Justin Appel

Dear Friends,

Yesterday’s Gospel lesson, Matthew 11:7-15, contains Jesus’ statement that John the Baptist was “Elijah to come,” the one who would serve as the harbinger of God’s presence among his people.

To celebrate the Nativity of John the Baptist, a feast that falls on June 24, J. S. Bach wrote a cantata, You Peoples, Sing the Praises of God’s Love (Ihr Menschen, rühmet Gottes Liebe, BWV 167), based on poetry by an anonymous poet.

This poetry offers praise to God for providing salvation through the gift of Jesus, God incarnate (the opening tenor aria), places this salvation within the story of John’s prophecy (alto’s recitative), assures us of the trustworthiness of God’s promises (soprano and alto duet), and places the incarnation within the sweep of biblical history (bass’ recitative) calling upon us to praise God like Zacharias (a deaf man given voice).

Like many of Bach’s cantatas, this one ends with a chorale fantasia, interspersing the well-trod hymn tune with an ebullient countermelody. This final movement is a wonderful bit of music, and I love listening to a fully instrumental adapted version of it played by Yo Yo Ma and Ton Koopman on baroque instruments. This joyful movement seems a fitting paean for John the Baptist, whose entire purpose was to draw attention to Jesus.

Yours in Christ,

—Justin