In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for "worship" is "shachah." However, the content for this word is broad. It is translated many different ways, depending on the context in which it is used. English translators generally translate "shachah" as "worship" if it is done toward God or gods. They translate "shachah" as "bow down", "bow" or "obeisance" if it is done towards man. Both meanings are inherent within the one Hebrew word.

 

The problem arises when we apply our modern, Greek-derived categories of thought to documents written from Hebrew categories of thought. We Greek-type thinkers generally apply a very restricted and narrow content to the word, "worship." The activity that that word denotes should be reserved for our attitude towards YHWH only, the Supreme Deity, maker of heaven and earth, and everything in them. To signify our attitude towards kings, parents, elders, and various other superiors we have words like, "obeisance", "bow down", "honor", "respect" and the like. The Hebrews had one word, "shachah" which could mean all these things, depending on the context.

 

Thus, when we Greek-type thinkers see Ex 34:14: Thou shalt WORSHIP no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God, we - a priori - apply our content to the word, "worship" and come to the conclusion that ONLY GOD, that is, YHWH, is to be worshiped. Somehow we fail to see these incidents:

 

• 1 Kings 1:53: So king Solomon sent, and they brought him [Adonijah] down from the altar. And he came and BOWED (shachah) himself to king Solomon: and Solomon said unto him, Go to thine house.

• Abraham bowed down (shachah) before the people of the land when negotiating for Sarah's burial cave. (Gen 23:12ff)

• Joseph's brothers bowed (shachah) to Joseph, even as Joseph's dream had foretold. (Gen 43:26)

• Solomon bowed down (shachah) to Bathsheba. (I Kings 2:19)

• Jacob, Rachel, Leah, and all their children and servants bowed down (shachah) to Esau. (Gen 33)

• King David was worshipped. Hendrickson's Hebrew and English Interlinear Bible says: "All the congregation blessed Jehovah, the God of their Fathers, and worshipped Jehovah and the king" (1 Chronicles 29:20).

• Solomon is worshipped. "So the king (Solomon) shall desire your beauty; for he is your lord, and you must worship him" (Hendrickson's & NAB Psalm 45:12).

• Daniel was worshipped. "Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell down and worshipped Daniel and ordered sacrifice and incense offered to him" (NAB Daniel 2: 46).

 

Since we have Biblical (Hebraic) examples of men being worshiped (shachah) without God being dishonored or Exodus 34:14 being violated, I must conclude that the SINGLE Hebrew word translated "worship/bow down/obeisance" (shachah) has broader, less defined content than English and Greek equivalents. So the Hebraic mindset is that "shachah" is multi-functional. It is used in different ways, and how it is being used HAS to be determined by context - there is no strictly grammatical indication because it's the same word.

 

In Exodus 34:14, the context is "no other god". You shall not worship ANY OTHER GOD - as GOD. YHWH is the ONLY god you should worship - AS GOD. See the context? Adonijah worshiped Solomon as king, as his superior who held his (Adonijah) life in his hands. This worship is appropriate and true - it does not violate Exodus 34:14. All the examples I gave above of men being worshipped (shachah) do not violate Exodus 34:14.

 

Even though the New Testament is written in Greek it was still written by Hebrew minds. So when it says that, for instance, "Those who were in the boat worshiped him saying, 'Truly, you are the Son of God.'" The word, "worship" is used no matter what the Greek distinctions might or might not be, simply because the object is Jesus, who is held to be God by the translator, and with no reference to the context. In this example, Jesus was worshipped as the Son of God, which any Jew will tell you, means "Messiah, King of the Jews." (See John 1:49). What it NEVER means is, "YHWH." So here Jesus is worshipped as King and Messiah, not as God.

 

Other examples:
 

• Mt 2:2 "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him."

• Mt 2:11 and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

 

They are coming to worship the king of the Jews as king, not as God.

 

• Heb 1:6 And again, when he brings the first-born into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him."

 

The angels are worshipping the "first-born" who is brought into the world by YHWH, the first-born's father. The angels are not worshipping the first-born as YHWH.

 

• Mt 14:33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

 

They worshiped him as the Son of God, not God.

 

• John 9:38 He said, "Lord, I believe"; and he worshiped him.

 

This is in response to Jesus' question in verse 35, "Do you believe in the Son of man?" Any Hebrew would know that by calling himself the Son of man, Jesus is saying that he's the Messiah, the King of Israel. The man worshipped Jesus as the Son of man, he was not worshipping Jesus as YHWH. Jesus does have the absolute right to be worshipped, not as God, but as the Lord Messiah, our King. He is HIGHLY exalted.

 

• Phil. 2:8-11: At the name of Jesus every knee is required to bow, "...in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father".

• For an explanation of Thomas's "My Lord and my God!" go here.

• Furthermore, The saints will be worshipped. "I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee" (KJV Revelation 3: 9).

 

In conclusion: Just the fact that Jesus was "worshipped" does not mean that he was God. Whenever there is an indication in the immediate context it is NEVER because he is God, it is because he is the Son of God, the Messiah, the Christ, the King.

 

Back to Arguments Index