Sunday's Hymn: Comfort, Comfort Ye My People

Comfort, comfort ye my people,
Speak ye peace, thus saith our God;
Comfort those who sit in darkness,
Mourning ‘neath their sorrow’s load.
Speak ye to Jerusalem
Of the peace that waits for them;
Tell her that her sins I cover,
And her warfare now is over.

Yea, her sins our God will pardon,
Blotting out each dark misdeed;
All that well deserved his anger
He no more will see or heed.
She hath suffered many a day
Now her griefs have passed away;
God will change her pining sadness
Into ever-springing gladness.

For the herald’s voice is crying
In the desert far and near,
Bidding all men to repentance,
Since the kingdom now is here.
O that warning cry obey!
Now prepare for God a way;
Let the valleys rise to meet him,
And the hills bow down to greet him.

Make ye straight what long was crooked,
Make the rougher places plain;
Let your hearts be true and humble,
As befits his holy reign.
For the glory of the Lord
Now o’er earth is shed abroad;
And all flesh shall see the token,
That his word is never broken.

—Jo­han­nes G. Ole­ar­i­us

Other hymns, worship songs, or quotes for this Sunday:

• Himself at The Happy Wonderer
• The Person Christmas Celebrates — Hymn 2 at The Outspoken Tulip

Selected Reading, December 5, 2020

 

Two good things to read (or listen to) this weekend.

God

How May God Be Known?
This is an excerpt from Things Unseen: A Systematic Introduction to the Christian Faith and Reformed Theology, which is collection of essays compiled from radio addresses by J. Gresham Machen. His voice and personality comes through in this little piece.

Christ

Offices of Christ
I did a theological term post on the offices of Christ recently, and now here’s an excellent short podcast on the subject. 

Theological Term of the Week: Synoptic Problem

synoptic problem
The issue of how to account for the similarities and differences in the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke); the debated subject of whether these similarities and differences can be explained by interdependence—one or two of the gospels were used as source(s) for others—or dependence on an outside source.

• From the three accounts of the healing of the paralytic (Notice particularly the similar parenthetical statements I’ve italicized.):

“But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” (Matthew 9:6 ESV)

“But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” (Mark 2:10-11 ESV)

But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” (Luke 5:24 ESV)

• From The Synoptic Problem: An Introduction by Robert H. Stein:

One of the most persuasive arguments for the literary interdependence of the synoptic Gospels is the presence of identical parenthetical material, for it is highly unlikely that two or three writers would by coincidence insert into their accounts exactly the same editorial comment at exactly the same place. 

Learn more:1

1. Blue Letter Bible: The Synoptic Problem
2. GotQuestions.org: What is the Synoptic Problem?
3. Theopedia: The Synoptic Problem
4. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministries: What is the gospel of Q and does it prove the gospels are false?
5. Daniel Wallace: The Synoptic Problem, The Synoptic Problem and Inspiration
6. John MacArthur: Introduction to Mark
7. James Arlandson: What Is the “Q” Gospel?
8. Mark D. Roberts: What Sources Did the Gospel Writers Use?

Related terms: 

• synoptic gospels

Filed under Scripture

1The authors of these articles do not all agree on the best solution to the synoptic problem, or even whether there actually is one, and I don’t know enough to have an informed opinion.

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