Toward a Bible Based Music Theology

 

Toward a Bible Based Theology of Music and Musicing

Abstract

          This paper discusses the fundamental differences between a Bible based music philosophy and Bible based Music Theology.  We will also discuss, from a Christian perspective, Bible Based Music Philosophy.  This paper will define music theology and music philosophy. It is not a presentation of a music theology, but rather a suggested path toward the development of a Bible based music theology.  It is also a discussion of what may and may not be used appropriately in a music theology and or a philosophy.

            This discussion of music theology addresses Bible based music theology and such considerations as the importance of studying the mention of music and musicing in the Bible by utilizing methods like epistemology that will help one to draw more accurate informed conclusions. Other considerations include: understanding, limits of knowing, Divine will, First-order truth (true truth)*, reliability of Scripture, faith basis, and English translations. This paper draws eleven conclusions about Music Theology.

Click link to read complete paper here. 

Are They Musical Convictions or Preferences? Part 2

 

Are They Musical Convictions or Preferences? Part 2

 

 I am not saying that my philosophical preferences do not matter.  I am simply acknowledging that my relationship with other Christian musicians matters more than most of my musical preferences.  They matter enough for me to disagree agreeably with my Christian colleagues who are of a different opinion about music education and church music preferences. So, I must very carefully differentiate between my musical preferences and Bible principles of musicing which are not negotiable.

The Christian musician must remember that I\it is important to have a tender conscience.  When one believes that a certain type of music or musicing is destructive to that person’s spiritual life it is dangerous to ignore what one believes to be the checks of the Holy Spirit.  However, that musician should not demand that everyone refrain from musicing in a certain way if the  Bible is silent about a certain way of musicing.

 

 

Are They Musical Convictions or Preferences? Part 1

 

Are They Musical Convictions or Preferences? Part 1

 

What the music educator firmly believes about the nature and value of music at its deepest levels should exude from that musician’s musical convictions.  A musical conviction is the strong feeling of being sure that what that musician believes about music is true and therefore must be followed.   A musical preference is different in that it is a greater liking for one musical alternative over another.  As the reader can see there is a dramatic difference between the two terms.

I am not only passionate about my about my philosophic music convictions, I am also passionate about the philosophical preferences that I have which I earnestly believe are important to excellence in musicing. However, there is something that I have learned over the years that has helped me.  I have learned that some of my preferences do not matter enough to cause me to break fellowship with other musicians who disagree with me. In the light of what words spoken do to relationships, most musical preferences really do not matter as much as we think they do when the waves of adversity and disagreement are blowing.  At these times we all find that we need Christian musical friendship more than having our way musically.   What we need to do in these times is let the blessed Holy Spirit be our rudder to help us stay out of “foot in mouth disease” and remain on course musically.

Music is Analogous to Language-part 2

 

Music is Analogous to Language-part 2

Since there are several ways in which music communicates  understandable meaning, I am drawn to the conclusion that instrumental music does often refer outside of itself.  It may refer by implication, association, emotional previous connection, by what the sounds mean in the context of community, and by the specific emotional states that the music part of the music arouses in the performer and listener.  When I refer to specific emotions, I mean that the complex emotions aroused have real life meaning—not that music’s “meaning is in a bubble” that does not have any real life meaning.  I reject the notion that musical meaning is part of a closed system unrelated to real life.

 

Music is Analogous to Language-part 1

 

Music is Analogous to Language-part 1

Although there is a host of music philosophers who believe that music is incapable of communicating any real life meaning, many musicians and music philosophers have been over the centuries and are currently so convinced that music communicates real life meaning that some of them consider music to be a “language”.  Others have considered it to be a language of emotions.  I consider music to be analogous to but not completely synonymous with spoken and written language.  Although what music communicates is somewhat like what a spoken or written language communicates, the theory that they are exactly alike breaks down when considered in its entirety.  The music part of music cannot say, “It is twenty degrees outside today, so wear a coat.”  So, one must concede that instrumental music performed alone is not capable of communicating real life meaning with the specificity of a written language.  However, that does not mean that the music part of music does not communicate understandable meaning that is relative to real life understanding.

