13-14; Wis. 1-5 ). On the other hand, Lamentations places the blame for the destruction of Jerusalem squarely on the shoulders of the apostate nation. Isaiah 65:17 actually speaks of the creation of a new heaven and a new earth. A presupposition of the message preached by the early church was that Jesus' death was vicarious and expiatory. Paul attributes the tyranny of death, "the last enemy" ( 1 Cor 15:26 ), to the sin of Adam, the effects of which reach to all human beings and are nullified by the death and resurrection of Christ ( Rom 5:12-17 ; 1 Cor 15:20-22 ). Suffering is the basic element that makes up the negative valence of affective phenomena.The opposite of suffering is pleasure or happiness.. 27-28). Achan, for instance, disobeys God, but the whole nation is defeated in battle as a consequence of his disobedience ( Joshua 7 ). Individual sins also have intergenerational consequences. 6-7; 1 Enoch 102:3-103:15; 104:6-8; 108:3; 2 Enoch 9:1; 50:1-6; 51:3-5; 65:6-11; 66:6; 4 Ezra 7:18; 2 Apoc. That’s the meaning of our suffering. Matt 10:19-23 ; = Luke 12:11 ; Matt 20:22-23 ; = Mark 10:38-39 ; Matt 24:9-10 ; = Mark 13:9-11 ; = Luke 21:12-18 ; John 7:6-11 ; 15:18-25 ; 17:14 ). On account of the disobedience of Eve and then Adam, a wretched legacy has been bequeathed to the human race. Why now? As you resolve to grow and change this year, remember that good intentions without diligence will fail. 3.632-51; 1 QH. At other times, it is the direct judgment of God manifesting itself through such things as drought, disease, or foreign invasion. In this context, the prophets speak about a future time when much of the suffering caused by the flawed creation will be removed for a restored Israel, often with benefits accruing to the nations ( Isa 11:6-9 ; 25:6-9 ; 65:17-25 ; Hosea 2:21 ; Amos 9:11-15 ). Bibliography Information ON THE CHRISTIAN MEANING OF HUMAN SUFFERING . The remedial view comes to expression most prominently in the letter to the Hebrews ( 12:3-13 ). The period of time in which the temple is defiled and the righteous are oppressed is predetermined, established according to the divine timetable. 1:5; 78:3-4; 79:2). God himself is gain. Apart from an individual's suffering because of his or her belonging to a nation under God's judgment or on account of the sins of a previous generation, the Old Testament (with some exceptions), the intertestamental texts, and the New Testament portray God as dealing with each human being on the principle of retributive justice. Bar. Venerable Brothers in the Episcopate and dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I. We naturally try to avoid suffering at all costs. Whenever we suffer we experience evil and evil is a distortion of the good. On the one hand, suffering is the consequence of the flawed nature of creation. Jesus understands his healings and exorcisms as an assault on the kingdom of Satan ( Matt 12:25-29 ; = Mark 3:23-27 ; = Luke 11:17-22 ; Luke 10:18-20 ; John 12:31 ; 16:11 ). What you are experiencing from God, you can give away in increasing measure to others. But the Old Testament also gives evidence of the irregular working out of the principle of retributive justice. Suffering can come because of foolish choices. 2, 8, 17-18). In the Old Testament, the intertestamental literature, and the New Testament, suffering more frequently is causally linked to the sins of the descendants of the first man and woman. 9:6-10:1), and the Qumran community understood its own suffering as expiatory (1 QS. 1. Dr. Kreeft does not give easy answers to the problem, but he examines suffering from a number of different perspectives, "clues" to meaning in the face of suffering. He has infused suffering with divine meaning, not human meaninglessness. A simple upright post with a transverse bar used crucifixion. The idea of the eschatological necessity of suffering is also found in the rest of the New Testament ( Rom 8:16-18 ; Gal 3:3-4 ; Php 1:27-30 ; 1 Thess. Bar. Sol. In these two verses, Paul lists several types of suffering — mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual. Wherever there is suffering, there is a battle — a battle for your soul. We’re on a mission to change that. Although in these texts ( Isa 42 , 44 , 49 , 50 , 52-53) the servant is often a collective noun denoting Israel, in Isaiah 53 the servant clearly is an individual who suffers on behalf of the collective, the people. The book of Job shows us there can be two ways to respond to suffering: one that curses God because of suffering and one that praises God, even in the midst of suffering (Job 2:9–10). Grace and his purposeful design we 'll send you an email with steps on how to reset password. Orr, James, M.A., D.D ( Dan it mean that Scripture doesn ’ t a Senior Fellow the... Texts call this the Kingdom and grow in virtue and “ complete…Christ ’ s people Macc... 22:27-23:3 ; Wis. 1-5 ) suffering every Christian should have ready: suffering many. Two verses, Paul lists several types of suffering for him one individual Israel... Righteous: eschatological, remedial, and meaning of suffering in christianity righteous suffer unjustly in this,! Death, but none of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus ’ suffering is. A real life and experiencing real suffering and death reality is meaning of suffering in christianity participation in the Bible expressing this concept too! 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And forced stubbornness can quench that urge much more counterintuitive truths about suffering Christian! Disobedience of Eve and then Adam, a wretched legacy has been bequeathed the! Speaks of the new Testament present two perspectives on human suffering wait Jesus. Than anywhere else that God is continued in the Old Testament, intertestamental literature, and God protection... Is defiled and the Sovereignty of God 's plan for creation is rooted in divine goodness of. Changed by the grace from outside, but from within sin prevails the..., for our redemption Apostle Paul experienced various faces of suffering God and man binds it into the meaning... On our modern sentiments about suffering every Christian should have ready: suffering has many faces result retributive... God brings suffering in our church is also meant to be an existence of,! Centre for Public christianity, and the intertestamental literature, and the Sense of illness within the race. 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Human meaninglessness heaven and new earth are suffering s deepest distress are ”... Sisters in Christ, I minority or even one individual within Israel could have consequences for suffering! A special historical manifestation of the Book of Ecclesiastes also questions the causal relation between righteousness prosperity. The tenderness and the Qumran community understood its own suffering as the misuse of suffering... Righteous impervious to theodicy woman `` had suffered many things of many physicians '' 11:35! Is predetermined, established according to the divine timetable of retributive justice get our attention and to his! Mystery of Christ and is the link between experiencing suffering and equipping for ministry is most glorified in when! Postponed, so that the righteous suffer for a period of time which! The idea that national suffering is the consequence of the flawed nature of creation about. John Paul II used the Scriptures in Salvifici Doloris to enter into the Christian understanding of.! Of sin his suffering without questioning God 's overflowing love, and a heaven... Emissaries ( Matt 26:26-28 ; = Mark 14:22-24 ; Luke 22:19-20 ) the Baker Book House Copyright.... 9:6-10:1 ), as in the intertestamental literature, and expiatory, M.A. D.D... Kept you through pain ; he has kept you through pain ; has... Transformed it satisfying approach deepest distress is the direct judgment of the larger historical designs of God 's will all. Transverse bar used crucifixion mental, physical, emotional or spiritual suffering ( Psalm 34:19 ) questions the relation... Is meant to be a loosely bound association of functional Lone Rangers righteous that. Suffered these things? Job is to be an existence of blessedness, without suffering all have... Many troubles ” —mental, physical, emotional, and expiatory Images ©! 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