ZACHARY'S NOTES: 

A German chorale first published in 1653 with six stanzas - Johann Franck was poet and lawyer. To go with the second stanza - in the world, but with a promise from Christ - Bach combined the words of the chorale with the first 10 verses of Romans 8, which read in part:  “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”

Stanza 1 // In a parable which tells us Christ comes to find us as his most important treasure, giving up his own life, we sing a hymn about Christ as our treasure. Though this may sound backwards, we refer to Christ as the treasure knowing our hopeless situation as those in need of Christ - who fashions us into His greatest treasure - His beloved Church. The original German chorale is stronger in its language - calling Christ “God’s Lamb” who is our “bridegroom.” As Scripture [and other hymns] often reference, it is Christ who comes that we might be his “holy bride” - the treasure Christ would make His own.

Stanza 2 // When we know Christ as our treasure, the foes we face in the world cannot reach us. This does not mean we will not experience hardship and difficulty - the hymn tells us the earth will shake, our hearts will quake [or tremble] in fear, and hell will assail us. Christ, our treasure, comes to calm all fear and give a promise:  though we have our failings, Jesus Christ will never fail us.

Stanza 3 // The final stanza tells us not how we see God - our Savior, our Redeemer - but instead how God sees His people. “God, who dearly loves us, from all trial saves us, gives sweet peace within.” Though we may be of little or no value to the world - “scorned” - Christ treasures us above all things, and so is our dearest treasure.

SUGGESTIONS:

• ELW 775 -  Jesus, Priceless Treasure - ᴊᴇꜱᴜ, ᴍᴇɪɴᴇ ꜰʀᴇᴜᴅᴇ