Why do you look retarded? Kurt and I put up our Christmas tree a few days ago. His aunt gave us this tree (which we greatly appreciate), but it is rather difficult to assemble. The branches must be added one by one, and they are color-coded. So, we took the tall “pole” part out of the box and also took out all of the branches and separated them into their color-coded piles. First snag: We couldn’t find the color-coded regions on the pole to match to the branches. So, we then decided that most Christmas trees are generally smallest on top and largest on the bottom. Therefore, we decided to attach the branches in this manner, starting from the bottom. Kurt attached the branches, and I followed behind him stringing the lights. (A friend advised us to put on the lights as we attached each layer of branches.) Well, we finished attaching the branches and the lights, and we stepped back to view our masterpiece. Thus went the conversation:
Marty – Wow, it looks really sparse at the bottom. I see some big gaps.
Kurt – Yeah, and we have some branches left over.
Marty – What should we do with those? Did we leave some off?
Kurt – I guess they are just extra in case you lose some. I’ll spread out the branches on the bottom limbs to hide those gaps.
After doing so, Kurt left to play in a church basketball game. Well, the tree gaps still existed and still bothered me. I didn’t want to remove all the lights and start over, but I felt sure that we were supposed to have used all the branches. So, I took off all the lights and began removing the bottom branches. I then discovered that we had skipped the entire 2nd-to-last layer! That’s where the leftover branches belonged! This news was good and bad. I simply left the branches on the floor until Kurt came home. Thankfully, he discovered where the color-codes were hiding on the pole during the first go-round and was able to re-attach all the branches correctly. Since then, I have re-strung the lights, put the ornaments on twice, and changed the bow on top a few times. I think it turned out well, though. Perhaps next year one will be the lucky number.
This morning during church, I whispered these words to Kurt: “Thanks be to God for the comma.” I said it to humor him, but I really do mean it. Grammar is one method that God uses to help us better understand his Gospel. I find this truth both beautiful and very fulfilling. What sparked my rapture was the hymn “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.” Most people don’t
know that a comma sits between Merry and Gentlemen in the song title and verses. This comma indicates a separation of the two words, and therefore changes Merry from what most people assume is an adjective to an adverb. Merry does not describe gentlemen in this song. Merry describes the verb “rest.” “Gentlemen” is the direct address or the subject to whom the writer is speaking. In modern speech it might read, “Gentlemen, may God give you merry rest.” When we trust in Jesus Christ alone for our salvation and to provide our deepest need, forgiveness of sins, for which he was born—when we rest in God’s provision, the rest that we have will be merry (mirthful, cheerful, peaceful). That simple, little comma changes the whole meaning of the song. Instead of God giving rest to already happy people, He becomes the rest that his sorrowful people so desperately need, which is why Jesus was born—to carry out the work that would accomplish the rest that God so longs to give His people.
And may I ask, what was the text for the sermon? I appreciate your extreme love for grammar and, of course, its correct usage. Who else in that whole congregation would have ever noticed the comma, and how it changed the whole meaning of the hymn? I think that you got more from that simple comma than you got from the sermon -- and what was it about?
ReplyDeletewho knew a post that started out with the word "retarded" in it would end up being so meaningful...lovin' the Christmas hymns right there with ya. I now see that song in a whole new way!
ReplyDeleteI failed to add that it is interesting that you are a grammarian AND a theologian. All this time I thought you were a Presbyterian.
ReplyDeleteJohn Calvin is turning over in his grave.
Keep up the good work.
ok- i just laughed out loud at the 'apologizing, you hungry?' comment. also, please don't read my blog. i will offend you with my grammar. i did not get good grades in english.
ReplyDeleteActually, Calvin was a renowned grammarian as well as a theologian. He would have definitely had a crush on Marty. Back off John!
ReplyDeletewas, and always will be, my favorite christmas song. [i might have over-used the comma in the previous sentence.]
ReplyDeleteMartha, you are the freaking bomb. Grammar nerds unite.
ReplyDeleteHere's my favorite bit about grammar and church, based on the fact that the ancient languages of the Bible’s early years did not use punctuation:
It might seem a little anal to quibble over comma placement, but one comma can drastically change the meaning of an entire book. Consider the following examples, provided by Lynne Truss’s fine book on punctuation, Eats, Shoots & Leaves:
In Luke, Chapter 13, verse 23, Jesus turns to the crucified thief and says:
VERILYISAYUNTOTHEETHISDAYTHOUSHALTBEWITHMEINPARADISE
In the Protestant interpretations of the text, this is punctuated as:
“Verily, I say unto thee, This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise.”
This means that Jesus told the thief that the thief would join Jesus in Paradise that day; there’s no question and no time for purgatory.
Catholics, on the other hand, argue that the text should be read as:
“Verily I say unto thee this day, Thou shalt be with me in Paradise.”
This leaves the question of purgatory open.
Or, consider different interpretations of Isaiah, Chapter 40, Verse 3:
“The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord.”
versus
“The voice of him that crieth: In the wilderness prepare ye the way of the Lord.”
Also:
“Comfort ye my people”
(A command to go out and comfort my people.)
versus
“Comfort ye, my people.”
(A command to relax and cheer up).
Depending on which comma you hang on your hat on, this last sentence illustrates two fundamentally distinct views of a Christian’s obligations vis-à-vis the world.