There are several examples of benedictions in the Bible. A benediction comes from the word, “blessing.” A benediction is an expression of good wishes, and sometimes a type of prayer, asking for the blessing of God, even with eyes open and addressing the person on which you want God to place His blessing. Sometimes, a benediction is couched in instruction. A benediction can also be part of a greeting. For some people, their good-bye may include the words, “God bless you.” This is a benediction as they wish for God’s blessing on you as they depart your company.
Pastors sometimes use parts or all of these benedictions from the Bible to communicate God’s love to the people of God, usually at the conclusion of a church service. But you don’t have to be a pastor to incorporate these Biblical benedictions in your own life.
Use them as part of your personal good-bye to loved ones, add a verse as the signature of your e-mail, use a benediction verse as a post on social media, or if you write a snail-mail letters, include one in the close of your handwritten letter. Another use of these Biblical benedictions is related to a funeral, included as part of your last, earthly good-bye, or even as a verse on a gravestone.
Reading these Biblical benedictions from the word of God, and understanding the context in which they were used, will fill you with great joy, and perhaps encourage you to add a good word, a benediction, to your daily vocabulary.
Benedictions in the Bible — The Aaronic Blessing
Perhaps the most commonly used and recited benediction in the Bible is what Bible scholars call the “Aaronic blessing.” This blessing of God was given to Moses to pass on to his brother, Aaron, the first high priest. Aaron was to use this particular benediction as a blessing to the people of Israel. The Aaronic blessing is spread out over three verses:
Numbers 6:24-26
“The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” (KJV)
Today, this benediction is often quoted at the end of a public worship service and may be part of the official ending and dismissal of the assembly. Many times, my mother would say the first part of this benediction to me as she would come to the door of her house to see me leave.
Benedictions in the Bible – Apostolic Benedictions
Other benedictions are found in the New Testament written by the apostles. The Apostle Paul liked to use benedictions near the end of his epistles as a way of summing up what he had written, reminding his readers of God’s love for them, while at the same time, asking for God’s blessing on them.
Romans 16:25-27
“Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.” (KJV)
This praise and prayer at the end of his epistle to the believers at Rome is a fit closing to the truths Paul shared in his epistle.
At the end of the Paul’s second epistle to the Corinthians, he used instructions with his benediction.
2 Corinthians 13:11
“Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.” (KJV)
He ended thisletter with the blessing of God on those believers using these words:
2 Corinthians 13:14
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.” (KJV)
Paul began his ending of the first epistle to the Thessalonians with this benediction prayer:
1 Thessalonians 5:23
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (KJV)
Paul used a similar style of closing the Book of Hebrews (most Bible scholars agree that Hebrews was also written by the Apostle Paul) — that of an encouraging and uplifting, closing benediction.
Hebrews 13:20-21
“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
The Apostle Jude, referred to inthe Gospels as Thaddaeus, also utilized this style of praise and prayer at the end of his epistle when he wrote:
Jude 1:24-25
“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” (KJV)
Benedictions in the Bible — Benediction Prayers
Sometimes, what we call benedictions and are commonly associated with farewells, are used in prayers. The benediction is a type of prayer, so it should come as no surprise that such phrases are used as a part of a prayer, especially when praying for others. Here are some examples of benediction prayers in the Bible.
One of the Ephesians prayers written by the Apostle Paul, is actually a long benediction, as Paul was asking God to help the believers to understand God’s spiritual blessings, even as he was praising God.
Ephesians 3:14-21
“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” (KJV)
Benedictions in the Bible — Instructions
Many times benedictions include admonitions. Even today many times when parents say “good-bye” to their children, they also include the words, “Be good” as well. Biblical benedictions are similar. Here is an example from the Apostle Paul.
1 Corinthians 15:58
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (KJV)
Another benediction coupled with instruction again from the Apostle Paul when he used it in closing his epistle to the saints at Colosse.
Colossians 3:15-16
“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (KJV)
Benedictions in the Bible — Greetings
A benediction can also be used as a greeting. Here is one where the Apostle Paul greets Timothy with a benediction:
1 Timothy 1:2
“Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.” (KJV)
He used a similar greeting/benediction when he wrote to Titus.
