Title: Ah, Holy Jesus
Author: Johann Heermann, 1585-1647
German title: Herzliebster Jesu
Translation: Robert Bridges, 1844-1930
Relevant Scripture verse: “And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.” – Luke 22:61
1 Ah, holy Jesus, how hast thou offended, that we to judge thee have in hate pretended? By foes derided, by thine own rejected, O most afflicted!
2 Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee? Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee! 'Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee; I crucified thee.
3 Lo, the Good Shepherd for the sheep is offered; the slave hath sinned, and the Son hath suffered. For our atonement, while we nothing heeded, God interceded.
4 For me, kind Jesus, was thy incarnation, thy mortal sorrow, and thy life's oblation; thy death of anguish and thy bitter passion, for my salvation.
5 Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay thee, I do adore thee, and will ever pray thee, think on thy pity and thy love unswerving, not my deserving.
Who killed Jesus? Around this time of year, in early spring, churches of our “liturgical type” turn their attention to this question. And it is a critical question of our faith, perhaps the most critical of all. We will soon begin the season of Lent, which culminates in Holy Week. We will soon contemplate once again the “passion,” meaning the suffering of Jesus.
It is a tragedy of Christian history that people have often approached this question in the wrong way. When they thought of the death of Jesus, some people looked for a scapegoat, someone to blame. Sadly, Jewish people throughout history have often been the targets of hatred and even violence for supposedly being responsible for his death. Even on a factual level, this is untrue. While it is true that some Jewish leaders of Jesus’ time conspired against him, it was the Gentile (non-Jew) Pontius Pilate who sentenced him to death. And it was Gentile Roman soldiers who carried out the order. And it is important to remember that the earliest followers of Jesus, including his apostles, were Jewish. Jesus was born as a Jew and grew up in that context. Modern practicing Jews, though they do not have faith in Jesus, are no more to blame for the death of Jesus than anyone. And importantly, Christianity cannot be understood apart from its Jewish/Israelite heritage.
But looking outwardly for someone to blame for the death of Jesus is wrong to begin with. Johann Heermann, the author of this hymn, understood this. Heermann was a Lutheran pastor who lived through the horrors of the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) that tore central Europe apart. This religious and political conflict between Lutherans and Roman Catholics resulted in the death of perhaps as much as 25 percent of the population. In light of such destruction, many wondered if the end of all things was near. Apocalyptic and eschatological hopes were high. For many, including Heermann, the crisis sparked serious reflection on faith.
Heermann was surrounded by the effects of human sin. He saw violence and destruction as well as famine and disease. Such things often go together. One can only speculate, but perhaps seeing the reality of human sin led him to realize that blame for the death of Jesus needs to center on everyone, great and small, young and old, of all nations. It is the sinful nature of the whole world that led to Jesus’ suffering. Accordingly, he wrote Herzliebster Jesu, translated most literally as “O Dearest Jesus,” but more commonly as “Ah Holy Jesus.” It is an intensely personal reflection on the cause of Jesus’ death: Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee? Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee! 'Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee; I crucified thee.
When I sing these words with my congregation every Good Friday, they never cease to hit me hard. I see that I stand in a long line of people who have turned their backs on Jesus in different ways. As Jesus was led away for trial and crucifixion, his disciple Peter denied his relationship with Jesus to save his own skin. “And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.” A part of our faith is knowing that the Lord turns and looks at us in the same way.
Our faith also tells us that our betrayal of Jesus is not the end of the story. Jesus’ death is for us good news, the way that God has chosen to reconcile us to him: For me, kind Jesus, was thy incarnation, thy mortal sorrow, and thy life's oblation; thy death of anguish and thy bitter passion, for my salvation. When we remember Jesus’ passion during Holy Week and especially on Good Friday, we come in spirit of subdued thanksgiving for our Lord, who endured betrayal and bitter death for our sake. Jesus looked at Peter and looks at us not simply with disappointment, but with love.
