What are the Odes of Solomon?

TL;DR:

The Odes of Solomon are a collection of early Christian hymns estimated to have been written at the end of the first century AD. They are unconnected to Solomon and not part of divinely inspired Scripture.

what does the bible say?

The Odes of Solomon are a collection of early Christian hymns. It's estimated that they were written at the end of the first century AD. There is no claim of authorship, so it's uncertain why these hymns are connected by name to Solomon. The Odes of Solomon are separate from the Psalms of Solomon, which are a set of eighteen psalms written around 60 BC in response to the Roman invasion of Israel.

The Odes of Solomon is not a part of the Bible or considered divinely inspired. The Bible contains songs and hymns, such as the book of Psalms, but the Odes are not part of that nor any other inspired book. The Bible teaches the sufficiency of God’s revealed Word (Deuteronomy 4:2; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Revelation 22:18-19). While extrabiblical texts, such as the Odes of Solomon, may be of historical interest, believers should always use Scripture as the standard, measuring any any outside instruction against the wisdom of God’s Word (1 John 4:1; Colossians 2:8)

from the old testament

The Old Testament emphasizes that God’s Word is inspired, complete, and sufficient for teaching, correction, and guidance (Psalm 12:6-7; Proverbs 30:5; Deuteronomy 4:2).
While poetic songs and hymns are part of God’s revelation in the Hebrew Scriptures (e.g., the Psalms, Song of Songs, and other wisdom literature), any extra-biblical writings, like the Odes of Solomon, are not on part with the divinely preserved Scriptures. God’s Word is the standard for faith and practice.

from the new testament

The New Testament reinforces that salvation, knowledge of God, and spiritual wisdom come through the Spirit-breathed Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and Christ Himself (John 5:39; Luke 24:27).
While early Christians sometimes composed hymns or prayers ( 1 Corinthians 14:26), the New Testament does not recognize the Odes of Solomon as inspired Scripture.
Any extra-biblical writings, even if spiritually insightful, must be weighed against the apostolic teaching and the canon of Scripture to avoid doctrinal error (1 John 4:1; Colossians 2:8) and should never be considered on par with the books of the Bible.

implications for today

The hymns within the Odes of Solomon are poetic, which makes the content within them easier to learn and call to mind later. Since they are not part of the canon of Scripture, some details and doctrines expressed within them may not perfectly line up with the Bible. Some people have suggested that some of the odes perpetuate Gnostic heresies; however, there is no explicit Gnostic teaching in the Odes of Solomon.

As far as topical content goes, one thing that is interesting about the Odes of Solomon is how they describe the Trinity and direct worship individually to the Father, Son, and Spirit at different points. There was not a big time gap between the life of Christ and these writings. At the same time the Odes of Solomon were written, the New Testament was being completed. It's commonly believed that Ignatius of Antioch, a possible student of John the apostle, quoted portions of the Odes of Solomon in his own writings.

Some have tried to claim that Trinitarian theology was not believed until centuries after Christ. However, because of the historical link between the New Testament and the Odes of Solomon, instead we see that the theology of the Trinity was present right after the life of Christ. It was later more explicitly and overtly codified in response to heresy.

understand

The Odes of Solomon are early Christian hymns from the first century AD, not part of Scripture.
The Odes of Solomon contain elements of Christian faith, including early Trinitarian references, but its content must be measured against the Bible.
The Odes of Solomon are separate from the Psalms of Solomon and are not authoritative for doctrine or practice.

reflect

How does knowing that the Odes of Solomon are not inspired Scripture affect the way you approach extra-biblical writings?
How can you strengthen your understanding of God while upholding Scripture?
How do you discern which teachings or hymns align with the truth of the Bible in your personal worship or study?

engage

How can early Christian writings like the Odes of Solomon help us understand the faith and devotion of first-century believers without replacing Scripture?
What lessons can we learn from the way early Christians expressed worship and Trinitarian belief in these hymns?
How should we evaluate extra-biblical writings that contain theological or devotional content when discussing faith in a group setting?