The Death of Jesus Christ, Our Lord
The death of Jesus Christ, our Lord
The Death of Jesus Christ, Our Lord is a hymn text by Heinrich Behm (1610) in L.M. (8.8.8.8) meter. Translated by John C. Mattes. Found in CW21 677, CW93 135, ELH 329, elw 740.
This hymn expresses the Lutheran understanding of Christ's death as the substitutionary atonement that reconciles sinners to God, central to the doctrine of justification by faith alone. It emphasizes how Christ's singular sacrifice accomplishes redemption for all believers, reflecting the Lutheran interpretation of Hebrews and Pauline theology.
History & Background
Written by German pastor Heinrich Behm in the early 17th century as a eucharistic hymn emphasizing Christ's atoning death. First published in German hymnals and widely translated into English, with John Mattes providing the standard English version used in Lutheran hymnals.
Hymnal Appearances
- Christian Worship: Hymnal — 677
- Christian Worship — 135
- Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary — 329
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 740
- Lutheran Service Book — 634
- Lutheran Worship — 107
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 163
Translation
Bulletin Note
Composed by Heinrich Behm in 1610, this hymn teaches the Lutheran understanding of Christ's death as vicarious sacrifice—the singular offering that satisfies the Law and reconciles sinners to God through faith.
Preaching Connection
This hymn crystallizes the Lutheran doctrine of substitutionary atonement, making visible how the Gospel's promise of justification by faith alone is purchased entirely by Christ's obedient death.
Catechism & Confessional Connections
- Of Justification Augsburg Confession
Background Research
Haquin Spegel (1645–1714), from memory born at Visby, Gotland, Bishop of Skara and Linköping, Archbishop of Uppsala from 1711, died three years later. With Jesper Swedberg he was a main collaborator on the Swedish hymnal of 1694/1696 (the '1695 hymnal'). Ryden calls him 'the more gifted poet' of the two, whose hymns 'fixed the language forms' of later Swedish hymnody. Swedish title 'Vår Herres Jesu Kristi död' (Hymnary). It is a Communion hymn, which Ryden calls a classic example of how Spegel set out 'the objective truths of the Christian faith' in song: we proclaim the Lord's death till he come (1 Cor 11:26), with the body and blood given for us. Olof Olsson (from memory: president of Augustana College) made the English (c. 1910); TLH alters it.
Sources: CCEL (Ryden, Story of Our Hymns); hymnary.org.
In the Church Year
Suggested in the one-year series
- Palm Sunday (4×)
- Maundy Thursday (3×)
- Advent 1 (2×)
- Good Friday (1×)
- St. Mark (1×)
- Sts. Peter and Paul (1×)
Suggested in the three-year series
- Maundy Thursday (1×)
- Palm Sunday (1×)
- Proper 22 (1×)
- Sts. Peter and Paul (1×)
From LCMS Worship's published hymn suggestions, 2014–2026. The count is how many of those yearly lists suggested this hymn for that day.
Overview
A Swedish Lutheran Communion hymn attributed to Haquin Spegel, later Archbishop of Uppsala, translated by Olof Olsson of Augustana College. TLH places it in Holy Week (Maundy Thursday). It is one of the clearest catechetical hymns on the Lord's Supper in any language. It celebrates Christ's death as our comfort (st. 1) and full atonement (st. 2); presents the Supper as Christ's 'earnest' or pledge of that atonement (st. 3); confesses the Real Presence of his very body and blood on the strength of his Word (st. 4); calls it heavenly food for pilgrims (st. 5) and blesses the believing guest (st. 6); describes the repentant communicant (st. 7); warns against unbelieving reception (st. 8); and prays for faith to receive worthily (st. 9).
Central theme: Christ's atoning death given and pledged to us in his Supper, where his true body and blood are received by faith
Structure
Nine long-meter quatrains in three parts: the atonement (1-2); the Supper — its purpose, presence and benefit (3-6); worthy and unworthy reception and prayer (7-9). It follows the Small Catechism's questions on the Sacrament closely.
Law & Gospel Shape
Gospel dominates: atonement, debt paid, heavenly manna, rest. The Law appears in st. 8's warning to those who receive without faith, and in the call to repentance (7). St. 9 returns to Gospel: 'he who believes is blest.'
