Receiving the Benediction with Upward Palms
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Ryan&Amber2013
Puritan Board Graduate
This is a hoot.
earl40
Puritan Board Professor
It could be arising from the thought that somehow God puts some Juju magic trough the hands? Or maybe they are waiting for a high five from the Pastor? Seriously though, I suspect that people who do such say they do this as a spontaneous action every time the benediction is given, which of course takes away from the justification of it being spontaneous. Also if it is not practiced in an orderly fashion, by everyone, then they are acting inappropriately.
D
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There are churches in which this is a standard liturgical action, and not a spontaneous expression. I think that a lot of Christians assume this is the normative posture elsewhere.
Miller
Puritan Board Freshman
That would make sense. Can you give me a couple examples where this is the normal practice? Is it an Episcopal thing? Catholic?
D
Deleted member 6112
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I'm not really sure about Episcopalians or Romanists. I've seen it in a number of Presbyterian churches.
D
Deleted member 7239
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Our hands have “Spirit receptors” in them. I thought everyone knew this.
D
Deleted member 6112
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Here is the order of service for Brainerd Hills Presbyterian Church, a very sound congregation in the PCA. You will see that the benediction is received with uplifted hands:
http://brainerdhills.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/20171126.pdf
http://brainerdhills.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/20171126.pdf
D
Deleted member 6112
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To be clear: I'm not defending the practice; I'm just clarifying that it is not a charismatic hand-waving, but a standard practice in many churches, some of which are quite sound.
JimmyH
Puritan Board Senior
Our Pastor raises his hands when pronouncing the benediction. None of the congregation do in our OPC. We had another pastor fill the pulpit once who only raises one hand.
I used to be annoyed with people raising their hands in worship services. I guess it stems from my early experience with the AOG. I have learned to live with it on the rare occasions when I attend a different church.
Cedarbay
Puritan Board Freshman
I've always considered a benediction as a bestowal of Christ's blessing. It is given and received simultaneously by an act of the Spirit. Such as regenerative faith. Is this how you view it?
RamistThomist
Puritanboard Assessor
Not everything different is necessarily of papist origin.
C. Matthew McMahon
Christian Preacher
I think the raising of the hand(s) is (are) generally related to oath taking. When you raise a hand, or hands, you are swearing to the truth of thing.
I don't think it has ever revolved around "spiritual receptors" (very funny) or things of that nature which might translate to the emotional or ecstatic experience of Pentecostals or Charismatics. (Been there, seen that, did that, etc.)
I think it more resolves itself toward testification. One testifies to the truth of the thing.
"Do you swear to tell the whole truth..etc." while the right hand is raised in a courtroom. Swearing an oath.
It could be then tied to WCF 21, "...besides religious oaths, vows.....to be used in an holy and religious manner." (1647 Westminster Confession of Faith 21:5)
Swearing, in the good way, to testify or to take an oath would be akin to raising the hand and swearing to one's self and those that see publically, the truth of the thing and for the hope of its outcome. We know the Priests did this in the benediction. Yet, also, the congregation is instructed to "Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord . . . lift up your hands to the holy place, and bless the Lord," (Psalms 134.1-2). This seems to imply an act of worship in this way in hand raising, as it did to Paul in 1 Tim. 2:8, "I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands." Oath taking and swearing to the truth of the thing.
Abraham did this. "But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth," (Gen. 14:22).
Of God it says, "Therefore He raised up His hand in an oath against them" (Psa. 106:26).
And, ""Say to them,`Thus says the Lord GOD: "On the day when I chose Israel and raised My hand in an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, I raised My hand in an oath to them, saying,`I am the LORD your God.'" (Eze. 20:5). Ezekiel says this in similar language 6 times in this chapter.
In Moses song he says, "For I raise My hand to heaven, And say, "As I live forever..." (Deut. 32:40). Sounds like a testifying or oath to the truth of the claims.
The angels also seem to do this. "The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven and swore by Him who lives forever and ever," (Rev. 10:5-6).
My observation would remain linked to testifying of the truth in oath taking in some way.
Other than 1 Tim. 2, we don't have an expressed command that says one should not do this, or that they should, but there is a great amount of implication that links it to taking oaths before God. I don't, personally, see the harm in doing it based on the idea of testifying to the truth of the matter given.
