TIP OF THE DAY 82: Biblical text used as prayer; From speech to character

MJ. Smith

I am adding these posts to the previous tip list L/V 10 Tip of the Day ;

QUESTION: What is the relationship between Lamentations and Tenebrae?

ANSWER: from Perplexity:

The Lamentations of Jeremiah and Tenebrae are closely intertwined in Christian liturgical tradition:

1. Tenebrae service: Tenebrae is a solemn Christian service held during Holy Week, typically on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings. The name "Tenebrae" means "darkness" or "shadows" in Latin.

2. Use of Lamentations: During Tenebrae, passages from the Book of Lamentations are chanted or sung. These lamentations, attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, express grief over the destruction of Jerusalem.

3. Symbolic representation: The Tenebrae service symbolically represents the events leading up to Christ's crucifixion. The Lamentations are used as an allegory for Christ’s suffering and death.

4. Musical settings: Many composers throughout history have set the Lamentations to music specifically for use in Tenebrae services. Notable examples include works by Thomas Tallis, Palestrina, and Victoria.

5. Structure: The Tenebrae service typically includes the chanting of Matins and Lauds, with the Lamentations forming a significant part of the readings.

6. Atmosphere: Both the Lamentations and the Tenebrae service are characterized by their sorrowful and mournful nature, reflecting on themes of grief, destruction, and spiritual darkness.

7. Liturgical significance: The use of Lamentations in Tenebrae helps to create a somber atmosphere as the Church approaches the commemoration of Christ's passion and death.

In essence, the Lamentations of Jeremiah serve as a central textual and musical element within the Tenebrae service, contributing to its solemn and reflective character during the most sacred days of the Christian liturgical year.1

QUESTION: How are prayers of the Bible used as Canticles?

ANSWER: from Perplexity:

Prayers from the Bible are extensively used as canticles in various Christian liturgical traditions:

1. Old Testament Canticles:

The Song of Moses (Exodus 15:1-19) is used in Orthodox, Catholic, and Anglican traditions.

The Prayer of Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1-10) is used in Catholic and Anglican liturgies.

The Prayer of Habakkuk (Habakkuk 3:2-19) is used in Catholic and Orthodox services.

2. New Testament Canticles:

The Benedictus (Luke 1:68-79), the Song of Zechariah, is used daily in Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran traditions.

The Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55), the Song of Mary, is used at Vespers in Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican services.

The Nunc Dimittis (Luke 2:29-32), the Song of Simeon, is used at Compline in Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican liturgies.

3. Apocryphal Canticles:

The Prayer of Manasseh is used in some traditions, particularly during Lent.

The Song of the Three Holy Children (Daniel 3:57-88, from the Apocrypha) is used in Catholic and Anglican services.

4. Psalms as Canticles:

Some psalms are treated as canticles in various traditions, such as Psalm 95 (Venite) in Anglican services.

These biblical prayers are incorporated into liturgical worship as songs of praise, thanksgiving, and supplication, allowing worshippers to engage with scripture in a musical and devotional manner.2

QUESTION: My church doesn't celebrate Tenebrae or use Canticles in worship; how does knowing about them help my Bible study?

ANSWER: from Perplexity:

Understanding Tenebrae and canticles can enrich your Bible study in several ways, even if your church doesn't directly incorporate them:

1. Historical context: Tenebrae services highlight the solemnity and emotional weight of Christ's passion. This can deepen your appreciation of Gospel accounts of Jesus' suffering and death.

2. Scriptural connections: Tenebrae often uses passages from Lamentations and specific Psalms. Recognizing these connections can enhance your understanding of how the Old Testament foreshadows and relates to the New Testament.

3. Symbolic interpretation: The gradual extinguishing of candles in Tenebrae symbolizes the abandonment of Jesus by his disciples. This can provide a visual framework for understanding the narrative arc of the passion stories.

4. Liturgical poetry: Canticles like the Magnificat, Benedictus, and Nunc Dimittis are poetic expressions of faith drawn directly from Scripture. Studying these can enrich your understanding of biblical poetry and praise.

5. Thematic study: The themes emphasized in Tenebrae and canticles (such as Christ's suffering, God's faithfulness, and redemption) can guide your personal Bible study, helping you explore these concepts across different books of the Bible.

6. Devotional inspiration: The reflective nature of Tenebrae and the lyrical quality of canticles can inspire more meditative and emotionally engaged Bible reading.

By familiarizing yourself with these traditions, you gain additional lenses through which to view and interpret Scripture, potentially uncovering new insights in your personal Bible study.

