Praying for the Dead: A Biblical Perspective

By Dr. Eusebio A. Tanicala

The practice of praying for the dead is a topic of debate among Christians. Some believe it is a biblical practice, while others argue that it is not supported by Scripture. This article will examine the biblical evidence to determine whether there is any support for praying for the dead.

Old Testament

The Old Testament, from Genesis to Malachi, contains no explicit command, inference, or example of God's people praying for the dead. It was the belief among the Jews that Malachi, the last prophet to receive revelation from God around 430 B.C., closed the canon of inspired books. This began a period of approximately 370 "silent years" without new divine revelation until God resumed communicating His message through dreams and visions around 1 A.D. This communication began with Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, and with Joseph and Mary through the angel Gabriel.

The practice of praying for the dead appears to have originated around the time of the Maccabees (168-37 B.C.). During this period, the Jewish people were under Greek rule and were being forced to observe Greek religion and culture. A rebellion led by Judas Maccabeus and his brothers resulted in many Jewish casualties. Following a battle, soldiers discovered religious objects associated with idols on the bodies of some Jewish soldiers. This discovery led to the belief that these men had fallen in battle because of their sin. The account in 2 Maccabees 12:39-45 describes how Judas Maccabeus and his men prayed for the dead and collected money to offer a sin offering in Jerusalem. This passage is the first recorded instance of praying for the dead.

Apocrypha

The book of 2 Maccabees is part of the Apocrypha, a collection of books included in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles but not in Protestant Bibles. These books were written between the Old and New Testaments. While Jerome, who translated the Bible into Latin (the Vulgate), considered the Apocrypha "books of the church," he did not consider them canonical. It was not until 1546 C.E. that the Roman Catholic Church officially declared the Apocrypha "deuterocanonical" (second canon). This decision was likely a response to the Protestant Reformation, which rejected the authority of the Apocrypha.

New Testament

The New Testament does not explicitly mention praying for the dead. Evangelical Christians generally base their understanding of sin and death on Hebrews 9:27-28, which states that it is appointed for people to die once, and after that comes judgment. This verse suggests that an individual's eternal destiny is determined at the time of their death.

The New Testament emphasizes the importance of personal faith in Christ, repentance, and baptism for the forgiveness of sins (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:36-40; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 22:16). It teaches that those who die without faith in Christ will face judgment and eternal separation from God. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) illustrates this point, showing that there is no possibility of changing one's eternal destiny after death.

Conclusion

The biblical evidence does not support the practice of praying for the dead. The Old Testament contains no examples of praying for the dead, and the New Testament emphasizes the importance of personal faith and repentance during one's lifetime. While the account in 2 Maccabees describes praying for the dead, this book is not considered canonical by Protestant Christians. Therefore, the practice of praying for the dead is not biblically mandated and should not be considered an essential part of Christian practice.