Benediction

In a general sense the act of blessing, or giving, praise to God, or returning thanks for his favours. The Jews, it is said, are obliged to rehearse a hundred benedictions per day, of which eighty are to be spoken in the morning. It was usual to give a benediction to travellers on their taking leave; a practice which is still preserved among the monks. Benedictions were likewise given among the ancient Jews as well as Christians, by imposition of hands. And when at length the primitive simplicity of the Christian worship began to give way to ceremony, they added the sign of the cross, which was made with the same hand as before, only elevated or extended. Hence benediction in the modern Romish church is used, in a more particular manner, to denote the sign of the cross made by a bishop or prelate as conferring some grace on the people. Benediction is also used for an ecclesiastical ceremony, whereby a thing is rendered sacred or venerable.

In this sense benediction differs from consecration, as in the latter, unction is applied, which is not in the former: thus the chalice is consecrated, and the pix blessed; as the former, not the latter, is anointed, though in the common usage these two words are applied promiscuously. The spirit of piety, or rather of superstition, has introduced into the Romish church benedictions for almost every thing: we read of forms of benedictions for wax candles, for boughs for ashes, for church vessels, for ornaments, for flags, or ensigns, arms, first fruits, houses, ships, paschal eggs, cilicium, or the hair-cloth of penitents, church-yards, &c. In general, these benedictions are performed by aspersions of holy water, signs of the cross, and prayers suitable to the nature of the ceremony. The forms of these benedictions are found in the Roman pontifical, in the Roman missal, in the book of ecclesiastical ceremonies, printed in Pope Leo X.’s time, and in the rituals and ceremonies of the different churches, which are found collected in father Martene’s work on the rites and discipline of the church.

in a general sense, the act of blessing in the name of God, or of giving praise to God. or returning thanks for his favours. Hence benediction is the act of saying grace before or after meals. Neither the ancient Jews, nor Christians, ever ate without a short prayer. The Jews are obliged to rehearse a hundred benedictions every day; of which, eighty are to be spoken in the morning. Rabbi Nehemiah Baruch, in 1688, published a discourse on the manner wherein the sacerdotal benediction is to be pronounced. In the synagogue of Ferrara, it is rather sung than spoken. Among the ancient Jews, as well as Christians, benedictions were attended with the imposition of hands; and Christians, in process of time, added the sign of the cross, which was made with the same hand, elevated or extended. Hence, in the Romish church, benediction was used to denote the sign of the cross, made by a bishop or prelate, from an idea that it conferred some grace on the people. The custom of receiving benediction by bowing the head before the bishops, is very ancient; and was so universal, that emperors themselves did not decline this mark of submission. Under the name benediction the Hebrews also frequently understood the presents which friends made to one another; in all probability because they were generally attended with blessings and prayers, both from those who gave and those who received them. The solemn blessing pronounced by the Jewish high priest upon the people, is recorded Num 6:22, &c: “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: the Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” The great Christian benediction is, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with you always.” See BLESSING.

(1.) in the Romish Church, an ecclesiastical ceremony, whereby a thing is rendered sacred or venerable. It differs from consecration, in which unction is used. The Romanists consecrate the chalice and bless the pyx. Superstition in the Romish Church has introduced benedictions for almost every thing. There are forms of benediction for wax candles, for boughs, for ashes, for church vessels and ornaments, for flags and ensigns, arms, first-fruits, houses, ships, paschal eggs, hair-cloth of penitents, churchyards, etc. In general, these benedictions are performed by aspersions of holy water, signs of the cross, and forms of prayer, according to the nature of the ceremony. The forms of benediction are found in the Roman Pontifical and in the Missal. The beatic benediction (benedictio beatica) is the viaticum given to dying persons. For the history and forms of Romanist benediction, see Boissonnet, Dict. des Ceremonies, 1, 246 sq.; Migne, Liturgie Catholique, p. 149 sq.

