Introduction
Elfric of Eynsham reminds us that when God’s Son took flesh and was born from the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem, he conferred an honour on all human bodies and indeed all creation. After the Nativity, even the angels changed their dealings with us, out of respect for what happened on that night in the inn.
THE angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men, who are of good will.”* This saying declares that where God’s peace dwells, there is good will.* But before the Lord’s nativity there was discord between men and angels; for as through sins we were estranged from God, we were accounted estranged from his angels too: but after the heavenly King assumed our earthly body, his angels were brought to peace with us; and those whom they had before looked down on as weak they now esteem as companions.
So it was, in the Old Law, that Lot, and Joshua, and certain others who saw angels bowed before them, and worshipped them,* and the angels allowed it: but when John the Evangelist, in the New Testament, would worship the angel who spoke to him, the angel forbade him, and said, ‘See thou do it not; I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren: worship God alone.’
See Luke 2:14, and also Season of Goodwill. Elfric is using the Latin Vulgate, which ends ‘on earth peace to men of good will’. The Authorised Version of 1611 ends ‘and on earth peace, good will toward men’, following the Greek Byzantine text and the majority of manuscripts and Church Fathers (some of whom quote the passage both ways).
A prayer at the Liturgy of the Hours at Christmas sees the Christ-child himself as the good will on earth:
“BETHLEHEM, prepare! Let the manger be ready! Let the Cave receive him, the Truth is come. Darkness hath fled; and God hath shone forth to men from a Virgin, taking form after our fashion: and what he took unto himself he made divine. For Adam and Eve together have been renewed, crying: Good will hath appeared upon earth, to save our race.”
See for example Genesis 19:1, Joshua 5:13-14.
Précis
Abbot Elfric states that prior to the birth of Christ, man’s sin had brought about a coldness between mankind and angels. However, the birth of Christ in human flesh changed this, as we see from the way that angels treat men as inferiors in the Old Testament, but as their equals in the New. (54 / 60 words)
Abbot Elfric states that prior to the birth of Christ, man’s sin had brought about a coldness between mankind and angels. However, the birth of Christ in human flesh changed this, as we see from the way that angels treat men as inferiors in the Old Testament, but as their equals in the New.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, because, if, may, ought, unless, until, whereas.
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
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