Raising Hands in Worship: Biblical Practice or Conditioned Behavior? - by CHRIS KING

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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Once again we are overjoyed to find an author who quotes some Scripture. It's only a little bit, but that is significantly more than what most of the supposed "Bible teachers" manage to do. 

He also references a number of other Scriptures without quoting them. Had he actually quoted them, we might tend toward a different conclusion than the one the he wants. Indeed, the author seems to have begun with his conclusion, and worked backwards to gain evidence for it.

Also, we note the author has a propensity to make numerical lists, as if that adds weight to his argument. It is largely a contrivance, however.

Lastly, the author's title is a false choice. 

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Perform a Google search on the word “worship” and examine the “images” category. In my search, nine of the first ten images depict multiple people with their hands raised. The emoji for “praise” pictures two lifted hands.

Why is raising of hands in worship such a common practice (at least in America)? In this blog post I hope to address the following:

1. The misapplication of 1 Timothy 2:8 to support raising hands in worship;
2. What the Scripture says about lifting of hands;
3. Why this has become so common in worship. 

Raising Hands in Scripture

About twenty years ago, I attended a worship service where the senior pastor repeatedly exhorted the congregation to “raise holy hands.” He pointed to 1 Timothy 2:8 to support his instructions. When discussing the issue of lifting hands in worship, people generally point to this passage for biblical justification. I hope to show why this common interpretation and application is fallacious.

1 Timothy 2:8 says, “I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling” (ESV). These verses specifically apply to worship (in this case prayer) in the church. (This is the author's first premise, a false one, that Paul is instructing Timothy on church order. The verse itself refutes his assertion. "in every place" is not in the church.)

The broader context addresses, “how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God” (1 Tim. 3:15). (The author drags in a "proof" text, but it is from the chapter following the subject text. Chapter three is about church order, but chapter two, which contains the subject Scripture, is not.)

1 Timothy 2:8 specifically states:

1. Who should raise hands—”men”
2. When they should raise hands—in prayer
3. What their hands should be like—”holy”
4. What should not characterize their praying—”without anger or quarreling”
5. The author inexplicably leaves out - "in every place"

In this passage, Paul clearly delineates some of the differences in male and female roles in the church (2:9 begins Paul’s instructions for women). (The author repeats his false premise, which we will discuss below.)

Since this passage is specifically addressed to men, Christians should not employ it to call everyone to raise their hands. (The author makes a substantial doctrinal claim without reference or citation. But is it correct that only men [andras] should raise their hands, and only when they pray? 

Let's consider some other Scriptures which specifically reference men:

Ephesians 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man [andras], to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

So, is maturity only available to men? 

James 1:12 Blessed is the man [andras] who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

So, do only persevering men get a crown of life? 

The answer would be "no" to both questions, of course. We would suggest, then, that 1 Timothy 2:8 likewise should be understood differently. In light of other Scriptures using the same word where it does not mean "men only," there is no requirement for us to think Paul is referring only  men here.

But a more fundamental problem is that the author presumes that Paul is instructing Timothy about roles in the church. This interpretation of the passage has been the traditional one, but it is incorrect. Not only is the verse not referring to men only, it is not referring to what should happen in church. Remember, in every place.

This problem descends from the incorrect idea that 1 & 2 Timothy are "pastoral" letters, which colors one's approach to the text. However, if we divorce ourselves from the idea that Timothy was the pastor, much misconception also falls to the wayside. 

So, if these two letters are not "pastoral" letters, then Paul was not giving "pastoral" direction. 

Timothy wasn't the pastor, he was an associate of Paul on assignment to this church. Timothy had been sent to do a job. His purpose was to set things right until Paul comes (3:15, 4:13). He was there to address problems (1:3), which means Paul was encouraging and instructing Timothy on how to handle situations in this church. Paul was giving him personal instruction and exhortation (1:18, 4:11), he noted what actions he had taken against certain blasphemers (1:20), he teaches doctrine (4:13), and he structures the leadership of the church (chapter 3). 

And, we do not see anything about Timothy taking pastorship of the church. There was no such thing back then.

We therefore have to examine context to determine what the topics are. The topic in chapter 2 is regarding instructions about the general behavior of men and women, not men and women in the church setting. There is no hint that Paul was writing to Timothy about church order until Paul specifically and directly turns to the topic in chapter 3, as we mentioned above. The word ekklesia does not appear until chapter 3.)

