Isaiah Chapter 25

This chapter begins like many of the psalms, praising the Lord for the great salvific deeds he has performed for the redemption of the house of Israel.

Isaiah 25:1 O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.

Just as, according to some theories, some of the psalms were used in a great New Year Festival that celebrated the kingship of Yahweh and his redemption of the people, Isaiah seems to foresee the elements of the festival as a future reality.  The events that were represented — perhaps acted out dramatically — in the festival, such as the coming of Yahweh to Mount Zion to save his people who were under attack, defeating enemies combined from all nations, were envisioned by Isaiah to one day be a reality.

The foreigners who were proud enough to imagine that they could destroy the Lord’s people will be destroyed.  While the people of God once rejoiced when they should have sorrowed for their sins, and were conquered by foreign armies, the time will come (after their repentance) when the Lord will give them true reason to rejoice (Isa. 25:6).

The Lord will come and appear on the scene. To do so, he will have to remove the “vail” that is covering the Earth, preventing them from seeing God clearly.  This, of course, can be taken both figuratively and literally.

Isaiah 25:7 7 And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.

The people will finally see and recognize their Savior and their God and what he has done and will imminently do for them.

Isaiah 25:9 9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

Besides (but perhaps thematically related to) his victory over the earthly enemies of Israel, the great and wonderful accomplishment of Yahweh that Isaiah declares will cause this recognition is his victory over Death — another motif found in the psalms of the New Year Festival.

Isaiah 25:8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.

This is, in my opinion, one of the most comforting verses in all of Scripture (see also Rev. 21:4). What a beautiful and hope-filled declaration!  Death will be swallowed up and God will wipe the tears from off all faces!! This truly is a God of love and mercy, who has tender feelings for the needs of his children.

As I mentioned, this was one of the principal features of the New Year Festival. Compare chapter 25 of Isaiah and what we’ve discussed with Psalm 68:

Psalm 68:1–20 (RSV)  Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered; let those who hate him flee before him! 2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before fire, let the wicked perish before God! 3 But let the righteous be joyful; let them exult before God; let them be jubilant with joy! 4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds; his name is the LORD, exult before him! 5 Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. 6 God gives the desolate a home to dwell in; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a parched land. 7 O God, when thou didst go forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness, Selah 8 the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain, at the presence of God; yon Sinai quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

17 With mighty chariotry, twice ten thousand, thousands upon thousands, the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place. 18 Thou didst ascend the high mount, leading captives in thy train, and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the LORD God may dwell there. 19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Selah 20 Our God is a God of salvation; and to GOD, the Lord, belongs escape from death.

It almost seems as if Isaiah used this psalm as a template for his vision in chapter 25!  But these themes were part of an ancient tradition that was repeated over and over again in Israel/Judah (also in the New Testament, see especially Revelation).  There is evidence that all of this was based on a visionary pattern that was given to Israel’s prophets from the most ancient times — they were shown in vision the mighty works that Yahweh would perform for the salvation of mankind, in the past, present, and future.

Another example (among many) of this imagery from the psalms is Psalm 48:

Psalm 48:1 (RSV) Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain, 2 beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King. 3 Within her citadels God has shown himself a sure defense. 4 For lo, the kings assembled, they came on together. 5 As soon as they saw it, they were astounded, they were in panic, they took to flight; 6 trembling took hold of them there, anguish as of a woman in travail. 7 By the east wind thou didst shatter the ships of Tarshish. 8 As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God, which God establishes for ever. Selah 9 We have thought on thy steadfast love, O God, in the midst of thy temple. 10 As thy name, O God, so thy praise reaches to the ends of the earth. Thy right hand is filled with victory; 11 let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of thy judgments! 12 Walk about Zion, go round about her, number her towers, 13 consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels; that you may tell the next generation 14 that this is God, our God for ever and ever. He will be our guide for ever.

