Does Acts 3 Prove Instrumental Music Is Scriptural?
by Perry Hall
An up-and-coming trend to defend musical instruments in praising God consists of this line of argument:
- In Acts 3, Peter and John went to the temple at the hour of prayer to pray.
- The temple used instruments in prayer.
- Therefore, Peter and John's actions show it is scriptural to use instruments in prayer to God.
Admittedly, this syllogism works. That is, it follows the logic from the premise to the conclusion.
However, there is a problem. The text does not say, "Peter and John went to the temple to pray".
Here is the text: "Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer." Does this text say why they went or when they went? When!
Now, as we continue to read, why did they go? To heal and to preach.
"But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, 'Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk?'" (Acts 3:12).
This is parallel to Acts 2. When were the apostles together? It was the Day of Pentecost. Why were the apostles gathered? Was it to celebrate the Jewish Feast of the Ingathering? Or was it because that is where the people were, and they wanted to preach?
This is why Paul later went to the Synagogue on the Sabbath. He wasn't observing the Sabbath; he was going to where the people were to preach.
Acts 3 does not demonstrate how to worship in song or prayer. It teaches why we should go where people are—to preach Jesus.
