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New Testament Christological Hymns: Exploring Texts, Contexts, and Significance
We know that the earliest Christians sang hymns. Paul encourages believers to sing "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs." And at the dawn of the second century the Roman official Pliny names a feature of Christian worship as "singing alternately a hymn to Christ as to God." But are some of these early Christian hymns preserved for us in the New Testament? Are they right before our eyes?
New Testament scholars have long debated whether early Christian hymns appear in the New Testament. But where some see preformed hymns and liturgical elements embossed on the page, others see patches of rhetorically elevated prose from the author's hand.
Matthew Gordley now reopens this fascinating question. He begins with a new look at hymns in the Greco-Roman and Jewish world of the early church. Might the didactic hymns of that cultural current set a new starting point for talking about hymnic texts in the New Testament? If so, how should we detect these hymns? How might they function in the New Testament? And what might they tell us about early Christian worship?
An outstanding feature of texts such as Philippians 2:6-11, Colossians 1:15-20, and John 1:1-17 is their christological character. And if these are indeed hymns, we encounter the reality that within the crucible of worship the deepest and most searching texts of the New Testament arose.
New Testament Christological Hymns reopens an important line of investigation that will serve a new generation of students of the New Testament.
New Testament scholars have long debated whether early Christian hymns appear in the New Testament. But where some see preformed hymns and liturgical elements embossed on the page, others see patches of rhetorically elevated prose from the author's hand.
Matthew Gordley now reopens this fascinating question. He begins with a new look at hymns in the Greco-Roman and Jewish world of the early church. Might the didactic hymns of that cultural current set a new starting point for talking about hymnic texts in the New Testament? If so, how should we detect these hymns? How might they function in the New Testament? And what might they tell us about early Christian worship?
An outstanding feature of texts such as Philippians 2:6-11, Colossians 1:15-20, and John 1:1-17 is their christological character. And if these are indeed hymns, we encounter the reality that within the crucible of worship the deepest and most searching texts of the New Testament arose.
New Testament Christological Hymns reopens an important line of investigation that will serve a new generation of students of the New Testament.
252 pages, Paperback
Published August 7, 2018
About the author
Matthew E. Gordley
8 books2 followersMatthew E. Gordley (PhD, University of Notre Dame) is Interim Provost and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Carlow University (Pittsburgh, PA). A scholar of Christianity and Judaism in Antiquity, he is the author of Social Justice in the Stories of Jesus: The Ethical Challenge of the Parables (2024), New Testament Christological Hymns (2018), Teaching through Song in Antiquity (2011), and The Colossian Hymn in Context (2007).
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 3, 2018
This book tackles a subject that I must admit is not one that I have delved into deeply in the past. There is no doubt that this subject is one that the author, Matthew E. Gordley, champions. New Testament Christological hymns are clearly his wheelhouse. This book both taught me and answered every question I had on the subject.
In the first chapter as the author describes the place of these hymns in the New Testament and in scholarship, he didn’t obscure the fact that not everyone agrees about what these New Testament hymns are. It boils down to a question of were these exalted passages that became the hymns of early Christians or were these early hymns that were incorporated into the scriptural text. The author makes a passionate case for the latter and that is apparently the prominent position in the scholarly world. Personally, I hold with the former and really see no evidence that could conclusively change my mind. My holding a different perspective than the author did not denude this book’s value for me.
Once we passed the chicken-or-the-egg argument, Gordley really illuminated what hymns are and the role they likely played with early Christians. What he shared there could likely be accepted no matter which viewpoint you held on these New Testament hymns overall. He stated in the book that he did not want this volume to only be a book of exegesis on those famous passages. He succeeded in sharing his thesis, giving insights on worship among early Christians, yet still provided helpful exegesis on these texts. Three chapters were given to cover the three most famous of these texts: Philippians 2:6-11, Colossians 1:15-20, and John 1:1-17. Because these are some of the most important passages on the doctrine of Jesus Christ they are worthy of the most intense study. There’s another chapter that studies a few other passages that are considered to possibly be a hymn.
