The Earliest Christian Hymnbook: The Odes of Solomon
Overview
That the earliest followers of Jesus wrote poetry and hymns is evident in the New Testament. In this volume, James H. Charlesworth examines and translates the Odes of Solomon—a collection of early Christian hymns. Some are obviously Christian, while others are perhaps Jewish. The beauty of these poems is a tribute to the depth of spirituality in early Christian communities, many of which were formerly Jewish. Charlesworth offers an inviting introduction and translation of these hymns that is both engaging and true to the original languages. An index of ancient sources also provides readers with access to a wide range of references.
In the Logos edition, this volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.
For more resources from James H. Charlesworth on early Christianity, check out The Good and Evil Serpent: How a Universal Symbol Became Christianized.
- Explores the spirituality and liturgy of the earliest Christian communities
- Provides a translation of the Odes of Solomon
- Includes an index of ancient sources with a wide range of references
Top Highlights
“The most striking and significant parallels between the Odes and a New Testament document are with the Gospel of John. Both contain the Word Christology (that is, both portray Jesus as the pre-existent Word who took on flesh in human space and time). Both place an emphasis on love, and the reception of eternal life through the drinking of ‘living water.” (Page xxvii)
“The Odist seems to stand at a three-way junction: Some on the way will proceed ahead to Rabbinic Judaism, others will move on to full-blown Gnosticism, and many will progress to orthodox Christianity.” (Page xxxii)
“completed in the early second century, and most likely before 125 CE.” (Page xxii)
“the Odist is a Jew who eventually believed that Jesus is the Messiah.” (Page xxviii)
“sect or group that collected and wrote ‘the Dead Sea Scrolls.’” (Page xvii)
Eminent scholar James Charlesworth has provided a stunning translation of the poetic second-century Odes of Solomon. . . . The attractively designed publication is fine for scholars, wonderful for believers.
—Gail Ramshaw, former president, North American Academy of Liturgy
- Title: The Earliest Christian Hymnbook: The Odes of Solomon
- Translator: James H. Charlesworth
- Publisher: Cascade
- Publication Date: 2009
- Pages: 172
- Resource Type: Monographs
- Topic: Early Church
Reviews
2 ratings
Tom Reynolds
1/1/2020
A very interesting collection of early Christian hymns and works shared with Judaism. This translation is also included in the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha set so if you have that you can read this work there.Glenn Crouch
12/29/2015
I appreciated having a recent English translation of this Early Church work - which as the title indicates is basically the Psalms / Hymns of the Early Church. A good insight not only into early worship of the Church but also into theological thoughts at that time. Admittedly some of the Odes are probably Jewish rather than Christian, that they were used as a collection shows at least that the Christian community at that stage was still "borrowing" from Judaism. These are easy to ready, and whilst not of the same calibre as the Biblical Psalms, they are still quite beautiful and worth getting to know :)
