Taruskin and Gibbs say that Bach’s Passions are almost like Biblical operas. What operatic elements/tendencies do you see on the level of (a) individual numbers and (b) how the piece unfolds from number to number?

c. gabriele was a catholic priest while also being a composer.

i believe the answer is: a.  abstract forms were often used to represent human figures.

representing human figures in abstract forms is often used in the geometric period, not hellenistic  period.   during the hellenistic  period,   aesthetic value derived from creating arts which mimic the actual shape of a certain object or individuals.

hope this ! < 3