Early Christian Views on Musical Instruments in Worship
Early Christian writings do not give one simple answer. Some writers praised Bible passages about harps, psalteries, trumpets, and the organ, while others read that language as a picture of the body or as a contrast to pagan worship. Clement of Alexandria and Hippolytus are the clearest witnesses here, but they mostly explain the meaning of the texts rather than give a church rule. The direct evidence for organ use in Christian worship is limited, so the picture is mixed.
104 early-church witnesses · 155 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about the Organ and Musical Instruments in Worship?
Early Christian writers often treated musical instruments as real parts of Bible worship, especially in David and temple passages, but many also read those instruments in a spiritual way and did not clearly describe using them in church meetings. Clement of Alexandria and Hippolytus gave the strongest positive links to organ, harp, psaltery, trumpet, and cymbals in Scripture, while Athenagoras, Arnobius, and Lactantius used instrument language mostly to reject pagan ritual and idol worship.
The clearest direct church-worship evidence in these cards is thin, so the topic is better described as mixed: strong biblical language, strong allegory, and little explicit proof of organ use in Christian worship. Justin Martyr and the Apostolic Constitutions add more background for songs and Psalms, but not a clear early church rule requiring instruments. Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Early Christians often used instrument language to explain Bible praise, not to prove church organ use.
- Clement of Alexandria called the body an organ and linked praise to spiritual life.
- Hippolytus read psaltery language as teaching about ordered, heavenly worship.
- Some writers rejected noisy instruments when describing pagan worship and idols.
Questions Answered by the Sources
Did early Christians use Bible passages to talk about musical instruments in worship?
Yes. Early Christian writers often pointed to David, the Psalms, and temple worship when they talked about harps, psalteries, trumpets, cymbals, and the organ. Clement of Alexandria and Hippolytus especially used those passages to explain praise and spiritual order.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Direct teaching
...sound of a trumpet," because with the sound of a trumpet He will raise the dead. "Praise Him on the psaltery," because the tongue is the Lord's psaltery. And, "Praise Him on the lyre." By the lyre, he means the mouth, struck by the Spirit as if by a plectrum. "Praise Him with the timbrel and the dance" refers to the Church thinking deeply about the resurrection of the dead in the sounding skin. "Praise Him on the chords and organ." He calls our body an organ, and its nerves are the strings. By them it has received harmonious tension, and when it is struck by the Spirit, it sends out human voices. "Praise Him on the clashing cymbals." He calls the tongue the cymbal of the mouth, which rings out with the movement of the lips. Therefore He cried out to humanity, "Let every breath praise the Lord," because He cares for every breathing thing He has made. For man is truly an instrument of peace. But if you examine other instruments, you will find that they are instruments of war, stirring up lusts, or awakening sexual loves, or arousing anger.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Direct teaching
Praise Him on the chords and organ. Our body He calls an organ, and its nerves are the strings, by which it has received harmonious tension, and when struck by the Spirit, it gives forth human voices.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness
... is comely to the upright," says the prophecy. "Confess to the Lord on the harp; play to Him on the psaltery of ten strings. Sing to Him a new song." And does not the ten-stringed psaltery indicate the Word Jesus, who is manifested by the element of the decad? And as it is fitting, before partaking of food, that we should bless the Creator of all, so also in drinking it is suitable to praise Him when partaking of His creatures. For the psalm is a melodious and sober blessing. The apostle calls the psalm a spiritual song. Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
...n the priests and the Levites and the singers stood toward the east, praising and thanking God with cymbals and psalteries, and saying, "Praise the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endures forever." 2 Chronicles 5:13
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Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Supporting witness
6. It is likely, also, that a similar account is to be given of the fact, that David alone of the prophets prophesied with an instrument, called by the Greeks the psaltery, and by the Hebrews the nabla, which is the only musical instrument that is quite straight, and has no curve.
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Psalms 150:4 Background
Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
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2 Samuel 6:5 Background
Then David and all the house of Israel played music before the Lord on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals.
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1 Chronicles 13:8 Background
Then David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets.
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1 Chronicles 15:16 Background
And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.
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2 Chronicles 7:6 Background
And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of musick of the LORD, which David the king had made to praise the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever, when David praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.
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2 Chronicles 5:13 Background
And there was one voice in the trumpeting and in the psalm singing, and in the loud utterance with one voice to give thanks and praise the Lord; and when they raised their voice together with trumpets and cymbals, and instruments of music, and said, Give thanks to the Lord, for it is good, For his mercy endures forever— then the house was filled with the cloud of the glory of the Lord.
