Worship
Worship — homage rendered to God which it is sinful (idolatry) to render to any created being (Ex. 34:14; Isa. 2:8). Such worship was refused by Peter (Acts 10:25,26) and by an angel (Rev. 22:8,9). [1]
1wor•ship \ˈwər-shəp\ noun
[Middle English worshipe worthiness, respect, reverence paid to a divine being, from Old English weorthscipe worthiness, respect, from weorth worthy, worth + -scipe -ship]
(before 12th century)
1 chiefly British : a person of importance — used as a title for various officials (as magistrates and some mayors)
2 : reverence offered a divine being or supernatural power; also : an act of expressing such reverence
3 : a form of religious practice with its creed and ritual
4 : extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem 〈worship of the dollar〉
2worship verb
wor•shiped or wor•shipped; wor•ship•ing or wor•ship•ping
(13th century)
transitive verb
1 : to honor or reverence as a divine being or supernatural power
2 : to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion
intransitive verb
: to perform or take part in worship or an act of worship
synonymy see revere
[2]
Hallowed Be Thy Name
Were we left to ourselves, any praying we did would both start and end with ourselves, for our natural self-centeredness knows no bounds. Indeed, much pagan praying of this kind goes on among supposedly Christian people. But Jesus’ pattern prayer, which is both crutch, road, and walking lesson for the spiritually lame like ourselves, tells us to start with God: for lesson one is to grasp that God matters infinitely more than we do. So “thy” is the keyword of the opening three petitions, and the first request of all is “hallowed (holy, sanctified) be thy name”—which is the biggest and most basic request of the whole prayer. Understand it and make it your own, and you have unlocked the secret of both prayer and life.
Glory Be To God
What does “hallowed be thy name” ask for? God’s “name” in the Bible regularly means the person he has revealed himself to be. “Hallowed” means known, acknowledged, and honored as holy. “Holy” is the Bible word for all that makes God different from us, in particular his awesome power and purity. This petition, then, asks that the praise and honor of the God of the Bible, and of him only, should be the issue of everything.
The idea that “glory be to God alone” is a motto distinguishing John Calvin and his admirers is no discredit to them, but it is a damning sideswipe at all other versions of Christianity. In truth, however, every school of Christian thought insists, more or less clearheadedly, that the praise of God, as distinct from the promoting of ourselves, is the proper purpose of man’s life. “Not unto us, O Lord, but unto thy name give glory” (Psalm 115:1).
A Sense of Direction
Who can pray this request and mean it? Only he who looks at the whole of life from this point of view. Such a man will not fall into the trap of superspirituality, so concentrating on God’s redemption as to disregard his creation; people like that, however devoted and well-meaning, are unearthly in more senses than one, and injure their own humanity. Instead, he will see everything as stemming ultimately from the Creator’s hand, and therefore as fundamentally good and fascinating, whatever man may have made of it (beauty, sex, nature, children, arts, crafts, food, games, no less than theology and church things). Then in thankfulness and joy he will so live as to help others see life’s values, and praise God for them, as he does. Supremely in this drab age, hallowing God’s name starts here, with an attitude of gratitude for the goodness of the creation.
But it does not stop here. Hallowing God’s name requires praise for the goodness and greatness of his redemptive work too, with its dazzling blend of wisdom, love, justice, power, and faithfulness. By wisdom God found a way to justify the unjust justly; in love he gave his Son to bear death’s agony for us; in justice he made the Son, as our substitute, suffer the sentence that our disobedience deserved; with power he unites us to Christ risen, renews our hearts, frees us from sin’s bondage, and moves us to repent and believe; and in faithfulness he keeps us from falling, as he promised to do (see John 10:28ff.; 1 Corinthians 1:7ff.; 1 Peter 1:3–9), till he brings us triumphantly to our final glory. We do not save ourselves! Neither the Father’s saving grace, nor the Son’s saving work, nor our own saving faith originate with us; all is God’s gift. Salvation, first to last, is of the Lord, and the hallowing of God’s name requires us to acknowledge this, and to praise and adore him for the whole of it.
Nor is this all. God’s name is only fully hallowed when he is worshiped for ordering all things for his people’s ultimate good (cf. Romans 8:28), and also for the truth and trustworthiness of his written Word, which every believer should prize as “a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). “Thou hast exalted thy word above all thy name,” says the Psalmist (138:2, margin), and so responsively must we. God’s name—meaning, God himself—is dishonored if his children live in fear, as if their Father had lost control of his world, or in uncertainty, as if they dare not follow their Elder Brother’s example and receive the teaching and promises of the Bible as instruction from the Father himself. There is, unhappily, widespread failure today to hallow God’s name in these ways.
The hallowing throughout is by gratitude; what dishonors God is non-appreciation and lack of gratitude, which Paul pinpoints as the root cause of men’s falling away from God (Romans 1:20ff.). It is by being, not merely knowledgeable, but grateful, and by expressing gratitude in thankful obedience, that we honor and glorify our Maker. “Hallowed be thy name” expresses the desire that we ourselves and all rational beings with us should give God glory in this way.
Scripture calls the spirit which hallows God’s name the “fear” of the Lord, hereby signifying awe and esteem for God’s majesty on the one hand and humble trust (yes, trust, not mistrust or scaredness!) on the other. A classic text here is Psalm 111. “Praise the Lord … Great are the works of the Lord … full of honor and majesty … faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy … he has commanded his covenant for ever. Holy and terrible is his name!” And then, “The fear of the Lord [the response of praise for God’s works and words, which the psalm has been voicing] is the beginning of wisdom” (discernment of the way to live).
