The History of Instrumental Music
INTRODUCTION
A. Something which sets us apart from the majority of the religious world is the absence of instrumental
music in the worship.
1. I know a preacher who says that one night as he was sleeping, he got a phone call from the church's
security system saying there had been a break in at the building.
a. The preacher got up, threw some clothes on, and headed for the building.
b. But, the security company had also alerted the local sheriff, and the sheriff arrived at the building
before the preacher.
c. When the preacher arrived at the building, the sheriff informed the preacher, "It doesn't look
like they took anything but your piano."
2. Dan Chambers, in his excellent little book, "Where's the Piano?", tells of taking his children to a
large denominational church in Nashville to hear a renowned speaker on the subject of Creation vs.
evolution.
a. His six-year-old son Chris sat down near the front of the building and began looking at the
enormous multi-level stage in front of them.
b. Finally, the little boy couldn't take it any longer and blurted out, "Dad, what are those drums
doing up there?"
B. That is a solid, right question to ask: "What are those drums or that piano or that organ doing up
there?"
1. The New Testament never mentions the use of instrumental music in relation to the singing of praises
to God.
a. "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all you peoples" (Rom 15:11).
b. "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your
heart to the Lord" (Eph 5:19).
c. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all
wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God"
(Col 3:16).
2. Some have said through the years that the silence of the Scriptures should not and does not prohibit
the use of incremental music in worship. We must understand, however, that the Scripture's
silence is prohibitive.
a. In speaking of the change of the priesthood, the author of Hebrews writes, "It is clear that our
Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests" (Heb
7:14).
1) The Old Testament simply said that the Levites were to be priests and it never once said that
those from the tribe of Judah could not serve as priests.
2) Yet because God had specified the Levites were to serve as priests, that excluded all other
tribes.
b. "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: lf anyone adds anything to
them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away
from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the
holy city, which described in this book" (Rev 22:18-19).
3. Some have also said that the instrument is, like a song book or a microphone, an aid to assist in the
worship of God.
a. That overlooks that they are two types of music-vocal and instrumental and that God has
specified vocal music.
b. That also overlooks that instrumental music cannot add one thing to what God desires singing to
accomplish in worship.
1) From both Eph 5:19 and Col 3:16, it is clear that music in the assembly is to speak, to teach,
and to admonish.
2) How can a lifeless instrument one must play speak to me, teach me anything, or admonish
me in my Christian life?
c. That also overlooks the fact that in the Old Testament, instrumental music did not just aid the
worship, but it was worship in and of itself.
1) Ps 150.
2) While some have also wanted to use such texts to justify instrumental music in the New
Testament era. Jesus took the Old Law out of the way at his cross (Eph 2:14-15). Using
instrumental music simply because it was mentioned in the Old Testament would be no
more appropriate than burning incense. offering sacrifices, erecting a temple, and other Old
Testament avenues of worship.
C. Tonight, I want us to go back in time and examine what some well-known scholars of the past have
said on the subject of instrumental music and see that we are not at all unusual in the history of
Christendom.
1. Although we are in the minority in the modern world, as we examine history, we find that we are in
the majority, for instrumental music has been rejected by learned people since the beginning of the
church.
2. I also want us to notice the problems incremental music has caused among brethren since the
beginning of the church.
THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS
A. The early church fathers were unanimous in their denunciation of instrumental music.
1. Clement of Alexandria who lived from 150-215 wrote:
a. "He who is from David, yet before him, the Word of God, scorning the lyre and cithara as
lifeless instruments, and having rendered harmonious by the Holy Spirit both his cosmos and
even man the microcosm, made up of body and soul-he sings to God on his many voiced
instrument and he sings to man, himself an instrument: 'You are my cithara, my aulos and my
temple,' a cithara because of harmony, and aulos because of spirit and a temple because of the
word, so that the first might strung the second might breathe and the third might encompass the
Lord."
b. Again Clement wrote: "We, however, make use of but one instrument, the word of peace alone
by which we honor God, and no longer the ancient psaltery, nor the trumpet, the tympanum and
the aulos, as was the custom among those expert in war and those scornful of the fear of God
who employed string investments in heir festive gatherings, as if to arouse the remissness of
spirit through such rhythms."
