BWV 245 Johannes-Passion
Passio secundum Johannem Good Friday (Vespers). Compiler of the whole text unknown; Borrowings from: B. H. Brockes, Der für die Sünde der Welt Gemarterte und Sterbende Jesus, aus den IV Evangelisten, (Hamburg, 1712 and 1715): 7(11), 19(31), 20(32), 24(48), 32(60), 34(62), partly 35(63) and 39(67); Christian Weise, Der Grünen Jugend Nothwendige Gedanken (Leipzig, 1675): 13(19); C. H. Postel, Johannes- Passion (around 1700): 22(40), 30(58), partly 19(31) in the later version and possibly 30(58); S. Franck Arnstädter Gesangbuch (1745): possibly 13(19) in the later version. Chorales: 3(7). Johann Heermann, verse 7 of "Herzliebster Jesus, was hast du verbrochen," 1630 (Fischer-Tümpel, I, #334); 5(9). Martin Luther, verse 4 of "Vater unser im Himmelreich," 1539 (Wackernagel, I, #215); 11(15). Paul Gerhardt, verse 3 and 4 of "O Welt, sieh hier dein Leben," 1647 (Fischer-Tümpel, III, #387); 14(20). Paul Stockmann, verse 10 of "Jesu Leiden, Pein und Tod," 1633 (Fischer-Tümpel, II, #37); 15(21). Michael Weiße, verse 1 of the hymn, 1531 (Wackernagel, I, #342); 17(27). Johann Heermann, verse 8 and 9 of "Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen," 1630 (Fischer-Tümpel, I, #334); 22(40). Text of an aria from C. H. Postel, Johannes-Passion, ca. 1700, to the chorale melody of J. H. Schein, "Mach's mit mir, Gott, nach deiner Güt"; 26(52). Valerius Herberger, verse 3 of "Valet will ich dir geben," 1613 (Fischer-Tümpel, I, #125); 28(56). Paul Stockmann, verse 20 of "Jesu Leiden, Pein und Tod," 1633 (Fischer-Tümpel, II, #37); 32(60). ibid, final verse; 37(65). Michael Weiße, verse 8 of "Christus, der uns selig macht," 1531 (Wackernagel, I, #342); 40(68). Martin Schalling, verse 3 of "Herzlich lieb hab ich dich, o Herr," 1571 (Wackernagel, IV, #1174); Appendix: 1II. Sebald Heyden, verse 1 of the hymn, 1525 (Wackernagel, III, #603); 11(15). Paul Stockmann, verse 33 of "Jesu Leiden, Pein und Tod," 1633 (Fischer-Tümpel, II, #37); 40II. German "Agnus Dei," Braunschweig, 1528. Biblical texts: Jn. 18 and 19 with the interpolation of Mt. 26:75 after Jn. 18:27 and of Mt. 27:51-52 after Jn. 19:30. 7 April 1724, Leipzig; origin perhaps in the Weimar years; second version, 30 March 1725, Leipzig; final version about 1747 or 1748. BG 12, 1; NBA II/4. The Passion according to John Evangelist (T), Jesus (B), Maid (S), Peter (B), Servant (T), Pilate
(B)
First Part 1. Chorus (S, A, T, B) Lord, thou our master, whose repute
That thou, the very Son of God, In every age, E'en in the midst of deepest woe, Art magnified become! 2a.(2.) Evangelist, Jesus (T, B) (Evangelist)
(Jesus)
(Evangelist)
2b.(3.) Chorus (S, A, T, B) Crowd Jesus of Nazareth.
2c.(4.) Evangelist, Jesus (T, B) (Evangelist)
(Jesus)
(Evangelist)
(Jesus)
(Evangelist)
2d.(5.) Chorus (S, A, T, B) Crowd Jesus of Nazareth.
2e.(6.) Evangelist, Jesus (T, B) (Evangelist)
(Jesus)
3.(7.) Chorale (S, A, T, B) O mighty love, O love beyond all measure,
4.(8.) Evangelist, Jesus (T, B) (Evangelist)
(Jesus)
5.(9.) Chorale (S, A, T, B) Thy will be done, Lord God, alike
6.(10.) Evangelist (T) The crowd, though, and their captain and the servants of the Jews laid
hold of Jesus and bound him fast and led him away first unto Annas, who
was Caiphas' wife's father, who was the high priest of that year.