The old term of respect, “God-fearing” (rarely used today, perhaps, because there are few to whom it would apply), normally carried the implication of good sense and mature humanity as well as that of godliness, and thus reflected our fathers’ awareness that the two go together; true reverence for God’s name leads to true wisdom, realistic and shrewd, and when Christians appear goofy and shallow one has to ask whether they have yet learned what the hallowing of God’s name means.
Man’s Chief End
“Man’s chief end,” says the Shorter Catechism, magnificently, “is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.” End, note, not ends; for the two activities are one. God’s chief end, purposed in all that he does, is his glory (and what higher end could he have?), and he has so made us that we find our own deepest fulfillment and highest joy in hallowing his name by praise, submission, and service. God is no sadist, and the principle of our creation is that, believe it or not (and or course many don’t, just as Satan doesn’t), our duty, interest and delight completely coincide.
Christians get so hung up with the pagan idea (very dishonoring to God, incidentally) that God’s will is always unpleasant, so that one is rather a martyr to be doing it, that they hardly at first notice how their experience verifies the truth that in Christian living duty and delight go together. But they do!—and it will be even clearer in the life to come. To give oneself to hallowing God’s name as one’s life-task means that living, though never a joy ride, will become increasingly a joy road. Can you believe that? Well, the proof of the pudding is in the eating! Try it, and you will see.
Further Bible Study
God’s name glorified:
• Psalm 148
[3]
worship, the attitude and acts of reverence to a deity. The term ‘worship’ in the ot translates the Hebrew word meaning ‘to bow down, prostrate oneself,’ a posture indicating reverence and homage given to a lord, whether human or divine. The concept of worship is expressed by the term ‘serve.’ In general, the worship given to God was modeled after the service given to human sovereigns; this was especially prominent in pagan religions. In these the deity’s image inhabited a palace (temple) and had servants (priests) who supplied food (offered sacrifices), washed and anointed and clothed it, scented the air with incenses, lit lamps at night, and guarded the doors to the house. Worshipers brought offerings and tithes to the deity, said prayers and bowed down, as one might bring tribute and present petitions to a king. Indeed the very purpose of human existence, in Mesopotamian thought, was to provide the gods with the necessities of life.
Although Israelite worship shared many of these external forms, even to calling sacrifices ‘the food of God’ (e.g., Lev. 21:6), its essence was quite different. As the prophets pointed out, God could not be worshiped only externally. To truly honor God, it was necessary to obey his laws, the moral and ethical ones as well as ritual laws. To appear before God with sacrifices while flouting his demands for justice was to insult him (cf. Isa. 1:11-17; Amos 5:21-22). God certainly did not need the sacrifices for food (Ps. 50:12-13); rather sacrifice and other forms of worship were offered to honor God as king.
Sacrifice: Ideal Israelite worship is depicted in the Priestly instructions of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. Its most prominent feature is sacrifice. Sacrifices were brought as gifts to God; the Hebrew term for cereal offering also means ‘present’ (cf. Gen. 32:19, where Jacob offers a large present to Esau to win his favor) or ‘tribute’ (e.g., 2 Sam. 8:2). In addition, the blood of the sin and guilt offerings was used to cleanse the sanctuary.
The most important part of any animal sacrifice was the disposal of the blood at the altar. Whether dashed against its sides, or smeared on its horns, this ritual act made the sacrifice valid; in fact, it distinguished sacrifice from mere slaughter. Leviticus 17 requires all animals eligible as offerings to be sacrificed, rather than simply slaughtered (see vv. 3-4). In addition, the animal’s suet (the hard fat on the entrails) and kidneys belonged to God and therefore had to be burned on the altar (Lev. 3:16). Only a priest could perform these essential acts since only he could officiate at the altar (Lev. 3:5, 11). In exchange for his services, the priest received some portion of the sacrifice.
Cattle, sheep, goats, doves, and pigeons were the only kinds of animals that could be offered, and vegetable offerings used wheat, barley, olive oil, wine, and frankincense. All offerings were salted (Lev. 2:13; cf. Ezek. 43:24). Sacrificial animals had to be unblemished; that is, they could not be diseased or injured or castrated (see Lev. 22:17-25).
The burnt offering (Lev. 1) was the commonest and most general sacrifice. Appropriate for atonement or thanksgiving, its purpose, basically, was to win God’s favor. It was probably the oldest kind of sacrifice (mentioned throughout the Bible) and played a major role in public worship (Num. 28-29) and rites of cleansing (Lev. 12:6, 8; 14:19, 22; 15:15, 30; 16:24). The animal offered had to be male (except birds). The animal was entirely burned on the altar, except for the hide, which went to the priest (Lev. 7:8).
The peace offering (Lev. 3) was brought when one wished to eat meat. It could be a bull or a cow, or a sheep or a goat (male or female). The officiating priest received the right thigh, while the animal’s breast was shared by all the priests (Lev. 7:31-34). The person bringing the sacrifice received the rest of the animal, which had to be eaten within one or two days (Lev. 7:15; 19:6-8).
The peace offering was further subdivided, according to purpose, into the thank offering, free-will offering, and votive offering (Lev. 7:11-18). Psalm 107 mentions four occasions for which a thank offering would be appropriate: successful passage through the desert, release from prison, recovery from a serious illness, or surviving a storm at sea. The votive offering was given to repay a vow (cf. 2 Sam. 15:7-8), while the free-will offering needed no special occasion. These offerings were distinguished ritually, in that the thank offering required different kinds of breads to accompany it (Lev. 7:12) and had to be eaten in one day, whereas the votive offering and the free-will offering could be left over one night and finished on the following day. Under no circumstances could a sacrifice be eaten after the second day (Lev. 7:15-18).
The ordination offering was a special type of peace offering, whose blood was used as part of the ritual ordaining the high priest. Like the thank offering, it had a bread accompaniment and had to be eaten on the same day that it was offered (Exod. 29:19-28, 31-34; Lev. 8:22-29, 31-32).
