WORSHIP OF JESUS: TO THE HONOUR AND GLORY OF THE FATHER
1). INTRODUCTION
The Bible says that we worship Christ to the glory of the Father (Phillippians 2:10-11). In other words neither the Father nor the Son equate such worship as “usurping” the glory of the other because they are not different, they are not even similar, but they are of identical essence. Identical and inseparable, in power, in glory, in goodness, in authority and mind and will. And thus are equally worthy to be worshipped. This is the meaning of John 5:23: “so that all people will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”
2). ONLY GOD DESERVES SPIRITUAL WORSHIP OF MEN
Only God deserves to receive spiritual worship from men. Indeed if we don’t give to God the honour He deserves we cannot honour or worship Him at all.
In conversation with the woman at the well (John 4:6-30), Jesus gave two criteria for true worship: (i) in spirit (ii) and in truth. Worship was now to became a matter of the heart, not external actions, and directed by truth rather than ceremony, temple confines or geographical location. And truth demands that we know who we worship. Ignorance is no longer any excuse: “Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).
The New Testament word for worship (proskuneo) means to do obeisance, reverence, or acts of homage (see Thayer, Vine, and Arndt & Gingrich). This word is often used to describe men worshipping God: in John 4:20-24; Revelation 4:10; 7:11; 11:16; 14:7; 19:4; 15:4; 1 Corinthians 14:25.
Many verses forbid worshiping men, angels, or any created thing.
Acts 10:25 – 26: Cornelius fell down to worship Peter. Peter forbade it saying that he himself was just a man. God deserves worship, but men do not. (Cf. Acts 12:20-23; 14:8-18.)
Paul and Barnabus refused worship when the crowds tried to make them gods:
“When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the form of men!” And they started to call Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the main speaker.”
“The apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their robes when they heard this and rushed into the crowd, shouting: “Men! Why are you doing these things? We are men also, with the same nature as you, and we are proclaiming good news to you, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them” (Acts 14:11‭-‬15) c.f. Acts 12:21-23.
Revelation 22:8 – 9; 19:10: John tried to worship the angel, but the angel forbade it because he was a “fellow servant.” The angel commanded “Worship God.”
People who worship and serve created things, rather than the Creator, have left the truth of God. Romans 1:25: “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served something created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen.”
To worship any created thing – whether man, angel, heavenly body, or some other object in nature (mountain, ocean, etc.) – constitutes idolatry. Muslims knowingly or unwittingly bow down and worship creation. The kaaba is a monument to celestial worship as are all its associated worship rituals and rites. Allah is a mute impotent idol, a rebranding of Hubal the moon god of pre Islam and derived in turn from the Baal worship of Babylon.
□ Only the true God deserves to be worshipped. The wannabe god Satan does not.
In Matthew 4:10, Jesus gave Satan this rebuke which He never gave to anyone else: “Worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.”
Revelation 9:20 – Idolatry is forbidden because it constitutes worship of someone other than God (Exodus 20:3-6; Deuteronomy 6:13-15; Revelation 14:9-11). [See also Exodus 34:14] Note: proskunew is forbidden when used for obeisance to men from a spiritual or religious motivation or purpose. The word is sometimes (but rarely) used in the New Testament non-religiously to refer to bowing in obeisance to a king, master, or other person in authority (see Matthew 18:26 – this usage is more common in the Old Testament).
When used for religious honor, however, worship is forbidden toward any except God. In this sense, “worship” is like “lord,” “father,” “master,” etc. The words may be acceptably used for earthly, physical relationships (Ephesians 6:1-9; Colossians 3:21,22), but we are forbidden to use such as religious honor to men or created things (Matthew 23:8-12). [On Revelation 3:9, cf. to 1 Corinthians 14:25]
The concept of Deity distinguishes the Creator from the creature. Things which are created do not have the unique characteristics of God, do not do the unique works of God, and therefore should not be addressed by the unique names of God nor should they be worshipped.
□ But Jesus received the unique worship God deserves.
Jesus was often worshipped while He appeared on earth before His resurrection.
Matthew 8:2 – A leper came and worshipped Jesus. [9:18; 15:25; Mark 5:6]
Matthew 14:33 – After Jesus had calmed the storm, the disciples worshipped Him saying He was the Son of God.
John 9:38 – After Jesus had healed the blind man, He revealed Himself to be the Son of God (v35). The man said he believed, and he worshipped Jesus.
Note that such religious worship would have been blasphemy and should have been forbidden as it was in the case of Peter, the angel, etc., if Jesus had been just a man on earth.
□ Created beings also worship Him after His resurrection.