(2.) In the Protestant Churches, the blessing of the people by the minister during divine service and at its close. In the Church of England it is given at the end of the communion service as well as at the conclusion of worship. The minister does not pretend to impart any blessing, but in effect prays that the’” peace of God” may keep the “hearts and minds” of the people. Christ says to his Church, “My peace I give unto you” (Joh 14:27): the officiating minister, the Church’s organ, proclaims the gift in general, and prays that it may descend upon the particular part of Christ’s Church then and there assembled. The benediction most used, at the close of worship, in Protestant churches, is taken chiefly from Scripture; the first part of it from Php 4:7, and the latter part being a paraphrase upon Num 6:24-25, viz.: “The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your heart and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, — the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you and remain with you always. Amen.” The great Christian benediction is the apostolical one: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all” (2Co 13:14). In the ancient Church, short benedictions, such as “Blessed be God,” “Blessed be the name of the Lord” (never the Ave Maria, q.v.), were often used before sermon. After the Lord’s Prayer, in the Eucharist, the benediction, “The peace of God be with you all,” was pronounced. See Bingham, Orig. Eccles. bk. 14, ch. 4, § 16; bk. 15, ch. 3, § 29; Coleman, Primitive Church, ch. 14; Bibliotheca Sacra, 1862, p. 707.

BENEDICTION.—Benedictions on the assembled people pronounced by an officiating priest or minister were a regular part of the liturgies of the temple and the synagogue, but no direct mention is made of these in the Gospel narratives. Quite similar in character, however, are the benedictions on persons, which are not a part of the ceremonial of Divine worship. Of these there are several examples in the Gospels (Luk 2:34; Luk 6:28; Luk 24:50 and Mar 10:16). All such words of blessing are liable to have magical power attributed to them, but in form and origin they are simply a prayer addressed to God for the wellbeing of some person or persons in whose presence they are uttered. They may be exemplified from the benediction of the Jewish liturgy: ‘The Lord bless thee, and keep thee; the Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace’ (Num 6:24-27). In the NT the verbs εὐλογεῖν (Luk 2:34; Luk 6:28; Luk 24:50) and κατευλογεῖν (Mar 10:16) denote ‘to utter a benediction’ in this sense.

εὐλογεῖν properly means to ascribe (to God) praise and honour (benedicere). In accordance with the usage of the OT and NT and of the Christian Church, this act also is termed ‘benediction.’ It is of the nature of thanksgiving and praise to God for His goodness, and differs essentially from that kind of benediction which is a prayer that Divine favour may be shown to those whom the speaker ‘blesses.’ In the NT this second kind of benediction is expressed by εὐχαριστεῖν, ‘give thanks,’ as well as by εὐλογεῖν. The Jewish custom of blessing God on every possible occasion (see below) supplies a probable explanation of the designation of God in Mar 14:61 ὁ εὐλογητός, ‘the Blessed.’ It does not, however, appear that this title was current in Jewish literature (Dalman, Words of Jesus, p. 200).^{* [Note: Enoch 77:1 seems to supply a parallel. In Berakhoth vii. 3 (ed. Surenhusius) הַמֽבֹרָךְ is an epithet qualifying אֲדנָי.]} Elsewhere in the NT εὐλογητός is used as an epithet of God (e.g. Luk 1:68). This is the Jewish usage of הַמברָךְ.

The double sense of εὐλογεῖν, just explained, is due to the meaning of בֵּרַךְ and the LXX Septuagint use of εὐλογεῖν. It has a third signification when God is the subject, namely ‘bless,’ i.e. prosper. This also is a meaning of בֵּרַךְ (see Blessing). In the Gospels the only instances of the third usage are cases where the participle εὑογημὲος, ‘blessed,’ is employed, εὐλογεῖν meaning to pronounce a benediction never occurs in John, but εὑλογημὲνος appears in Joh 12:13.

