Biblical basis for the communion of saints
WIP still, based on Sam Shamoun's series on this
The communion of saints is the doctrine that believers who died on earth are alive and perfected in heaven, that God allows them to see things that are happening on earth, and that we can ask them to pray to God for us. It was held universally among the ancient Churches before they started to split off in the 5th century, and it was included in the Apostles' Creed.
Note that it does not teach that the saints can answer prayers - those who hold to this view all agree that God alone has the power and authority to answer prayers. Instead, what it teaches is that saints go before God with our pleas and ask God to answer our prayers.
The most common objection raised against this view (aside from strawmen like "you're praying to dead people") is that those in heaven cannot hear the prayers and requests of those on earth. But does the Bible agree?
Luke 16
27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house,
28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’
29 Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’
30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”
How did Abraham know they had Moses and the Prophets, when Moses and the Prophets came centuries after Abraham died? And in verses 24-26, how did Abraham know what kind of life Lazarus lived and what kind of life the rich man lived?
Luke 15
7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine upright persons who need no repentance.
10 Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
How can those in heaven (at that time only angels) rejoice over one sinner repenting if they don't know what happens on earth?
Matthew 18
10 “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.
Jesus is warning people to not cause children (both physical and spiritual) to stumble, because they have angels in heaven, before the Father, watching over them. But how is that possible, if those in heaven don't know what takes place on earth?
Revelation 19
After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!
2 For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.”
3 Again they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!”
4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!”
How did the people in heaven know that God has judged the whore of Babylon?
Revelation 5
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,
12 saying with a loud voice:
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:
“Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
How was John able to hear every creature on earth and in heaven praising God and the Lamb? If all the people of the earth were praising God, then John would need to be able to understand multiple languages at the same time. Well, is John omniscient, or could it instead be that God has enabled him to see and hear these things?
Matthew 2
17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:
18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more.”
Jeremiah prophesied that Jacob's wife Rachel would weep over her children killed in Bethlehem. Why would Rachel weep over her children being killed on earth if she wasn't aware of what happened?
Revelation 6
9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.
Jesus is telling His holy martyrs what will need to first happen on earth for their blood to finally be avenged. So why is it unfathomable that God enables those in heaven to see things taking place on earth?
There are also verses showing that prayers can be brought to God by creatures.
Revelation 8
2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.
3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.
An angel is performing priestly duties and offering the prayers of all the saints to God.
Revelation 5
8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures were carrying the prayers of the saints. God has no problem with angels mediating prayers and bringing them to Him, so why should we have a problem with that?
2 Maccabees 15
12 What he saw was this: Oni′as, who had been high priest, a noble and good man, of modest bearing and gentle manner, one who spoke fittingly and had been trained from childhood in all that belongs to excellence, was praying with outstretched hands for the whole body of the Jews.
13 Then likewise a man appeared, distinguished by his gray hair and dignity, and of marvelous majesty and authority.
14 And Oni′as spoke, saying, “This is a man who loves the brethren and prays much for the people and the holy city, Jeremiah, the prophet of God.”
15 Jeremiah stretched out his right hand and gave to Judas a golden sword, and as he gave it he addressed him thus:
16 “Take this holy sword, a gift from God, with which you will strike down your adversaries.”
Even if you don't accept this as inspired Scripture (I personally don't, but I have no problem with people who do), this shows, at minimum, that the Jews before Christ believed that the righteous dead were alive with the Lord and that they would pray for the people of God on earth and help them fight for God.
1 Timothy 2:5 is raised as another common objection to this view. The verse goes like this:
5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,
But this passage doesn't refute communion of saints, if interpreted properly and consistently. If this verse proves that there is nobody else who can share in this mediation, then it also proves that Jesus cannot be God.
The verse says that there is one God, the Father, before whom Jesus mediates. Therefore, if Jesus being the one mediator means there is no other who shares in His mediation, then Jesus being the mediator before the one God means He is not the one God, but the one God is other than Him, and therefore Jesus cannot be God. Again, if you take this verse to mean that there is no-one other who shares in mediation along with Christ, then it also means that there is no-one other who is God besides the Father. The Greek word for one is the same for both God and mediator in this verse.
Obviously, nobody is going to deny that Jesus is God, even though the passage says that there is one God whom Jesus mediates before. That one God is the Father, and Jesus is distinct from Him, but that doesn't mean that Jesus is not God! Indeed, the Father is the one God, but not to the exclusion of Christ, but in union with Him. If one God doesn't exclude Christ from being God, then why would one mediator exclude others from participating in Jesus' mediation?
So then, what is Paul's point in this verse? You'll be surprised - it's the opposite of what this verse is used to prove. It means that you can now intercede before others, because you have one mediator who makes your prayers and requests acceptable to God. Let's check the context:
2 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,
2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,
Paul is exhorting and encouraging us to pray and intercede for all men, because Christ makes our prayers pleasing to God. "Intercede for all men, because you have one mediator between God and men."
Another objection: why not just ask God directly instead of asking the saints to pray for us?
The answer to this is simple. Going by that same logic, why would we ask other Christians here on earth to pray for us, instead of just asking God directly? And we know that believers praying for one another and asking one another for prayer is thoroughly Biblical. Here are some passages to support that:
Job 42
7 And so it was, after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.
8 Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.”
9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the LORD commanded them; for the LORD had accepted Job.
James 5
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.
