[B-Greek] Eph5/19 : Songs

Ben Crick ben.crick at argonet.co.uk
Tue Jan 11 14:47:27 EST 2005


On Tue 11 Jan 2005 (18:22:16 +0100), loic.vandeventer at itesoft.com wrote:
> Hi,
> in the following verse (Eph 5/19)
> LALOUNTES EAUTOIS YALMOIS KAI UMNOIS KAI WDAIS PNEUMATIKAIS ADONTES KAI
> YALLONTES TH KARDIA UMWN TW KURIW
> 
> we find a few vocabulary about songs.
> Does it exist any explanation about the differences between these words
> at the times of Paul ?
> - YALMOIS (Psaum ...)
> - UMNOIS (Hymns ...)
> - WDAIS (Odes ...)
> To which kinds of songs these words refer ?
> 
> Same question with the two verbs : ADW (ADONTES) and YALLW (YALLONTES)
> ?

 Dear Loic,

 This was discussed here in 1998, if you wish to search the Archives. I hope
 that the following falls within the remit of B-Greek.

 In Ephesians 5:19 we have three nouns and one adjective. It is possible that
 the adjective PNEUMATIKAIS qualifies all three nouns in the list, YALMOIS
 hUMNOIS KAI WDAIS. But because the last-mentioned of the three is
 grammatically feminine, it forces the adjective into a feminine ending.
 Normally the masculine would take precedence over the feminine in a mixed
 gender list, but with the feminine noun being "nearest", it determines the
 gender of PNEUMATIKAIS. But compare the parallel passage YALMOIS hUMNOIS
 WiDAIS PNEUMATIKAIS in Colossians 3:16. Maybe there is a Chiasmus here, and
 if so, then PNEUMATIKAIS only qualifies WiDAIS, as the grammar indicates.


 Ephesians 5:19 may be a Chiasmus:    compare Colossians 3:16:
 LALOUNTES hEAUTOIS                   DIDASKONTES KAI NOUQETOUNTES hEAUTOUS
    EN YALMOIS KAI hUMNOIS                YALMOIS hUMNOIS            
        KAI WiDAIS PNEUMATIKAIS               WiDAIS PNEUMATIKAIS
        AiDONTES                              EN TH' XARITI AiDONTES
    KAI YALLONTES                         [   ]
 THi KARDIAi hUMWN TWi KURIWi         EN TAIS KARDIAIS hUMWN TWi QEWi

 We begin by talking to each other; but progress to communing with God in our
 hearts (or "spirits"?) with words and music. YALLW from YAW meant originally
 'to twang the strings with the tips of the fingers'; then 'to sing to the
 accompaniment of the harp' in the style of David, the sweet Psalmist of
 Israel (2 Samuel 23:1). The omission of QALLONTES in Colossians 3:16 has led
 some commentators to say that AiDW and YALLW are virtually identical in
 meaning. /Psallere/ in Church Latin means "to sing the Psalms of David"; the
 title of the Psalter in the LXX is YALMOI (Hebrew Te:HiLLiYM).

 Trench's /New Testament Synonyms/ deals with these nouns in paragraph LXXVIII,
 if you have access to this work. Are they three ways of saying the same thing?
 Are Christians to sing Psalms, and Psalms, and Psalms, and nothing else? 

 The early church fathers discussed the meaning of YALMOS, hUMNOS and WiDH
 at great length. Gregory of Nyssa (335-400 AD) commenting on Psalm 100:2
 "come before his presence with singing" advocated Colossians 3:16 with its
 Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs. He wrote YALMOS MEN ESTIN H DIA TOU
 ORGANOU TOU MOUSIKOU MELWDIA, WiDE DE hH DIA STOMATOS GENOMENH TOU MELOUS
 META hRHMATWN EPIFWNHSIS... hUMNOS DE hH EPI TOIS hUPARCOUSIN hHMIN AGAQOIS
 ANATIQEMENH TWi QEWi EUFHMIA (Commentary on Psalm 100:2, "come before his
 presence with singing").

 JB Lightfoot writes that while the leading idea of a YALMOS is a musical
 accompaniment, and of a hUMNOS is praise to God,  WiDH is the general word
 for a Song, whether unaccompanied or accompanied with musical instruments,
 and whether about God or any sacred or secular subject (Commentary on
 Colossians, ad loc.).

 The context of Ephesians 5:18-19 indicates *spiritual* songs as opposed to
 *carnal* drinking-songs (Psalm 69:12).

 YALMOS is primarily in Scripture a reference to the Psalms of David
 (1 Corinthians 14:26). hUMNOS is primarily a Christian hymn of praise
 composed by the members of a church; compare 2 Timothy 2:11-13 which seems
 to be an early "Chorus"; and Colossians 1:12-17 which seems an early Creed.
 There are other NT passages which seem to be citations of early Hymns. E.g.
 Ephesians 5:14, 26; Philippians 2:5-11.

 Mary's Magnificat, Simeon's Nunc Dimittis, Zacharias' Benedictus were sung
 from earliest times. Very soon Austin wrote his Te Deum, which is often sung
 today (We praise thee O God, we acknowledge thee to be the Lord...).

 An Ode includes both Psalms and Hymns, with the stipulation that they must
 by "spiritual": that is, "religious" not "secular"; from the Holy Spirit,
 not from the human spirit or the flesh. See the contrast between Spiritual
 and Carnal in Romans 7:14, 15:27; 1 Corinthians 3:1, 9:11. The Psalms are the
 Word of God; the Hymns are verses composed by poets in order to teach doctrine
 to the congregation, as well as to praise God [John Chrysostom made this
 distinction in the 4th century].

 The early church certainly sang Psalms; see Acts 4:24; 16:25; 1 Corinthians
 14:15, 26. But they sang many other Christian texts as well.

 ERRWSQE,
 Ben
-- 
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