Understanding Sacred Music

 

Understanding Sacred Music

The reason the Levite musicians could prophesy “in the words of God” for the service of the LORD is simply that they understood sacred music.  The Bible does not tell us that these musicians were proficient in all the artistic wisdom of Hurrians, Hittites, Babylonians, Assyrians, Persians, Sumerians, or Akkadians, but rather in the sacred songs of the Temple.  Likewise, in the New Testament, in the Ephesian letter, church musicians are admonished to “speak to yourselves in psalms (psalmos 5568) and hymns (humnos 5215) and spiritual songs (pneumatikos 4152 oide 5503).”  The New Testament Christian musician is counseled to be knowledgeable in the songs of the Lord.  Colossians 3:16 also confirms that the Christian musician must be knowledgeable in the songs of the Lord when it states, “teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs”.  These church musicians were knowledgeable in the psalms of the Bible, hymns or songs of laudation to God and spiritual or non-carnal songs.

Putting Specifics to What One Believes-part 2

 

Putting Specifics to What One Believes-part 2

As to the issue of naming names, St Paul mentioned Demas in 2Timothy 4:10 and in Galatians 2:11 Paul mentions Peter, ”But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed”.  Note that Paul mentioned people by name in his letters to other Christians.  Certainly modern thought would consider that St, Paul was not politically correct, but I would remind the reader that he wrote these letters under the inspiration of the blessed Holy Spirit.  It is one thing to think about what is right and wrong with religious music, but it won’t do much good if we do not share, in love, that knowledge with other Christians.

1John 4:1 teaches, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”  It seems that almost everyone is an expert on church music in this century.  Just as prevalent is the notion that worship leaders have heard from God that this or that way of musicing is “of the Spirit”.  Certainly, what 1John teaches in the fourth chapter of his epistle is apropos today.  Every worship leader is responsible to “try the spirits whether they are of God”.  A wise man once said, “You should believe almost none of what you hear and only about half of what you see”. 

Putting Specifics to What One Believes-part 1

 

Putting Specifics to What One Believes-part 1

It is not considered politically correct to specify what and whom when it comes to sacred music and musicing.  So, Christian musicians tiptoe through the tulips so to speak when it comes to putting specifics to what one considers to be wrong with some religious music and musicing. The Matthew 7:1,statement, “Judge not, that ye be not judged” is often used as a prohibition of making any musical judgements that are specific even though these judgments have legitimate foundations that have a Bible and or a music basis. The Bible also states in John 7:24, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment”.  The Bible also states in Matthew 7:20, “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them”.

The fabric of music and the landscape that surrounds it is “Christian” only when it is congruent with and has a footprint that is theologically accurate and has the propensity to accurately represent the moral nature of God.  Christians have the right and the responsibility to inspect the music’s “fruit”.  Let me  put it simply, for those who find it difficult to conceptualize my writings.  If something looks like a duck, walks like a duck, sounds like a duck, swims like a duck, has a duck’s footprint, and associates itself with other ducks, one may safely make the judgment that it is indeed a duck.

Training Our Own part 3

 

Training Our Own   part 3

 

     One more concept is note-worthy in this passage of Scripture. 1 Chronicles 25:1 records, “Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals…” The musical sons of Jeduthun prophesied (naba, nabiy 5012, 5030--to sing by inspiration as a prophet) with the harp.  It is significant that the six sons were taught to sing by inspiration while they played the harp, psaltery, and cymbals by their God-fearing chief musician father.  He taught his sons to give thanks i.e. hold out their hands in avowal and thankfulness to God.  He also taught them to praise (halal 1984) and to show or to boast about the self-existent, eternal God as they sang and played by the inspiration of God.

Many parents who love and serve the Lord do not recognize the great need for the next generation to be “instructed in the songs of the LORD”. As a matter of fact some Christian parents do not recognize that their children need any music education at all.  Many parents who are not Christians are more consistent in training their children musically than some Christian parents. Assuming that an astute music educator recognizes the necessity of quality music in elementary and secondary education, we are now ready to consider the necessity of a study of music philosophy at the elementary and secondary levels.

 

Training Our Own part 2

 

Training Our Own   part 2

 

 The Christian music educator has an awesome responsibility like Heman to be the King’s “seer” or a beholder of a vision of God’s kingdom (see 1 Chronicles 25:5).  Christian musicians are responsible to pass that vision on to those with whom they minister and those who are “under your hands”.  1 Chronicles 25:3 states, “Of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, and Mattithiah [and Shimei mentioned in verse 17], six under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks and to praise the LORD.” This Scripture is an example of a musician in ancient Israel who was wise enough to musically educate his own sons.  According to 1 Chronicles 25:7, “So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of the LORD, even all that were cunning, was two hundred fourscore and eight.”  These ancient musicians did not send their children to the Philistines to receive music lessons.  They trained their own because they had musical massa (4853) or burden for the musical training of his own household like Chenaniah mentioned in 1 Chronicles 15:22. 

