Angelic Singing

by peacefulpete 8 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • peacefulpete
    peacefulpete

    Jo 38:7

    When the morning stars sang together
    And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

    This passage and others apparently reveal a belief among some Jewish communities that angels sang. The natural corollary is that angels had a language, and that language would naturally be supposed to be a superior one.

    Famously Paul at 1 Cor 13 refers to such angelic language. Many commentators have discussed this passage with a general denial that Paul was to be taken literally. Perhaps this is due to ignorance of the belief that not only do angels have a language, but humans could be inspired to use it.

    The Qumran community apparently shared this belief. Fragments of a document extensively describe singing in the tongue of angels.

    Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice - Wikipedia

    The next example is the Testament of Job (T of J) written by best estimate around 100 BCE.. The work is essentially a midrash style rewrite of the book of Job. It's praise of Job's piety focuses upon his selfless giving of himself and his riches and his patient willingness to suffer evil. The author and the community it came from are debated. Some say the Qumran community while others postulate the Therapeutae, an obscure sect in Alexandria. That group should be a topic for a thread in itself.

    The T of J is a fascinating work, revealing a soteriology in some ways Christian-like in others unequivocally Jewish (such as the directive to not Gentiles). For the purpose of this thread I'll share a section that assumes angelic language AND it's human use under ecstatic hymn singing. As a set up to the following, Job pulls out magic girdles that God had previously given him, he gives them to his 3 daughters.

    21 Now then, my children, in keeping these, you will not have the enemy plotting against you nor [evil] intentions in your mind because this is a charm (Phylacterion) from the Lord. 22 Rise then and gird these around you before I die in order that you may see the angels come at my parting so that you may see with wonder the powers of God.” 23 Then rose the one whose name was Day (Yemima) and girt herself; and immediately she departed her body, as her father had said, and she put on another heart, as if she never cared for earthly things. 24 And she sang angelic hymns in the voice of angels, and she chanted forth the angelic praise of God while dancing. 25 Then the other daughter, Kassia by name, put on the girdle, and her heart was transformed, so that she no longer wished for worldly things. 26 And her mouth assumed the dialect of the heavenly rulers (Archonts) and she sang the doxology of the work of the High Place and if anyone wishes to know the work of the heavens he may take an insight into the hymns of Kassia. 27 Then did the other daughter by the name of Amalthea’s Horn (Keren Happukh) gird herself and her mouth spoke in the language of those on high; for her heart was transformed, being lifted above the worldly things. 28 She spoke in the dialect of the Cherubim, singing the praise of the Ruler of the cosmic powers (virtues) and extolling their (His?) glory. 29 And he who desires to follow the vestiges of the “Glory of the Father” will find them written down in the Prayers of Amalthea’s Horn.

    While some have found it too incredible that a Jewish work could include such a story and sought to dismiss it as work of Christian redaction, in fact there is no basis for that assumption. The rest of the work is overtly Jewish which would be surprising if a Christian had adapted the text. And the Qumran fragments suggest something similar was current.

    In conclusion, there is good evidence that some Jewish communities included belief in angelic language as a charismatic means to sing praise to God. Judaism was truly diverse. There is much more that could be discussed.

  • Jeffro
    Jeffro
    While some have found it too incredible that a Jewish work could include such a story and sought to dismiss it as work of Christian redaction, in fact there is no basis for that assumption.

    The first Christians were Jews, so it’s not that surprising. Like many Christian doctrines, they didn’t arise in a vacuum. The winged angel motif was almost certainly from Persian influence with a heavenly court of angels, though there were earlier borrowings from the Assyrians for their depictions of cherubs and seraphs.

  • peacefulpete
    peacefulpete

    Winged gods were pretty standard fare. Stands to reason that beings that live in the air needed wings. lol. Anyway, the Christmas spirit just inspired this thread.

    I know the issue of metaphor is likely to come up again. Certainly, many of these ancient narratives were possibly written with some esoteric symbolism, but there is no way to deny the general population believed on face value.

    Have you ever investigated the Therapeutae? Sadly, what we have is limited, but provocative. Philo practically idolized them and centuries later Epiphanius claimed them as Christians.

  • Jeffro
    Jeffro
    Stands to reason that beings that live in the air needed wings.

    Yes, which is why I considered the Assyrian influence more incidental, but the Persian concept of a heavenly court of angels seems more pertinent.

    Have you ever investigated the Therapeutae? Sadly, what we have is limited, but provocative. Philo practically idolized them and centuries later Epiphanius claimed them as Christians.

    No I haven’t but may do when time permits.

  • peacefulpete
    peacefulpete

    I suppose the presence of ecstatic glossolalia within certain quarters of Judaism ought not be a complete surprise given the syncretic nature of religions.

    Without delving into this topic too deeply, forms of trancelike states accompanied by babbling speech was also standard fare among Mystery Religions. And we find blends of Greek, Egyptian and Jewish cult practice in a number of regions. Of course, famously Corinth was immersed in Dionysian/Orphic Mystery religion which featured such elements. As someone particularly interested in Christian origins, I find all these bits and pieces interesting.

  • peacefulpete
    peacefulpete

    As an interesting side note, the names given Job's replacement daughters (sons are oddly left unnamed) are almost erotic, Dove, Cinnamon, and Blue Eyeshadow. It begs explanation.

    My mind also pondered the conceptual link between Jobs 3 virgin daughters speaking in the voice of angels and Phillip's 4 virgin daughter prophetesses. What's the link between virginity, beauty and prophecy? Famously, the Oracle of Delphi and her assistants were women. According to Diodorus, originally the oracle was a virgin and beautiful. Is there some underlying conceptual link with a beautiful woman's power over men?

    Who, knows. Another rabbit hole.

  • NotFormer
    NotFormer

    "Many commentators have discussed this passage with a general denial that Paul was to be taken literally."

    Many Pentecostals would disagree with those many commentators. I have had that verse quoted at me many times as justification for the Pentecostal belief that babbling in tongues is the Holy Spirit speaking through you in a heavenly language.

    The above is a total non sequitur, but you reminded me of my own dark past. Interestingly, you use the term "ecstatic glossolalia". I, for my troubles, have seen plenty of that in my travels.

  • peacefulpete
    peacefulpete

    You make a good point. I was referring to secular or non-Charismatic Christian commentators. But certainly, Pentecostals have another (and probably accurate) view. The topic of tongues is an interesting one. A basic issue often missed is that it seemed to have been a localized thing and Paul seems unable to decide how to handle it. It's obvious it bothers his ideal of orderliness, and it also seems to threaten his control. He minimizes its importance and makes rules such as saving it for home if unable to say anything meaningful. And yet at the same time claiming to be able to do it more than anyone, in private.

    The psychology of it is interesting. Anything you want to share about it?

  • NotFormer
    NotFormer

    It was all some time ago. I seem to remember asking if THE Holy Spirit was giving you utterance in a heavenly language, why wasn't it in THE heavenly language? It was obvious that everyone had a "tongue" of his or her own. Apparently everyone was given their own heavenly tongue with which to commune with God. You didn't know what you were praying with your intellect, but your spirit did and was communicating 🙏your needs to God. Because you didn't know what you were praying, neither did Satan 👿, and he therefore couldn't interfere.

    I think that's pretty well how it was all explained to me.

    There was a lot of urban mythology on both sides. The deniers'* urban myth would have an expert in languages go into the church and overhear someone ordering fish and chips in old Latvian. The pro side would have a pastor praying in tongues over someone; they'd say "Do you know what you just said?" "No". "You just said 'Such and such' in Language X!"

    * Mainstreamers who didn't believe in the Pentecostal version of tongues.

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