Following an alternative interpretation of the Hebrew, A.R. Johnson argued that the last verse should read: “Our God, who abideth for ever, Is our leader against Death.”¹

There are many other examples of this motif elsewhere in the Psalms and also in the writings of other biblical prophets — one of Yawheh’s most “wonderful things” that he has done is to save us from the grasp of Death.

Chapter 26

This chapter basically repeats, in psalmic fashion, the themes of the last chapter.  Verse 1 says that it is a song that will be sung at that day in the land of Judah.  It seems to me that this song is to be sung liturgically by a congregation in response to the previous chapter’s song by the lone singer (the prophet). This is also very reminiscent of many of the biblical psalms.  Again, this is very much the picture that was presented in the above cited psalms (68 and 48). Compare the end of Psalm 48 (Ps. 48:12) to the first verse of Isaiah 26:

Isaiah 26:1 In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.

Some scholars suggest that the psalm depicts a procession of worshipers marching around the walls of the city and surveying its new (or restored) strength and impregnability.²  The idea is that part of the aid that the Lord gives at his coming is the rebuilding and repair of Jerusalem/Zion and its temple after the defeat of the foreign attackers.  The Holy City becomes the stronghold of God, protected by his salvific power.

The procession around the walls then reaches the gates of the city (or temple — they may be virtually the same here). Verse 2 says:

Isaiah 26:2 Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.

Again, this is imagery that we can find in the Psalms.  For example, Psalm 24 has a similar plea for the gates to be opened so that Yahweh and his procession of followers can enter in:

Psalm 24:7–8 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. 8 Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle!

Who would be worthy to enter in through the gate with the Lord?

Psalm 24:3–4 Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false, and does not swear deceitfully.

The similarity to Isaiah 26 is clear. The vision is the same. Only those who speak and keep the truth will be allowed to ascend the hill and enter the gates (representing entering heaven) with the Lord.

Chapter 26 also gives us some additional insight into the victory of Yahweh over death.  In what would seem to be a rather odd transition (but not if you think liturgically), the voice of the people gives way to the voice of an individual, who states:

Isaiah 26:19 (KJV) Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

This is a great verse that we often use to show that Yahweh himself would be resurrected and that he would raise other dead souls with him.  There are a few problems, however, with this reading of the verse.  First of all, it is difficult to tell who is speaking here.  If we follow the liturgical pattern of lone singer and choral response, it would seem that Isaiah would be the one to sing these words. However, because the people are singing to the Lord, and they are called “my people” by the singer in the next verse, one could argue that it is the Lord himself that is responding (very likely through the prophet).  Another problem is the KJV translation of the verse. I couldn’t find any other translation that reads “together with my dead body” in this verse.  The usual translation is “their/your corpses shall rise.”

The problem is in the Hebrew text itself.  I would really have to do a more in-depth study to figure this out and see what others have said about it, but the Hebrew seems to say “my dead body (1st person sing.) they will arise (3rd person pl.).” There is nothing that could give the sense of “together with my dead body…”  It would seem that there is some error here in the Hebrew text.  It seems clear that most translations would prefer to avoid the idea that the Lord Yahweh is being resurrected here, as the KJV infers.  I see no problem, however, theologically, with interpreting this to be Yahweh speaking, saying that the dead of his people would arise, just as he would also be resurrected.  This may not be the mainstream interpretation of the text, but I think that it is one that fits well with the ancient concepts of the New Year Festival, where there was likely a representation of the king (playing the role of Yahweh) dying and being brought back to life. The death and resurrection of the king brought new life to the people as well.

Another interesting element of verse 19 is this talk of dew and resurrection:

Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

This section is also tough to translate.  The KJV chose to translate the Hebrew ‘orot as “herbs”. While this is a possible translation, the far more common rendering is “light(s)”.  For example, the translation the RSV gives is:

For thy dew is a dew of light, and on the land of the shades thou wilt let it fall.

Or the NAS:

For your dew is as the dew of the dawn, And the earth will give birth to the departed spirits.

