The Early Historical View of Instrumental Music in Christian
Worship
With Reasons Its Use Was Abandoned
Many have not really considered this topic very closely. It
is part of a traditional upbringing that never really questioned the authority
behind it. But, regardless of any preconceptions or prejudices we may
entertain, there are some indisputable facts that honesty demands that we face.
There is the fact that instrumental music was part of the Old Testament system
of congregational worship at the temple, and there is the historical fact that
it was abandoned upon commitment to Jesus Christ and congregational worship
engaged by His church, and it is a fact that it was abandoned for several
centuries even while Judaism and pagan ceremonies employed its use all around them.
A sampling of historical quotes are considered now, but many, many more quotes
can verify these historical points.
1. Clement (church father, Alexandria, AD 153-217)
The one instrument of
peace, the Word alone by which we honor God,
is what we employ. We no longer employ the ancient psaltery, and
trumpet, and timbrel, and flute.
2. Origen (church father, Alexandria), Commentaries on the
Psalms (3rd century)
The kithara is the
active soul being moved by the commandments of God, the psalterion is the pure
mind being moved by spiritual knowledge. The musical instruments of the Old
Covenant understood spiritually are applicable to us.... The organ is the
church of God composed of contemplative and active souls. The pleasant sounding
cymbal is the active soul captured by the desire for Christ.
3. Eusebius (church historian/bishop, Palestine), Commentary
on Psalm 91 (4th century)
Of old at the time
those of the circumcision were worshiping with symbols and types it was not
inappropriate to send up hymns to God
with the psalterion and kithara and to do this on Sabbath days (breaking
the rest and transgressing the law concerning the Sabbath). But we in an inward
manner keep the part of the Jew, according to the saying of the
apostle...(Romans 2:28f.). We render our hymn with a living psalterion and a
living kithara, with spiritual songs. The unison voices of Christians would be
more acceptable to God than any musical instrument. Accordingly in all the
churches of God, united in soul and attitude, with one mind and in agreement of
faith and piety, we send up a unison melody in the words of the Psalms.
4. John Chrysostom (church father, Eastern/Greek), Homily on
Psalm 149 (4th century).
It was only permitted
to the Jews as sacrifice was, for the heaviness and grossness of their souls.
God condescended to their weakness, because they were lately drawn off from
idols; but now, instead of organs, we may use our own bodies to praise him
withal.... Instruments appertain not to Christians.
5. Erasmus -In Novum
Testamentum...Annotationes (1522)
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.
6. John Calvin (Reformer, Geneva), Sermons on Second Samuel
(1562)
It would be nothing
but mimicry if we followed David today in singing with cymbals, flutes,
tambourines and psalteries. In fact, the papists were seriously deceived in
their desire to worship God with their pompous inclusion of organs, trumpets,
oboes and similar instruments. That has only served to amuse the people in
their vanity, and to turn them away from the true institution which God has
ordained.... In a word, the musical instruments were in the same class as
sacrifices, candelabra, lamps and similar things.... Those who take this
approach are reverting to a sort of Jewishness, as if they wanted to mingle the
Law and the Gospel, and thus bury our Lord Jesus Christ. When we are told that
David sang with a musical instrument, let us carefully remember that we are not
to make a rule of it. Rather, we are to recognize today that we must sing the
praises of God in simplicity, since the shadows of the Law are past, and since in our Lord Jesus Christ we have
the truth and embodiment of all these things which were given to the ancient
fathers in the time of their ignorance or smallness of faith.
Summary of Earliest Perspective
• ◦The Church of
Christ Was Established IN the "Time of Reformation" – Heb.9:10 –
Thus, they reformed, which means that they did not continue the earthly types
and shadows of the old system, but reformed into a spiritual house with
spiritual antitypes in Christ.
◦The Earthly
Tabernacle Found Spiritual Reformation in the Church of Christ, the spiritual
house of God.
◦The Earthly
Furnishings And Instruments Found Spiritual Reformation In The Spiritual
Temple, The Church.
◦The Types &
Shadows Were Replaced By The Spiritual Substance In Christ.
◦The Church Is
Subject To Christ And Only What He Authorizes (Eph.1:19-22; Matt.28:18-20).
