An Orthodox Catechism

    Heidelberg Catechism (1563), Zacharias Ursinus and Caspar Olevianus

    Question 27

    Section 10: Lord’s Day 10

    What dost thou mean by the providence of God?

    The almighty and everywhere present power of God;a whereby, as it were by his hand, he upholds and governs heaven, earth, and all creatures;b so that herbs and grass, rain and drought,c fruitful and barren years,d meat and drink,e health and sickness,f riches and poverty, yea, and all things come not by chance, but by his fatherly hand.g

    1. a. Acts 17:25–28

      Acts 17:25–28

      17:25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

      17:25 Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 17:26 From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands. 17:27 God intended that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. 17:28 'For in Him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are His offspring.'

      King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

    2. b. Hebrews 1:3

      Hebrews 1:3

      1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

      1:3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

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    3. c. Jeremiah 5:24

      Jeremiah 5:24

      5:24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.

      5:24 They have not said in their hearts, 'Let us fear the LORD our God, who gives the rains, both autumn and spring, in season, who keeps for us the appointed weeks of harvest.'

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    4. d. Acts 14:17

      Acts 14:17

      14:17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

      14:17 Yet He has not left Himself without testimony to His goodness: He gives you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness."

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    5. e. John 9:3

      John 9:3

      9:3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

      9:3 Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God would be displayed in him.

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    6. f. Proverbs 22:2; Job 1:21

      Proverbs 22:2

      22:2 The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all.

      22:2 The rich and the poor have this in common: The LORD is Maker of them all.

      Job 1:21

      1:21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.

      1:21 saying: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD."

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    7. g. Matthew 10:29–30; Ephesians 1:11

      Matthew 10:29–30

      10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

      10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 10:30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

      Ephesians 1:11

      1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

      1:11 In Him we were also chosen as God's own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,

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    Diff style

    Changes in An Orthodox Catechism (1680), Question 26

    An Orthodox Catechism (1680), Question 26

    What dost thou mean by is the Providence of God?

    The almighty and everywhere present Power of God, every where present, whereby he doth as it were by his hand he upholds uphold and governs govern Heaven earth, all and Earth, with all the Creatures therein, so that herbs and grass, those things which grow in the Earth, as likewise rain and drowth, fruitfulness and barren years, barenness, meat and and drink, health and sickness, riches and poverty; yea, and in a word, all things come not rashly and by chance, but by his fatherly hand.Counsel and will.

    Heidelberg Catechism (1563), Question 27

    What dost thou mean by the providence of God?

    The almighty and everywhere present power of God; whereby, as it were by his hand, he upholds and governs heaven, earth, and all creatures; so that herbs and grass, rain and drought, fruitful and barren years, meat and drink, health and sickness, riches and poverty, yea, and all things come not by chance, but by his fatherly hand.

    An Orthodox Catechism (1680), Question 26

    What is the Providence of God?

    The almighty Power of God, every where present, whereby he doth as it were by his hand uphold and govern Heaven and Earth, with all the Creatures therein, so that those things which grow in the Earth, as likewise rain and drowth, fruitfulness and barenness, meat and and drink, health and sickness, riches and poverty; in a word, all things come not rashly and by chance, but by his fatherly Counsel and will.

    Related (1)

    Apostles’ Creed, which this question expounds

    Clause 1

    I Believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:

    Commentaries (4)

    • Zacharias Ursinus, 1587, The Summe of Christian Religion (2 parts)

      What is the prouidence of God? The Almighty power of God euery where present, whereby hee doth as it were with his hand vphold & gouerne heauen & earth, with all the creatures…

      Zacharias Ursinus’s text

    • Jeremias Bastingius, 1591, A Catechisme of Christian Religion, with the Arguments and Use

      THE ARGVMENT Of Prouidence, belonging to the common place of Creation, and of the vse of both. What is prouidence? The almightie and euerie where present power of God, whereby he…

      Jeremias Bastingius’s text

    • Caspar Olevianus, 1581, An Exposition of the Symbole of the Apostles (5 parts)

      On Apostles’ Creed, Clause 1, which this question expounds

      That the kingdome of Christ is offered vnto vs in the Articles of our faith; and that the faithfull are partakers of it, whilest they liue here It is certaine, that there are two…

      Caspar Olevianus’s text

    • William Perkins, 1595, An Exposition of the Symbole or Creed of the Apostles

      On Apostles’ Creed, Clause 1, which this question expounds

      Before we come to handle the particular pointes of the Creed, it is very requisite that we should make an entrance thereto by describing the nature, properties, and kindes of…

      William Perkins’s text