ciXoyuv properly means to ascribe (to God) praise and honour (benedicere). In accordance with the usage of the OT and NT and of the Christian Church, this act also is termed 'benediction.' It is of the nature of thanks^ivinu and jiraise to God for His goodness, and dillcrs c^intially from that kind of benediction «lii.li i^ a |aa\ri 'that Divine favour may be slio« u to tho-r \s l.om the speaker 'blesses.' In tlie XT this .sueuud kind of benedic- tion is expressed by iixapiardv, 'give thanks,' as well as by evKoyciv. The Jewish custom of blessing God on every possible occasion (see below) supplies a probable explanation of the desigTiation ot God in Mk 14" 6 eiXoyt^rbi, 'the Blessed.' It does not, however, appear that this title was current in Jewish literature (Dalman, Words of Jesus, p. 200).* Elsewhere in the NT ciXoynrbs is used as an epithet of God (e.g. Lk PS). This is the Jewish usage of ^-licn.
The double sense of liUyiit, just explained, is due to the meaning of Xi5 and the LXX use of iiXay{„. It has a third signification when God is the subject, namely 'bless,' i.e. prosper. This also is a meaning of -n-ig (see Blessing). In the Gospels the only instances of the third usage are cases where the participle tiAsj^fii.ot, ' blessed,' is employed. ii>.,>ym mean-
* Enoch 7"! seems to supply a parallel. In Bemkhoth vii. (ed. Surenhusius) TflS^ la an epithet qualifying -JIN.
ing to 2)roiwwice a benediction never occurs in John, but li'/o- ■yny-'-tsi appears in Jn 1213.
1. Bcncdiclions on men. — In Jewish life the occasions of pronouncing benedictions on men were numerous. Besides those of the temple and the synagogue, and perhaps even older than these, were the salutations customary at meeting and parting, entering a house and leaving it, which were all benedictions. The blessings of the aged and of parents were specially valued, and were often a part of the solemn farewell of the dying. In the temple a benediction was regularly pro- nounced at the conclusion of the morning and evening sacrifices. The statement in Lk 1-' that the people ^^•aited for Zacharias may be an indirect reference to this custom. But the intercessory benedictions recorded in the Gospels are chiefly of the nature of greetings or salutations (Lk P*"- !■'- 13i«=Mt 23^»=Ps 118-«'). Our Lord commends to His disciples the practice of saluting a house when they enter it, i.e., of pronouncing a benediction on those resident in it (Mt 10i-=Lk 10°). The actual words of such a benediction are given in Lk 10'' ' May peace rest on this house ' (cf. Lk 1*). Christ's farewell to His disciples before His as- cension was expressed in words of blessing (Lk 24»»'-). It is to be understood in the light of what has already been said regarding Jewish customs. Simeon's benediction (Lk 2") was that of an old man and a priest. But in any circumstances bene- dictions were appropriate as expressions of good- wUMcf. Lke^SandMkU"-).
eiXoyrifUvoi ( = '^n?) in formulas of blessing may be understood to express a wish, 'Blessed be thou.' This is clearly the meaning in Ps llS^s (LXX), and consequently in Mk lP = Mt 21''=Lk 1938 = Jn 12" and Mt233» = Lk 13=°, wliere the Psalm is quoted. In the Gospels KV makes the phrase a statement, and so does AV except in Lk ig'* (cf. Mk 11'"). There are similar phrases in Mk 11'" and Lk 1*-. /iuKapios, although translated in the EV ' blessed,' is not used in benedictions, and has a diflerent meaning (see BLE.SSING).
There is at least one clear reference to the atti- tude adopted in the act of benediction (Lk 24*»). The uplifting of the hands there spoken of (cf. Lv 9") is not peculiar to benedictions ; according to ancient custom, Babylonian and Egyptian as well as Hebrew, when prayer was ottered in a standing posture the hands were uplifted or spread out (Ps 2H-, Is 1'° etc.). It is not equally certain that the laying of hands upon the children who were blessed by Christ (Mk 10'«) is directly con- nected with the act of benediction as such, although Gn 48'^ may be quoted in support of that view. The request made to Christ is that He should touch the children (Mk 10'2=Lk 18'« ; but cf. IIJMt 19'=), and that is something ditt'erent from a request that He should bless them (see Mk 528, and cf. possibly Lk 2^8). Mt 19'^ may be regarded as an interpretation of Mk 10'^ ; benedic- tions of persons are intercessory prayers on their behalf.
2. Benedictions of God. — The practice of uttering benedictions on God is a highly characteristic ex- pression of Jewish religious life. It is broadly formulated as a duty in the Talmud in the words, 'Whoever benefits from this world without (re- citing) a benediction, acts as if he robbed God* {Bemkhoth. 35ri}. Any circumstance or event which recalls or exliibitN ( ;oil\ t^ouduess or power is an appropriate u('<a-ion tm ■ l.l.^sing' God. Atcircum- cisions, redeiiipliiiii- lil iln- lirst-born, marriages, etc., benediction^ of tlii- class were employed along with others imi>lun^; hl(_>sings on men. Sometimes unusual rxjuii. n<os and special cir- cumstances called tlieni foilli. Kut the ordinary routine of life, and particularly tin; daily meals of
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BEiSTEDICTUS
the family and the individual, equally fulfil the conditions wliich prompt their use. The Jewish 'grace' pronounced at mealtimes was an act of thanksgiving to God, that and nothing more. Tlie procedure is described in the Mishna (Berakhoth) and in other Jewish sources. Wlien several sat do\^Ti to a meal together, one usually gave thanks for all, although each in certain circumstances was expected to do so for himself. A company is said to De constituted by the presence of three persons. The meal commenced with a benediction and with the breaking of bread. Whoever broke the bread also sjwke the benediction. This was the part of the master of the house, the giver of the feast, or the most important person in the company. There were difterences in the words of blessing, accorduig to the formality of the occasion and the character of the dishes that were served. During one meal several benediction.s might be pronounced, refen-ing to the various articles of food separately (for tlie ordinary formulas used in blessing bread and wine, see Blessing). During the Passover meal bene- dictions were pronounced at several fixed points. Every meal was concluded with a benediction. In the Passover meal the last benediction was six)ken before the actual conclusion ; a hymn was sung at the very end.