Beliefs about Music Matter-part 1

 

Beliefs about Music Matter-part 1

          Every music teacher must develop a series of systematic beliefs about the nature, value, meaning, and overarching purpose of the whole of music and musicing. The more than 600 references (depending on how one counts them) to music  found in the Bible are given by inspiration of God and are profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction. These concepts will be formed into a music paradigm that will serve as a guide for the music and musicing* of a Christian. The Bible provides us with timeless, relevant, usable, practical, and spiritual guidance for twenty-first century musicians.  The principles of musicing set forth in the Bible are relevant in the process of developing a music education philosophy and praxis in the twenty first century. 

 

Is Music Communicative?

 

Is Music Communicative? 

The concept of musical communication has been a buzz word for over a half century among Christian and secular musicians and music philosophers.  Christian musicians have traditionally had a sincere desire to make sure that the music they use in public ministry connects so that it will communicate meaning to both Christians and the un-churched.  Many who have advocated change in the music utilized in children’s ministry as well as teen and adult ministry have based their musical philosophy on both style and text.  However, a confusing incongruity has occurred.  Those who have advocated complete style change have often at the same time purported that the music part of music does not matter since it does not communicate meaning to the hearer, and furthermore, that only text communicates meaning.

It is difficult to understand how something that does not communicate meaning is so vital to music ministry.  It seems to me that if the music part of music does not communicate meaning, then one should ask, why all the fuss about the necessity of drastic style changes?  Why cause so much division over traditional church music if only words matter?  Wouldn’t it be much better to simply write new words with current urban imagery and set them to traditional church music? If communication is the issue, then I understand changing the word pictures created in the mind from descriptions and figures of speech so that they will communicate meaning more clearly to the listener.  However, many times new worship music does not succeed much or any better than hymns and gospel music at producing urban mental images that are *germane to the understanding of an urban unchurched audience.

Musical “Truth” Found in the Bible part 4

 

Musical “Truth” Found in the Bible part 4 

So, why does a Christian music educator care whether or not ancient cultures utilized harmony?  Furthermore, why does it matter whether or not Bible music includes harmony?  There are several reasons why a music educator should know about the music of ancient Israel and their neighbors.  One reason is that a great host of educators still believe that the music of ancient Israel and their neighbors was written only in the pentatonic scale, or worse yet some weird synthetic scale, and that it could not have possibly been heptatonic or diatonic, or have exhibited any characteristics like half steps between the third and fourth and seventh and eighth degrees of the scale.  Even the well-known fact that some of this music exhibited the use of octaves, harmony, and ornamentation is still sometimes adamantly denied by writers.

With these glaring misconceptions about ancient music still being believed and taught by multitudes of Christian (and secular) music educators, it is of little wonder that they do not consider Bible music to be relevant to the process of music education.  Certainly such music educators will not teach that Bible music is an authentic source of truth concerning music and musicing.  Christian music education needs to get rid of the notion that information about music found in the Bible and other ancient extra-biblical sources is strictly dispensational and outdated.

 

 

Musical “Truth” Found in the Bible part 3

 

Musical “Truth” Found in the Bible part 3

 

What I am contending, for example, is that an author stating that a Christian musician should not music unto God with carnal songs, based on the use of pneumatikos oide (4152 5603) in Ephesians 5:19, does not constitute the unwarranted use of Scripture, which is called proof texting, because lexicographers generally agree that pneumatikos oide means spiritual i.e. non-carnal songs. As we know, indiscriminate quoting of Scripture to try to prove a point will many times result in incorrect conclusions, but so will trusting the usual meaning of an English word or words used in a Bible translation without regard to the meaning of the word or words used in the original text.  Words have meaning but their meaning is greatly influenced by how they are used in sentences.  However, how a writer interprets what words mean in context is many times a matter of opinion. 

There are many factors that should affect how a writer will arrive at a musical conclusion, such as musical worldview, general academic knowledge of music history and theory, knowledge or lack of knowledge of: ancient musical instruments, ancient species of music mentioned in the Bible, music worship practices in the first and second ancient Jewish Temples, the meaning of  musical terms used in the Bible, the ancient Jewish sociological and cultural limitations of the use of women in Temple music, the meaning of the biblical accents (te’amim) found below and above the OT texts, secular music and musicing mentioned in the Bible, ancient biblical principles of sacred and secular music and musicing mentioned in the Bible, and an understanding of the music of the nations and cultures that surrounded ancient Israel.

Musical “Truth” Found in the Bible part 2

 

Musical “Truth” Found in the Bible part 2 

Every reference to music mentioned in the Bible, as 2 Timothy 3:16 states, is “… given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”  It is the Christian’s responsibility to follow the admonition in 2 Timothy 2:15: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

 In order to have true and unified knowledge, one should be careful not to try to prove a point Scripture without regard to context. It stands to reason that such use of Scripture does not result in biblical accuracy or what Schaeffer called true truth.  However, one should be careful to not assume that one who quoted it is using it without regard to how it was used by the original author.  We should also remember that New Testament authors quoted verses from the OT to support their arguments.  Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3 when he was being tempted by Satan (see Matthew 4:4 and Luke 4:4).  So, it isn’t quoting Scripture that constitutes proof texting but rather misrepresenting the original intent of Scripture or the principle that the original Scripture represented.

Musical “Truth” Found in the Bible part 1

 

Musical “Truth” Found in the Bible part 1

 All Christian music educators should be concerned about the authenticity of   what they use in the instructional process.  Should a Christian music educator refer to Scripture as an historical and philosophical basis for musical convictions?  At least two concepts are important to the process of Christian music education.  First, what the Bible has to say about music and musicing is relevant to music education in the twenty-first century.  Second, the music educator should quote Scripture and treat it as authoritative truth concerning music. Many music educators are overly concerned about whether or not they are qualified to quote both Old and New Testament Scriptures that mention music because they are not sure what they mean or how they are applied to modern day musicing.  It is true that the Bible does not deal with every aspect of music that twenty-first century Christian musicians encounter.