Anciently, the anointing oil that was used in the temple was associated with the dew of the dawn/early morning.  As the dew gave life to the plants, so the “dew” of the anointing oil (which was supposed to have come from the Tree of Life) gave new life to the dead.  We can see this imagery in play in Psalm 110:

KJV Psalm 110:3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

NIV Psalm 110:3 Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy majesty, from the womb of the dawn you will receive the dew of your youth.

NRS Psalm 110:3 Your people will offer themselves willingly on the day you lead your forces on the holy mountains. From the womb of the morning, like dew, your youth will come to you.

Again I give multiple translations here because this verse is notoriously difficult to translate. The context of this verse is the coronation of the Davidic king and his anointing as “a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (Ps. 110:4).  I could write several posts on this one subject, but what verse 3 is apparently inferring is that the king was anointed with dew/oil and that this gave him new life.  In the context of the aforementioned New Year Festival, some scholars argue that the king had just gone through a ritual that represented his death and the anointing would then be a part of his “resurrection.”  That the oil represents light is an ancient concept — but the idea of it being a “dew of herbs” is not strange either, as the ancient anointing oil of the temple was mixed with myrrh and diverse herbs.³

Chapter 27

The lesson skips this chapter, so I won’t make much comment on it here.  I would note that this chapter, too, contains many elements from the New Year Festival, such as the defeat of the waters/Chaos monsters:

Isaiah 27:1 that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.

For references to this imagery in the Psalms, see, for example Ps. 74:13–14 and Ps. 89:9–10.

The last verse of this chapter also contains images from the festival (If you think I’m talking too much about this New Year Festival, I apologize, but you’ll have to bear with me as part of my PhD dissertation involves an analysis of the theories for it).

Isaiah 27:13 13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

The blowing of a trumpet (see the relevant part of my Rosh Hashanah post) and the gathering of Israel from foreign lands (pilgrimage) to Jerusalem to worship at the temple were significant features of the festival.

To be continued…

1. A.R. Johnson, Sacral Kingship in Ancient Israel, 89
2. See John Eaton, Festal-Drama in Deutero-Isaiah, 21
3. For more on the topic of the anointing oil, see Margaret Barker’s paper here.

Although Prof. John Hall’s presentation was next after Dr. Barker’s, I am still working on the notes for his talk, so I will now post my notes from the esteemed Archimandrite Ephrem’s presentation covering the use of the anointing oil in the Orthodox Church, or, as he termed it, in the Byzantine tradition.  My notes are not a complete rendition of Father Ephrem’s comments and contain many of my own additions. FYI — Father Ephrem has a great website with many helpful patristic and liturgical texts at www.anastasis.org.uk.

The anointing oil has a number of uses in the Byzantine tradition.  Father Ephrem discussed, principally, its use in light (candles), baptism, healing, confirmation/chrismation, the consecration of tsars, and the anointing of holy objects.

Unless I misunderstood, there are two types of anointing oil.

1. The first is the basic pure olive oil, used in burning candles and lamps, for the anointing of catechumens (those preparing for baptism), and for the anointing of the sick for healing. It is also used in the waters of baptism.
2. The second type of oil is the “myron”, otherwise known as chrism. Myron is a myrrh-scented oil that is very complicated to make. It can only be made and consecrated during Holy Week and is composed of 43 different ingredients (incl. olive oil, wine, spices, and perfumes). They myron is used in confirmation/chrismation, coronation (the anointing of kings), and the anointing of altars, etc. “Myron” is a name for Christ (and also his Mother).

Oil of Healing

The anointing of the sick must be done by seven elders of the Church. After consecrating the olive oil, the person is anointed for the purpose of both healing and the forgiveness of sins (the two are thought to be related).

From a handout provided by Father Ephrem, I cite the following considering the rite of the Oil of Healing, emphasis in italics from original, bold is mine.

