“Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,
Yahweh bless you and keep you;
Yahweh make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
Yahweh lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.‘So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them’” (Numbers 6:22-27).
For long millennia, God has instructed those serving as his representatives to bless his people in his name, with the word of his grace, as is seen in this Aaronic blessing. The tradition goes back even further; centuries before Aaron and his sons were ordained as priests, the patriarchs blessed their sons, the coming generations of God’s people (Genesis 27; 49). And before that, Melchizedek, “priest of God Most High,” blessed Abram (Genesis 14:18-19).
The practice of priestly benediction ultimately stems from God’s fundamental attitude toward his people, which is one of blessing. In the beginning, after creating humanity in his image, the very first thing Yahweh did was bless them (Genesis 1:27-28). Priestly benediction not only reflects God’s attitude of gracious favor toward us, but it also reflects his desire to include human representatives in the blessing of his people.
The Aaronic blessing was already ancient by the time of Christ, who is God’s Ultimate Representative, our Great High Priest. It is likely that the risen Lord Jesus proclaimed this very blessing over his disciples when he ascended into heaven:
“Lifting up his hands he blessed them. And while he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven” (Luke 24:50-51).
This final sight of Jesus would have been etched into the memories of the disciples. Imagine the “great joy” (v. 52) they had, hearing these words of blessing from the one who spoke on God’s behalf and now represented them in heaven. His words are absolutely, certainly definitive of all our reality. The Lord Jesus himself is the Word of God, the revelation of God, “the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end” (Revelation 22:13). In him, God has the first Word and the final Word in our relationship with him. His Word establishes and encompasses our life, and therefore our liturgy as it signifies our relationship with him. And, in Jesus Christ, we know his definitive Word to be “the word of his grace” (Acts 14:3; 20:32).
Just as the disciples went away worshiping and rejoicing because of the gracious words of Jesus, so the benediction is the last Word ringing in our ears. It is not primarily a commandment or even a prayer, but a blessing to be received with open hearts. In the benediction, the minister, acting as a representative, speaks on behalf of the God who is eternally speaking his word of grace to his people. His steadfast love endures forever, so we stand always under God’s blessing. We are sent forth, not without God, but with him and with his blessing.
There are blessings to be found throughout the Scriptures that can be proclaimed as benedictions (e.g., Deuteronomy 31:18; John 20:21; 2 Peter 1:2; 2 John 3; etc.). The disposition of the Triune God is well disclosed to us in what is known as the Apostolic Benediction: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14). And, at the close of the Scriptures, the final words of the Revelation of Jesus Christ are fitting here: “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen” (Rev. 22:21).
How do you receive the benediction at the end of corporate Worship? Do you believe that God’s fundamental attitude toward you is one of blessing, that this is the first and last word that defines your relationship with him in Christ? Why or why not? What difference would believing this make in your life? How might the disciples’ response to Jesus’ blessing upon his ascension inform your response to Jesus?
