The Hymns of Advent: O Come, O Come, EmmanuelText: John Mason Neale
Tune: Thomas Helmore
Photo source: WikiPedia, the Free Online Encyclopedia
Somber, haunting, meditative, personal … some of the adjectives that might be used to describe the emotions produced the Advent hymn, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, authored by John Mason Neale (1816-1866), who drew upon a very old source for composition, a group of verses named the O Antiphons from the Liturgy of the Hours. By searching the internet it can be determined that there is a possible brief mention of the antiphons by Ancinius Manlius Severinus Boethius in the sixth century. I think it completely sufficient simply to state that the O Antiphons were in use some time in the early centuries of the Christian Church.
What is an antiphon?
Literally translated from the Greek it means against sound. In the Christian church, an antiphon is a response, spoken or sung that is relational to a Bible passage. Many denominations use antiphons. Though not used in all Lutheran churches, antiphons may included as part of their worship liturgy. In the Eastern Orthodox church, one of the ways antiphons are used is in response to a Psalm, containing the fundamental thought of the Psalm. (http://orthodoxwiki.org/Antiphon)
What is the Liturgy of the Hours?
The Liturgy of Hours or Divine Office or Divine Hours, is a daily series of prayers to be said throughout the day. This custom, though performed mainly within monastic communities of both Eastern and Western Christian Church denominations, is not only for the religious. Its basis in history is scriptural, which calls upon all faithful to pray without ceasing. Continuous prayer both consciously and within the soul keeps us in communion with God and strengthens our spiritual armor. Along with the following links, there are many internet sites that have free offers to download, both print and audio, prayers for the Liturgy of the Hours.
http://www.yale.edu/adhoc/research_resources/liturgy/hours.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liturgy_of_the_Hours
John Mason Neale was from his early years as a youth a voracious reader. Following in his father’s footsteps, became a priest of the Anglican Church, and in 1866 was conferred a doctorate by Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, though in his own country he was “inhibited” (not allowed) to offer the sacraments due to his activities with revival work and his outspoken views, because they were distrusted..
Neale had a strong interest in history and the writings of the early church. Adept at languages, he would learn them to further his research and writing. By the time Rev. Neale died, he knew and could use over twenty languages. Particularly fond of children, he wrote many books for children as well as significant history volumes and hymns. What he is best known for, however, are his translations of texts from their original Greek and Latin. At the young age of fourteen he had already begun his first translation project, translating into English the poetical works for Coelius Sedelius, named as one of the first five Christian poets.
Neale was not fearful of speaking his convictions, and was the friend of others who felt the same. Among them was Charles Simeon who preached to the sound of breaking glass and shouted threats for many years while trying to bring reform and revival to the Anglican Church in England. For Neale, it meant derogatory comments over his translation efforts, because many felt that he was trying to romanize the Anglican Church. Despite the threats, he persevered.
John Mason Neale didn’t live a long life. His health failed early, making the job of pastoring a church too strenuous. For a brief time he lived in Medeira off the coast of Africa, but it brought no respite for his lung disease. It was there that he learned the Russian, Syriac and Georgian languages for the cause of beginning his great work, History of the Holy Eastern Church. Although his knowledge and efforts were not recognized in his own country of Britain, they were elsewhere, as in the Doctorate from Trinity College. John Neale corresponded with many great theologians and thinkers, including the first among equals, the Metropolitan of the Russian Orthodox Church.
In 1846 he was placed in charge of a poorhouse called Sackville College and with his wife lived and worked their the remainder of his life. The conditions Neale found at the almshouse led him to co-found The Society of St. Margaret, whose work within the Anglican Church was to nurse the sick. This too came under scrutiny when others felt that he was creating a monastic order, and at the funeral of one of the sisters, he was beaten.
It was not until after his death that was Neale honored for his devout faith, ministry and work in the Anglican Church of England. Like Catherine Winkworth who translated hymns from the German, Neale performed for hymnody a great service by translating and preserving some of the early hymns and writings of the Christian church, both east and west. It is an interesting note that Reverend John Mason Neale died in his 48th year on the day of the Feast of the Transfiguration, August 6, 1866.
http://anglicanhistory.org/bios/jmneale.html
"...Resurrection" he had said, "is promised, and can be promised, only to the dead. If we are not dead with Christ, how can we live with Him? But one or the other we must be. Dead to sin, or dead in sin; dead to Christ, or dead with Christ." … John Mason Neale
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
first published in Medieval Hymns, 1851,
and with music in Carols for Christmas-Tide by Neale and Helmore.
Essentially what Neale and hymn tune composer Thomas Helmore did was to compose a new, 19th-century medieval hymn based upon medieval sources. For either stanza or tune there is no concrete documentation of source material to deduce more than this.