• The Priest says the Prayer of the Oil in front of the lamp.
• Note, that in the Great Church, instead of water, they put wine into the lamp of the Euchelaion.
• Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord.
• Reader: Lord, have mercy.
• Priest: Lord, who in your mercy and pity heal the afflictions of our souls and bodies, sanctify this oil, Master, that it may be for those who are anointed with it for healing and relief of every passion, bodily disease, stain of flesh and spirit and every evil; that through it your all-holy Name, of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, may be glorified now and for ever, and to the ages of ages.
• Reader: Amen.
• Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord.
• Reader: Lord, have mercy.
• And the Priest says this Prayer: O God without beginning and without end, Holy of Holies, who sent forth your Only-begotten Son to heal every disease and every weakness of our souls and bodies, send down your Holy Spirit and sanctify this oil; and cause it to be for your servant N. who is anointed for complete deliverance form his sins, for inheritance of the Kingdom of heaven. For you are God, great and wonderful, who keep your covenant and your mercy to those who love you. Through your holy child Jesus Christ you give deliverance from sins; you have given us new birth from sin, you give light to the blind, set upright those who are cast down; you love the righteous and are merciful to sinners; you have called us back from darkness and the shadow of death, saying to those in chains: Come forth, and to those in darkness reveal yourselves. For in our hearts has shone the light of the knowledge of your Only-begotten Son, since for us he appeared on earth and lived among men. And to as many as received him he gave power to become your children, O God, granting us the grace of sonship through the washing of rebirth, causing us to have no part in the tyranny of the devil. Since he did not consider it good for there to be cleansing by blood but by holy Oil, he has given us the sign of his Cross for us to become Christ’s flock, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, having purified us by water and sanctified us by the holy Spirit. Do you, Master and Lord, give grace for this your service, as you gave Mose your servant, Samuel your beloved, John our chosen one and all those who in each generation have bee well-pleasing to you. So make us too servants of the New Covenant of your Son for this oil, which you have made your own by your precious Blood, so that having put off worldly desires we may die to sin and live to righteousness, having put on our Lord Jesus Christ through the anointing of sanctification of the Oil which is about to be applied. May this oil, Lord, be an oil of gladness, an oil of sanctification, a royal garment, a breastplate of power, a protection against every operation of the devil, an inviolable seal, joy of heart, eternal delight, that all who are anointed with this oil of rebirth may become fearsome to their enemies and shine brightly with the brightness of your Saints, without spot or wrinkle, and that they may be received into your eternal rest and receive the prize of their high calling. For yours it is to have mercy and to save us, O God, our God, and to you we give glory, to Father, Son, and holy Spirit, now and forever, and to the ages of ages.
• Reader: Amen.
• And after the Prayer the Priest takes some of the holy Oil and anoints the person making the Euchelaion, saying the following Prayer: Holy Father, physician of souls and bodies, who sent your Only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to heal every disease and to deliver from death, heal also your servant N. from the weakness of body and soul which holds him fast and give him life through the grace of your Son, at the prayers of our most holy Lady, Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary, by the might of the precious and life-giving Cross, at the protection of the honoured, heavenly and bodiless powers, of the honoured and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, of the holy, glorious and victorious Martyrs, of our venerable and God-bearing Fathers, of the holy and healing Unmercenaries Kosmas and Damian, Kyros and John, Panteleimon and Hermolaos, Sampson and Diomedes, Mokios and Akinitos, Thalalaios and Tryphon, of the holy and righteous Forebears of God, Joachim and Anne, and of all the Saints. For you are the fount of healings, O God, our God, and to you we give glory, to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and to the ages of ages.
• Reader: Amen.
• The Prayer is said by each of the Priests, after reading the Gospel and the Prayer, while anointing the sick.

Oil in Baptism

The standard oil is breathed upon by the priest and the water is blessed with oil by pouring the oil into the water. This rite of baptism is originally designed for the baptism of adults and is more difficult to perform on babies as the one baptized is then anointed on forehead, back, breast, senses — the whole body. Baptism is done by immersion — person is immersed three times — with the naming of the three Persons of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).

