‘Hark! the Herald Angels Sing’, written by Charles Wesley, is a favourite carol of many, including me. It made it onto the TV programme ‘Carols in the Domain’ in Sydney again this year. I wonder how many of us just sing the words, though, without really dwelling on the story. I took some time today to revisit it.
Glimpses of Grandeur
Imagine being a shepherd that first Christmas Eve, sitting on a hilltop with a few fellow sheep workers. It’s hard for me, a twenty-first century woman of the suburbs (neither a city girl nor a country girl), to have any idea of what life was like for them. I wonder if the sight of a clear night sky full of stars ever failed to mesmerise them? I always find it fascinating, but then I don’t see it too often.
Did one or two shepherds take it in turn to ‘watch their flocks by night’ (Luke 2:8) while the others napped? Or were they chatting when the angel of the Lord appeared and God’s glory shone all around then? Whatever the case, they were terrified (Luke 2:9) … and who wouldn’t be? Can you imagine being in their sandals – hearts thumping, eyes somewhat blinded by the sudden light, hairs standing on end, and knees buckling as they tried to stand.
What language did the angel speak? Aramaic, the commonly used language of the day? Hebrew, used in religious texts? We only have written records of the announcement in Greek, the language used in the wider empire. (See footnote 1.)
Armies of Angels
The New International Version translation of the Greek describes what happened next:
“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel….” (Luke 2:13).
Again, I am too familiar with the story to truly grasp the grandeur of this moment. It wasn’t a choir of hundreds, though that would have been special enough. It was ‘a great company of the heavenly host’. What does that mean?
I am not a Greek scholar, but understanding some of the key words in this passage helps me sense the magnificence of the shepherds’ experience (see footnote 2). Let me share a few insights with you.
- ‘A great company’ is the English translation of the Greek ‘plēthos; from which we get the English word ‘plethora’.
- ‘Heavenly’ is the English translation of the Greek ‘ouránios’ meaning ‘heavenly’ or ‘celestial’. The planet we call Uranus is actually named for a Greek deity of the sky, and comes from the same root word as what is translated ‘heavenly’ in this passage.
- ‘Host’ is the English translation of the Greek ‘stratias’, which refers to an army.
Can you imagine the sight and sound of a choir consisting of a plethora of celestial armies?! They performed a song, the words of which have been repeated many times since in a range of languages. None, however, could come close to the pizzazz of that first rendition.
Gloria in Excelsis Deo
‘Gloria in Excelsis Deo’ is the Latin translation of the first half of the lyrics. Again, I wonder what language they originally used. And what was the melody? Given that Greek is all we have, and being a bit of a language nut, I have found it fascinating to think about the Greek lyrics (see footnote 3.)
‘Glory to God in the highest heaven’ is the New International Version translation of the first line of the angelic chorus. Let’s break that down a bit further.
- The Greek word ‘Doxa’ means ‘glory’, from which we get the word ‘doxology’.
- The Greek term for God is ‘theo’, from which we get words such as ‘theology’.
- The phrase ‘the highest heaven’ comes from a single Greek word, ‘hypsistois’, literally meaning ‘the absolute highest’.
Imagine those shepherds, quietly quaking in the depths of their beings, gazing at a sky full of angel armies singing glory to God in the highest.
Peace on earth, goodwill to men
The translation of the second part of the angelic announcement in song is a bit tricky. The NIV translates it like this:
“…. and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.” (Luke 2:14)
Again, understanding the origin of some key words helps me better grasp the wonder of this message.
- ‘Earth’ is literally ‘the earth’, as opposed to, say, Mars or Jupiter. It is taken from the Greek word ‘gēs’.
- Peace is straightforward, coming from the Greek ‘eirēnē’, from which we get the lovely name ‘Irene’.
- Next, in the Greek, comes ‘anthrōpois’, meaning ‘humankind’, as opposed to other parts of creation (sorry, Puss). This is the root word of English words such as ‘anthropology’.
The tricky part comes with the last Greek word of the song. The NIV translates the single Greed word ‘eudokias’ as ‘on whom his favour rests’. But does ‘eudokias’ describe the humans who will receive peace? Or is it a noun in its own right, and so the whole phrase is better translated ‘peace and goodwill to mankind’? It’s a question scholars have debated long and hard. These days, it is usually accepted that peace is promised to those on whose God’s favour rests.
Regardless, as Christians, we can be confident that the angelic choir announced spectacularly good news for us.
In the busyness of Christmas preparations and celebrations, may we take a moment to remember that first Christmas Eve when the angels appeared to the shepherds. This same glorious God about whom the angels sang – the one seated in the highest heavens – offers us peace through Jesus, the babe born that first Christmas night.
And so we sing:
‘Hark! the herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled”
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
“Christ is born in Bethlehem”
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”’
(Charles Wesley, 1739)
- https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/what-language-did-jesus-speak/
- https://www.studylight.org/interlinear-bible/luke/2-13.html?lang=grk
- https://www.studylight.org/interlinear-bible/luke/2-14.html?lang=grk