Furthermore, this command for men relates to a specific activity: prayer (more on this below). The Apostle also requires that these men be holy and not angry or quarreling (which appears as a common feature of the false teachers Paul addresses in 1 Timothy). This text is simply not a call for the whole church to raise their hands while they worship. (Now the author is creating categories. For him, prayer is not worship. Worship is apparently the musical portion of his church service. However, we would suggest to the author that worship is simply sung prayers. Any prayer, whether set to music or just spoken, ought to be regarded as worship; and any worship, whether musical or spoken, is prayer. 

An example is Ac. 4:24-30, where Peter and John were released from prison. The church raised their voices together in prayer, and began with worship:

Ac. 4:24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them."

Prayer is not simply asking God for things. And neither prayer nor worship exclusive to each other, and neither are restricted only to the church setting.

And finally, we do not find a command anywhere that prohibits lifting hands in worship.)

What does this passage mean? In ordering worship for the church, men should lead in prayer, raising their hands when they pray, be holy, and not be angry or quarrelsome. (We can see the results of incorrectly dividing the word of truth. The author presumes the context to be in the church, imposes his view of what prayer is, separates prayer from worship, and pronounces the issue solved.)

It’s ironic that so many apply this passage to raising hands while singing, but rarely to a man while praying. (Perhaps, but not terribly relevant.)

The New Testament rarely addresses the issue of raising hands. (This therefore is an argument from silence.)

One can find three other instances, none of which appear in the context of church worship (Luke 24:50; Rev. 10:5-6; Hebrews 12:12). Therefore, no examples or commands for all Christians to lift their hands in worship can be found in the NT. (Again the author argues from silence. 

Now the author will concede there are several examples of lifting hands are found in the OT, as if the OT mentions are not relevant for us as believers.)

The Old Testament, however, contains several references to the raising of hands. These examples include:

1. To pray: 1 Kings 8:22–23, 54-55; Psalm 28:2; Lamentations 2:19; Habakkuk 3:10.
2. To bless others: Leviticus 9:22; Psalm 63:4; 134:2; 141:2; Luke 24:50 is probably a NT example.
3. To swear: Genesis 14:22; Exodus 6:8; Nehemiah 8:6; See Revelation 10:5–6 for a NT equivalent.
4. To set about to accomplish some important matter, like fulfilling a vow: Genesis 41:44; Psalm 10:12. See Hebrews 12:12 for a NT equivalent.

(Let's quote a few of these Scriptures:

1. 1Kg. 8:22-23 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands towards heaven 23 and said: “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below — you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way.

 

So Solomon prayed by first expressing worship. Hmmm. At the end of His prayer we read this:

1Kg. 8:54 When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the LORD, he rose from before the altar of the LORD, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out towards heaven.

We see that Solomon was kneeling [kara, to bow down very low] before the altar with raised hands. He was worshiping. Hmmm.

Now the author ironically turns to the Psalms [musical prayers]:

Ps. 28:2 Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands towards your Most Holy Place....

The author stops his quotation here, but we shall continue on. David begins by praying for God to intercede, then he writes...

Ps. 28:6-8 Praise be to the LORD, for he has heard my cry for mercy. 7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. 8 The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.

...he turns to worship God as he prays. Hmmm.

Next citation:

2. Ps. 63:2-5 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. 3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. 4 I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. 5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

Again, David is worshiping. Hmmm.

Ps. 134:2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the LORD.

This is getting tedious. The author is completely wrong about the lifting of hands. In nearly every case the hands lifter is engaged in worship.

Ps. 141:2 May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.

The sacrifice is inextricably linked to worship and prayer, especially since the psalms are sung prayers. Let's consider a Scripture the author omits:

Ps. 119:48 I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees.

One additional concept:

Ps. 20:5 We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.

We bring up the idea of banners because we would suggest that the lifting hands is representative to the lifting of banners:

Ex. 17:15-16 Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner. 16 He said, “For hands were lifted up to the throne of the LORD. The LORD will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.”

This is found right at the end of the account of Moses standing on the hill above where armies were battling. He raised his hands and the Israelites would be winning. He let them fall, and the Amalekites would begin to win. So Moses concluded that there was a link between hands being lifted up and banners.

Ps. 20:5 We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.

