Defining the Term “Worship”
October 1st, 2008 by Sean
What Does the Bible Mean by the Term “worship”?
by Carlos Jimenez (Xavier)
Jason D. BeDuhn, Truth in Translation: Accuracy and Bias in English Translations of the New Testament, University Press of America, 2003, pp. 41-49.
Ancient Mediterranean societies tended to be very hierarchical. It was a world where everyone knew their place in relation to countless superiors and inferiors. Those who neglected or forgot this stratification of rank would be readily reminded by those around. In the highest place stood God or the gods. Below that in the Roman Empire ranked the emperor, followed by senators, governors, and a very complex system of local officials, priests, and landowners. The very bottom was occupied by slaves who might be owned by the lowliest of peasants.
Social convention dictated gestures of deference and respect from inferior to superior at every point along this hierarchy. In the presence of someone of high rank, low bows or prostrations were expected. The Greek verb that expresses making such a prostration was proskuneo. In the modern world the best example of a prostration can be seen in the prayers of Muslims. Dropping to your knees, you bend forward and lower your head to the ground.
In the time of Jesus, prostrations were common throughout the eastern Roman Empire, both in official circles and in the less formal daily dealings of people of widely different rank. Proskuneo gradually expanded its meaning to include a wide variety of formal gestures of respect. It even came to be used colloquially with the meaning ‘kiss’ or offer a welcoming embrace.”
The point we are making is this: Some older versions of the Bible, notably the King James Version, are now highly misleading when they present you with the view that Jesus was “worshiped,” i.e. that Jesus is GOD, equal to the Father in Deity. Dr. BeDuhn, whom we quoted, goes on to make the point that “worship,” in its Old English sense, still retained the “range of meaning” that was closest to that of the ancient world. But today those meanings have been lost to the extent that they do not cover the same function as they once did. He argues for better, modern translations of the Bible which reflect this social and cultural change since translators “mislead their readers into thinking that every greeting, kiss or prostration in the Bible is an act of worship directed to a god.”
What is meant by the KJV when Jesus is said to be “worshiped”? Not necessarily that he is God! “They are gestures of respect made to a superior, in either the spiritual, social or political sense.” With this in mind “we can see how theological bias has been the determining context for the choices made by [translators of today].”
General “worship”
In the Bible “worship” was offered to both God (YHWH) and human beings. This is reflected in the OT Hebrew words: shachah (Gen. 37:7; 47:31; Josh. 23:7; Jdg 7:15; 1 Kings 1:47; 1 Chron. 29:20; Zeph. 2:11); qadad (Gen. 24:26; 43:28); and the Aramaic verb segeed, corresponding to the Hebrew sāg̱aḏ (Dan. 2:46; 3:28; cf. Rom. 12:1). The NT uses the Greek proskuneo for angels (Rev. 19:10; 22:8), human beings (Matt. 20:20; Acts 10:25), and false gods or idols (Acts 7:43; Rev. 13:8; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4). In Revelation 3:9 human beings are to be worshiped! They are not God.
A leading authority on the Bible is most helpful:
Hastings Dictionary of the Bible, 4:943
Some indefiniteness attaches to this subject [of “worship”], partly owing to the two senses in which the Greek word proskuneo is used, and partly owing to the ambiguous usage of the word kurios [lord]. But it cannot be proven that in any of these cases more than an act of homage and humble obeisance is intended. Josephus uses the word proskuneo of the high priests. The physical act of prostration in profound humility, and as rendering great honor, is all that can be meant. The homage offered to Christ would vary in its significance from the simple prostration of the leper before the Great Healer to the adoration of Mary Magdalene and Thomas in presence of the risen Christ, its significance depending wholly on the idea of His nature that had been attained, and therefore not to be determined by the mere statements of the outward acts which we find in the Gospels.
Thus “worship” of Jesus tells us nothing about his precise status or nature.
Wainwright, The Trinity and the New Testament, p. 104.
The examples of proskuneo which have been discussed do not greatly strengthen the evidence for the worship of Christ [i.e. as God]. The ambiguity of the word proskuneo, which can be used of oriental obeisance, as well as actual worship, makes it impossible to draw certain conclusions from the evidence.
“Divine” service and worship
The Bible uses other words to indicate the exclusive “worship” and external or official divine service to the one God of Israel, YHWH. The OT uses the Aramaic palach, found in Daniel (7:14, 27; cp. 6:16-17, 20-21; 3:28; 7:24) and describes the activity of “servants” of the Jewish Temple (Ezra 7:24). In the Greek Septuagint this is translated as latreuo (worship; cp. latreai=service worship, Ex. 3:12; 7:16; Deut. 4:28; Jdg 2:11, 13), the version most in use during the 2nd Temple period.
- This word is also used in the same context in the NT, reserved for God alone:
- in a religious sense to worship God (Mat 4:10; Luke 1:74; 2:37; 4:8; Acts 7:7; 24:14; 27:23; Rom 1:9; Phil. 3:3; 2Ti 1:3; Heb. 9:14; 12:28; Rev. 22:3);
- used in an absolute sense (Act 26:7; Sept.: Deut. 6:13; 10:12; Josh. 24:15);
- “worshipping creatures [other] than the Creator” (Rom 1:25; Sept.: Deut. 4:28; Jdg 2:11, 13);
- particularly the performing of the Levitical service (Heb. 8:5; 9:9; 10:2; 13:10);
- of the celestial temple (Rev. 7:15)
- To offer sacrifice, to worship (Heb. 9:9; 10:2; cf. Sept.: Ex 3:12; 7:16).
A key question would then be, Does anyone in the NT “latreuo” — offer divine worship — to Jesus?
Wainright, The Trinity in the New Testament, p. 103.
There is no instance of latreuo [to do religious service to] which has Christ as its object.
And no one worships the holy spirit in the NT. The spirit is not a third Person but the operational presence of God and Jesus.
Dunn, The Theology of Paul the Apostle, pp. 257-260
It is equally notable that [the Apostle Paul applies] the normal prayer terms (deomai, deesis) to God and never to Christ. [He] is neither simply the content of the thanksgiving. Such uniformity in Paul’s usage should certainly make us hesitate before asserting that Paul ‘worshipped’ Christ, since the evidence more clearly indicates otherwise.
Conclusion
It is presumptuous to suggest that early Christians were under some kind of “obligation” to render the same type of worship to the Son as to the Father. I say this in view of the conclusion by some modern scholars (N.T. Wright, Challenge of Jesus; Larry Hurtado, Lord Jesus Christ; JDG Dunn, The Theology of Paul) that a “stunning adaptation” (“mutation,” Dunn) of the Jewish Shema (1 Cor. 8.1-6; Phil. 2.5-11; Gal. 4.1-7; Col. 1.15-20; cp. Deut 6.4) somehow took place. This alleged moving away from Jewish monotheism cannot be justified in view of Jesus’ own affirmation of the Shema in the NT [where it remains consistent with the unchanging and unitarian monotheistic, Jewish belief he expressed] and cultural, social and functional meaning of “worship” throughout the Bible:
The New Encyclopedia Britannica, vol. 16, “Christianity Macropaedia,” p. 274
In the Christian understanding of Christ as being one with the Father, there is a constant possibility that faith in God will be absorbed in a ‘monochristicism’ i.e., that the figure of the Son in the life of faith will overshadow the figure of the Father and thus cause it to disappear and that the figure of the Creator and Sustainer of the world will recede behind the figure of the Redeemer.
