Was musical performance ever used for expiation in the Abrahamic context? Does God like music?

exchemist said:

I’m aware one can view the octave as comprising two tetrachords separated by a tone, and I think the Ancient Greeks viewed it as a fundamental building block.

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If I remember correctly, music, or chant, would emerge in the earliest missals when simple four note patterns started to come into use. At least that's what I thought I learned, though I may be incorrect

ideogenous_mover said:

If I remember correctly, music, or chant, would emerge in the earliest missals when simple four note patterns started to come into use. At least that's what I thought I learned, though I may be incorrect

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Hmm, I think I’d like to see a source for that, as it doesn’t sound right to me. The Greeks used the octave and I see no reason why the early church would not have done.

Our Jewish friends might be able to comment on how the psalms were sung at the time of Christ. I should have thought the early Christian church might have started from there.

If I were God, I would want us to sing more and talk less.

Piculet said:

They're not considered music.

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Yes they are and yes it is, by definition.

ideogenous_mover said:

If I remember correctly, music, or chant, would emerge in the earliest missals when simple four note patterns started to come into use. At least that's what I thought I learned, though I may be incorrect

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Maybe you mean Greek music. Church adapted Greek modes consisting of 8 notes (2x4) but they were theoretically systemized in 8th century.

Church modes:

PearlSeeker said:

Maybe you mean Greek music. Church adapted Greek modes consisting of 8 notes (2x4) but they were theoretically systemized in 8th century.

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I'll research this some more later. I don't think they got to that point that quick , but they eventually would adapt those

ideogenous_mover said:

It seems that music has often been referred to in Abrahamic traditions , but it isn't clear if its role was standardized into well defined modes of theological utility. In other words, I don't believe that its use would specifically atone for anything in Leviticus or Deuteronomy etc., yet man seems to try to make it do something for God, or various passages seem to ascribe it as perhaps affecting God.

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Deuteronomy 31:19

Ezra 3:10

Music was important part of rituals in the Jerusalem Temple. Levites sung and played there. Traditionally king David instituted the system.

Music can express and affect emotions. In religions it has been used for worshiping God. Because of the music prayers are felt as more glorious and beautiful (than just recited words).

ideogenous_mover said:

One wonders if one ancient intent for music was to affect deities, but perhaps it was not considered to be physical enough to impress them all that much. Otherwise, the ancient lore would call for songs instead sacrificial smoke smells, for instance. But what does harp playing do for God, or singing, as the bible declared that the voice was the 'sweetest' instrument, and a harp type instrument to be calming

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Music affects people when communicating with God or spirit world. See how shamans fall into trance with the help of music and compare that with 2 Kings 3:15. There is something ethereal about music. It can "bring down" (a glimpse of) heaven.

ideogenous_mover said:

Once we are in the new testament, music hardly seems to figure in at all, though there you think would. The theological rules change, so that God is said to be more impressed by 'the praises of one's lips.'

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Music is still important. Maybe even more. In theology of NT "the Kingdom of God is at hand" (and already here) "the Word became flesh", the Messiah came to us... Is this not a good reason to sing and play? The Kingdom is also represented as a wedding. What wedding feast is without music? Jesus himself and apostles sung during the last supper, Paul recommended singing...

PearlSeeker said:

Jesus himself and apostles sung during the last supper, Paul recommended singing...

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where are those passage

ideogenous_mover said:

where are those passage

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"And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives." Matthew 26:30 and Mark 14:26

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." Colossians 3:16

"... be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart..." Ephesians 5:19