The author writes well. He accepts some theories of redaction that I reject out of hand and a few other scholarly concessions that I wouldn’t care for, but he still delivers fine, important book here. If you are like me, you will be satisfied to have this one book as the one and only one on your shelves to address this subject. Scholarly and passionate, this book is a winner.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
In the first chapter as the author describes the place of these hymns in the New Testament and in scholarship, he didn’t obscure the fact that not everyone agrees about what these New Testament hymns are. It boils down to a question of were these exalted passages that became the hymns of early Christians or were these early hymns that were incorporated into the scriptural text. The author makes a passionate case for the latter and that is apparently the prominent position in the scholarly world. Personally, I hold with the former and really see no evidence that could conclusively change my mind. My holding a different perspective than the author did not denude this book’s value for me.
Once we passed the chicken-or-the-egg argument, Gordley really illuminated what hymns are and the role they likely played with early Christians. What he shared there could likely be accepted no matter which viewpoint you held on these New Testament hymns overall. He stated in the book that he did not want this volume to only be a book of exegesis on those famous passages. He succeeded in sharing his thesis, giving insights on worship among early Christians, yet still provided helpful exegesis on these texts. Three chapters were given to cover the three most famous of these texts: Philippians 2:6-11, Colossians 1:15-20, and John 1:1-17. Because these are some of the most important passages on the doctrine of Jesus Christ they are worthy of the most intense study. There’s another chapter that studies a few other passages that are considered to possibly be a hymn.
The author writes well. He accepts some theories of redaction that I reject out of hand and a few other scholarly concessions that I wouldn’t care for, but he still delivers fine, important book here. If you are like me, you will be satisfied to have this one book as the one and only one on your shelves to address this subject. Scholarly and passionate, this book is a winner.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
August 13, 2018
There are passages in the New Testament that have a credal feel to them; stanzas that have a texture and tone that seems to lend itself to song. Matthew E. Gordley, dean of the College of Learning and Innovation at Carlow University, examines these portions in his newly released 252 page paperback, "New Testament Christological Hymns: Exploring Texts, Contexts and Significance". It is a mildly specialized manual, but is accessible to most perceptive and thoughtful readers.
In "New Testament Christological Hymns" Gordley explores several "hymnic passages" in detail. His aim is "to provide a comprehensive, comparative, and exegetically informed analysis of New Testament christological hymns in light of their cultural, literary, and theological contexts" (11).He begins by giving the genealogy of New Testament hymnic studies, appreciatively interacting with the critiques. He then moves on to examine hymns in the Greco-Roman world, as well as in Judaism, how they were used, and the narratival functions they fulfilled. Not only is this a valuable historical recollection, but the portion on resistance poetry was rather intriguing.
In chapters three through six, the author spends serious time scrutinizing Philippians 2.5-11, Colossians 1.15-20, John 1.1-18, Hebrews 1.1-4, several segments in Luke and Revelation. Gordley dialogues with numerous scholars who see these passages as hymns and those who don't. He walks through the structure of the passage, as well as what the paragraph was meant to do. With each "hymn" the author also looks for internal indications that might give any indications on early Christian worship.For me, one of the most thought-provoking aspects of the author's analysis was on these hymns being resistance (anti-imperial) poetry. Though I think the writer may be overstating the case, nevertheless it got the wheels in my head turning.
"New Testament Christological Hymns" is a worthwhile volume. I spent several Sunday evenings reading it, not only for the informative aspects, but in a devotional way. Whether you agree with the author's conclusions or not, you will gain a deeper appreciation for each of these passages, and see in them details you have missed. You also may find your heart getting strangely warmed as you delve into the purpose and point of each New Testament section. I highly recommend the book.
Thanks to IVP Academic for sending me a copy of this volume for the review. I sought, and they provided. I asked and they gave. I knocked and they opened the opportunity for me. They made no demands, other than that I give my honest review. And that is what is set before your eyes.
In "New Testament Christological Hymns" Gordley explores several "hymnic passages" in detail. His aim is "to provide a comprehensive, comparative, and exegetically informed analysis of New Testament christological hymns in light of their cultural, literary, and theological contexts" (11).He begins by giving the genealogy of New Testament hymnic studies, appreciatively interacting with the critiques. He then moves on to examine hymns in the Greco-Roman world, as well as in Judaism, how they were used, and the narratival functions they fulfilled. Not only is this a valuable historical recollection, but the portion on resistance poetry was rather intriguing.
