GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH Gaithersburg, Maryland

Isaiah’s Visions of the Messiah 7: 16; 9:6-7. – “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (ELW 257) The Second of Five Sessions The Second Sunday in Advent - December 6, 2020

I. Prophecy From Isaiah Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman1 is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him . :14 All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the : ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel’, which means, ‘God is with us.’ Saint Matthew 1:22-23 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulders: and his The Second Sunday in Advent, name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty 2020 God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace, there shall be no end, upon the throne of , and upon His kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this.” :6 - 7 (AKJV)

I. Three Familiar Texts We have surely heard these texts before. Most of us can share them from memory not because we know Isaiah and Matthew so well, but because they have been shared from childhood with the Christmas Story. Whether that story was in Isaiah’s mind in the 8th or seventh centuries before the birth of our Lord, they are clearly in our minds as prophecies of our Lord’s coming when we read them today.2 The quotation from Saint Matthew is shared as a parallel to the Isaiah text to

1. “A Young Woman”: Scholars believe that this is the preferred translation of this Hebrew text. However, of the several possible translations, “virgin” is acceptable as well, but considered the last of the choices.

2, We spoke of possible meanings of these texts in the time of Isaiah in the last session.

Isaiah - Messianic Prophecies Session 2 Rev 4 Pdf. Page 1 indicate that the early Christians and Evangelists read Isaiah as a Messianic prophet.3 They skillfully wove Isaiah, as well as other texts, into the First Century nativity story. And followers of our Lord have been telling this story ever since. Today’s Advent hymn does the same thing, also with skill.

II. Let’s Begin with the Tune Is sounds ancient, and it is, but maybe not quite as “ancient” as we might have thought. It’s history begins for us in the 14th century CE, though its origins as to composer and such, are unknown. The tune’s name; VENI, EMMANUEL Because this hymn text is of a rather standard meter, it can, and has been mated with several popular hymn tunes. In fact, the hymn in either its Latin or English texts has been associated successfully with a number of tunes. That said, speaking at least for the English- speaking world, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” is associated with one tune almost exclusively, so much so that the tune itself in named Veni Emmanuel. It is said that this tune was first linked with the hymn in 1851. The tune was listed as being “from a French Missal in the National Library of Lisbon.”4 The mystery was somewhat clarified in 1966 by a British musicologist, Mary Barry, who is also an Augustinian Canoness and a noted choral conductor. She discovered a 15th century manuscript containing the melody of Veni Emmanuel in the National Library of France. Mary Barry, writing under her religious title of Mother Thomas More suggests that there may yet be evidence of an earlier origin for Veni Emmanuel. Thus far, it has not been found. Incidentally, this earliest manuscript was found among a booklet of Advent Funeral Processions.

III. The Root of the Text “The O Antiphons” It is believed that the text of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”, in all of its variations and in both its Latin and English texts intends to be a paraphrase of the “O Antiphons.” The “O Antiphons” otherwise known as the “Great O’s” are the magnificent antiphons used at the Vespers of the last seven days of Advent in Western Christian tradition. They are also used, instead of the Alleluia verses on the same days in the post 1970 Catholic

3. The Isaiah tests at the top of this paper may have referred to King , or even King Josiah. The tests would have been appropriate to either of these kings. They were righteous and just kings.

4. Hymnal Noted, parts I & 2, (New York:Novello), 1851.

Isaiah - Messianic Prophecies Session 2 Rev 4 Pdf. Page 2 Mass, with some variances. They are called the “O Antiphons” because each “O”, sometimes called a “vocational participle,” calls forth a name or title of Christ, or one of his attributes mentioned in the Scriptures. Today’s hymn, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” carefully lifts for us in song the spiritual names, gifts, and attributes of our Lord. They “count down” to Christmas Eve. To wit: 17 December O Sapientia (O Wisdom) 18 December O Adonai (O Lord) 19 December O Radix (O Root of Jesse) 20 December O Clavis David (O Key of David) 21 December O Oriens (O Dayspring) 22 December O Rex Gentium (O King of Nations) 23 December O Emmanuel (O God With Us)

These antiphons are used throughout much of what we call the Western Church, including the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican and Episcopal Churches, the Lutheran Churches, and The Presbyterian Church (USA). They are included as a litany in The Book of Common Worship published by the Presbyterian Church (USA). They can be read as a praise litany at Morning or Evening Prayer.5 It is said that the hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” is a lyrical paraphrase of the “O Antiphons,” which it is. One can sense this movingly, if with ELW in hand, one reads the antiphons and the associated stanzas of the hymn. So, what do we know about the origins of the “O Antiphons”? Like the popular tune of our English hymn, the origin is not altogether known, though it is greatly loved. Boethius6 makes a passing reference to them which suggests that they were present in the 6th Century CE. At the Benedictine Fleury Abbey, the” O Antiphons”op. Sit were recited by the abbot and other abbey leaders. By the 8th century they were a part of the liturgical celebrations in Rome. It is altogether possible that they have been in use since the very early Church.7

5, https://en.n.wikipedia.org/wiki/ O_Antiphons. Pp.1-3.

6. Aniclus Manlius Severinus Boeethius – (477-534) is a saint in both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. His works are said to be online today.

