A Cappella
More Evidence that the early Church did not use instrumental music
By Randy Blackaby

Christians are to be peculiar (special) people to God (Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 2:9). But other religious folks really view us as peculiar when they visit our worship services and notice that we don't use instrumental music. We simply sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Such is viewed as strange, archaic, almost Amish-like in today's denominational world, where worship and instrumental music are deemed almost synonymous.

Our best answer to those who question our practice is always a trip to the Scriptures, where the New Testament (the church's covenant) repeatedly tells us to sing. There is no command for, or example of, instrumental music in worship. Going to the Old Testament for commands and examples is misguided, because we don't live under the old covenant (Hebrews 8:6-9:15). That former covenant had not only instrumental music, but also animal sacrifices, incense burning, a separate priesthood, and Jerusalem-centered worship. If we pick part of that covenant to keep, are we not bound to keep it all?

Secondly, we might make the point that New Testament music is designed to praise God and to "teach and admonish one another." Thoughts expressed in words can do that, but mere sounds of an instrument can not (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16).

All that said, members of the church of Christ continue to experience the sense that we are out of step with the religious world, that we are being novel or peculiar. Actually, in one sense, the opposite is true.

The Background of A Cappella:

It is interesting that the word a cappella is used to describe singing without instrumental accompaniment. That term has an unusual and illuminating meaning. It is Latin and means "in the style of the chapel" or "in the style of the church." Think about the implications. When people sang without instrumental accompaniment, it was understood that they were singing in the way it was done during church worship.

Though there is some disagreement about how many centuries were involved, various histories of church music overwhelmingly agree that the music of the early church was simply vocal. They say that instrumental music wasn't introduced into church worship until 400, 800, or 1000 A.D. Such histories aren't the standard for what pleases God, but they confirm the picture painted in the New Testament.

A Sampling of Historical Evidence:

Other Voices on the Issue:

Again, the Bible is our authority, but as noticed earlier, writers in the first several centuries of the church age clearly understood that vocal music was the accepted form for worship. Following is a sampling from some of those writers.

Thomas Aquinas: "Our church does not use musical instruments, as harps and psalteries, to praise God withal, that she may not seem to Judaize."

Chrysostom: "David formerly sang songs; also today we sing hymns. He had a lyre with lifeless strings; the church has a lyre with living strings. Our tongues are the strings of the lyre with a different tone indeed but much more in accordance with piety." (381-398 A.D.) Catholicism did eventually introduce instrumental music into its worship sometime between the fifth and eleventh centuries. When the Reformation Movement sought to correct the errors of Catholicism, instrumental music's removal was one of the reforms.

John Calvin wrote, "Musical instruments in celebrating the praises of God would be no more suitable than the burning of incense, the lighting of lamps, and the restoration of the other shadows of the law. The Papists (Catholics-rb) 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 apostles is far more pleasing to Him."

Martin Luther said, "The organ in the worship is the insignia of Baal..."

Spiritual Worship

Dr. John Mark Hicks of Lipscomb University has commented on the reason behind the difference in Old-Testament worship, which admittedly had instrumental music, and New-Testament worship, which does not. He has written:

"Ephesians 5:19 also contains a phrase which may reflect a typological understanding of music. Paul links together two verbs, singing and making melody, which are sometimes found together in the Psalms concerning temple worship. They allude to the Levitical choir and band (cf. Psalms 68:25). They sang and played on harps to the Lord (Psalms 33:3; 144:9; cf. Psalms 21:13; 27:6; 56:8; 104:33; 105:2; 108:1). Israel made melody to the Lord on harps in the temple (Psalms 33:2; 71:22; 98:5; 144:9; 147:7; 149:3). Paul's language stands in explicit contrast with the language of the Psalms. While the Psalms envision a temple service with a Levitical choir and band, Paul envisions singing which arises out of the playing of the heart rather than the harp. In contrast to playing the strings of a harp, we are to be filled with the Spirit by praising God with the strings of our hearts. Instead of sing and play an instrument to the Lord as it appears in the Psalms, Paul writes sing and play your heart to the Lord."

"Early Christians believed that the harps in the Psalms were typological of the heart in new covenant worship. While the temple worship played on the harp and used instrumental voices, Christians play the heart and use living voices. When we remember how integral the musical instruments were to temple worship, along with incense and animal sacrifices, it is most likely that Christians did not use instrumental music because of its association with the temple.

"We no longer pray to a holy place like the temple (cf. 1 Kings 8:33, 35, 41, 48) because we worship God anywhere through the Spirit. We no longer offer animal sacrifices because Christ is our sacrifice. We no longer offer incense to aid our prayers because our prayers are our incense. We no longer play with the harp to aid our singing because our living voices are our praise to God. It may be that early Christians would no more return to instrumental music than they would return to animal sacrifices and the offering of incense.

"In contrast to temple sanctuaries, Christian worship is rooted in the indwelling Spirit through whom we have access to the Father by Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:18-22). We are the temple of God. We are living sacrifices (Romans 12:1-2). We offer the sacrifice of praise with our lips (Hebrews 13:15)."

Finally:

So, while in today's environment the Lord's church seems strange or eccentric because it rejects instrumental music for worshipping the Lord, the fact is that we reflect the early church's understanding and practice, illustrated in Biblical teaching and confirmed by secular history. Our music is a cappella, "in the style of the church."

Brother Blackaby has certainly added some heavy evidence that instrumental music was added many years after the instructions given in the sacred Scriptures. It's evident that those in the early church had the same problem with it we have today-it just isn't authorized in the Bible's instructions for music in worshipping Him. Let's examine what the Bible DOES SAY!

All nine of the New-Testament passages listed above use some form of the word SING. There are no passages that say they PLAYED. The Bible is silent; there is not one passage! Surely, if the early disciples used mechanical instruments in their worship to God we would have an example or a command for worshipping God in the same manner. Could it be that some people are just not content to accept what the Scriptures say because it doesn't agree with their own preconceived conclusions or desires?

Many of today's religions, including some of our brethren, are allowing their members to choose between two different music types-TRADITIONAL and CONTEMPORARY. The traditional type varies from just singing, to use of a piano or organ. Contemporary consists of full choirs, bands, or even rock gospel music (whatever that is). Members can pick the one they prefer. Have we forgotten that we should be seeking to please God and not ourselves?

The music in today's denominational churches is often geared toward the demands of the people, rather than the demands of the One to whom they are offering the music. Only if we follow the pattern the Lord gave in His word can we give to Him the glory and honor He deserves. Some say the instruments make the music sound better. To whom--God or men? (KMG)


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