(Continued) 👆🏾
Profound Theological Symbolism of the Kebero
✍️ Our revered Church fathers have passed down through both written and oral tradition the deep mysteries and symbolism of the kebero. It is far more than a musical instrument; it is a profound theological symbol:
👉 Derivation and Meaning: The word "kebero" itself originates from the Ge'ez word "keberew," meaning "to beat," "to strike," "to hammer," "to tap," or "to hit."
👉 A Symbol of Christ: Most significantly, the kebero is a direct symbol of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
♦️ Striking the Drum: When the kebero is struck from side to side, it vividly reminds us of our Lord being slapped and beaten by the Jews during His Passion. Matthew 26:67-68 (NKJV) recounts: "Then they spit in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, 'Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?'"
♦️ The Wide Mouth: The wide opening of the kebero symbolizes the divine nature of our Lord. It reminds us of His inherent Godhead, His boundless and infinite authority as God, omnipotent and omnipresent. When we behold its wide expanse, we contemplate Jesus Christ, who, though manifest in a confined stature and narrow chest, is in essence, in His divine nature and existence, equal to the Father and the Holy Spirit, holding and ruling all things.
♦️ The Narrow Mouth: Conversely, the narrow opening of the kebero symbolizes Christ's humanity (Tsebe'at). This narrow opening, which produces sound when beaten, represents God the Son's manifestation in a confined human form, in a short stature and narrow chest. Though He governs all creation, and His authority is without end and His divinity without decay, He united with flesh and was revealed. When we observe this narrow opening, we remember Him, who rules all, yet was confined to a short stature and narrow chest. This echoes John 1:1-14 (NKJV), which states: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."
♦️ The Fabric Covering: The cloth that adorns the kebero symbolizes the garment, specifically the "scarlet robe," that the Jews placed upon our Lord on Good Friday to mock Him. Matthew 27:28 (NKJV) records: "Then they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him."
♦️ The Manner of Playing: The kebero is not struck directly but is played by the chanters swaying it from left to right. This motion symbolizes the abuse and humiliation our Lord endured as He was taken from Annas to Caiaphas, and then from Caiaphas to Pilate. The drumming begins gently, then accelerates, symbolizing how the Jews initially mocked and beat our Lord slowly, but then hurried to beat Him intensely, even before Pilate could release Him or the Sabbath day arrived. When the kebero is placed on the ground during Mahlet, it prompts us to reflect on our Lord falling to the ground and suffering torment.
♦️ The Two Parts of the Kebero: When placing the kebero, the wide mouth should always be oriented upwards. Placing the smaller part upwards is considered incorrect.
👉 The wide part again represents the divine nature of Christ, reminding us of His inherent Godhead and His omnipotence, whose authority has no bounds or limits.
👉 The narrow part symbolizes His humanity (Tisebe’et), reminding us of our Lord's Incarnation, revealed in a confined human body, as echoed in John 1:14 (NKJV): "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..."
♦️ Other Symbolic Elements: The intricate interwoven straps on the kebero symbolize the marks of scourging that appeared on our Lord's back. The strap used to carry the kebero symbolizes the rope with which the Jews dragged our Lord.
✍️ The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, a "sea of wisdom," teaches through all its rites and structures, from its roof to its foundation. It instructs both explicitly through spoken word and implicitly through its silent traditions.
(Continues) 👇🏾