1. Benedictions on men.—In Jewish life the occasions of pronouncing benedictions on men were numerous. Besides those of the temple and the synagogue, and perhaps even older than these, were the salutations customary at meeting and parting, entering a house and leaving it, which were all benedictions. The blessings of the aged and of parents were specially valued, and were often a part of the solemn farewell of the dying. In the temple a benediction was regularly pronounced at the conclusion of the morning and evening sacrifices. The statement in Luk 1:21 that the people waited for Zacharias may be an indirect reference to this custom. But the intercessory benedictions recorded in the Gospels are chiefly of the nature of greetings or salutations (Luk 1:28 f., Luk 1:42, Luk 13:35 = Mat 23:39 = Psa 118:26). Our Lord commends to His disciples the practice of saluting a house when they enter it, i.e., of pronouncing a benediction on those resident in it (Mat 10:12 = Luk 10:5). The actual words of such a benediction are given in Luk 10:5 ‘May peace rest on this house’ (cf. Luk 1:40). Christ’s farewell to His disciples before His ascension was expressed in words of blessing (Luk 24:50 f.). It is to be understood in the light of what has already been said regarding Jewish customs. Simeon’s benediction (Luk 2:34) was that of an old man and a priest. But in any circumstances benedictions were appropriate as expressions of goodwill (cf. Luk 6:28 and Mar 11:9 f.).

εὐλογημένος (= בָדוּךְ) in formulas of blessing may, be understood to express a wish, ‘Blessed be thou.’ This is clearly the meaning in Psa 118:26 (LXX Septuagint ), and consequently in Mar 11:9 = Mat 21:9 = Luk 19:38 = Joh 12:13 and Mat 23:39 = Luk 13:35, where the Psalm is quoted. In the Gospels Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 makes the phrase a statement, and so does Authorized Version except in Luk 19:38 (cf. Mar 11:10). There are similar phrases in Mar 11:10 and Luk 1:42. μακάριος, although translated in the Authorized and Revised Versions ‘blessed,’ is not used in benedictions, and has a different meaning (see Blessing).

There is at least one clear reference to the attitude adopted in the act of benediction (Luk 24:50). The uplifting of the hands there spoken of (cf. Lev 9:22) is not peculiar to benedictions; according to ancient custom, Babylonian and Egyptian as well as Hebrew, when prayer was offered in a standing posture the hands were uplifted or spread out (Psa 28:2, Isa 1:15 etc.). It is not equally certain that the laying of hands upon the children who were blessed by Christ (Mar 10:16) is directly connected with the act of benediction as such, although Gen 48:14 may be quoted in support of that view. The request made to Christ is that He should touch the children (Mar 10:13 = Luk 18:15; but cf. || Mat 19:13), and that is something different from a request that He should bless them (see Mar 5:28, and cf. possibly Luk 2:28). Mat 19:13 may be regarded as an interpretation of Mar 10:16; benedictions of persons are intercessory prayers on their behalf.

2. Benedictions of God.—The practice of uttering benedictions on God is a highly characteristic expression of Jewish religious life. It is broadly formulated as a duty in the Talmud in the words, ‘Whoever benefits from this world without (reciting) a benediction, acts as if he robbed God’ (Berakhoth, 35a). Any circumstance or event which recalls or exhibits God’s goodness or power is an appropriate occasion for ‘blessing’ God. At circumcisions, redemptions of the first-born, marriages, etc., benedictions of this class were employed along with others invoking blessings on men. Sometimes unusual experiences and special circumstances called them forth. But the ordinary routine of life, and particularly the daily meals of the family and the individual, equally fulfil the conditions which prompt their use. The Jewish ‘grace’ pronounced at meal-times was an act of thanksgiving to God, that and nothing more. The procedure is described in the Mishna (Berakhoth) and in other Jewish sources. When several sat down to a meal together, one usually gave thanks for all, although each in certain circumstances was expected to do so for himself. A company is said to be constituted by the presence of three persons. The meal commenced with a benediction and with the breaking of bread. Whoever broke the bread also spoke the benediction. This was the part of the master of the house, the giver of the feast, or the most important person in the company. There were differences in the words of blessing, according to the formality of the occasion and the character of the dishes that were served. During one meal several benedictions might be pronounced, referring to the various articles of food separately (for the ordinary formulas used in blessing bread and wine, see Blessing). During the Passover meal benedictions were pronounced at several fixed points. Every meal was concluded with a benediction. In the Passover meal the last benediction was spoken before the actual conclusion; a hymn was sung at the very end.

