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Series: General
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Additional file: 2015-01-25 Instrumental Music in NT - Alan Yeater.pdf


S.R. Colossians 2:8-23

Introduction

On December 14th, 2014, we observed that mechanical instruments of music in public worship were regulated by God in both Tabernacle and Temple worship. Instructions regarding the specific instruments and who would use them and when and where were all directed through His prophets; especially Moses and David. When we come to the New Testament we must again be seeking to learn God’s principles that regulate what He desires in worship.

  • What has God commanded in worship? 
    • Only by using those elements can we be certain that our worship is acceptable to Him (Matthew 15:3-9; 1 Corinthians 14:37; Colossians 2:20-23).
  • When we come to the matter of musical instruments in worship we must ask the same questions as did Jehoida, Hezekiah, Josiah, Jeshua, and Nehemiah.
  • Should instruments of music be used in worship?
  • If so, what musical instrument(s) has God authorized?

 

Outline

  1. Looking to Scripture – A New Covenant
    1. We, like those who sought to know and do God’s will regarding public worship under the old covenant, should look to Scripture.
      1. The difference is that we don’t look back to Moses and David.
      2. We look to Christ, the author of a new covenant.
    2. The New Testament claims that the Temple and all of it ceremonies have been abolished by the inauguration of Christ’s New Covenant.
    3. Hebrews presents the strongest case for the abrogation of the Temple worship in its entirety.
      1. Hebrews 7:12 “For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law.”
        1. This verse declares the connection between the Levitical priests and the ceremonial laws of the Temple worship.
        2. When the priesthood is abolished so are the laws of worship connected with them.
      2. Hebrews 8:13 “In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”
        1. Whenever the Jews of Jeremiah’s day (31:31-34), heard that their covenant was old they were expected to look forward with anticipation to a new and better covenant.
        2. The new and better covenant was introduced by a new and better priest and prophet.
      3. Hebrews 9:8-10 “8The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. 9This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. 10They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings--external regulations applying until the time of the new order. (reformation)”
        1. The food, drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances are representative and include the whole of Old Covenant worship.
        2. You will note a similar usage of representative actions in (Colossians 2:16-23).
        3. The reformation enacted by Christ and His apostles did not include any of the ceremonies of the temple.
        4. The apostles condemn doing so (Colossians2:16-17). “16Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” (NIV)
    4. Additional New Testament passages that point to a new, spiritual order.
      1. John 4:23-24
        1. The place of worship would no longer be Jerusalem.
        2. Temple worship was about to end.
        3. God is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit
        4. Our spirit responds to God’s spirit in worship of Him.
      2. A major religious body in the Middle Ages sought to incorporate various Old Testament temple practices into their ceremonies.
      3. Reformers in the 1400 and 1500 hundreds appealed to the lack of Biblical precedent in doing so.
    5. Two Questions Needing Answers:
      1. Are musical instruments to be used in the New Testament church?
      2. If so, what specific instruments are to be used?
        1.  Please read the bulletin for a fuller answer to this second question.
    6. We must look to Christ and His apostles to find answers to these questions.
      1. The New Testament gives no command for musical instrumentation in the public worship of the church.
      2. Nor do we find a single example of instruments ever being used in any of the churches.
    7. Were musical instruments to be carried over from the Temple worship?
      1. First, David, under divine direction, commanded the musical instruments as part of the Levitical priesthood.
        1. It was the Levites alone whom he authorized to use the musical instruments.
        2. In the New Covenant the Levitical priesthood in its entirety has been abolished.
      2. Second, the musical instruments of David were never separated from the sacrificial system in Temple worship.
        1. Every time the Temple worship was restored it included both the sacrifices and the musical instruments (1 Chronicles 23:25-32; 2 Chronicles 23:16-18, 29:20-30, 35:1-19; Ezra 3:1-11; Nehemiah 12:31-46)
        2. Both stand and fall together
      3. Thirdly, the fact is that we never find the apostles carrying any aspect of Temple worship over into New Testament churches, including its musical instruments.
    8. Levites were set apart with special privileges under the Old Covenant. (cf. Numbers 8,16)
      1. Under the New Covenant no such distinction exists.
      2. In the New Testament we have all become priests (1 Peter 2:9) and are all directed to sing (Colossians 3:16).
      3. We have no authority to set apart any group for the playing of musical instruments in the public worship of the church.
    9. Holy Spirit directions regarding the use of Instruments contrasted in Old and New:
      1. Old Covenant-Holy Spirit abundantly recorded the various instruments to be played and who was responsible to play them.
        1. Consider: (1 Chronicles 23:25-32; 2 Chronicles 23:16-18, 29:20-30, 35:1-19; Ezra 3:1-11; Nehemiah 12:31-46)
      2. But what do we find in the New Covenant?
        1. Nothing but complete silence.
        2. The abundant record in the Old Covenant makes the absence in the New more striking.
    10. All Old Covenant restorations looked back to “the command of David the man of God”.
      1. Old Testament reformers including Hezekiah, Josiah, always looked back to “the command of David.”
      2. But when we come to the New Covenant we never hear of the “command of David”.
      3. The apostles never look back to “the command of David” as did the Old Testament men when seeking to restore God – approved worship.
    11. Conclusions: When we come to the New Testament three truths become clear:
      1. The Old Testament Temple worship in all of its outward ceremonies has been abolished.
      2. We must look to Christ and His apostles alone for the worship of the church.
      3. We find no command or example, or any indication from the Lord that He desires musical instruments to be used in His church.
  2. Historical Perspective from Synagogue and Second Century Musical Worship
    1. Musical worship in the synagogues:
      1. Jewish males were obligated (Deuteronomy 16:16) to attend Feasts three times a year at God’s designated location. The Temple became that location in the times of Solomon.
      2. Synagogues may have appeared prior to the Babylonian captivity (Psalm 74:8) “They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.”
      3. Acts 15:21 “"For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath."
      4. The sacrificial and ceremonial elements of the Temple never found their way into the synagogues.
        1. Synagogue singing was unaccompanied by musical instrument.” (Old Light on New Worship, John Price, p. 64-65)
        2. “Unlike the Temple, the Synagogue employed no instruments in its services…instruments had no function in the unique service of the Synagogue” (Douglas Bannerman in Old Light on New Worship, John Price, p. 65-66)
      5. The Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD and instrumental music among the Jews appears to have completely disappeared. (Old Light on New Worship, John Price, p. 67)
      6. For these reasons we may conclude that the worship of the apostolic church was similar to the synagogue worship in that the practice was the singing of psalms unaccompanied by any musical instruments.
      7. “The hymns of the early church were primarily sung by the whole congregation with their voices united.” (William C. Rice, A Concise History of Church Music)
    2. Instrumental Music in Worship was rejected by 2nd and 3rd Century Christians.
      1. The second century and the centuries following provide a uniform testimony to vocal singing without the use of any musical instruments.
      2. See bulletin article 1-25-2015 by Randy Blackaby
      3. “Norms” have changed:
        1. John Spencer Curwen (1880) “Men still living can remember the time when organs were very seldom used outside the Church of England. The Methodists, Independents, and Baptists rarely had them and by the Presbyterians they were stoutly opposed. But since these bodies began to introduce organs, the adoption of them has been steady and unchecked. Even the Presbyterians are giving way, and if read the future by the past, we can hardly doubt that, in a few years, unaccompanied singing will very seldom be heard.”
        2. John Price (2007) “For more than twenty years, I have worshipped in Reformed Baptist churches … I have frequently asked the questions: Why do we, as Reformed Christians, use only the piano while the modern evangelical church very often employs such a variety of musical instruments?...It was my desire to come to a biblical understanding of this subject which led to this study….I have come to the subject with the conviction that the Scripture alone should be our final guide in all matters of faith and practice. I believe there is such a thing as pure worship that is according to the will of God and it should be our goal to have such worship in the church. Our worship should be governed, not by our own personal desire or preferences, nor by the culture and society in which we live, but by the Word of God alone.” --John Price, Rochester, New York, August 2007 (Grace Baptist Church)
      4. Websites: http://www.letgodbetrue.com/bible/church/musical-instruments-in-church.htm  Greenville, South Carolina, (nondenominational)
      5. See article Why I Left the Contemporary Christian Music Movement by Dan(back table)
      6. Young people accurately argue that if you can have a piano without God’s expressed or implied approval then we can have a rock band for the same reasons.
    3. How should we interpret the silence of the New Testament regarding the use of musical instruments in worship? Zwingli and Calvin vs. Luther (p.86-94 Old Light on New Worship, Price)
      1. The historical evidence of unaccompanied singing in both the Jewish synagogue before the apostles and the church of the second century after the apostles provide the most powerful evidence in interpreting the silence of the New Testament.
      2. May we seek to follow God’s regulations regarding worship according to the apostolic model (Philippians 4:9). “The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”
  3. What did Jesus and His disciples do musically in worship to God?
    1. Matthew. 26:30 “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”
    2. Mark. 14:26 “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”
    3. Acts 16:25 “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.”
    4. Romans 15:9 “and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: "For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, And sing to Your name." (cf. Psalm 18:49)
    5. 1 Corinthians 14:15 “What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.” (cf. 1 Corinthians 14:19,23, 26)
    6. Ephesians 5:19 “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,”
    7. Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
    8. Hebrews 2:12 “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You." (cf. Psalm 22:22)
    9. James 5:13 “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.”
    10. These passages are all of the information God reveals regarding how His Son and His apostles and first century Christians worshipped musically.
    11. If our desire is to “restore” the simplicity taught to Christ’s followers by his original disciples, we will choose to praise him simply with the fruit of our lips (Hebrews 13:15). If, however, we are influenced more by cultural trends and the desire to imitate the entertainment approach to worship…opposition to instruments of music in worship will seem trite and even absurd. It all depends upon our focus.”
    12. God is the judge of each of us individually. Some in this audience have no objection to the use of instruments of music in public worship. I appreciate you not insisting upon their use in respect for the convictions of those of us who perceive the need to limit ourselves to praising God in the way that he has requested.
  4. Summary:
    1. The Old Testament Temple worship in all of its outward ceremonies and rituals has been abolished.
    2. The church must look to Christ and His apostles and prophets alone for the ordinances of New Covenant worship.
    3. In the New Testament we find neither command nor example of any musical instrument in worship, and, therefore, we have no warrant (authority) for their use.
    4. “9Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10:9-10)
    5. Christ came to do the will of the Father. May we do the same.