The term ‘sin offering’ is somewhat misleading. The purpose of this sacrifice (Lev. 4-5:13) was not to atone for any kind of sin, as the name seems to imply. Crimes against other people were dealt with by appropriate punishments that did not involve sacrifice, while deliberate crimes against God (done ‘with a high hand’) could not be sacrificially atoned for at all (Num. 15:30-31). Rather, the sin offering was used to cleanse the sanctuary of impurity. For this reason it was regularly offered at festivals (Num. 28:15, 22, 30; 29:5, 11, 16, 19). As a private offering, the sin offering (or, more properly, the purification offering) was brought when a person had unwittingly violated a prohibition (Lev. 4:2) or for rites of cleansing (Lev. 12:6; 14:19, 22; 15:15, 30; 16:3, 5; Num. 6:14, 16), or when one had forgotten to cleanse oneself (Lev. 5:2-3), or failed to fulfill a vow (Lev. 5:4), or had not responded to a public adjuration (Lev. 5:1). When both the sin offering and the burnt offering were to be offered, the sin offering always came first; the altar had to be cleansed before other sacrifices could be offered on it (cf. Lev. 9:7-21; 14:19).
The animals used for the private sin offering varied with the status of the offender. The high priest or community as a whole offered a bull; a ruler offered a male goat, while a lay person brought a female goat or a ewe. The ritual also varied: when the community (or the high priest who represented it) had transgressed, the sanctuary itself was defiled; it was cleansed by sprinkling some of the bull’s blood in front of the sanctuary veil and smearing it on the horns of the incense altar (Lev. 4:5-7, 16-18). The bull’s meat could not be eaten, so it was burned outside the camp (Lev. 4:12, 21). In the case of an individual, whether ruler or commoner, only the outer altar was defiled. It was cleansed by smearing the blood of the goat or ewe on the altar’s horns, and the priest received the meat of the animal. In certain cases there was a provision for a less costly sin offering if the person were poor (Lev. 5:7-13; 12:8; 14:21-22).
The guilt offering (Lev. 5:14-6:7) was brought when one had desecrated some holy thing (Lev. 5:14) or perjured oneself (Lev. 6:2-5). Its purpose was the reparation of damages. The sacrifice consisted of a ram, offered in a manner similar to the peace offering (Lev. 7:2-7), but with the necessary addition of the offerer’s confession of guilt, and the repayment of damages, plus a twenty percent fine. The priest who offered it received the meat (Lev. 7:7). Uniquely, this sacrifice could even be paid for in money (Lev. 5:18; cf. 2 Kings 12:16). It was always a private sacrifice.
In two special cases, that of the healed leper being cleansed and that of a Nazirite whose vow was desecrated by accidental contact with a corpse (which made one impure), the guilt offering was a male lamb (Lev. 14:12, 21; Num. 6:9, 12). Furthermore, in the leper’s case, the blood of the guilt offering was also applied to the person’s extremities as part of the cleansing ritual (Lev. 14:12-14, 25).
The cereal offering (Lev. 2) was a vegetable counterpart to the burnt offerings. It could be raw, in which case frankincense was added, or cooked in various ways (baked, boiled, fried), but it could not be leavened or sweetened (Lev. 2:11). Oil was present whether the offering was cooked or raw. The flour used was usually wheat (semolina), but barley flour or parched grain could also be offered (Lev. 2:14). When the cereral offering was a poor person’s substitute for the animal sin offering, the flour was offered dry, without oil and incense (Lev. 5:11; cf. also Num. 5:15). Only a handful of the cereal offering (together with all the incense, if present) was burned on the altar; the remainder went to the priest (Lev. 2:2-3; 6:14-16). The sole exception was the priest’s cereal offering; it was entirely burned since a priest could not profit from his own offering (Lev. 6:23).
According to Numbers 15 the burnt offering and the peace offering were normally accompanied by cereal offerings (mixed with oil) and wine libations (‘drink offerings’). The amount of grain and wine depended on the type of animal being offered: the larger the species, the more grain and wine.
Temple Ritual: The daily ritual was as follows: every morning, the ashes on the sacrificial altar were cleared off and the fire was stoked (Lev. 6:10-13), and the daily burnt offering, a yearling male lamb, plus its accompanying cereal and drink offerings, was offered (Lev. 6:8-13; Exod. 29:38-42; Num. 28:3-8). The high priest, dressed in his priestly garments (Exod. 28:29, 30, 35, 38), entered the sanctuary, trimmed the oil lamps, and offered a specially formulated incense on the incense altar inside (Exod. 30:7-9, 34-36). Outside, he would offer a special cereal offering, composed of wheaten cakes cooked on a griddle (Lev. 6:19-23). In the evening, a second lamb was offered like the morning one, and the high priest again entered the sanctuary to trim the oil lamps (Lev. 24:1-4; cf. 1 Sam. 3:3) and burn incense. He would also offer the second half of the high-priestly cereal offering.
Such was the daily routine. Every Sabbath day two additional lambs were offered, like the daily ones (Num. 28:9-10). Also, the high priest would replace the twelve loaves of bread (the Bread of Presence), which were arranged in two rows on the table inside the sanctuary, with frankincense on top (Lev. 24:5-9; cf. 1 Sam. 21:1-6). At the beginning of each month (the new moon) and at all the festivals the priests blew trumpets (Num. 10:8, 10) and additional sacrifices were offered, both burnt offerings and a sin offering (which was always a male goat; see Num. 28-29). Festival days (or the beginning and end of week-long festivals) were days of rest, like the Sabbath (Lev. 23:7-8, 21, 24, 27, 35, 36).