Why Some Today Use Instruments of Music in Worship
1. They Do Not See Any Harm in It
• ◦The Things of God
Are Spiritually Discerned – 1 Cor.2:12-14
◦God’s Thoughts Are
Higher Than Man’s Thoughts – Isa.55:8-9
◦David Saw No Harm In
Carry The Ark On A New Cart -2 Sam.6:6-7; 1 Chron.15:13
◦Nadab & Abihu
Saw No Harm In The Fire They Used – Lev.10:1-2
◦Some Things Are
Morally Fine, But Religiously Objectionable – Like Washing Hands As A Religious
Requirement – Mk.7:2-5
◦It Is Wrong To
Impose Our Wishes To The Division of The Lord’s Church – Col.2; 1 Cor.1:10
2. They See It In The Old Testament
• ◦But, Fail To See
That We Are Under Christ Who Now Has "All Authority" – Matt.28:18
◦They Fail To See The
"Time of Reformation" Moves Us From The Earthly To The Spiritual –
Heb.9:1-10
◦They Fail To Employ
ALL The Things of The Old Testament -
Gal.5:1-4
3. They Think The Visions of Revelation Approves It
But, This Would Approve Us Having:
• ◦The Physical
Temple – Rev.11:1; 3:12; 7:15; 15:5,8
◦The Physical Altar
of Burnt Offerings -6:9; 8:5
◦The Physical Altar
of Incense -8:3; 9:13
◦Gold Bowls Full of
Incense – 5:8; 8:3
◦Olive Trees &
Lamp Stand – 11:4
◦Signal Trumpets –
8:2,6; 9:14
◦Ark of the Covenant
– 11:19
◦Physical Jerusalem
For God’s Throne & Presence -21:2
◦As Well As The
Instruments
◦Can We Rebuild The
Temple & It’s Services??? If not,
Why Not?
4. They View It as Just an Aid
• ◦Tools, hammers,
saws, etc. were aids to Noah in fulfilling the command to build an ark of
Gopher Wood. But, since the kind of wood was specified, then oak and pine would
not "aid", but would be an "addition" to what God
commanded.
◦Fruit of the vine
and unleavened bread in the Lord’s Supper can be "aided" by table,
containers, trays, etc., but using lamb, bitter herbs, cola, and other foods do
not aid but ADD to what God specified in the Lord’s Supper.
◦Likewise, singing
with melody in heart can be aided by songs, songbooks, leader, pitch, etc. But, since the command is sing, and the
instrument specified is in the heart, then guitars, piano, drums, etc., are
additions. We know the difference in singing and playing. Singing is
specified. A common song aided Paul and
Silas in prison as they sang (Acts 16).
Instruments did not and would not aid, but would be another act, namely,
"playing".
5. They Think "If Can Be Used
In The Home, Why Not In The Church?"
• ◦Can Eat Common
Meals At Home - 1 Cor.11:17ff
◦Can Burn Incense For
Fragrant Purposes
◦Can Light Candles
For Light
◦Can Roast Lamb For
Consumption
◦Can Play Music For
Entertainment
◦Can Be Romantic With
Wife/Husband
6. Think Using "Talents"
Requires It
• ◦Some Make Statues
Real Well – Use In Church?
◦Some Cook Mexican
Food Real Well – Use On The Supper Table?
◦Some Are Acrobatic –
Perform In Church?
Conclusion:
We Are In the Time of Reformation.
• ◦The Earthly Has
Been Replaced With Spiritual
◦The Church is
Subject To Only Christ
◦We Cannot Act
Without Proper Signal From Our Head
◦Instrumental Music
Is No More Authorized Than Incense, Lamps, Altars of Burnt-Offerings, etc.
Are You Getting The
Right Signal From Christ? The head of
the church, Jesus, must direct the body and the body only moves when given
proper signal from the head. Without authority from Jesus, the body should not
act. That would show a disconnect between the body to its head. Nothing moves without first a signal to do so
from the head. That is why the early
church did not use instrumental music, and that is why the true body of Christ
will not use them in worship to God now.
Nobody in the first several centuries ever thought that Jesus authorized
them in the church, and it is therefore impossible that someone in the 21st
century will find the authority that none found in the days of the apostles and
prophets. Those who now respect the authority of Jesus Christ will not be found
using them in worship to God.
Terry W. Benton
