Concert, Entertainment, or Act of Faith?

Not long ago I attended a performance by the San Francisco Symphony of Bach's other Passion, the St. John, at Davies Symphony Hall. It was well-performed and enthusiastically received. But I felt uneasy during the performance; I realized that an important context was missing. More than 200 performers -- orchestra, chorus, and soloists -- filed in and out, dressed in black tie. But is was purely and simply a concert; more than entertainment, but less than an act of faith.