Analysis of Worship

Vernon W. Hurst

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     For a long time I have felt the need in my own life for a deeper and broader understanding of just what is implied by worship, as it was understood by Christ and his envoys. There has been something about such terms as "going to worship," "place of worship," and "acts of worship," which struck a discordant note in my thinking. I have read definitions and explanations given by many lexicographers and expositors. I found them to be of little help. No single word or passage used by the inspired writers seems to provide a clear picture of just what is implied by the words given to us by the translators as "worship." This has made the research necessary to this article as difficult as anything I have ever undertaken. It has precluded reaching conclusions as definite as I would have liked. It all but eliminated the possibility of my making this study as exhaustive as I could have desired under other circumstances.

     The best I can hope for is to provide "food for thought" which may stimulate the reader to arrive at an understanding which will enable him to comprehend his own feelings toward God, and to find an outlet for those feelings which will be satisfying to himself and pleasing to God. I may not be able to achieve this goal completely but I am convinced that it represents the place worship was designed to fill in the life of the child of God. Perhaps I can induce others, more erudite than myself, to explore this area more fully than I am able to do.

     In the Old Testament scriptures the word "worship" (or its derivative) occurs 112 times (in the Revised Standard Version), and appears as the translation of six Hebrew and Aramaic verb forms. Most prominent is the Hebrew histahaweh. It means "to prostrate onself," and occurs 86 times. The term for worship is not, alone, predominant statistically, but expresses the act and attitude appropriate to the worship of a sovereign deity whose exclusive claim upon Israel is a basic Old Testament theme. The other words translated as "worship" are: abhadah, meaning "to serve" (11 times); yare, meaning "to fear"; sharath, meaning "to minister or do service; darash, meaning to seek or enquire (of the deity); and the Aramaic s(e)gadh, meaning "to pay homage to."

     In the New Testament writings the word most often translated "worship" is proskuneo, "to prostrate oneself, to bow to, to kiss the hand to," etc. It occurs some fifty times. Other words translated as "worship" are sebomai, to show reverence and respect (10 times); and latreuo, "to serve or carry out religious duties" (11 times).

     This will illustrate what I mean when I say investigation of the definitions given by the lexicographers is of limited value in arriving at a clear understanding of worship. Two basic thoughts emerge from a consideration of all these terms which are translated as "worship" in both Old and New Testament writings. They are (1) the mental attitude which one has toward God; and (2) the acts of physical service inspired by this attitude. It is important that we take note of both and that we make a distinction between them, not confusing one with the other. This is basic to forming the mental image essential to proper understanding of the thought God desired to impart.

     Let us pause and conduct a brief ex-

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cursion into the use of words, as God himself must use them. At one time many scholars held that God formulated a special language in which to communicate with man. This concept has been proven false. If we accept as fact that God's purpose was to reach man's understanding, thus motivating him to a desired action, it follows that he had to limit himself to those words with which man was familiar. In communicating with man, it was necessary for him to select the words which would convey the thought-picture he desired to create. This brings us to the heart of our study. What thought-image did God seek to convey by the words which may properly be translated "worship"? Until this is answered, we cannot be sure we are worshippers in "the true sense." When it is answered, we will be well on our way to establishing a relationship with God which will be satisfactory to him, and immeasurably beneficial to us.

     Our English word "worship" is very close to the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek words it is used to represent. That is, it has a close affinity for the thoughts conveyed by those words when we accept its basic definition and refrain from imposing upon it special clerical connotations. It is generally true that when we give a word a religious meaning at variance with its ordinary definition, we rob it of its ability to serve God's purpose. Here is the ordinary meaning of the word ''worship'':

     "Reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or any object regarded as sacred. Formal or ceremonious rendering of such honor and homage. Adoring reverence or regard. To render religious reverence and homage to, as to a deity. To attend services of divine worship. To feel an adoring reverence or regard."

