(iii) Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16

We come now to the two passages most commonly used in support of a warrant for the adoption of uninspired hymnody. "Look," someone will say, "surely these verses indicate that we can use other than Old Testament Psalms!" The nouns, psalmos, hymnos and ode are found together in both these passages. In an article written some years ago, Robert A. Morey claimed that: "the mention of 'hymns' and 'songs' clearly reveals that we can sing other materials than the Psalms."(12) This is a common view. But is it sustainable? Let us see.

In these verses Paul is certainly concerned with worship. In addition, he is speaking of the believer's inward life. He exhorts the Ephesian Christians to be "filled with the Spirit" (5:18). To the Colossian believers he says: "let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom" (3:16). The infilling of the Spirit, of course, brings the word of Christ to the heart, for it is the Holy Spirit's task to "take the things of Christ" and declare them to the disciples (John 16:15). Paul puts this so tellingly to the Romans: "if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you" (Romans 8:11). A consequence of the indwelling Spirit is praise. So, Paul enjoins the Ephesian and Colossian Christians to "speak" or "teach and admonish" each other through the medium of "psalms, and hymns and spiritual songs", singing and making melody to the Lord with grace in their hearts (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16).

The question is: what exactly are these "psalms, hymns and spiritual songs"? It goes without saying that every Christian will be happy to sing the songs Paul is referring to here. Presumably these were already existing compositions, otherwise his Ephesian and Colossian readers would simply be puzzled by the reference. But what is he referring to? It is gratuitous to maintain that they were non-inspired materials or that he was giving a free hand to post-Apostolic writers to go ahead and compose their own hymns for use in worship. To the end of his ministry Paul had a high view of Scripture (cf II Timothy 3:14-17). Would such compositions not immediately inspired by the Spirit of God qualify as the "word of Christ" with which the believers were to be filled?

We cannot of course be certain about how Paul's hearers would have understood him. Commentators are by and large agreed that there is no general agreement about the meaning of this threefold description! Nor is there general agreement as to whether the adjective pneumatikais ("spiritual") qualifies only ode ("song"), or all three terms.(13) F. F. Bruce's comment is representative: "It is unlikely that any sharply demarcated division is intended, although the "psalms" might be drawn from the OT Psalter (which has supplied the chief vehicle for Christian praise from primitive times), the "hymns" might be Christian canticles, and the "spiritual songs" might be unpremeditated words sung "in the Spirit", voicing holy aspirations."(14)

Notice how this paragraph of Bruce's is full of vague suggestions. But there is no evidence here even to warrant the conclusion that Paul in these verses was referring to three distinct groups or types of compositions, although no doubt the words had their distinctive meanings indicating the variety and richness of the songs Paul has in mind. There is simply no warrant for taking these verses as justification for the adoption of uninspired hymnody in the worship of God. That would have these verses prove far too much.

It seems perfectly reasonable, however, to take the references to psalms, hymns and spiritual songs as referring to the Psalter. These Greek words would be familiar to the New Testament Church as being found in the Old Testament Greek translation (the Septuagint or LXX) which they commonly used. In the Septuagint the Psalm titles frequently contained these terms, in some cases all three terms in the same title! Psalmos occurs 87 times in the Greek Old Testament, 67 times in the Psalm titles. In the New Testament this word occurs seven times: in each of the verses presently being considered, four times with reference to the book of Psalms (Luke 20:42, 24:44 and Acts 1:20, 13:33) and once in I Corinthians 14 (verse 26) where the reference is either to the Biblical Psalms or perhaps to a charismatic utterance, in which case the song would be individual and Spirit-inspired.(15) Hymnos occurs 17 times, 13 times in the Psalms, six of which are in the titles. In the New Testament this word only occurs in the verses under examination. Ode occurs 80 times, 36 in Psalm titles and many other times within the Psalms themselves.(16) As we have seen, the word hymneo certainly is also used of the Book of Psalms (cf. Hebrews 2:12). Ode can also be used of the Psalms, although in the New Testament, apart from the texts in Ephesians and Colossians, the word is only found in the Book of Revelation (5:9; 14:3; 15:3), where, however, the "new song" refers neither to modern hymns nor any uninspired compositions.

