20. Duet (mezzo-soprano/soprano) – He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: and he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
These verses are the waters breaking out in the wilderness (see previous post). I imagine that the first audiences would have known the unstated verses and many verses from memory. Note that shepherd and tend are the same word in Hebrew. Perhaps for the sake of the repeated sounds, I should have translated the verb as shepherd also. Patchwork ('tla)- occurs 9 times in the Tanach.
| כְּרֹעֶה֙ עֶדְר֣וֹ יִרְעֶ֔ה בִּזְרֹעוֹ֙ יְקַבֵּ֣ץ טְלָאִ֔ים וּבְחֵיק֖וֹ יִשָּׂ֑א עָל֖וֹת יְנַהֵֽל ס | 11 As a shepherd, his troop he will tend. In his arm, he will collect the patchwork and in his embrace lift it up. Infants, he will refresh. | |
| ia croyh ydro iryh bzroyo iqbx 'tlaim ubkiqo iiwa ylot inhl s | 21 6 | c/ryh ydr\v i/ryh b/zry\v i/qbx 'tla\im vb/kiq\v i/wa yl\vt i/nhl |
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| Isaiah 40:11 |
These verses are the waters breaking out in the wilderness (see previous post). I imagine that the first audiences would have known the unstated verses and many verses from memory. Note that shepherd and tend are the same word in Hebrew. Perhaps for the sake of the repeated sounds, I should have translated the verb as shepherd also. Patchwork ('tla)- occurs 9 times in the Tanach.
Come unto him, all ye that labour, come unto him, that are heavy laden, and he will give you rest. Take his yoke upon you, and learn of him; for he is meek and lowly of heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Matthew 11:28–29).
21. Chorus – His yoke is easy, and his burthen is light. (Matthew 11:30).
These verses from Matthew 11 are all modified to third person singular from first person singular.
I asked ChatGPT again! And I might just have to stop thinking. My AI companion is better than many of my teachers!
Me: I asked a difficult question and you hung up - crashed. Remember that we were discussing Messiah texts from Handel and the librettist Jennens. What about the Old Testament roots for Matthew 11:30. My question was: Where does Jesus get the idea that his yoke is easy and his burden is light?Probably it was a technical glitch - And I threw the question in without a preamble or refreshing the page after a day's delay. Anyway here's the gist of answer.
In Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV), Jesus says: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
The concept of a yoke being easy and a burden being light has roots in the Old Testament, specifically in the context of the Torah and the teachings of God. In the Old Testament, the yoke often symbolizes the laws, commandments, and teachings of God. Let's explore a few passages that might shed light on this concept:
- Deuteronomy 30:11-16 (NIV): This passage emphasizes the accessibility of God's commands, contrasting them with a heavy burden. It says, "Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach."
- Psalm 119:105 (NIV): "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." The Psalmist expresses the idea that God's guidance is illuminating and not burdensome.
- Jeremiah 6:16 (NIV): "This is what the LORD says: 'Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.'" This verse suggests finding rest by following God's ways.
I wouldn't use NIV but the sense seems good here. And the connections to the mind of Jesus are not implausible. My translations are as you would expect quite different. Here they are stand alone -- without Hebrew to help the process.
Deuteronomy 30:11
For this commandment which I am commanding you today,
is not too wonderful itself for you, nor is it distant.
Psalm 119:105 - part of the N section of the acrostic.
Nigh a lamp to my feet is your word,
and light to my pathway.
And Jeremiah,
Thus says Yahweh, Stand over trodden ways, and see, and beg for everlasting pathways. Where is this good way? And walk in it and you will find a moment of ease for your group.
And they say, We will not go.
Notice that I used group for npw. I avoided the word soul throughout my translation. Note that NIV makes the word plural - but it is not plural. The pronoun is plural but the npw (nephesh) is singular. The verse is connected to the prior verse and the music is elaborate with ornamentation. I can't deprive you of the music.
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| Jeremiah 6:16 - singular soul for a plural company |
Jeremiah's rest for the plural 'you' occurs on the rest note -- the subdominant -- note how far along in the verse it is. This raises for me the question as to whom Jesus words are addressed. It is not perhaps to the individual but to the corporate group as a whole. This good way must be a shared governance - not just another individual benefit. You see why I did not want to use that word soul.
All the music is available. It's quite possible to learn to sight read it.
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