10/1/08
The way how the Bible and/or the characters in the Bible including Jesus define worship is very clear. Jesus spoke the true about his inclination of worshipping his Father. There is either “Pure Worship” or “Paganistic Worship” this is a vital matter of learning how to worship the God, Jesus referred worship as “ It is written, it is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service”( Luke 4:8) The way John indicated this sacred service was as “ The hour is coming, and it is now , when the true worshippers will worship the Father with spirit and truth.” (John 4: 23, 24) Hence, God is a spirit, he is looking for suchlike ones to worship him in such manner. In the spiritual sense, whoever is doing God’s Will is connected with God and his organization. Jesus said, “ Whoever does my Father’s Will is my brother, my sister, or my mother.” The same spirit worshipping the Father is manifested in all things, however, it is only done for his glory, honor and power to the Father” ( Revelation 19: 4, 10, 11) ( Revelation 7: 11, 12) Angels are more zealous than humans when it comes to worship God. They worship God day and night. Jesus gave us the example in how to worship God ( his Father not Jesus himself) If we don’t follow such exhortation to follow his footsteps, it is very dangerous to somebody’s spirituality. Jesus said “ He that is not on my side is against me…” Jesus compared this as those who will be part of the Antichrist. (1 John 4:1-3) “ Expressions and spirit of the antichrist is already in the world.” This means that Jesus separated himself and his disciples with that kind of worship. This spirit and/or teaching of not following Jesus’ teachings are constituted “The Antichrist”. If Jesus taught his apostles to worship the Father as the only model we can please God and confess that Jesus originated from God if we observe Jesus’ commandments starting with loving one another. ( 1 John 3: 22-24) Every teaching against what Jesus established accordingly to the Father’s Will and his purposes is considered to be the antichrist.( 2 John 7) Therefore worshipping God or Jesus’ Father and whoever does Father’s Will is in union in the same love that Jesus told his disciples. It is imperative to have exact knowledge of how to worship the Father. ( 1 John 1:17, 18) Identifying the pure worship not only gives us the assurance of pleasing God but also gives us the exact knowledge of God and His Son. This means everlasting Life. (John 17:3) We have to test the expressions of the spirit of the Antichrist as mention in ( 1 John 4: 1) likewise how the Apostle Paul did. (Acts 17:2,3)
Wally Folgar,
I think Xavier’s point above is that there is more than just “pure worship” and “paganastic worship.” In their culture (and in most) there was a stratified class system. Everyone knew their place and when someone of a higher class came in the room you “worshiped” him–you bowed to show respect. This is what the word “worship” in the NT means. It also does include the idea of bowing to God in a religious context. I think that unless we get this distinction we as unitarians are going to have a really tough time with when Jesus is worshiped in the Gospels
Jesus does not back up your statement. Jesus is saying that worship belongs to God. This does not obviate a definition of worship. That definition (as this post shows) already exists, and Luke is merely referencing the ‘worship of God’ aspect. And, as we would expect it is standard Jewish monotheism. Your simple and clear breakdown of pagan/pure does not follow from Jesus’ statement at all.
What is a “spirit” manner? Does it mean only inward, peistic, and individual? Because I’m not sure that that idea fits with the context at all. The Jewish people do not believe in a natural/supernatural, or spiritual/material dualism at all.
Just to get to know all of you, I am interested to see how everyone worships in congregation.
1. Do you have a rock band and coffee bar in your church?
2. Are you more old fashioned and take to a traditional setting?
3. Do you worship at home?
4. How big is your congregation?
I personally worship at home most times due to the lack of Churches in my area that are anti-Trinity. My wife and I are both Jewish, I being brought up from a Christian background, she from an Orthodox background. We attended a Messianic congregation for awhile until they found out we didn’t uphold the Trinity, didn’t go well after that. We have a great congregation (pro-torah, anti-Trinity) that we attended in Ma’ale adumim (lit., red ascent), which is a Jewish settlement west of Jerusalem. I guess if you have ever been to a traditional Jewish service you would see how I worship in congregation.
I also don’t particularly like the rock band setting in church, to noisy for me. But, maybe a acoustic guitar sound and piano is nice.
John,
I don’t know where you are coming from as far your replying to my commentary. What is it that doesn’t make sense what I commented about? Did you read the entire comment or just part of it? I was referring generally speaking to what Xavier’s post in regards to the question posted above. What do you think my statement is all about? Who do you worship and how do you do it? Is it you worship based on how the Bible teaches or is there another foundation of your worship besides the Bible? Why people worship in a form of a trinity? do they think they are right about their worship? Do they say that teaching is part of the Bible’s foundation? The only way to find out is through reasoning, rationalizing, comparing, and putting that knowledge to the test accordingly to the scriptures. True wisdom is a gift not a reward.
Wally,
[…] Defining the Term “Worship” […]
Joseph
Just found your response and question. Myself, coming from an Advent Christian, (not 7th Day) background worship in the traditional way, I suppose. We sing a few hymns, have the offertory, the doxology, pastoral prayer, and then a sermon. Often I come away feeling as tho I haven’t really worshipped, as tho something is missing. There doesn’t seem to a “sacredness” to the service, a worshiping of God. I too dislike going to churches that have the “bands” especially drums. I see no purpose there, but then that is just my way. Perhaps a home worship would be more fulfilling, haven’t tried that, perhaps more intimate. Our congregation flutuates between 30 and 50. Sometimes I think we as protestants have wrapped ourselves in our own “traditions” and dare not stray lest we offend the elderly and they stop with their tithes…. we have two older couples who have done just that because of using church funds to help those in need outside the church. It is interesting to read of Jews who accept Jesus as the messiah, yet do not bend to the trinitarian beliefs expounded and often “required” by evangelicals.