Rev. Neale used the monastic O Antiphons for his inspiration. These antiphons date to as early as the eighth century, and most likely earlier as noted above. From the Liturgy of the Hours of the Roman Catholic tradition, these were used the last eight days preceeding Christmas, known as the Octave before Christmas or Golden Night of Christmas.
These in turn are based upon an acrostic for the Latin phrase ERO CRAS, which translates will be tomorrow, or tomorrow I come. Used in order right to left as devotional prayer, each first letter of a word represents a title for Jesus Christ as well as an Old Testament prophecy from the books of Isaiah and Micah.
- Sapienta : Wisdom : Isaiah 11:2-3, 28:29
- Adonai : Lord of Israel : Isaiah 11:4-5, 33:22
- Radix Jesse : Root of Jesse : Isaiah 11:1, 11:10, Micah 5:1
- Clavis David : Key of David : Isaiah 22:22, 9:6
- Oriens : Radiant Dawn, Dayspring : Isaiah 9:2
- Rex Gentium : King of All Nations : Isiah 9:7, 2:4
- Emmanuel : God with Us : Isiah 7:14
I recommend two internet sources for more information:
http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0374.html
Thomas Helmore (1811-1890) was an ordained minister of the Church of England. Together with John Mason Neale he published two hymn books, Carols for Christmas-Tide (1853) and Hymnal Noted, Part Two (1856).
Emmanuel – God With Us: Isaiah 7:14
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Each stanza of this hymn is an invitation to come, which follows with the Advent lenten season of Jesus coming to us rather than us going penitentially to him, as with the Great Lent before Easter.
And ransom captive Israel… during the first century of the church the prevailing view of atonement was satisfaction, or substitution. The people wait in mourning (sin) alone (exile), separated from God until he will appear. People are held captive, as hostage to sin, until the ransom is satisfied.
Refrain
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
After each invitation comes the promise statement of fulfillment, that Emmanuel will come. This is in the manner of responsive psalmody, and as in the manner the creation story telling in the book of Genesis. It is also antiphonal in nature, as in call > response.
Sapientia – Wisdom: Isaiah 11:2-3
O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.
Wisdom, who orders all things well (mightily) is called upon to show us how to gain knowledge and teach us the right path. To gain the true meaning of the text, however, the chapter as a whole must be read and studied. The text speaks of what is to come, when Jesus returns at the end of time as we know it.
Seeing another perspective on this text, look to how Christians seek out God's message for them personally, it is by studying His Living Word--that is, the Bible. It is said that unless one know's God, His wisdom will remain hidden. For guidance upon how to study Holy Scripture, we often use the Old Testament book of Proverbs, which encourages diligance and discipline.
When Jesus taught as an adult during the three years before his death, he gave instruction to his disciples on how to lead, teach others, minister, and most importantly share the Good News of his life.
Radix Jesse – Root of Jesse: Isaiah 11:1, 10
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.
When looking at this stanza, please note that it needs to be read not by line but with the punctuation as marked. Here again is text based upon eschatological text, that of chapter 11 of the book of Isaiah. As it stands, however, the invitation is for freedom from sin and death, which Jesus accomplished by his resurrection.
Another perspective and certainly well-known thought, let us think upon the events following our Lord's crucifixion. In our creedal statements we say, ... he was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day He rose... Take another look at this stanza. You will see this message clearly conveyed.
John Mason Neale translated an eighth-century hymn by Cosmas the Melodist in the same vein as O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, titled The Rod of the Root of Jesse, using the topic of two stanzas of our present hymn. The text of this hymn is triumphant and conquering, using the same stanza/refrain format. It is worth noting here for the similarity of subject. What is different is that it is written as accomplished work rather than expectant of what is to come. (source: cyberhymnal.com)
Rod of the Root of Jesse,
Thou, Flower of Mary born,
From that thick shady mountain
Cam’st glorious forth this morn:
Of her, the ever virgin, Incarnate wast Thou made,
The immaterial Essence,
The God by all obeyed!
Glory, Lord, Thy servants pay
To Thy wondrous might today!The Gentiles’ expectation,
Whom Jacob’s words foretell,
Who Syria’s pride shall vanquish,
Samaria’s power shalt quell;
Thou from the Root of Judah
Like some fair plant dost spring,
To turn old Gentile error
To Thee, its God and King!
Glory, Lord, Thy servants pay
To Thy wondrous might today!In Balaam’s ancient vision
The eastern seers were skilled;
They marked the constellations,
And joy their spirits filled;For
Thou, bright Star of Jacob,
Arising in Thy might,
Didst call these Gentile first-fruits
To worship in Thy light.They,
in holy reverence bend,
Gifts acceptable present.As on a fleece descending
The gentle dews distill,
As drops the earth that water,
The virgin didst Thou fill.