I don't think it has ever revolved around "spiritual receptors" (very funny) or things of that nature which might translate to the emotional or ecstatic experience of Pentecostals or Charismatics. (Been there, seen that, did that, etc.)
I think it more resolves itself toward testification. One testifies to the truth of the thing.
"Do you swear to tell the whole truth..etc." while the right hand is raised in a courtroom. Swearing an oath.
It could be then tied to WCF 21, "...besides religious oaths, vows.....to be used in an holy and religious manner." (1647 Westminster Confession of Faith 21:5)
Swearing, in the good way, to testify or to take an oath would be akin to raising the hand and swearing to one's self and those that see publically, the truth of the thing and for the hope of its outcome. We know the Priests did this in the benediction. Yet, also, the congregation is instructed to "Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord . . . lift up your hands to the holy place, and bless the Lord," (Psalms 134.1-2). This seems to imply an act of worship in this way in hand raising, as it did to Paul in 1 Tim. 2:8, "I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands." Oath taking and swearing to the truth of the thing.
Abraham did this. "But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth," (Gen. 14:22).
Of God it says, "Therefore He raised up His hand in an oath against them" (Psa. 106:26).
And, ""Say to them,`Thus says the Lord GOD: "On the day when I chose Israel and raised My hand in an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, I raised My hand in an oath to them, saying,`I am the LORD your God.'" (Eze. 20:5). Ezekiel says this in similar language 6 times in this chapter.
In Moses song he says, "For I raise My hand to heaven, And say, "As I live forever..." (Deut. 32:40). Sounds like a testifying or oath to the truth of the claims.
The angels also seem to do this. "The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven and swore by Him who lives forever and ever," (Rev. 10:5-6).
My observation would remain linked to testifying of the truth in oath taking in some way.
Other than 1 Tim. 2, we don't have an expressed command that says one should not do this, or that they should, but there is a great amount of implication that links it to taking oaths before God. I don't, personally, see the harm in doing it based on the idea of testifying to the truth of the matter given.
Username4000
Puritan Board Freshman
The handful of PCAs I've been to do this. Not as a command, but as a regular practice during the Gloria Patri, the doxology, and the benediction.
I've never asked why it was done that way, and my guess was that it's a priesthood-of-all-believers thing.
I've never asked why it was done that way, and my guess was that it's a priesthood-of-all-believers thing.
bookslover
Puritan Board Doctor
D
Deleted member 7239
Guest
I think there is superstition in regards to hands transmitting spiritual power. What happens when people put a hand on someone and pray? What happens when the pastor raises his hands and gives a benediction and we raise our hands to receive it? I don’t think I’ve heard much sound teaching on the laying on of hands, etc. and it’s left the door open for superstition.
zsmcd
Puritan Board Freshman
This may be of some help to you. https://calvinistinternational.com/2015/04/09/calvin-on-posture-in-worship/
We are not gnostic. Our bodies matter and what we do with our bodies matters. I can't remember who quoted him, but I once heard someone quote Calvin as apparently saying something to the effect of "we lift our hands, that our hearts may be lifted with them."
This doesn't mean that hand raising or any other posture works ex opere operato. But in every context, not just in worship, posture, body language, etc. matters because it reveals something about our heart, or will inevitably effect our heart. I am not saying that we should require folks to lift their hands during worship or anything to that effect. But, especially when I don't feel like worshipping God, lifting my hands in worship to God will often help my heart to follow suit.
We are not gnostic. Our bodies matter and what we do with our bodies matters. I can't remember who quoted him, but I once heard someone quote Calvin as apparently saying something to the effect of "we lift our hands, that our hearts may be lifted with them."
This doesn't mean that hand raising or any other posture works ex opere operato. But in every context, not just in worship, posture, body language, etc. matters because it reveals something about our heart, or will inevitably effect our heart. I am not saying that we should require folks to lift their hands during worship or anything to that effect. But, especially when I don't feel like worshipping God, lifting my hands in worship to God will often help my heart to follow suit.
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RamistThomist
Puritanboard Assessor
I remember someone interpreted "lift your hands" to mean "spiritually lift your hands." So the command to lift your hands was actually a command to not lift your hands!
Edward
Puritanboard Commissioner
Perhaps a market then for modified butterfly nets that could be held up to catch even more of the blessings than one could catch with one's hands?
Try visiting our church, then. We began the practice of lifting our eyes (not our hands) to receive the benediction after the pastor explained to the congregation that it was a blessing, not a prayer.
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