Word Studies in the Bible

By E. M. Zerr

WORSHIP--WORK

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     This hyphenated heading is used because an attempt has been made to show a distinction between them that is not warranted. The first one was used as a heading in this column over eighteen issues ago. Since many of the readers may not have their copy available, I shall republish that article here. The word in its various forms is from 12 different Greek originals, which would tell us that it is a term with a various meaning. It is therefore rash to assert that such and such things are "not a part of the worship." I will give each of the Greeks words spelled with English letters, followed with one reference where it is used, and Thayer's definition at that place. DOXA, Luke 14:10, "praise, honor, glory." EUSEBEO, Acts 17:23, "to act piously or reverently." THERAPEUO, Acts 17:25, "to serve, do service." THRESKEIA, Colossians 2:18. "Religious worship." NEOKOROS, Acts 19:35, a worshiper." SEBAZO, Romans 1:25, "to honor religiously, to worship." SEBO, Matthew 15:9, "to revere, to worship." SEBASMA, 2 Thessalonians 2:4, "whatever is religiously honored, an object of worship." THEOSEBES, John 9:31, "worshiping God, pious." PROSKUNEO, Matthew 2:2, "to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead; to kiss the hand towards one; by kneeling or prostration to do homage or make obeisance [a curtsy of respect]." LATREUO, Acts 7:42, "to render religious service or homage, to worship." PROSKUNEO is used 58 times and is always translated by our heading word, hence I have given Thayer's full definition but cited only the first place it is used in the New Testament.

     As an over-all definition gathered from these various specific uses, we may correctly say that any act or sentiment of respect toward a thing or person, would constitute an act of worship. The person who has enough respect for a church property to keep the building clean and the lawn mowed, would be doing an act of worship. If a teacher and group of students respect the Bible enough to ask and answer questions, that would be an act of worship whether conducted in the church house or elsewhere. The only reason the observance of the Lord's supper should be regarded as an act of worship, is because it is done out of respect for Him. Hence this performance, as well as the teaching of the Word, or the contribution, the singing and prayer, edification activities, and the preaching of the gospel

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are all acts of worship. That is because all are done through respect for the Lord and the things that pertain to His kingdom. With all the foregoing items of information, there is not one instance where the New Testament writers speak of "the worship." That is purely a humanly-coined term with no scriptural basis.

     The term "work" occurs 50 times in the New Testament, and in 43 of them the original is ERGON. Thayer's definition (the parts in italics) is as follows: "Business, employment, that with which any one is occupied. Any product whatever, any thing accomplished by hand, art, industry, mind. An act, deed, thing done." It should be observed in the last part of the definition that a production of the "mind" is classed with "work," hence showing that our heading term does not necessarily require that it consist in bodily activity or what might be termed a temporal performance. Let it be noticed also that our word includes "that with which anyone is occupied." Thus if a disciple is occupying his mind in studying a scripture lesson, or is delivering that lesson to a group of students, he would be doing a "work of the Lord." This would be true whether the teaching took place in the assembly of the saints, or in the home of some family of the world that is friendly toward Bible study.

     In 1 Timothy 3:1 Paul says that "if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work." Here is our heading word and it is from the same Greek original defined above. We all realize that the work of a bishop includes teaching and admonishing, and here the Greek lexicon classes it as work. By the same token, any one who engages in teaching others concerning the word of the Lord, would be doing a work of the Lord. At the same time he would be performing an act of worship, since such a performance would be one of respect for the Lord, that being a part of the meaning of "worship." In view of the foregoing information, no distinct line can be drawn between the worship and the work of the church. Furthermore, such phrases as "the worship" and "work of the church" are without scripture basis, hence to use one as being distinct from the other is without authority.