Tarshish and Ethiopia,
The Isles and Araby,
And Media, leagues with Sheba,
Fall down and worship Thee.
Glory, Lord, Thy servants pay
To Thy wondrous might today!
Oriens – Dayspring: Isaiah 9:2
O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Used during the week before Christmas, Jesus is called the Dayspring, or dawn of a new era—the era when sin is put in its place … death’s dark shadows put to flight. There is the feeling of expectation soon to be fulfilled… come and cheer our spirits by your advent … break apart the gloomy (depressive) clouds of night (sin).
The phrase "by Thine advent" is somewhat deceiving. For, though Jesus' birth heralded the Messiah on earth, the expectation still presented itself until the resurrection. If one was to go no further than this stanza, upon reflection the prophetic nature is apparent and obvious. Now, as children of God, we wait again with anticipation for Jesus' return, when he will put a final end to all suffering and sorrow.
Clavis David – Key of David, Isaiah 22:22
O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life … John 14:6. Jesus holds the Key to the House of David, God’s house. It is through Him that salvation comes. The invitation is to open the door wide and allow safe passage to our heavenly home, keeping us away from the path to misery (sin).
Think of what this means when we pray in the Lord’s Prayer… Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Or, in more contemporary language, Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil.
There is a hymn recently (relatively speaking) translated from the German by the well-known hymnologist, Gracia Grindal that speaks of this subject in a gloriously triumphant manner.
I invite you to view this hymn by clicking on this link. It will be well worth your effort >> http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/f/w/fwdtdoor.htm
Adonai – Lord of Israel: Isaiah 11:4-5, 33:22
O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.
When looking at this stanza with its creating verses alone, the invitation now comes from an historical perspective, that God came with the law, which when followed gave Old Testament salvation.
The invitation recalls another time when God came and gave the law to his chosen people, giving them instruction -- the rules -- on how to live uprightly within his purpose. God, Lord of Israel, is called upon to come in a manner that will display his great glory and power. Prophecy tells us that this is how Jesus will return.
Just as Isaiah 11 is speaking of a time to come, however, so does chapter 33 with extremely sharp, harsh words of of warning. In the center of these, verses 15 and 16, answer is given to question of how salvation comes – Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?
15 He who walks righteously and speaks what is right, who rejects gain from extortion and keeps his hand from accepting bribes, who stops his ears against plots of murder and shuts his eyes against contemplating evil- 16 this is the man who will dwell on the heights, whose refuge will be the mountain fortress. His bread will be supplied, and water will not fail him. (KJV)
Looking ahead to the time when Jesus does return, when his children reach their heavenly home is the most beautiful verse. It is noted as an aside, a commentary upon the verses of future reference.
Your eyes will see the king in his beauty and view a land that stretches
afar.
Radix Jesse – Root of Jesse: Isaiah 11:1, 10
O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.
An ensign in this context is a banner/flag or emblem that represents a group of people who belong together, such as the flag that represents the people of the United States of America. Though the American flag is an inanimate object, people give it life by ascribing human emotions to its identity. In this stanza, the emblem is life itself—the Root of Jesse, Jesus Christ, who is honored by reverent silence and seen as the source of mercy and compassion.
There will come a time when all opposition will end. No longer will those who deny Jesus as God, Lord, and Savior be allowed to malign or deny his goodness, glory or justice.
... That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phillipians 2:10-11 KJV.
and as follows...
No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. Revelation 22:3-4
NIV
Rex Gentium – Desire of Nations: Isaiah 9:7, 2:4
O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.
The Desire of Nations, Jesus Christ, will bring an end to war, and peace shall reign over the earth, making all mankind into one people in kind. There is no truer statement for that which we on earth desire for our world is peace. When we have complete peace, this will mean that all will recognize their belonging to God, for there is no other way to that end.
The stanza requesting peace is a fitting end to this hymn that is both in the present of God’s salvation coming to us as well in the future when Christ will return. Through theological study of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel we have discovered an inner meaning to the season of Advent that reaches far beyond personal reflection, that with the expectancy of Christ coming as a child the time is also about the expectancy of Christ’s coming again—to not only judge but also to bring final peace to the world.
We have also discovered a hymn that has uses outside of the Advent season, it is also for worship when Christ’s return with all of its implications is preached. The hymn is solid theologically and is appropriate for topical Bible study and devotional use. Lastly, through this hymn based upon texts in use for at least 2,000 years brings us together with fellow saints who have gone before us, who lived with the same expectations and hopes we have today.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment