One Year In Iraq Part 1 Click
One Year In Iraq Part 2 Click
**************************
Jesus accepted honor and worship
Jesus demonstrated His divinity in yet another way when He said, “. . . All should honor the Son just as they honor the Father” (John 5:23). Over and over again, Jesus told His disciples to believe in Him as they would believe in God. “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me” (John 14:1).
Jesus received worship on many occasions without forbidding such acts. A leper worshipped Him (Matthew 8:2). A ruler worshipped Him with his plea to raise his daughter from the dead (Matthew 9:18). When Jesus had stilled the storm, those in the boat worshipped Him as the Son of God (Matthew 14:33).
A Canaanite woman worshipped Him (Matthew 15:25). When Jesus met the women who came to His tomb after His resurrection, they worshipped Him, as did His apostles (Matthew 28:9, 17). The demon-possessed man of the Gadarenes, “when He saw Jesus from afar . . . ran and worshiped Him” (Mark 5:6). The blind man whom Jesus healed in John 9 worshipped Him (verse 38).
The First and Second of the Ten Commandments forbid worship of anyone or anything other than God (Exodus 20:2-5). Barnabas and Paul were very disturbed when the people of Lystra tried to worship them after their healing of a crippled man (Acts 14:13-15). In Revelation 22:8-9, when John the apostle fell down to worship the angel, the angel refused to accept worship, saying, “You must not do that! . . . Worship God!” (Revelation 22:8-9, NRSV).
Yet Jesus accepted worship and did not rebuke those who chose to kneel before Him and worship. *****************************
Now was Jesus mad and/or sacrilegious when he accepted worship that could only be due to God?
"Worship" of Yahshua is NOT "Worship" of God!
Ok, among the many passages of the New Testament that presents Yahshua as being the object of "worship" is Matthew 14:33.p Mt 14:33 33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. Here we have a clear situation - one of many recorded in the New Testament - of Yahshua being "worshipped", yet those worshipping him did not worship him as YHVH but as the Son of YHVH, which to them, actually meant that they recognized him as Messiah or as an empowered, righteous agent of the Almighty God. Although many think the term "worship" is only applicable to "God", in fact the term relates to showing reverence even to a fellow man. The "divine worship" understanding Christian teachers apply to situations where Yahshua was shown reverence is often an intentional attempt to bias and misinform, since they know the Greek term rendered as "worship" does NOT necessarily refer to divine worship. As the Strong's Lexicon points out, the Greek term is simply "used of homage shown to men and beings of superior rank".
Quoting from the Enhanced Strong's Lexicon for the Greek term rendered "worship":
Strong's Number 4352 proskunevw [proskuneo /pros·koo·neh·o/] v. From 4314 and a probable derivative of 2965 (meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master's hand); TDNT 6:758; TDNTA 948; GK 4686; 60 occurrences; AV translates as "worship" 60 times. to kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence. among the Orientals, esp. the Persians, to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence. in the NT by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make obeisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication. used of homage shown to men and beings of superior rank. to
the Jewish high priests. to God.
to Christ.
to heavenly beings.
to demons.
So, we CLEARLY see that "worship" most certainly is NOT limited to worship of God. It is irrefutable! In fact, the term can even apply to "worship" of demons!