Third Sunday in Advent.

Salomo Franck, Evangelische Sonn- und Fest-Tages-Andachten (Weimar and Jena, 1717); Facs: Neumann T, p. 291.

6. Ludwig Helmbold, verse 8 of "Von Gott will ich nicht lassen," 1563 (Wackernagel, IV, #904).

13 December 1716, Weimar; 1-5 → BWV 186/1, 3, 5, 8, 10.

Reconstruction by Diethard Hellmann, Hänssler Verlag (Stuttgart, 1963).

1. Chorus (See BWV 186/1.)

2. Aria 1

Art thou he who shall come here,
Friend of souls, in church's garden?
Now my heart is full of doubt,
Shall I for another wait, then?(1)
But, O soul, thou shouldst not doubt,
Let mere reason not ensnare thee.
Thy true Shiloh,(2) Jacob's light,
Thou canst in the scripture witness.

3. Aria 2

Messiah now appeareth
From all his works of blessing.
Unclean will be made clean:
The lame in spirit walking,
The blind in spirit seeing(3)
The shining light of grace.

4. Aria 3 (See BWV 186/8.)

5. Aria 4 (See BWV 186/10.)

6. Chorale

For this though I e'en suffer
Here opposition's force etc.

1. Cf. Mt. 11:3.

2. Shiloh is a word of uncertain meaning used by Jacob in his deathbed speech, Gen. 49:10. In BWV 186/5 it seems to have been glossed with Helfer 'savior,' since 'Messiah' is one of its several suggested meanings.

3. Cf. Mt. 11:5.

© Copyright  Z. Philip Ambrose

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