Vol. 13, No. 4 ORDAINED SERVANT

Vol. 13, No. 4

ORDAINED SERVANT

Published by

The Committee on Christian Education

of

THE ORTHODOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

October 2004

The Seventy-First General Assembly of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church

74 Ordained Servant — Vol. 13, No. 4

ORDAINED SERVANT

Statement of Purpose

Ordained Servant exists to provide solid materials for the equipping of office-bearers to serve more faithfully. The goal ofthis journal is to assist the ordained servants of the church to become more fruitful in their particular ministry so that theyin turn will be more capable to prepare God's people for works of service. To attain this goal Ordained Servant will in-clude articles (both old and new) of a theoretical and practical nature with the emphasis tending toward practical articleswrestling with perennial and thorny problems encountered by office-bearers.

Editorial Policy

1. Ordained Servant publishes articles inculcating biblical presbyterianism in accord with the constitution of the OrthodoxPresbyterian Church and helpful articles from collateral Reformed traditions; however, views expressed by the writers donot necessarily represent the position of Ordained Servant or of the Church.

2. Ordained Servant occasionally publishes articles on issues on which differing positions are taken by officers in goodstanding in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Ordained Servant does not intend to take a partisan stand, but welcomesarticles from various viewpoints in harmony with the constitution of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

All material in this periodical is subject to U.S. and International copyright laws and may not be repro-duced without prior written approval. Interested parties are invited to obtain permission to reproduce ma-terial found in this publication by writing to the editor.

Copyright by the Committee on Christian Education of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. All rights reserved.

Published for the Committee on Christian Education of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church under direction of the Subcommittee on Resources for Church Officers

Contents: Vol. 13, No. 4

Editorial Notes....................................................................................................................................................................75

Pastoring the Dying and the Mourning, by Joel R. Beeke..................................................................................................76

The Lord’s Supper and the Structure of 1 Corinthians 11:17ff., by Stewart E. Lauer........................................................88

Eighteen Reasons for Elders to do Home Visitation, Author Unknown..............................................................................92

Book Reviews, by the Editor................................................................................................................................................93

Please send all materials intended for possible publication in Ordained Servant to the Editor, G. I. William-son, 406 Normal College Ave., Sheldon, IA 51201. (Or you can send a text file, by Email to: [email protected]).

Ordained Servant (ISSN: 1525-3503) is published quarterly by the Committee on Christian Edu-cation of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Copies to ordained officers of the Orthodox Pres-byterian Church are paid for by the Committee. It is also available to others in the U.S. who re-mit $12 per year; foreign subscribers remit $17. Periodicals postage is paid at Carson, ND.Postmaster: Send address changes to Ordained Servant, 5645 73rd St SW, Carson, ND 58529.

75Ordained Servant — Vol. 13, No. 4

EDITORIAL NOTES

There are some things thatwe can only learn—as

the saying goes—“in theschool of experience.” I foundthis to be true in my own min-istry when it came to pastor-ing the dying and the mourn-ing. Yet it does seem to methat more could—andshould—be done to help menprepare for this awesome pas-toral responsibility. It is forthis reason that I am mostgrateful to Pastor Joel Beekefor what he has written on thissubject, and for his permissionto publish it for the first timein Ordained Servant. As I’veread through this fine essayI’ve found many echoes oflessons that I had to learn thehard way, in his wise counsel.We have previously cut mate-rial like this into short sectionsin Ordained Servant, but as Iread through this material Ibecame convinced that itwould be most valuable if it iskept in one article for conven-ient reference. It is my hopethat many pastors—especiallythose who are just beginningtheir ministerial labors—willread, and reread, this fine es-say, and that it will prove ahelpful resource when they arecalled on to minister to the dy-ing and mourning. (Readerswill also note that I have re-viewed a new book by Dr.Beeke in the Book Reviewsection).

I t is my hope that the articleby Stewart E. Lauer will

generate discussion and fur-ther input. Another article onthe subject taking a somewhatdifferent view, has alreadybeen submmitted and I hope toput it in a forthcoming issue.

When I was a young pas-tor I first discovered

the work of W.G.T. Shedd in asecondhand book store, and indoing so became firmly con-vinced that his view of the na-ture and propagation of thehuman species was far moreconvincing than that ofCharles Hodge. It is thereforea pleasure to see his work re-published by Presbyterian andReformed Publishing Compa-ny, and in an edition that pro-vides far more informationthan anything previouslyavailable. My thanks to PastorMark Herzer for his review ofthis important new edition.

I again remind treaders ofOrdained Sevant that a CD

containing the entire archiveof the first 12 years of thispublication has been madeavailable for $5 (postagepaid). If you want one ofthese, you need to send $5 tothe editor to cover the cost ofthe CD, the label, the sturdymailer and the postage. Besure to include your full returnaddress.

F inally please consider thefollowing quote from the

Church Order Commentary,by Idzerd Van Dellen andMartin Monsma, published byZondervan Publishing Compa-ny, Grand Rapids, MI, 1941(which is now out of print).“What should be our attitudetoward cremation? The Bibledoes not forbid the burning ofdead bodies, but honorableburial was the rule in bothOld Testament and New Testa-ment times. The patriarchswere buried. God himself bur-ied Moses. Lazarus rested in agrave. Our Lord himself un-derwent burial, not burning.In the ancient apostolicChurch burial was the com-mon custom. On the otherhand many pagan peoplesburned the bodies of theirdead. And the only instancesin which burning was pre-scribed by God for Israel is inthe case of great sinners, as aspecial condemnation of suchsinners on God’s part (Cf.Lev. 20:14; 21:9; Josh. 7:15).Many people today favor cre-mation from materialistic un-believing considerations.Death to these ends all. Chris-tian burial, on the other hand,is expressive of the hope andexpectation of the resurrec-tion. The body is sown in cor-ruption, as a seed is sown, butit will be raised incorruptible(1 Cor. 15).”

PASTORING THE DYING AND THE MOURNING

by

Joel R. Beeke

Every morning, in recentweeks, my wife and I walked pastan injured Canada goose, whosefeathers stuck out in several direc-tions. Several geese stayed withthe injured bird in dutiful care fortheir wounded friend.

Likewise, caring for the dyingand the mourning is the pastor’sloving duty. Paul teaches us thatwhen one member of Christ’sbody suffers, “all the memberssuffer with it” (1 Cor. 12:26). Car-ing for those who suffer pro-motes the unity of the body ofChrist and fosters the commun-ion of saints. Furthermore, dyingand mourning saints have a claimon our compassion for Christ’ssake (Matthew 25:40; see alsoJohn 11:33-36).

Death is so final, so irreversi-ble, that the dying and the mourn-ing need pastoral care perhapsmore at this time than at any oth-er in life. The initial shock of aterminal illness or death cries outfor pastoral help in workingthrough grief biblically, makingdifficult decisions, planning funer-al services, repairing brokenness,and addressing guilt. People needhope, support, and love to getthrough these crises.

Pastoring the dying and themourning is challenging, sobering,and rewarding. It is challengingbecause we need great wisdom toknow how to respond to people’sneeds scripturally, truthfully, andcompassionately. It is sobering be-cause we stand by our parishion-ers as they cross the threshold oftime into eternity. And it is re-warding because the dying and themourning are open at this timeabout their deepest feelings andhungry to receive guidance fromScripture.1

Visiting the Dying

Here are some suggestions forvisiting the dying:

Make frequent, short visits.People who are dying cannot bevisited too often. Their need forscriptural guidance and earnestprayer is great. When you can’t bepresent for a day, call by phone

and talk with them for a few min-utes.

A twenty-minute visit in per-son is usually sufficient. Some-times five minutes is all that sickpeople can handle. In extremecases, their pain may be so in-tense that all you should do isread a few verses and pray. Atother times, these folks may bemore comfortable and indicatethey’d like you to stay longer.Honor that request, but don’tstay longer than thirty minutes.It’s better to have a short, mean-ingful visit than a lengthy visitthat loses focus.

If family members are present,you may want to visit separatelywith some of them after you'vevisited the patient. The length ofsuch a visit depends on what theywant as well as upon your owntime constraints. If family mem-bers are very distraught, you maywant to stay with them longer,even if it means postponing orcanceling your next visit.

Two general guidelines: First,seize the opportunity to reach themourning when their consciencesare tender. Second, when conver-sation begins to drift away from

Ordained Servant — Vol. 13, No. 476

1 Much has been written about pastor-ing the mourning, most of which is nei-ther biblical or Reformed, nor grapplesseriously with spiritual casuistry (i.e.,cases of conscience), which can be sointense on deathbeds. The footnotesbelow represent some of the soundestsources, but a solid Reformed book hasyet to be written on pastoring the dyingand mourning.



matters of real importance, bringthe visit to a close. Read anotherScripture passage, pray, and moveon.

Begin by listening. As you en-ter the home or hospital room,shake hands with relatives, ad-dressing them by name. Be warmand calm. Move as soon as possi-ble to the bedside of the patient.Sit as close as possible, reachingfor his or her hand, if the personis comfortable with that. Look thepatient in the face, and ask, “Doyou have much pain?” If pain isintense and death is imminent,ask, “Are you having a difficulttime?” Allow the person enoughtime to talk about physical pain,emotional stress, fears, and spiri-tual concerns. Welcome expres-sions of the person’s hopes foreternity with a question such as:“Dear friend, as you face the pros-pect of death, is your hope foreternity grounded only in JesusChrist?” In more serious cases,you might ask more directly,“Dear friend, is it well with yoursoul—are you ready to meet theLord if He were to take you fromthis world now?”

Listen carefully so that the pa-tient may speak from the heartand that you may, as a spiritualphysician, correctly diagnose hisor her spiritual condition. If youfail to make a correct diagnosis,you may give the wrong medica-tion from Holy Scripture. It ispossible that one Scripture pas-sage may be spiritually therapeuticfor one dying person but poisonfor another. If the dying friend

fails to respond despite all yourloving efforts, you, like a goodphysician, should apply pressureto various places. Discreetly probefor tender spots through persis-tent but loving questions.

Despite your best efforts, thepatient may not respond at thistime. Take heart; he or she mightfeel freer to open up another day.Remember that people movethrough various phases of copingwith their illness—from tense un-certainty and a sense of power-lessness, to denial, hopelessness,and, finally, acceptance.2 In addi-tion, in the face of death a per-son’s personality can change somuch that even close family mem-bers find it difficult to relate tohim or her.

Don’t take such alterationspersonally, but recognize that theinteractions between a person’semotions and physical disease cangenerate rapid shifts in moods.