On the Day of Atonement the people rested and fasted, and the high priest, wearing special garments for the occasion, performed the Day of Atonement ritual (Lev. 16), which cleansed the sanctuary of all impurity. It consisted of two sin offerings, one for the high priest and one for the people, whose blood was brought not only into the sanctuary but into the inner shrine itself, the Holy of Holies, where the Ark of God was kept. The high priest entered the Holy of Holies only after placing a pan of burning incense inside, to make a screen of smoke between him and the Ark (Lev. 16:13). After cleansing the sanctuary, the priest laid his hands on a living goat and confessed the people’s sins, thereby transferring those sins to the goat, which was then sent away into the wilderness.
Donations: In addition to these public and private sacrifices, offered at regular seasons or at will, the people donated a tenth portion of their produce to the sanctuary. This tithe was given to the Levites, in exchange for their work in guarding and transporting the tabernacle (Num. 18:21-24). The Levites themselves gave a tithe of their tithe to the priests (Num. 18:26). Furthermore, the priests received the first fruits of all produce, including a sheaf of grain at the beginning of the harvest and two loaves of leavened bread at its end (Lev. 23:10-11, 17; cf. Num. 18:11), the firstborn of all livestock (Num. 18:12-13, 15-17), and the first part of the processed produce (flour, wine, oil; cf. Num. 15:17-21; 18:12).
People might also voluntarily donate items to the sanctuary, which would then belong to the priests. If persons or nonsacrificial animals were donated, only the monetary value was paid (Lev. 27:1-8). Land, tithes of vegetable produce, and nonsacrificial animals could also be redeemed from the sanctuary by the donor, by paying the value plus a twenty percent penalty (Lev. 27:13, 19, 31). An extreme form of dedication was ‘devotion,’ which, when applied to cities, involved complete destruction (Num. 21:2-3; cf. Josh. 6:17-21). Anything so devoted could not be redeemed; persons who were devoted had to be killed (Lev. 27:28-29).
A different kind of dedication of a person was the Nazirite vow (Num. 6). People who made this vow could not drink any alcoholic beverage or consume any product of the grapevine; nor could they cut their hair or shave. In fact, the hair was actually consecrated to God (Num. 6:5, 9, 18). The Nazirites were holy and hence were not supposed to become unclean. The vow was of limited duration, and at the end of the term a special ceremony was performed to return the Nazirite to ordinary, common status (Num. 6:13-20).
Ritual Purity: Persons participating in worship had to be ritually clean. Contact with a corpse (Num. 19) or animal carcasses (Lev. 11:8, 24-25, 31, 39), sexual emissions (Lev. 15), giving birth to a child (Lev. 12), and leprosy (Lev. 13) all caused a person to become unclean in various degrees. An unclean person could not eat sacrificial meat (Lev. 7:20), enter the sanctuary, or even handle tithes or other items belonging to God (Lev. 12:4). Cleansing was effected by bathing and washing one’s clothes. Certain more severe states of impurity required additional rites of cleansing and might take several days to complete. Although one was excluded from worship, being unclean was not a crime. Failure to cleanse oneself after the period of impurity had passed, however, was sinful and necessitated bringing a sin offering (Lev. 5:2-3), since (prolonged) impurity defiled the sanctuary (cf. Lev. 16:19; Num. 19:20).
To be eligible to officiate in the sanctuary, priests were required not only to be clean but unblemished (Lev. 21:17-23). Furthermore, they could not officiate while drunk (Lev. 10:9) or mourning (Lev. 10:6). They had to be properly dressed (Exod. 28:40-43); and before officiating at either the altar or inside the sanctuary they were to wash their hands and feet (Exod. 30:18-21; priests did not wear shoes: cf. Exod. 3:5; Josh. 5:15).
Other Versions of Ritual Procedures: The book of Deuteronomy presents a slightly modified (though much less detailed) version of the system described by the Priestly texts. The principal difference lies in Deuteronomy’s insistence on a single sanctuary for the entire land of Israel to which all sacrifices were to be brought (cf. Deut. 12:5-14). As a result, Deuteronomy permitted profane slaughter of animals for meat (Deut. 12:15 vs. Lev. 17:2-4), since for many Israelites the distance to the sanctuary was too great (Deut. 12:20-21). There were also other, relatively minor differences in detail in Deuteronomy, regarding the Passover (Deut. 16:2 vs. Exod. 12:5; Deut. 16:7 vs. Exod. 12:9), tithes (Deut. 14:22-29 vs. Num. 18), and the priests’ share of sacrifices (Deut. 18:2 vs. Lev. 7:31-32).
Worship in Ezekiel’s visionary temple (Ezek. 40-48) also differs somewhat from the Priestly system. For instance, Ezekiel calls for a purification of the temple on the first and seventh days of the first month, presumably in preparation for the Passover (Ezek. 45:18-20; cf. v. 21). He also mentions only a single daily burnt offering sacrificed each morning (Ezek. 46:13-15). Ezekiel’s system was never actually put into effect, but it may reflect the thinking of certain priests of his time, since Ezekiel himself was a priest (Ezek. 1:3).
Patriarchal Period: Actual practice also deviated somewhat from the Priestly system outlined above. The worship practiced by the patriarchs knows nothing of all this. Their worship was simple and informal; they had no priests or temples. Rather, the patriarchs themselves offered burnt offerings at temporary altars they built themselves in the open (cf. Gen. 8:20; 12:7-8; 13:18; 22:13; 26:25). Jacob also worshiped by pouring a drink offering on a pillar he set up and by anointing it with oil (Gen. 28:18; 35:14). In later periods this would probably have been considered idolatrous (Exod. 23:24; Deut. 7:5; 1 Kings 14:22-23).
