This One Word Triggered Outrage

A few days ago I received a phone call from a man asking if I could answer a question about a Scripture passage.

“Of course,” I responded enthusiastically. “I’ll give it a try.”

He asked me to read Matthew 16:16, where Peter responds to Jesus' question, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" . . . Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

“How can I help you with that?” I asked.

From that point on, I couldn't get a word in. The man aggressively accused me of being a false teacher for claiming that Jesus is Jehovah.

I tried slowing down the conversation so I could answer his concern and explain why I believe that, but he would have none of it. Finally, I said, “Jesus accepted worship.”

At that, he exploded into a tirade of words.

“There’s no Scripture that says that!”

“Of course there is. Let me show you,” I interjected.

His shouting became increasingly hostile and incoherent, and eventually he hung up the phone.

That one word, worship, triggered outrage, because he understood its implications. Yet throughout the New Testament Scriptures, we repeatedly find people worshiping Jesus, and He never rebuked them for doing so. In contrast, the Apostle Peter and angels refused receiving worship (Acts 10:25–26; Revelation 22:8–9).

The Greek word for worship, proskuneó, means “to worship,” “to bow down,” or “to prostrate oneself.” From this root word come related forms. The differences come from grammar and sentence structure, much like our English words worship, worshiping, worshiped, or acts of worship—singular and plural. It is important to note that the New Testament does not use a lesser form or lesser tense of the word proskuneó of worship when directed toward Jesus.

Let’s look at some of these worship verses directed toward God and Jesus. Keep reading.

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Sarah Keith

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