     Observe that this definition of worship, as in the case of the original words it is used to translate, involves two facets of thought. Note them carefully and learn to make the proper distinction between them, permitting each to play its part in creating the proper thought-image in your mind.

     1. A mental attitude.

     2. The performance of physical service.

     Since both concepts are suggested by worship, and by the words properly translated as worship, and since they are not synonymous, it is essential that we come to clearly understand the relationship between them. It would seem to be implied beyond reasonable doubt that while a mental attitude and physical service are not identical, they must bear a very close, even necessary relationship to worship as God wants us to understand it. There may be a way to make this clear without deep and serious study, but if so I have been unable to find it. Let the reader be prepared, then, to devote all of his reasoning faculties to this problem which lies at the heart of our relationship with God.

     A great deal of thought and meditation has led me to no better insight into the divine understanding of worship than the one suggested by Jesus to the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. Space militates against our dealing with the whole of this incident (John 4:7-30), so we will limit our investigation to that portion of the conversation which has to do directly with the subject under consideration.

     "Sir," she replied, "I can see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the temple where God should be worshiped is in Jerusalem," "Believe me;" said Jesus, "the hour is coming when you will worship neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship without knowing what you worship, while we worship what we know. It is from the Jews that salvation comes. But the time approaches, indeed is already here, when those who are real worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. Such are the worshipers whom the Father wants. God is a spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth."

     Consideration of all that Jesus said here should enable us to understand just what

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God wants in the way of worship. The first question raised by the woman in connection with worship had to do with the proper place of worship--"in this mountain, or in Jerusalem?" The answer of Jesus was brief but it left little room for misunderstanding. "Neither." Properly understood this indicates that the place where worship is offered is of no consequence. This eliminates a common fallacy in our terminology--"place of worship." The place is unimportant. "Neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem."

     Jesus seems to attach primary importance to being acquainted with the object of worship--"we worship what we know." This harmonizes completely with a statement in Hebrews 8:11, "All shall know me, from small to great." The first consideration, then, in the matter of rendering acceptable worship is an intellectual one--the matter of knowing God. As we shall see later, place and other matters physical have been relegated to secondary importance.

     The word Jesus used here, translated "worship," was proskuneo. The Greeks understood it to mean "to bow down, to prostrate oneself, to kiss the hand to, to worship." The mere definition throws little light on the subject we desire to understand, that is, the actual nature of worship. Full understanding requires that we interpret this in the light of all that Jesus said.

The word proskuneo suggests only a number of physical acts--prostration, bowing, kissing the hand, etc. It does not suggest the motivation for, or object of these acts. At least this is true on the level upon which we are forced to consider it. For an explanation of the significance of the acts suggested, we must look to the context. In this connection let us remember that Jesus put the mind (the Biblical heart) at the foundation of worship. "You Samaritans do not know what you worship, but we Jews know what we are worshipping." Then, as if drawing a conclusion from these two facts, "Salvation comes from (among) the Jews." I do not believe I will be accused of reasoning out of context when I say that mere physical bowing down does not constitute true worship, for it cannot, of itself, suggest knowing God. It may be wholly physical, whereas true worship necessitates such knowledge of God. Bowing down can be related to worship only when it is done in recognition of God. The physical act must be based upon intellectual motivation, or to put it another way, must be "in spirit." Jesus places this beyond the realm of speculation.

     "But the time approaches, indeed is already here, when those who are real worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. Such are the worshipers whom the Father wants."

     Worship must be in spirit and in truth to please God. When we have reached the level of understanding where we can think of "in spirit" and "in truth" just as he thought of them, we will be in a position to know just what is desired of us in the way of worship. To that end let us turn to another word which is rendered as "worship" and which is used in a context which modifies or particularizes its meaning. The word is latreia. In its various forms it appears about 11 times in the New Testament writings. In this particular form it appears three times. It means "worship, service rendered to God." Thayer comments that it means, "universally, any worship of God."

     In order to bring the reader gradually to an understanding of the passage we want to consider (Romans 12:1), I want to show its development from the rather vague rendering given by the Authorized Version, through an improved interpretation in the Revised Standard, to a clear portrayal of the original thought by the New English Translation. Study this carefully.

     King James. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

     Revised Standard. "I appeal to you,

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therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to Cod, which is your spiritual worship."

     New English Version. "Therefore, my brothers, I implore you by God's mercy to offer your very selves to him: a living sacrifice, dedicated and fit for his acceptance, the worship rendered by mind and heart."

     The reader will want to know the justification for the evolutionary process which takes us from "reasonable service" to "worship rendered by mind and heart." We have already shown justification for the change from "service" as it is in the King James Version, to "worship" as it is in the Revised Standard and New English. The nature of the original word makes this the only accurate rendering possible in this context. Phillips has it "intelligent worship." The Amplified New Testament says, "your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship."

     Having shown that "worship" is justified in this setting where the King James has "service" let us look at the matter of "reasonable" worship. Barnes comments as follows:

     "The word reasonable with us means that which is 'governed by reason; thinking, speaking or acting comformably to the dictates of reason' (Webster); or that which can be shown to be rational and proper. This does not express the meaning of the original. The word (logiken) denotes that which pertains to the mind, and a reasonable service means that which is mental, or pertaining to reason. It stands opposed, not to that which is foolish or unreasonable, but to the external service of the Jews, and such as they relied on for salvation. The worship of the Christian is that which pertains to the mind, or is spiritual; that of the Jews was external."

     Mark well what Barnes has said and let us go back and apply what we have learned in order to understand what God wants in the way of worship. Let us apply it to what Jesus said to the woman of Samaria at the well of Jacob. You will recall that he said God's desire is for worship that is "in spirit" and "in truth."

     "Such are the worshippers whom the Father wants. God is spirit and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23, 24).

     Worship in truth means simply that which is truly worship, or worship that is real. Our worship, in order to meet with God's approval must represent reality. It cannot be offered in mere form or pretence. That is one of the conditions imposed of God as a basis for acceptable worship. It must be true worship, and to meet that qualification it must be "in spirit." We have learned that spiritual worship--worship "in spirit"-- that which takes place in the mind. It represents an intellectual offering. This fits the context exactly, for Paul defines our "reasonable service" or "spiritual worship" as being a "transformation of the mind" (Romans 12:2).

     God's interest in our offering in the way of worship is determined by whether it originates in the heart (mind). In Romans 12:1 when Paul spoke of "reasonable service or spiritual worship," he was not contrasting reasonableness with foolishness, as Barnes points out, but was contrasting internal (mental, spiritual) service with external (physical) service. The distinction is vital. No amount of external, physical service is acceptable to God unless it is the outgrowth of a mental attitude. He who would serve God acceptably with his hands must first serve him with his heart.

     Let us get it so deeply planted in our minds that it will sink into our subconscious and become a part of our very nature, that what God expects of us in the way of worship is an activity of the spirit or mind. No physical act can, in and of itself, be worship. True, physical activity may serve as an expression of worship. As a matter of fact it is inevitable that it do so. Solomon was right when he said, "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Prov. 23:7).

     This needs emphasis, not explanatory watering down. That which exists in a man's heart determines what he is. See Mark 7:21-23; Luke 6:45. If a man does not worship God "in spirit"--with his intellect--no amount of external, physical activity will change his nature and fit him for God's presence. Of all the unfortunate misunderstandings to enter the realm of religious thought, it is unlikely that any other has done so much harm as the theory that worship consists of a series of formal physical acts. No physical act, of itself, can change what a man is. That change must take place in the heart, or spirit. It can take place only when man begins to worship God "in spirit" (with his intelligence) and "in truth" (reality). "Acts of worship" performed by the body which do not have their origin in the attitude of the heart, are hypocritical. In commenting on the word "hypocrite" the New Standard Bible Dictionary has this to say:

     "In the N. T. the word is always used in a religious sense, of those who make an outward show of being religious, but at heart are not so."