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1 Chronicles 16:5 Background
Asaph was the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-edom: and Jeiel sounding with musical instruments, lutes and harps, and Asaph with cymbals:
More related quotations from this section 13 shown
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Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Supporting witness
...hen, that psalms are pieces played simply on an instrument, without the voice, and composed for the musical melody of the instrument. Songs are those performed by the voice together with the music. They are called psalms of song when the voice takes the lead, while the proper sound also accompanies it, made in harmony by the instruments. They are called songs of psalmody when the instrument takes the lead, while the voice has second place and accompanies the music of the strings. So much, then, for the literal meaning of these terms. But as for the mystical interpretation, it would be a psalm when, by striking the instrument, that is, the body, with good deeds, we succeed in good action, though we are not yet fully skilled in contemplation. And it would be a song when, by turning over the mysteries of the truth apart from practice, and fully agreeing with them, we have the highest thoughts of God and His oracles, while knowledge gives us light and wisdom shines brightly in our souls. And it would be a song of psalmody when good action takes the lead, according to the word, "If you desire wisdom, keep the commandments, and the Lord shall give her to you," and at the same time we
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Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Supporting witness
... with an instrument called by the Greeks the psaltery, and by the Hebrews the nabla. It is the only musical instrument that is completely straight and has no curve. Its sound does not come from the lower parts, as it does with the lute and some other instruments, but from the upper parts. In the lute and the lyre, when the brass is struck, the sound answers back from below. But this psaltery has the source of its musical notes above, so that we too may practice seeking the things above, and may not let ourselves be dragged down by the pleasure of melody into the passions of the flesh. And I think that this truth also was deeply and clearly shown to us in a prophetic way in the construction of the instrument, namely, that those whose souls are well ordered and trained have the way prepared to the things above. Again, an instrument that has the source of its melodious sound in its upper parts may be understood as like the body of Christ and His saints—the only instrument that remains straight. For He did no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth. This truly is an instrument that is harmonious, melodious, and well ordered. It admitted no human discord and did nothing out of mea
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Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness
Genesis 31:27 But akin to the symphony of this nature is that which is written in the second Book of Kings when the brethren of Aminadab went before the ark, and David and his son played before the Lord on instruments artistically fitted with might and with songs;
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1 Esdras 5:59 Background
And the priests stood arrayed in their vestments with musical instruments and trumpets; and the Levites the sons of Asaph had cymbals,
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1 Chronicles 23:5 Background
and four thousand doorkeepers, and four thousand to praise the Lord with instruments which he made to praise the Lord.
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2 Chronicles 29:26 Background
And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.
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2 Chronicles 29:28 Background
And all the congregation worshiped, and the psalm singers were singing, and the trumpets sounding, until the whole burnt sacrifice had been completely offered.
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2 Chronicles 5:12 Background
that all the singing Levites assigned to the sons of Asaph, to Heman, to Jeduthun, and to his sons, and to his brethren, of them that were clothed in linen garments, with cymbals and lutes and harps, were standing before the altar, and with them a hundred and twenty priests, blowing trumpets.
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Psalms 150:3 Background
Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
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2 Chronicles 20:28 Background
And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the LORD.
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Psalms 33:2 Background
Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.
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Psalms 92:3 Background
Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.
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Psalms 150:5 Background
Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
Did early Christians criticize musical instruments in pagan worship?
Yes. Athenagoras, Arnobius, and Lactantius mocked the idea that gods are moved by cymbals, pipes, drums, and other instruments. Their point was that true worship does not depend on noisy ritual or made-up gods.
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Athenagoras, A Plea for the Christians Direct teaching
...asonable for us to stop believing in the Spirit from God, who moved the mouths of the prophets like musical instruments, and to listen instead to merely human opinions.
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Athenagoras, A Plea for the Christians Direct teaching
...ve its harmony, and strikes its notes, and sings the fitting strain, and not the instrument. For at musical contests the judges do not pass by the lute players and crown the lutes. Whether, then, as Plato says, the world is a product of divine art, I admire its beauty and adore the Maker. Or whether it is His essence and body, as the Peripatetics affirm, we do not fail to adore God, who is the cause of the motion of the body. And we do not stoop down to the poor and weak elements, worshiping passible matter in the impassible air, as they call it. Or if anyone understands the several parts of the world to be powers of God, we do not approach and pay homage to the powers, but to their Maker and Lord. I do not ask of matter what it does not have to give. Nor, passing by God, do I pay homage to the elements, which can do nothing more than what they were commanded. For although they are beautiful to look upon because of the skill of their Maker, they still have the nature of matter. Plato also bears witness to this view. For he says that what is called heaven and earth has received many blessings from the Father, but yet partakes of body. Therefore it cannot possibly be free from cha
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Arnobius, Against the Heathen Direct teaching
... gods also moved by garlands, wreaths, and flowers, by the jingling of brass, and by the shaking of cymbals, by timbrels also, and also by pipes playing together in harmony? What effect does the clattering of castanets have, so that when the deities have heard them, they think that honor has been shown to them, and in forgetfulness lay aside their burning spirit of resentment? Or, as little boys are frightened into stopping their silly wailing by hearing the sound of rattles, are the almighty deities also soothed in the same way by the whistling of pipes? And do they become mild? Is their indignation softened by the musical sound of cymbals? What is the meaning of those calls that you sing in the morning, joining your voices to the music of the pipe? Do the gods of heaven fall asleep, so that they should return to their posts? What is the meaning of those slumbers to which you commend them with favorable greetings, that they may be in good health? Are they awakened from sleep? And so that they may be able to be overcome by sleep, must soothing lullabies be heard? "The purification of the mother of the gods is today," says my opponent. Do the gods, then, become dirty? And to get
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Minucius Felix, Octavius Supporting witness
... away from his greedy father so that he may not be devoured. A clanging uproar is dashed out of the cymbals of the Corybantes so that the father may not hear the infant's wailing. Cybele of Dindymus—I am ashamed to speak of it—could not entice her adulterous lover, who unhappily pleased her, to lewdness, because she herself, as the mother of many gods, was ugly and old. So she mutilated him, no doubt so that she might make a god of the eunuch. Because of this story, the Galli also worship her by the punishment of their emasculated bodies. Certainly these things are not sacred rites, but tortures. And what about the very forms and appearances of the gods? Do they not show the contemptible and disgraceful character of your gods? Vulcan is a lame and crippled god. Apollo is smooth-faced after so many ages. Aesculapius is well bearded, although he is the son of Apollo, who is ever youthful. Neptune has sea-green eyes. Minerva has bluish-gray eyes. Juno has ox-eyes. Mercury has winged feet. Pan has hoofed feet. Saturn has feet in fetters. Janus indeed wears two faces, as if he might walk with looks turned back. Diana sometimes is a huntress, with her robe girded up high. And as the E
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Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness
...The attendant goddesses shake instruments of bronze and rough hides. Instead of helmets they strike cymbals, and drums instead of shields. The flute plays Phrygian tunes, just as it did before.
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Arnobius, Against the Heathen Supporting witness
... enough awe and respect when they offer a few drops of wine. You are persuaded that by the clash of cymbals and the sound of pipes, by horse races and theatrical plays, the gods are both delighted and moved, and that their resentful feelings, formed before, are softened by the pleasure these things give. We hold that this is out of place. More than that, we judge it unbelievable that those who have surpassed every kind of excellence by a thousand degrees in the height of their perfection should be pleased and delighted with things that a wise man laughs at, and that seem to have any charm only for little children who have been raised in a coarse and vulgar way.
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Arnobius, Against the Heathen Supporting witness
Or, as little boys are frightened into giving over their silly wailings by hearing the sound of rattles, are the almighty deities also soothed in the same way by the whistling of pipes?
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Athenagoras, A Plea for the Christians Supporting witness
If, therefore, the world is an instrument in tune, and moving in well-measured time, I adore the Being who gave its harmony, and strikes its notes, and sings the accordant strain, and not the instrument.
Did early Christian worship focus on singing instead of instruments?
The strongest early Christian material here focuses on songs, psalms, and praise, not on setting out a church band. Justin Martyr describes Christians meeting for hymns to Christ and God, and the Apostolic Constitutions speaks of praise and thanksgiving in worship language, but these cards do not give a clear rule that instruments were required or forbidden.
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Tertullian, Apology Supporting witness
...an obstinate refusal to offer sacrifices, he found in their religious services nothing but meetings early in the morning for singing hymns to Christ and God, and sealing their way of life by a united pledge to remain faithful to their religion, forbidding murder, adultery, dishonesty, and other crimes. In reply, Trajan wrote back that Christians were by no means to be sought out. But if they were brought before him, they should be punished. O miserable deliverance. Under the necessities of the case, it is a self-contradiction. It forbids them to be sought out, as innocent, and it commands them to be punished, as guilty. It is at once merciful and cruel. It passes by, and it punishes. Why do you play this game of evasion with yourself, O Judgment? If you condemn, why do you not also inquire? If you do not inquire, why do you not also absolve? Military stations are set throughout all the provinces for tracking robbers. Against traitors and public enemies every man is a soldier. Search is made even for their confederates and accessories. The Christian alone must not be sought, though he may be brought and accused before the judge, as if a search had any other end than that! And so
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching
An Exact Description of a Church and the Clergy, and What Things in Particular Every One is to Do in the Solemn Assemblies of the Clergy and Laity For Religious Worship.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness
We no longer employ the ancient psaltery, and trumpet, and timbrel, and flute, which those expert in war and contemners of the fear of God were wont to make use of also in the choruses at their festive assemblies;
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Tertullian, De Corona Supporting witness
Nay, if he also first strung the chord to give forth melody, I will not deny, when listening to David, that this invention has been in use with the saints, and has ministered to God.
Common Questions
Did early Christians use organs in worship?
These early writings do not clearly prove that churches used organs in worship. They mostly use organ and instrument language to explain Scripture or to talk about pagan worship.
Which early Christian writers mention musical instruments?
Clement of Alexandria, Hippolytus, Athenagoras, Justin Martyr, Origen, Arnobius, and the Apostolic Constitutions all mention musical instruments in different ways.
Did early Christians think instruments were bad?
Not in every case. Some writers used them positively in Bible passages, but others rejected them when talking about pagan rites and idol worship.
Source Index for the Organ and Musical Instruments in Worship
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 131 ranked source links from 155 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 131 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 104
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
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Bible Passages 51 included
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