Saint Ephrem The Syrian.
In
this hymn Ephrem argues that the priesthood and the kingship of the Chosen
People have passed through Christ to include the Gentiles along with the Jews.
Through Moses and Solomon these offices were bestowed on the Jewish people
(str. 1). Zechariah's prophetic vision of two olive trees shows the
continuation of these two lines in two covenants, one for Jews, the other for
Gentiles (str. 2), but it also presents the typological key for understanding
that Jesus is the Messiah, the Anointed One. The olive branch brought back by
the dove after the Flood symbolizes not only peace but also Jesus, the
Anointed, the First-born of the dead (str. 3-4).
The entry into Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, the anointing of
Christ by the sinful woman, the preparation of the way of Christ by John the
Baptist all are interwoven with the oil of the olive tree, thus implying that
Jesus is heir to the priesthood and kingship (str. 5-9). The properties and uses of olive oil itself also point to
Christ and his followers: steadfastness (str. 10), the anointing of athletes (str. 11-13), oil as a means of easing conflicting forces (str. 14).
The
same melody
1 - Oil in the likeness of the Heavenly One became the giver of
kingship.
From
the horn [of oil] a pure cloud descended upon the head of a body,
as
God descended upon the top of the mountain and gave brightness to Moses,
and
Solomon received brightness symbolically.
From the horn of messiahship. From the People to the
peoples it went out.
Instead of the few, many will be anointed and cleansed.
Refrain: Blessed is He Who gave eyes to the peoples to see
the symbols of the Son, the Anointed.
