One hundred and ninety years earlier, before the birth of J.S. Bach, Martin Luther was a schoolboy in Bach’s hometown; unaware of the impact he would soon have on church and music history.  While walking home from law classes one rainy afternoon in 1505, Martin Luther was struck by lightning.  Crying out for St. Anne to spare his life, Luther promised to dedicate the remainder of his time on earth to God’s service.  Within days, he left his study of law and entered a monastery.  With passion, he learned all he could about scripture, eventually becoming chair of biblical studies at Wittenberg University.

      For many years, one passage in particular caused him great distress.  “My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me?”  Mark 15:34.  Jesus spoke these words in his final moments upon the cross.  Luther’s struggle focused on the humanness of Christ.  Did Jesus share our sin?  Throughout the following years, he realized four major questions he had dealing with his faith and Catholic theology:  1.  How is a person saved?  2.  Where does religious authority lie?  3.  What is the church?  4.  What is the essence of Christian living?

      Luther’s attack on Papal authority did not end with these questions.  On October 31, 1517, as was practice at the time, Luther nailed 95 propositions (thesis) on the castle church door at Wittenberg University for debate. After many years of debate and outcast, Luther, and later Calvin, developed a protestant liturgy based on the Catholic liturgical and musical form of the Mass.  Music became the central focus of the German reformed service, now called the Cantata where as music, and all art, served a less prominent role under Calvin.  J.S. Bach spent the majority of his compositional career writing cantata cycles for the church year. Cantata 79 was written for the feast of Reformation, a time to remember Luther, and first performed in Leipzig on October 31, 1725, the same day as Luther’s famous attack on Papal authority, 208 years earlier.   The German cantata form consisted of five sections: 

Chorus - for Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass

Aria - for Alto

Chorale - for Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass

Recitative - for Bass

Aria - for Soprano and Bass

Choral - For Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass 

      As you can see from this brief outline, the Reformed German Lutheran Church’s musical liturgy followed a responsive format; large and small group musical conversations. The text of section 3, the chorale, is a text I think you will recognize. 

3. Chorale (S, A, T, B) - Martin Rinckart

Now thank we all our God

With heart and tongue and labor,

Who mighty things doth work

For us in all endeavor,

Who since our mother's womb

And our first toddling steps

Us countless benefit

Until this day hath brought.  

      This chorale, or hymn as we call them today, used a popular text of the time composed by Martin Rinckart.  Rinckart was a Pastor living 15 miles from Leipzig in the town of Eilenburg during the Thirty Years’ War.  He wanted his church to be a haven for the homeless and poor during this impoverished time.  Bach used Rinckart’s poem for the now famous hymn, “Now Thank we all our God” included on page 27 in our new hymnals.  Although there is no evidence, I would not be surprised if Psalm 139 inspired this text as they both speak about God knowing and planning the intricacies of our lives.