1. Early Objects of Christianity
#6 The earliest hymn book.
By Shad Sluiter
Available at

2. The first of many… First known church building.
First known piece of the New Testament.
First known complete copy of the New Testament.
First known copy of the Old Testament.
First known picture of Jesus.
First known hymn.
First known archaeological evidence of crucifixion.

3. Earliest Hymns
The first hymns sung in Christian gatherings were probably the Psalms from the Hebrew scriptures. However, there are verses in the New Testament that seem to come from other hymns that were being sung by the early Christians regarding Christ, salvation and Christian living.
The earliest hymn lyrics accompanied by musical notes was discovered in Egypt in 1913.

4. The Oxyrhynchus hymn
The Oxyrhynchus hymn (or P. Oxy. XV 1786) is the earliest known manuscript of a Christian hymn to contain both lyrics and musical notation.
Unearthed in 1918 in Egypt, the discovery was first published in The hymn was written down around the end of the 3rd century AD

5. The Oxyrhynchus hymn Here is a MIDI file to play the tune.
Try the following link to hear a more elaborate performance.

6. Lyrics of the Oxyrhynchus hymn
.. Let it be silent Let the Luminous stars not shine, Let the winds (?) and all the noisy rivers die down; And as we hymn the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Let all the powers add "Amen Amen" Empire, praise always, and glory to God, The sole giver of good things, Amen Amen.

7. The first hymns from Paul…
Philippians 2:6–11 (AD 62–63)
Key Points:
Colossians 1:15–20 (AD 62–63)
Hymn type text can be identified because of the rhythm in the original Greek, by unusual (i.e. poetic) words or phrases or symmetry in the ideas and phrases.
Titus 3:4–7 (AD 62–63)
 1 Timothy 3:16b (AD 62–63)
 Ephesians 1:3–14 (AD 62–63)
 Ephesians 2:14–16
 Ephesians 5:14
 2 Timothy 2:11–13 (AD 62–63)
Paul was writing hymns while he was in prison.
Most of the hymn quotes were from Paul’s later letters.

8. Philippians 2:6–11
(6) who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, (7) but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. (8) And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (9) Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, (10) so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, (11) and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

9. Colossians 1:15-20
(15) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. (16) For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. (17) And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (18) And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. (19) For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, (20) and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

10. 1 Timothy 3:16b
Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

11. Ephesians 1:3–14
(3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, (4) even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love (5) he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, (6) to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. (7) In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, (8) which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight (9) making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ (10) as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (11) In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, (12) so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. (13) In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, (14) who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

12. Ephesians 1:3–14
(3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, (4) even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love (5) he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, (6) to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. (7) In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, (8) which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight (9) making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ (10) as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (11) In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, (12) so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. (13) In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, (14) who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

13. Ephesians 2:14–16
(14) For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility (15) by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, (16) and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

14. Ephesians 5:14
For anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."

15. 2 Timothy 2:11–13
(11) The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; (12) if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; (13) if we are faithless, he remains faithful-- for he cannot deny himself.