Today’s topic is joy, expressed through a carol or song. Obviously there is Joy to the world! But the word joy is curiously absent from many popular carols.
It is surprising that the King James Bible is more politically correct than anonymous eighteenth-century writers of God rest ye merry gentlemen. Luke 2:10 reads: “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people”.
This classic carol has been around since 1760 but in many different versions. I found one with seven verses on Hymnary.org. although the Annie Lennox version has fewer. I particularly like the fact that Annie sings “glad tidings” not “O tidings”. All versions explain roughly what happened at the time of Jesus’ birth and give us the reason for it. First we are exhorted to remember Christ, who came to save us from the power of evil – this is good news which should both strengthen us and give us “joy, joy, joy, joy, down in our hearts” to quote from the 1980s Kids Praise cassette! A verse often sung next refers to Bethlehem in Israel (or in Jewry) but the rest of the verse defies modern under¬standing. I think it refers to Luke 2:19 where Mary “kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself” (The Message). The refrain of tidings of comfort and joy is repeated.
Then there is a verse which distresses me greatly – from a linguistic position: “From God our Heavenly Father a blessed angel came and unto certain shepherds…” The first nowell makes this same mistake. The word “certain” is here used as an adjective, describing specific shepherds but it should be a verb – to certain, in other words to reassure. An angel has just appeared, whose first words are “Fear not”, then the angel continues to certain the shepherds.
In verse 4 the angel continues with his soothing “let nothing you affright” because once again we sing that the Saviour will overcome the world and get rid of Satan - aka all bad things. The following verse tells us that the shepherds rejoiced and left their flocks – so all those Nativity scenes with shepherds clutching lambs are wrong, or the carol is! The next verse hints that the shepherds, like the magi, did not expect the baby to be found in a manger, although Luke 2:12 does spell it out: “And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger” (KJV).
But all errors are forgiven because the last verse, in most versions, tells us to sing praises and “in/with true love and fellowship each other now embrace” because this time of year is “filled with heavenly grace” or because we know the true meaning of Christmas yet “all others do deface”.
Here’s a tip – learn your theology from Scriptures not carols! But carols are fun – full of joy.
Jesus, born in poverty, yet hailed by the angels as the Saviour, be with us as we sing carols and are surrounded by secular celebrations. Show us the true meaning of Christmas hidden in all the trappings and trimmings. Amen.
Elaine Kinchin