Confessional Connections
A hymnic Small Catechism on the Sacrament of the Altar: the benefit is forgiveness (st. 2-3); 'His very body… His very blood' is the Real Presence (AC X; FC VII); the words 'given and shed for you' require faith (st. 4, 6); worthiness is faith in these words, not personal merit (st. 9; SC: 'that person is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words'). St. 8 reflects the manducatio indignorum — unbelievers receive the true body but to judgment (FC VII.16, 60-69).
Liturgical Use (Study Notes)
Maundy Thursday; any celebration of the Lord's Supper; Communion instruction and confirmation.
Historical Notes
Spegel (1645-1714), bishop and later Archbishop of Uppsala, was a leading contributor to the Swedish hymnal of 1695. Olsson (1841-1900) was president of Augustana College; TLH dates the translation c. 1910. The CCEL metadata gives the tune's German name as the 'original title' and garbles the author line (author fixed in the master); verify the Swedish source against the TLH Handbook.
About the Tune
GOTTLOB, ES GEHT NUNMEHR ZU ENDE (attributed to J. S. Bach, Schemelli Gesangbuch, 1736).
Scripture References
1 Cor 11:26 Col 2:14 Rom 3:25 Heb 9:12 2 Cor 1:22 1 Cor 10:16 Matt 26:26-28 Luke 22:19-20 1 Cor 11:23-25 John 6:31-35 Heb 4:9 John 15:4 1 Cor 11:27-29 Mark 16:16
Stanza by Stanza
We celebrate with one accord the death of Jesus Christ our Lord; it is our comfort in distress, our heart's sweet joy and happiness.
'As often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes' (1 Cor 11:26). The Supper is a celebration of a death — paradoxically, the source of 'joy and happiness.' 'With one accord': Communion is the act of the whole congregation united (1 Cor 10:17). Christ's death is 'comfort in distress' because it is the ground of forgiveness: Lutheran eucharistic piety is centered not on our offering but on his.
- Scripture
- 1 Cor 11:26, 1 Cor 10:16-17, 2 Cor 1:3-5, Gal 6:14
- Imagery & language
- Celebration of a death; comfort and joy.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — Christ's death our comfort.
- Connection to previous
- Opening.
With his own blood he blotted out the judgment that stood against us; he made full atonement for us and paid all our debt.
Col 2:14: he 'canceled the record of debt that stood against us… nailing it to the cross.' 'Full atonement' and 'all our debt He fully paid' — complete satisfaction, nothing remaining (Heb 10:14; AC III). This is the benefit the Supper delivers: 'forgiveness of sins' (Matt 26:28). The repetition of 'full/fully' rules out any notion of the Mass as a further propitiatory sacrifice (Ap XXIV).
- Scripture
- Col 2:13-14, Rom 3:25, Heb 9:12, Heb 10:14, Matt 26:28
- Imagery & language
- Debt cancelled; judgment blotted out.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — complete atonement.
- Connection to previous
- States what Christ's death accomplished.
So that this may always be true for us, he gives an ever-new pledge: in his holy Supper here we taste his love, so sweet and near.
The Supper as 'earnest' (Arra, pledge, down-payment; 2 Cor 1:22; Eph 1:14) — a guarantee that the atonement is 'now and ever true' for me. Luther stressed that the Sacrament is God's seal on the promise: the Word says 'for you,' and the Sacrament puts that 'for you' into my mouth (Large Catechism V). 'Ever new' — each celebration is a fresh application of the once-for-all sacrifice. 'Taste His love so sweet, so near' (Ps 34:8) — the nearness is literal: his body and blood are present.
- Scripture
- 2 Cor 1:22, Eph 1:14, Ps 34:8, 1 Cor 10:16, Luke 22:19
- Imagery & language
- Earnest; tasting love.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — the Supper as pledge of forgiveness.
- Connection to previous
- Links the atonement (2) to the Supper.
His Word proclaims, and we believe, that in this Supper we receive his very body, as he said, his very blood shed for sinners.
The heart of the Lutheran confession of the Supper: 'This is my body… this is my blood' (Matt 26:26-28), taken at face value. 'His very body… His very blood' — the true body and blood, not symbols (AC X: 'the body and blood of Christ are truly present and distributed'; FC VII). The ground is 'His Word proclaims' — faith rests on Christ's words, not on reason or philosophy (FC VII.42-45). 'As He said' echoes Luther's Marburg insistence on 'Hoc est corpus meum.'
