Instrumental Music in Worship

1. Instrumental Music in Worship

2. The NT is completely silent on the use of instrumental music in worship.

3. The NT is completely silent on the use of instrumental music in worship. • Mt 26:30; 16:25; Rm 15:9; 1 Cor 14:15; Eph 5:19; Col 3:16; Heb 2:12; 13:15; Js 5:13.

4. The NT is completely silent on the use of instrumental music in worship. • Mt 26:30; 16:25; Rm 15:9; 1 Cor 14:15; Eph 5:19; Col 3:16; Heb 2:12; 13:15; Js 5:13. • Where is the authority for instrumental music? By what authority could one say it ought to be used in worship?

5. History is on the side of those who worship without the instrument.

6. History is on the side of those who worship without the instrument. The Church Fathers

7. Clement of Alexandria (AD 150-215): “He who is from David, yet before him, the Word of God, scorning the lyre and cithara as lifeless instruments, and having rendered harmonious by the Holy Spirit both his cosmos and even man the microcosm, made up of both body and soul—he sings to God on his many voiced instrument and he sings to man, himself an instrument: “You are my cithara, my aulos and my temple,‟ a cithara because of harmony, and aulos because of spirit and a temple because of the word, so that the first might breath and the third might encompass the Lord.”

8. Clement again: “We, however, make use of but one instrument, the word of peace alone by which we honor God, and no longer the ancient psaltery, nor the trumpet, the tympanum and the aulos, as was the custom among those expert in war and those scornful of the fear of God who employed string instruments in their festive gatherings, as if to arouse the remissness of spirit through such rhythms.”

9. Tertullian (AD 170-225): “Clearly Liber and Venus are the patrons of the theatrical arts. That immodesty of gesture and bodily movement so peculiar and proper to the stage is dedicated to them, the one god dissolute in her sex, the other in his dress. While whatever transpires in voice, melody, instruments, and writing is in the domain of Apollo, the Muses, Minerva and Mercury. O Christian, you will detest those things whose authors you cannot but detest!”

10. Isidore of Pelusium (d ca. AD 435): “A carousal, my dear friend, is the intoxicating aulos, together with prolonged drinking, which arouses one to sensuality, and makes of the symposium a shameful theater, as it bewitches the guests with cymbals and other instruments of deceptions. It is written that they who frequent it stand outside the kingdom, as they well know.”

11. Gregory of Nazianzus (AD 329 to 389): “First, brethren, let us celebrate the feast, not with carnal rejoicing, nor with extravagance and frequent changes of clothing, nor with carousing and drunkenness, nor surrounded by the sound of auloi and percussion for this is the manner of the monthly Grecian rites. . . . Let us take up hymns rather than tympana, psalmody rather than shameful dances and songs, a well-rendered applause of thanksgiving rather than theatrical applause, meditation rather than debauchery.”

12. The first instrument used in Christian worship seems to have been introduced by Pope Vitalian I about AD 666.

13. The first instrument used in Christian worship seems to have been introduced by Pope Vitalian I about AD 666. • Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia: “In the Greek Church the organ never came into use. But after the eighth century it became more and more common in the Latin Church; not, however, without opposition from the side of the monks. Its misuse; however, raised so great an opposition to it, that, but for the Emperor Ferdinand, it would probably have been abolished by the Council of Trent. The Reformed Church discarded it; and though the Church of Basel very early reintroduced it, it was in other placed admitted only sparingly, and after long hesitation.”

14. The first instrument used in Christian worship seems to have been introduced by Pope Vitalian I about AD 666. • Pope Pius IV published a document on church music on Nov 22, 1903. Paragraph IV: “Although the music proper to the Church is purely vocal music, music with the accompaniment of the organ is also permitted” (emphasis added).

15. History is on the side of those who worship without the instrument. Commentators

16. William Beveridge: “All the while that you are singing and praising God, keep your minds as intent as you can upon it, without taking any notice at all of the organs, for they will have their effect upon you better if you do not mind them than if you do; for your minding of them will divert your thoughts from the work you are about.”

17. Charles Back: “Much has been said as to the use of instrumental music in the house of God. One the one side it is observed that we ought not to object to it, because it assists devotion; that it was used in the worship of God under the Old Testament; and that the worship of heaven is represented by a delightful union of vocal and instrumental music. But on the other side, it is remarked, that nothing should be done in or about God’s worship without example or precept from the New Testament; that, instead of aiding devotion, it often tends to draw off the mind from the right object; that it does not accord with the simplicity of Christian worship; that the practice of those who lived under the ceremonial dispensation can be no rule for us; that not one text in the New Testament requires or authorities it by precept or example, by express words or fair inference; and that that representation of the musical harmony in heaven is merely figurative language, denoting the happiness of the saints.”

18. Adam Clark: “But were it even evident, which it is not, either from this or any other place in the sacred writings, that instruments of music were prescribed by Divine authority under the law; could this be adduced with any semblance of reason, that they ought to be used in Christian worship? No; the whole spirit, soul, and genius of the Christian religion are against this; and those who know the Church of God best, and what constitutes its genuine spiritual state, know that these things have been introduced as a substitute for the life and power of religion; and that where they prevail most there is least of the power of Christianity. Away with such portentous baubles from the worship of that infinite Spirit who requires his followers to worship him in spirit and in truth, for to no such worship are those instruments friendly.”

19. Erasmus, famed church historian & contemporary of Luther: “We have brought into our churches a certain operose and theatrical music; such a confused, disorderly chattering of some words, as I hardly think was ever heard in any of the Grecian or Roman theatres. The church rings with the noise of trumpets, pipes and dulcimers, and human voices strive to bear their part with them. . . . Men run to church as to a theatre, to have their ears tickled. And for this end organ-makers are hired with great salaries, and a company of boys, who waste all their time in learning these whining tones.”

20. John Calvin: “Musical instruments in celebrating the praises of God would be no more suitable than the burning of incense, the lighting up of lamps, and the restoration of other shadows of the law. The papists, therefore, have foolishly borrowed this, as well as many other things, from the Jews. Men who are fond of outward pomp may delight in that noise; but the simplicity which God recommends to us by the apostle is far more pleasing to Him.”

21. Instrumental Music in the Old Testament

22. One of the major objections to a capella music is that it was used for OT worship.

23. One of the major objections to a capella music is that it was used for OT worship. • There can be little doubt that instrumental music was commanded in the OT.

24. One of the major objections to a capella music is that it was used for OT worship. • There can be little doubt that instrumental music was commanded in the OT. • 2 Chr 29:25.

25. One of the major objections to a capella music is that it was used for OT worship. • There can be little doubt that instrumental music was commanded in the OT. • 2 Chr 29:25. • Ps 150.

26. One of the major objections to a capella music is that it was used for OT worship. • There can be little doubt that instrumental music was commanded in the OT. • 2 Chr 29:25. • Ps 150. • I have heard that instrumental music in the OT was simply a concession to the flesh (similar to what Jesus said about divorce in the OT), but the command to use it seems inconsistent with that view.

27. However, God was very specific about the instruments to be used & how they were to be used.

28. However, God was very specific about the instruments to be used & how they were to be used. • Num 10:1-10.

29. However, God was very specific about the instruments to be used & how they were to be used. • Num 10:1-10. • Until the time of David, these silver trumpets were the only instruments used in worship.

30. However, God was very specific about the instruments to be used & how they were to be used. • Num 10:1-10. • Until the time of David, these silver trumpets were the only instruments used in worship. • But, David introduced other musical instruments into the worship of God (1 Chr 16:5-6; 23:5).

31. However, God was very specific about the instruments to be used & how they were to be used. • Num 10:1-10. • Until the time of David, these silver trumpets were the only instruments used in worship. • But, David introduced other musical instruments into the worship of God (1 Chr 16:5-6; 23:5). • On what authority did David use these instruments? 2 Chr 29:25-26.

32. However, God was very specific about the instruments to be used & how they were to be used. • Other instruments were used outside congregational worship.

33. However, God was very specific about the instruments to be used & how they were to be used. • Other instruments were used outside congregational worship. • Ex 15:20-21.

34. However, God was very specific about the instruments to be used & how they were to be used. • Other instruments were used outside congregational worship. • Ex 15:20-21—The tambourine was not authorized for tabernacle worship.

35. However, God was very specific about the instruments to be used & how they were to be used. • Other instruments were used outside congregational worship. • Ex 15:20-21—The tambourine was not authorized for tabernacle worship. • 1 Sm 10:5.

36. However, God was very specific about the instruments to be used & how they were to be used. • Other instruments were used outside congregational worship. • Ex 15:20-21—The tambourine was not authorized for tabernacle worship. • 1 Sm 10:5—Again, these instruments were not authorized for congregatinal worship.

37. What should we learn about the use of instrumental music in the Old Testament?

38. God never left instrumental music to the devices of man.

39. God never left instrumental music to the devices of man. • God placed instrumental music under his authority—he told Moses & David exactly what instruments he wanted & how they were to be used.

40. God never left instrumental music to the devices of man. • God placed instrumental music under his authority—he told Moses & David exactly what instruments he wanted & how they were to be used. • If God wanted instrumental music today, doesn’t it stand to reason he would tell us exactly what instrument he wanted & how we were to use it?

41. God never left instrumental music to the devices of man. • God never authorized talented musicians to play musical instruments.

42. God never left instrumental music to the devices of man. • God never authorized talented musicians to play musical instruments. • He authorized priests & Levites to play these instruments.

43. God never left instrumental music to the devices of man. • God never authorized talented musicians to play musical instruments. • He authorized priests & Levites to play these instruments. • Today, there is no special class of priests—1 Pt 2:5.

44. God never left instrumental music to the devices of man. • God never authorized talented musicians to play musical instruments. • Since God commanded their use in the OT, doesn’t it stand to reason that he would have commanded their use today if he wanted them?

45. The term psallo does not involve instrumental music.

46. Many have justified the use of the instrument based on this Gr term.

47. Many have justified the use of the instrument based on this Gr term. • Definition: (a) To pluck the hair; (b) To twang the bowstring; (c) To twitch a carpenter’s line; (d) To touch the chords of a musical instrument, that is, to make instrumental music; (e) To touch the chords of the human heart, i.e., to sing, to celebrate with human praise.

48. “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody [psallo] to the Lord with your heart” (Eph 5:18-19, ESV).

49. “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody [psallo] to the Lord with your heart” (Eph 5:18-19, ESV). • “With the heart” is in the instrumental case.

50. “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody [psallo] to the Lord with your heart” (Eph 5:18-19, ESV). • “With the heart” is in the instrumental case. • In other passages, “the heart” occurs in the instrumental case with the meaning “with the heart” (Mat 13:15; Mk 12:30; 2 Cor 9:7).