In chapters three through six, the author spends serious time scrutinizing Philippians 2.5-11, Colossians 1.15-20, John 1.1-18, Hebrews 1.1-4, several segments in Luke and Revelation. Gordley dialogues with numerous scholars who see these passages as hymns and those who don't. He walks through the structure of the passage, as well as what the paragraph was meant to do. With each "hymn" the author also looks for internal indications that might give any indications on early Christian worship.For me, one of the most thought-provoking aspects of the author's analysis was on these hymns being resistance (anti-imperial) poetry. Though I think the writer may be overstating the case, nevertheless it got the wheels in my head turning.
"New Testament Christological Hymns" is a worthwhile volume. I spent several Sunday evenings reading it, not only for the informative aspects, but in a devotional way. Whether you agree with the author's conclusions or not, you will gain a deeper appreciation for each of these passages, and see in them details you have missed. You also may find your heart getting strangely warmed as you delve into the purpose and point of each New Testament section. I highly recommend the book.
Thanks to IVP Academic for sending me a copy of this volume for the review. I sought, and they provided. I asked and they gave. I knocked and they opened the opportunity for me. They made no demands, other than that I give my honest review. And that is what is set before your eyes.
February 9, 2022
An academically weighty book that should answer any questions you have about hymns in the New Testament.
This book is primarily an examination of three passages Philippians 2.5-11, Colossians 1.15-20, John 1.1-18. Are these passages original songs that made it into the New Testament, or were they used as songs later? The book centers around the scholarship of this question.
The book is an exhaustive study on the topic. The first chapter gives an overview of all the scholarship on this question to date. I was continually amazed at the author's fairness and interaction with other scholars. He presents their arguments fairly, acknowledges where there is agreement, and then points out disagreement. It should be standard, but it felt refreshing to read.
The second chapter covers general scholarship about early Christian worship and how it was or was not impacted by Jewish, Greek, or Roman worship at the time.
After all of this, the book finally dives into these passages one at a time. The last chapter then covers more minor verses that are sometimes acknowledged as "hymns."
This book is deeply academic. It is not light reading and it spends a lot of time in the weeds. If you do not want to dive deep into this specific topic, then walk away. But if the topic interests you, then pull up a chair and learn all you could possibly want. The author is open to the possibility that Colossians was not written by Paul, or that John was edited multiple times. I disagree, but it didn't massively impact the book. One frustration I experienced was that the book somewhat concludes on a shrug of "who knows?" It's academically faithful and honest. But don't go in expecting definitive answers.
This book is primarily an examination of three passages Philippians 2.5-11, Colossians 1.15-20, John 1.1-18. Are these passages original songs that made it into the New Testament, or were they used as songs later? The book centers around the scholarship of this question.
The book is an exhaustive study on the topic. The first chapter gives an overview of all the scholarship on this question to date. I was continually amazed at the author's fairness and interaction with other scholars. He presents their arguments fairly, acknowledges where there is agreement, and then points out disagreement. It should be standard, but it felt refreshing to read.
The second chapter covers general scholarship about early Christian worship and how it was or was not impacted by Jewish, Greek, or Roman worship at the time.
After all of this, the book finally dives into these passages one at a time. The last chapter then covers more minor verses that are sometimes acknowledged as "hymns."
This book is deeply academic. It is not light reading and it spends a lot of time in the weeds. If you do not want to dive deep into this specific topic, then walk away. But if the topic interests you, then pull up a chair and learn all you could possibly want. The author is open to the possibility that Colossians was not written by Paul, or that John was edited multiple times. I disagree, but it didn't massively impact the book. One frustration I experienced was that the book somewhat concludes on a shrug of "who knows?" It's academically faithful and honest. But don't go in expecting definitive answers.
November 2, 2019
This book will give you a better appreciation for the snippets of liturgical verse found in the New Testament. Gordley provides an overview of the state of and controversy around finding "hymns" in the New Testament and he provides a sufficient definition for "hymnody" to be found and appreciated even if the reader or the research doesn't support "hymns" per se.
He looks primarily at Philippians, Colossians, and the Prologue of John, providing comments on structure, purpose, and content of the passages reviewed. He provides a review of what might characterize a passage as hymnody and how each selected passage meets that criteria. He interacts with a variety of authors who have explored the same topic and the same passages, providing the reader both alternative possibilities for meaning and his own supporting arguments for his view.
After the three main passages, Gordley reviews shorter passages in Petrine and Pauline corpora, and in Revelation, looking at similar characteristics. He admits that the passages reviewed cannot be proven to be early Christian hymns or even whether all of them existed in some form before being written down in their monographs or whether they were made up by the author for rhetorical purposes. Whether they were ever actually sung by the early church, he is convinced that most of them likely served a didactic purpose in worship and teaching.
