• Third Sunday in Advent
• Epistle: 1 Corinthians iv 1-5 (Servants of Christ)
• Gospel: Matthew xi. 2-10 (Jesus and the Baptist)

Cantata BWV 186a is lost but can be partially exhumed by observing that it is parodied in BWV 186. You can find the text in Dürr and use the fact that BWV 186a/1 corresponds to BWV 186/1, BWV 186a/2 corresponds to BWV 186/3, BWV 186a/3 corresponds to BWV 186/5, BWV 186a/4 corresponds to BWV 186/8 and BWV 186a/5 corresponds to BWV 186/10. BWV 186a/6 is a lost chorale. For details, refer to Dürr and the BWV and to the critical commentary to NBA I/1.

Copyright © 1998, Simon Crouch.