Thoughts on 1 Corinthians Chapter Thirteen-part 2

Thoughts on 1 Corinthians Chapter Thirteen-part 2

             First, alalazo kumbalon (214 2950), which is translated tinkling symbol in the AV, means a clanging cymbal rather than a tinkling cymbal.   So St Paul is saying that unless we have a genuine Christian love for others our words are like the clanging and banging of a cymbal. Second, the best explanation that I have found of the Greek words echeo chalkos (2278 5475), which is translated sounding brass in the AV, is found in the writings of Marcus Vitruvius Pollio who lived in the 1st century B.C.  He was a Roman architect, engineer, and author of the celebrated treatise De architectura (On Architecture), a handbook for Roman architects.

            Vitruvius explained that the echo chalkos were tuned acoustic brass or bronze vases that were strategically placed around the Roman out-door theaters.  Each vase was tuned chromatically and when a particular pitch was produced by the human voice, that particular vase would amplify the actor’s voice. However, these metal sounding vases produced a hollow sound that was not a true representation of the actor’s voice quality.

Thought for the Day

Efficacious musicing is made possible by a Christian musician being genuine.  Otherwise his or her musicing produces a hollow sound that was not a true representation of the moral nature Savior whom the musician is representing.