Monthly Archives: May 2015

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on May 20, 2015
Tags: Music   

Yubal — Rev. David J. Schreffler

May 20, 2015 – “Y” is for Yubal

“Yubal”, also known as Jubal was a descendant of Cain, the son of Lamech and Adah, and the brother of Jabal, and half-brother of Tubal-cain and Naamah. Jubal is described as the “ancestor of all who played the harp and flute.”

If you remember the story of Cain and Abel, you will remember that Cain and Abel each take a gift to G*d, Cain an offering from the fruit of the ground, for he was a farmer, and Abel, from the choicest of his flocks, their fat portions, for he was a keeper of sheep. And G*d favored Abel’s gift, but did not favor Cain’s. And Cain’s “countenance fell” – for he was angry. And of course we know the rest of the story, that Cain killed Abel, the first murder in the bible, and for that act, or that sin, Cain is forced to wander the earth.

Cain marries and lives east of Eden, in the land of Nod. Cain has a son and names him Enoch. From the descendants of Enoch comes the son of Lamech named Yubal. Music has always been an important part of the worship of G*d – it seems playing the harp or lyre is often mentioned in the conversation of worship from the earliest times. We know that music plays an important part in setting mood, in offering praise, in promoting participation in the act of worship, and in supporting the act of worship. As Lutherans, we believe music is an important part of our traditions and of our worship experience. When music is supporting and sometimes leading the worship experience, we all have better and more meaningful worship lives.

Pastor Dave

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on May 19, 2015
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Chi – Rho — Rev. David J. Schreffler

May 19, 2015 – “X” is for the Greek letter “Chi”

Chi is the 22nd letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has the value of 600. The Chi – Rho is the oldest known monogram (or letter symbol) for Christ. Some call it a “Christogram” and it dates back to the Emperor Constantine, who, whether the story is true or not, is supposed to have seen a Chi-Rho in the sky on the eve of a great battle – signaling to him that he would be victorious. And because he was victorious, this led to his conversion to Christianity and the legalization of Christianity. Chi (x = ch) and Rho (p = r) are the first three letters of “Christ” or “Christos” in the Greek language. The Chi-Rho then is formed by superimposing the first two (capital) letters chi and rho (ΧΡ) of the Greek word “ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ” = Christ in such a way to produce the monogram. Although not technically a Christian cross, the Chi-Rho invokes the crucifixion of Jesus, as well as symbolising his status as the Christ.

There are many symbols that we might find on the altar in our churches or on the Paschal Candle, or the Christ Candle in the altar space. Such symbols or abbreviations include:

ΙϹΧϹ — a traditional abbreviation of the Greek words for “Jesus Christ” (i.e., the first and last letters of each of the words ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ — written “ΙΗϹΟΥϹ ΧΡΙϹΤΟϹ” with the lunate sigma “Ϲ” common in medieval Greek).

In many Protestant churches today, the most common Christogram became “IHS” or “IHC”, denoting the first three letters of the Greek name of Jesus, IHΣΟΥΣ, iota-eta-sigma, or ΙΗΣ. (It does not stand for “one hour service”)

“IHS” is sometimes interpreted as meaning Iesus Hominum Salvator (“Jesus, Saviour of men” in Latin) or connected with In Hoc Signo.

The acronym INRI (Latin: Iēsus Nazarēnus, Rēx Iūdaeōrum) represents the Latin inscription which in English reads as “Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews” and John 19:20 states that this was written in three languages—Hebrew, Latin, and Greek—during the crucifixion of Jesus. The Greek version reads “ΙΝΒΙ”, representing Ἰησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος ὁ Bασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων.

Pastor Dave