Patterico's Pontifications

6/17/2018

Sunday Music: Bach Cantata BWV 188

Filed under: Bach Cantatas,General,Music — Patterico @ 12:01 am



It is the fourth Sunday after Pentecost. The title of today’s Bach cantata is “Ich habe meine Zuversicht” (I have placed my confidence).

Today’s Gospel reading is Mark 4:26-34.

The Parable of the Growing Seed

He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

The text of today’s piece is available here. The Gospel reading says that even when evidence of the Kingdom of God is as small and difficult to see as a mustard seed, we can place our trust and confidence in it. Similarly, the cantata says:

I have placed my confidence
in my faithful God,
there my hope rests firmly.

. . . .

Though He might conceal His love,
yet His heart secretly thinks upon it,
since He can never withdraw it;

Happy listening!

[Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.]

6 Responses to “Sunday Music: Bach Cantata BWV 188”

  1. They deny evidence of god, because acknowledgement would mean doing it what it asks of us.

    narciso (d1f714)

  2. Following up, from last instance in Luke, tells his critics not to demand signs as proof, ironically offering the miracle of Jonas as foreshadowing.

    narciso (d1f714)

  3. As well as the queen of shebas pilgrimage

    https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Jonah%202%3A2

    narciso (d1f714)

  4. Both examples show who shall judge

    https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+10&version=NIV

    narciso (d1f714)

  5. Note the passage from Kings starting at verse 26
    Those acts directly contravene some of the commandments listed in Deuteronomy. Solomon figured those laws were meant to limit the influence of foreign idol worship, but that he was smart enough not to fall under that influence. But he did fall under its influence, letting Pharoah’s daughter and other wives worship their idols, starting the long decline of the Jewish kingdom.

    kishnevi (59d33b)

  6. That may have been the shadows that Jesus refers To, blocking out the light, one much argue that local costums dilutes the word certainly in the,early part of the dark ages

    narciso (547eb3)


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