HOSANNA

'Hosanna' is a liturgical word in Judaism and Christianity. In Judaism, it is always used in its original Hebrew form, 'Hoshana'.

Contents

Liturgical use in different traditions

In Judaism

In Christianity

'Hosanna' within a Jewish-Christian Messianic Context

Etymology

Other examples of modern usage

See also

References

Liturgical use in different traditions

In Judaism

"Hoshana" is a Jewish liturgical term, applied specifically to the Hoshana Service, a cycle of prayers from which a selection is sung each morning during Sukkot, the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles. The complete cycle is sung on the seventh day of the festival, which is called Hoshanah Rabbah (הושענא רבא, "Great Hosanna").^[1]
This festival^[2] already suggested a Dionysiac celebration to Plutarch,^[3] and was associated with a ceremonial drawing of water which, it was believed, secured fertilizing rains in the following year; the penalty for abstinence was drought.^[4]
Some theorize^[5] a connection to rites of nature-worship, and it is possible that in these the term Hosanna had some other application.

In Christianity

"Hosanna" (, ''hōsanna'') is the cry of praise or adoration shouted in recognition of the Messiahship of Jesus on his entry into Jerusalem, '' Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!''^[6] It is used in the same way in Christian praise.
The old interpretation "Save, now!" which may be a popular etymology, is based on (Hebrew הושענא ''hOshEeah-nna''). This does not fully explain the occurrence of the word in the Gospels, which has given rise to complex discussions.^[7]

'Hosanna' within a Jewish-Christian Messianic Context

"Hosanna", "save now, Lord" (related to the words Hosea, Joshua and Yeshua), is understandable when considered as a messianic outcry for help from God to personally come down from Heaven and save the Jewish people. When considered within the Jewish-Christian Messianic context, there is no contradiction; the Jewish Messiah would be God incarnate. The Hebrew-Israelites were simply calling out for deliverance from their God, which they had done periodically throughout their long history, especially in times of great personal or national crisis (as in the time of Jesus, when the land of Israel was under the control of the hated Pagan Roman conquerors of Judea. ^[8]

Etymology

The word ''hosanna'' is etymologically derived from the Hebrew הושיעה־נא, ''. Christian usage has come through the Greek Bible, giving it the form , ''hōsanná''.

★ From the Bauer lexicon: derived from Aramaic (הושע נא) from Hebrew (הושיעה נא) (, הוֹשִׁיעָה נָּא), meaning "help" or "save, I pray", "an appeal that became a liturgical formula; as part of the Hallel... familiar to everyone in Israel."

★ From the Friberg Lexicon: hosanna, indecl. particle translit. fr. the Heb.; strictly, a cry expressing an appeal for divine help "save! Help, we pray!"; in a liturgical usage, a shout of praise and worship "hosanna, we praise you" (Matthew 21.9).

★ From the UBS Lexicon: hosanna (in Aramaic), an exclamation of praise literally meaning, "Save, I pray".

★ From the Louw-Nida Lexicon: hosanna (an Aramaic expression meaning "help, I pray" or "save, I pray," but which had become a strictly liturgical formula of praise) a shout of praise or adoration - "hosanna; blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord" ; "hosanna in the highest" ; "hosanna to the Son of David" . Mt 21.9 may also be rendered as "praise to you, Son of David" or "we praise you who are the Son of David" or "...a descendant of David."

Other examples of modern usage

Based on the phrase, ''Hosanna'' is a traditional Moravian hymn written by Christian Gregor sung on Palm Sunday and the first Sunday of Advent. It is a call-and-response song; traditionally, it is sung between the choir and congregation, though it is not unheard of for it to be done in other ways, such as played between trombone choirs.
''Hosanna'' is also the name of one of the songs featured in the rock opera ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. The scene to which the song applies features Jesus riding on a donkey into Jerusalem, as in the above Biblical passages. Jesus is mocked by the high priest Caiaphas while his followers praise him as the Messiah.
Debuted in 2007, ''Hosanna'' is a song that comes from the Hillsong United album, ''All of the Above'', authored by New Zealand singer Brooke Fraser.

See also

★ Alhamdulillah

★ Aramaic of Jesus#Hosanna

★ Hallelujah

★ Hosanna Shout (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints)

References

1. See ArtScroll Siddur, p. 726; so also in Syrian usage; cf. Palm Sunday.
2. See ; ; Jos. Ant. xii. 10. 4, Xiii. 13. 155 and the Talmudic tractate Sukkah.
3. Symposiacs, Book iv. 6.
4.
5. See ''Ency. Bib. cols.'' 3354, 4880 seq.; I Levy, ''Rev. des El. juives'', 1901, pp. 192 sqq.
6. ; ; .
7. See the articles of JH Thayer in Hastings's ''Dict. Bib.'', and more especially TK Cheyne, ''Ency. Bib.'' s.v.
8. See the revolts of the Zealots, the First Jewish-Roman War, the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., the Fall of Masada & Simon Bar Kokhba's Revolt.


★ Yohannan Aharoni & Michael Avi-Yonah, ''The MacMillan Bible Atlas'', Revised Edition, pp. 157-165 (1968 & 1977 by Carta Ltd).

★ 1913 ''Catholic Encyclopedia'' article on Hosanna.

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