One parable must be specially noted — the story of the Wicked Husbandmen (Mt 2p3-i3, Mk 12'-'', Lk 20Sf-), whicli is an incisive review of God's relations with His peo|.le. Endless pains had been taken (Mk IJ'j Asitli the vineyard of the Kingdom, yet %\ lien messenger after messenger came seeking fruit in the Divine name, they had been sent empty away, and contumeliously treated — one beaten, another wounded, a third killed (vv.2-6). Nowhere does Jesus put Himself more clearly in line with the prophets. As the gloomy night is gathering fast around His own head. He feels full affinity of fate with them. In the passage He carries, indeed, the history of Israel's sliameful conduct not only to the days of the Baptist, but even a little beyond the moment of utterance. We have insight into the marvellous composure of the heart of Jesus as He jiictures His own case in the person of the one son, wc^ll beloved, who was cast out, bruised ami blrrdiuM, liis body soon to be cold in death niion the lii^jhuay (v.*). Thtts, in tragic fashion, He broadens the charge against His opponents, -with their complacent jealousy (v.'), by pioxiiij; tlieir conduct to be of a piece witli Israels .rucl treatment of sjieakers for God in the past. The note of severity anil moral indignation is unmistakable, but it is blended with one of wistful sadness. Mot thai His own ap- proaching death troubles Him; He tears not Jis He enters into the cloud, and is ready to give His life as covenant blood for the setting up of the King- dom. But His countrymen's wayward folly, and the terrible crisis at liand for the Jewish State, weii^li heavy on His sjiirit. Their doom. He con- iliale-,, is Miilteii with (e.d's own finger on the wall, lor llios,' via. had the eyes to see: ' He Avill eonie. .and destroy llie liusii.-indmen, and will give the vineyard unto others' (v.-').
George Murray.
HUSKS.— The only mention of husks (xepdria, .so called from their shape, which resembles 'horns') occurs in Lk 15'". Husks were the pods of the carob-tree, whicli is also known as the loeust-tree {C'emtonia ai/igiin). This tree, which is common in Palestine, belongs to the order Lcguminosa;, and is an evergreen. It attains to a height of about 30 feet, and has a dense foliage. Its leaves are of a dark, glossy green. The pods are from 6 to 10 inches in length and 1 in breadth. They contain a thick, sweet pulp, not unpleasant to the palate, and are used as food for pigs, cattle, and horses. They are .also, because of their cheapness, eaten by the very poor.
Some" liave identified the pods of the carob witli the ' locusts ' {aKpiSes) which John the Baptist ate (Mt 3-). It is true they .are sometimes called 'St. John's bread,' this naiiii- li.iving been given to them by the monks oi Tahsiin.' or by 'pious pilgrims' (Thomson, J. I: p. ii:>."M, Imt there can be little doubt that the llaptisi's food was not carob-pods,
764
HYMN
HYMN
but the insect, which i Arabs. See Locust.
still eaten by the wandering Hugh Duncan.
HYMN.— 1. Introductory.— In the earliest period the terms 'hymn' (Cm'-os) and 'to hymn' (y^"'") seem to have covered practically every kuid ot composition which was sung or rliythmically recited in Christian worship or the Christian assemblies.
in col 3.0 ^f.^^^^X^Z^Til^k^^^'S^^^^X^ thp'^i N /t 'i'",'-" "It, rV.l b. (ifi.l ill tlif c-aviv Christian assemblies. 'While til. l.i.liii- il.i "li«>" 1^ a musical accompaniment, „I.i <i,.,t ,,f ,,. T,rii,r to Ciiil. •■■", is the general word for a =rn„ wl, th.r n.rouiiaiiie.l or unaccompanied, whether of l^fc'o )^r^n 1,1V other snhiect Thus it was quite possible tor ?h^'"nTe"so,;;;'to°be at onci'tx,-=, S.-..". and' .'M P(Lightfoot
J to be distinguished
PsaUiis*) .and canticles rhich are incorporated ;-t). Tliis, of course, fixing of the Canon. I this sense, were not
on Col 3i«).
SpcciHcally h; from jjsalms (i. (' poetical extracts f
Holy Scriptu the Divini ' applies to the period subsequent to t But the earliest ecclesiastical hymns.
The 'co follow til
sunder the title I
uihai immediately ials and in a large Item are now suns 'hurch. Codex A
Nunc Dimittis, and Gloria in Excelsis (Angels son<'), and which are embodied in the first two chapters of the Tltiiil Cuspel, are probably the earliest extuii|ili'^ "l < In istian hyur-
They are
ascribed to ilw \'u-in Mary, Simeon, Zacharia.s, and the Aii'j,'-!- ir>ii.rtiv.'ly ; but it is more probable that they are to be regarded as original liturgical compositions, reflecting the piety and devotion of the early Jewish-Christian community m Palestine. Probably, too, they are translations from Hebrew originals, and were at first sung or chanted in Hebrew.* The hymns themselves are obviously modelled on the psalm-poetry of the OT, some of which, as has been pointed out, would be generally familiar in its Hcbreio form to the Aramaic- speaking Jews of Palestine in the time of Christ.+ For details as to the dependence of these hymns on the OT see the commentaries (in irarticvilar, I'hunmer. Intern. Lnt. Com. on 'St. Luke'). Ni'tin^ Hr^ ,.,oinin. n. •• -i the ..lea of a Messianic redemption fr.iiii Mil. ^Mii' m-' 'ii ■ . ' ' ,' ', -V 1: \.?iV Christian (cf. Lk 1" with riiiiimi' i -^ n.i. ; i.n.i .V. ■ /V/ 'T '; For the poetical form ami strunur. . !■ "•[•■ Un-'-:>, IJij .i i-yinn