Blessing

[Carrye]

What do Baptists believe about the blessing of items, people, meals, etc?

 

[TexasCatholic]

Simple: that God can.

For instance, we say a "blessing" (prayer) before a meal to give thanks. We ask God to BLESS the meal for our nourishment.

To my knowledge Baptists do not themselves "bless" objects or believe any member of clergy capable of doing so, but we do ask God for blessings.

-James

 

[SumTinWong]

What do Baptists believe about the blessing of items, people, meals, etc?

Good question. We in my house say grace, or a blessing for the food. Other than that I would say we do not venture farther than that.

We do ask for travelling mercies, which I guess has to do with vacations, or when travelling.

 

[BT]

When we bless food, or say a blessing at dinner time, it is not a blessing in the sense that you may be thinking. We are not setting apart the food for service to God or as endowed for a specific purpose from God. We are giving thanks and blessing God for His gift.

We do not bless objects. We do use the phrase "God Bless you" when we greet or leave people though you'll notice that we in particular do not bless we rather ask God to Bless someone, this is the Biblical approach (Genesis 26:24, 28:3, 49:25, Exodus 23:25, Deut. 1:11, and many many more).

In my personal opinion I find Christians are too concerned with receiving blessings. Bless me Lord, bless me Lord seems to be all that He ever hears. I much prefer the example that David gave, 1 Chronicles 29:20 And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the LORD your God. And all the congregation blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the LORD, and the king.

 

[Blackhawk]

I think that it is important to know that ALL blessings come from God but that we can bless others ourselves. If I love my neighbor am I not blessing him? That is if we define blessing as making one happy. Blessing food though is strange because I have never seen food happy. I am happy when I see food though.

 

[Bizzlebin Imperatoris]

Most interesting Blackhawk

Anyways, as long as we let God do the blessing, or if God has specifically given us (personally) a power to do something, it should be fine. In some cases however, scripture does call us to bless, and so we should.

 

[RED that's ME]

Most Baptist say the "blessing" to ask God to bless their food but it is really to Thank Him for providing it. God has already blessed it by growing it and letting us to be able to work for it.

We do pray that God will bless our families that different ways health, wisdom, to love each other more. For jobs that they continue so we can take care of our families and also be able tithe and to help others. To bless our church that it will grow not just in number but spiritually.

Some good verses on blessings is....

Psalms 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

Psalms 103: 2-6 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

 

[Carrye]

When we bless food, or say a blessing at dinner time, it is not a blessing in the sense that you may be thinking. We are not setting apart the food for service to God or as endowed for a specific purpose from God. We are giving thanks and blessing God for His gift.

That's just the distinction I was looking for. Within Catholicism there seem to be different types of blessings, though I certainly do not have this topic nailed down. One would be as you say, to give thanks; this would be done before & after a meal. The second type would be setting apart for a specific purpose, as church buildings, devotional items, Bibles, etc, would be blessed.

Are there times when you all might bless something in that way - setting it apart for a specific purpose?

To my knowledge Baptists do not themselves "bless" objects or believe any member of clergy capable of doing so, but we do ask God for blessings.

And we do believe that clergy are able of doing that, but also, to a certain degree, we are able as well.

In my personal opinion I find Christians are too concerned with receiving blessings. Bless me Lord, bless me Lord seems to be all that He ever hears. I much prefer the example that David gave, 1 Chronicles 29:20 And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the LORD your God. And all the congregation blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the LORD, and the king.

That may be the case, but God also tells us to ask for what we need. We must certainly bless Him as the scripture you cite says, but I can't imagine that He gets frustrated with our petitions ... for blessings or otherwise.

If I love my neighbor am I not blessing him? That is if we define blessing as making one happy. Blessing food though is strange because I have never seen food happy. I am happy when I see food though.

The Latin word 'beatus' means happy, and is what the word blessing comes from. It also forms the root of the Beatitudes in Matthew's gospel. But 'beatus' is not "making one happy;" it is not a verb, but an adjective. It may seem like a moot point, but it is helpful in understanding how we can use the word. And in English, 'happy' and 'bless' have taken on two different, though still somewhat related, meanings.

 

[BT]

The second type would be setting apart for a specific purpose, as church buildings, devotional items, Bibles, etc, would be blessed.

Are there times when you all might bless something in that way - setting it apart for a specific purpose?

I know what you're talking about here. I was raised Catholic and at one point even thought I would join the priesthood. Anyway, we do not bless devotional items. We do not use devotional items. If there is a building we may "dedicate" it, as in dedicate it's use as to the Lord, but it doesn't carry the same significance as you would put on an item blessed by a priest.

 

[Carrye]

I know what you're talking about here. I was raised Catholic and at one point even thought I would join the priesthood. Anyway, we do not bless devotional items. We do not use devotional items. If there is a building we may "dedicate" it, as in dedicate it's use as to the Lord, but it doesn't carry the same significance as you would put on an item blessed by a priest.