Look for the right balance be-tween loving concern and respectfor another person’s space. Pa-tiently attend to the person, offer-ing hands of mercy and prayer.3

Read and apply Scripture. Se-lect an appropriate passage, basedon your diagnosis of the patient’sspiritual condition. Let it be shortand relevant. Then offer one ortwo thoughts from the text thatyou believe address the greatestspiritual needs of the patient.Keep your words brief and scrip-tural. People who talk too muchare often more of a burden than ahelp to the dying. And guidancewithout Scripture is actually mis-guidance.

If the patient has doubts abouthis or her salvation, direct atten-tion to the living God to whom“belong the issues of death” (Ps.68:20), and who is able and willingto save even the greatest of sin-ners who take refuge in Him.Present the basics of the gospel,then talk about the need for faithand repentance. Gently but lov-ingly question the person aboutwhether he or she has come to re-pentence and faith in Jesus Christ.

At this point, don’t allow rela-tives who may think well of theeternal state of the patient to deteryou from examining the person tofind out whether he or she hastruly experienced repentance, faithin Christ, and holiness. If thosemarks of grace do not appear to

2 D. Los, Thou Holdest My Right Hand(Neerlandia, Alberta: Inheritance Publi-cations, 1993), 65-71. The mourner canalso go through various stages. Jay Ad-ams speaks of three stages: shock, dis-organization, and reorganization (Shep-herding God’s Flock, Volume 1: ThePastoral Life [Nutley, N.J.: Presbyterianand Reformed, 1974], 143-56); JamesChristensen writes, “The grief syn-drome inevitably takes people emotion-ally through the journey of disbelief, re-bellion, numbness, anger, loneliness,hostility, and guilt, finally moving to ac-ceptance and assimilation. For some,the healing is more rapid than for oth-ers. Not always are the feelings in thesame sequence” (Leadership Hand-books of Practical Theology, VolumeOne: Word & Worship, ed. James D.Berkley [Grand Rapids: Baker, 19921,464).

3 Cf. J.J. Arnold, “Visiting the Sick,”Diakonia 7,3 (1994):83-86.



be present, do not tell the patientthat he or she is unsaved, for wemay not act as judge at another’sdeathbed. Yet we may, and I be-lieve must, earnestly direct such aperson to examine himself or her-self for those marks of grace.

For that we must use Scripture.Over several visits, speak to thepatient about the Beatitudes andthe fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). All the while, stress Christ’sblood, merits, and person. Showhow Jesus saves sinners throughhis life, sufferings, death, and res-urrection. Most useful for this arePsalm 51, Isaiah 53, John 3, Ro-mans 5, 1 Corinthians 15,2 Corin-thians 5:21, 1 John 1:9, and Reve-lation 22:17. Talk about God’swillingness in Christ to save thegreatest of sinners. Cite biblicalexamples, such as Adam, Manas-seh, and Paul.

Describe Christ’s lovelinessand kindness. Declare His com-passion for the dying, even for thegreatest of sinners, such as thethief on the cross. Then invite thepatient to repentance and faith inChrist. Good chapters to use in-clude Psalm 130, John 3, Hebrews4 and 12, and James 2.

A word of caution: There is aworld of difference between evan-gelizing and deceiving. We mustnot give false hope to a personwho has not truly come to repen-tance, or who does not truly be-lieve. The Lord condemns thosewho comfort the unbelieving andunrepentant people of this worldwith “peace, peace, when there is

no peace” (Jer. 8:11). God will re-quire their blood at our hands.Rather, we must lovingly tell a dy-ing, unbelieving patient that Godis ready to pardon and forgive,but persistent unbelief will keep aperson even someone who is dy-ing—from Christ and salvation.Happily, we may add that eventhis sin will be washed awaythrough Jesus’ blood if it isbrought to Him in confession andrepentance.

While you are evangelizing,keep praying for the patient, butleave the outcome in God’shands. Do not fall into the trap oftelling the person whether or notyou think he or she is saved. Evenif the person directly asks you thatquestion, suggest that it be takenup directly with the Lord, and saythat this is a question that every-one must answer himself. Also,after the person has died, be cau-tious about mentioning a death-bed conversion in a funeral mes-sage, especially if the person’s lifewas not a testimony of savinggrace. It is far wiser, in such cases,to silently entrust the matter toGod.

If the patient is a believer,comfort him or her with Christ-centered themes, for Christ is theconsolation of Israel (Luke 2:25).Remind the person who Christ is,what He has done on Calvary, andwhat He is doing now at the righthand of the Father. Use Philip-pians 2:5-11 to show the riches ofhis states and natures. Speak ofChrist’s strength to comfort thedying as prophet, priest, and king.

Show how precious and faithfulhe is. Tell how much pain He suf-fered for us and how death deliv-ers us from earthly agony so wecan be with Christ (John 14:3).Remind them of the teaching ofthe Heidelberg Catechism that forthe believer, death is “only anabolishing of sin, and a passageinto eternal life” (Q. 42).

Then focus on the joy of heav-en—the blessedness of beingwith the Triune God, the holy an-gels, and the redeemed. Describethe joy of knowing that eventhough the standing of believersis perfect with God now, theircondition will finally match thatstanding in glory. They will livethen the way they have wanted tolive since they were regenerated—worshiping and glorifying Godwithout sin.

Comfort the dying believerwith familiar words from thePsalter, too, that stress comfort-ing truths such as God’s covenantfaithfulness or his gracious, car-ing hand of mercy such as “Jeho-vah’s truth will stand forever; Hiscovenant-bonds He will not sev-er” (425:5), or “In doubt andtemptation I rest, Lord, in Thee/My hand is in Thy hand, Thoucarest for me! My soul with Thycounsel through life Thou wiltguide/ And afterward make me inglory abide” (202:1). Such wordsfrom songs well known fromchildhood, often do more for thedying believer than all our othertalking, reading, and praying.

For further advice on dealing



with dying people, consult “TheConsolation of the Sick,” in theliturgy of the Psalter, for a richdisplay of appropriate texts andthemes for ministry to the sick.4

That, as well as Andrew Bonar’sThe Visitor’s Book of Texts offerpassages of Scripture to help youcounsel and comfort the dying.5

Do not be surprised if thosepassages fail to ease a person’s de-pression, discouragement, or fearof dying, however. Don’t forgetthat Paul calls death the last ene-my and the king of terrors. More-over, physical deterioration andspiritual darkness usually walkhand-in-hand. It is a supernaturalevent of divine grace to meet a be-liever on the mountaintop of faithas he or she walks through the val-ley of the shadow of death.Though it is true that the best wayto die well is to have lived well,many saints still struggle greatlywith death.

Pray for wisdom to discern be-tween spiritual fatigue due tophysical pain and spiritual back-sliding due to forsaking God. Wemust show compassion to one andconfront the other. We must alsotake care not to make seniors feelguilty about the normal pattern ofaging and dying, which may nega-tively impact their spiritual zeal.You have not come to add to suf-fering but to relieve that of a dy-ing believer who is struggling to

see “no man, save Jesus only”(Matt. 17:8).6 Sometimes a dyingbeliever needs to be directed moreto Scripture’s promises than topersonal experiences, and to pas-sages from the Psalter such as“He hears the needy when theycry! He saves their souls whendeath draws nigh! This God is oursalvation” (420:5).

Pray. If a patient has signifi-cant pain or is in danger of drift-ing off to sleep, pray at the begin-ning of a visit. Prayer is the mostimportant part of the visit. If thepain continues, or if other rela-tives join you, pray again. It’s notuncommon for me to pray two orthree times in one visit at the bed-side of a dying person. After youleave the patient, you may want topray with the relatives in anotherroom.

If the patient is a believer,should a church leader pray fordeliverance from death? I believethat early in the illness that re-quest is appropriate in prayer, butthe focus should be on the graceof divine healing, if it be God’swill. When the person is very neardeath, all quality of life is gone,and he or she is longing for death,however, prayer for deliverancethrough death may be utteredwithout reservation.

Be loving and compassionate.Don’t be afraid to take the dyingpatient’s hand, unless the patient

feels uncomfortable with that. Isometimes hold the hand of a dy-ing senior for the duration of thevisit. Don’t resist if a mourningrelative wants to hug you, either.And don’t be afraid to allowshort spaces of silence as yougrieve together. Stay calm, butdon’t be afraid to shed tears withthe loved ones, particularly if youare deeply moved by the sufferingand death of the patient. Be warmand sincere in your words, youreyes, your hands, and your entiredemeanor.

Avoid bad etiquette. Don’tspeak about the patient’s physicalcondition to others in his or herpresence, even if the person ap-pears to be sleeping or uncon-scious. One never knows whatthe dying can hear. If someoneinitiates such conversation, guidethem to a different topic, or indi-cate that you would like to moveto another room.

Never sit on the patient’s bed,or stand above them when youcould be sitting alongside in achair. Sitting on the bed is a kindof trespassing, and may cause thepatient added physical pain andsuffering; standing implies domi-nance or haste. Be as close to thepatient as possible. Be tactful, re-spectful, sober, yet natural. Don’ttry to be humorous. And putaway all self-centered comments.The patient—not you—is themost important person in theroom.

Don’t inspire false hope oflife, blunt the edge of providen-

4 The Psalter (Grand Rapids: Reforma-tion Heritage Books, 1995), 159-68.

5 London: James Nisbet, 1864.

6 Arie Elshout, A Helping Hand(Grand Rapids: Reformation HeritageBooks, 1997), 78-80.



tial warnings, or provide medicaladvice for which you are nottrained. On the other hand, don’texpress your every fear. Neitherpromise life nor predict death.There is one who is Lord both ofdeath and life, who often removeswhen removal is least expectedand restores when restoration isdespaired of. We must not in-fringe upon his prerogative.

Don’t delay or avoid visiting. Ifyou delay, you may be too late. Ifyou avoid visiting, you comeacross as uncaring. A word is inorder here to ruling elders: Someof you avoid visiting the dying onthe fallacious grounds that you'renot a teaching elder, that you'renot qualified for the task, or be-cause some may not value yourvisit as much as a minister’s visit.But James 5:14a says, “Is any sickamong you? let him call for theelders of the church; and let thempray over him.” Your ministerneeds your assistance, your back-up support, in visiting the dying.How can church members sympa-thize with you in the challenges ofthe eldership if you do not sympa-thize with them in their times ofcrisis? If you are not gifted to con-verse with the dying, you can atleast read applicable words fromScripture, pray, and point them,simply and humbly, to the heaven-ly physician who can meet theirevery need. Deny yourself, andfeed the afflicted church of God.