2. Tertullian, who lived from 170-225, like many of the ancient Christian writers saw instrumental
music associated watts the theaters of the ancient world, which they saw as immoral. Tertullian
wrote: "Clearly Liber and Venus are the patrons of the theatrical arts. That immodesty of gesture
and bodily movement so peculiar and proper to the stage is dedicated to them, the one god dissolute
in her sex, the other in his dress. While whatever transpires in voices melody instruments and
writing is in the domain of Apollo, the Muses, Minerva and Mercury. O Christian, you will detest
those things whose authors you cannot but detest!"
3. Isidore of Pelusium who died about 435 wrote: "A carousal, my dear friend, is the intoxicating
aulos, together with prolonged drinking, which arouses one to sensuality, and makes of the
symposium a shameful theater, as it bewitches the guests with cymbals and other instruments of
deception. It is written that they who frequent it stand outside the kingdom, as they well know."
4. Gregory of Nazianzus, who lived from 329 to 389, wrote: "First, brethren let us celebrate the feast,
not with carnal rejoicing, nor with extravagance and frequent changes of clothing, nor with
carousing and drunkenness, nor surrounded by the sound of ion and percussion; for this is the
manner of the monthly Grecian rites . . . . Let his take up hymns rather than tympana, psalmody
rather the shameful dances and songs, a well-rendered applause of thanksgiving rather than
theatrical applause, meditation rather than debauchery."
5. Epiphanius of Salamis, who lived from 315 to 403, wrote: "In fact the aulos itself is an imitation of
the serpent through which the Evil One spoke and tricked Eve. For it was in imitation of that type
that the aulos was made, for the pulse of deceiving mankind. And observe the type, which he
who plays the aulos represents upon the instrument. For the player throws his head back, then bows
forward; he inclines to the right then similarly to the left. Now the devil has used the same gestures
in order to flaunt blasphemously at the inhabitants of heaven, and to bring utter destruction to things
on earth, at once encompassing the entire world, causing ruin right and left to those persuaded and
charmed by his treachery, as if by the deceptive tones of a musical instrument."
6. John Chrysostom, who lived from 347 to 407 and was probably the best orator the church ever saw
wrote: "He allowed those instruments, then, for this reason: because of their weakness, and because
he wanted to temper the in love and harmony, to raise their understanding through enjoyment to
do what accrues to their benefit and to lead them to great zeal through enticement of this sort. For
knowing their thoughtlessness, laziness and carelessness, go wished to arouse them by this
stratagem, blending the sweetness of melody in with the effort of paying attention."
B. The first instrument used in Christian worship seems to have been introduced by Pope Vitalian I about
AD 666.
1. The Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia, an authoritative source on church history records: "In the Greek
Church the organ never came into use. But after the eighth century it become more and more
common in the Latin Church; not, however, without opposition from the side of the monks. Its
misuse, however, raised so great an opposition to it, that but for the Emperor Ferdinand, it would
probably have been abolished by the Council of Trent. The Reformed Church discarded it; and
though the Church of Basel very early reintroduced it, it was in other places admitted only
sparingly, and after long hesitation."
2. Interestingly, Pope Pius IV published a document on church music on November 22, 1903. In
paragraph IV, the document says, "Although the music proper to the Church is purely vocal music,
music with the accompaniment of the organ is also permitted."
WHAT DO CHURCH HISTORIANS SAY ABOUT INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC?
A. Church historians are unanimous that instrumental music was not used in the primitive church.
1. J. E. Riddle wrote: "These instruments of music were introduced into the Christian church about the
ninth century. They were unknown alike to the early church, and to all the ancients . . . . The large
wind organ was known, however, long before it was introduced into the churches of the west. It
appears, from the testimony of Augustine and others, that it was known in Africa and Spain, as
early as the fifth and sixth centuries. The first organ used in a church was one which was received
by Charlemagne as a present from the emperor Constantine Michael . . . . In the east, organs were
never approved as instruments of sacred music, nor did the use of them continue without opposition
in the west."