The True Meaning of Life

 

The True Meaning of Life

God may intend for a Christian to spend his or her life as an active musician that uses sacred music to honor Him, but God never intends for a musician to worship the created (music) instead of the Creator (Romans 1:28).  To explain this concept very clearly, God desires to reveal Himself to mankind in many ways. Music may be one of those ways, but God’s Word never teaches that self-actualization realized through musical skills will be the means through which mankind will establish the true meaning of life.  Such meaning can only be established by being born again spiritually. 

Through the merits of Christ alone, a person passes from spiritual death unto spiritual life and by faith and faith alone accepts the merits of Christ and becomes a born-again Christian.  Romans 5:1 explains, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” Until a person is justified by faith he or she cannot begin a life that is guided by the Holy Spirit.  St. John 16:13 explains, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”  Without the guidance of the Holy Spirit a musician is often unable to come to knowledge of the true truth about the meaning of his or her life.  So, a Christian finds the true meaning of life by submitting his or her life under the Lordship of Christ.  This is never accomplished through music or musicing.  A musician who has experienced the new birth, has become a new creature in Christ Jesus, musics unto God in the presence of others.  Through his or her sacred musicing, the “new man” expresses the good news of the gospel.  However, that musician does not find the true meaning of life through music or musicing.

Psalms Hymns, and Spiritual Songs: study of Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16-part 3

 

Psalms Hymns, and Spiritual Songs: study of Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16-part 3

          The reason Christians are given such a solemn charge concerning singing is that in the New Testament like the Old Testament the ultimate goal of singing is the presentation of the Word of God.  As a matter of fact, we are told to "Let the word (logos 3056) of Christ (Christos 5547) dwell (enoikeo 1774) in you richly (plousios 4146) . ."  The words logos Christos mean that communication of Christ must enoikeo plousios or inhabit us copiously i.e. let your singing cause your mind to be crammed full of God.s word.  Singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs should cause our minds to be inhabited by the Scripture i.e. we should be catechized by our singing. One of the reasons that I believe this so strongly is that people become what they hear and perform musically.  Nutritionists say, “You become what you eat”.  Wolf says, “You  become what you sing and play.”

           Paul’s writing here connotes that the correct communication of Christ through the vehicle of music may become a means of grace to the Christian.  Our church music should become a vehicle for the word of Christ to enter our minds or hearts. I have often told my college classes that music is the handmaiden of God’s Word. St. Paul is referring to our heart in a spiritual sense when he uses the word hearts (2588).  Behm states that, "the thought that the heart is the central organ and seat of physical vitality occurs in the New Testament only in Luke 21:34 and in James 5:5."5   He goes on to explain the meaning of heart here as ". . .the religious center to which God turns, which is the root of religious life, and which determines moral conduct. . "6  So we can see that these songs should cause the logos to inhabit the religious center which will control our moral conduct.

          In this context we can see the importance of our songs being theologically sound so that they will correctly communicate the "word."  Colossians 3:16 warns us to use wisdom (sophia 4678) in our teaching and admonishing through song.  Along this same thought, Galatians 1:7 warns against perverting the gospel (2098) or good message of Christ.

 

Psalms Hymns, and Spiritual Songs: study of Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16-part 2

 

Psalms Hymns, and Spiritual Songs: study of Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16-part 2

          As we mentioned in part 1, outside of the music references found in the Book of Psalms, Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 are probably the two most quoted musical passages in the Bible.  Since there is such a plethora of misunderstanding considering   the meaning of these verses, I believe that it will be worth our time to consider a word study of these two familiar New Testament musical passages of Scripture.  The important words on this study will have Strong's keyed numbers following them. Ephesians 5:19 "Speaking (2980) to yourselves (1438) in psalms (5568) and hymns (5215) and spiritual (4152) songs (5603), singing (103) and making (5567)          melody(556) in your (5216) heart (2588) to the Lord (2962)" and Colossians 3:16  "Let the word (3056) of Christ (5547) dwell (1774) in you richly (4146) in all wisdom (4678);   teaching (1321) and admonishing (3560) one another (1438) in psalms (5568) and hymns (5215)   and spiritual (4152) songs (5603), singing (103)  with grace (5485) in your (5216) hearts (2588) to the Lord (2962)."

          These two verses give a serious charge to those who sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.  The word speaking in the Scripture above is translated from the Greek word laleo (2980).

 It most often carries the meaning of speaking in the New Testament. The musical discourse in Colossians 3:16  Laleo makes reference to singing. It was translated preach as in Acts 8:25.  Colossians 3:16 charges us with a teaching music ministry i.e. (didasko 1321) and admonishing (noutheteo 3560) which connotes warning or reproving each other with music.

Psalms Hymns, and Spiritual Songs: study of Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16-part 1

 

Psalms Hymns, and Spiritual Songs: study of Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16-part 1

          Outside of the music references found in the Book of Psalms, Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 are probably the two most quoted musical passages in the Bible.  Since there is such a plethora of misunderstanding considering   the meaning of these verses, I believe that it will be worth our time to do a word study of these two familiar New Testament musical passages of Scripture.  The important words on this study will have Strong's keyed numbers following them Outside of the music references found in the Book of Psalms, Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 are probably the two most quoted musical passages in the Bible.  Since there is such a plethora of misunderstanding considering the meaning of these verses, I believe that it will be worth our time to consider a word study of these two familiar New Testament musical passages of Scripture.  The important words on this study will have Strong's keyed numbers following them.