Heermann’s hymn has become known in many parts of the Christian world outside of Lutheranism, including in the Methodist tradition, as explained in this video. You can access that video at this link: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Ah%2C+Holy+Jesus&iax=videos&ia=videos&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DxG7UywiMJpg
Author: Johann Heermann, 1585-1647
German title: Herzliebster Jesu
Translation: Robert Bridges, 1844-1930
Relevant Scripture verse: “And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.” – Luke 22:61
1 Ah, holy Jesus, how hast thou offended, that we to judge thee have in hate pretended? By foes derided, by thine own rejected, O most afflicted!
2 Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee? Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee! 'Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee; I crucified thee.
3 Lo, the Good Shepherd for the sheep is offered; the slave hath sinned, and the Son hath suffered. For our atonement, while we nothing heeded, God interceded.
4 For me, kind Jesus, was thy incarnation, thy mortal sorrow, and thy life's oblation; thy death of anguish and thy bitter passion, for my salvation.
5 Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay thee, I do adore thee, and will ever pray thee, think on thy pity and thy love unswerving, not my deserving.
Who killed Jesus? Around this time of year, in early spring, churches of our “liturgical type” turn their attention to this question. And it is a critical question of our faith, perhaps the most critical of all. We will soon begin the season of Lent, which culminates in Holy Week. We will soon contemplate once again the “passion,” meaning the suffering of Jesus.
It is a tragedy of Christian history that people have often approached this question in the wrong way. When they thought of the death of Jesus, some people looked for a scapegoat, someone to blame. Sadly, Jewish people throughout history have often been the targets of hatred and even violence for supposedly being responsible for his death. Even on a factual level, this is untrue. While it is true that some Jewish leaders of Jesus’ time conspired against him, it was the Gentile (non-Jew) Pontius Pilate who sentenced him to death. And it was Gentile Roman soldiers who carried out the order. And it is important to remember that the earliest followers of Jesus, including his apostles, were Jewish. Jesus was born as a Jew and grew up in that context. Modern practicing Jews, though they do not have faith in Jesus, are no more to blame for the death of Jesus than anyone. And importantly, Christianity cannot be understood apart from its Jewish/Israelite heritage.
But looking outwardly for someone to blame for the death of Jesus is wrong to begin with. Johann Heermann, the author of this hymn, understood this. Heermann was a Lutheran pastor who lived through the horrors of the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) that tore central Europe apart. This religious and political conflict between Lutherans and Roman Catholics resulted in the death of perhaps as much as 25 percent of the population. In light of such destruction, many wondered if the end of all things was near. Apocalyptic and eschatological hopes were high. For many, including Heermann, the crisis sparked serious reflection on faith.
Heermann was surrounded by the effects of human sin. He saw violence and destruction as well as famine and disease. Such things often go together. One can only speculate, but perhaps seeing the reality of human sin led him to realize that blame for the death of Jesus needs to center on everyone, great and small, young and old, of all nations. It is the sinful nature of the whole world that led to Jesus’ suffering. Accordingly, he wrote Herzliebster Jesu, translated most literally as “O Dearest Jesus,” but more commonly as “Ah Holy Jesus.” It is an intensely personal reflection on the cause of Jesus’ death: Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee? Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee! 'Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee; I crucified thee.
When I sing these words with my congregation every Good Friday, they never cease to hit me hard. I see that I stand in a long line of people who have turned their backs on Jesus in different ways. As Jesus was led away for trial and crucifixion, his disciple Peter denied his relationship with Jesus to save his own skin. “And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.” A part of our faith is knowing that the Lord turns and looks at us in the same way.
Our faith also tells us that our betrayal of Jesus is not the end of the story. Jesus’ death is for us good news, the way that God has chosen to reconcile us to him: For me, kind Jesus, was thy incarnation, thy mortal sorrow, and thy life's oblation; thy death of anguish and thy bitter passion, for my salvation. When we remember Jesus’ passion during Holy Week and especially on Good Friday, we come in spirit of subdued thanksgiving for our Lord, who endured betrayal and bitter death for our sake. Jesus looked at Peter and looks at us not simply with disappointment, but with love.
Heermann’s hymn has become known in many parts of the Christian world outside of Lutheranism, including in the Methodist tradition, as explained in this video. You can access that video at this link: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Ah%2C+Holy+Jesus&iax=videos&ia=videos&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DxG7UywiMJpg