It is not easy to draw a line in principle between the thanksgiving of God which is benediction and that which is denoted by the word ‘praise’ (αἰνεῖν). But there is a practical distinction. The use of special formulas, and especially of the word בָּדוּךְ ‘blessed’ (εὐλογημένος), is characteristic of benedictions.

There are only three references in the Gospels to benedictions of God other than those pronounced at meal-times. In each case they are prompted by unusual manifestations of Divine favour to the speakers (Luk 1:64 Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 , Luk 2:28; Luk 24:53). The actual words of benediction are not recorded in any case. Luk 2:29-32 is a prayer supplementing the benediction proper.

Four narratives in the Gospels allude to blessings pronounced at meal-times. The occasions are the miracles of the feeding of the 5000 and of the 4000, the institution of the Lord’s Supper, and the evening meal at Emmaus. The reference in every case to the breaking of bread is noteworthy. It emphasizes the character of the act as one in accordance with Jewish custom. The Jewish formulas of blessing at meal-times make it perfectly certain that no blessing on the food is asked, but that God is thanked for the food. Illustrations of this meaning of the word ‘bless’ are found in the parallel narratives of the Gospels themselves. Luk 22:19 has ‘give thanks’ (εὐχαριστήσας) in place of the ‘bless’ (εὐλογήσας) of Mar 14:22 and Mat 26:26; Joh 6:11 has ‘give thanks’ where the Synoptists have ‘bless’ (cf. also the parallel expressions in 1Co 14:16). When the grammatical object of the verb is an article of food, ‘bless’ then signifies ‘pronounce a benediction over,’ i.e. ‘give thanks to God for’ the food in question (so Mar 8:7 and Luk 9:16). The same construction occurs in the OT (1Sa 9:13), (in the Mishna בִּדַךְ עִל is generally used). Christ’s blessing of the elements in the institution of the Lord’s Supper should no doubt be understood in the light of these facts.

The only other passage in the NT where a material object is said to be blessed is 1Co 10:16, and it really belongs to the category just explained. The expression ‘cup … which we bless’ means simply ‘cup for which we give thanks,’ over which we pronounce our benediction. In Jewish phraseology material objects may be consecrated or hallowed, but they cannot be said in the same sense to be blessed.

Mar 6:41 (and so the parallels) speaks of Christ looking up to the sky, and implies, no doubt, in accordance with the circumstances, that He stood while He offered His prayer of thanksgiving. But the ordinary Jewish practice seems to have been to sit while grace was being said. In Joh 6:23 it is not obvious at first sight why the words ‘when the Lord gave thanks’ have been added. Perhaps they were intended to mean ‘when the Lord was giver of the feast.’ The statement in Luk 24:30 that the risen Christ was recognized in the breaking of bread seems to imply that the disciples were familiar with the manner in which He acted on such occasions, and that there was something peculiar or characteristic in the procedure which He followed. Doubtless the act as He performed it was always deliberate and impressive.

The application of the word εὐλογεῖν to meals is common to the Synoptists, but St. Matthew (Mat 15:36) and St. Luke (Luk 22:19) both substitute on one occasion εὐχαριστεῖν for St. Mark’s εὐλογεῖν (Mar 8:7; Mar 14:22). εὐλογεῖν with God as explicit object occurs in St. Luke only (Luk 1:64; Luk 2:28; Luk 24:53). St. John does not use the word at all in this sense (see Joh 6:11 and cf. also Joh 11:41).

Literature.—See the authorities cited at end of art. Blessing.

