Odes of Solomon

Harris1911 source page 149

THE ODES OF SOLOMON 105 Gentiles, and where it does not suffice to (juote a verse of the Old Testament and say that such reception was foretold. In our Ode Christ explains that the reception of the Gentiles has not polluted Him. Such language does not belong to the Hellenic world, nor, we think, to the second century. But it is quite natural in a Judaeo-Christian community in Palestine in the first century. The fact that prophets spoke in the person of God or of Christ was a common observation with the early fathers : a good illustration may be seen in Justin's Apology^, where Justin explains that the opening sentences of Isaiah ('The ox knoweth his owner... but my people doth not consider') are a case of the kind; and then goes on to explain that the words 'all day long I have stretched out my hands' are to be understood of the prophet speaking in the person of Christ. In the canonical Psalms also the same feature was easily traced, and those who composed the early books of Testimonies against the Jews con- stantly point out that the real speaker is not the prophet, but One whom he impersonates. It is inevitable that this impersonation should cause difficulties of interpretation, due to the obscurity of personality involved in the different parts of the prophecy or psalm. And we must not be surprised if we sometimes find it hard to tell in the text of our Odes who is to be regarded as the speaker. ODE II. ^My heart was cloven'-' and its flower appeared ; and grace sprang up in it : and it brought forth fruit to the Lord, ^for the Most High clave ^my heart^-* by His Holy Spirit and searched my affection'* towards Him: and filled me with His love. ^And His opening' of me became my salvation ; and I ran in His way in His peace, even in the way of truth : ^from the be- ginning and even to the end I acquired His knowledge : ^and I was established upon the rock of truth, where He had set me up: ^and speaking waters*' touched my lips from the fountain of the Lord plenteously : ^and I drank and was inebriated with the living water that doth not die ; ^and my inebriation was not one without knowledge, but I forsook vanity and turned to the Most High my God, ^and I was enriched by His bounty, ^ I Ap. 37, 38. ^ Or, circumcised. ^ lit. clave me or circumcised me. Cf. Rom. ii. 29. •* lit. revealed my reins : cf. Sap. Sol. i. 6: Ps. vii. 9: Ps. Ixii. (Ixi.) 2 : Apoc. ii. 23. " Or, circumcision. ® Cf. Ignatius ad Rom. 7 OSwp ^Civ wi XoAovi/. VVellhausen : das redende Wasser findet sich bei den Mandaern. o. s. 14