The Biblical Dutyof Catechising

In our last few weeklies, we have beenexamining the Christian covenant family, with a particular emphasis on theGod-ordained responsibility of the covenant head of household, namely thefather, to bring up the covenant children in the nurture and admonition of theLord. We also mentioned that one of the primary ways of doing so is to“catechise” the children. To catechise (Grk. katêcheô is to “teach by word of mouth” or more definitively, “toinstruct orally, systematically and repetitively.” This term is used in the NewTestament a total of 8 times (Lk 1:4; Acts 18:25; 21:21, 24; Rom 2:18; 1 Cor14:19; Gal 6:6 [2x]), with the most striking of which being Acts 18:25, wherewe are told that Apollos, because he was catechised (KJV “instructed”) in theway of the Lord, was able to speak and teach diligently about Christ though hisknowledge was imperfect. This verse as well as the other points to the factthat catechising was the mode of instruction during the apostolic era. Thatthis is the case is also hinted in Paul’s departing exhortation to Timothy:“Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith andlove which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim 1:13; cf. Rom 6:17). The word translated“form” (Grk. hupotupôsis denotes an “outline, sketch, summary,example or schema,” and so Paul is reminding Timothy to retain firmly in hismemory the outline or scheme of doctrine which he had taught him orally.Catechising is therefore a mode of instruction sanctioned by the apostles.

It was precisely because this was the casethat the office of a catechist(one who catechise), began to emerge inthe early church (cf. in Gal 6:6, “him that teacheth” may also be rendered catechist). In fact, by around AD 180, thecatechetical school of Alexandria, wherelater the famed Church Fathers, Clementand Origen would teach, was founded. Here a form of catechism was probably usedfor the instruction of those who were seeking baptism, i.e., catechumens. Thesecatechism have generally taken the form a list of succinct questions andanswers on doctrinal truths and are designed to be committed to memory as anoutline of divinity. Though subsequently, the use of the catechism would beeclipsed under the shackles of Roman superstitions, many evangelical groupsprior to the Reformation such as the Waldenses, Lollards and Hussites wereknown to make use of them.

The use of catechism, moreover, wasrevived and vigorously promoted during the Reformation of the 16th Century.Martin Luther, was the first to introduce a catechism developed from moreancient catechisms in 1520. In 1529, he published a Smaller and a Larger Catechism for young people. In Geneva,John Calvin soon followed suit, and developed a catechism as a compendium tohis Institute of the Christian Religion in 1536. This proved too complex foryounger minds, so that he had to revise it completely in 1542. This latterversion was to be used extensively, not only in Genevabut in Scotlandand would greatly influence the later Westminster Catechisms. Meanwhile, in1563, two of Calvin’s followers in Germany, Caspar Olevanius andZacharias Ursinius, soon developed the Heidelberg Catechism. This, togetherwith its revision by the Synod of Dort (1618–19) and the earlier Belgic Confession (1561) became the standard of the Dutch(and, to some extent, the German) Reformed churches.

Back in England, the Westminster Assemblywas convened by an Act of Parliament in 1643. The Assembly (comprising of 121Divines, 10 members of the House of Lords and 20 of the Commons, as well as 8commissioners from Scotland), was to advise Parliament concerning therestructuring of the Church of England along Puritan lines as a condition tosecuring the help of Scotland against the army of King Charles I. TheWestminsterConfession of Faith wascompleted in December 1646. That done, the assembly immediately started workingon a catechism. When its early attempt was frustrated, the assembly decided byconsensus to develop two catechisms instead: “one more exact and comprehensive,another more easy and short for new beginners.” TheShorter Catechism was completed in 1647 and the Larger a year later. John Murray says of the Shorter Catechism, “I know of no compendium of Christiantruth that is more excellent than [it], and what an inestimable reservoir oftruth we possess if our memories are stored with and our minds established inthe masterly definitions of that treasure of Christian literature!” (Works,1.7); and “There is no other document of its kind that presents the truth ofthe Christian faith with such precision, such balanced proportion, suchrhythmical stylistic quality and such theological adequacy” (Works,1.29).

Ostensibly, the Shorter Catechism was introduced as “a Directory forcatechising such as are of weaker capacity.” This catechism, as such has up torecent times been used with great profit for instructing children in mostEnglish speaking Reformed Churches where the duty of catechising the childrenfell primarily on the Christian fathers—the covenant head of house-holds—ratherthan on the officers of the church.

Indeed, that catechising is a duty of thefather in the Christian family, is clearly taught in the Scripture. When Paul,under inspiration, speaks of the spiritual training children as the primary responsibilityof the fathers (Eph 6:4), he would no doubt have in mind the Old Testamentinjunction on how this is to be carried out: “Thou shalt teach them diligentlyunto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, andwhen thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risestup” (Deut 6:7; cf. Deut 4:9; 11:19; Jos 4:6–7). Diligent and repetitive oralinstruction is therefore the duty of every Christian father. Fathers who failin this sacred responsibility will have to account for their failure before theLord in the day of judgement—when in all probability the damnation of ownchildren will be set forth as a display of their neglect.