In connection with the passages in Ephesians and Colossians, H. Schlier comments: "It is 'spiritual', i.e., has a measure of inspiration (Eph. 5:19). Hence it is not an expression of personal feeling or experience but a "word of Christ" (Col. 3:16)."(17)

There is strength, therefore, in the interpretation that sees in this Pauline use of these three terms, psalmos, hymnos and ode a reference to the Book of Psalms, corresponding broadly to the Hebrew terms mizmorim, tehillim and shirim, the types of composition found in the Old Testament Psalter. No doubt the terms do reflect different types of Psalms and Paul would be implying, what we know to be the case, that there are Psalms for all our spiritual needs. It is interesting that in other places in the Old and New Testaments threefold descriptions of similar things are given. For example, in Exodus 34:7 we find "iniquity and transgression and sin"; in Deuteronomy 5:31 and 6:1 we find "commandments and statutes and judgments"; and in Acts 2:22 we find the phrase, "miracles, wonders, and signs". This general interpretation finds support in some older commentators like Paul Bayne, Jean Daille and William Binnie, and in more recent years has been ably expounded by Professor John Murray and William Young in a Report they produced for the Orthodox Presbyterian Church in 1947.(18)

Someone might still object that this interpretation is speculative. But even if there is no absolute certainty about what Paul means here, the case seems to be much stronger for the view which sees exclusive reference to the Psalter in these verses. At any rate, it can readily be understood that these texts provide not one shred of warrant for the adoption of non-inspired materials of praise in worship. The fact is that any decision to admit uninspired human hymns can neither find support from such texts nor from any passage of the New Testament. The truth is that no Christian can be bound to sing any songs which the Lord, in His wisdom, has not commanded us to sing or provided for our singing, however good such songs may appear to be on a human level.

(iv) James 5:13; Romans 15:9

The last word we shall look at is the verb psallo, "to sing psalms, or praises". James encourages those who are suffering to pray. He encourages those who are cheerful to "sing psalms" (psalleto). What has James in mind here? Well, this word, psallo, appears 56 times in the Septuagint, predominantly in the Psalms. It came to mean, generally, a song of praise. Now, of course this cannot be shown conclusively to refer to Biblical Psalms. However, as the Puritan writer, Thomas Manton, suggests: "In the original there is but one word, psalleto, let him sing; but because the apostle is pressing them to religious use of every condition, and because this is the usual acception of the word psalleto in the church, it is well rendered 'let him sing psalms'."(19)

The use of psallo in another New Testament context indicates that Manton's interpretation is a sound one. In Romans 15:9, the only other place in the New Testament where this word appears, Paul finds Biblical support for the Gentiles to praise God. Where? Well, in the Psalms of course! ". . . that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: 'For this reason I will confess to you among the Gentiles, And sing (psalo) to your name' " (Psalm 18:49).

It will surely be recognised, therefore, that in these references no support is to be found for any advocacy of the use of uninspired songs of praise in public worship.

(v) New Testament "Christian Hymns"

Undeniably there are songs in the New Testament. In Luke's gospel, for instance, there are the songs of Mary (1:46-55), Zacharias (1:68-79) and Simeon (2:29-32). These are certainly Spirit-inspired songs, and whilst there does not seem to be any objection in principle to their use in public worship, it is not altogether clear that even these songs were intended by the Lord for such a purpose.

However, there are other passages which some have suggested are fragments of hymn-type compositions. These "fragments", it is maintained, bear witness to a developing liturgical tradition in the early Church. Ephesians 5:14, Philippians 2:6-11, Colossians 1:15-20, and I Timothy 3:16 are all commonly appealed to as illustrating this point. What are we to make of such claims?

