I doubt if the musician in the story would smash the “$20,000 Violin” at the end of the concert to prove the “T in TULIP”. If he REALLY wanted to illustrate the Gospel, the “$20,000 Violin would be just as Totally Worthless as the other one.
A few thoughts:
1) The issue of Calvinism is not mentioned in the article. It is something that you are wrestling with. I wrestled with it many years. What does God say on the matter?
2) WHY did Hendrix destroy valuable instruments? That deserves much thinking.......................
3) It is interesting where eyes and ears go in a story. The destruction of the fiddle is not where mine went. The beautiful music played on both is what I thought about.
1. “All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.”
2. Hendrix was going for the shock value. Same as the musician in the story by smashing the $20 fiddle. Pete Townsend actually already did something similar, so it wasn’t even original with Jimi.
3. God is no respecter of persons. In His eyes (and ears) the fiddles were equal. Substitute “Poor Man” and “Rich Man” for “$20 Violin” and “$20,000 Violin” and you will see why this story bothered me. Except, when it comes to actual musical instruments, there IS a difference.
If the musician in the story represents God, why did He destroy one violin because of it’s intrinsic non-value, and extol the other because of its monetary value when He is capable of performing magnificent music on both?
Could this be analogous to the Potter making some vessels to be used for fine wines and others to be chamber pots?
I’ll bet J.MacA didn’t expect his little story to cause such controversy. LOL!
I probably read a lot into the story because I am a musician and have had lots of experience with musical instruments. There have been instances where a person is so talented that they can make anything sound good, but these are few and far between. If anything, the story demonstrates the Incredible Grace of God.
John MacArthur isn’t a Lutheran, and sure ain’t a LUTHIER either!
I am not a Lutheran either, but I am an amateur LUTHIER. (and a terrible punster!)
Peace, Brother.