• The Priest breathes on the container of oil three times and signs the oil three times as it is held by the Deacon [or Godparent].
• Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord.
• People: Lord, have mercy.
• The Priest says the following prayer quietly: Master, Lord God of our fathers, who sent out a dove to those in Noe’s ark, with a branch of olive in its beak as sign of reconciliation and salvation from the flood, and through these things prefigured the Mystery of grace; who have given the fruit of the olive for the completion of your holy Mysteries; who through it both filled those under the Law with the Holy Spirit, and make perfect those under grace; do you yourself bless this olive oil also by the power, operation and descent of your Holy Spirit, so that it may become an anointing of incorruption, a weapon of righteousness, renewal of soul and body, a driving away of every operation of the devil, for the removal of all evils from those who are anointed with it in faith, or who partake of it to your glory and that of your Only-begotten Son and your all-holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and for ever, and to the ages of ages.
• People: Amen.
• Deacon: Let us attend.
• The Priest, chanting Alleluia three times with the People, makes three Crosses with the oil in the water. Then he proclaims: Blessed is God, who enlightens and sanctifies everyone who comes into the world, now and for ever, and to the ages of ages.
• People: Amen.
• The one to be baptized is brought forward. The Priest takes some of the oil and makes the sign of the Cross on the forehead, breast and back of the candidate, saying: The servant of God, N., is anointed with the oil of gladness, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. As he signs their breast and back he says: For healing of soul and body. On the ears: For the hearing of faith. On the feet: For your feet to walk. On the hands: Your hands made me and fashioned me. And when the whole body has been anointed the Priest baptizes the person, holding them upright and facing East, as he says: The servant of God N. is baptized, in the name of the Father. Amen. And of the Son. Amen. And of the Holy Spirit. Amen. At each invocation the Priest immerses them and raises them again.

The Myron in Baptism

• After the newly-baptized is clothed:
• Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord.
• People: Lord, have mercy.
• And the priest says this prayer: Blessed are you, Lord God almighty, the source of blessings, the Sun of righteousness, who have made the light of salvation shine for those in darkness through the appearing of your Only-Begotten Son and our God, and have granted us, unworthy though we are, the grace of blessed cleansing by holy Baptism, and divine sanctification by life-giving Anointing. And you have now been well-pleased to make your newly-enlightened servant to be born again through water and Spirit, and have granted him/her forgiveness of sins both voluntary and involuntary. Do you then, Master, compassionate, universal King, grant him/her also the Seal of the gift of your holy, all-powerful and adorable Spirit and the Communion of the holy Body and precious Blood of your Christ. Keep him/her in your sanctification; confirm him/her in the Orthodox Faith; deliver him/her from the evil one and all his devices, and by your saving fear guard hi/her soul in purity and righteousness; so that being in every deed and word well-pleasing to you, he/she may become a child and heir of your heavenly Kingdom.
• Aloud: Because you are our God, a God who has mercy and who saves, and to you we give glory, to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever, and to the ages of ages.
• People: Amen.
• After the prayer he anoints the newly baptized with the holy Myron, making a sign of the Cross on the forehead, the eyes, the nostrils, the mouth, the two ears, the breast, the hands and feet saying: Seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

At the Consecration of Tsar Nicolas II

• The Tsar, followed by the Tsarina, descends from the dais. Walking on the floor, which is covered with crimson velvet bordered with gold lace, the Tsar, and after him the Tsarina, step for a moment onto the golden brocade to be anointed with the holy Myron by Metropolitan Palladius with the words: “Seal of the Gift of the Holy Spirit” [same as at baptism, but this is post-baptism]. And the bells and a salute of 101 salvoes herald the perfection of the Anointing. The Eucharist concludes the rite.

Note: the ordination of priests is not done by oil, but only by the laying on of hands.

Speaking of coming from the U.S., I was so happy to meet so many fine people who did come from “across the pond” to be there.  I had the great pleasure of meeting Gary Anderson, Steve Nielsen, and Professor John Hall of BYU there.  It was also wonderful to finally meet Laurence Hemming and Susan Parsons, who, together with Margaret Barker and others, helped to organize the Temple Studies Group.  It was also great to see Dr. Richard Wellington again, whom I met at the last meeting here.  Richard is the co-author of the wonderfully documented Lehi in the Wilderness with George Potter.

The symposium was, as my title indicates, greatly enlightening.  The theme, as I have mentioned previously, was “The Holy Anointing Oil” and the presenters covered that topic wonderfully, detailing traditions of anointing from the rituals of ancient Egypt and the ancient Near East, Solomon’s temple and succeeding Jewish traditions, early Christianity, and modern Christian liturgy.

Margaret Barker’s presentation was first, which seems to be the standard procedure for these meetings — and rightly so as she gave a most interesting and amazing description of the nature and use of the holy anointing oil in the Temple of Jerusalem.  The oil was kept in a flask in the Holy of Holies and was used to anoint priests and kings — it was one of the secrets of the High Priesthood. It was meant to represent that heavenly oil that flows from the Tree of Life which is instrumental in the rebirth into eternal life (resurrection) and deification. Although the holy oil was hidden away in the time of King Josiah, it was restored in Christianity.  It is where the word Messiah, or Christ, comes from (some traditions still call it chrism), and so is what gives Christians their name (they are “anointed ones”).  Dr. Barker’s speech served as a powerful outline and background that gave us the “big picture” essential for our understanding of the following presentations.

The next paper was given by Dr. John F. Hall, Eliza R. Snow Distinguished Professor of Classical Languages and Ancient History at Brigham Young University.  It’s hard to describe how good Dr. Hall’s presentation was, and how much it helped answer a great number of questions I’ve had on my mind recently.  It really reinforced a lot of what I’ve been studying in my own research recently — but from a different and illuminating perspective.  Dr. Hall talked about Egyptian temple rites and the role of anointing in them and how these traditions may have influenced Israelite practices.  He gave a very detailed description of some of the different enthronement and temple rituals that we know about from ancient Egyptian inscriptions.  The anointing oil, put simply, gave the king or initiate the authority and ability to make the ascent to heaven where he/she would overcome death, following the example of the god Osiris, and be crowned and enthroned on the god’s throne for all eternity.  There was so much good material in this presentation and I will be sharing my notes from it (and also Margaret’s and the others’) very soon.

I meant to give only a brief overview of what went on at the conference, but I am still so excited about it that I am having a hard time keeping my descriptions brief.  However, since I will be subsequently sharing the notes I took here, I will restrain myself for now.  After Drs. Barker and Hall, we heard from:

• Archimandrite Ephrem — on the Holy Oil in the Orthodox Church
• The Rev. Dr Richard Price — on its use in Early Christianity
• Dr Sebastian Brock — on the Syriac tradition

And last but certainly not least was the Rev. Dr Laurence Hemming on the anointing with oil in the Roman Catholic Tradition.  I make more especial mention of Dr Hemming as he is one of the co-founders of the Temple Study Group, and excellent scholar, and friend of Frederick Huchel (whom I have mentioned a number of times on this blog).  It is interesting to note that Dr Hemming told me of his fondness for Utah — he has a good number of friends there and has spent much time there as well.  Dr Hemming gave a very interesting paper on how the anointing oil is used in the Catholic liturgy, which preserves much of the ancient temple tradition. I will, of course, be sharing my notes from his presentation, as well as the others mentioned.

I am grateful that I had the opportunity to attend the Temple Studies Symposium once again and am already looking forward to the next one.  Unfortunately, there will not be one this coming may, as there was last May, so the next meeting will be in November 2010 and will cover another very important topic: “Vestments: the Garments of Glory.”