W. B. Stevenson.

(Latin: benedictio, a blessing) In the Divine Office a brief blessing pronounced by the officiant upon the reader before the latter begins the lessons of Matins. The blessing is preceded by the petition "Jube Domine benedicere" (Deign, Sir, a blessing). The early use of such blessings in the Office is attested in the 4th century and in the Benedictine Office of the 6th century. See also:

• Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament

• Benediction with Ciborium

• blessing

New Catholic Dictionary

ben-ē̇-dik´shun: From the earliest times the records bear testimony that pronouncing the benediction or giving the blessing was a common practice. In the temple service, this duty was assigned to the Aaronites and was made an impressive part of the service. The form of the benediction used is given in Num 6:22-27. References to this practice may be found in Lev 9:22; Deu 10:8; 2Ch 30:27. After a time, minute directions were given concerning it and careful preparation was made for this part of the service. All Aaronites, of proper age, were entitled to perform this service, except those who by previous conduct or on account of physical defect were disqualified. One who had killed another, whether intentionally or otherwise, or who had violated the marriage vows, had given himself excessively to wine drinking or other excesses, or indeed had been guilty of unrighteous conduct or life, was not only prohibited from pronouncing the blessing, but was required to withdraw before this part of the service was performed. If one was blind even of one eye, or had a defect in his hands or speech, or was a hunchback, he was also excluded. Before the priest could engage in this service he was required to wash his hands. Then, with uplifted hands, while the people stood, he uttered the words of blessing. The main idea was that Thus the name of Yahweh was put on the people. Later it came to be regarded as having some special blessing in and of itself, a result against which the more spiritual of the priests protested.

It was common not only to pronounce the benediction in the public worship but also in the family. We have such instances in Gen 9:26, Gen 9:27; Gen 27:27-30. This practice prevailed also on many other occasions not only in Israel, but among the heathen as well. We may readily see, therefore, that from the very beginning of the Christian church the use of the benediction was common. In the course of time an extensive liturgy developed on this subject and it may be said that there are now three distinct ideas in the church as to the benediction. That section of the church which regards the minister as clothed with sacerdotal powers, holds that the blessings pronounced are actually conferred in the act of the utterance of the words, because of the powers conferred upon him when he was set aside for the sacred office. On the other hand it is held that it is merely a prayer that God may bestow certain blessings on the people. From this position others dissent, and teach that it is the declaration of the special privileges and relations in which those stand who have entered into covenant fellowship with Christ; that the blessings now declared are theirs by fight of that relation, and are conferred upon them by the Holy Spirit. The Greek and Roman Catholic churches take the first portion, and therefore we find among them much of detail and minutiae as to the manner in which it should be pronounced. In the Greek church the priest raises his hand with the thumb touching the third finger, signifying the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father alone; or according to others to form the sacred name IHS. In the Roman church the form is, the thumb, first and second fingers are to be open, to symbolize the Trinity. In this church too, the benediction is pronounced in a multitude of cases and in each case the thing so blessed by the priest is made sacred. Crosses, church vessels, houses, paschal eggs, churchyards, are Thus blessed. Every parish has a collection of these forms of blessing in what is known as the “Benedictionale.” The authority for this is based on some documents claiming to reach back to early church history, but as they belong to the forged decretal class, the position of the Roman church on this subject is untenable.

Apostolic benedictions, as we find them in the epistles, present considerable variety. One of the striking features is that in a number of cases there is the omission of the Holy Ghost. The best explanation seems to be that the Father and the Son effect the redemption of the world and the Holy Ghost applies the blessing so wrought out. “Grace, mercy and peace” may then be said to be sent from the Father and the Son through the Holy Ghost to be the possession of all who have come into the kingdom. The third person of the Trinity, being Thus in the act of applying the blessing, is not mentioned. The fact that in other cases Father, Son and Holy Ghost are mentioned, proves that the writers knew the character and office of the Holy Ghost. The most common form used today is that in 2Co 13:14. Occasionally some changes are introduced by ministers, but it would seem best to adhere strictly to the Scriptural forms. See BLESSING; SALUTATION.

