The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-08-28
NEW ODES OF SOLOMON.
An Important Sfan1scrspe Disesvsr~a q
the Neishberhssd &C INC TIKTW.

An Important sfanassssss Dsesvsr~s n
the Neishberhssd &C mo TSSyW.
A recent discovery In THAI ss.mms.,
Inc xhaustible Treasure house IN the nal4A.
borhood % the rgris 10 that a esm.
manuscripts identiAsd a. 'Ths odss1ns
Psalms Of Solomon For exampls from
Ode 7:
In His simplicity. His sweetness IA.
made small His greatness And odS a,
NO way IL hard where the heara |,
simple. Nor is there any wound wher.
the thoughts are upright Nor Ia ther.
any storm in the depth % iluminA,.d
thought"
Prof. James A. Montgomery describes
the character of this document in the
Biblical World for August
Some OF these odes.- he writes, srs.
semble closely the canouical Psalrns
in their expressions Of trust and as.ur.
ance against enemies; indeed. the latter
are distinctly the models for many of
them. In 50 far then, We have an interest.
ing manifestation Of the survival %
Jewish hymnology down into the Oh ristiaa
Church. something which was suspected
from the charming canticles in the op~ulns
chapters Of ~ Luke and from he sna toha,
Of hymns scattered through the Ne~
Testament But now we Possess in,th.-s
odes very considerable collection ~
this dssidernted material.
However these compositions NOV.
in spiritual fields. which are distinctly
different from the atmosphere Of the
Psslter They poesess terfninoloKv
and betray a cast OF thoughpwhich make
80 ,.NNaW .aua..
the New Testament literature
A score of phrases and words oan
illustrate thisspoint; such terms as faith.
hope. love. grace JOY, peace. salvation,
know ledge. the Word (never the Law.
life, light. Immortality. Paradise. Ssverni
Of the odes are OF apocalyptio character,
the singer experiences the ascent Of the
soul This is an idea With which We frst
come in contact in Enocb. snt which
u ecame Characteristic OF the jewish
apo calyptc literature.
The poet il led by the truth and given
to see the things in heaven and hell. o..
though all IL conceived in a gentle, beau
and lharisaically righteous eschatolo-
gists of Judaism Indeed, IL 10 gentler
than the like passages in the New Testa-
ment But only a reading OF the odss
themselves can DTink OUT Nu6 Iull force
Of this comparison with the New Testa.
ment literature
Are there any internal marks which
will serve 20 date the odes. and 90 enable
us to relate them historically with that
Ii literature, One ode fortunately gives
US clue OF time; the fourth begins thus
No man. u my God. changeth Thy holy
place; for Thy sanctuary Thou hadst
dess Sned before Thou didst make other
places with reference 10 the rabbinic
notion of the ideal preexistence OF Jeruss-
lem from eternity.
The Temple must still have been
standing then when that ode was written
and ~ the terminus I'D GusHR for the col
lection as a whole il 40 A. ID. 1hess odes
then belong 70 the very age OF the com
and that they are Christian seems IN Be
settled by definite theological ret erencs
to ia" faith Of the Christian Church.
As document belonging probably
20 the first cenAiry OF our era and 20 the
Judaism or Christianity Of that critical
age IN the religious history 81 the world
~ must nc once excite our interest for its
ppssi h'Iities Of Information on the period
tor vhich most 81 all We desire freeh
Il ghi
Pref Montgomery compares them a.
to character and phraseology with the
Gospel Il 81 John:
Probably John. or whoever was the
writer ~ the Fourth Gospel. was brought
ihes. oAes These odes would
not explain what Christ was to 81. John
hut they would show us the molds ~
thought into which the evangelist ran
a., that he had found and experiences
. Tor now with these odes II 10
not necessary 10 60 down into the second
century To explain the origin NJ the
Johaunine literature
Some ~ the odes have beautiful ana
logIcal introductio ions ~ 81 Ode a:
As The hand moves over the harp am
the strings speak. 50 speaks in nv men
hers IN" Spirit of the Lord. and ] srsaA
IA His love
As the eyes of a son to his father. %
are my Ewes - Lord az all times toward
Thee iOda ~
As the sun Is the Joy ~ those thA'
seek for its day 80 il my Joy the Lori
because ~ ~ my Sun. and His rays have
lifted mo up and His light has dispellet