The Period of the Judges: During the time of the judges this type of worship continued to be practiced, but priests and temples were also known. Levites were considered the proper people to act as priests (Judg. 17:13), but individual Israelites continued to offer their own sacrifices on simple outdoor altars (Judg. 6:24-27; 13:19). There was a temple at Shiloh during this period, where the Ark of the Lord was kept until it was captured by the Philistines. The account in 1 Samuel 1-3 provides a glimpse of temple worship at this time: families such as Samuel’s might go there for a yearly feast, where they would offer sacrifice like a peace offering and perhaps pray, as Hannah did. The priests there took a portion of the meat, whatever ‘the fork brought up’ (1 Sam. 2:13-14). As in Leviticus the animal’s suet belonged to God. It was to be offered first, after which the priest could take his share. Eli’s sons were condemned for disregarding this rule and thereby slighting God (1 Sam. 2:15-17).
First and Second Temple Times: Even after Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem and installed the Ark there, the people continued to offer sacrifices at local outdoor altars (‘high places’). After Solomon’s death (924 b.c.), Jeroboam, king of Israel, built two shrines of his own at Bethel and Dan, for fear that the people, by worshiping in Jerusalem, would defect to the Davidic kings there (1 Kings 12:26-29). Jeroboam also appointed non-Levites as priests (1 Kings 12:31) and moved the Feast of Booths to the eighth month (1 Kings 12:32-33). The writers of Kings and Chronicles condemned both Jeroboam’s shrines and the ‘high places’ as idolatrous (1 Kings 14:23; 15:14; 2 Kings 12:3; 14:4; 15:4). The ‘high places’ were too often associated with the pillars and other pagan practices (1 Kings 14:23-24; 2 Kings 15:3-4), while Jeroboam’s shrines were condemned for the calf images he erected at them (1 Kings 12:31; 14:9). Under Josiah these ‘high places’ were finally eradicated, and worship was centralized at the Jerusalem Temple (2 Kings 23:5-9), as prescribed in Deuteronomy. However, the people continued to offer cereal offerings and incense privately, since there was no blood involved (cf. Jer. 41:4-5, where these offerings are brought to a ruined temple). This practice persisted even in Second Temple times.
An important element of Israelite worship hardly mentioned at all in the Pentateuch is that of prayer and song. Presumably the precise form of prayers or songs was not crucial to orthodox worship; the only recorded prayers are the priestly benediction (Num. 6:24-26) and prayers accompanying the offering of first fruits (Deut. 26:3-11) and tithes (Deut. 26:13-15). The Chronicler records the establishment of levitical singers in the Temple (1 Chron. 16:4-6), and many of the Psalms were probably composed for use in Temple worship. Individuals would naturally resort to the Temple to pray (cf. 1 Sam. 1:9-18; 1 Kings 8:22; 27-30), but prayer was a private matter and could be done anywhere. Fasting, too, was a private matter (e.g., 2 Sam. 12:16, 21-23), except on the Day of Atonement or when a special day of fasting was proclaimed (Joel 1:14; Ezra 8:21; 2 Chron. 20:3).
It is difficult to ascertain to what extent the rituals performed in Solomon’s Temple corresponded to the instructions of the Pentateuch. For instance, there may have been only one daily burnt offering (cf. Ezek. 46:13-15) offered every morning, rather than two, with only a cereal offering presented in the evening (2 Kings 16:15; cf. Ezra 9:5; Ps. 141:2; Dan. 9:21; where the ‘evening sacrifice’ is literally the evening cereal offering). In Second Temple times, the Pentateuchal instructions were followed in detail in Temple worship. In addition, new festivals were added, two of which are mentioned in the Bible: Purim (Esther 9:20-22) and the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah; cf. John 10:22-23).
A completely new institution of worship was added in the Second Temple period: the synagogue. Its origins are unknown, but it probably began among the exiles, who were otherwise unable to worship, since they were too far from the Temple. The people gathered at the synagogue on the Sabbath to pray and read the Bible, and the Scripture reading was interpreted and expounded in a short sermon (cf. Luke 4:16-29).
Early Christian Worship: In the nt ‘worship’ still means primarily ‘bow down’ but the word also translates Greek terms signifying service or piety. However, the external form of worship differs radically from that of the OT. Since the death of Christ constituted the perfect sacrifice, no more sacrifices were needed (Heb. 9:11-12, 24-26). Indeed, the entire institution of Temple, priesthood, sacrifice, and cleansing ritual became obsolete. Rather, the church itself, that is, all the believers, was at once temple and priesthood, inhabited by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19; Eph. 2:21-22; 1 Pet. 2:9).
As a result, Christian worship was internal rather than external. Only three rituals are known from the nt: baptism, communion, and the laying on of hands. However, for none of these do we have any explicit instructions describing how they are to be performed. Baptism initiated a person into the church; it consisted simply of immersion in water and was probably accompanied by a reference to Jesus, in whose name the person was baptized. The laying on of hands was associated with receiving spiritual gifts (Acts 8:17) or a special commission (Acts 13:2-3). Only communion was celebrated on a regular basis, to commemorate Jesus’ death and as a joyous anticipation of the future kingdom feast (cf. Mark 14:25; 1 Cor. 11:26). It consisted of a simple meal of bread and wine over which a blessing was spoken (1 Cor. 10:16).
The first day of the week was a favorite day for Christian assembly (Acts 20:7; cf. 1 Cor. 16:2), though early Christians might also have met daily (Acts 2:46). At these meetings, there would be teaching, exhortation, singing, praying, prophesying, reading letters, and the ‘breaking of bread’ (probably communion; Acts 2:42, 46; 15:30; 1 Cor. 14:26; Col. 4:16). Above all, Christian worship was characterized by great joy and thanksgiving (cf. 1 Thess. 5:16-18). See also Feasts, Festivals, and Fasts; Patriarch; Priests; Tabernacle; Temple, The; Temples.