 The concept of training our own is not only an Old Testament concept but also a New Testament principle.  1 Timothy 5:8 states, “But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”[i]  Although this New Testament verse does not specifically mention music education, I believe the concept mentioned here is broader than the care of widows.

 

---

 

Training Our Own part 1

 

Training Our Own   part 1

1 Chronicles 25:6 tells us, “All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the LORD, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God according to the King’s order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman.”  The Levite sons were under their father’s “hands for song” (yad shiyr 3027, 7891).  This Scripture is probably a reference to cheironomy i.e. the use of hand signs to designate pitches to the Levite musicians.  So, these musicians were under the hands of their father who was a cheironomer or at least knew how to teach others the ancient art of cheironomy.  Now many centuries later, young people are under our hands for song like the Levite sons in ancient Israel.  The conducting gestures used by the conductor actually place these ministering Christian musicians under his or her hands.

           It is an awesome responsibility to have children, young people, and adults who are depending on us for musical and spiritual leadership.  Chapter twenty-five of 1 Chronicles is a discourse about the chief musicians who were music directors and the young musicians who received musical training and leadership from godly musicians like Asaph, Heman (Ethan), and Jeduthun.  These Levite men taught musical matters in the context of service to Elohiym the supreme exceeding God.

 

A Music Education Credo

 

A Music Education Credo

          The more than 600 references to music in the Bible are given by inspiration of God and are profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction (that includes music and musicing) today. The Bible provides timeless, relevant, and practical spiritual guidance for twenty-first century musicians.  The principles of musicing set forth in the Bible are relevant for developing a music education philosophy and praxis.  The only completely safe teacher of Christian music education and music philosophy is the Holy Spirit who is willing to guide Christian musicians into all truth concerning music education in this century.  

           There are absolutes concerning music education and its place in a Christian organization’s ministry.  A prescriptive Christian music education philosophy must be   built on Bible principles of musicing, profundity, appropriateness and standards of correctness.  There is room for taste in music in the context of music education, but the use of music in education is not all a matter of personal taste since it must be congruent with the principles of a changed life.  God thought music into being.  He owns it and His Word addresses it specifically.  Therefore, we should study Gods Word to *ascertain what He thinks about music and musicing. The Old Testament teaches that it is the responsibility of Christians to educate their own musically so that good causes in music may be served.  His Word commands us to instruct our children in “the songs of the LORD”. (1 Chronicles 25:7)

           Although Christian musicians live in this present evil world, they are not of this present world system and therefore a philosophy of Christian music education should be of a higher renovated character than secular, humanistic philosophies of music education.  A Christian music educator’s music philosophy matters to God, and although there is much evil in this century, conservative Spirit-filled musicians can effect changes in Christian music education that will have a positive influence in this century.  Parents, churches, Christian schools, and Bible colleges who have a Chistocentric music philosophy can and should catechize the next generation of Christian musicians.

Wise Men Came to Worship Christ

 

Wise Men Came to Worship Christ

Matthew 2:1-2 states, “Now when Jesus was born on Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”

       We do not know when the kings came to Jerusalem, or when they appeared at Joseph and Mary’s home.  It is generally believed that it was about a year after Christ’s birth.  There is much conjecture about just who these Eastern Magi were.  Many believe that they were astrologers and or philosophers.  There is some possibility that they were Jews of mixed descent who lived in distant lands and were knowledgeable of the Messianic prophesies in the Jewish Scrolls.  If so, then they would have believed that the time of Christ’s coming was at hand. 

       Since they followed Christ’s star, there possible were astrologers among them –and thus the statement “We have followed his star”.  However, the thing that really mattered was that they traveled all those miles to worship Christ.  They believed that he was the “king” so they diligently sought after Him.  They believed that they would indeed find the Christ child.  Even more importantly it sees that they believed that He was the Messiah and that He was worthy of their worship.

       Hebrews 11:6 states, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”  Wise men and women still seek Him.  In their seeking it is still necessary for them to believe, like the wise men who sought after Christ; and they must believe, not only that he is, but that he will reward those who seek him with salvation."

ible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”  Wise men and women still seek Him.  In their seeking it is still necessary for them to believe, like the wise men who sought after Christ; and they must believe, not only that he is, but that he will reward those who seek him with salvation.