(åὐëïãßá, benedictio)

This term has in the NT all the senses of bìrâkâh in the OT. It signifies: (a) praises given to God or Christ (Rev_5:12-13; Rev_7:12, Jam_3:10); (b) in a sense exclusively biblical, favour or blessing from God (Heb_6:7); (c) a blessing asked for (Heb_12:17); (d) the blessing of the Christian gospel or calling (Rom_15:29, Gal_3:14, Eph_1:3, 1Pe_3:9); (e) the gifts or temporal goods bestowed on others (2Co_9:5); (f) by a figure, the cup of the Lord’s Supper, on account of the thanksgiving and praise offered in connexion with it (1Co_10:16); (g) the fine and flattering speeches (Rom_16:18) used by false teachers to lead away Christians-the only place in the NT where the word has its classical sense. It is the thought of the Apostle that Christianity is specially a religion which leads its followers to help and bless others (Rom_12:14, 1Co_4:12; 1Co_14:16, 1Pe_3:9)-an altruistic faith which reminds one by contrast of the luxuriant use of anathema and excommunication in the Middle Ages, From the verb åὐëïãåῖí has come the purely biblical and ecclesiastical word åὐëïãçôüò, Vulgate benedictus, ‘blessed,’ which is the Septuagint translation of bârûk, participle of bârâk. God is called thus because praises are made to Him and He is the source of blessings (Rom_1:25; Rom_9:5, 2Co_1:3; 2Co_11:31, Eph_1:3, 1Pe_1:3).

The word ‘benedictions’ is more commonly used of those well-wishing or spiritual blessings in Christ which form such a characteristic part of the closing sentences of the Epistles of the NT, especially those of St. Paul. One of these benedictions, under the title of the Apostolic Benediction, has passed into use in the public worship of many Churches of Christendom. Let us take those sentences in chronological order, (1) ‘The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you’ (1Th_5:28). The verb in these greetings is omitted, but it is better, with nearly all scholars, to interpret them as prayers, and so supply åἴç, than as declarations and supply ἐóôß.* [Note: For an able defence of the Contrary view (ἐóôé), see J. J. Owen in Bibliotheca Sacra, 1862, p. 707 ff.] The usual closing good wish in the letters of this period was ἔññùóï or ἔññùóèå = vale, ‘farewell,’ lit. [Note: literally, literature.] ‘be strong.’ With St. Paul everything was looked upon from the standpoint of Christ, and even courtesies were to receive a new significance. (2) ‘The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all’ (2Th_3:18). This is preceded by a statement that the greeting is added by St. Paul in his own handwriting, and that this will be a constant custom as a certificate of genuineness. Compare the óåóçìåßùìáé (‘I have noted [or written, or sealed]’), generally contracted into óåóç, with which many of the Egyptian papyrus letters and ostraca close,† [Note: Milligan, St. Paul’s Ep. to the Thessalonians, 1908, p. 130.] or the postscript in one’s own handwriting (îýìâïëïí) which guaranteed an ancient letter.‡ [Note: Deissmann, Licht vom Osten, 105 (Eng. tr., Light from the Ancient East2, 1911, p. 153).] (3) ‘The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen’ (Gal_6:18). The word ‘spirit’ is added as in keeping with the emphasis on spirit in the letter, and the word ‘brethren’ is given as a token of St. Paul’s affection in closing an Epistle in which he had to use stern rebuke. (4) ‘The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen’ (1Co_16:23-24). The second clause is peculiar here. It is explained by the fact that St. Paul had been compelled to use censures, and he wished the Corinthians to know that his love was still abounding towards them. It never failed (13:8). It was, as Chrysostom says, ‘some thing spiritual and exceedingly genuine.’ But that love is only in the sphere of Christ, so that everywhere the verb of desire (åἴç) is to be understood, as in the strict sense St. Paul could not love those who did not love the Lord (v. 22) or who destroyed God’s temples (3:17).§ [Note: G. Findlay, EGT, ‘1 Cor.’ 1900, p. 953. See also the excellent remarks of Robertson-Plummer, 1 Cor. (ICC, 1911), p. 402.] P. Bachmann. speaks of St. Paul’s final benediction here in these fitting words: ‘So ends a sound of faith, of hope and of love out of the deepest soul of the writer, and after such changing and manifold discussions he turns in his conclusion to the sentiment of his friendly and warm beginning,’|| [Note: | Der ersts Brief des Paulus an die Korinther, Leipzig, 1905, p. 480.] (5) ‘The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all’ (2Co_13:14). The genitives here are subjective. It is the love which God has to us. This is always the use of St. Paul after ἀãÜðç, ‘love’ (Rom_5:5; Rom_8:39, 2Co_5:14; 2Co_13:13 etc.). It is not communion with the Holy Spirit as an object, but a communion belonging to the Spirit, of which the Son is the founder and centre, and of which the Spirit is the means and vital force. The verse prays for a holy fellowship in the Divine life mediated by the Spirit, and it is a fitting conclusion to an Epistle agitated by strife. This triple benediction is well called by Bengel a ‘striking testimony’ to the Holy Trinity. ‘It offers,’ says J. H. Bernard, ‘a devotional parallel to the Baptismal Formula of Mat_28:19; and the order of its clauses receives its explanation in the later words of St. Paul in Eph_2:18. It is the Grace of Christ which leads us towards the Love of God, and the Love of God when realised through the Spirit’s power, promotes the love of man (1Jn_4:11), the holy fellowship fostered by the indwelling Spirit.’* [Note: EGT, ‘2 Cor.,’ 1903, p. 119.] The passage is one of the many evidences of how thoroughly part of the consciousness of the first Church were those ideas out of which grew the completely developed doctrine of the Trinity. That doctrine was thus not a deposit of Greek speculation on Jewish ground, but was the expression of the innermost life and thought of Christians from the beginning. At least it was of St. Paul, and in this respect he never had to defend his views. His view of the Son and Spirit as having their roots in the eternal life of the Godhead was taken as a matter of course by both Jewish and Gentile Christians. He never had to support the words of 2Co_13:14 against the charge of blasphemy. Their relegation of Christ and the Spirit to a substantial equality with God apparently offended no Christian sentiment.

