Communal Responsibility in Worship

How would you define communal responsibility in worship?

According to Merriam-Webster.com,

• A community is defined as a unified body of individuals.
• Responsibility involves answering for one’s conduct or obligations.
• To worship is to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion a divine being.

So, a communal responsibility in worship could be described as a unified body of individuals answering for each other’s conduct to show great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion to a divine being.

But what does that look like in actual practice for the Israelites in the book of Deuteronomy? And us today?

Communal Responsibility in Worship | Deuteronomy 16:21-17:7 Study Questions

“You shall not plant any tree as an Asherah beside the altar of the Lord your God that you shall make. ²² And you shall not set up a pillar, which the Lord your God hates.” (Dt 16:21–22)

What do the verses above prohibit?

How strongly does God oppose these items? Why? (See Dt 4:23-24, 5:6-10 and 12:2-4)

“You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep in which is a blemish, any defect whatever, for that is an abomination to the Lord your God.” (Dt 17:1)

What is the point of offering unblemished sacrifices? (See Dt 5:11 and Mal 1:6-8)

² “If there is found among you, within any of your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, a man or woman who does what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, in transgressing his covenant, ³ and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, or the sun or the moon or any of the host of heaven, which I have forbidden, ⁴ and it is told you and you hear of it, then you shall inquire diligently…(Dt 17:2–4)

How do these verses relate to the requirements in Dt 16:21-17:1?

What is the responsibility of those who receive information that a community member has turned to worship other gods or material items? Why?

…and if it is true and certain that such an abomination has been done in Israel, ⁵ then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has done this evil thing, and you shall stone that man or woman to death with stones. (Dt 17:4–5)

What does the death penalty reveal about God’s authority? (Also see Genesis 2:15-17)

⁶ On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness. (Dt 17:6)

Why are two or more witnesses required before activating the death penalty? (Also see Matt. 18:16, 2 Cor. 13:1, and 1 Tim. 5:19)

⁷ The hand of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. (Dt 17:7)

Why must the witnesses be the first to throw stones at the guilty person(s)? (See Dt 5:17 and Dt 5:20)

And why is the rest of the community instructed to take part in the stoning? (See Dt 6:1-3 and Dt 7:6-8)

Communal Responsibility in Worship | Deuteronomy 16:21-17:7 and the New Testament

Consider Jesus’ comments about stoning someone caught in sin.

[Jesus] stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” ⁸ And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. ⁹ But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. ¹⁰ Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” ¹¹ She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” (Jn 8:7–11)

Keeping in mind that the scribes and Pharisees only brought the woman caught in the act of adultery and not the man, and that they were testing Jesus, how does Jesus uphold the communal responsibilities of Deuteronomy 16:21-17:1?

Compare the following words of Paul with Deuteronomy 16:21-17:7.

I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. ¹² For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? ¹³ God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.” (1 Co 5:11–13)

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? ¹⁵ What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God… (2 Co 6:14–16)

How do Paul’s instructions in these two passages above align with the communal responsibilities in Deuteronomy 16:21-17:7?

What is different? Why? (See Rom 13:1-7)

Communal Responsibility in Worship | Application

How does the study of Deuteronomy 16:21-17:7 aid in defining a practical sense of community responsibility in worship?

What did Jesus and Paul contribute to defining community responsibility in worship?

Based on these passages, how can Christians encourage one another to remain faithful to God and avoid idolatry today?

How does this responsibility to uphold proper worship practices within the church community contribute to the call to make disciples of all nations? (See Mt 28:19-20)

Is there anything you need to do differently in your worship practice to be part of a unified body of individuals answering for each other’s conduct to show great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion to the LORD of all creation?

A prayer for all of us based on Psalm 119:97-104:

Heavenly Father, instill in us a love for your law and keep our minds meditating on it throughout our days. We acknowledge your commandments always provide us with wisdom and protection. May we trust your scripture as the greatest source of understanding. Enable us to keep your precepts and prevent us from straying away from Your Holy Word.

Blessings,

Barbara Seibel