I do not think Spurgeon is too harsh whenhe says, “To neglect the instruction of our offspring is worse than brutish” (Morning& Evening, July 11, evening). Nor do i think Luther to be exaggeratingwhen in his preface to his SmallCatechism, he condemnsparents who, by neglecting the Christian education of their children, had becomethe “worst enemies of God and man.” Fathers who profess to be Christian woulddo well to re-examine their foundations if they neglect so sacred a dutyrequired in the Scriptures. Conversely, those who take their duty seriouslyneed feel no guilt, if despite of their diligence, their children eventuallystray from the Lord—unlikely though it may be. Indeed, Abraham was commended bythe Lord, though He surely know that Ishmael would stray away. “For I knowhim,” says the LORD, “that he will command his children and his household afterhim, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; thatthe LORD may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him” (Gen 18:19).

Sadly, few of us measure up today. This isprobably due to ignorance, but the result is that when we ought to be studyingthe Larger Catechism today, many of us have not so much as readthe Shorter, not to mention attempted to memorise it. This neglectdoes not, in any way, diminish our responsibility to have a form of sound wordscommitted to memory (cf. 2 Tim 1:13). Neither does it excuse us from ourresponsibility to catechise our children.

May I, therefore, urge this duty on you,my dear brethren. Begin to catechise yourself by studying and if possiblememorising the WSC. This will no doubt be of great use to youpersonally, for as Thomas Watson says “catechising is the best expedient forthe grounding and settling of people” and that “Catechising is laying thefoundation (Heb. 6:1). To preach and not to catechise is to build withoutfoundation” (Body of Divinity). In other words, you will not onlybenefit much more from preaching, but your pastor will be able to preach moremeaty sermons if you are able to bear in mind a form of sound words in yourmemory through the use of the catechism.

Also, if you have children, may I urge youto begin to have them commit the catechism to memory before it becomes toodifficult as they grow older. If you wish to, you may use child’s catechism (Catechism for the Very Young for 2–4 years old; Catechism for Children for 5–8 years old). But I’ll recommendthat as soon as your child has finish memorising these two catechisms that theymay be made to memorise the WSC, even if they do not fully understandwhat the answers mean. Do, however, bear in mind Luther’s words, “With theyoung, always keep to one form and teach them word for word so that [they] mayrepeat and learn them by heart” (Intro. to Small Catechism). In other words, firstly, use only one version. If you’vestarted on a particular version of the Children’s catechism, stick with ituntil you complete it, then start with the WSC.Secondly, insist on word perfection not just ideas. Remember also that whileour children’s doctrinal classes use the catechisms, these classes are notintended to replace your catechising. They are intended as refreshers andsupplements of what you do at home. The memory work and detailed orpersonalised explanations must be done there.

The benefit of such rote memorisation ofthe catechisms has been attested time and again. Listen, for example, toArchibald Alexander, who was himself catechised with the WSC in his childhood: “If [children] are compelled to committhe catechism to memory, they are wont to do this without ever thinking of thedoctrines contained in the words which they recite; so that, when the attentionis at any time awakened to the subject of religion as a personal concern, theyfeel themselves to be completely ignorant of the system of divine truth taughtin the Bible. Yet even to these the truths committed to memory are now of greatutility. They are like a treasure which has been hidden but is now discovered.Of two persons under conviction of sin, one of whom has had sound religiousinstruction and the other none, the former will have an unspeakable advantageover the latter in many respects” (Thoughts on Religious Experience, 1).

And consider the heart-warming anecdoteabout D.L. Moody when he was staying with a Scottish friend in London. This story was retold by B.B.Warfield: “A young man had come to speak to Mr Moody about religious things. Hewas in difficulty about a number of points, among the rest about prayer andnatural laws. ‘What is prayer?’ he said, ‘I can’t tell what you mean by it!’They were in the hall of a large Londonhouse. Before Moody could answer, a child’s voice was heard, singing on thestairs. It was that of a little girl of 9 or 10, the daughter of their host.She came running down the stairs and paused as she saw strangers sitting in thehall. ‘Come here Jenny,’ her father said, ‘and tell this gentleman “What isprayer.”’ Jenny did not know what had been going on, but she quite understoodthat she was now called upon to say her Catechism. So she drew herself up, andfolded her hands in front of her, like a good little girl who was going to ‘sayher questions,’ and she said in her clear childish voice: ‘Prayer is anoffering up of our desires unto God for things agreeable to His will, in thename of Christ, with confession of our sins and thankful acknowledgement of Hismercies.’ ‘Ah! That’s the Catechism!’ Moody said, ‘thank God for thatCatechism.’” (Shorter Writings, 1.383).

This is not the only story I’ve heard. DrHoward Carlson, for example, related how his children stumped a scepticalJewish man whom they were trying to preach to when he tried to confuse them byasking them “What is God?” His children who had memorised the catechism gavethe answer with such confidence and alacrity that the Jewish man was persuadedto listen on and find out more!

Will you not begin catechising today?

—J.J. Lim