14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
And I could go on, but this is enough to illustrate the importance of prayer for one another.
Those who died in Christ are alive with Him in heaven and perfected:
Hebrews 12
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels,
23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
So if Christians should pray for one another while on earth, in this fallen flesh and with our moral flaws, and if the spirits of those in Christ who die are made perfect, why should we not believe that they, now holier than we on earth can be, pray for us?
Hebrews 12
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep on earth are exhorting us, cheering for us, and (as I here argue) praying for us to finish the race with integrity.
Another objection: asking the saints for intercession is contacting the dead, which is forbidden. The key passage is this:
Deuteronomy 18
9 “When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations.
10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,
11 or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.
12 For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you.
13 You shall be blameless before the LORD your God.
14 For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not appointed such for you.
So let's take a look at some commentaries to see what these terms mean and if asking saints to pray for you falls under them.
Adam Clarke's commentary, Deuteronomy 18 (https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/acc/deuteronomy-18.html)
Verse Deuteronomy 18:10. To pass through the fire — Probably in the way of consecration to Molech, or some other deity. It is not likely that their being burnt to death is here intended. Leviticus 18:21.
Divination — קסם קסמים kosem kesamim, one who endeavours to find out futurity by auguries, using lots, c.
Observer of times — מעונן meonen, one who pretends to foretell future events by present occurrences, and who predicts great political or physical changes from the aspects of the planets, eclipses, motion of the clouds, &c., &c. Genesis 41:8.
Enchanter — מנחש menachesh, from נחש nichesh, to view attentively one who inspected the entrails of beasts, observed the flight of birds, &c., &c., and drew auguries thence. Some think divination by serpents is meant, which was common among the heathen.
A witch — מחשף mechashsheph, probably those who by means of drugs, herbs, perfumes, &c., pretended to bring certain celestial influences to their aid. See the note on "Leviticus 19:26".
Verse Deuteronomy 18:11. A charmer — חבר חבר chober chaber, one who uses spells; a peculiar conjunction, as the term implies, of words, or things, tying knots, c., for the purposes of divination. This was a custom among the heathen, as we learn from the following verses: -
A wizard — ידעני yiddeoni, a wise one, a knowing one. Wizard was formerly considered as the masculine of witch, both practising divination by similar means. Exodus 22:13, and Leviticus 19:31.
Or a necromancer. — דרש אל המתים doresh el hammethim, one who seeks from or inquires of the dead. Such as the witch at Endor, who professed to evoke the dead, in order to get them to disclose the secrets of the spiritual world.
Rashi's commentary, Deuteronomy 18 (https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/9982/showrashi/true/jewish/Chapter-18.htm)
Verse 9: you shall not learn to do [like the abominations of those nations]: But you may learn [their practices] to understand [them] and to teach [them], i.e. to understand how degenerate their actions are, and to teach your children, “Do not do such and such, because this is a heathen custom!” - [Sifrei ; San. 68a]
Verse 10: who passes his son or daughter through fire: This was the Molech worship. They made two bonfires on either side and passed the child between them both. — [San. 64b]
a soothsayer: What is a soothsayer? One who takes his rod in his hand and says [as though to consult it], “Shall I go, or shall I not go?” Similarly, it says (Hos. 4:12), “My people takes counsel of his piece of wood, and his rod declares to him.” - [Sifrei]
a diviner of [auspicious] times: Heb. מְעוֹנֵן. Rabbi Akiva says: These are people who determine the times (עוֹנוֹת), saying, “Such-and-such a time is good to begin [a venture].” The Sages say, however, that this refers to those who “catch the eyes (עֵינַיִם)” [i.e., they deceive by creating optical illusions].
one who interprets omens: [e.g.,] bread falling from his mouth, a deer crossing his path, or his stick falling from his hand. — [Sifrei, San. 65b]
or a charmer: One who collects snakes, scorpions or other creatures into one place.
a pithom sorcerer: This is a type of sorcery called pithom. The sorcerer raises the [spirit of the] dead, and it speaks from his [the sorcerer’s] armpit.
a yido’a sorcerer: Here the sorcerer inserts a bone of the animal called yido’a into his mouth, and the bone speaks by means of sorcery. — [Sifrei , San. 65a]
or a necromancer: As, for example, one who raises [the dead spirit] upon his membrum, or one who consults a skull. — [Sifrei , see San. 65b]
[For] whoever does these [things] [is an abomination to the Lord]: It does not say, “one who does all these things,” but, “whoever does these things,” even one of them. — [Sifrei , Mak. 24a]
Be wholehearted with the Lord, your God: Conduct yourself with Him with simplicity and depend on Him, and do not inquire of the future; rather, accept whatever happens to you with [unadulterated] simplicity and then, you will be with Him and to His portion. — [Sifrei]
[But…] the Lord your God has not given you: to hearken to diviners of auspicious times and soothsayers, for He caused His Divine Presence to rest upon the prophets and upon the Urim and Tummim. — [Targum Jonathan]
Now be honest to Scripture and to God. Does asking the saints or Mary, the blessed Mother of our Lord, for prayer really fall under these detestable pagan practices? We have evidence that, at least since the second century, the great men of the faith have indeed held to the communion of saints. If it really is analogous to these practices condemned in Deuteronomy 18, then how come Jesus didn't preserve His Church from universally accepting the doctrine?
Not quite done yet