(1) The procedure is speculative. However confidently claims may be made that there are hymn-citations in the New Testament, there is no uncontradicted proof that this is the case. Professor Binnie rightly called such claims "precarious".(20) Much ingenious and careful research has been done. Despite this there is still a lack of universal agreement amongst scholars on the precise nature of these verses. It cannot be proved that they were ever sung and it seems that no two New Testament writers quote from the same "hymn" fragment and no one writer quotes from the same "hymn" fragment twice!(21) Commenting on the subject, the "songs of Primitive Christianity", G. Delling makes a significant point: "Attempts have been made to distinguish Christian hymns in the NT but these are hypothetical in the absence of discernible laws."(22) He also makes the obvious point that ". . . the mere presence of lofty speech or integrated structure does not have to denote a hymn". Quite so.

(2) The procedure is inconclusive. Even supposing that it could be proved conclusively that hymn fragments were to be found in the New Testament, that would still not prove that these items were part of a developing liturgical tradition. For one thing, the providence of God is against it. In this way: none of the items of which the various verses in the New Testament are taken to be fragments has come down to us. The writers may indeed have gleaned these "fragments" from contemporary songs, but why then did these songs not come down in their entirety if they were to be used or if they were to be part of a liturgical tradition? What sort of tradition is it that fails to retain such items? If the Holy Spirit had meant the Church to use them, then it is scarcely likely that He would simply have left fragments here and there, and not ensured that the compositions, if they were such, were preserved in their entirety.

There is simply no evidence that these passages were either songs or part of a developing liturgical tradition. But even supposing these passages were found to be songs or parts of songs, it does not follow that this provides some sort of warrant for the use of uninspired hymns in worship or demonstrable proof that they were ever used in worship services. This whole area of New Testament studies is marvellously imaginative, but entirely inconclusive as far as the question of New Testament praise is concerned.

Notes
(12) R. A. Morey, "Reformation in our Singing", Reformation Today, March/April 1977,p 9.
(13) Cf. E. K. Simpson and F. F. Bruce, Commentary on the Epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians (Grand Rapids: 1957), pp. 125, 284-85; W. Hendriksen, Ephesians (Edinburgh: 1974), pp. 161-63; W. Hendriksen, Colossians (Edinburgh: 1976), pp. 240-41; R. P. Martin, Colossians and Philemon (London: 1973), pp. 115-16; C. L. Mitton, Ephesians (London: 1973), p. 191.
(14) Simpson and Bruce, Commentary on Ephesians and Colossians, pp. 284-85.
15 Psalmos is found in I Corinthians 14:26: "How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm (psalmon). . . ." C. K. Barrett suggests that this may be "a fresh, perhaps spontaneous, composition, not an Old Testament psalm". C. K. Barrett, A Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians (London: 1971), p. 327. However, it would most likely be a "charismatic" utterance — the question of the "charismata" is the context of that chapter. Besides, Paul is speaking of the utterances of individuals. In the nature of the case this would not be congregational song and the utterance would be inspired. In any case, as R. P. Martin has observed, "nothing. . . is known of the content or form of such spontaneous creations" (Martin, Colossians and Philemon, p. 115), assuming of course that they were not Bible Psalms, which they may well have been.
(16) For the information in this paragraph the writer is indebted to John Murray and William Young, Minority Report of the Committee on Song in the Public Worship of God, (Orthodox Presbyterian Church, 1947), p. 16.
(17) Bromiley, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, p. 24.
(18) P. Bayne, An Exposition of Ephesians, (1959), pp. 484ff; J. Daille, An Exposition of the Epistle to the Colossians, (NFCE), pp. 573ff; T. Manton, An Exposition of the Epistle of James (London: 1968), p. 443; W. Binnie, The Psalms, p. 377.
(19) Manton, James, p. 439.
(20) Binnie, Psalms, p. 377.
(21) Cf. G. B. Caird, "Hymns in the New Testament", Expository Times 83, no. 5(Feb. 1972):153.
(22) Bromiley, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, p. 1227.

Go to the next installment:
Sing the Lord's Song: Part V