Ask others privately about thecondition of the dying. If no fami-ly members are present, leave acard behind with your phone

number and perhaps a little noteto the relatives with a text or twofrom Scripture, then speak with anurse or doctor. Explain that youare the patient’s pastor or elderand would like to know, if possi-ble, the patient’s conditon. Somemedical people will tell you a lot,while others may not say much atall. Be grateful for what they tellyou, and thank them for the infor-mation. As a spiritual counselor,your work complements that ofmedical people who minister tothe body. At times, you may beasked for input on whether or notto tell a patient about the gravityof his condition,7 or how to sortthrough the difficult issues ofwhen to do everything possible tokeep a person alive and when tolet go. When you return home,call the closest relative for a morethorough update, and pray togeth-er.

Receiving the Phone Call

Ask the closest relative to callyou immediately if the patientsuddenly “takes a turn for theworse.” When that call comes, dayor night, get to the bedside assoon as possible. Tell the callerwhen you’ll be there. After you ar-rive, follow the guidelines givenabove. If death appears imminent,stay longer, perhaps an hour ormore. Pray frequently—every 15to 30 minutes—with all who arepresent.

If the patient does not passaway in your presence, let the rela-

tives know you’d like to be calledif matters get worse or the patientdies. Assure them that you willcall in a few hours to see howthings are going. Shake handswith each relative and friend priorto leaving, wishing them God’sstrength and blessing.

If the loved one dies in yourpresence, give the mourners timeto weep together. Never glossover grief. Don’t give easy an-swers and pious clichés (“Noneed to weep because he is withJesus now”) that can be abused tosuppress important feelings. Letdeath be death. Express yoursympathy, then call them to theWord of God as the greatestsource of strength in need. Offera few thoughts from the passage,stressing the comfort and joy ofGod’s sanctifying grace. Pray withcompassion.

Before you leave, ask about fu-neral preparations. Would thefamily like your help? In mostcases, that will prompt them tocall the funeral home. You shouldleave shortly after that so the im-mediate family can have timealone together around the bodyof the loved one before the fu-neral director arrives.

When you leave, ask the clos-est relative to call you after funer-al arrangements are made. I usual-ly tell them I’d like to meet withthe entire family about forty min-utes before the first visiting hoursso we can read Scripture and praytogether. That helps set the tonefor the visiting hours and funeral.7 Adams, 130-34.



Often the funeral director,rather than the family, will call youabout the hours of visitation andthe funeral. Write down this infor-mation so you can accurately passit on to your consistory and con-gregation. Tell the funeral directoryou’d like to meet with the familyprior to visiting hours. That wayhe'll have chairs set up for thatpurpose.

Typically, you will not bepresent when a patient dies, andthe family will not call you untilafter the body has been taken tothe funeral home. In that case,pray with the person who calls,and ask him or her to contact therelatives to arrange for a pastoralvisit in the funeral home immedi-ately prior to visiting hours. If thecaller is not the husband or wifeof the deceased, call and pray withhim or her as soon as possible. Insome cases you may need to makean immediate visit. Most often,however, the widow or widowerhas so much to do that he or sheprefers to meet you the followingday prior to visiting hours.

Visiting With the Family. Beforevisiting with the family at the fu-neral home, get a copy of the obit-uary from the newspaper or thefuneral director. Familiarize your-self with the names of the rela-tives. Then come to the funeralhome early, bringing your wife ifpossible. This visit is important,not only for expressing sympathyand for clarifying funeral arrange-ments, but also for establishingrapport with the mourning family.The contact will enable you to

sense more fully the grief of thefamily and to have a better under-standing of their needs. Such avisit may often prompt a pastor tochoose a different text to preachon at the funeral.

Move toward the casket, shak-ing hands with family memberson the way and expressing sympa-thy to each one. Pause as youview the body. Absorb the realityof death; its heaviness, finality,and curse. Then shake hands withthe remaining relatives, expressingyour sympathy.

As soon as possible, form acircle with chairs so you can visitwith the family. Say a few wordsabout their deceased loved onebefore turning to Scripture. Reada short passage and share severalthoughts on it. Do not use notes.Aim more for comfort than exam-ination during this visit. Pray forthe family, for strength during thevisitation, and for God’s blessingupon the funeral message. Praythat God will fill the empty placeof their loss with His presenceand sustain the family with Hisamazing grace.

If some of the relatives are notfamiliar with your way of conduct-ing a funeral, briefly indicate thatyour emphasis, according to Re-formed tradition, will be to speakto the living rather than about thedead. Ask if they'd like to sing aPsalm or two. Invite questionsabout the funeral. You may receiveunusual questions, such as whetheryou are going to put their relative“in heaven,” but it’s better to an-

swer such questions at this timerather than the day of the funeral.

Use the remaining time to al-low the family to reminisce abouttheir loved one. These memoriescan be touching and edifying, par-ticularly if they recall some of thespiritual experiences of the de-ceased person; how his or her lifeexhibited godliness or God’s spe-cial grace, or what Scripture pas-sages were most meaningful. Oth-er comments made during thistime can be disconcerting, such as“I have no idea how I can face thefuture; I don’t know what to do.”Or “What’s the use for me to goon living? I have nothing to livefor.” Receive such comments withrespectful silence, or with a simpleacknowledgement that facingdeath is difficult. Unrealistic state-ments such as “He was an abso-lutely perfect husband” are hardto take, of course. So are negativepronouncements, such as “Youknow, Pastor, John left the truthso he is lost forever, and I surehope you tell the people that!”Some people use grief to say uglythings like, “Jane, you sure were alousy sister to my husband; younever treated him right—I hopeyou feel guilty now that he’sgone!” They can even direct it atyou by saying, “So I suppose sinceJohn left your church, you are go-ing to put him in hell?” Don’toverreact to such comments, norfeel that you have to respond toall of them. Look to God for wis-dom. Remember Psalm 37:5-6.

In rare occasions there may bestrong disagreement about funer-



al arrangements. Follow theseguidelines:

1. Try to get family membersto work toward a compromisethat violates no one’s conscience.

2. If they can’t, follow thewishes of the deceased as ex-pressed in his or her will.

3. In the case of a minor, theparents' wishes should prevail.

4 If the deceased was married,the spouse’s opinion takes prece-dence over that of surviving par-ents.

5. Be true to the Word of Godand your own conscience. If youdon’t feel right about participat-ing in a funeral that violates yourconvictions, respectfully suggestthat someone else conduct theservice.

If you can’t get these mattersresolved in one meeting, set upanother—either a special one todiscuss weighty matters, or a fewextra minutes prior to the funeralto take care of less important is-sues. Do not intrude even oneminute into the visiting hours. Ifyou do, the family will becomerestless and people will be waitingoutside the closed doors.

Leading the Funeral Service

Properly conducted, funeralservices offer loving support tothe mourning, provide a means ofhealing, reaffirm faith in theTriune God, strengthen believersand warn unbelievers, and honor-ably dispose of the body. Sospend much time in prayer priorto a funeral, asking God for theright words to say.

Arrive at the funeral home atleast twenty minutes early. Askthe funeral director for a quietroom where you can pray with thefamily. Sometimes the familyneeds this time to ask a few finalquestions about the funeral or toshare a few more memories of thedeceased one’s spiritual life. Re-spond to special requests gra-ciously. Be short, warm, and com-passionate in your prayer with thefamily. Focus on asking the Lordto strengthen everyone in thecoming hour.

The entire service should beapproximately 40-45 minutes andconsist of the following:

Opening: 6 minutes. You mightbegin by saying, “We wish to com-mence this memorial service for[the name of the deceased] withthe reading of Holy Scripture,from [book, chapter, and verses].”Use one to three readings. Readwith expression, remembering theBible is a living book. Keep thereadings short, but select eachwith great care because each hasthe power to communicate hope,comfort, and warning specific tothe audience’s needs. They can re-veal how true believers confrontthe reality of death; its mysteryand finality. They can offer under-standing and recognition of amourner’s feelings as well as whatto do with those feelings. Andthey can relate to special circum-stances, such as the loss of a childor of a young mother.

Here or at other points in theservice, you may also wish to read

well known or relevant passagesfrom the Reformed Confessions,such as the first question and an-swer of the Heidelberg Catechismor Article 37 of the Belgic Con-fession. You may also include theApostles’ Creed, which is oftenread at the graveside of believers.

In the opening prayer, ac-knowledge the sovereign Lord asthe One who gives and takesaway life. Include petitions ofconfession and thanksgiving, butfocus especially on intercessionand submission. Mention the de-ceased by name. You may also re-fer to the deceased near the be-ginning of your prayer as “a dearhusband, son, mother, grandfa-ther, daughter,” or whatever pri-mary relationships apply. Praywarmly and personally for thesurviving widow or widower.Recognize the painfulness ofdeath; do not disguise its bitter-ness. Confess its connection withour fall in Adam. Use prayer asGod’s resource for workingthrough grief rather than avoidingit. Pray for strength for the entirefamily, that they may mourn withtrue, godly sorrow, for such“shall be comforted” (Matt. 5:4).

Pray that all distractions maybe set aside and that the solemnmessage of death may be appliedby the Holy Spirit to the living.Stress human frailty, weakness,and sinfulness. Pray that eachperson present may see the needto be born again, to be convictedthat life is empty apart from JesusChrist, and that we must fly toHim in faith and repentance.



Avoid these faults that often marprayers at a funeral: excessivelength, lack of preparation, undueloudness, excessive speed, andembarrassing impropriety.8

Personal introductory remarks: 3minutes. Admit the difficulty of fac-ing the death of a loved one. Ad-dress the widow or widower byname, and express a wish for Je-hovah’s abiding strength for himor her. If the deceased person’slife did not clearly show the fruitsof grace, do not address the ques-tion of his or her eternal destiny.If the person did show the fruitsof grace, encourage the family bysaying they do not need to sorrowas those that have no hope. Brieflymention some of the fruits, ifyou’d like, to glorify God’s grace,but do not eulogize the deceased.Salvation is only of grace; humanhonor has no place. Moreover,your message should focus on thespiritual condition of the mourn-ers rather than on that of the de-ceased.

Speak to the children andgrandchildren as well. Encouragethem to seek the God of theScriptures. Call them to repen-tance and faith if they do notknow Christ. If they do knowHim, challenge them to grow inthe grace and knowledge of theirSavior.

Text-based message: 30 minutes.An old German Reformed ordi-nance states that the funeral ad-

dress should have three goals: tobe “a public confession of theChristian hope of the resurrec-tion, a lasting testimony of love,and an earnest reminder of the ap-proaching hour of death.”9 Tothat we add that the message mustproclaim the gospel of JesusChrist. Christ acts through eventssuch as funerals. Ultimately, heholds the service, not we. He isthe divine Host, and we are theguests. Like all worship, the funer-al message must be centered inChrist. The Christian funeral is awitness to our faith in the livingChrist, and not merely a memorialservice for the person who died.

