Of the Father's Love Begotten
Of the Father's Love Begotten is a hymn text. Found in CW21 358, CW93 35, ELH 181, elw 295. Sung to DIVINUM MYSTERIUM.
Hymnal Appearances
- Christian Worship: Hymnal — 358
- Christian Worship — 35
- Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary — 181
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 295
- Gather 4th Edition — 483
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 42
- Lutheran Service Book — 384
- Lutheran Worship — 36
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 98
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Eternal divine love → Incarnation in grace → Heavenly adoration → Trinitarian doxology
Background Research
From 'Corde natus ex parentis', hymn IX of the Liber Cathemerinon by the Roman-Spanish poet Prudentius (b. 348). Neale translated 6 of its 38 stanzas (Hymnal Noted, 1851); H. W. Baker expanded it to 9 for Hymns Ancient and Modern (1861). Tune DIVINUM MYSTERIUM: a medieval Sanctus trope, first printed in the Finnish school songbook Piae Cantiones (1582); Helmore paired it with Neale's text and turned its triple time into duple. Source: Wikipedia 'Of the Father's Heart Begotten'.
In the Church Year
Suggested in the one-year series
- Christmas Day (7×)
- Christmas Dawn (3×)
- St. John (2×)
- Baptism of Our Lord (1×)
- Christmas 1 (1×)
- Christmas Midnight (1×)
- Circumcision and Name of Jesus (1×)
- Epiphany (1×)
- Epiphany 1 (1×)
- Holy Innocents (1×)
- St. Stephen (1×)
Suggested in the three-year series
- Christmas Day (7×)
- Christmas 1 (3×)
- Christmas 2 (1×)
- Christmas Dawn (1×)
- Christmas Eve (1×)
- Holy Innocents (1×)
From LCMS Worship's published hymn suggestions, 2014–2026. The count is how many of those yearly lists suggested this hymn for that day.
Overview
Taken from a long Latin poem by the Spanish Christian poet Prudentius, this is a Christmas hymn that begins before creation. It confesses the eternal generation of the Son (st. 1), the virgin birth (st. 2), summons heaven to worship (st. 3), shows Christ as the fulfillment of prophecy (st. 4), and closes with a Trinitarian doxology (st. 5). The refrain 'Evermore and evermore' frames every event in the light of eternity.
Central theme: The eternal Son, Alpha and Omega, born in time for our redemption
Structure
Eternity (st. 1), incarnation (st. 2), heavenly worship (st. 3), prophecy fulfilled (st. 4), doxology (st. 5).
Law & Gospel Shape
Gospel and praise throughout; no explicit Law.
Confessional Connections
Nicene Creed: 'begotten of His Father before all worlds.' Christ as Creator and Redeemer.
Liturgical Use (Study Notes)
Christmas Day and the Christmas season; Name of Jesus; also fitting for Epiphany and Holy Trinity.
Historical Notes
Prudentius (348-c. 413) was a Roman lawyer and official who devoted his later life to Christian poetry. The hymn comes from his Cathemerinon ('hymns for the day'). The plainsong tune was paired with it by Neale.
About the Tune
DIVINUM MYSTERIUM — flowing plainsong melody from the 12th-13th century; best sung unhurried, in free rhythm.
Scripture References
John 1:1-3 Rev 1:8 Rev 22:13 Luke 1:35 Ps 148 1 Pet 1:10-12 1 Tim 3:16
Stanza by Stanza
Christ, begotten of the Father's love before the world existed, is the beginning and end of all things past, present, and future.
The hymn begins where John's Gospel begins — before creation (John 1:1). 'Of the Father's love begotten' (Latin: born from the Father's heart) confesses the eternal generation of the Son: he did not begin at Bethlehem. 'Alpha and Omega' (Rev 1:8; 22:13) makes Christ the source and goal of all history; the three tenses ('are, have been, future years') claim all time for him (Heb 13:8). Starting a Christmas hymn here protects the church from sentimentalizing the baby — the infant is the eternal Creator.
- Scripture
- John 1:1-3, Rev 1:8, Rev 22:13, Heb 13:8, Col 1:16-17
- Imagery & language
- Alpha and Omega; source and ending; past, present, future.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — who the Savior is.
- Connection to previous
- Opening confession.
Celebrates the blessed birth in which the Virgin, full of grace, conceived by the Holy Spirit and bore the Savior, revealing his face.
Now the eternal Son enters time. 'Full of grace' echoes the angel's greeting (Luke 1:28) — Mary as the recipient of grace. 'By the Holy Ghost conceiving' is the Creed's article. 'The Savior of our race' names the purpose: he is born to redeem. 'First revealed His sacred face' is striking: the invisible God now has a face that can be seen (John 1:18; 2 Cor 4:6). The refrain keeps reminding that this birth, though happening once, has eternal consequences.
- Scripture
- Luke 1:28-35, Matt 1:20-21, John 1:18, 2 Cor 4:6, Gal 4:4
- Imagery & language
- A face revealed; blessed birth.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — incarnation.
- Connection to previous
- Moves from eternity (st. 1) into time.
Calls the heavens, angels, powers, and dominions to bow and praise Christ, and every voice on earth to join.
A call to universal worship modeled on Ps 148 and the angels' song at Bethlehem (Luke 2:13-14). 'Powers, dominions' are angelic ranks named in Col 1:16 and Eph 1:21 — all created by him and subject to him. The point is the reversal of Arian and Gnostic ideas: Christ is not one of the heavenly powers but the one they worship (Heb 1:6). Heaven and earth form a single choir; Christian worship joins the song of angels.
- Scripture
- Ps 148:1-4, Luke 2:13-14, Heb 1:6, Col 1:16, Phil 2:10-11
- Imagery & language
- Heavenly heights; angelic hierarchy bowing.
- Law / Gospel
- Doxology.
- Connection to previous
- Responds to the incarnation with a call to praise.
Christ is the one the inspired prophets sang about and the Scriptures promised; now he shines, and all creation should praise him.
A stanza on prophecy and fulfillment. 'Heaven-taught singers' may refer to the psalmists and prophets inspired by the Spirit (2 Pet 1:21). 'Whom the Scriptures of the prophets / Promised' reflects 1 Pet 1:10-12 and Luke 24:27 — the whole Old Testament points to Christ. 'The Long-expected' gathers up Advent longing. This is a Christological reading of Scripture that Lutheran hermeneutics affirms: Christ is the center of the Scriptures.
- Scripture
- 1 Pet 1:10-12, Luke 24:27, 44, 2 Pet 1:21, Rom 1:2-3, Isa 9:2
- Imagery & language
- Inspired singers; shining light.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — promise fulfilled.
- Connection to previous
- Grounds the praise of st. 3 in God's faithfulness to his word.
A doxology of praise, honor, glory, and dominion to Christ with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever.
The closing doxology addresses Christ first, then the Father and Spirit — an affirmation of the Son's equal glory. 'Honor, glory, and dominion' echoes Rev 5:13. 'Eternal victory' links Christmas to the victory of the cross and resurrection. The final refrain now resounds with full meaning: the One begotten before all worlds (st. 1) receives praise forever.
- Scripture
- Rev 5:12-13, Jude 25, 1 Tim 1:17
- Imagery & language
- Liturgical doxology.
- Law / Gospel
- Doxology.
- Connection to previous
- Returns to eternity, where the hymn began.