Johann Sebastian Bach, the 18th-century German composer and musician, is considered one of the greatest classical music composers — by many, the greatest — of all time, but a number of his cantatas and librettos reveal that he agreed with the Gospel of John, that the Jews were liars and murderers:
The choral accompaniments are based on the anti-Semitism inherent in the Lutheran Church of the period as proclaimed by Martin Luther, a seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation and a staunch anti-Semite.
“In some cases, it is explicit and people sometimes don’t know it because it’s in German,” said Michael Marissen, the Daniel Underhill Professor Emeritus of Music at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. “Some people say it’s the music that counts, but I think that’s ethically lazy.”
Marissen is a scholar of medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, and classical European music, and he has written several books on Bach and Handel, including: “Bach & God,” “Lutheranism, Anti-Judaism, and Bach’s St. John Passion,” and “Tainted Glory in Handel’s Messiah…”
…Marissen said he became interested in the anti-Semitic references permeating Bach’s musicalization of the Gospel of St. John in 1995 after controversy at Swarthmore over a performance of Bach’s “St. John Passion” exploded in protests that spread elsewhere.
The orchestral and choral work “is about Jesus’ faith, but it uses the terms ‘the Jews did this, the Jews murdered Jesus, the Jews, the Jews, the Jews,’” particularly as the chief instigators of Jesus’ crucifixion, Marissen told NJJN in a phone interview from his Manhattan home.
The discussions swirling around the performance prompted Marissen, who is not Jewish, to conduct research and write “Lutheranism, Anti-Judaism, and Bach’s St. John Passion.”
“St. John Passion” is filled with “biblical allusions,” Marissen said, citing the lines, “They will put you under the ban” and “They will kill you and think they are doing so in the service of God”; these quotes from the Gospel of John refer to Jesus’ warning his followers of actions that will be taken against them by the Jews, planting seeds of anti-Jewish attitudes.
“Some of my colleagues say that Christians are a diverse group and of course there are some disagreements with Jews,” he said. “Disagreements are not a problem, but calling Jews murderers and liars is. A problem with the gospel is that it says Jews are murderers and liars by nature.”
Marissen spends much of his time presenting lectures at concerts, sometimes along with Jewish or Christian clergy, to illustrate instances of anti-Semitic tropes in the works being played and place them in a modern context.
“A few people say these works shouldn’t be performed anymore, while others say they should, but that we should talk about it,” Marissen said. He endorses the latter approach; the music should continue to be performed in concerts, he said, “but we should view them as an educational opportunity.”
This is a perfect example of how Jews tear down icons of western Christian culture — which they themselves are completely incapable of creating — on the mere pretext of political correctness.
Of all the writings of the New Testament, the Jews hate the Gospel of John the most as it clearly exposes their lies, hypocrisy, and murderous intent — which is why they are demanding that many passages be censored.
Any Christian who bothers to read the New Testament would have to go out of their way to miss how Christ rebukes the Jews at every turn — nowhere can you find one example where Christ praises the Jews for any reason whatsoever.
And that, apparently, is J.S. Bach’s great sin — he took John’s words to heart when he wrote that the Jews were murderers from the beginning.
Bach did nothing more than trust that Christ was telling the truth, a trust which makes Bach an antisemite — and “taints” the greatness of his musical accomplishments.
Bach, of course, was a devout Christian and inscribed each of his musical manuscripts with “S.D.G.” an abbreviation for “Soli Deo Gloria” or “for the glory of God.”
Nothing that the Jews have ever produced was created for the glory of God, and it shows.
There is no jewish J.S. Bach — and there never will be — because we can hear God’s voice only through His children — the vessels of mercy — not through vessels of destruction.
Music to my ears! play on.
What the anti Canaanite, anti Amalekim are offended. Jesus told you their will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. You will be a hissing among the nations. God layout your blessings and your curses. Yes you were cursed by God. Its in the Torah. Perhaps an ex Jew not a Jew for Jesus but the apostle Paul just a Christian said: The Jews are the enemy of all mankind. Jews for Jesus brigade are Pentecostal deceivers of note they like that privileged position of a Jew for Jesus.
Well I am just a Christian in whom their is no Jew or gentile distinction. So sorry but we no longer want your wall of segregation. Jews for Christ must come to the party or have your own. I take no teaching from them as they a quick to be arrogant and full of venom when you do not bow to their demands of superiority. So are we to expect they will censor our bible. Good luck from the Church our kingdom will not be overcome, Schmucks. You forfeited your birth right and now you are still crying victim 2000 yrs laters.
Give back the Palestinian land and pay reperations. BDS for me as I never buy good made in Turkey oops I mean Israel. Non Kosher tax as I reject rabbinic forced tax at till point. What absolute scum they think they are on top but pride goes before an almighty fall. I am anti usary and all who use the system. Intrest free banks free of Jedeo/ Masonic dominance please.
Oy vey! We must dig up his grave and remove ALL of his music from stores.
Truth hurts, huh? And the Bible is 110% Truth with a capital T.
[remember too, John was the ‘apostle who Jesus loved’ – a special affinity existed between the two. Wonder if John’s truth-telling had anything to do with that?
The scholar’s argument here is clearly not with Bach, but rather with the words of Christ, as recorded in John’s Gospel. Bach merely carried the spirit of Jesus’ words in accompaniment with his compositions. Once again, Christ and Christians are manifest as the anti-Semitic enemies of Jewry.
Queue up “Fugue in D Minor” 😉
It’s strange that so many famous geniuses who dominated their fields also happened to be antisemites. If we are to believe the Jews, antisemites are all unemployed and living in their parents’ basements. It must be depressing for Jews when they find out yet another great genius whom they admire has some unpleasant things to say about Jews. It must be a conspiracy.
I am simply amazed that I had been devoid of this particular knowledge concerning one of my favorite classical composers! Bach has now skyrocketed to the top of my favorite musicians list! This is such wonderful inspiration for me musically 😉 Praise Yahweh!