\u201cJesus is born!\u201d<\/p>\n
Every December we raise our voices in song proclaiming this event. We sing together carols written in the last few centuries; we rightly compose and sing new songs of praise.<\/p>\n
But what songs did our brothers and sisters in Christ sing 1500 years ago?<\/p>\n
In his introduction<\/a> to a 1946 translation of Athanasius\u2019 On the Incarnation of the Word of God<\/em><\/a>, \u00a0<\/em>C.S. Lewis writes:<\/p>\n Every age has its own outlook. It is specially good at seeing certain truths and specially liable to make certain mistakes. We all, therefore, need the books that will correct the characteristic mistakes of our own period. And that means the old books.<\/p>\n As with books, so with carols. We do well to interact with hymn texts not only from our century, not only from the previous three centuries, but also from the early years of the church. Such texts may state biblical truths in a different form from what we are used to; they may emphasize truths that we ignore; they may err in ways that are obvious to us \u2013 and so remind us that we most likely err in ways that would be obvious to believers of that era.<\/p>\n In our Advent services this year we have sung a carol written in Greek in the fourth century, \u201cLet All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence<\/a>.\u201d \u00a0Here is another text of that era that is well worth your contemplation: \u201cOf the Father\u2019s Love Begotten,\u201d written by the poet Aurelius Prudentius and translated in the 19th<\/sup> century by John Mason Neale and Henry Baker. Emphasizing the eternal nature of God\u2019s plan of redemption through His Son, each verse ends with the line, \u201cEvermore and evermore\u201d (saeculorum saeculis<\/em> in Latin). Let\u2019s consider the nine verses one by one, highlighting how each spurs our praise.<\/p>\n Stanza 1:<\/p>\n Of the Father’s love begotten, The second person of the Trinity is begotten of the Father\u2019s love. While we today do not often speak in those terms, consider that first line in light of Luke 3:22 and John 3:16. The author goes on to call Jesus both the source of all creation and the end for which all exists, including all humanity (Colossians 1:16).<\/p>\n Stanza 2:<\/p>\n At His Word the worlds were fram\u00e8d; He speaks \u2013 and, as at the tomb of Lazarus, His word has instant life-giving power. Furthermore, He gives not only life but order, with all parts of creation harmoniously working to praise Him, as pictured in Psalm 104.<\/p>\n Stanza 3:<\/p>\n He is found in human fashion, The author of life becomes man to know death experientially so that we the redeemed might not face death evermore and evermore! See Hebrews 2:14-15 as well as \u2013 once again \u2013 John 3:16.<\/p>\n Stanza 4:<\/p>\n O that birth forever bless\u00e8d, The birth of Jesus – \u201cconceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary\u201d as stated in the Apostles\u2019 Creed \u2013 is both a historical event, indeed, the hinge of history, and<\/em> the eternal truth through which we must understand and interpret all that we see.<\/p>\n Stanza 5:<\/p>\n O ye heights of heaven adore Him; Given what we have seen, all must praise Him \u2013 heavens, angels, powers, and all humans. Understand \u201cconcert\u201d not as a performance, but rather as every voice perfectly harmonizing with every other. We all must praise \u201cin concert\u201d for Jesus to receive the praise He deserves.<\/p>\n Stanza 6:<\/p>\n This is He Whom seers in old time Just as in the previous stanza we sing His praises differently yet harmoniously, just so the prophets foretold His coming differently yet \u201cwith one accord.\u201d The promise to Abraham, the promise to David, the promise \u201cunto you a child is born, unto you a son is given,\u201d the promise \u201cthe Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all\u201d \u2013 each brings out a different facet of the person and work of Jesus, yet all are in accord, and together they describe in significant detail the coming Messiah. And now, says the poet, He shines with glory, as He fulfills all those prophecies.<\/p>\n Stanza 7:<\/p>\n Righteous Judge of souls departed, The Creator of all things, the Baby in the manger, the dying Redeemer on the cross, will return as the almighty King and Judge, against Whom no power can stand. He will overwhelm and rightly condemn all who oppose Him. See Revelation 11:15, 19:11-21, and 20:7-10.<\/p>\n Stanza 8:<\/p>\n Thee let old men, Thee let young men, The poet here expands on Stanza 5: Every person of whatever earthly status has a role to play in praising Jesus from the heart, so that He gets all the glory He deserves. Consider Mark 11:14, John 4:23-24, and Revelation 7:9-12 in this regard.<\/p>\n Stanza 9:<\/p>\n Christ, to Thee with God the Father, The hymn closes with \u201cunwearied\u201d praise to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Why \u201cunwearied\u201d? The four living creatures in Revelation 4:8 \u201cday and night \u2026 never cease to say, \u2018Holy, holy, holy!\u2019\u201d We too in the eternal state will never weary of worshiping our God in spirit and truth \u2013 and thus will fulfill the purpose of our creation, the purpose of our redemption.<\/p>\n Thank you, Father God, for preserving such ancient texts to help us worship You this Christmas season. May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing to you this season – then evermore and evermore.<\/p>\n (The Latin text and a second English translation of this hymn are available here<\/a>. I encourage you to listen to a lovely a cappella recording of five of these verses here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cJesus is born!\u201d Every December we raise our voices in song proclaiming this event. 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\nEre the worlds began to be,
\nHe is Alpha and Omega,
\nHe the source, the ending He,
\nOf the things that are, that have been,
\nAnd that future years shall see,
\nEvermore and evermore!<\/p>\n
\nHe commanded; it was done:
\nHeaven and earth and depths of ocean
\nIn their threefold order one;
\nAll that grows beneath the shining
\nOf the moon and burning sun,
\nEvermore and evermore!<\/p>\n
\nDeath and sorrow here to know,
\nThat the race of Adam’s children
\nDoomed by law to endless woe,
\nMay not henceforth die and perish
\nIn the dreadful gulf below,
\nEvermore and evermore!<\/p>\n
\nWhen the virgin, full of grace,
\nBy the Holy Ghost conceiving,
\nBore the Saviour of our race;
\nAnd the Babe, the world’s Redeemer,
\nFirst revealed His sacred face,
\nevermore and evermore!<\/p>\n
\nAngel hosts, His praises sing;
\nPowers, dominions, bow before Him,
\nand extol our God and King!
\nLet no tongue on earth be silent,
\nEvery voice in concert sing,
\nEvermore and evermore!<\/p>\n
\nChanted of with one accord;
\nWhom the voices of the prophets
\nPromised in their faithful word;
\nNow He shines, the long expected,
\nLet creation praise its Lord,
\nEvermore and evermore!<\/p>\n
\nRighteous King of them that live,
\nOn the Father’s throne exalted
\nNone in might with Thee may strive;
\nWho at last in vengeance coming
\nSinners from Thy face shalt drive,
\nEvermore and evermore!<\/p>\n
\nThee let boys in chorus sing;
\nMatrons, virgins, little maidens,
\nWith glad voices answering:
\nLet their guileless songs re-echo,
\nAnd the heart its music bring,
\nEvermore and evermore!<\/p>\n
\nAnd, O Holy Ghost, to Thee,
\nHymn and chant with high thanksgiving,
\nAnd unwearied praises be:
\nHonour, glory, and dominion,
\nAnd eternal victory,
\nEvermore and evermore!<\/p>\n