David K. Huttar is a featured instructor and contributor at Worship Training.
In Israelite life music was central to all that the people did. It is found not only in their worship, but also in their work, in their personal recreation, and in their military activities. Genesis 4:21 mentions Jubal as the protomusician. The distance, both
Music in the temple was made for the worship of God. More than 10 percent of the people serving in temple ministries were musicians. Their music occupied a central place in the worship of God's people. The idea of special creative skills in cultic worship occu
Music is gone as soon as it is made; especially where music is not recorded in some fashion, a piece of music can be reconstructed only if there are people who remember it and how to perform it. Because of the cultural and linguistic differences between our ci
Synagogue worship expanded and developed the use of the voice. No musical instruments were used in synagogue worship. Not long after the destruction of the temple, instrumental music fell into disuse and for some reason was never revived. Vocal tradition and p
It is difficult to determine the style of biblical music. Recent studies and discoveries, however, are resulting in an improved picture and expanded understanding of music in ancient Israel. The crucial task in determining matters of style is one of identifyin
Although the New Testament says little about music making, it is clear that the worship life of the early church was characterized by the use of psalms and other forms of song. Superficially the New Testament appears almost to disregard music. Outside of the b
References to music occur in New Testament texts that are concerned with the raising of the dead or with the Lord's return. The bulk of supernatural and eschatological references to music have to do with the trumpet sound of the Lord at the raising of the dead
The musical culture of Jewish worship was carried over into the church by the Jewish converts to Christianity. In this regard, there was no radical break from Judaism that resulted in new forms of Christian music. The New Testament Christians did not consider
The philosophy of music in the New Testament is broadly conceived. It is shaped particularly by Paul's worldview, which did not accept the Greek ethos of the arts nor regard them as having intrinsic powers but focused rather on human responsibility. Such a vie