Matthew 28:9,17 – After His resurrection, His disciples worshipped Him. [Cf. John 20:28,29]
Luke 24:52 – Even after He had ascended back to heaven, they worshipped Him.
Note that men were rebuked for worshipping men, angels, or created beings, but they were never rebuked for worshipping Jesus.
□ Angels worship the Son
Angels are even instructed by the Father to worship Jesus.
Hebrews 1:6 – Angels are instructed by God to worship Jesus.
“When He again brings His firstborn into the world, He says, And all God’s angels must worship Him.” c.f. Luke 2:13.
The context of the above passages cannot fit the idea of obeisance to an earthly king or ruler. They refer to honoring Jesus as a religious authority – the very thing forbidden when offered to Peter, angels, etc.
Hence, Jesus accepted worship as an act of religious honor. The Scriptures, including Jesus’ own teachings, would absolutely forbid this unless He possesses true Deity.
3). GLORY AND HONOR BELONG TO GOD
“Glory” (doxa) means “…praise, honor … magnificence, excellence, preeminence, dignity, grace … majesty” – Grimm-Wilke-Thayer.
“Honor” (timh) means “…honor which belongs or is shown to one; the honor of one who outranks others, pre-eminence … veneration … deference, reverence…” – Grimm-Wilke-Thayer.
Like the words “power” and “wisdom,” both these words can properly be used to refer to men in the physical realm (Matthew 6:29; 1 Peter 1:24). But they are also used to describe a special degree of glory which no one but God can possess.
□ God receives a special, unique glory and honor.
Psalm 24:7-10 – Yahweh is the “King of glory.”
Psalm 29:3 – He is the “God of glory.” [Acts 7:2; cf. Isaiah 60:19; Galatians 1:5; etc.]
Revelation 4:9-11 – God deserves this glory because He created all things. Note again the distinction between the creature and the Creator. [Revelation 5:13; Romans 11:36]
“By Myself I have sworn; Truth has gone from My mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow to Me, every tongue will swear allegiance.” (Isaiah 45:23)
c.f. Isaiah 42:8; 48:11 – This homage, this allegiance, this glory is unique to God in that He refuses to share it with anyone else. Idols and created things have no right to receive this glory.
It follows that it would be blasphemy for anyone but God to receive this unique kind of glory. If anyone does receive this glory with God’s approval, then that one must possess Deity.
□ But Jesus receives the unique homage, allegiance and glory of God.
John 5:23 – All men should honor the Son “just as” they honor the Father. To fail to give this honor to the Son is to fail to properly honor the Father.
“Just as” (kathos) is translated “even as” in KJV, ASV, NASB, RSV (cf. Thayer and Arndt & Gingrich). Other examples of its use in comparisons is found in Luke 6:31; 11:30; 17:26; John 3:14; 2 Corinthians 10:7; Colossians 3:13; etc.
The significance of the word, when used in comparisons, is that one item or action is just like the other regarding the aspect in which they are being compared. Hence Jesus rightly receives honor just like the honor the Father receives. And if we refuse to give such honor to the Son, then we are refusing to honor the Father!
John 17:5 – Jesus prayed to the Father to “glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” Jesus asks to be glorified together with the Father with the glory He possessed “with” (para) the Father from eternity. And this shared glory must mean that Jesus is the same God Isaiah refers to: “I am Yahweh, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another or My praise to idols” (Isaiah 42:8), and “I will act for My own sake, indeed, My own, for how can I be defiled? I will not give My glory to another” (Isaiah 48:11).
“so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow — of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth — and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10‭-‬11).
The clear implication of these verses is that Jesus and the Father both possessed the same glory before the world began and during the Old Testament era. And they will receive the same homage and allegiance in the resurrection. Jesus, in coming to earth as a servant, did not then appear to possess that glory but appeared as a man (this is part of what he gave up on coming to earth – Philippians 2:6-8). But having nearly completed His work on earth (John 17:4) and being ready to ascend to the Father, Jesus anticipated receiving this glory and homage again (Philippians 2:9-11).
We can make a simple syllogism thus:
1. No one but God can receive or share the glory homage and allegiance that God has and is due to Him alone.
2. Jesus did receive and share that glory with the approval of the Father and will share in the same homage and allegiance at His return in glory.
3. Therefore, Jesus possesses the same Deity as the Father.
Revelation 5:12-14 – Both the Father and the Lamb (Jesus) were praised by the created things, who attributed to them “blessing and honor and glory and power.” Note that the same glory and honor belongs to both Father and Son.
Hebrews 1:3 – Jesus is the brightness of the Father’s glory (or the effulgence or radiance of His glory). That glory which shines from the Father also shines from Jesus because He is the creator (v2), upholds all things (v3), and is the express image of God (v3).