J. Weiss recognizes this fact, and acknowledges that a growth in the estimate of Christ by the early Christians is hardly to be traced. It started at the full. He says: ‘There is hardly a trace of gradual development; almost at once the scheme of the Christology was complete; already in the New Testament the principal conceptions of the later dogma are essentially present, though to some extent only in germ; and there one detects already all the difficulties, which the later church had to face.… This regarding of God and Christ side by side, which exactly corresponds to the enthronement of the two together, is characteristic of primitive Christian piety.… The historian is bound to say that Christianity from its earliest beginnings, side by side with faith in God as Father, has also proved the veneration of Christ to be to it a perfectly natural form of religion.… The early Christians … believed that they were acting complete accordance with Christ’s mind, when they adored him and sang hymns to him quasi Deo.’† [Note: Christ: The Beginnings of Dogma, Eng. tr., 1911, pp. 12, 47, 48.]

(6) ‘The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you’ (Rom_16:20). (7) ‘Grace be with you’ (Col_4:18). Notice the brevity. Von Soden speaks of the ‘Lapidarstil’ of the Epistle. (8) ‘The grace of our [some authorities, ‘the’] Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen’ [best authorities omit ‘Amen’] (Phm_1:25). (9) ‘Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in uncorruptness’ (Eph_6:23-24). St. Paul’s benedictions are usually addressed directly to the reader, but here the third person is used, as is appropriate in a circular letter. Wieseler thinks that ‘brethren’ refers to the Jewish Christians and ‘all’ to the Gentiles, but this idea is fanciful. ‘Peace’ here is not simply a salutation of well-wishing, but has the Christian connotation of that peace which comes from reconciliation with God. Both peace and love go with faith, which is always presupposed in making the Christian. The ‘love’ is not Divine love but brotherly love, which shows itself where faith is, and through which faith works (Gal_5:6). The primal cause and fountain is God the Father, the mediate and secondary is Jesus. This is always the order with St. Paul, and must be in Christianity if it is a monotheistic religion. ‘Grace’: it is the grace, besides which there is no other-the loving favour of our God.‡ [Note: See excursus on ÷Üñéò and ÷áñéôïῦí in J. A. Robinson, Ephesians, 1903, pp. 221-228.] The ‘incorruptness’ (ἀöèáñóßá) does not at all mean ‘sincerity’ as in Authorized Version , but imperishableness (cf. Rom_2:7, 1Co_15:42; 1Co_15:50 etc., 2Ti_1:10), and refers to the quality of their love. They have taken hold already of that endless and unbroken life in which love has triumphed over death and dissolution.* [Note: A. Robinson, op. cit. 137-138, gives a long discussion. See also almost any scientific commentary, like Meyer, Lange, Ellicott, Alford, etc.] The true Christian’s love is like God’s eternal, and it is directed towards, not simply God the Father (that is a matter of course), but towards Jesus, who with the Father is the object of his faith, hope and love, that is, of his worship. (10) ‘The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit’ (some Manuscripts , but not the best, ‘with you all’) (Php_4:23). The chronological order of the rest of the Epistles is not so certain. We follow that of Zahn. (11) ‘Peace be unto you all that are in Christ’ (1Pe_5:14). ‘Peace’: the simple Hebrew salutation proper in St. Peter’s autograph. (12) ‘Grace be with you’ (1Ti_6:21); The same as in Col.; some Manuscripts read ‘with thee.’ The plural in itself is not sufficient to show that the Epistle was intended for the Church as a whole. ‘The study of papyrus letters,’ says J. H. Moulton,† [Note: Expositor, 6th ser., vii. [1903] 107.] ‘will show that singular and plural alternated in the same document with apparently no distinction of meaning.’ (13) ‘The Lord be with thy spirit. Grace be with you’ (2Ti_4:22). ‘Lord’ here means Christ, as generally in the Epistles. See Thayer Grimm’s Gr.-Eng. Lexicon of the NT, tr. Thayer with references. Close personal association between Jesus and Timothy is prayed for. (14) ‘Grace be with you all’ (Tit_3:15). (15) ‘Grace be with you all. Amen’ (Heb_13:25). (16) ‘Peace unto thee’ (3Jn_1:14). This is a Jewish greeting; cf. Joh_6:23; Joh_19:20. (17) ‘The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with the saints’ (Rev_22:21). On the true reading see textual note in Expositor’s Greek Testament and the references there given. Moffatt thinks this sentence was used at the close of the reading in worship, and from that custom slid into the text here. ‘Apocalypses were sometimes east in epistolary form, used in worship, and circulated by means of public reading.’‡ [Note: See Moffatt, EGT,’ Revelation,’ 1910, p. 493 f.] It will be seen from the above that in apostolic times there was no stereotyped form of benediction, just as there was not either then or later any stereotyped form of public worship.

We extend the list to a few benedictions in extra-canonical Epistles in or near apostolic times. (18) ‘The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you and with all men in all places who have been called by God and through Him, through whom he glory,’ etc. (Clement of Rome, Ep. to Corinthians, 65 [a.d. 97]). (19) ‘The Lord of glory and of every grace be with your spirit’ (Ep. of Barnabas, 21 [a.d. 75-130, date uncertain]). Ignatius gives nothing like the apostolical benedictions, but the simple: ‘Fare ye well in God the Father and in Jesus Christ our common hope’ (ad Eph. 21), ‘Fare ye well in godly concord’ (Mag. 15), ‘Fare ye well unto the end in the patient waiting for Jesus Christ’ (Romans 10), ‘Fare ye well in Christ Jesus our common hope’ (Phil. 11), ‘Fare ye well in the grace of God’ (Smyr. 13), and ‘Fare ye well in the Lord’ (ad Pol. 8).

The Aaronitic benediction (Num_6:22-26), though always used in the synagogue, does not appear in our ancient sources or in any Church liturgy (except in the Spanish) until Luther introduced it in his Mass (1526). It was also used in the German Protestant Masses. For the use of benedictions in later Church history, see the articles in Realencyklopädie für protestantische Theologie und Kirche 3 ii. 588ff.; Dict. of Christian Antiquities i. 193ff.

Literature.-See the brief but excellent article in F. Vigouroux, Dict. de la Bible, Paris, 1891-99, i. 1581-83; W. J. Yeomans in Princeton Rev. xxxiii. [1861] 286-321; J. H. Bernard in Expositor, 6th ser., viii. [1903] 372ff.; and the works mentioned above.

J. Alfred Faulkner.