1 and and and https://www.liturgies.net/Lent/Tenebrae.htm and and and and https://rhboulet.com/2015/03/20/lamentations/

2 and and and https://www.britannica.com/topic/canticle and and and and https://www.goarch.org/-/the-service-of-holy-baptism https://www.dappledthings.org/deep-down-things/3517/the-dying-of-the-light https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamentations_of_Jeremiah_the_Prophet https://passionfortruth.com/torah-portions/numbers/mattot-massei/vow-vs-oath/ https://www.whirlwindhealingministry.com/ungodly-covenants-and-oaths https://saint-aelfric-customary.org/2018/11/14/the-gospel-canticles/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canticle http://www.stbedeproductions.com/on-the-canticles/ https://www.liturgies.net/Lent/Tenebrae.htm

https://www.apostoliviae.org/resources/43394/tenebrae-descending-into-darkness https://elenasjustmythoughts.wordpress.com/2020/02/07/the-sin-of-breaking-oaths-covenants-prayer-agreements-by-christian-author-elena-ramirez/ https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03301a.htm https://www.liturgies.net/Prayers/canticles.htm

MJ. Smith

QUESTION: How does one use direct speech for character analysis?

ANSWER: from Perplexity:

Direct speech is a powerful tool for character analysis in Bible studies, offering insights into a character's personality, thoughts, and motivations. Here are some ways to use direct speech for character analysis in Bible studies:

Reveal personality traits: A character's manner of speaking can reveal their personality. For example, Peter's impulsive nature is often reflected in his direct speech, such as when he boldly declares, "You are the Christ" (Mark 8:29).

Expose thoughts and beliefs: Characters directly express their opinions, values, and beliefs through their speech. This provides clear insight into their mindset and worldview.

Show relationships: The way characters speak to each other can reveal the dynamics of their relationships. For instance, the dialogue between David and Saul in 1 Samuel 24 reveals the complex nature of their relationship.

Indicate emotional state: The content and delivery of a character's speech can reflect their emotional state. For example, Eve's first recorded speech in Genesis 3:2-3 may indicate her uncertainty or misunderstanding of God's command.

Demonstrate background: A character's use of specific language or jargon can provide information about their cultural or professional background.

Create contrast: By comparing a character's speech with their actions or thoughts, you can highlight inconsistencies or internal conflicts.

When analyzing direct speech in Bible studies:

Isolate the direct speech and reflect on how it reveals character traits or expresses main theological themes.

Consider why the biblical author chose to include direct speech rather than narration.

Examine the relationship between characters engaged in dialogue.

Remember that direct speech doesn't inherit the authority of the narrator. It may reflect the character's perspective rather than absolute truth.

Look for quotation marks in English translations to easily identify direct speech.

Ask yourself why the author "yielded the microphone" to allow us to hear a character speak in their own words.

By carefully analyzing direct speech, you can gain deeper insights into biblical characters and the themes of the passages in which they appear.1

From Henrichs-Tarasenkova, Nina. Luke’s Christology of Divine Identity. Edited by Chris Keith. Vol. 542. Library of New Testament Studies. London; Oxford; New York; New Delhi; Sydney: Bloomsbury; Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2016.

First, traits may be implied by both one-time actions, which suggest dynamic and crucial qualities of the character, and habitual actions, which reveal character’s unchanging qualities. These actions include those that the character performs, does not perform even though he/she should, thinks about performing, and those that are directed at him/her. Second, what a character says or thinks and how he/she articulates his/her thoughts may indicate certain character traits. What the character says or thinks about other characters may be indicative not only of his/her own qualities but also of the qualities of those he/she speaks about, unless he/she cannot be deemed a reliable character. Third, external appearance, referring to what the character wears, how he/she looks, moves, and so on, may indicate certain character traits because even though some things are beyond the person’s control, others do depend on him/her. There are times when references to external appearance are easy to connect to a trait and there are times when the narrator has to help the reader; however, when the narrator speaks, indirect presentation turns into direct definition. Fourth, character traits may be implied by the character’s physical and social surrounding, or environment, which refers to where an action takes place and who is present during that action. Physical and social environment helps character traits to stand out and indicate how the character behaves in different settings. Finally, a character’s specific traits may be emphasized when he/she is compared with/contrasted from other characters, showing him/her to be like or unlike others in the above-mentioned four categories. This category of indirect presentation does not help readers discover characters’ new traits; rather, it draws their attention to the traits that have already been displayed and guides them in understanding the importance of these traits for the characters’ identities. Of the four categories, action and speech are the most useful factors for character construction, while appearance and environment are helpful in creating a setting for the scene.[2]

From Berlin, Adele. Poetics and Interpretation of Biblical Narrative. Vol. 9. Bible and Literature Series. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1994. Note you may wish to read the entire section of characterization.

