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One of the hallmarks of the biblical writers was the use of prior stories as a foundation. Without an “old” Israel there can be no “New” Israel; without the “old” Jerusalem there can be no “New” Jerusalem; “old” Pascha – “new” Pascha; “old” Pentecost – “new” Pentecost. People, institutions, events, and objects can serve as a “type” for something new. Usually a unique person or event at one time corresponds to a unique person or new historical event of a different time.

The Crossing of the Red Sea by Moses and the Israelites serves as a type for the Crossing of the Jordan by Joshuah and the Isralites. In turn, on our Feast of the Theophany, we sing how the “waters turned back” at the Jordan. What we do in our liturgy or sacred mysteries is no different than continuing the biblical mind.

Many are puzzled on who Joseph was and why he had dreams. Noting how the infancy narratives are full of Old Testament references, I could not help but see a similarity between our Joseph, the husband of Mary, and two other “types” in the Old Testament. First, there is a Joseph in Genesis 41. We know that the Pharaoh had a dream that troubled him greatly. Second, there was Nebuchadnezzar who also had a dream that troubled him greatly (Daniel 2:1,3). Our Joseph was the one who had a dream and pondered its meaning. In our iconography, he is depicted pondering (as our hymns state) while Mary is in a cave while the midwives take care of the baby Jesus.

I know that this is not much to establish some correspondence, but when we continue the story a bit further we see that Joseph of Gen 41 is brought by an official to interpret the Pharaoh's dream, whereas Daniel in Dan 2 is brought by an official to interpret the king's dream. With our Joseph in the Gospel of Luke and Matthew, an angel interprets the pondering Joseph's dreams. Continuing, Joseph is acknowledged by the Pharaoh as being “favored” by God, Daniel is acknowledged as being “favored” by Daniel's God. Who do you think is “favored” by God in the Gospels?

The overall stories about the OT Joseph as found in Gen 37 thru 50 tell about a man's dreams, his relationship with Potiphar's wife, and about his migration to Egypt to save the sons of Israel. In the NT, our Joseph has dreams (as mentioned above), his relationship with Mary is discussed, and leaves with his family to Egypt (Matthew's Gospel only) to save the “son.”

In no way am I suggesting that the Gospel writers made their stories up using OT sources. But is there something here that tells us how the biblical authors used earlier traditions to convey newer events and realities. Such correspondence is very popular in the OT just like the use of chiasms. I find the NT authors to be carrying on a very Jewish way of writing. Am I onto something or am I just a bit nuts?


Cantor Joe Thur
Deacon-student

Dear Cantor and Mentor,

The "Favoured One" of the New Testament is surely the Mother of God as this is how the Archangel greeted her at the Annunciation.

And certainly the New Testament is the flowering and realization of the prophetic vision of the Old.

When I pray the Psalms, I add the "Hail Mary" at the end of each.

Somehow, this helps me see more clearly the symbolic connection to Christ in the words of the Psalms.

Perhaps also the later and pagan Greek way of thinking tended to taint our view of the New Testament and we became estranged from the original Hebrew context and perpsectives in which the Gospels are rooted.

The Magnificat draws a clear parallel to the Song of Hannah, the mother of Samuel, in which the Mother of God, a true Daughter of Israel, sings from within the Hebrew heritage of her people and reflects a strong awareness of the tradition of Abraham and the forefathers.

Ancient Greek philosophy can tend to be rather intellectualistic.

Hebrew philosophy is more a matter of loving God and life with one's whole heart, the mind in the heart, the emotions, with the "stomach" as Alyosha mentions in the Brothers Karamazov.

The Mother of God has become the new Ark of the Covenant where the Fulfillment of the Law, Christ Himself, dwells and dwells in us as His Ark as well.

I also find great meaning in the words of the CAtholic Saint Louis de Montfort who wrote in his True Devotion to Mary that "When the Holy Spirit finds in a soul the presence of Mary, He does to that soul what He did with Mary on the day of the Annunciation, and begins to form Jesus within it."

This to me is the height of Incarnational theology that, in the Hebrew context, means that the God Who lives in the Heavens or "everywhere," is also the God Who lives "down here" in my tent and in my heart.

To inscribe the commandments ON one's heart meant that one fulfilled them as a matter of obligation, whether or not one loved them.

To have God's Law IN one's heart is to show that one lives by God's law because one loves them, or rather that one loves God and His Will to please, as the Song of Songs sing, "My Beloved."