But it was Caiphas who had told the Jews it would be good if one man were
to die for the people.
7.(11.) Aria (A) From the bondage of my errors
Fully to heal me, Lets himself be wounded. 8.(12.) Evangelist (T) Simon Peter followed after Jesus, and one other disciple.
9.(13.) Aria (S) I'll follow thee likewise with gladdening paces
And do thou not cease Thyself me to draw and to press and to summon. 9.(13.) Aria (S) (Later version, IV) I'll follow thee likewise, my Savior, with gladness
Shall never be done Until thou hast taught me with patience to suffer. 10.(14.) Evangelist, Maid, Peter, Jesus, Attendant (T, S, B, B, T) (Evangelist)
(Maid)
(Evangelist)
(Peter)
(Evangelist)
(Jesus)
(Evangelist)
(Servant)
(Evangelist)
(Jesus) If I have spoken ill, then bear witness to the ill therein, but if I
have told the truth, why strikest thou me?
11.(15.) Chorale (S, A, T, B)
I, I and my transgressions,
12a.(16.) Evangelist (T) And Annas sent him in fetters unto Caiphas, the high priest. Simon
Peter stood and warmed himself, when they said unto him:
12b.(17.) Chorus (S, A, T, B) Bystanders Art thou not one of his disciples?
12c.(18.) Evangelist, Peter, Servant (T, B, T) (Evangelist)
(Peter)
(Evangelist)
(Servant)
(Evangelist)
13.(19.) Aria (T) Ah, my mind,
14.(20.) Chorale (S, A, T, B) Peter, when he fails to think,
Second Part (After the Sermon) 15.(21.) Chorale (S, A, T, B) Christ, who hath us blessed made,
16a.(22.) Evangelist, Pilate (T, B) (Evangelist)
(Pilate)
(Evangelist)
16b.(23.) Chorus (S, A, T, B) The Jews Were this man not an evildoer, we would to thee him not have handed
over.
16c.(24.) Evangelist, Pilate (T, B) (Evangelist)
(Pilate)
(Evangelist)
16d.(25.) Chorus (S, A, T, B) The Jews To death we may put no one.
16e.(26.) Evangelist, Pilate, Jesus (T, B, B) (Evangelist)
(Pilate)
(Evangelist)
(Jesus)
(Evangelist)
(Pilate)
(Evangelist)
(Jesus)
17.(27.) Chorale (S, A, T, B) Ah King so mighty, mighty in all ages,
I cannot with my reason ever fathom
18a.(28.) Evangelist, Pilate, Jesus (T, B, B) (Evangelist)
(Pilate)
(Evangelist)
(Jesus) Thou say'st I am a king. I have been born for this and into the world come, that I may witness unto truth. All who are of the truth will hearken to my voice. (Evangelist)
(Pilate)
(Evangelist)
(Pilate)
(Evangelist)
18b.(29.) Chorus (S, A, T, B) The Jews Not this one, rather Barabbas!
18c.(30.) Evangelist (T) Barabbas, though, was a murderer. And Pilate then took Jesus and
scourged him.
19.(31.) Arioso (B) Observe now, O my soul, with fearful satisfaction,
19.(31.) Arioso (B) (Later version, IV, of the last four lines) See here the switches which beset him,
20.(32.) Aria (T) Consider how his back so stained with bleeding
From our own Flood of sin have settled, The world's most lovely rainbow, arching, As God's own sign of blessing stands! 20.(32.) Aria (T) (Later version, IV) My Jesus, ah, thy painful bitter sadness
The holy body now blood-covered, But even this my joy must waken, It makes me free from hell and death. 21a.(33.) Evangelist (T) And then the soldiers plaited him a crown out of thorns and set it upon
his head and laid on him a purple robe and said:
21b.(34.) Chorus (S, A, T, B) Soldiers Hail unto thee, O thou King of the Jews!
