WHAT IS WORSHIP?

We are speaking English but discussing the truth, which comes from the Hebrew and Greek languages, which are more specific than our English words. When we speak about worship in scripture, the definitions may be different than in the English dictionary (as is baptism).

The words in scripture that describe our worship generally refer to the action of prostrating oneself, a few times to reverencing and four times to serving God. The typical expression used with ‘worship’ is to fall down, or cast oneself down to worship.  The following is a more detailed discussion of the words in the Hebrew and Greek which have been translated as ‘worship.’

The primary words for worship in Hebrew (almost exclusively 7812) and Greek (4352) mean respectively to depress (prostrate) and to fawn or crouch (prostrate oneself in homage).  There are obviously figurative uses but this is the literal. When men fell down and worshipped, they fell down and depressed, fawned, crouched or prostrated themselves before him. I know our traditions don’t always agree with scripture but this is the primary way that I see worship used. John 4:24-25 is this word (4325).

A word that is used but 10 times in the New Testament is the word sebomai (4576), which is literally to revere. This is the worship (reverence) that God spoke about in Matthew 15:8-9. The problem was that instead of worshipping him according to the scriptures, they worshipped him according to tradition. I think much of our worship today is more from tradition than it is from scripture. This word is generally a description of the heart several people had toward God. I do not notice any commands [exercise in godliness] given to us concerning this word. In fact, the examples the Lord gives us are those who worshipped according to the Old Testament Law of Moses or pagan worshippers. This word is combined with the word well (eu) to form the word translated ‘godliness’ in the New Testament (2150, 2152, 2153). Thus this kind of worship would be akin to godliness which is to revere or reverence. Several other Greek words are translated as ‘worship,’ which are akin to this word, including Acts 17:23, where the pagan world reverenced the true God ignorantly. No doubt this is the primary word we think of when we discuss our worship to God, but it is not the primary word in the New Testament.

Another word translated as ‘worship’ (4 times in the KJV) has caused confusion for some brethren who believe that everything we do can be worship.  This word, ‘latreuo’ (3000) is literally ‘to minister’ as a menial servant. It is used 21 times in the New Testament and is almost always translated ‘to serve.’ This concept is not generally what we use when we discuss the worship of God.

John 4:24 is of primary importance because of the limitations placed on that type of worship. The context is the Samaritan woman’s statement that they worshipped in Samaria and the Jews worshipped in Jerusalem. The worship she was discussing was the worship done in the temple of God. The worship in Jerusalem involved animal sacrifices, incense, bread, wine, olive oil, salt, and many other physical things. In contrast, New Testament worship is not so much physical as in spirit—in spiritual sacrifices, rather than in physical things. Our sacrifices are the fruit of our lips giving thanks to (literally acknowledging) his name (Heb. 13:15), doing well, communicating (Heb. 13:16), supporting those who preach the gospel (Phil. 4:18), the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 10:16-22), presenting our bodies to God (Rom. 12:1—this does not include the everything is worship doctrine), etc.

Worship in both Old and New Testaments was primarily falling down before God in one way or another. This concept of worship has largely been lost today, at least in public worship. Paul described his praying as this kind of worship (Eph. 3:14). The Roman soldiers knew how to pretend to worship (Mark 15:19). The Father is seeking those who will (literally) fawn or crouch before him (John 4:25). The sacrifices we offer to God are more spiritual in nature, which involve the heart of reverence, humility, kindness, mercy, liberality, reverence and devotion. We can reverence God as Lydia (Acts 16:14) and Justus (Acts 18:7) and the blind man (John 9:31). We are to exercise ourselves in godliness which is piety (verb is well reverent) in reverencing all the goodness of God. Worship does not preclude the many other services we offer from a pure heart according to his commands and wisdom.

—Jon Macon