 

 

Amen, and Amen

 

Amen, and Amen                                           

Re 1:5-6, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood; And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”  Take some time to think about what “Amen” means.  The word amen used in this verse in the NT is a Hebrew loan word that means ‘of verity’ or ‘so be it’.   When I think about Jesus Christ is a faithful witness that loved me so much that He loved me in spite of my sin, I say halleluiah amen!  Think of it, the prince of the kings of the earth loved me enough to die for my sin.  When I ponder on the wonder of His love I am amazed that He suffered and died for a small sinful boy who grew up on an eighty-acre farm in eastern Kansas. 

Wow! I’m about to get blessed and make some noise.  I’m not sure that I am capable of sitting here much longer without praising my Lord and Savior loudly.  I’m about ready to make a joyful noise to express my happiness.  Those around me will not understand what is going on in my inner most soul right now.  They may take me away and restrain me with a straight jacket, but that’s ok because my wonderful Lord will understand.  If I tell them that I am thinking about my Savior who is the first begotten of the dead and my soon coming king, they will consider me to be just another religious fanatic but that’s ok because my Lord and Savior will know that I am perfectly sane.

My Savior knows how many sins His precious blood washed away in an instant.  He knows how he transformed me into a king and priest unto His glory.  Christian musician look up with joy.  Take heart because he has done the same for you.  Let your mouth be filled with many Amens and Hallelujahs unto the victorious Lamb of God.  Remember that you are on the winning side because you serve a God who will have dominion and glory forever, Amen.

No Room for Jesus

 

No Room for Jesus

St. Luke2:7 states, And she brought forth her first born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

       Can you imagine that there was actually no room for the Son of God in the inn in Bethlehem?  Many times we as musicians have a hard time understanding why bad things happen to good people.  Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus were certainly good people.  Why did God the Father let Jesus, His only begotten son, be born in a cattle shelter which was perhaps a cave?  From our very finite understanding it would seem that there could have been at least a tiny room that no one was using.  However God the Father let His only son be born in obscurity and humility.  On this blessed day of days, we should remember that, regardless of our circumstances, most of us were not born in a place of humility like Jesus. 

       Jesus didn’t let his surroundings and his humble birth ever affect His ministry.  Likewise, His earthly parents did not let the humility of the circumstances of Christ’s birth affect their vision of who Jesus was and their role in the accomplishment of the will of God.  Thank God for Mary and Joseph who did not let their situation deter them from obeying God that wonderful night long ago in Bethlehem.     .

The Long Journey to Bethlehem

 

The Long Journey to Bethlehem

            Luke 2:4-5 states, “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David :) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.”       The long trek from Nazareth to Bethlehem by Joseph and Mary was a journey of faith.  Caesar Augustus had decreed that all the people should be registered or “taxed”.  Joseph’s journey with Mary was not merely an act of obedience to Caesar Augustus, but also to God.  As we discussed yesterday, the angel had assured Joseph that he should not be afraid to accept Mary as his espoused wife.

       Now Mary and Joseph are on their journey toward Bethlehem the day before the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.  Joseph is not ashamed of Mary because he trusts he trusts God.  He is willing to sign the tax register and publicly accept Mary as his espoused wife—going on record for all eternity that he trusts and believes God. 

       Are you among the Christian musicians that trust God?  Are you willing to trust God with your life, your career, your future, and your music ministry?  Trust comes with implicit faith in god that He will guide you and protect you for the rest of your life.  Joseph’s implicit faith that the angel of God had told him the truth enabled him to take the long journey of faith to Bethlehem that day.  It will be by faith alone that you will enter the New Year knowing in your heart that God is saying to you “be not afraid”.

 

Mary Was Truly Blessed

 

Mary Was Truly Blessed

St Luke 1:28 states, “And the angel came unto her, and said, hail, thou art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.”

       Today we are going to consider the Virgin Mary who was not afraid to obey the angel of God who came to give her the assurance that the Lord was going to be with her and had chosen her to help prepare the way of Christ to bring salvation to sinful men and women in this sin cursed world.  What would have happened if she had been afraid to obey God?  God had planned that she should be blessed above all women.  However, she had to be obedient to the will of God in order to help fulfill the promise of god to all people.  The fulfillment of the gift of God through Christ Jesus was contingent on her obedience to God’s mysterious and wonderful plan.

