What then, brethren? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation.
— 1 Corinthians 14:26
As we saw in some of the scriptures from yesterday’s post, hymn singing was encouraged in group gatherings.   Scholars believe that the New Testament contains many fragments of hymns, and that the New Testament authors freely quote song lyrics in their Gospels and epistles to illustrate or emphasize points.
Here, from “Hymnic Forms in the New Testament,” by Christian D. von Dehsen (Reformed Liturgy & Music, 18, No. 1 —Winter, 1984 — p. eight) is a summary of criteria used for identifying these song fragments:
— The passage contains vocabulary which is different from that of the surrounding context.
— The passage is written in poetic form, that is, it exhibits rhythmical patterns and careful structure.
— The content of the passage interrupts the context.
— The name of the deity is absent and is replaced by a relative clause or a participle.
— Words are used in the passage which are found nowhere else in the New Testament.
— The cosmic role of God or Christ is emphasized.
— Theological concepts and christological doctrine are expressed in exalted and liturgical language.
Tomorrow we’ll look at one such example in the New Testament — one that is a complete song rather than a fragment.
