While here on the earth, Jesus ministry displayed a mastery of the understanding and interpretation of scripture (notably Moses and the prophets) but also the ability to deliver a message that spoke eternal volumes, even in the use of a single phrase…at least for ‘those who have an ear to hear’.

It is also evident that He used various rabbinic methods of interpretation when teaching. To engage the party to whom He was speaking in a way that they should have understood.

One such method was remez (Hebrew) or simply put ‘to hint or allude to’. Quite often the teacher or in this case Jesus, would allude to a certain passage of scripture by stating a phrase or small portion of a passage. This would force the hearer to search their minds for the context of that phrase into its location in scriptures. Brilliant! One such example is even on the lips of Jesus as He hung in the last moments of His life on the cross…

‘Eli Eli lama sabacthani’ …‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me’, Psalm 22:1.

Even in the moment before death Jesus soul was reminding His disciples once again, go to the passage…go to the passage, it will speak of things to come and give you hope. When we go to that passage we can see the whole crucifixion scene so clearly detailed that it opens not only our hearts but also our eyes to the amazing way that God fulfils His word to the letter.

For those of us that are called to the ministry of Worship through music, the use of such methods should not be ignored. Songwriters will often have an allusion or ‘remez’ to a theme that is to be structured within a small few sentences. Hymns, old and new, are able to employ a more thorough approach where whole passages are quoted or expounded. Contemporary worship songs do not often have the luxury of multiple stanzas of scriptural exposition and so the crafting of our worship is something that should be shaped, moulded and intentional creating a renewed thirst in the congregation to search out the truths ‘alluded’ to in the worship.

I firmly believe that this approach will have a profound effect on the writer, the hearer and the listener as the glimpses of God’s word will set our hearts on fire with revelation.

Ultimately, we need to be hearing from the voice of the Holy Spirit in our times of worship and in so doing the Living Word, Jesus....given, that is a no brainer. As the Chief conductor of our worship the Holy Spirit may use this very method to move the people in a certain direction by one simple phrase spoken into the heart of the worship leader or another in the team. This, not unlike the operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, will require a step of faith and some holy boldness. Once that step is taken, however, the heart and purpose of worship can be accomplished...glorifying God and lives transformed.

I have no doubt in my heart that seeds were sown into many lives who heard the last words of Jesus on that day. That over the next few days they thought of the words of a dying man and went to the Psalms. Some 50 days later I hope that many spoke to Him again in repentance and faith and were counted among the thousands who worshiped their Messiah Jesus for the first time. The incarnate word of God, John Ch1.

What's in a word? Only the power of the creator of all that was, is and is to come...and that is no 'illusion'!

Adam

(Thanks to Chuck Cohen's amazing book 'The roots of our faith' for the inspiration behind this blog entry)
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