Titus 1:4
“To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.” (KJV)
The Paul realized that the believers in Thessalonica needed some comfort, referred to “eternal comfort” in the body of his epistle while he shared a benediction with them here:
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
“Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.” (KJV)
The Apostle Peter used a benediction in the form of a greeting as he opened his second epistle.
2 Peter 1:2
“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.” (KJV)
The Apostle John also used a benediction in the form of a greeting in his second epistle:
2 John 1:3
“Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.” (KJV)
And John also started his third epistle, written especially to Gaius, with a benediction:
3 John 1:1-2
“The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” (KJV)
Benedictions in the Bible — The phrase “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with…”
Of all of the benedictions in the Bible, this short, but powerful phrase is this prayer asking for divine blessing, used in apostolic benedictions, eight times as a benediction by the Apostle Paul and once by the Apostle John. As a benediction, this is a concluding phrase. In all of the instances that these words of divine blessing are used as a benediction, only once it does not end with the word “Amen.” Here are the instances in which they occur in the Bible:
Romans 16:20
“And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.” (KJV)
Romans 16:24
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” (KJV)
1 Corinthians 16:23
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (KJV)
Galatians 6:18
“Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.” (KJV)
Philippians 4:23
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” (KJV)
1 Thessalonians 5:28
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.” (KJV)
2 Thessalonians 3:18
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” (KJV)
Philemon 1:25
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.” (KJV)
Revelation 22:21
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” (KJV)
The focus of this benediction is on God’s grace — unmerited favor. An example of grace is giving a child a lollipop, “just because.” As adults, mere, colorful candy does not thrill us like it does a small child. But there are so many other things that do thrill us, even things that are unknown to us at this present time. When we ask for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ for another Christian, we are asking for God’s ultimate blessings on them from the God who owns everything.
The grace of God involves “treats” from the God who owns all things, knows us better than we do ourselves, knows what is best for us, and also knows what would thrill our heart. To voice the benediction asking for “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ” is asking God to bless the recipient in a huge, and even unique way, second only to eternal life. This is a very unselfish, full-of-faith benediction that we can ask God for others, and also for ourselves.
Benedictions in the Bible — When NOT to Use Them
It would seem that, as a Christian, we should include these and similar passages of Scripture in our conversations. But in the Bible, it tells of one particular instance when God does not want us to invoke either His name or His blessing on another person as a benediction, and what it means if we disobey.
2 John 1:10&11
“If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” (KJV)
This verse means that if someone comes to your home and tries to teach you untrue teachings about the Bible (i.e., Jesus is not divine, or he was just a “good man,” but not God in the flesh; there are other ways to God beside Christ; denying the virgin birth; there is no such thing as hell, etc.), don’t let them come into your house and don’t wish them well when they leave. God tells us that, in so doing, it includes us in their evil works of spreading false doctrine. Talking with these types of people is not a time to include a biblical benediction to wish God’s blessing on them.
Benedictions in the Bible — The Mizpah
Photo curtsey of Daily Bargain Store, used by permission.
An article about benedictions in the Bible would not be complete without mentioning the Mizpah. This portion of Scripture, which was made popular as two parts of a coin between lovers, has its origin not love, but rather, intense dislike, if not hatred. Despite the negative sentiment, this verse is also a benediction.
Genesis 31:49
“And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.” (KJV)
At first glance, this seems to be a wonderful parting blessing, a bittersweet good-bye between two people who care about each other and don’t want to be separated but are asking for God’s blessings on each other. In reality, the context of the Mizpah is dark. These words were spoken by Laban to his son-in-law, Jacob, as a stern warning.
There was no love lost between the two men, despite the fact Jacob had married Laban’s two daughters. These words were actually a threat. Laban never wanted to see Jacob again. With this benediction, Laban implores that God would be a barrier of separation between the two of them. God answered his prayer. After Laban and Jacob parted, they never saw each other again.
May these benedictions in the Bible encourage you to incorporate them into your own life today.
For more Bible study topics check out The Five Crowns in the Bible.
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