He looks primarily at Philippians, Colossians, and the Prologue of John, providing comments on structure, purpose, and content of the passages reviewed. He provides a review of what might characterize a passage as hymnody and how each selected passage meets that criteria. He interacts with a variety of authors who have explored the same topic and the same passages, providing the reader both alternative possibilities for meaning and his own supporting arguments for his view.
After the three main passages, Gordley reviews shorter passages in Petrine and Pauline corpora, and in Revelation, looking at similar characteristics. He admits that the passages reviewed cannot be proven to be early Christian hymns or even whether all of them existed in some form before being written down in their monographs or whether they were made up by the author for rhetorical purposes. Whether they were ever actually sung by the early church, he is convinced that most of them likely served a didactic purpose in worship and teaching.
January 23, 2025
I had no idea that there were so many expressions of musical worship in the New Testament texts. Gordley is, by definition, the expert on Christological hymns and his ability to pull out the context and the beauty of said texts is wonderful. Though it can have a scholarly feel when translating the context, the interpretation of the text itself and the applicability of these hymns in everyday life is well understood by any reader. I used this book as a commentary on worship while composing a sermon a few years ago and the help it offered was paramount.
September 20, 2018
Christianity has a history of confessions and liturgy that goes back all the way to the New Testament. In New Testament Christological Hymns, Matthew E. Gordley, the hymnody of the New Testament is brought into the limelight.
New Testament hymnody? Are there actually hymns in the New Testament, and, if so, how might we identify them? Gordley begins with a chapter answering exactly these questions, dealing with some of the best scholarship and critical questions about the texts themselves. Having established the existence of New Testament hymns included within the text, Gordley turns to showing how these hymns might have been used in NT worship and how the hymns reflect some of the cultural struggles and theological issues the early church was dealing with.
The next several chapters deal with individual hymns included in the New Testament text. In each case, Gordlye provides a substantive analysis of the hymn, analyzes it theologically, discusses any textual critical issues that exist with the text, and draws out its implications for Christians to this day. These analyses are invaluable for anyone who is interested in the theology of the New Testament, Christology, or the beliefs of the early Christian church.
Gordley’s tone and method throughout are highly scholarly, as he engages the forefront of NT scholarship. Footnotes throughout the text direct readers both to sources and further reading, making the book valuable as a research tool as well.
The things I found most valuable in the text were Gordley’s look at the cultural context of the New Testament hymns, showing how they often paralleled and subverted things like Latin hymns for emperors or gods, and the deep concern for discerning the Christological implications of these hymns in the New Testament and their usage in the early church.
New Testament Christological Hymns is a fascinating, scholarly look at the Christology of the New Testament church. Anyone interested in seeing what the earliest Christians believed and how they worshiped should pick this book up and read it carefully.
Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of the book for review by the publisher. I was not required to give any specific kind of feedback whatsoever.
New Testament hymnody? Are there actually hymns in the New Testament, and, if so, how might we identify them? Gordley begins with a chapter answering exactly these questions, dealing with some of the best scholarship and critical questions about the texts themselves. Having established the existence of New Testament hymns included within the text, Gordley turns to showing how these hymns might have been used in NT worship and how the hymns reflect some of the cultural struggles and theological issues the early church was dealing with.
The next several chapters deal with individual hymns included in the New Testament text. In each case, Gordlye provides a substantive analysis of the hymn, analyzes it theologically, discusses any textual critical issues that exist with the text, and draws out its implications for Christians to this day. These analyses are invaluable for anyone who is interested in the theology of the New Testament, Christology, or the beliefs of the early Christian church.
Gordley’s tone and method throughout are highly scholarly, as he engages the forefront of NT scholarship. Footnotes throughout the text direct readers both to sources and further reading, making the book valuable as a research tool as well.
The things I found most valuable in the text were Gordley’s look at the cultural context of the New Testament hymns, showing how they often paralleled and subverted things like Latin hymns for emperors or gods, and the deep concern for discerning the Christological implications of these hymns in the New Testament and their usage in the early church.
New Testament Christological Hymns is a fascinating, scholarly look at the Christology of the New Testament church. Anyone interested in seeing what the earliest Christians believed and how they worshiped should pick this book up and read it carefully.
Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of the book for review by the publisher. I was not required to give any specific kind of feedback whatsoever.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews