Great Women of Faith Series: Phyllis Wheatley (1753-1784)

By Shelsea Becker

“Had not Christ taken away the evenom’d sting, where had been our hopes? What might have not we fear’d, what might have not we expect’d from the dreadful King of Terrors? But this is matter of endless praise, to the King eternal, immortal, invincible, that it is finished.”

An incredible, highly educated woman of color, Phillis Wheatley was born in West Africa and brought to America at the age of seven. A fragile, skinny girl, she was bought by the Wheatley family of Boston. Named after the ship she sailed on and the family who purchased her, she grew up in their household where she was treated with dignity, taught to read and write, and encouraged to publish her poetry. Phillis became the first—just wow—the first African American published author. And at that, a woman.

When I came across this quote, I was intrigued by the writing style, the way she questions the reader to prompt deeper reflection, and the authority with which she conveys the answers to those questions.

Two questions with two parts. Let’s spend some time here.

“Had Christ not taken away the evenom’d sting…”

Evenom’d comes from the word envenomed, meaning poisoned, filled with venom, or made deadly. Phillis is referring to the poisonous, deadly sting of sin and eternal separation that only Christ could take away. I have often heard the verse, “O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55), and wondered what it meant.

In my own experience of losing my firstborn daughter, my mom, and my grandmother (in that order), I very much have felt the sting of death. What I am learning from Phillis is that this is not about the emotional sting of grief and sorrow but about the eternal reality: for those of us in Christ, death does not have the final say. We do not need to fear it. We are not eternally separated from Christ but will be with Him forever.

That is the Good News! Had He not done that for us, “where had been our hopes?” Because of what Christ accomplished on the cross, the poison of sin that brings death has been taken away, and now we have this surpassing hope. The question makes me stop and reflect: if He had not done this, where would I be? Would there be any real hope? No hope. No peace. No salvation.

“What might have not we fear’d…”

This asks us to consider all the things we would fear without eternal hope: the cost of sin, eternal punishment, separation from God, and being overcome by darkness. But in Christ, there is no darkness.

If death were the end, how terrifying that would be. “What might have not we expect’d from the dreadful King of Terrors?”—a biblical name for death itself, as seen in Job. Scripture tells me, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” The shadow nor death has the right to keep me in the valley. I will walk through it.

How dreadful life would be if we were held captive by death’s power. What keeps us from expecting despair and darkness?

“It is finished.”

Phillis answers these questions with the words of Christ Himself: “It is finished.” The work was complete at the cross. The man who knew no sin became sin, taking my place and yours, reconciling us to God so we can spend eternity in His presence. Praise be to God!

Jesus conquered eternal death by giving us eternal life. Sin lost its grip. Death lost its sting. Fear lost its power.

Endless Praise

“But this is matter of endless praise, to the King eternal, immortal, invincible, that it is finished.”

For this reason alone, we should live in a continuous state of praise. On top of that, we should walk in gratitude for the daily victories He gives us.

We exalt Christ, who is eternal—who has no beginning and no end. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. He cannot die, and He has conquered death.

Jesus has given us life, freedom, and victory.

Dig Deeper:

1. 1 Corinthians 15:55 – “O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?”

2. Psalm 23:4 – “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”

3. John 19:30 – “It is finished.”

4. John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

5. John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”

6. Job 18:14 – “King of Terrors” as a name for death.

7. General allusion to “the man who knew no sin” (2 Corinthians 5:21)