1 Corinthians 2:8; James 2:1 – Jesus is called the “Lord of glory,” just as God in the Old Testament is called the “King of glory” (Psalm 24:7-10).
Note that the glory Jesus possesses is not just the glory possessed by men or angels. His glory is above that of angels (Hebrews 1:6,13). He is above all principality, power, might, dominion, and every name that is named (Ephesians 1:21; Philippians 2:9-11).
No created being possesses the glory and honor Jesus does.
We have seen, however, that Jesus deserves the glory, honor, and worship of Deity even as the Father does. God forbids this to be given to any but Deity, but Jesus does receive it. This would be blasphemy if Jesus were not God.
□ Son and Father are inseperable
They are INSEPARABLE. This appears from the following considerations:
• The Father wills that the Son should be honoured. He that refuses to do it disobeys the Father.
• They are equal. He that denies the one denies also the other.
• The same feeling that leads us to honour the Father will also lead us to honour the Son, for he is “the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person,” (Hebrews 1:3)
• The evidence of the existence of the Son is the same as that of the Father. He has the same wisdom, goodness, omnipresence, truth, power.
And from these verses we may also learn:
• That those who do not render proper homage to Jesus Christ do not worship the true God.
• There is no such God as the infidel, which includes all Muslims, professes to believe in. There can be but one God; and if the God of the Bible be the true God, then all other gods are false gods.
• Those who withhold proper homage from Jesus Christ, who do not honour him EVEN AS they honour the Father, cannot be Christians.
• One evidence of piety is when we are willing to render proper praise and homage to Jesus Christ – to love him, and serve and obey him, with all our hearts.
• As a matter of fact, it may be added that they who do not honour the Son do not worship God at all. This means the infidel has no form of worship; he has no place of secret prayer, no temple of worship, no family altar. Who ever yet heard of an infidel that prayed? Where do such men build houses of worship? Where do they meet to praise God? Nowhere.
Islam was spawned from astral worship and retains all the pagan idolatrous practices of the pre-Islamic era of moon god worship. Every mosque is oriented towards the centre of astral worship that what was and still is Mecca, or its predecessor Petra.
As certainly as we hear the name infidel, we are certain at once that we hear the name of a man who has no form of religion in his family, who never prays in secret, and who will do nothing to maintain the public worship of God.
Account for it as men may, it is a fact that no one can dispute; that it is only they who do honour to the Lord Jesus that have any form of the worship of God, or that honour and glorify Him; and their veneration for God is in direct proportion to their love for the Kinsman Redeemer. Only as such do they or can they honour God at all.
4). CONCLUSIONS
If Jesus is not Deity, then who is He? To understand God we must realize that God is not part of the created things. God is the Creator, distinct from and far above His creatures. This distinction is made again and again in the passages referred to. Jesus must be classed on one side or the other. Either He is a created being or else He is Deity. To say He is not Deity is to say He is a created being. To say He is not a created being is to say He is Deity. Its a binary choice. There are no other alternatives.
Men are creatures; angels are also creatures that are above men. But Jesus is above the angels, is due to receive their worship also, and is not classed with them (Hebrews chap. 1 – see especially verses 5 – 6,13). We have seen that He is not an angel nor an exalted man, but the Bible attributes to Him that which can only be said of God.
We have learned from the foregoing that:
* Jesus is expressly stated to be God or to possess Deity.
* Jesus is called by names that may only be used for God.
* Jesus possesses characteristics that only God can possess.
* Jesus does work and holds authority, eg to exercise all judgement, that only God can do.
* Jesus shares the same glory, deserves worship and honor and will receive the same homage and allegiance that only God deserves.
In all these areas Jesus is described as the Creator, not a created being. He is eternal, timelessly sans creation, as “the Word” has the power, and did the work of creation. He deserves honor as the Creator. Clearly He is not to be classed with the created things but with Deity.
But we have also proved that there is only one true God who made the universe. If Jesus is “God,” He is not an idol nor a false god. Since He possesses Deity and there is only one true God, then He must possess true Deity, not some lesser form of deity. Just as He shares the same glory, He must be included as the one true God, or Godhead, along with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Finally, if Jesus is God then He always has been God and always will be God, since God’s unique nature cannot change (Hebrews 13:8). God cannot cease to be God nor can God lose the characteristics or personality of God. He can take on non-Divine characteristics as Jesus added the characteristics of a man when He came to earth, and He can electively limit the use of His powers in order to accomplish His Divine purposes, as Jesus did on earth. But He cannot cease to be God and He cannot lose the power and characteristics of God.
MAKE NO MISTAKE: Jesus possesses Deity.
He along with the Father and the Holy Spirit are our one true God. Amen.
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