Look, I’m going to die. What do I need a birthright for?’ And Jacob said, ‘Swear to me right now.’ So he swore to him; he sold his birthright to Jacob. So Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and got up and left; Esau disdained the birthright. (Gen 25:29–34)

Esau’s speech and action mark him as a primitive person. He is concerned with immediate gratification of his physical needs and cannot think about abstract things like a birthright. He does not even know what he is eating—‘that red stuff’—just that he needs to eat quickly or ‘I’m going to die.’ The verbs in v. 34 come in a stark sequence, emphasizing the simplistic nature of the man.27 Poor Esau is not very bright, and this both repels the reader and makes him feel sorry for Esau.

Jacob, on the other hand, is as shrewd as Esau is dull-witted. He understands his brother and can easily manipulate him. Perhaps he timed his stew to Esau’s homecoming. Certainly he realized that he had Esau at a disadvantage and that he had to act quickly; the words ‘right now’ appear in both of Jacob’s lines. Esau was a man of the present moment; at that moment Esau needed the stew more than the birthright, so he sold it to Jacob.

The picture of Esau from his own words and actions is not quite the same as the narrator’s evaluation of these actions. To the narrator, Esau disdained the birthright, treated it with contempt. But from Esau’s point of view it is not a contemptuous or rebellious action, but one done out of ignorance and shortsightedness. (Differences in point of view will be examined in detail in Chapter III.)[3]

QUESTION: How are people used as characters in the Hebrew Bible?

Answer: from Beldman, David J. H. “Literary Approaches and Old Testament Interpretation.” In Hearing the Old Testament: Listening for God’s Address, edited by Craig G. Bartholomew and David J. H. Beldman. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2012.

In comparison to modern literature, descriptive characterization in Hebrew narratives is extremely rare. This absence has caused some to regard Hebrew narrative as primitive and unsophisticated; more recently, however, literary critics have come to appreciate characterization in the Old Testament as anything but shallow and transparent. Alter asks, “How does the Bible manage to evoke such a sense of depth and complexity in its representation of characters with what would seem to be such sparse, even rudimentary means?” Description is indeed sparse, and when present it is almost always in order to relay information that is crucial to the plot: Esau’s hairiness, Goliath’s stature, Bathsheba’s beauty, Job’s righteousness, and so on.

Berlin distinguishes between three types of characters in Hebrew narrative: the full-fledged, the type, and the agent, examples of which can be seen in the women in David’s life. Full-fledged characters are realistically represented, and readers can discern their motivations explicitly or implicitly. We can know them intimately, and even though they may be antagonistic characters we can to some extent identify with them. Full-fledged characters are multi-dimensional, and we receive more information about them than is necessary for the plot. So Michal emerges in the books of Samuel as a full-fledged character, as does Bathsheba in the narrative of Solomon’s succession in the first chapters of 1 Kings. Abigail, by contrast, is a character type. The narrator describes her in some detail, but she lacks the depth of a full-fledged character. According to Berlin, the characterization of Abigail brings depth to the biography of David, and serves the purpose of endorsing David’s destiny as God’s chosen king. Finally, Bathsheba in 1 Samuel 11–12 and Abishag in 1 Kings 1–2 function as mere agents, important insofar as they have an effect on plot or other characters. Berlin traces a connection between characterization and plot, noting that David’s attitude toward these women corresponds to his public/political characterization. The cold, calculating rise to power corresponds to the cool attitude of David toward Michal and his use of her for political leverage. His self-assurance and popularity correspond to his eager but charming response to Abigail. His hunger for imperial expansion relates to his lust for Bathsheba and his grasping what is not his. Finally, his loss of control of the monarchy corresponds to his impotence in the embrace of the virgin Abishag.[4]

1 and https://cateclesia.com/2020/07/08/direct-speech-and-the-art-of-interpretation/ and and https://studyandobey.com/character-studies/peter-character-study/ and and https://www.nownovel.com/blog/direct-vs-indirect-characterization/ a and https://fictionary.co/journal/direct-characterization/

[2] Nina Henrichs-Tarasenkova, Luke’s Christology of Divine Identity, ed. Chris Keith, vol. 542, Library of New Testament Studies (London; Oxford; New York; New Delhi; Sydney: Bloomsbury; Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2016), 53–54.

27 See also Alter’s analysis of this passage, The Art of Biblical Narrative, 64–66.

[3] Adele Berlin, Poetics and Interpretation of Biblical Narrative, vol. 9, Bible and Literature Series (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1994), 39.

[4] David J. H. Beldman, “Literary Approaches and Old Testament Interpretation,” in Hearing the Old Testament: Listening for God’s Address, ed. Craig G. Bartholomew and David J. H. Beldman (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2012), 81–82. https://bibletolife.com/resources/articles/the-significance-of-direct-speech-in-scripture/ https://bible.org/seriespage/chapter-4-analysis-point-view-ezrahttps://boldlyrise.com/bold-faith/learning-to-be-bold/how-to-do-a-bible-character-study-bible-study-methods/