This is completely off the topic, but what's your story? ... what made you become Baptist, if I may ask?

 

[GreenEyedLady]

I am a former Catholic until I was born again in 1998 and became a bible believing Christian.
My church has laid hands on members and prayed over them and for them during tough times and struggles or when they are departing for the ministry.
We have had our home spiritually cleansed and also went though a spiritual cleasing process.
I am not sure if this fits in to the catagoy of the OP.
Hmmmmmm?

 

[Crazy Liz]

Praise God from Whom All Blessing Flow!

 

[Blackhawk]

The Latin word 'beatus' means happy, and is what the word blessing comes from. It also forms the root of the Beatitudes in Matthew's gospel. But 'beatus' is not "making one happy;" it is not a verb, but an adjective. It may seem like a moot point, but it is helpful in understanding how we can use the word. And in English, 'happy' and 'bless' have taken on two different, though still somewhat related, meanings.

I agree that "to make one happy" in english is not the best translation per se because of what we believe hapiness means. Although for a qick def. between ones that understand that I think it is fine and mainly to show how absurd it is "To bless" food. Others have shown that we do not really bles the food when we say the blessing.

I have never heard that "bless" was strictly an adjective. In the Bible it is not. Does the vulgate not translate verses like the one below with 'beatus'? Does it translate it with another word? If so which one?


Gen 12:2
2 And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing;
(NAU)

 

[Carrye]

I agree that "to make one happy" in english is not the best translation per se because of what we believe hapiness means. Although for a qick def. between ones that understand that I think it is fine and mainly to show how absurd it is "To bless" food. Others have shown that we do not really bles the food when we say the blessing.

Catholics don't bless food in that "set it apart" sense either. In fact, I believe Catholics and Baptists sometimes use the same prayer before meals: "Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from thy bounty through Christ, our Lord, Amen." There's nothing in there that makes the blessing of food in this sense "absurd."

I have never heard that "bless" was strictly an adjective. In the Bible it is not. Does the vulgate not translate verses like the one below with 'beatus'? Does it translate it with another word? If so which one?

I do not believe that it uses separate words for the English bless and happy, but I don't know enough about the Vulgate's use of beatus to comment extensively on the scriptural uses.

About beatus being used as an adjective - the three genders are masculine, feminine, and neuter ... beatus, beata, beatum. If it were a verb, it would have a different form in Latin (four parts instead of three). As I said, this is certainly not a critical question, but it is helpful in understanding the usage of the word.

 

[Bizzlebin Imperatoris]

I do not believe that it uses separate words for the English bless and happy, but I don't know enough about the Vulgate's use of beatus to comment extensively on the scriptural uses.

About beatus being used as an adjective - the three genders are masculine, feminine, and neuter ... beatus, beata, beatum. If it were a verb, it would have a different form in Latin (four parts instead of three). As I said, this is certainly not a critical question, but it is helpful in understanding the usage of the word.

I can speak Latin and read the Vulgate if you have any questions

 

[Carrye]

I can speak Latin and read the Vulgate if you have any questions

Thanks. I can too, though I want to get myself a copy of the Vulgate to practice with. I've read pieces here and there, but am not familiar enough with the widespread usage of particular words.

 

[Bizzlebin Imperatoris]

Thanks. I can too, though I want to get myself a copy of the Vulgate to practice with. I've read pieces here and there, but am not familiar enough with the widespread usage of particular words.

If you actually have conversations in Latin, it improves you skill greatly. Amazon has a good Greek/Latin side by side Bible, very useful for studying. If you have questions, let me know

 

[Crazy Liz]

Well, Latin is not one of the original languages of scripture.

However, in Greek (like Latin), macarios is an adjective, which is translated into English as the adjective "happy" or the participial verb "blessed."

There is also a verb, eulogeo, which is translated "bless." It is used in connection with food in Matthew 14:19 and 26:26; Mark 6:41, 8:7 and 14:22; Luke 9:16, 24:30, 1 Corinthians 10:16. It is also used for people and for God. I found it interesting that not every "beatitude" in the NT "blessed are you..." or "blessed is..." uses the adjective makarios like the beatitudes in Matthew 5 and Luke 6. Some, like Luke 1:28, do use the verb eulogeo.

I don't plan to do a complete word study, but it looks like some of you might be interested in doing one. I also did not check the Hebrew references.

 

[Bizzlebin Imperatoris]

Latin isn't one of the originals, but I still think it is a good to learn. It is so easy to speak and write in it, it should be the world language again, or else Greek should be.

 

[BT]

Latin isn't one of the originals, but I still think it is a good to learn. It is so easy to speak and write in it, it should be the world language again, or else Greek should be.

Koine Greek is a dead language. This, I believe, is an act of God. It is not spoken in the world today, modern day Greek is very different. Koine is not written in, speaking of "new" writings. It is a way in which the scriptures were preserved and kept from corruption. It's a very interesting study topic. I had to learn it (Koine history) when I learned Greek.