MUSIC CAN BE A GIFT FROM HEAVEN
Psalm 81 : 1 Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob! 2 Begin the music, strike the timbrel, play the melodious harp and lyre. 3 Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon, and when the moon is full, on the day of our festival; 4 this is a decree for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob. 5 When God went out against Egypt, he established it as a statute for Joseph.
The devotional singing was likely always present in the Christian worship, but we cannot state the same about the usage of the instrumental music in the Christian congregations.
Nowadays, it is almost generally expected, when you go to a church, you will hear musical instruments during service. Very few Christian groups refuse musical instruments in their worship services based on theological considerations, as some of them say musical instruments should not be a part of Christian services because they are very much present in pagan worship, especially in the ancient world.
Today, although musical instruments are mostly accepted in Christian Churches, still there is a major, mainstream, intercontinental denomination, which bans, or at least highly does not recommend the usage of any musical instruments, and that is the Greek Orthodox Church, which includes not only Greece, but its parallel denominations in Russia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and all over everywhere else.
They reason that the church must focus on the human voice in worshiping God, as the most appropriate instrument. Singing together elevates the unity and the participation of the community.
Many early church fathers, like Clement of Alexandria in the late second century, were concerned that musical instruments will bring pagan spirits and pagan practices into the church. He and others maintained that the church should stay away from emotional manipulation through music.
Saint Augustine in the 5th century and many others later were opposed to the musical instruments in worship as the tools of sensuality and essential idolatry. Saint Augustine, whose religious philosophy is used in the Augustinian order of monastic life, went even so far, that he suggested that even singing should be replaced by mere recitations, lest the melodic tunes distract the believers from the truth in the lyrics.
In the early centuries Christianity in general avoided musical instruments in worship, and this included the Roman churches as well. Nonetheless, from the so called Carolingian renaissance, permeated by the Frankish Empire of Charlemagne, from the early 9th century organs were gradually adopted in the great cathedrals, but they still needed centuries for their general acceptance in Western Europe.
Saint Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century still saw the musical instruments as remnants of the Jewish elements in Christianity, thus, he opposed their presence in worship as a Judaizing tool.
Saint Thomas Aquinas quoted Aristotle, saying that “Flutes ought not to be introduced into teaching, nor any artificial instrument such as the harp.”
Saint Thomas Aquinas tended to forget that Aristotle was a pagan, as well. Parallel with Aristotle he stated that musical instruments usually move the soul more to pleasure than create a good internal disposition. He wrote, that in the Old Testament, instruments of these kind were used, because the people were more coarse and carnal. (sic! Summa Theologiae 2a2ae,91) Thomas and others practically said, that we oppose music in worship, because the Jews had music in their worship, and we must differ from the Jews.
It looks true that the very cause of the very opposing of the instrumental music in Christianity profoundly had something to do with opposing Judaism, where it is clear that in Jewish worship and life the usage of the musical instruments was very much not only permitted, but it was almost an obligation, as it is written in the 81st psalm we just read, and stated in it that the mandatory praising the Lord with music “is a decree for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob. When God went out against Egypt, he established it as a statute for Joseph.”
It is exacerbated in many places of the Hebrew Scriptures like as it is written in the Psalm 33 (1-2) : “Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous. Praise befits the upright.
33:2 Praise the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings. ”
Early Christian opposition of music other than singing was simply wrong and un-Biblical.
The case today is practically different, except in the Greek Orthodox universe, and with some Protestants, who say that in the New Testament, we do not have any explicit permission to use musical instruments in worship.
We can feel that this is an extreme interpretation of the New Testament, though the question, that the how music should be a part of the worship and how much music should play a role in a service, is still a question.
Nonetheless, it is written in the Second Book of the Kings, chapter 3, that “the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out (against Moab), and after they had traveled a roundabout route for seven days, they had no water for their army or for their animals. “Alas,” said the king of Israel, “for the LORD has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab!” But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here? Let us inquire of the LORD through him.” And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.” Jehoshaphat affirmed, “The word of the LORD is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. … Then Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not for my regard for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or acknowledge you. But now, bring me a harpist. And while the harpist played, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha …”
Indeed, some music can be disturbing, can be distracting, can be menacing, but when it is decreed in the Bible that “Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous. Praise befits the upright. Praise the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings.” (Psalm 33)
We cannot ignore the Biblical statute, because it is a commandment.
We can acknowledge that the Greek monastic chanting is magnificent, but the thundering organ of Johann Sebastian Bach in his contemporary Lutheran church also conveyed a portion of Heaven above, as God wants not only our intellect to understand the truth, but also wants our hearts to feel and accept love and mercy, justice and compassion.
When and where musical instruments are used to convey the major message of the Bible, it can hardly go wrong. And the major message is: The Lord God is One. You shall love the Lord from your whole soul, from your whole heart, with your whole strength. Music belongs to the realm of dreams. We do no like nightmares for sure. Thus, may we have the sweet musical dreams of Heaven, may our music be blessed by the Lord, AMEN.
