Prayer for the Dead: Lutheran Pastor (LCMS) Defends it from Scripture, Citing the Pauline Example of Onesiphorus

This comes from Pastor William Weedon, who runs a very edifying, educational blog. It's entitled On Prayer for the Dead. He notes some mixed signals within Lutheranism:

The Synodical Catechism (1943) asks: “For whom should we pray?” (#210) and answers this: “We should pray for ourselves and all other people; but not for the souls of the dead.” In contrast to this, consider these words from Concordia: The Book of Concord:

Regarding the adversaries’ quoting the Fathers about the offering for the dead, we know that the ancients speak of prayer for the dead, which we do not ban. (Ap. XXI:94)

and

Epiphanius declares that Aerius maintained prayers for the dead are useless. He finds fault with this. We do not favor Aerius either. (Ap XXI:96).

The funeral service provided in Lutheran Service Book prays:

Give to Your whole Church in heaven and on earth Your light and Your peace…. Grant that all who have been nourished by the holy body and blood of Your Son may be raised to immortality and incorruption to be seated with Him at Your heavenly banquet.

So which position is Scriptural?

[additional indentation added presently for ease of reading; bolding and italics are his own]

The Book of Concord constitutes the actual Lutheran Confessions, and would trump the other source in terms of doctrinal authority, I'm pretty sure

Pastor Weedon utilizes as his argument the passages about Onesiphorus (2 Timothy 1:15-18; 4:19). I've made the same argument for at least 13 years now (it was included in my first book, which was completed in 1996: pp. 141-143). I also revisited the topic in The Catholic Verses (2004, pp. 169-174). Here's another related paper from my blog:

Onesiphorus (2 Tim 1:16-18; 4:19): Explicit New Testament Example of the Apostle Paul Praying for the Dead (Explanations of Protestant Commentaries)

Pastor Weedon further clarifies his position in comments:

Yes, I take it that Onesiphorus has died. Franzmann writes in his Concordia Bible with Notes - NT:

"Onesiphorus is otherwise unknown; Paul's tribute to his energetic and fearless love remains his only but enduring monument. He was apparently dead at the time Paul wrote." (p. 418)

What makes it apparent, I believe (as also Franzmann concludes) is the way St. Paul speaks of his help in the past tense (not something he currently is rendering) and how at the end of the letter that he does not greet the man himself, but his household.

I've also documented Martin Luther's approval of the same practice. I cited the Lutheran Confessions, too (apparently a different rendering of Pr. Weedon's first source above):

Luther's approval of prayers for the dead given out of free devotion was shared in Melanchthon's apology to the Augsburg Confession (article XXIV, 94), where he wrote:

Now, as regards the adversaries' citing the Fathers concerning the offering for the dead, we know that the ancients speak of prayer for the dead, which we do not prohibit; but we disapprove of the application ex opere operato of the Lord's Supper on behalf of the dead.

Now, of course, I hasten to add that Lutherans -- like the Orthodox -- will not conclude from this (as we do) that purgatory is implied (indeed, so we contend, almost logically presupposed) in such prayers, but that is another issue. For now, I am simply noting the agreement that the practice itself is permissible according to confessional Lutheranism. I think it is good wherever Christians can agree with each other.