2. Lyman Coleman wrote: "The organ constituted no part of the furniture of the ancient churches. The
first instance on record of its use in the church, occurred in the time of Charlemagne, who received
one as a present from Constantine Michael, which was set up in the church at Aix-la-Chapelle. The
musicians of this city, and of Mentz, learned to play on the organ in Italy, from which it appears that
they were already known in that country."
3. John Kurtz wrote: "At first church music was simple, artless, recitative. But the rivalry of heretics
forced the orthodox church to pay greater attention to the requirements of art. Chrysostom had to
declaim against the secularization of church music. More lasting was the opposition of the church
to the introduction of instrumental accompaniment."
4. Philip Schaff, one of the greatest church historians ever, wrote: "The use of organs in churches is
ascribed to Pope Vitalian. Constantine Copronymos sent an organ with other presents to King
Pepin of France in 767. Charlemagne received one as a present from the Caliph Haroun al Rashid,
and had it put up in the cathedral of Aix-la-Chapelle .... The attitude of the churches toward the
organ varies. It shared to some extent the fate of images except that it never was an object of
worship .... The Greek Church disapproves the use of organs. The Latin Church introduced it
pretty generally, but not without the protest of eminent men, so that even in the Council of Trent a
motion was made, though not carried, to prohibit the organ at least in the mass."
5. Joseph Bingham wrote, "Music in churches is as ancient of the apostles, but instrumental music not
so."
B. Can there be any doubt that instrumental music was not present in the earliest days of the church?
WHAT HAVE VARIOUS COMMENTATORS SAID ABOUT INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC?
A. William Beveridge wrote: "All the while that you are singing and praising God, keep your minds as
intent as you can upon it, without taking any notice at all of the organs, for they will have their effect
upon you better if you do not mind them than if you do; for your minding of them will divert your
thoughts from the work you are about."
B. Charles Buck wrote: "Much has been said as to the use of instrumental music in the house of God. On
the one side it is observed that we ought not to object to it, because it assists devotion; that it was used
in the worship of God under the Old Testament; and that the worship of heaven is represented by a
delightful union of vocal and instrumental music. But on the other side, it is remarked, that nothing
should be done in or about God`s worship without example or precept from the New Testament; that,
instead of aiding devotion, it often tends to draw off the mind from the right object; that it does not
accord with the simplicity of Christian worship; that the practice of those who lived under the
ceremonial dispensation can be no rule for us; that not one text in the New Testament requires or
authorizes it by precept or example, by express words or fair inference; and that the representation of
the musical harmony in heaven is merely figurative language, denoting the happiness of the saints."
C. Adam Clarke wrote: "But were it even evident, which it is not, either from this or any other place in
the sacred writings, that instruments of music were prescribed by Divine authority under the law, could
this be adduced with any semblance of reason, that they ought to be used in Christian worship? No;
the whole spirit, soul, and genius of the Christian religion are against this: and those who know the
Church of God best, and what constitutes its genuine spiritual state, know that these things have been
introduced as a substitute for the life and power of religion; and that where they prevail most, there is
least of the power of Christianity. Away with such portentous baubles from the worship of that infinite
Spirit who requires his followers to worship him in spirit and in truth, for to no such worship are those
instruments friendly."
D. Erasmus, a contemporary of Martin Luther, wrote: "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."
E. John Calvin, the well-known Reformation leader, asserted: "Musical instruments in celebrating the
praises of God would be no more suitable than the burning of incense, the lighting up of lamps, and the
restoration of other shadows of the law, The papists, 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 apostle is far more pleasing to Him."
CONCLUSION
A. There can be little doubt that instrumental music was not used in the earliest days of the church, nor
that the New Testament does not in any way authorize its use.
B. Those who desire to be faithful to God will sing and make music on their hearts, not on a mechanical
instrument. Are you faithful to God?