7. Op. Cit. “O Antiphons”.:.

Isaiah - Messianic Prophecies Session 2 Rev 4 Pdf. Page 3 It is not without truth that when we sing this hymn we are embracing an ancient Christian tradition, and that tradition is rooted squarely in the prophecies of the Prophet Isaiah, as we shall demonstrate in the next section of this paper, as we review the stanzas of “O Come, O Come, Emanuel.” We shall use the text of Evangelical Lutheran Worship hymn 257.8

IV. “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” ELW 257 There are seven Antiphons and eight stanzas to the hymn as we have it in our ELW hymnal. In ELW, the eighth stanza is the same as the first, perhaps a summary to be sung on at Morning Prayer on Christmas Eve, December 24. The hymn, as are the Antiphons, is based solidly upon Isaiah’s prophecies about the Messiah. We shall pause at each stanza and quote the appropriate texts.

STANZA ONE – Emmanuel O Come, O Come Emmanuel And ransom captive , that mourns in lonely exile here, Until the Son of God appears.

Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel.

Isaiah has prophesied: Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman9 is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

STANZA TWO – Wisdom O Come, O Wisdom from on high, Embracing all things far and nigh: In Strength and beauty come and stay, Teach us your will and guide our way. Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! . . .

8. The hymn attached to Page 9 of ths paper is mostly from the translation of Thomas Nelson Neale. Neale’s translation is from Latin into English and provides us five stanzas. Two stanzas in the ELW are by Henry Sloan Coffin. These two stanzas first appeared in the Hymnal 1940 of the Episcopal Church, USA. This is mostly followed in the ELW.

9. “A Young Woman”: Scholars believe that this is the preferred translation of this Hebrew text. However, of the several possible translations, “virgin” is acceptable as well, but considered the last of the choices.

Isaiah - Messianic Prophecies Session 2 Rev 4 Pdf. Page 4 Isaiah has prophesied: The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; :2-3 This also comes from the Lord of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in wisdom. :29

STANZA THREE – Adonai - LORD O Come, O Come O Lord of might, As to your tribes on Sinai’s height In ancient times you gave the law, In cloud and magisty and awe. Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! . . . Isaiah has prophesied but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins. Isaiah 11:4-5. For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our ruler, the Lord is our king; he will save us. :22.

STANZA FOUR – Branch of Jesse O Come< O Branch of Jesse, Free your own from Satan’s tyranny; from depths of hell your people save, and give them victory o’er the grave. Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! . . . Isaiah has prophesied: A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. Isaiah 11:1 On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious. Isaiah 11:10

STANZA FIVE – Key of David O come, O Key of David, come, And open wide our heav’nly home; make safe the way that leads on high, And close the path to misery. Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! . . .

Isaiah - Messianic Prophecies Session 2 Rev 4 Pdf. Page 5 Isaiah has prophesied: I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and no one shall shut; he shall shut, and no one shall open. Isaiah 22:22 His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. Isaiah 9:7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. :7

STANZA SIX – O Morning Star - Dayspring ` O Come, O Dayspring, come and cheer; O Sun of justice, now draw near Disperse the gloomy clouds of night And death’s dark shadow put to flight. Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice . . . Isaiah has prophesied: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined. Isaiah 9:2 Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. :1-2

STANZA SEVEN – O Rex Gentius (King of Nations) O come, O King of nations, come, O Cornerstone that binds in one: refresh the hearts that long for you, Restore the broken, make us new. Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! . . . Isaiah has prophesied: For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. :6 Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. :8 therefore thus says the Lord God, See, I am laying in a foundation stone, a tested

Isaiah - Messianic Prophecies Session 2 Rev 4 Pdf. Page 6 stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation: “One who trusts will not panic.” :16

STANZA EIGHT – O Emmanuel (God with Us) O Come, O Come Emmanuel And ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here, Until the Son of God appear Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you O Israel.

Oops! That is the first stanza. But it is also the eighth. That which was our introduction, our basic cry for redemeption. Now it sums up our hope and the encouragement we have from God;s prophet, Isiah. We have been singing Isaiah, or is it more correct that our hymn has been spellling out our redemption, stasnza by sdtanza? Note again how this hymnroots itself into the prophecies of Isaiah. The wealth of this hym is for us almost overwhelming as it stirs the understanding of our faith in this Advent season. This writer would be happy to sing this hymn every Sunday in the Advent season.. It is a hymn that calls upon our Lord to come. It summons up our needs and ourhopes so well and becomes a confidence buiilding hymn of doxological praise. “Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you O Israel”. The refrain at the end of each stanza’s prayerful intercession is the confident announcement that the prayer will be answered. “Emmanuel will come!”

Isaiah - Messianic Prophecies Session 2 Rev 4 Pdf. Page 7 Isaiah in Advent Beginning on November 29 A Review of Passages Appropriate for our Advent Sundays! November 29 – The First Sunday in Advent Isaiah II:1-4 – “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming”

December 6 –- The Second Sunday in Advent Isaiah 7:12 –”O Come O Come Emmanuel.”

December 13 – The Third Sunday in Advent Isaiah 9:6 --7 “Comfort, Comfort now my People”

December 20 – The Fourth Sunday in Advent :4-8 – “On Jordan’s Banks the Baptist Cries”

December 27 – The First Sunday of Christmas Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist :18-19. 35:5-6. 61:1 ”Awake! Awake and Greet the New Morn”

COMING STILL LATER At A Time of The End of this Pandemic “Hymns We Are Hungering to Sing Again – Together” Be sure to send your favorite Hymns – [email protected]

Isaiah - Messianic Prophecies Session 2 Rev 4 Pdf. Page 8 Isaiah - Messianic Prophecies Session 2 Rev 4 Pdf. Page 9