The author has not only failed to prove his case, he has refuted himself.)

In 1 Timothy 2:8, Paul draws on the OT practice of lifting hands in prayer (#1 in the summary above).

Based on the OT evidence, the best case or justification for raising hands in worship can be found in Psalm 134:2 and 141:2 (from # 2 in the summary above). (Well, as we have just seen by actually quoting the above Scriptures, almost all of the lifting of hands in item #1 is related to worship.)

These two examples give rise to several questions the serious student of the Bible needs to address: (But the author will not.)

1. What is the nature and purpose blessing others in the OT?
2. How is the lifting of hands related to OT blessing?
3. Why was it done?
4. What does it mean?
5. Is it legitimate to call upon all Christians to raise hands in worship based on these references?

Why We Do What We Do in Worship

At this point, many might say, “This is nit-picky—why are you concerned about this? Just let people worship the way they want.”

As Christians, we want to accurately interpret and apply Scripture. (A criteria we would apply to the author as well.)

The importance of worship requires that it be given significant attention, especially from pastors and those who lead others in worship. We should consider it a serious matter for a leader or teacher to misinterpret and misapply any text that affects how the church worships God.

Because of the nature and sufficiency of Scripture, we should derive our practices of worship from Scripture alone. (The author does not actually believe this, we are certain, because very little of a contemporary church service is derived from the Bible. The offering, the special music, the little board hanging from the wall listing last week's attendance, the podium and stage, the pastor as CEO; none of this is biblical.

Scriptural worship is participatory and even physical. The word worship itself [proskuneo] contains a physical description in its definition. 

We are absolutely certain that the author does not engage in worship that is derived the Bible.)

I fear that many people derive their worship practices primarily from the example and experience of others. (Probably true. And probably true with the author's church.)

How do people learn to worship? Generally, the same way they learn to do other things—by example.

Let’s consider a hypothetical example:

Matilda gets born-again, begins loving the Lord, and desires to worship with her church. When her church gathers, all the people raise their hands while singing praises to God. It’s likely Matilda will begin raising her hands as she sings—Why? Because of her experience, and the conditioned behavior of her fellow worshipers.

Here’s another hypothetical example:

Gil is a Christian twelfth grader. He goes to a large conference with his student group. The worship band exhorts everyone to raise their hands and sway. Like most of his 5,000 fellow students, Gilbert raises his hands and begins swaying with the crowd—Why? Because the crowd was exhorted to do so by the band, and all his friends complied. Meanwhile, many student leaders look on, and based on this outward expression say, “Wow, they are really worshiping!”

Here are some poor motives/reasons for lifting hands in worship:

1. Because other people are doing it (your Mom was right!).
2. Because other people pressure you to do it.
3. Because you’ve always done it and never given it much thought.

Our expressions of worship should arise from being convinced that God commands or commends them in his Word. We don’t want our worship to merely be learned behavior based on the example of others. We want to derive our worship practices from Scripture (what God says), not experience. (It is odd indeed that the author repeatedly asserts that we should base our worship only on what Scripture says, but never actually tells us what that is.)

Here’s another question: Given that the practice of everyone lifting their hands in worship is not found in the NT, (As we have seen, this is an Argument from Silence at best, or quite false at worst.)

why has it become such a popular and common practice in churches? This probably stems from the following:

1. A misapplication of 1 Tim. 2:8, and
2. Worship experiences and examples where the raising of hands is the norm.

Final Considerations

Christians should not allow the practice of raising of hands in worship to lead to what Paul prohibits in 1 Timothy 2:8—quarreling. As with all matters, we should search the Scriptures and base our faith and practice on what God says in His Word. (Again he asserts this.)

We also need to recognize our context: In America many Christians (genuine born-again believers) have only experienced worship in which everyone raises their hands. Many have never considered this expression in light of the Scripture. In our desire to make disciples, we should humbly and patiently sit down with other believers and talk about all our worship practices with our Bibles open.

I personally think the issue of raising hands in worship falls in the category of “opinions” Paul addresses in Romans 14–15. In addressing this issue with others, we should follow his counsel and, “pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding” (Rom 14:19). (Wow. After spending a thousand words attempting to refute the practice of lifting hands in worship, he concedes it falls in the category of "opinions." Why, then did he waste his time and our time, especially since he gets so much of it wrong?)