Four Lucan Canticles

Education Week 2008

Dr. Eric D. HuntsmanAssociate Professor of Ancient Scripture

http://erichuntsman.com

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The Canticles in Luke

Originally a song other than a psalm from the Bible (from the Latin canticulum, a diminutive of canticum, song) Unlike the hymns in Paul’s writings, which were not widely

recognized or studied until the last century or so, Christians have recognized that these were songs from the earliest days

Like Pauline hymns, they interrupt the context, use different vocabulary, and exhibit poetic style In this case they are most certainly Semitic, based on Hebrew or

Aramaic poems translated into Greek Luke 1–2 are already Semiticizing, with Luke consciously

imitating the style of the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures), but these are even more directly based on Hebraic models

They regularly praise “the salvific action of God without any precise reference to events that Luke was narrating in the infancy narrative” (Brown, Birth of the Messiah, 349)

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Where Did Luke Get the Canticles? Free Lucan compositions to fit the situation The Actual Words of Mary, Zacharias, the angels, and Simeon

How would Luke have gotten these? Luke borrowed directly from the Old Testament and especially

from other Jewish songs of his day Themes of deliverance of Israel would have been common, and

the focus on the poor was a characteristic of a particular group in first century Judea, the Anawim or “the Poor Ones,” a Jewish or Jewish-Christian community

The basic sentiments of the original figures were known to the early Christians who made songs out of them

Power of the canticles: illustrate the feelings of the characters, draw the reader into the situation, teach broader doctrine

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Magnificat (1:46–55, “My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord”)

Different scholars divide this differently, but here it is divides into three stanzas or sections

A Model in the Song of Hannah, mother of Samuel (1 Samuel 2:1–10): “My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD . . .”

There are many Old Testament references and borrowings, however Mary and/or Luke’s

models knew their scriptures!

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What God Has Done for Mary

In addition to 1 Sam 2:1, this section has precedent in Psalm 25:9; Habakkuk 3:18; Genesis 29:32; Genesis 29:32; Psalm 111:9; Psalm 103:17

This section, however is peculiarly adapted to Mary’s situation

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Those Who Fear God Versus the Proud

“The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust . . .” (1 Samuel 2:4–8)

Other models: Psalm 89:11, Job 12:19, Ezekiel 21:31; Psalm 107:9

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What God Has Done For Israel

See Isaiah 41:8–9; Psalm 98:3; Micah 7:20; 2 Samuel 22:51 From an LDS perspective, what God promised to Abraham

and his seed are the full blessings of the New and Everlasting Covenant, which is brought about by Jesus Christ!

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Benedictus (1:68–79, “Blessed Be the Lord God of Israel”)

Again, this canticle divides into three strophes, only one of which has immediate application to the situation at hand

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Deliverance

Some OT references: Psalm 111:9, Judges 3:9, Psalm 18:2, Psalm 18:17

John the Baptist was to be a forerunner of the Christ. This section focuses on the saving role of Jesus Christ, especially the ultimate, end-times deliverance Does not have immediate pertinence but reflects the

expectations and hopes of Jews in this period

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Covenant

Some OT references: Micah 7:20, Exodus 2:24, Psalm 89:4, Isaiah 38:20

More on deliverance, but an increased emphasis on mercy The emphasis on the covenant is highlighted by increasing

focus on the terms and results of the covenant

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The Mission of John

Verses 76–77 form the kernel of the original blessing to John OT references resume in application to John’s role: Isaiah 60:1,

Num 24:17, Isaiah 42:6–7, Isaiah 9:2

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Gloria in Excelsis (2:14, “Glory to God in the Highest”)

“in the highest” has two possible meanings: “in the highest places” (hypsistois, neuter plural) or “among the higest ones (also hypsistois but masculine plural) Perhaps both work, the term being paralleled with both “on earth” and

“toward men” in the next line The closest allusion is not OT but NT: Luke 19:38’s account of the

reception hymn at the triumphal entry: “Peace in heaven / and glory in the highest,” which is the converse of the Gloria!

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Nunc Demittis (2:29–32, “Lord, Now Lettest Thou Thy Servant Depart in Peace”)

Simeon blesses the Lord for letting him live to see the Messiah’s arrival A messianic passage in an apocryphal work, Psalms of Solomon, provides an interesting

parallel: “Blessed are they who will live in those days to see the good fortune of Israel that God will bring to pass” (17:50)

Jesus’ own teaching in Luke 10:23–24: “ . . Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

OT allusions are largely from Isaiah: Isa 49:6, 42:6, 40:5, etc.