21c.(35.) Evangelist, Pilate (T, B) (Evangelist) And then with their hands they struck him. Then Pilate came again outside and said unto them: (Pilate)
(Evangelist)
(Pilate)
(Evangelist) But when the chief priests and their servants saw him, they cried out
and said:
21d.(36.) Chorus (S, A, T, B) The Jews Crucify, crucify!
21e.(37.) Evangelist, Pilate (Evangelist)
(Pilate)
(Evangelist)
21f.(38.) Chorus (S, A, T, B) The Jews We have with us a law, and by this same law he should perish;
for he hath proclaimed himself the Son of God.
21g.(39.) Evangelist, Pilate, Jesus (T, B, B) (Evangelist)
(Pilate)
(Evangelist)
(Pilate)
(Evangelist)
(Jesus)
(Evangelist)
22.(40.) Chorale (S, A, T, B) Through this thy prison, Son of God,
23a.(41.) Evangelist The Jews, however, cried out and said:
23b.(42.) Chorus (S, A, T, B) The Jews If thou let this man go, then art thou the Caesar's friend not;
for whoever maketh himself king is the foe of the Caesar.
23c.(43.) Evangelist, Pilate (T, B) And when Pilate had heard this saying, he then led Jesus outside and sat down on the judgment seat, at the place which is called the High Pavement, but in Hebrew is called Gabbatha. It was Preparation Day of the Passover, about the sixth hour, and he saith to the Jews: (Pilate)
(Evangelist) But they cried out:
23d.(44.) Chorus (S, A, T, B) The Jews Off, off with him, crucify him!
23e.(45.) Evangelist, Pilate (T, B) (Evangelist) Pilate saith unto them: (Pilate)
(Evangelist)
23f.(46.) Chorus (S, A, T, B) High Priests We have no other king except the Caesar.
23g.(47.) Evangelist (T) He handed him over then to them, that he might be crucified. And
they in turn took Jesus and led him away. And he bore his cross and
went thenceforth to the place which is called the Place of Skulls, but
whose name is called in Hebrew Golgotha.
24.(48.) Aria (B solo, S, A, T) Haste, ye, O sorely tempted spirits,
Flee ---where to?---the cross's hilltop, For your welfare bloometh there! 25a.(49.) Evangelist (T) And they crucified him there, and two others with him, one on either
side, Jesus, though between them. But Pilate wrote an inscriptions
and set it upon the cross, and it was written, "Jesus of Nazareth, the
King of the Jews." And this inscription was read by many Jews, for
the city was not far from the place where Jesus was crucified. And
it had been written in the Hebrew, the Greek and the Latin language.
And then said the chief priests of the Jews unto Pilate
25b.(50.) Chorus (S, A, T, B) Chief Priests Do not write: the King of the Jews, rather that he hath only said this,
"I am the King of the Jews."
25c.(51.) Evangelist, Pilate (T, B) (Evangelist)
(Pilate) What I have written, that is what I have written.
26.(52.) Chorale (S, A, T, B) Within my heart's foundation
27a.(53.) Evangelist (T) The soldiers, however, after they had crucified Jesus, gathered all
his garments and made of them four parts, unto each of the soldiers giving
one part, and also his cloak. The cloak, though, was made without
stitching, from top to bottom it was woven throughout. They said
then, each one to the other:
27b.(54.) Chorus (S, A, T, B) Soldiers Let us not divide or tear it, but cast lots to settle who shall have it. 27c.(55.) Evangelist, Jesus (T, B) (Evangelist)
(Jesus)
(Evangelist)
(Jesus)
28.(56.) Chorale (S, A, T, B) He of all did well take heed
29.(57.) Evangelist (T, B) (Evangelist) And from this moment the disciple took her unto himself. And then, as Jesus knew that everything had been accomplished that the scripture might be fulfilled, he saith: (Jesus)
(Evangelist)
(Jesus)
30.(58.) Aria (A) It is fulfilled!
31.(59.) Evangelist (T) And he bowed his head and was dead.
32.(60.) Aria (B) and Chorale (S, A, T, B) My precious Savior, let me ask thee,
Since thou upon the cross wast fastened And said thyself, "It is fulfilled,"
Am I from dying been made free?