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WORSHIP
and we will worship and return to you.” Gn 22:5 7812
Then Israel bowed in worship at Gn 47:31
shall worship God at this mountain.” Ex 3:12 5647
and go, worship the Lord, as you have Ex 12:31 5647
You shall not worship them or serve them; Ex 20:5 7812
“You shall not worship their gods, nor Ex 23:24 7812
and you shall worship at a distance. Ex 24:1 7812
all the people would arise and worship, Ex 33:10 7812
to bow low toward the earth and worship. Ex 34:8 7812
for you shall not worship any other god, Ex 34:14 7812
away and worship them and serve them, Dt 4:19 7812
You shall not worship them or serve them; Dt 5:9 7812
and you shall worship Him and swear by Dt 6:13 5647
gods and serve them and worship them, Dt 8:19 7812
and serve other gods and worship them. Dt 11:16 7812
and worship before the Lord your God; Dt 26:10 7812
and worship other gods and serve them, Dt 30:17 7812
he bowed in worship. Jg 7:15 7812
would go up from his city yearly to worship 1Sa 1:3 7812
with me, that I may worship the Lord.” 1Sa 15:25 7812
that I may worship the Lord your God.” 1Sa 15:30 7812
and serve other gods and worship them, 1Ki 9:6 7812
for the people went to worship before 1Ki 12:30
the house of Rimmon to worship there, 2Ki 5:18 7812
‘You shall worship before this altar in 2Ki 18:22 7812
Worship the Lord in holy array. 1Ch 16:29 7812
and serve other gods and worship them, 2Ch 7:19 7812
“You shall worship before one altar, 2Ch 32:12 7812
they performed the worship of their God Ne 12:45 4931
Worship the Lord with reverence And Ps 2:11 5647
all the families of the nations will worship Ps 22:27 7812
of the earth will eat and worship, Ps 22:29 7812
Worship the Lord in holy array. Ps 29:2 7812
“All the earth will worship You, Ps 66:4 7812
Nor shall you worship any foreign god. Ps 81:9 7812
made shall come and worship before You, Ps 86:9 7812
Come, let us worship and bow down, Ps 95:6 7812
Worship the Lord in holy attire; Ps 96:9 7812
Worship Him, all you gods. Ps 97:7 7812
our God And worship at His footstool; Ps 99:5 7812
our God And worship at His holy hill Ps 99:9 7812
Let us worship at His footstool. Ps 132:7 7812
They worship the work of their hands, Is 2:8 7812
they made for themselves to worship, Is 2:20 7812
worship with sacrifice and offering, Is 19:21 5647
Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. Is 19:23 5647
worship the Lord in the holy mountain at Is 27:13 7812
‘You shall worship before this altar’? Is 36:7 7812
They bow down, indeed they worship it. Is 46:6 7812
enter by these gates to worship the Lord! Jer 7:2 7812
gods to serve them and to worship them, Jer 25:6 7812
have come to worship in the Lord’s house all Jer 26:2 7812
not go after other gods to worship them. Jer 35:15 5647
and he shall worship at the threshold of Ezk 46:2 7812
people of the land shall also worship at the Ezk 46:3 7812
enters by way of the north gate to worship Ezk 46:9 7812
you are to fall down and worship the Da 3:5 5457
whoever does not fall down and worship Da 3:6 5457
fall down and worship the golden image. Da 3:10 5457
whoever does not fall down and worship Da 3:11 5457
they do not serve your gods or worship Da 3:12 5457
or worship the golden image that I have set Da 3:14 5457
and worship the image that I have made, Da 3:15 5457
But if you do not worship, Da 3:15 5457
or worship the golden image that you have Da 3:18 5457
or worship any god except their own God. Da 3:28 5457
from year to year to worship the King, Zch 14:16 7812
go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Zch 14:17 7812
east and have come to worship Him.” Mt 2:2 4352
that I too may come and worship Him.” Mt 2:8 4352
You, if You fall down and worship me.” Mt 4:9 4352
‘You shall worship the Lord your God, Mt 4:10 4352
‘But in vain do they worship Me, Mt 15:9 4576
‘But in vain do they worship Me, Mk 7:7 4576
“Therefore if You worship before me, Lk 4:7 4352
‘You shall worship the Lord your God Lk 4:8 4352
the place where men ought to worship.” Jn 4:20 4352
Jerusalem will you worship the Father. Jn 4:21 4352
“You worship what you do not know; Jn 4:22 4352
we worship what we know, for Jn 4:22 4352
true worshipers will worship the Father Jn 4:23 4352
and those who worship Him must worship Jn 4:24 4352
Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Jn 4:24 4352
were going up to worship at the feast; Jn 12:20 4352
images which you made to worship. Ac 7:43 4352
and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, Ac 8:27 4352
examining the objects of your worship, Ac 17:23 4574
Therefore what you worship in ignorance, Ac 17:23 2151
to worship God contrary to the law.” Ac 18:13 4576
she whom all of Asia and the world worship Ac 19:27 4576
ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. Ac 24:11 4352
is your spiritual service of worship. Ro 12:1 2999
will fall on his face and worship God, 1Co 14:25 4352
who worship in the Spirit of God and Php 3:3 3000
and the worship of the angels, Col 2:18 2356
every so-called god or object of worship, 2Th 2:4 4574
let all the angels of God worship Him.” Heb 1:6 4352
had regulations of divine worship and Heb 9:1 2999
performing the divine worship, Heb 9:6 2999
and will worship Him who lives forever Rv 4:10 4352
hands, so as not to worship demons, Rv 9:20 4352
the altar, and those who worship in it. Rv 11:1 4352
who dwell on the earth will worship him, Rv 13:8 4352
dwell in it to worship the first beast, Rv 13:12 4352
as do not worship the image of the beast to Rv 13:15 4352
worship Him who made the heaven and Rv 14:7 4352
who worship the beast and his image, Rv 14:11 4352
will come and worship before You, Rv 15:4 4352
Then I fell at his feet to worship him. Rv 19:10 4352
hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. Rv 19:10 4352
I fell down to worship at the feet of Rv 22:8 4352
of this book. Worship God.” Rv 22:9 4352
WORSHIPED
the man bowed low and worshiped the Lord. Gn 24:26 7812
“And I bowed low and worshiped the Lord, Gn 24:48 7812
then they bowed low and worshiped. Ex 4:31 7812
And the people bowed low and worshiped. Ex 12:27 7812
a molten calf, and have worshiped it and Ex 32:8 7812
and served other gods and worshiped them, Dt 17:3 7812
and served other gods and worshiped them, Dt 29:26 7812
the morning and worshiped before the Lord, 1Sa 1:19 7812
And he worshiped the Lord there. 1Sa 1:28 7812
Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord. 1Sa 15:31 7812
into the house of the Lord and worshiped. 2Sa 12:20 7812
to the summit, where God was worshiped, 2Sa 15:32 7812
gods and worshiped them and served them, 1Ki 9:9 7812
and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess 1Ki 11:33 7812
and went to serve Baal and worshiped him. 1Ki 16:31 7812
So he served Baal and worshiped him and 1Ki 22:53 7812
and made an Asherah and worshiped all the 2Ki 17:16 7812
and worshiped all the host of heaven and 2Ki 21:3 7812
his father had served and worshiped them. 2Ki 21:21 7812
worshiped and gave praise to the Lord, 2Ch 7:3 7812
gods and worshiped them and served them; 2Ch 7:22 7812
While the whole assembly worshiped, 2Ch 29:28 7812
present with him bowed down and worshiped. 2Ch 29:29 7812
with joy, and bowed down and worshiped. 2Ch 29:30 7812
and worshiped all the host of heaven and 2Ch 33:3 7812
then they bowed low and worshiped the Lord Ne 8:6 7812
and worshiped the Lord their God. Ne 9:3 7812
and he fell to the ground and worshiped. Jb 1:20 7812
in Horeb And worshiped a molten image. Ps 106:19 7812
worshiped the works of their own hands. Jer 1:16 7812
sought, and which they have worshiped. Jer 8:2 7812
fell down and worshiped the golden image Da 3:7 5457
fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Mt 2:11 4352
those who were in the boat worshiped Him, Mt 14:33 4352
took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. Mt 28:9 4352
When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; Mt 28:17 4352
“Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, Jn 4:20 4352
“Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him. Jn 9:38 4352
and fell at his feet and worshiped him. Ac 10:25 4352
and worshiped and served the creature Ro 1:25 4573
worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. Heb 11:21 4352
And the elders fell down and worshiped. Rv 5:14 4352
faces before the throne and worshiped God, Rv 7:11 4352
fell on their faces and worshiped God, Rv 11:16 4352
they worshiped the dragon because he Rv 13:4 4352
and they worshiped the beast, saying, Rv 13:4 4352
of the beast and who worshiped his image. Rv 16:2 4352
living creatures fell down and worshiped God Rv 19:4 4352
beast and those who worshiped his image; Rv 19:20 4352
had not worshiped the beast or his image, Rv 20:4 4352
WORSHIPER
of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, Ac 16:14 4576
named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, Ac 18:7 4576
make the worshiper perfect in conscience, Heb 9:9 3000
WORSHIPERS
all his worshipers and all his priests; 2Ki 10:19 5647
he might destroy the worshipers of Baal. 2Ki 10:19 5647
Israel and all the worshipers of Baal came, 2Ki 10:21 5647
garments for all the worshipers of Baal.” 2Ki 10:22 5647
and he said to the worshipers of Baal, 2Ki 10:23 5647
Lord, but only the worshipers of Baal.” 2Ki 10:23 5647
the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers, Zph 3:10 6282a
when the true worshipers will worship the Jn 4:23 4353
the Father seeks to be His worshipers. Jn 4:23 4352
to be offered, because the worshipers, Heb 10:2 3000
WORSHIPING
as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch 2Ki 19:37 7812
down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. 2Ch 20:18 7812
as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch Is 37:38 7812
and you will bear the penalty of worshiping Ezk 23:49
And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Lk 24:52 4352
WORSHIPS
He also makes a god and worships it; Is 44:15 7812
He falls down before it and worships; Is 44:17 7812
anyone worships the beast and his image, Rv 14:9 4352
WORSHIP. ‘Worship’ (Old English ‘weorthscipe’=‘worth-ship’) originally referred to the action of human beings in expressing homage to God because he is worthy of it. It covers such activities as adoration, thanksgiving, prayers of all kinds, the offering of sacrifice and the making of vows. Nowadays, however, ‘worship’ is used for any kind of interaction between God and his people, expressed in (but not confined to) cultic or formal activity by a religious group or individuals. It therefore includes not only the human approach to God but also the communications of God with his people, and the whole communal activity that takes place when the people gather together religiously. Such activity is the formal expression of spiritual attitudes which should characterize God’s people at all times (Rom. 12:1). Insofar as serving other people is a divine command, the fulfilment of it is a part of worship.
The term ‘worship’ is misunderstood if it gives the impression that the major element is what human beings do or offer to God. Biblical religion is primarily concerned with what God does for his people (Mk. 10:45). This is particularly evident in the NT, where words expressing the human activity of worshipping God are surprisingly rare in descriptions of church meetings (Heb. 13:15f.; 1 Pet. 2:5). Worship is human response to a gracious God, and it needs to be placed in this context if it is to be properly understood.