       Chief musician you have been chosen to once again tell the wonderful story of Christ’s coming to earth to save sinful men and women.  Only eternity will reveal how important your obedience is to God’s strategic plan for bringing hope and salvation to post-modern and post post-modern men  and women who hear you and those who music with you during  this season.

 

 

Joseph Was Truly Blessed

 

Joseph Was Truly Blessed

St Matthew 1:20 states, “But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.”

       Joseph was in terrible mental anguish.  If he put Mary away publicly, the Jews would probably stone her to death.  So, he was contemplating putting her away privately.  He certainly needed to hear from God.  So, God sent his angel to assure Joseph that God was going to take care of Mary and himself.

       Did you ever think of what would have happened if Joseph had failed God at this crucial time in the history of mankind?  What would have happened to Mary?   What would have happened to the baby Jesus who was not yet born of the Virgin Mary?  It is easy for us to postulate that God would not have let anything happen to the Baby Jesus, but it took the obedience of both Mary and Joseph for God to complete His perfect will.  If Joseph had not had a choice, I do not believe that his choice would have been recorded in the Holy Writ.

       Compared to Joseph’s choice, many of our choices in life seem somewhat insignificant.  At this time of Christmas, it behooves all Christian musicians to remember that our choices, no matter how small they seem, do matter.  If God could trust Joseph to make the right choice, surely He will help us to make right choices during this Christmas season.  Joseph was truly blessed because God could trust him to make the right decision. 

       I know from experience that it is about this time in December that musicians go into depression.  We wish that our Christmas presentations would have been performed more accurately.  We can think of a thousand and one things that we could have done more efficiently.  However the Presentations are over and we are left with the “Christmas program blues”.  Look up! I believe God’s angel is saying to you “do not be afraid.  God has accepted your musical offering.”  It isn’t the grandness of our musical offerings that matter but it is the fact that we have given Him the best offering that we were capable of giving and that we offered it as an offering “in righteousness”.

 

Handel’s Messiah Revisited

 

Handel’s Messiah Revisited

        During the Christmas season church choirs perform the most loved and most performed Oratorio ever composed by any composer anywhere in the world in all the combined history of Western Music. It is not merely a series of scenes from the life of Jesus Christ, but rather it is an account of the plan of redemption fulfilled through our Savior Jesus Christ the Messiah i.e. “the anointed one,” “the chosen one”, or “Redeemer”.

        From the scholarly information that we have, Handel did not put the texts together.  Rather it was put together by an Englishman whose name was Charles Jennens.  I Messiah was composed in1741 in 24 days and was first performed on 13 April of that year in Dublin’s Musick Hall .  Contrary to popular myth, it was not composed as church music and was not performed first by Handel in a church but rather in a theatre for charitable purposes.  It was first performed in Dublin Ireland and Handel was the director.

        One of the times that my wife and I visited Dublin, we visited one of the two cathedrals whose choir was involved in the early performances at the theatre in Dublin.  While we were there, I saw an old pipe organ console--there was a sign on it which read, “Handel played this organ”.

        It is an honor to be involved in the performance of this great oratorio.  Handel painted the pictures of the Redeemer accurately.  If you are involved in a performance of this oratorio, make sure that you take time to take note of these beautiful musical pictures.  Do not get so involved in notes and rhythms and harmonies that you miss the message of our Redeemer who came to this earth and took on the form of a servant, suffered, died, and rose again victorious over death, hell, and the grave.

God’s Clock Does Keep Perfect Time

 

God’s Clock Does Keep Perfect Time

       For centuries the world had needed a Savior.  Surely the people were in darkness and sin.  In these dark times God the father sent His only son to come to earth that were under the law.  God knew that the wages of sin is eternal death, but God also knew that only the giving of His son Jesus could bring eternal life to this sin cursed world.  All those who loved and served Jehovah that lived during Old Testament times looked forward to the coming of the Messiah.  They must have wondered why they were left without the promised Emanuel.  I cannot imagine what it would have been like to have been born during those dark times.  It is amazing to me that many of the Jewish church leaders, who knew the prophesies about the coming of Christ, were not looking for a Savior who would be born in obscurity, humility, and poverty in a stable in the little town of Bethlehem.

       But when God’s clock said that it was the right time, He sent His son to this earth so that we would be able to receive remission of sins and be adopted into the family of God.  Although we do not understand why the time was right for our Savior to be born, we know that he did come and that He came to save us from sin.  Praise God that His clock does keep perfect time.  Because it does, we are the benefactors of this great salvation.