Therefore, select a short, strik-ing text that covers the gospel ba-sics and deals with life and death,resurrection, judgment, or heavenand hell from a Christ-centeredperspective. Whether a believer orunbeliever is being buried, Christmust be proclaimed as victor overdeath and the guilt and power ofsin. Many people at the funeralwill have little understanding ofwhat the gospel is. Some may nev-er have heard it clearly preached.So preach a total Christ for a totalsinner—the living Christ who re-versed the effects of death by hisresurrection. For believers whodie in Christ, death is a passage-way to victory, freedom, healing,and eternal life. Speak from theWord and from the heart. Main-tain good eye contact with the be-reaved; use few or no notes.

Speak slowly, especially if youhave many seniors in your audi-ence. Preach simply, warmly, ear-nestly, and experientially. Stressthat saving faith and a personalrelationship with Jesus Christ areessential.

Separate the precious fromthe vile. Balance warning andcomfort. Do not assume thatpeople you don’t know are savedor unsaved. Remember thatnearly every funeral audience in-cludes both believers and unbe-lievers. Offer warnings and com-forts in a spirit of love.

Press the consciences of visi-tors with words like those ofIsaiah 1:18: “Come now, and let usreason together, saith the LORD:though your sins be as scarlet, theyshall be as white as snow; though theybe red like crimson, they shall be aswool.” Like Paul, talk about right-eousness, temperance, and thejudgment to come (Acts 24:24-25). Make sure that no one inyour audience can walk away say-ing, “I didn’t hear what I need toknow to live in comfort and diein peace.”

As you close, address thefamily again. Wish them divinestrength as they go to the ceme-tery and face the future. Assurethem that with God, they canface the future with confidence,knowing that come what may,the Lord will never forsake them(Psalm 27:10; Psalm 138:7,8).

Closing prayer: 4 minutes. Applythe message by praying for vari-

8 Andrew Blackwood, The Funeral: ASource Book for Ministers (Philadelphia:Westminster Press, 1942), 112.

9 J. J. Van Oosterzee, Practical Theology,trans. Maurice J. Evans (London: Hod-der and Stoughton, 1878), 275.



ous groups of hearers. Pray forthe family, that they will have thestrength to witness the burial oftheir loved one. Contrast thebliss of eternal glory with thesorrow of eternal condemnation.

Singing (if desired): 5 minutes. Ifthe family wants to sing a psalm,sing it at the end of the service. Itwill be a fitting finish. If the com-mittal service is held at the funeralhome, sing the psalm betweenyour funeral message and the com-mittal message. Cut back on thefuneral message a bit to make timefor the committal message, whichshould be 5-10 minutes. If thefamily wants to sing two songs,sing one at the beginning of theservice and one at the end. If thefamily has selected music youdon’t consider appropriate, tactful-ly encourage them to choosesomething else. Sometimes it helpsto suggest that the music might of-fend visitors from their lovedone’s church or from otherchurches. If the family has strongfeelings about keeping the music,short of its being utterly heretical,allow it, remembering that a funer-al is also a family service.

Discourage soloists and eulo-gies, if possible. Again, if the fam-ily insists, try to limit these andmove them to the end of the ser-vice so they don’t detract fromthe funeral message. Suggest thatpersons who wish to offer a trib-ute to the deceased may be invit-ed to speak at the fellowshiphour, and arrange to have a mi-crophone provided for this pur-pose.

Remember that a certain ten-sion exists at funerals that youcannot erase. On the one hand, afuneral, like every other act ofChristian worship, is for thechurch—it is not a private matterbut a covenantal event in whichthe church is to focus upon thenever-ending grace of her TriuneGod. The entire church is invitedto attend. On the other hand,there is a sense in which the fu-neral is a family service, and there-fore the family should have a sayin the liturgy.

After the service, sit near thelectern while the funeral directordismisses the people. Do not stareat the people as they file out.When everyone but the family isgone, stand as they approach thecasket. Do not intrude on thistime of weeping and mourning.Let the director decide when tolead out the family. Usually peoplewill not speak to you at this time;they are too immersed in theirgrief. Sometimes, though, a fewwill shake your hand, speak a fewwords of appreciation (or, on rareoccasions, confrontation), orweep as they hug you. Be availableat this point to do what’s needed.Let your emotions be natural andyour words be few.

After the family leaves, viewthe body a final time. Follow theinstructions of the morticians whowill ask you to walk in front ofthe casket as it is carried to thehearse. Stand quietly to one sideas the body is placed in thehearse. Then go to your car.

Conducting the Committal Service

Encourage the family to havethe committal service at thegraveside. Those services aremore real and personal. The ce-metery is a visual sermon to themourners. Besides, as J. J. VanOosterzee said, “It is appropriateand good that the church shouldspeak the last word even at thegrave of the departed.”10 Don’tresist, however, if they decide tohave the committal service at thefuneral home or in church.

On the way to the cemetery,ask your wife if you have forgot-ten anything important at the fu-neral that might be mentioned atthe grave site. You can use thatopportunity to mention people orpoints you might have inadver-tently omitted.

At the cemetery, lead the cas-ket from the hearse to the bury-ing place. Stand on one side ofthe casket, several feet from themourning family, near the headof the deceased. Keep your mes-sage short. If the weather is good,ten minutes of speaking andprayer is sufficient. Remember,the cemetery itself is already a “si-lent sermon.” If the weather ispoor, make the talk shorter. Be-gin and end with the Word, butkeep the readings brief and to thepoint.

Remember to project yourvoice more than ordinary, so that

10 Ibid., 274



everyone can hear. Don’t usenotes. Focus on a text that speaksof the resurrection, judgment, oreternity. Let the victory of Chris-tianity sound clearly. Set forthChrist as the resurrection and thelife. Close with a prayer that reso-nates with assurance of the resur-rection and the necessity to beprepared for it. As mentionedabove, you may also include thereading of the Apostles' Creed.

If the deceased was a veteran,an American flag is often drapedover the casket. At the close ofthe service, the director will foldthe flag and hand it to a familymember. More complex militaryrites can follow the pastor’s clos-ing prayer.

If the family wants to see thecasket lowered into the ground,wait with them. Your presencewill support them.

If there is no fellowship timeafterward, shake hands with thefamily when the committal serviceis finished. Some mourners willfollow your example. If there is agathering, inform one of the chil-dren that you hope to be there.Don’t rush away from the grave-side. Follow the lead of the family.Tell the surviving spouse thatyou'll visit him or her the follow-ing week.

If the committal service is atthe funeral home or church, andno music is selected, make thetransition from the funeral mes-sage to the committal message bysimply telling the people that you

will now conduct the committalservice. Read a few verses ofScripture, speak for a few minuteson a different text than that ofyour funeral message, and closethe service with prayer. At the fu-neral of a believer, you may wishto use the classic formula for theCommittal from the Book ofCommon Prayer (1662) of theChurch of England:

Forasmuch as it hath pleased Al-mighty God of His great mercy totake unto Himself the soul of ourdear brother (or sister) here de-parted: we therefore commit his(or her) body to the ground; earthto earth, ashes to ashes, dust todust; in sure and certain hope ofthe Resurrection to eternal life,through our Lord Jesus Christ;who shall change our vile body,that it may be like unto His glori-ous body, according to the mightyworking, whereby He is able tosubdue all things to Himself.

Attending the Fellowship Hour

If possible, sit with close rela-tives of the deceased during thefellowship hour after the funeral.Center upon the needs and mem-ories of the mourners; listen andempathize. Avoid a light-heartedspirit even if it prevails aroundyou. You may be susceptible tothat temptation, especially in therelief of having finished your mes-sage. Resist it. Strive, instead, toengage in meaningful conversa-tion. A friend has just died; a seri-ous message has been delivered.People tend to be vulnerable atthis time.

Sometimes the family will askyou to close the gathering withprayer. Use that opportunity tocommend your hearers to thegrace of God. Don’t stay toolong; 30-45 minutes is sufficient.When you leave, shake handswith the surviving spouse andchildren and wish them God’scomfort and peace.

Don’t schedule pastoral workimmediately after leading a fu-neral. Funerals are emotionallydraining. When you returnhome, update your pastoralrecord.

Keeping careful records of fu-nerals will help your consistoryclerk and prepare you for thecongregational overview on NewYear’s Eve. After the funeral, askyourself questions like these:

1. Did I affirm death’s power anddeal with it realistically, both as thewages of sin for all men and asthe passage to eternal life for be-lievers?

2. Did I proclaim Jesus Christ toevery hearer and present the hopeto be found in his death and res-urrection?

3. Did I present God’s characterin a way that was helpful and com-forting to believers who weremourning?

4. Did I warn the unbeliever torepent and take refuge in JesusChrist?

5. Did I preach the way of salva-tion—how the Holy Spirit worksin sinners’ lives—as well as theChrist of salvation?

6. Did I show how the Christian



you can spend more time withDaddy and Mommy?“

“No, Daddy,” she said.“But why not?” he asked.“Do you want to know the

truth, Daddy?” she asked.“Yes, of course,” he replied.“Well, Daddy,” the girl said,

fighting back tears, “I’ve noticedthat ever since I’ve been sick,you’ve been praying more andreading the Bible more. And yousee, Daddy, not only do I want tobe with Jesus, but even if therewere no heaven and no hell, and Icould believe that my deathwould only bring you closer to Je-sus, then I would want to die.You see, Daddy, anything thatbrings you closer to Jesus—evenmy death—is worth it to me.”

Finally, remember that we toowill need to be pastored by Christand church leaders as we ap-proach the Jordan. By God’sgrace, may the day of our deathbe better than the day of ourbirth. May we experience the dy-ing grace spoken of in Psalm 73,“Thou hast holden me by myright hand. Thou shalt guide mewith thy counsel, and afterwardreceive me to glory. Whom have Iin heaven but thee? and there isnone upon earth that I desire be-side thee” (vv. 23-25). So we shalllive and die happily, enjoying thecomfort to be found only in ourfaithful Savior, Jesus Christ.

Appendix: Possible Texts for Funeral Messages

If you are asked to preach a funer-al message on a particular text, re-

faith can help a person mourn, yet notas those who have no hope?

7. Did I present death in a waythat fosters deep feelings about its final-ity? A due sense of how swiftlylife passes, and how soon we allmust die?

8. Did I reach out with compassionto the needs of the bereaved?

9. Did I proclaim blessing to therighteous and woe to the wicked?

10. Did I tailor the service to theneeds of the family?

11. Did I glorify God by beingfaithful to his Word?

Following-up with Pastoral Visitation

Visit the the mourning widowor widower one week after the fu-neral. You will often find themmost needy at this time, when thereality of death is beginning toregister. Let the mourning spousereminisce. Don’t rush the visit.Persons experiencing grief needtime to express their hurt as Jobdid. Acknowledge the sense ofloss and the burden of loneliness.Then offer the balm of Gileadthrough the Word of God.

