Truth Basis for Studying Music

 

Truth Basis for Studying Music

 Every musician studies the music of the Bible from some truth basis.  Simply put, a musician either believes that what the Bible teaches about music and musicing is true truth or that it is flawed, is outdated and is therefore without relevance  today, is only partially reliable, or that since  the mention of music is used in a figurative* sense, it not reliable at all.  Every music scholar begins serious study of music in the Bible with some presuppositions.  A Christian musician either believes or doesn’t believe 2Timothy 3:16,-17,  “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”  So, to make the author’s intentions clear, this work has been carefully prepared with much respect for everything that the Bible teaches about music and musicing.  It has been prepared with the presupposition that the Bible is God breathed (inspired) true truth.

When I commit my beliefs to pen and ink, it is possible that I spend more time with English dictionaries, Bible language dictionaries, and lexicons than I do writing my own thoughts.  My writings are far from inspired, but that does not mean that I do not labor over each word, phrase, and sentence.  I would be greatly offended if my readers were to suppose that I had intended to write the opposite meaning of my intent.  Much of the work of producing the second edition has been in a thorough review of the conclusions drawn in the first edition. 

So, if a writer expects readers to trust his or her supposed meanings of the original Bible words used in that person’s writings, that author must treat the ancient inspired writings of the Old and New Testaments with much respect.  Changing the Holy Writ to merely fit modern thinking such as giving Bible instruments modern instrument names or changing the meaning of original words used to explain music or musicing mentioned in the Bible is a very risky writing technique.