The Washington herald., 1910-09-29
NEW 0DES OF SOLOMON.
Important Manuscript Discovered
in NefghbOrhood of the Tiurfs

Important Manuscript Discovered
in NeighbOrhOod of the Tigris.
A recent discovery in that seemingly
inexhaustible treasure house in the neigh
borhood Of the Tigris is that Of some
manuscripts Identified as The Odes and
Psalms of Solomon" For example from
ode 7:
In His simplicity. His sweetness has
made small His greatness" And ode "a:
NO way Is hard where the heart is
simple. Nor is there any wound where
the thoughts are upright Nor is there
any storm in the depth Of Illuminated
thought"
Prof. James A. Montgomery describes
the character OF this document in the
Biblical World for August.
Some Of these odes" he writes, re
semble closely the eanonical Psalms in
their expressions Of trust and assurance
against enemies: indeed, the latter are
distinctly the models for many Of them.
In so far. then, We have an interest
ing manifestation Of the survival OF
Jewish hymnology down into the Chris
tian Church, something which was sus-
pected from the charming canticles IN
the opening chapters OF 81. Luke and
from the snatches of hymns scattered
through the New Testament But now
We possess in these odes a very COnsid-
cradle collection OF this desiderated ma
terial
However, these compositions move in
spiritual fields, which are distinctly diff
ferent from the atmosphere Of the Psal-
ter They possess Technology and be-
tray a cast OF thought which make US
instlnctively associate them with the New
Testament literature.
"A score OF phrases and words can IL
lustrate this point. such terms as faith
hope. love, grace. JOY, peace. salvation.
knowledge. the Word never the law
life. light Immortality Paradise Several
Of the odes are Of apocalyptic character;
the singer experiences the ascent Of the
soul. This is an idea with which We first
come n contact III Enoch and which
became characteristic Of the Jewish apoc-
alyptic literature.
The poet IS led by the truth and giver
70 see the things IN heaven and hell. al
though all is conceived in a gentle. beau
tiful spirit. quite the reverse Of the fierce
and Pharisaically righteous eschat0lo-
gists OF Judaism. Indeed # Is gentler
than the like passages in the New Tesla
ment. But only a reading OF the odes
themselves can bring out the full force
Of this comparison with the New Tesla
ment literature
Are there any internal marks which
viii serve 10 date the odes. and so enable
Us 10 relate them historically with that
literature One ode fortunately gives
Us a clew Of time: the fourth begins thus.
No man, O my God. changeth Thy holy
place, for Thy sanctuary Thou hadst
designated before Thou didst make other
places with reference 10 the rabbinic
notion Of the ideal persistence of Jeru-
salem from eternity.
The Temple must still have been
standing then when that ode was written.
and so the terminus al quem for the col
lection as a whole is 20 A. D. These Odes
then belong 10 the very age OF the COM
position OF the New Testament books.
and that they are Christian seems 10 be
settled by definite theological reference
70 the faith of the Christian Church
AS n document belonging probably
to the first century OF our era and TO the
Judaism or Christianity Of that critical
age in the religious history OF the world
IL must at once excite our interest for its
possibilities Of information on the period
for which most Of all we desire fresh
light"
Prof Montgomery compares them as
10 character and phraseology with the
Gospel Of St John:
Probably John, or whoever was the
writer of the Fourth Gospel. was brought
up in such a circle as that which pro-
duces these odes. -. These odes would
not explain what Christ was 10 ST. John.
but they would show US the molds OF
thought into which the evangelist ran
all that he had found and experienced
for now with these odes IL is not
necessary 10 go down into the second
century TO explain the origin OF the
Johannine literature"
Some OF the odes have beautiful ana
logical introductions. as OF Ode 8:
''As the hand moves over the harp and
the springs speak. so speaks in my mem
bers the Spirit of the Lord, and I speak
in His love"
''As the eyes Of a son 10 hts father. so
are my eyes, o Lord, ar all times toward
Thee" lode ~.
LAS the sun is the joy OF those that
seek for its day, so is my Joy the Lord
because He is my Sun. and His rays have
lifted me up and His light has dispelled
all darkness from my face lode 15).
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