- Scripture
- Matt 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20, 1 Cor 10:16, 1 Cor 11:23-25
- Imagery & language
- Word and belief; 'very body, very blood.'
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — Christ truly present for sinners.
- Connection to previous
- Defines what is received.
This is truly precious food that never fails us in our need, heavenly manna for our soul until we safely reach our goal.
The Supper as food for the journey (viaticum). The manna in the wilderness (Exod 16) sustained Israel until the promised land; Christ is 'the true bread from heaven' (John 6:32-35). The Sacrament strengthens faith for the pilgrim Church 'until we safely reach our goal' — 'until he comes' (1 Cor 11:26). The Large Catechism calls it 'food for the soul, which nourishes and strengthens the new man' (LC V.23).
- Scripture
- Exod 16:4, 14-15, John 6:31-35, 48-51, 1 Kgs 19:7-8, 1 Cor 11:26, Heb 13:14
- Imagery & language
- Manna; journey to the goal.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — strengthening food for faith.
- Connection to previous
- Describes the Sacrament's benefit.
Blessed is every believing guest who finds his rest in this promise, for Jesus will lovingly abide with those who trust in him.
'Believing guest' — the benefit is received by faith. The rest is found 'in this promise' — the words 'given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins' (Small Catechism VI). Christ 'abides' with those who trust him (John 6:56, 'whoever feeds on my flesh… abides in me, and I in him'; John 15:4). The Sacrament creates and strengthens communion with Christ.
- Scripture
- John 6:56, John 15:4, Matt 11:28-29, Heb 4:9-10
- Imagery & language
- Believing guest; rest; abiding.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — rest and communion with Christ.
- Connection to previous
- Names who benefits.
The guest who comes sincerely intending to turn to God and repent, to live for Christ and die to sin, will thus begin a holy life.
Repentance as the posture of the communicant: contrition and faith (AC XII). The Supper is not a reward for holiness but the beginning and strengthening of it: 'will thus a holy life begin.' Dying to sin and living for Christ (Rom 6:11; 2 Cor 5:15) is the baptismal life (Small Catechism IV), which the Supper nourishes. The Lutheran order is maintained: holiness follows from grace received.
- Scripture
- Rom 6:11, 2 Cor 5:15, Acts 3:19, 1 Cor 11:28, Gal 2:20
- Imagery & language
- Intent; turning; beginning.
- Law / Gospel
- Law — call to repentance; Gospel — new life given.
- Connection to previous
- From faith (6) to its fruit in repentance and holiness.
Those who do not believe his Word receive this food unworthily and will find no salvation here; may we keep this warning in mind.
1 Cor 11:27-29: whoever eats and drinks 'in an unworthy manner… eats and drinks judgment on himself.' The Lutheran position is precise: unbelievers truly receive Christ's body and blood (the presence depends on Christ's word, not our faith), but not for salvation — to judgment (FC VII.16, 60-63). Unworthiness is defined as unbelief in the Word, not moral imperfection. The stanza is a loving warning, as Paul's was, and a reason for Lutheran care in admission to the Supper.
- Scripture
- 1 Cor 11:27-29, John 3:18, Mark 16:16, Heb 4:2
- Imagery & language
- Warning; unworthy reception.
- Law / Gospel
- Law — unbelief receives judgment.
- Connection to previous
- The Law's warning, after the Gospel's invitation.
Help us to believe sincerely, so that we may receive your Supper worthily and find rest in you. Amen — whoever believes is blessed.
The warning becomes prayer: faith itself is God's gift (Eph 2:8). Worthiness is faith: 'That person is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words: "Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins"' (Small Catechism VI). The last line is Mark 16:16 and the Catechism's 'whoever believes these words has what they say.' The hymn ends not with the warning but with the beatitude of faith.
- Scripture
- Eph 2:8, Mark 9:24, Mark 16:16, John 20:29, Matt 11:28
- Imagery & language
- Prayer; Amen; beatitude.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — faith receives the blessing.
- Connection to previous
- Answers the warning of st. 8.
Themes
Atonement through Christ's death Justification by faith Substitutionary sacrifice The significance of the cross