Alex

Alex,

Good comments. We Christians sometimes fail to see the intimate connection between the New Testament and the Old.

The "Megalynei" or Magnificat or Mary in Luke's Gospel is a case in point. You mentioned this in your last post.

We can establish points of correspondence between Hannah's Song (1 Sam 2) and Mary's Megalynei (Luke 1).

1 Sam 2:1 // Luke 1:46f.
1 Sam 2:2 // Luke 1:49
1 Sam 2:4 // Luke 1:52
1 Sam 2:5 // Luke 1:53

There is much more.

What other hymns do we see in Luke 1 that have correspondences in the Old Testament?

Would anyone like to take a guess where we Byzantines sing the Megalynei (Magnificat)?

Joe

[ 02-21-2002: Message edited by: J Thur ]

I don't know about you guys, but we sing it at our Midnight Prayers, which are appropriately prayed at midnight...

Dear Cantor and Mentor,

Is not the Megalynei sung as part of the Canon(s) at Matins (sorry, Orthros!)?

The other Biblical Odes are not sung daily (except on Mt. Athos I believe) but this Ode is.

It is a song inspired in the Mother of God by the Holy Spirit at the point of the sanctification of John the Baptist in the womb of his mother, John being the fulfillment of the Prophets proclaiming, and in his case, actually making way and baptizing the Messiah.

The hymn brings together the central impulses of Old Testament messianic expectation and history:

Part I: My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit exults in God my Saviour - represents the central Old Testament experience of God, joyful adoration and glorification of the Divine majesty.

Part II: For He has looked upon the lowliness of His handmaiden, behold all generations shall call me Blessed - this shows the central theme of how God raises up the humble, or as the Psalms say, makes of the barren woman a joyous mother of children etc.

Part III: For the Almighty has done great things for me and Holy is His Name: His favour is from generation to generation on those who fear Him: This suggests the basic Old Testament attitude of thankfulness to God Who blesses us richly when we walk in His covenant in obedience to His commandments.

Part IV: He has shown the Might of His Arm, He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart: This reflects the Old Testament theme of God as our Protector and Strength who "confounds the ways of the ungodly."

Part V: He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted them of low degree, He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent empty away. This reflects the theme of God's presence and involvement in human history as judge and teacher "the Lord gives and the Lord takes, blessed be the name of the Lord" as Job cried. God is He who evens out, Who shows to one and all our utter dependence on Him for all we have and are.

Part VI: He has helped His servant Israel in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and His seed forever. And here is reflected the idea of God's promise and prophecy about His coming as the merciful God, Who will come from Thaeman from a Mountain densely wooded, to save His people and grant them great mercy. To "Abraham and his seed" or all those who believe in God, whether from Israel, or else the "wild shoots grafted on."

How's that?

Alex

Mor Ephrem,

Oops! Sorry about that. I have a habit of defaulting to the Byzantine mode. Always feel free to share other Eastern Church Traditions. Sharing our faith-traditions help us all learn.

I do remember singing the Magnificat in the Roman Church at Morning Praise, I believe. Any Roman Catholics out there that can help me on this one? Do RCs alternate the Magnificat with another hymn every other day? Can't remember too well these things.


Alex,

Yes. It is sung between the 8th and 9th Ode at the Canon of Matins with the refrain "More honorable than the Cherubim ..." The themes you mention help establish the tie between the Old and New Testaments. Why do you think Luke used Hanna's Canticle? Was Hanna a typos for Mary?

Joe

Dear Cantor and Mentor,

I wish I had a religion teacher like you when I was growing up.

If I had, I would probably have turned out better . . .

It was in the barren womb of Hannah that the Prophet Samuel was conceived.

It was in the Virginal Womb of Mary that the fulfillment of the Prophets, Our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ, was conceived.

In both cases, God made fruitful what was, according to nature, impossible.

But nothing is too hard for the Lord, as the Three Visitors told Abraham of his wife, Sarah.

Forgive my excessive ignorance, but how are the nine Biblical Odes distributed at Matins during the weekdays of Lent again?

Could I say all of them each day?

Alex

I forgot to mention that Hannah's Canticle (1 Sam 2:1-10) is also sung at the Canon of Matins. It serves as the basis for the 3rd Ode. Unfortunately, the accumulation of stichera (like ivy) has covered this beautiful canticle.

Having Matins as a regular liturgical service can help us preserve the earlier biblical mindset of our tradition.

Having Divine Liturgy only at our parishes not only diminishes our liturgical life but prevents us from seeing the greater latice-work of our theology.

Minimalism is akin to Marcionism in some respects. The first thing to go is the Old Testament.

As for the canticles at Matins, typically three are chanted each day. Odes 8 and 9 are chanted on all days of the week. Ode 1 is done on Mondays; Ode 2 on Tuesdays (only during Lent); Ode 3 (Hanna's Canticle) on Wednesdays; Ode 4 on Thursday; Ode 5 on Friday; Odes 6 and 7 on Saturday. "Magnificat" between Odes 8 and 9; "It is Truly Proper" after Ode 9.

For cantors, it would be nice to see "It is Truly Proper" sung according to the tone of the week. Minimalism raises its ugly head when we only get to sing it at the Divine Liturgy always according to Tone 6 Samohlasen. It sounds just as beautiful according to tones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8. Variety is the spice of life, no?


Cantor Joe

[ 02-21-2002: Message edited by: J Thur ]

No problem, Joe. Keep up the great work!

I used to pray the Latin office for a couple of years before tackling the tougher Syrian stuff...the Magnificat is sung every evening at Vespers, and the Benedictus (of Zechariah) is sung at Lauds.

Dear Cantor and Mentor!

Fr. Robert Taft also makes mention of a way of praying the Psalms in the Greek and Coptic traditions.

They divided them up into twelve Stases of twelve Psalms apiece, with an additional three tacked on to the first Stasis and another three to the final one (Matins and Vespers respectively).

They then prayed one of the 12 psalms at the turn of each hour, beginning at 6:00 am.

They often repeated this at night.

Lent is precisely a time when the Psalms and the spirituality of the Old Testament reminds us of our heritage and roots, but also of our constant need to struggle and search for God, as did the people of the Old Testament.

My Protestant friend tells me that, insofar as the Bible minus the Old Testament Deuterocanonicals are concerned, if one reads three chapters of the Bible daily and five chapters on Sunday, then one can get through both Testaments in one year.

A great practice!

Alex

Joe,

A question or correction, I am not sure which.
The Odes correspond directly to Canticles they replaced except for the fact that Canticles 9 and 10 are usually taken together and considered as one. They are as follows:

1. Canticle of Moses 1: Exodus 15:1-19
2. Canticle of Moses 2: Deutoronomy 32:1-43
3. Canticle of Anna: 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 2:1-10
4. Canticle of Habakkuk: Habakkuk 3:2-19
5. Canticle of Isaiah: Isaiah 26:9-20
6. Canticle of Jonah: Jonah 2:3-10
7. Canticle of the Three Children 1: Dan 3:26-56
8. Canticle of the Three Children 2: Dan 3:57-88
9. Canticle of Mary: Luke 1:46-55
10.Canticle of Zechariah Luke 1:68-79
11.Canticle of Simeon Luke 2:29-32

According to Archimandrite Taft these were distibuted as follows: three at Matins, one variable (Sunday has two) according to the day always followed by the Canticles of Mary and Zechariah. Vespers always has the Canticle of Simeon. The Matins arrangement by day looked like this in ancient Byzantine usage:

Sun: 1,8,9,10
Mon: 2,9,10
Tues: 3,9,10
Wed: 4,9,10
Thur: 5,9,10
Fri: 6,9,10
Sat: 7,9,10

Sunday being theologically the first day and the eighth day gets the 1st and 8th Canticles/Odes and the rest follow from there. As you state the monasteries, as always taking a good thing and doing it to excess, added the odes as stichera to be inserted in the Canticles but when they abandoned the above schedule and started to do all 9 (8 if you minus the 2nd) Canticles daily, the odes were kept but the Canticles themselves were dropped except for 9/10. I am guessing this is because 9/10 were from the Gospels as opposed to the others being from the Old Testament which generally got the shaft in the Byzantine Church.

Also interesting and true to many liturgologist's belief that more solemn services and periods retain older forms, during the Great Fast we return to the three ode format in the Triodion i.e. the Book of the Three Odes.

My question is from your statement below:

"As for the canticles at Matins, typically three are chanted each day. Odes 8 and 9 are chanted on all days of the week. Ode 1 is done on Mondays; Ode 2 on Tuesdays (only during Lent); Ode 3 (Hanna's Canticle) on Wednesdays; Ode 4 on Thursday; Ode 5 on Friday; Odes 6 and 7 on Saturday. "Magnificat" between Odes 8 and 9; "It is Truly Proper" after Ode 9."

