Ralph P. Martin is a featured instructor and contributor at Worship Training.
Early Christian hymnody was influenced by the tradition of psalm singing in the temple. The hymns of the New Testament church served both a doxological and an apologetic function. Introduction In a useful series of essays titled "Modern Issues in Biblical Stud
Although Solomon completed and dedicated the temple, the foreign influences and faulty civil policy that set in during his reign eventually led to the demise of the Israelite commonwealth. David's son and successor to the throne was Solomon. During his reign S
In Canaan Israelite worship incorporated elements from pagan worship, especially that of Ba'al, and Israel went through periods of apostasy and reform. Syncretism, the mixture of foreign elements with the Yahwism of Israelite worship, increasingly became a pro
Under David's leadership, worship was established in Jerusalem. David organized the functions of the priesthood, placing special emphasis on the use of music in worship. Although syncretism posed a threat and led to a struggle throughout Israel's history, peri
The return of Israel after the Exile brought renewed interest in worship; the temple was rebuilt and sacrifices were reinstated. The synagogue, originated during the Exile, now became the focal point of a nonsacrificial worship. The nature of worship in the ex
Prior to the first Christian century, Judaism began to develop traditional interpretations of the Law that would eventually be written down to regulate Jewish life and worship. Judaism was influenced by Greek culture, resulting in the rise of a class of scribe
The central figure of patriarchal worship is Abraham, who received Yahweh's promise of land and descendants. The book of Genesis records the history of Israel's ancestors from their nomadic beginnings. Abraham was called by Yahweh to leave his country and trav
Synagogue worship consisted of three main elements: praise, prayer, and instruction. The earliest Christians, who were Jews, would have been familiar with this pattern, which in Christian worship gave shape to what is called the service of the Word. Jewish sch
After the Exodus the worship of Israel became more formalized, characterized by the Mosaic institutions and regulations. The commitment to the law of the covenant became the central feature of Israelite worship. Worship forms became more formalized in the book
New Testament hymns to Christ celebrate what he did before Creation, his mission of incarnation and reconciliation, and his present exalted position as Lord of the universe. In so doing, they counter heretical ideas that were influencing some segments of the e