In the OT there is an extensive vocabulary of words expressing this response to God (especially histạhawâ; Gk. proskynein, ‘to bow in reverence’). The activities carried on at the Temple (or the earlier tabernacle) were largely human offerings to God, although it should not be forgotten that the priests were also intended to instruct people. The danger that ritual might not be the outward expression of a spiritual attitude was frequently criticized (Ps. 40:6–8; Am. 5:21–24).
By NT times local synagogues were replacing the temple as the regular meeting places of the Jews, the majority of whom were too far distant from the Temple to visit it other than on special occasions. Activity here centred on the reading of Scripture, accompanied by a ‘sermon’ based on the text, and placed in the context of prayers and praises to God.
Christians met in house-groups, in meetings that were primarily for themselves but were not closed to outsiders. These meetings reflected the temple in that the living community of believers was now the place where God was present and revealed to his people (1 Cor. 14:25). The influence of the synagogue was important. The Scriptures and Christian documents (such as Paul’s letters) were read and expounded (1 Thes. 5:27). Instruction and prophecy were given by persons gifted by the Spirit, and prayer was offered. Thus God’s communication with his people and their human response took place in an informal, largely unstructured gathering. Paul lays emphasis on the need for all that happens in the church meeting to ‘build up’ the congregation in Christian character. The contrast, however, is not between worshipping God and edifying the congregation, but between activities (like prophecy) which are intelligible and helpful and others (like speaking in tongues) which are not (1 Cor. 14:26). From an early date Christians met weekly on the Lord’s Day (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2). An Easter celebration (1 Cor. 5:7f.) is also likely. At Corinth certainly a weekly church gathering was usual and included a meal with sacramental significance as the proclamation of the death of Jesus (1 Cor. 11:17–34).
Bibliography. R. Banks, Paul’s Idea of Community, 1980; P. Bradshaw, The Search for the Origins of Christian Worship, 1992; J. G. Davies (ed.), A New Dictionary of Liturgy and Worship, 1986; R. P. Martin, Worship in the Early Church2, 1974; idem. The Worship of God, 1982, C. F. D. Moule, The Birth of the New Testament3, 1981; D. Peterson, Engaging with God, 1992. i.h.m.
WORSHIP, to be rendered to God only, Ex. 20:3; Deut. 5:7; 6:13; Matt. 4:10; Luke 4:8; Acts 10:26; 14:15; Col. 2:18; Rev. 19:10; 22:8. See Homage. Of Jesus, see Jesus, Worship of. Acceptable to God, Gen. 4:4; 8:21. Of the wicked rejected, Gen. 4:5, 7. See Prayer, Of the Wicked. "Iniquity of the holy things,’’ Ex. 28:38. Public, in the temple, Jer. 26:2; Luke 18:10; 24:53. David’s ordinances for, 1 Chr. 23–26. Family, Deut. 16:11, 14; of Abraham, Gen. 12:7, 8; 13:4, 18; of Jacob, Gen. 35:2, 3; of Job, Job 1:5; of the Philippian jailer, Acts 16:34. In private homes, Acts 1:13, 14; 5:42; 12:12; 20:7–9; Rom. 16:5; 1 Cor. 16:19; Col. 4:15; Philem. 2. In the night, Isa. 30:29; Acts 16:25. Jesus prays a whole night, Luke 6:12. Attitudes in: Bowing, Ex. 34:8; 2 Chr. 20:18. Prostration, Gen. 17:3; Mark 3:11. Prayer in, see Prayer. God’s presence in, Lev. 19:30; Psa. 77:13; 84:4; Isa. 56:7; Heb. 10:25. Loved by his people, Psa. 27:4; 84:1–3, 10; Zech. 8:21. Benedictions pronounced, see Benedictions. The whole nation required to assemble for, including men, women, children, servants, and strangers, Deut. 16:11; 31:11–13; in Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, Josh. 8:32–35. The word of God read in public assemblies, Ex. 24:7; Deut. 27:12–26; 31:11–13; Josh. 8:33–35; 2 Kin. 23:1–3; Neh. 8:1–8, 13–18; Matt. 21:23; Luke 4:16, 17. Of angels, forbidden, Rev. 19:10; 22:8, 9. See Afflictions, Prayer in; Blasphemy; Children; Church; Consecration; Dedication; Idolatry; Instruction, In Religion; Levites; Minister; Music; Offering; Praise; Prayer; Preaching; Priest; Psalms; Religion; Sacrilege; Servant; Stranger; Tabernacle; Temple; Thanksgiving; Women; Word of God; Young Men.
[5]
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[1]Easton, M. (1996, c1897). Easton's Bible dictionary. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
[2]Merriam-Webster, I. (1996, c1993). Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary. Includes index. (10th ed.). Springfield, Mass., U.S.A.: Merriam-Webster.
[3]Packer, J. I. (1996, c1994). Growing in Christ. Originally published: I want to be a Christian. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers, c1977.; Includes index. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books.
ot Old Testament
vv. verses
vs. version
v. verse
nt New Testament
[4]Achtemeier, P. J., Harper & Row, P., & Society of Biblical Literature. (1985). Harper's Bible dictionary. Includes index. (1st ed.). San Francisco: Harper & Row.
NT New Testament
OT Old Testament
idem idem (Lat.), the same author
i.h.m. I. H. Marshall, B.A., M.A., B.D., Ph.D., D.D., Professor of New Testament Exegesis, University of Aberdeen.
[5]Swanson, J., & Nave, O. (1994). New Nave's. Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems.