What About the Use of Instrumental Music?

1. What About the Use of Instrumental Music?

2. Introduction • Christianity is a religion of faith (Gal. 2:20; 2 Cor. 5:7). • In other words, our lives, our service, and our worship must be patterned after a “Thus saith the Lord…” (Col. 3:17; 1 Pet. 4:11).

3. Introduction • Sadly, many follow man-made systems of religion without ever asking if such a course is acceptable to the Lord (Matt. 7:21-23).

4. A Common Question • Sometimes people ask, “Why do we not use instrumental music in our worship?” • The answer is simple. We reject the use of mechanical instruments of music because there is no New Testament authority for such a practice.

5. A Biblical Answer • When the New Testament refers to music as an expression of worship, without exception, the focus in on singing (Matt. 26:30; Mark 14:26; Acts 16:25; Rom. 15:9; 1 Cor. 14:15; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; Heb. 2:12; James 5:13).

6. New Testament References to “sing/singing” • After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives (Matt. 26:30). • After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives (Mark 14:26). • But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them (Acts 16:25).

7. New Testament References to “sing/singing” • and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written, “Therefore I will give praise to You among the Gentiles, And I will sing to Your name” (Rom. 15:9). • What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also (1 Cor. 14:15). • speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord (Eph. 5:19).

8. New Testament References to “sing/singing” • Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God (Col. 3:16). • saying, “I will proclaim Your name to My brethren, In the midst of the congregation I will sing Your praise” (Heb. 2:12). • Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises (James 5:13).

9. New Testament References to “sing/singing” • And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation (Rev. 5:9, NASB95) • And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth (Rev. 14:3, NASB95) • And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations!” (Rev. 15:3, NASB95)

10. A Biblical Answer • One can safely conclude that, in the present dispensation, God wants us to worship Him in song.

11. Objections: “But… but… but...” • In spite of the plain teaching of Scripture, many attempt to justify the use of mechanical instruments of music. • Therefore, let us examine some of the arguments made in favor of instrumental music.

12. “It Is Supported by the Greek” • However, those who would make such statements show a lack of understanding concerning the Greek language.

13. Relevant Greek Words • The verb humneō occurs four times (Matt. 26:30; Mark 14:26; Acts 16:25; Heb. 2:12). • The verb adō occurs five times (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; Rev. 5:9; 14:3; 15:3). • The verb psallō occurs four times (Rom. 15:9; 1 Cor. 14:15; Eph. 5:19; James 5:13).

14. The Verb Humneō • The Greek verb humneō (ὑμνέω), derived from humnos (a hymn), means "to sing to, to laud" (Thomas 5214). • BDAG define it as " to sing a song in a cultic setting, esp. of praise and celebration; • [transitive] sing in praise to, sing in praise of (Acts 16:25; Heb. 2:12; Ps. 21:23); • [intransitive] sing (a hymn) (Ps. 64:14; Matt 26:30).

15. Occurrences • Occurring five times in the NT, in the NASB, it is rendered "singing a hymn" (Matt. 26:30; Mark 14:26), "singing hymns of praise" (Acts 16:25), and "sing… praise" (Heb. 2:12).

16. Occurrences • After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives (Matt. 26:30). • After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives (Mark 14:26). • But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praiseto God, and the prisoners were listening to them (Acts 16:25). • saying, “I will proclaim Your name to My brethren, In the midst of the congregation I will sing Yourpraise” (Heb. 2:12).

17. Root Meaning • The root word, humnos (ὕμνος), identifies " a hymn" (Thomas 5215). BDAG define it as "a song with religious content, hymn/song of praise esp. in honor of a deity" (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). • speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord (Eph. 5:19). • Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God (Col. 3:16).

18. The Verb Adō • The Greek word adō (ᾄδω), derived from aeidō (to sing), also means "to sing" (Thomas 103). BDAG define it as "sing (in praise)." • Occurring 5x in the NT and is always translated "singing" (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16) or "sang" (Rev. 5:9; 14:3; 15:3).

19. Occurrences • speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord (Eph. 5:19) • Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God (Col. 3:16)

20. Occurrences • And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation (Rev. 5:9) • And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth (Rev. 14:3) • And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations!” (Rev. 15:3)

21. The Verb Psallō • The Greek word psallō (ψάλλω), derived from psaō (to rub), means "to pull, twitch, twang, play, sing" [5567]. • It occurs 4x in the NT and is translated "sing" (Rom. 15:9; 1 Cor. 14:15; James 5:13) or "make melody" (Eph. 5:19).

22. Occurrences • and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written, “Therefore I will give praise to You among the Gentiles, And I will sing to Your name” (Rom. 15:9). • What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also (1 Cor. 14:15). • speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord (Eph. 5:19). • Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises (James 5:13).

23. “It Is Supported By The Greek” • The expression translated “make melody” in Ephesians 5:19 is from the Greek word PSALLO. • Its root meaning is “to pull, strike, pluck, or vibrate.”

24. Classical vs Koine • In Classical Greek, the word did, indeed, describe the playing of a mechanical instrument. • However, words change over time and in the Koine Greek of the New Testament this word applied exclusively to singing.

25. BDAG Greek-English Lexicon • BAGD = Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich & Danker (1979) • BDAG = Bauer, Danker, Arndt & Gingrich (2000) • A GREEK-ENGLISH LEXICON OF THE NEW TESTAMENT AND OTHER EARLY CHRISTIAN LITERATURE, 3rd Ed. • (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1958, 1979, 2000)

26. BAGD’s Definition of Psallo • ψάλλω in our literature, in accordance with OT usage, to sing songs of praise, with or without instrumental accompaniment, sing, sing praise… (Eph. 5:19; Rom. 15:9).

27. BAGD’s Definition of Psallo • The original meaning of ψ. was 'pluck', 'play' (a stringed instrument); this persisted at least to the time of Lucian (cp. Par. 17). • In the LXX ψ. frequently means 'sing', whether to the accompaniment of an instrument (Ps 32:2, 97:5 al.) or not, as is usually the case (Ps. 7:18; 9:12; 107:4; al.).

28. BAGD’s Definition of Psallo • This focus on singing continued until ψ. in Mod. Gk. means 'sing' exclusively; cp. ψάλτης=singer, chanter, with no reference to instrumental accompaniment.

29. BAGD’s Definition of Psallo • Although the NT does not voice opposition to instrumental music, in view of Christian resistance to mystery cults, as well as Pharisaic aversion to musical instruments in worship, it is likely that some such sense as make melody is best understood in this Ephesian passage. • Those who favor 'play' may be relying too much on the earliest meaning of ψάλλω.

30. Words Change Over Time • 1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong (KJV) • 1 Corinthians 16:13 Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong (NASB)

31. The Verb and the Direct Object • The Greek word PSALLO means “to pull, strike, pluck, or vibrate.” • This verb always requires a direct object: • To pluck a stringed instrument • To pluck a bowstring & shoot an arrow • To pluck a hair from one’s head • To pluck grapes from the vine • To pluck the heartstrings

32. True Scholarship • 47 scholars worked to produce the KJV and 101 scholars translated the ASV. • Every time PSALLO appeared, it was translated “sing” (Rom. 15:9; 1 Cor. 14:15; Eph. 5:19; James 5:13). • Were all these scholars wrong?

33. True Scholarship • It is interesting to note that many of these translators were members of churches which used instrumental music. • They could have attempted to justify their practice, yet they remained true to their scholarship.

34. True Scholarship • All modern, respected translations of Sacred Scripture translated these New Testament passages as “sing and make melody in your hearts.” • None of them say “play a mechanical instrument.”

35. A Necessary Conclusion • If one argues that PSALLO means “play an instrument,” then he has a problem. • All must participate in every act of worship: observing the Lord’s supper, praying, giving, listening to God’s word, and singing/playing. • No one can do it for you. Therefore, if one plays an instrument, all must play an instrument.

36. A Necessary Conclusion • How many of you can play an instrument? • If I cannot play an instrument, I therefore cannot worship. • If you cannot play an instrument, you therefore cannot worship.

37. Truth is for the Common Man • It is helpful for us to see the work of Greek scholars. • However, we are not Greek scholars. • The Bible is written for the common man. • Therefore, let us study things that the common man can easily understand.

38. Truth is for the Common Man • Beware of those who cannot prove their point from the common language, but try to prove their point from the Greek. • This is a form of intimidation: You cannot understand; I am a scholar. You must trust me.” • This is the attitude of the Roman Catholic priesthood.