Did you mess up in your numbering or is this how it is now done in the Ruthenian Church now and if so why/how did we deviate from the more ancient assignment of 1 and 8 both on Sunday and the subsequent numbering?

In Christ,
Lance, deacon candidate

Sorry, double post.

[ 02-22-2002: Message edited by: Lance ]

Lance,

The Odes make up the Canon, a popular hymn-type that replaced the classical Kontakion about 1,000 years ago. Greeks vs. Syrians. Greeks won.

These odes are based on Old Testament Canticles. Your 10th canticle, Luke 1:68-79, is sung in addition to the Luke 1:46-55 on "ferial" days. They are from the New Testament, but are actually "connectives" between the two testaments. Your 11th canticle, Simeon's, is not a part of the Canon of Matins.

The number assignment to the Canticles/Odes are the following:

Ode 1: Exodus 15:1-19
Ode 2: Deuteronomy 32:1-43
Ode 3: 1 Samuel 2:1-9; Jeremiah 9:22-23; 1 Samuel 2:10
Ode 4: Habakkuk 3:2-19
Ode 5: Isaiah 26:9-19
Ode 6: Jonah 2:3-10
Ode 7: Daniel 3:26-56
Ode 8: Daniel 3:57-88
Ode 9: Luke 1:46-55 + [on ferial days: Luke 1:68-79]

The question above was about how the Canticles/Odes were distributed throughout the week at Matins during Lent. The schedule is as follows (I include Sunday this time):

Sunday: Odes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Monday: Odes 1, 8, 9
Tuesday: Odes 2, 8, 9
Wednesday: Odes 3, 8, 9
Thursday: Odes 4, 8, 9
Friday: Odes 5, 8, 9
Saturday: Odes 6, 7, 8, 9

Sunday naturally omits Ode 2 because it is the day of Resurrection and it is too gloomy. Ode 2 is taken on Tuesdays during Lent. We call the text that has these hymns the Lenten Triodion because on most of these days we sing three (tri) canticles (odes). On Saturday, we sing four odes, therefore it is a tetraodion day.

The full nine odes is the more ancient form. This is reflected in most of our major feast days. The following examples of Festive Days (not including Pascha and Pentecost) having all nine odes, excluding Ode 2, are:

Sept 8: Nativity of the Theotokos
Sept 14: Exaltation of the Cross
Oct 1: Protection of the Theotokos (our Festal Menaion has two odes, but the Prostopinije has 8)
Nov 21: Entrance of the Theotokos in Temple
Dec 25: Nativity of our Lord
Feb 2: Encounter with Simeon
Mar 25: Annunciation
Aug 6: Transfiguration
Aug 15: Falling Asleep of the Theotokos

Lesser feast days have two odes (diodion), which include Ode 9.

The Byzantine logic would have the more important days with more odes and the lesser ones with less. Interesting how the Feast of the Conception of St. Anne (Dec 9) has only two odes. Sundays naturally have all nine, excluding Ode 2.

Byzantine habit would start long first, then abbreviate. We Byzantines are liturgical pack-rats; we add, add, add, and then we abbreviate, abbreviate, and abbreviate. Our liturgies are actually modelled after accordians.

The unfortunate thing in regards to the Scriptures is the suffocation of these beautiful Canticles from troparia. I think the message would have been more powerful if the Canticles were left intact. There is so much faith-history in them.


Cantor Joe Thur

[ 02-22-2002: Message edited by: J Thur ]

Oh yeah?! Yeah, well...We'll see who wins when we log off this forum and fight it out in an abandoned alley or something!! We'll make you eat those words... :p

(No hard feelings, I'm just a little happy because of today's feast... )

Mor Ephrem,

I figured that would get your attention.

Actually, no one won or lost. We Byzantines have many Kontakions, but not in their original form. Today, these earlier types of hymns have found a home in the Akathist. The Syrian tradition lives on!

It just goes to show that the "popularity" of a type of hymn is determined by those writing the music.

Many have noted that the rise of the Canon was a sign of 'conformity.' The classical Kontakion, a Syrian type of hymn, has always been considered the height of Byzantine Hymnography! As the New Testament used the Old to convey the truth, the Syrian genius continued such biblical art in conveying the New Testament via a paraphrased hymn. No sooner did the Greeks introduce the Canon with its reliance on OT canticles, they began to abuse it and distort it with the ivy of troparia. Today, it is difficult to notice the original canticle in the Odes. It seems that the Byzantine Church lost a great Tradition.

Cantor Joe Thur
Deacon-student

[ 02-22-2002: Message edited by: J Thur ]