Stress how only God can fillthe empty place in their lives.Lead the mourner to a deeper un-derstanding of the biblical view ofdeath and resurrection. Encouragethe person to build on what yousaid at the funeral.

You might offer the person abook. I like to give widows JohnA. James’s The Widow Directed to theWidow’s God; to widowers, JamesBuchanan’s Comfort for the Afflicted,or James W. Alexander’s Consola-

tion for the Suffering People of God.

Continue to visit the mournersregularly, depending on theirneed, then follow visits up withperiodic phone calls and prayersupport. Build upon the founda-tion laid during the prefuneralcalls and the funeral itself. Asmuch as possible, let your minis-try or eldership reflect James 1:27,“Pure religion and undefiled be-fore God and the Father is this, tovisit the fatherless and widows intheir affliction, and to keep him-self unspotted from the world.”

Salting All With Prayer

Ministry to the dying andmourning can be a valuable experi-ence. Our calling allows us to of-fer comfort in Christ Jesus to thebrokenhearted. Be much in prayerthroughout the entire process.Pray for the dying, the mourning,and yourself. Pray for a warm, car-ing heart that reflects the ministryof our High Priest (Heb. 4:15), re-membering that when we showmercy to sick, dying, or mourningbelievers, we are showing mercy toChrist himself (Matt. 25:31-46).

Remember too, that God oftenuses death to lead relatives closerto himself. This touching story of-ten encourages me to be faithfulin pastoral ministry, even undertrying circumstances:

A godly seven-year-old girl wason her deathbed. Her Dad, an un-believer with whom the Spirit wasstriving, stroked her hair, and said,“Honey, wouldn’t you rather stayhere on earth for awhile so that



spond either that you will try to do sowith God’s help or that you will write itdown and lay it before the Lord. If a rel-ative gives you a favorite text of a childof God whom you must bury, preachthe message on that text only if you feelit is appropriate. If not, at least find away to quote the text—and perhaps saya few words on it during the introduc-tion or conclusion, or at graveside.

“It is well.” (2 Kings 4:26b)

“So the poor hath hope.” (Job 5:16a)

“Man that is born of a woman is of few days,and full of trouble. He cometh forth like aflower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as ashadow, and continueth not. And dost thouopen thine eyes upon such an one, and bring-est me into judgment with thee? Who canbring a clean thing out of an unclean? notone.” (Job 14:1-4)

“Out of the mouth of babes and sucklingshast thou ordained strength because of thineenemies, that thou mightest still the enemyand the avenger.” (Ps. 8:2)

“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage,and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, Isay, on the LORD.” (Ps. 27:14)

“And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hopeis in Thee.” (Ps. 39:7)

“God is our refuge and strength, a verypresent help in trouble.” (Ps. 46:1)

“And call upon me in the day of trouble: Iwill deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”(Ps. 50:15)

“For a day in thy courts is better than athousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in thehouse of my God, than to dwell in the tents ofwickedness.” (Ps. 84:10)

“What man is he that liveth, and shall notsee death? Shall he deliver his soul from thehand of the grave? Selah.” (Ps. 89:48)

Almost all of Psalm 90-esp. vv. 9,12

“A time to be born, and a time to die.” (Eccles. 3:2a)

“It is better to go to the house of mourning,

than to go to the house of feasting: for that isthe end of all men; and the living will lay itto his heart.” (Eccles. 7:2)

“Man goeth to his long home, and themourners go about the streets.” (Eccles.12:5b)

“Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter:I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail withlooking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed;undertake for me.” (Isa. 38:14)

“Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cryunto her, that her warfare is accomplished,that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath re-ceived of the Lord’s hand double for all hersins.” (Isa. 40:2)

“But now thus saith the LORD that createdthee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Is-rael, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I havecalled thee by thy name; thou art mine. Whenthou passest through the waters, I will be withthee; and through the rivers, they shall notoverflow thee: when thou walkest through thefire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall theflame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORDthy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour:I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia andSeba for thee.” (Isa. 43:1-3)

“For I the LORD love judgment, I hate rob-bery for burnt offering; and I will direct theirwork in truth, and I will make an everlastingcovenant with them. And their seed shall beknown among the Gentiles, and their offspringamong the people: all that see them shall ac-knowledge them, that they are the seed whichthe LORD hath blessed.” (Isa. 61:8-9)

“Leave thy fatherless children, I will preservethem alive; and let thy widows trust in me.”(Jer. 49:11)

“Blessed are those servants, whom the lordwhen he cometh shall find watching: verily Isay unto you, that he shall gird himself, andmake them to sit down to meat, and willcome forth and serve them.” (Luke 12:37)

“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherdgiveth his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)

“Where sin abounded, grace did much moreabound.” (Rom. 5:20b)

“The last enemy that shall be destroyed isdeath.” (1 Cor. 15:26)

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is

gain.” (Phil. 1:21)“But I would not have you to be ignorant,brethren, concerning them which are asleep,that ye sorrow not, even as others which haveno hope. For if we believe that Jesus diedand rose again, even so them also which sleepin Jesus will God bring with him.” (1 Thess. 4:13-14)

“Nevertheless the foundation of God stand-eth sure, having this seal, The Lord know-eth them that are his. And, Let every onethat nameth the name of Christ depart frominiquity.” (2 Tim. 2:19)

“There remaineth therefore a rest to the peo-ple of God.” (Heb. 4:9)

“And as it is appointed unto men once todie, but after this the judgment: So Christwas once offered to bear the sins of many;and unto them that look for him shall he ap-pear the second time without sin unto salva-tion.” (Heb. 9:27-28)

Most of Revelation 7.

“And I heard a voice from heaven saying untome, Write, Blessed are the dead which die inthe Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spir-it, that they may rest from their labours; andtheir works do follow them.” (Rev. 14:13)

“And God shall wipe away all tears fromtheir eyes; and there shall be no more death,neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall therebe any more pain: for the former things arepassed away.” (Rev. 21:4)

Dr. Joel R. Beeke isProfessor of System-atic Theology andHomiletics at PuritanReformed TheologicalSeminary, Pastor ofthe Heritage Nether-lands Reformed Con-gregation in GrandRapids, MI, and Editorof the Banner ofSovereign GraceTruth.

ter section does indeed rebukethem for abuse of the holy table,but vv. 18-19 rebuke them for“divisions” within their worshipservices. This article supportsand develops Godet’s view of theindependence of vv. 18-19 fromthe Lord’s Supper problems.

Identifying the “Divisions (schis-

mata)” of vv. 18-19

If Godet is correct, the unusu-al term, “divisions (schismata)”(v. 18), is not defined or explicat-ed by vv. 20-34 (the Lord’s Sup-per problem), but either by vv.18-19 itself or perhaps by 1:10ff.,where the striking term also ap-pears.3 Similarly, Godet’s analy-sis would preclude reading theproblem of divisions into theirguilt with respect to the holy sup-per. In other words, by recogniz-ing a clear break between v. 19and v. 20, one segregates theproblem of divisions from that ofthe abuse of the Lord’s Table.

In 1 Corinthians 11:18, Paulexplicitly affirms the existence offactions “in the assembled church(en e.kklhsi,a)” in Corinth. He

THE LORD’S SUPPER

AND THE STRUCTURE OF 1 CORINTHIANS 11:17ff

by

Stewart E. Lauer

This article seeks to shed lighton a key passage for the church’sunderstanding of the New Testa-ment teaching on the doctrine ofthe Lord’s Supper, 1 Corinthians11:20-34, by reevaluating thestructure of vv. 17-34. As a firstreaction, this topic might seemesoteric, only distantly related toworship and communion in thepew. That is not the case. Howone views the structure from v.17 through the end of the chapterhas a profound effect upon whatone reckons to be Paul’s centralconcern in the Corinthian’s defil-ing of the Lord’s body and blood(v. 27). That, in turn, impactsone’s understanding of the self-examination Paul demands in v.28 and what constitutes the goalof that examination, “judging thebody rightly,” in v. 29. Thoseverses are the primary (if notonly) biblical basis for key histor-ic elements of Reformed euchar-istic liturgy, as evidenced both inthe Westminster Standards andthe OPC Directory for PublicWorship.

Analysis of the Structure of1 Corinthians 11:17ff.: Today’s

Consensus vs. Godet

English translations suggest,and commentators of the lastcentury seem to agree with, F.F.

Bruce’s division heading, “TheLord’s Supper 11.17-34.”1 Asearch of numerous commentar-ies published over the past 150years suggests that one must goback to 1889 to find an excep-tion. The well-respected SwissReformed commentator, FredericL. Godet, despite similarly enti-tling vv. 17-34, “Disorders in theCelebration of the Lord’s Sup-per,” insisted “vers. 18, 19, arenot put by the apostle in any con-nection with the disorders in theHoly Supper.”2 In other words,Godet argues that vv. 18-19 dealwith a different problem than thataddressed in vv. 20-34. The lat-

Ordained Servant — Vol. 13, No. 488

1 F. F. Bruce, I & II Corinthians, editedby Matthew Black, The New CenturyBible Commentary (Grand Rapids, Mich.:Eerdmans, 1983), 108. Similarly, a com-monly used edition of The Greek NewTestament, (United Bible Societies, 4threv. ed.), puts this heading above v. 17:“Abuses at the Lord’s Supper.” The NIVand ESV have, “The Lord’s Supper”; theNKJV, “Conduct at the Lord’s Supper.”The NASB original edition has no precisesection headings, though it implicitlyagrees, making vv. 17-34 one paragraph.Its “Updated Edition” begins a sectioncalled “The Lord’s Supper” at v. 24, butstill makes vv. 17-23 one paragraph. 2 Frédéric L. Godet, The First Epistle tothe Corinthians, translated by Rev. A.Cusin, 1889 (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zon-dervan Publishing House, 1971), 561,565.

3 In Paul’s letters, the only three appear-ances of this word, from which the Eng-lish term, schism, is derived, are 1 Cor.1:10; 11:18; 12:25.


cites the existence of factionswhen they “come together” (v.18a) as his first ground (prw/tonme.n ga.r) for denouncing theirgatherings; they assemble(sune.rcesqe), he chides, “unto theworse.”4 Yet, aside from assert-ing their existence as ruining theirworship, Paul does nothing in vv.18-19 to characterize the divi-sions or to provide evidence forhis accusation. If one assumes11:18 refers to the same faction-alism described in 1:10-12—anassumption that has not gone un-challenged—the severe denuncia-tion there shows that Paul judgesthe divisions to be both real andgrave.5 In his final use of theterm, 12:25, Paul declares the ex-istence of division in the body ofChrist to be contrary to the waythat the Spirit has ordered thebody. While these two uses ofthis (for Paul) rare term do not(contra Margaret M. Mitchell)prove the topic of the whole letterto be division,6 both do presup-pose the reader will recall Paul’s

earlier case against the rivalries(1:10ff.), and that even in themidst of dealing with other mat-ters, Paul is sufficiently con-cerned with that problem to takethese further opportunities to turnaside and touch on it again.

In 11:18-19, Paul recounts that(a) he hears (avkou,w) that in theirassemblies schismata “exist”(ASV). Then, (b) he expresses hisqualified (me,roj ti) credence to-ward that report, “to some extentI believe it” (NRSV). The com-mon analysis of the discourseflow of 11:18ff. assumes thatPaul has forgotten a “secondground.”7 However, for four rea-sons, 11:18 should be read (a)separate from v. 20ff. and (b) asexpressly alluding back to the di-visive “rivalries” already de-

scribed in 1:10-12, with (c) v.20ff. being Paul’s “next” ground.(1) The word (schismata) is thesame and is distinctive; in Paul itappears only in 1 Corinthians(these three verses). Havingwarned against schismata andpursued the issue for almost fourchapters (1:10-4:21), the appear-ance again of this distinctiveterm in chapter 11 would readilyremind readers (who were them-selves experiencing the “existingschismata” weekly) of 1:10ff.(2) By “I hear” in v. 18, Paulagain alludes to oral information,that is, to the report from the peo-ple of Chloe, the previously ex-pressed source. It was the veryreport which had provoked theexhortation, “that there may beno schismata among you” (1:10).(3) Verses 18-19 are the first oftwo reasons for his denunciationof their assembly (“unto theworse”).

“The divisions, σχισµατα [schis-mata], mentioned in vers. 18, 19,are not put by the apostle in anyconnection with the disorders inthe Holy Supper [vv. 20ff.],which are explained by a wholedifferent cause. . . . the two sub-jects cannot have been combinedin one by Paul, and both em-braced in the prw/ton me.n [first of

all] of ver. 18.”8 (4) 1 Corinthians 11:18 and

11:20 begin with virtually identi-cal participial phrase construc-tions that accordingly read natu-rally as parallel, successive

THE LORD’S SUPPER AND THE STRUCTURE OF 1 CORINTHIANS 11:17ff.

4 Their meetings have become “positivelyharmful occasions instead of the blessingthey ought to be”; Bruce, 1&2 Corinthi-ans, 108-09.

5 My dissertation under Drs. Dyer andKnight at Greenville Presbyterian Theo-logical Seminary—from which this articlewas adapted—includes a section of Ch. 5which seeks to prove the reality and seri-ousness of those rivalries; that ch. has al-ready received preliminary approval. Theargument is too long to repeat in OrdainedServant.

6 Mitchell’s thesis that the presence of ter-minology also found in ancient literatureurging unity among divided groups (111,180-81) demonstrates that “the issue offactionalism runs throughout all sixteenchapters” (p. 182) and that occurrence of

the term schisma “again in 11:18 and12:25 (and nowhere else in the Pauline cor-pus) gives a further indication that faction-alism is indeed the topic of this entire let-ter” (p. 74), seems to go beyond theevidence. Even in chs. 1-4, the threat ofschism is not Paul’s deepest fear (but ratherthe threat to the gospel foundation). In chs.5-16, even occasional use of terminology,concepts and style which also appears inancient writings against division cannot al-ter the fact that those chapters make casesfor and against things besides unity and dis-unity. Factionalism is simply not the topicof those chapters. 11:18 and 12:25 doprove, however, that that topic continues tovex Paul even after he has moved onto oth-er concerns (Margaret M. Mitchell, Pauland the Rhetoric of Reconcilliation [Louis-ville, Kentucky: Westminster/John KnoxPress, 1992].).

7 “The best explanation is the simplestone: the prw/ton me.n is simply not pickedup.” According to most, point one endswithout a two in 11:34b; Gordon D. Fee,The First Epistle to the Corinthians,NICNT (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987),536, n. 26, 569.

8 Godet, 1 Corinthians, 565, underliningadded. Fee dismisses Godet’s argumentthat prw/ton me.n expects a “next of all”which role “therefore” can serve: “all ofthat assumes the letter to be more literarythan it in fact is.” Fee points further to


the discussion in “Hurd, 79-80”; Fee, ICorinthians, 536-37, n. 26. Hurd’s expla-nation is even less substantial, referenc-ing a host of 19-20th century commenta-tors who reject the older view (defendedby Godet), Hurd merely says, “The opin-ion of some older scholars (cited by Mey-er) that the second member of the seriesbegins in v. 20 is now no longer current.It is firmly rejected by more recent com-mentators”; John C. Hurd, The Origin of1 Corinthians (New York: Seabury,1983), 79. Fee seems to have missed theheart of Godet’s argument (Hurd does notmention Godet who directly refutes Mey-er). The point is not that Paul’s stylewould not permit anacoluthon (i.e., for-getting no. 2) and that therefore a “next”is absolutely demanded. Godet’s argu-ment is that the contents of 18-19 (divi-sions as blemish on worship) are distinctfrom 20ff. (defilement of the Lord’s Sup-per). As such, they do not fit into onepoint. Since ou=n can function to signalthe next stage in discourse (see below),the passage would naturally so read.

9 The English Young's Literal Transla-tion of the Holy Bible 1862/1887/1898(YLT) by J. N. Young,

points. This becomes obviousonce the interstitial particles (e.g.,“for” and “then”) and similar dis-course structuring words arestruck:

11:18a Proton men gar suner-chomenon umon ... “For first, indeed,ye coming together ...”

11:20a Sunerchomenon ounumon ... “ye, then, coming together

...”9

As a blemish on their assem-bly entirely distinct from theLord’s Supper (vv. 20ff.) and (hy-pothetically) distinct from theschismata of 1:10, Paul’s claim tohave “heard there are divisions”would sound like little more thangiving heed to gossip. It is theearlier probative case—namingwitnesses (1:11) and recounting

testimony (1:12)—that allowsPaul to insert a severe criticism oftheir worship which, otherwise,would likely appear to be comingout of thin air.10 Thus, 11:18should (with Mitchell) be under-stood as referring back to 1:10.Like vv. 20-34, it explains v. 17b,

yet it is distinct from the Lord’sSupper issue. They are two separ-ate but serious blemishes on theirworship services. Thus, Godet’scase for a divide between 11:19and 20 is established. For oncethe factional issue in 11:18-19 isclearly identified as the same as

10 Fee’s attempt to deny that 11:18 refersto the same divisions (sci,smata) as1:10ff., based upon four reasons, isstrained. Given the prominence of thetheme in chs. 1-4, especially his use ofthe identical term in its theme-signaling1:10, the burden here falls heavily on hisshoulders to prove that 11:18’s sci,smatais different than that of 1:10ff. Heargues: (1) only 1:10ff. defines thesci,smata as rivalries and jealousies. (2)1:10ff. suggests 4 parties (slogans) and“there is a decidedly anti-Paul senti-ment”; in 11:18, there are “only twogroups, the ‘have-nots’ and the ‘haves,’with no hint of a quarrel with Paul on thematter.” (3) Only the later sci,smata isassociated with the assembly (“when youcome together as a church”); the earlierseems related only to “false allegiances totheir leaders or to ‘wisdom.’” (4) 11:18’s“I partly believe it,” Fee claims, “hardlyfits … 1:10-4:21,” but Fee believes it ex-plicable here as a tactful way to accreditthe report from Chloe’s people, “especial-ly if they were trusted Christian slaves,”while “bridging the sociological gap …[to] the wealthy who are guilty of themisdeeds”; Fee, I Corinthians, 537 & n.31. As to (1), if the sci,smata of 11:18 referback to those of 1:10, then the absence ofa repetition of its definition in ch. 11 is tobe expected. Verses 18-19 in no way con-tradict the definition in 1:10-12. Regarding (2), Fee again reads his as-sumption of an underlying Pauline self-defense into a passage lacking any suchpositive evidence on its own (1:10ff.—infact, v. 13 seems self-effacing). The dif-ference between the several name-boasting rival groups of 1:11-12 and thepoor/rich in 11:21 arises because Fee hasread 11:21 back into v. 18. He assumeswithout explanation that v. 19 was a“brief digression” (p 539), with v. 20 re-

suming the concern about divisions.While, lexically, the latter is a possiblesense for v. 20’s ou=n (Friberg, #2.a), itcan also, says Friberg (#2.b), “make atransition to a new thought or new phaseof a narrative or discourse now, then.”Given v. 18’s ga.r [For in the first place],ou=n is better taken as carrying the senseof signaling the “next … phase” (expect-ed after prw/ton, especially with me.n) andso denoting the second reason why they“assemble for the worse”: “You assemblenot for the better but for the worse. For,in the first place, when you assemble as achurch, I hear divisions exist … Then, inthe second place (ou=n), when you assem-ble, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper.”Thus rendered, v. 18 is an express remin-der of 1:10ff.’s treatment of the name-touting divisions. This time it is qualifiedby an acknowledgment of a providentialpurpose—“by the sure providence ofGod”; Calvin, 1 Cor. 367—to the divi-sions. Paul quickly moves on to a secondmajor blemish on their worship services:profanation of the holy supper. Regarding (3), Fee claims only 11:18’ssci,smata are “especially related to theirgatherings,” yet Thiselton argues for dif-ferent sci,smata claiming that in 1:10-12the “splits … reflect tensions between …different house [church] groups” (hence,different assemblies); Thiselton, 1 Corin-thians, 857. The fact is that 1:10ff. men-tions nothing about the assemblies, This-elton has read separate house churchesinto the rivalries, and both Fee and This-elton have read 11:21’s rich/poor divisionback into the sci,smata of 11:18, astrained reading (given v. 20’s ou=n as thenext of all). Why does Paul imply thatthere are not fully formed divisions in1:10 but say that he thinks there are in11:18? Perhaps it is as simple as this:well formed divisions existed within oneassem



that of 1:10-12, it cannot fit theLord’s Supper problem of vv.20ff. (this was Godet’s point).

Implications for UnderstandingPaul’s Lord’s Supper Teaching

(11:20ff.)

Since plural of schisma in v.18 is a reference back to themultiple factions of 1:10-12, itcannot be a description of thesingle division (rich/poor) thatmany today (such as Fee) be-lieve to be at the heart of theLord’s Supper-related excoria-tion (e.g., v. 22b, “Or do you de-spise the church of God?”,NASB). The recent trend to seePaul as primarily concerned withmistreatment of the poor is mis-guided. Calvin’s view is closerto the mark, “the abuse that hadcrept in among the Corinthiansas to the Lord’s Supper, … theirmixing up profane banquets withthe sacred and spiritual feast,and that too with contempt forthe poor.” With vv. 18-19 right-ly segregated from vv. 20-34,the latter section opens and clos-

es with the apostle proscribingwhat Calvin calls their “profanebanquets” (Paul: “each one takeshis own supper,” 11:21; “if …hungry … eat at home,” 11:34)from the time and place of the sa-cred assembly.

The central meaning of thesacred rite proclaiming theLord’s death until he comesagain had been obscured to thepoint that many no longer dis-cerned the Lord in the elements(v. 20b).11 It is “for this causemany are weak …” Verses 18-19are thus “first of all,” with v. 20beginning the “next” of the dis-course; each (first and next) ex-plains independently why Paulbelieved they were “coming to-gether for worse.” The problemat the Lord’s Table at Corinthwas not “divisions”—that criti-cism was a part of point #1, not#2—but a failure to remain cog-nizant of the Lord’s body andblood in the bread and wine, withthe result that Paul judged thatwhen they meet, “it is not to eatthe Lord’s Supper” (NASB;NKJV). With awareness of the

Lord’s death gone from the sanc-tified elements, they turned thesacred meal into an ordinary din-ner party, and one at which somewere largely left out. The of-fense to the Lord’s body andblood was primary; the offenseto the poor among his churchcaused what might be termedsecondary damage.

Conclusion

The crucial point that is clari-fied is this: in 1 Corinthians 11the essence of what distinguisheseating profane bread and wineover against the Lord’s body andblood is not the time or the place.It is not the presence or officia-tion of elders or minister—an is-sue not addressed. It was noteven their coldness toward theirhungry brethren—a concern men-tioned in passing. In 1 Corinthi-ans 11 that which (alone) distin-guishes the sacred meal from theprofane, that which makes themeal truly “the Lord’s Supper”(or not), is the self-conscious par-taking of the Lord on the part ofthose eating and drinking. Pre-cisely by eating without that dis-cernment of the Lord’s body inthe meal, they profaned theLord’s Supper, and ate and drankjudgment to themselves. Surely ifwe agree that the apostle’s teach-ing on the essence of the supperis to govern our church’s prac-tice, we, too, must instruct allwhom we welcome to the Lord’sSupper that they can, and indeedthey must, self-consciously par-take not merely of bread andwine, but of the crucified Saviorand if they lack such faith and

prove sci,smata, then in 11:18 where hemakes a summarizing reference citing thedirect testimony to the existence ofsci,smata, it is only logical that the carefulpastor should so qualify his judgment as toleave open the possibility that the peopleof Chloe may have overstated the problem.On the other hand, one might render it, “Ibelieve it in part” since there was a sensein which factions existed, but a sense inwhich the church was still unified. Eitherway, Mitchell is basically right that “Paulhas already demonstrated that factions ex-ist within the church—certainly he be-lieves (knows!)”; Mitchell, Paul & Rheto-ric, 152.

11 Hence, ouvk…kuriako.n dei/pnon.

assembly, but the churches’ assemblies hadnot actually fractured along the party lines.The result was an obvious blemish whenthey assembled (establishing 11:17b); but,full schisms had not occurred. Finally, regarding (4), as to the “puz-zling addition, ‘I partly believe it’” (Fee),once the above discourse analysis seeingv. 20ff. as ‘next of all’ is accepted, and vv.18-19 is taken as an explicit referenceback to 1:10ff., “I partly believe it” couldbe explained as an expression of the samecautious treatment of the oral reports seenin Paul’s use of the word sci,smata in 1:10but avoidance of explicitly declaring theexistence of such in 1:11. If Paul believedthe probative testimony (v. 12) proved ri-valries and jealousies, but did not quite



order that the ordinary meal becompletely separated from theLord’s Supper (vv. 22, 34). Ac-cordingly, that continues to bethe practice of churches in ourday. What of our church-wideluncheons following our servic-es? Perhaps that is a topic bestleft for another article.

9. Elders can preempt members who are tempted to make abad decision or to complicate a difficult situation in someway.

9 Negative Reasons for Not Neglecting Elder Visits:

1. Lack of elder visits depersonalizes the leadership of thechurch, and it becomes easier to criticize the leadership

and even fall into disaffection. 2. Lack of elder visits mean that leadership makes decisions

with the congregation as an abstract concept.

3. When elders only become involved in crises the membersmay assume that elders have no right to confront sin or ad-minister discipline. Then, when elders do have to initiate

correction, they will not have enough capital built up to gaina hearing. Members will dismiss admonitions from the eld-

ers and justify their dismissal echoing the sentiment, “I don’tcare what you know, until I know that you care.”

4. Misconceptions members have will remain underground,

unknown to the elders. 5. Members may conclude that leadership is not working hard

to fulfill their vows and neither should they.

6. Members will go to the pastors for all of their needs sincethey are the most visible. The office of elder will be seen as

having a minimal significance. 7. Members will feel cut off from leadership. 8. Members will struggle alone, and make decisions that com-

plicate their lives before the elder can possibly know it andbecome involved.

9. By the time the elders know about it, it may be too late.

discernment they approach thetable at their own peril.

Worthy receivers … inwardly byfaith, really and indeed, yet notcarnally and corporally but spiri-tually, receive, and feed upon,Christ crucified, and all benefitsof His death: the body and blood

of Christ being then … spiritual-ly present to the faith of believersin that ordinance, as the elementsthemselves are to their outwardsenses. (WCF 29:7)

Paul’s remedy for their havingturned the Lord’s Supper intotheir own meal (vv. 20-21) is to

Stewart Lauer is currently serving as Professor of Biblical Studies (Hebrew, Old Testament

and New Testament) at the Kobe Reformed Theological Seminary, in Kobe, Japan.


The command to shepherd the flock (1 Peter 5) assumesa shepherdly care. How is an elder like a shepherd? He mustknow the sheep, initiate care, and have oversight of the flock

and of the individual members. Therefore, elder visits areamong the most important tasks an elder undertakes.

9 Positive Reasons for, and the Fruit that Comes from,Consistent Elder Visits:

1. Elder visits manifest personal care in a way that binds peo-ple to the church.

2. Elder visits inform the elders of the spiritual state of thecongregation and are a way of checking the spiritual pulseof the congregation.

3. They build capital in people’s lives so that if elders need toconfront problems there is a relational context.

4. Visits afford the opportunity to remove misconceptions andmisunderstandings otherwise unknown to the elders.

5. It displays to the membership that elders are taking their

spiritual responsibilities seriously, and it therefore servesas an exhortation by example that each part of the body ofChrist is expected to be faithful.

6. It demonstrates the parity between ruling and teachingelders and shows people that the pastors are not the only

ones they should seek out for counsel. 7. It allows members to directly express concerns directly to

the leadership. Included in this is the ability to receive

feedback on the pastor’s ministry from people who wouldbe uncomfortable in talking directly to him.

8. Familes see pastoral care modeled in their own home.

EIGHTEEN REASONS FOR ELDERS TO DO HOME VISITATION


BOOK REVIEWS

Dogmatic Theology, by W.G.T.Shedd, edited by Alan Gomes, 3dedition. Published by P&R Pub-lishing, 2003. Hardback, 992 pag-es. List price $59.99 ($38.99 atWestminster Seminary Bookstore).Reviewed by Pastor Mark Herzer.

There have been about a dozensystematic theologies written byAmerican presbyterians to date.Most presbyterian pastors and lay-men possess Charles Hodge orRobert Dabney and perhaps a fewothers. But of W.G.T. Shedd, littleis commonly known. While mosthave heard of him, the only thingsthat are usually recognized are hisrealistic theory and his traducian-ism. Apart from that, he is setaside as being just another re-formed theologian with nothingunique to offer. I think that is in-correct.

He was not viewed that way byhis contemporaries. Two men havelisted Shedd as one of America’sgreatest theologians. ThortonWhaling lists Shedd as being oneof the three best theologians inAmerica (Jonathan Edwards andR. L. Dabney are the other two),and Thomas C. Johnson listsShedd along with Thornwell andDabney. Many may agree withsome of these names but few inour generation would have listedShedd. Shedd was highly prizedand eagerly read by nineteenth-century Christians, but he has beengreatly neglected in the twenty-first century. Most today think ofCharles Hodge as the great nine-teenth-century giant while that ap-pears not to have been the case formany in that century.

P&R has remedied this neglectand has done a wonderful service

to the Christian community in re-printing Shedd’s Dogmatic Theol-ogy. Before presenting my reviewof this new volume, a few wordsof an introductory nature are in or-der. Almost all of his works havebeen reprinted in the twentiethcentury, with the exception of hisLiterary Essays and yet even thisvolume has been recently reprint-ed (by Wipf and Stock Publish-ers). Most of his works have beenbefore the public through TheBanner of Truth Trust and Klockand Klock, and his Dogmatic The-ology has been reprinted by Zon-dervan and Thomas Nelson. Thesereprints have been predominantlyfacsimiles but the book before ushas been completely redone, andtherefore deserves to be consid-ered a new edition. I believe thisedition is a tremendous improve-ment over the original three edi-tions.

Alan Gomes, the editor of thisvolume, states, “Careful study ofShedd’s Dogmatic Theology is, Idare say, much more than an intel-lectual exercise: it is an aestheticexperience for those who appre-ciate the comeliness of truth. Iftruth is beautiful in itself, thenShedd’s vigorous and stately prosesets before us incomparable beau-ty beautifully expressed” (p. 12).One of the first things the readerwill notice from Shedd’s writingsis his absolute clarity and beautyof expression. Since he was a pro-fessor of English studies for sevenyears before taking on his theolog-ical professorships, this is to beexpected. However, his theologyis not mere beautiful prose, butalso lucidly logical and denselypenetrating. Gomes says “I believethat W.G.T. Shedd’s DogmaticTheology can serve as a powerful

floodlight to lay bare some of thetheological blind spots plaguingtoday’s evangelical church” (p.11). He is absolutely correct.

Let me first list many of thestrengths of this edition. This is avery usable volume. I was alwaysforced to lug my three volume setwith me on my vacation andfound them cumbersome tostudy, but Gomes has combinedthe entire three volumes into one.This is not an abridgement of thethree volume work. Though itmay be difficult to believe, thissingle volume includes the entirethree volumes. Unlike theabridged one volume edition ofC. Hodge, Gomes has com-pressed the entire three volumesinto one without leaving out any-thing. The fonts are easy to readand the format is attractive. Themost helpful change is the trans-lation of all the foreign languagequotes. The original is placed inthe footnote while the editor’stranslation is incorporated intothe body of the text. This alonemakes the new edition superior tothe previous editions because itpossesses both the original andthe translation.

Shedd’s Dogmatic Theologywas originally published in twovolumes (in 1888) and the thirdvolume was subsequently addedin the year of his death (1894).The third volume is supplementaland adds various selections fromother writings which support orelucidate his argumentation.There are several places in thethird volume which truly shedfurther light on particular theo-logical topics. However, it is ut-terly cumbersome to use becausethere are no clues in the two vol-


BOOK REVIEWS

umes which would direct you tothe third—you always had to havethe third volume handy and wereforced to read two volumes at atime. This great problem has thor-oughly disappeared in this newedition. The editor placed the re-spective contents of the third vol-ume after their appropriate chap-ters; now, you can easily accessthe supplemental contents becauseGomes refers you to the supple-ment in the body of the main text.

In addition, Gomes has set offin block quotes large extractionsfrom other works (which Shedddid not do) and has given helpfultitles and subtitles. Shedd did notuse subdivisions, and this made itdifficult to locate a particular as-pect of a topic. Gomes’ titles forthese sections are very user-friendly. He has also added seve-ral helpful appendices. He gives abibliography of all the worksShedd cited and also includes avery helpful glossary of technicalterms with a separate glossary en-titled “Biographical Entries” (ahandy list and explanation of vari-ous authorities Shedd cited).

As if that was not enough, hehas written an able and accurateintroductory essay introducing theauthor and the general contours ofthe masterpiece. Gomes has en-capsulated all the salient facets ofShedd’s thought in a superbly suc-cinct manner. This essay was adelight to read and he seems tohave mastered most of the secon-dary literature related to Shedd.

What then are the weaknesses?There is not much to mention, butI will suggest a few (though theyare so minor). Since Gomes hastaken the liberty of adding titles to

various subsections in Shedd’s the-ology, they can be misleading.Though the subtitles are helpful,they are at times quite arbitrary andmisleading. Shedd’s excellentchapter entitled “Theanthropic Per-son” has many numbered points toit. Rather than numbering each ofthem, Gomes has placed titles forsome of the numbered points. Theother numbered points are sub-sumed under Gomes’ subtitles. Thepractical effect of this method is togive the editor the undue license inmaking one point more prominentthan another (e.g., points 6 & 9 areunder previous points, pp. 623,631). This is a very minor point.There are, however, many timeswhere the subsections are veryhelpful and they give the readersome breathing space. Shedd’schapter on “Christ’s MediatorialOffices” addresses the distinctionbetween the Covenant of Redemp-tion and the Covenant of Grace.After resolving the issue, he imme-diately develops the three officesof Christ. At this point (p. 681),Gomes inserts a most appropriatetitle because Shedd had changedhis topic.

Shedd occasionally referred toother parts of his Dogmatic Theol-ogy, and various page numberswere cited by him. Gomes usuallycatches these references and re-paginates to fit the new edition, al-though he missed a few. For ex-ample, Shedd refers to “p. 91 sq.”in his section on Christology(2:301-302 n.2). Rather than con-verting the page numbers to corre-spond to the new edition, Gomeshas merely reproduced the samepage references. If the reader doesnot have the original three volumeedition, he will not be able to referto the specific page.

There are also issues of accura-cy. This is not truly a third edi-tion; it is in fact a fourth edition. Ihave in my possession the threeprevious editions and found to mysurprise that P&R has listed thisas the third edition. This is a veryminor issue. Finally, the editorstates that Shedd published Cole-ridge’s works in 1852 when infact they were published in 1853(a minor error no doubt takenfrom Grecu’s essay). As you cantell, the weaknesses are technicalin nature and they do not in anyway take away from the value ofthis new edition. It is relativelycheap since a three volume setusually goes for around $100 inthe used market. It is worth get-ting this new edition.

In conclusion, let me add a fewwords regarding the value ofreading Shedd. Dogmatic theolo-gy inludes a fine defense of thedoctrine of hell, the atonement,and a lucid display of the doc-trine of Christology (e.g., the uni-personality of Christ). In addi-tion, this volume will make youthink. Shedd has been deemed bysome to be the most speculativetheologian of the orthodox wing,and many have noted his rigorouslogical abilities. His cogent andclear arguments demand yourfullest attention. Though you maybreeze through Hodge and Berk-hof many times, you cannot getaway with that when readingShedd. I have found myself paus-ing and pondering quite deeplywhen reading Shedd and havebeen forced to take a deep breath.His mastery of church history andrelevant secondary literature isbreathtaking. His Dogmatic The-ology is uneven (e.g., he does notaddress all the usual topics in


BOOK REVIEWS

great depth), but on the points inwhich he gives his energy, youwill find him to be full of insight.Reading deep theology is notfashionable these days but I canthink of very few things thatwould be of equal value in ourgeneration. When was the lasttime you read through a system-atic theology? This one is worthyour effort. I end by quoting oneof my favorite statements fromShedd (taken from his Preface, p. 38 in the new edition):

If an author in any departmentgets into the eddies of his ageand whirls round and round inthem, he knows little of thesweep of the vast stream of theages which holds on its way for-ever and forevermore. If thistreatise has any merits, they aredue very much to daily andnightly communion with that no-ble army of theologians which iscomposed of the elite of the fa-thers, of the Schoolmen, of thereformers, and of the seven-teenth-century divines of Eng-land and the Continent.

The Five Points of Calvinism:Defined, Defended and Docu-mented, by David N. Steele andCurtis C. Thomas (with new addi-tions by S. Lance Quinn), 2d edi-tion. Published by P&R Publish-ing, 2004. Paperback, 272 pages,retail price $12.99. Reviewed byJacques Roets.

The “Doctrines of Grace” aresome of the most precious truthsof God’s word. They provide be-lievers with an unshakable confi-dence. Their salvation is securebecause it is all of God! From itsinception in God’s eternal pur-

poses, to its accomplishment onthe cross by Christ, through itsapplication by the Holy Spirit tothe heart and until the final glori-fication of believers, it is all ofGod. God the Father purposed it,the Son accomplished it and theHoly Spirit applies it and assuresit perfection! Nothing is left tochance. God does it all! Thisworking of the Triune God tosave sinners is the most comfort-ing truth to doubting and strug-gling believers on their way tothe heavenly Jerusalem.

But the sad reality is that manyChristians today are denied—ordeny themselves—the joy of thiscomfort! They believe that Godmerely purposed to save thosewhom he “foreknew” would be-lieve, that Christ died merely tomake salvation possible for all;that the Holy Spirit is waiting forus to open the door of our heartsbefore he comes in; and therefore,they also hold that it is possiblefor Christians to loose their salva-tion! These thoughts have robbedmany of God’s children of theirtrue inheritance.

The Five Points of Calvinism isa book that addresses this situa-tion. It is designed to be, as it isstated in the Preface to the firstedition, “an introductory survey ofthat system of theology know as‘the five points of Calvinism’”(xxi). Part One of the book intro-duces the history behind the pointsand briefly defines each of them incomparison to their Arminiancounterpart (pp. 1-15). Part Twois devoted to listing the Biblicalsupport in defense of each of thefive doctrines. This section is themost valuable section of the book

since it marshals passage afterpassage in support of each point toshow how the Scriptures affirm it.This will be a powerful source ofcomfort and instruction for all thesaints who struggle with thesedoctrines, and an invaluable re-source for ministers and elderswho preach and teach these doc-trines to God’s children, givingthe saints their inheritance. All thebiblical quotations of this secondedition are from the English Stan-dard Version (pp.17-71). PartThree provides a long list of bibli-ographic material, first on Calvin-ism in general, and then on eachof the five points in particular.This list is considerably expandedand updated from the first editionadding many valuable sources tothose which appeared in the edi-tion of forty years ago. All in all328 sources are listed, some withan explanatory note to highlighttheir relevance. For anybody whois interested in finding out moreabout Calvinism this will be of in-estimable help. Another improve-ment on the first edition is the ad-dition of seven new appendices tothe one in the first edition. Theseappendices contribute to a fullerunderstanding of preciousness andcontinual relevance of the “Doc-trines of Grace.”

Since this book is such a greatresource to show forth the biblicalwitness to the saving work of ourTriune God, I can highly recom-mend this updated and expandedfortieth-anniversary edition to all.In fact I deem it so valuable that Irecommended it to our elderswho, in turn, determined that itwill henceforth be a standard giftto all men newly elected to this of-fice.

BOOK REVIEWS

Puritan Reformed Spirituality,by Joel R. Beeke. Published byReformation Heritage Books,Grand Rapids, MI, 2004. Hard-back, 475 pages, retail price$35. Reviewed by the Editor.

This book—which is beinggiven away in connection withdonations to the proposed newPuritan and Reformed Theologi-cal Seminary—is a winsome in-troduction to the great puritansof the past. It is also a strong ref-utation of those who like tomake too great a distinction be-tween John Calvin and these, hisworthy successors. Let me men-tion just a few of the things thatI found most interesting.

One is the importance of the“lost art” of meditation. Livingas we do today, with a constantstream of information (and mis-information) via the internet,there is much to learn from thePuritan emphasis on medita-

tion—that is, on taking the timeto think about what we have seenand heard (especially from thepreaching).

As one who has roots in thepast in the Scottish secession ledby the Erskine brothers, I amgrateful for the fine summary ofthe life and work of these men intwo of the chapters of this book.

The Westminster Assemblywas a culmination point in thehistory of the Puritans. And themen and events brought into fo-cus here increase both my under-standing of, and appreciation for,the great doctrinal standards theyproduced. I hope many of youwill get this book. I’m sure youwill not be disappointed.

I first saw it on the web sitementioned below. In it is to befound the following announce-ment: “This book is being pub-lished as a fund-raiser for the

new $3.1 million building projectof Puritan Reformed TheologicalSeminary, which will also houseRHB. As of this writing, $2.4 mil-lion has been given or pledged;an additional $700,000 needs tobe collected to complete the pro-ject. We would like to make onecopy of Puritan Reformed Spiri-tuality available to everyone freeof charge, whether or not you cangive a donation. All donationswill be matched by a donor. A taxdeductible receipt will be for-warded to you. Donations may bemade by Visa, MasterCard, orcheck. Please make check pay-able to Reformation HeritageBooks, earmarked "BuildingFund", and send to ReformationHeritage Books, 2919 LeonardSt. NE., Grand Rapids, Michigan49525. To order more than onecopy, please remit $20.00 percopy, plus postage. For furtherinformation, email us at [email protected], or callus at 616-977-0599.”

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Vol. 13, No. 4 ORDAINED SERVANT

Documents

Transcript of Vol. 13, No. 4 ORDAINED SERVANT