Early Objects of Christianity 6 The earliest hymn

Early Objects of Christianity #6 The earliest hymn book. By Shad Sluiter Available at www. Gospel. Hall. org

The first of many… 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. First known church building. First known piece of the New Testament. First known complete copy of the New Testament. First known copy of the Old Testament. First known picture of Jesus. First known hymn. First known archaeological evidence of crucifixion.

Earliest Hymns The first hymns sung in Christian gatherings were probably the Psalms from the Hebrew scriptures. However, there are verses in the New Testament that seem to come from other hymns that were being sung by the early Christians regarding Christ, salvation and Christian living. The earliest hymn lyrics accompanied by musical notes was discovered in Egypt in 1913.

The Oxyrhynchus hymn (or P. Oxy. XV 1786) is the earliest known manuscript of a Christian hymn to contain both lyrics and musical notation. Unearthed in 1918 in Egypt, the discovery was first published in 1922. The hymn was written down around the end of the 3 rd century AD

The Oxyrhynchus hymn Here is a MIDI file to play the tune. Try the following link to hear a more elaborate performance. http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=q. LYf. LEZW 3 bc

Lyrics of the Oxyrhynchus hymn . . Let it be silent Let the Luminous stars not shine, Let the winds (? ) and all the noisy rivers die down; And as we hymn the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Let all the powers add "Amen" Empire, praise always, and glory to God, The sole giver of good things, Amen.

The first hymns from Paul… Philippians 2: 6– 11 (AD 62– 63) Colossians 1: 15– 20 (AD 62– 63) Titus 3: 4– 7 (AD 62– 63) 1 Timothy 3: 16 b (AD 62– 63) Ephesians 1: 3– 14 (AD 62– 63) Ephesians 2: 14– 16 Ephesians 5: 14 2 Timothy 2: 11– 13 (AD 62– 63) Key Points: Hymn type text can be identified because of the rhythm in the original Greek, by unusual (i. e. poetic) words or phrases or symmetry in the ideas and phrases. Paul was writing hymns while he was in prison. Most of the hymn quotes were from Paul’s later letters.

Philippians 2: 6– 11 (6) who, though he was in the exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be name, grasped, (10) so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in (7) but made himself nothing, heaven and on earth and under taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. the earth, (8) And being found in human (11) and every tongue confess form, he humbled himself by that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the becoming obedient to the point of glory of God the Father. death, even death on a cross. (9) Therefore God has highly

Colossians 1: 15 -20 body, the church. He is the (15) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all beginning, the firstborn from the creation. dead, that in everything he might (16) For by him all things were be preeminent. created, in heaven and on earth, (19) For in him all the fullness of visible and invisible, whether God was pleased to dwell, thrones or dominions or rulers or (20) and through him to reconcile authorities--all things were to himself all things, whether on created through him and for him. earth or in heaven, making peace (17) And he is before all things, by the blood of his cross. and in him all things hold together. (18) And he is the head of the

1 Timothy 3: 16 b Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

Ephesians 1: 3– 14 (3) Blessed be the God and Father of our will, according to his purpose, which he set Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in forth in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the (10) as a plan for the fullness of time, to heavenly places, unite all things in him, things in heaven and (4) even as he chose us in him before things on earth. foundation of the world, that we should be (11) In him we have obtained an holy and blameless before him. In love inheritance, having been predestined (5) he predestined us for adoption as sons according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his through Jesus Christ, according to the will, purpose of his will, (6) to the praise of his glorious grace, with (12) so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. which he has blessed us in the Beloved. (7) In him we have redemption through his (13) In him you also, when you heard the blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the according to the riches of his grace, promised Holy Spirit, (8) which he lavished upon us, in all (14) who is the guarantee of our wisdom and insight (9) making known to us the mystery of his inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 2: 14– 16 (14) For he himself is our himself one new man in peace, who has made us place of the two, so both one and has broken making peace, down in his flesh the (16) and might reconcile dividing wall of hostility us both to God in one (15) by abolishing the law body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in

Ephesians 5: 14 For anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. "

2 Timothy 2: 11– 13 (11) The saying is will deny us; trustworthy, for: If we (13) if we are faithless, have died with him, we he remains faithful-- for will also live with him; he cannot deny himself. (12) if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also