Can I through this thy pain and dying The realm of heaven inherit? Is all the world's redemption here?
Thou canst in pain, indeed, say nothing; Give me just what thou hast earned, But thou dost bow thy head
33.(61.) Evangelist (T) And now behold, the veil of the temple was parted in twain, from top
down to the bottom rent. And the earth was filled with quaking, and
the rocks split asunder, and the graves were opened wide, and there rose
up the bodies of many saints.(4)
34.(62.) Arioso (T) My heart, since thus doth all the world
35.(63.) Aria (S) O melt now, my bosom, in rivers of weeping,
Thy Jesus is dead! 36.(64.) Evangelist (T) The Jews, however, it being the Preparation, so that the body might not stay upon the cross on the sabbath (for this sabbath was a very high day), therefore asked of Pilate to let their legs be broken and to have them taken down. There came then the soldiers and broke the legs of the first one and the other one who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one of the soldiers opened up his side with a spear, and straightway came blood and water therefrom. And he who hath seen these things hath borne witness thereof, and his witness is true, and this very man knows that he doth speak the truth, that ye believe it. For all these things took place so that the scripture might be accomplished, "Ye shall of him no bone have broken." Again another scripture doth say, "They will behold him whom they have piercéd." 37.(65.) Chorale (S, A, T, B) O help, Christ, O Son of God,
38.(66.) Evangelist (T) Then came unto Pilate Joseph of Arimathaea, who was one of Jesus' disciples
(but secretly, from fear of the Jews), that he might take away the body
of Jesus. And Pilate allowed him to do it. Consequently, he
came and took the body of Jesus away. But also there came Nicodemus,
who had come in the night to Jesus once before, and he brought a mixture
of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. Then they took
away the body of Jesus and bound it up in linen cloths with the precious
spices, which the Jews are wont to use in burial. There was now in
that same place where he had been crucified a garden, and the garden had
a tomb, within which no one had ever been laid. Therein did they
now lay Jesus, since it was the Jews' Preparation, and since the tomb was
nearby.
39.(67.) Chorus (S, A, T, B) Rest well, ye holy bones and members,
And henceforth no distress will hold, Doth open heav'n to me and shut the gates of hell. 39.(67.) Chorus (S, A, T, B) (Later version, posthumous?) Rest well, ye holy bones and members,
Once, when God my Redeemer calls, Shall I as well, transformed, to God's own heaven haste. 40.(68.) Chorale (S, A, T, B) Ah Lord, let thine own angels dear
Appendix (Version II, 1725) 1II. Chorus (S, A, T, B) O man, bewail thy sins so great,
11+. Aria and Chorale (B, S) Heaven open, world now tremble
Witness my distress and fear, Which I, Jesus, with thee suffer!
Yea, I reckon all thy suff'ring, O thou smitten Son of God,
I prefer that Golgotha To this haughty earthly structure.
If upon the cross's journey These thy thorns are sown abroad,
Since I in contented bliss May within thy wounds sink deeply,
I'll behold as I lie dying, When a raging tempest blows,
This same place to which I have Daily through belief been striving.
13II.(19II.) Aria (T) O crush me now, ye high rocks and ye mountains,
Yet back to earth my awful judge would draw me; Ah, prostrate fall in bitter tears before him! 19II.(31II.) Aria (T) Ah, writhe and twist not so, tormented spirits,
Of cruel blows and scourging number And number, too, the sum of your transgressions, These would ye find in greater measure! 40II.(68II.) Chorus [Chorale] (S, A, T, B) O Christ, Lamb of God thou,
O Christ, Lamb of God thou,
O Christ, Lamb of God thou,
1. Cf. Ps. 8:2; Herr, Herrscher, herrlich, and verherrlicht form an extended etymological figure, which is only partly reflected in "Master," "majestic," and "magnified." 2. Luther's text: Da nun Judas zu sich genommen hatte die Schar der Kriegsknechte und die Diener der Hohenpriester und Pharisäer... Cf. RSV: So Judas, procuring a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees... 3. The text of this movement is interpolated from Mt. 26:75. 4. The text of this movement is interpolated from Mt. 27:51-52. © Copyright Z. Philip Ambrose |