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Monday, February 18, 2013 at 11:50PM One of my best friends and a wonderful teacher on worship recently posed this quote to the online social media world--
It is a small view of worship that confines it to the space of music and services. No grander term can be found for what it means to be animate, human, and oriented to the meaning behind life. #worship
- Dan Wilt
I love the essence of what Dan is saying here. Our devotional concepts are often confined to the church space, even to the music space during the meeting that happens inside of our church buildings. This is a limiting and God-shrinking idea that places our lives in jeopardy of living far too small for the universe-holding Creator who made us and watches over us. But Dan, and many others, are using the wrong word for the focus of all this reformational activity (trying to redefine terms that are central to Christianity was one of the marks of the reformation). The problem with reusing a word for multiple meanings (that it never originally had or intended) is that it is like taking a picture and trying to reuse it in thousands of different frames. Each time, we shave a little here or there, until the core distinction of the unique definition is lost in the ubiquity of an overwhelming number of definitions- a homograph is born. And a little bit of truth is lost each time.
For a moment, let's roll back the clock 40 years. If you were to ask a linguist, scholar and Bible translator what the word "worship" meant, according to the Biblical usage of it, you would get something akin to "pointed acts and moments of submission, sacrifice and obeisance". But today, the worship word has become almost a euphemism for "everything". This has happened not because the Bible changed, but because we stopped using it as the central text to define the word. And with the popular worship movement of the last 30 years, we have co-opted the "worship" term for almost everything and anything to which that movement was associated. I have done it, others have done, we've all done it. But we were wrong.
This term "worship" has its original roots in the translation that Tyndale made of original Hebrew and Greek (depending on text source) sources that didn't have the connotation of the "everything" that has become the pop-modern definition of worship. As we see it in the scripture, the use of the worship verb (verb only) is reserved for specific punctual acts of submission, reverence, obeisance, surrender and offering. We get no "grand" worship term in the Biblical context, though, there is obviously deep truth in the fact that our lives should be lived in such devotion. For more explanation and detail on how original Greek words are translated into "worship" in the New Testament, see my second section in this article. Those who aren't interested in a word study can feel free to ignore section 2 of this post. It has always bothered me that we went from the "praise" word in the 70's/80's to the "worship" word in the 90's and beyond with no explanation of the scriptural distinctions that translated those terms into the liturgy of our activities in the Christian community. And in the latter case, there is only cultural redefinition that has reformed our use of the word.
Even a favored verse (Rom 12:1) that gives us a poorly translated use of "worship" (though the use of this word is intended as the temple act of service, as Paul is using it in solidifying his allusion to presenting bodies- instead of presenting animal sacrifices- before the altar)-- even that use, is a punctual, pointed act of surrender, sacrifice and offering. Worship in the bible is very rarely (in fact, almost only ever incidentally) about music, but it is always about a responsive act by the one who encounters the greatness of God and the default (nearly involuntary) bodily response is falling, bowing, humbling and submitting in absolute surrender. DAN IS RIGHT-- in that our lives should be lived as a wholly devotional and surrendered existence that constantly relates its position in deference to the Creator by every interaction we have with Him and His creation. Dan is ALSO right when he doesn't confine the "worship" word and definition to a Sunday morning functionality. In fact, part of my premise is that doing so (confining it to Sunday morning activity) is another way of incorrectly reforming the meaning of the worship word.
However, using the "worship" word to define that life-style devotion has recast a specific word into an almost useless term. We all (all of us involved in the last 30 years), should have picked a term that meant "life lived in complete devotion, as a broader meta-narrative that we can see exampled in the specific activity of biblical worship". When we overloaded the "worship" term with this new definition we made it mean just about everything, and hence, just about nothing. I LIKE Dan's post because what we do when we limit our devotion (I will use that term, instead) to just the activities of Sunday morning is a sad and ironic redefinition (in our minds, not in reality) of God into a "mini-me". That is tragic. But using the "worship" term to hang that definition onto is unfortunate and misplaced.
That is my opinion.
For those that want to look into more of the details about the translation aspect of this particular issue with the "worship" word, I have now appended a more comprehensive explanation to this post. I had preferred not to do this before, assuming that the word studies were a "given" across most people who would care about the details of such. To help clarify my approach and backdrop, however, I don't want to leave this information to the wild imaginings of those who might disagree (insert a smirk here).
Loving God? Guilty as charged!
Kim Gentes
Again, those who want the details of the word translations that provide the backdrop to some of the article- those are given below. The original article did not include this, but I wanted to provide it for those who were asking. Ed.--Kim Gentes.
There are two words primarily used in the New Testament that are translated into the english word "worship". Their greek transliterations are "proskuneo" (Strongs#4352) and "latreia" (Strongs#2999).
I will explain only the NT context here for brevity, but you find something similar in the Old Testament Hebrew as well, albeit with more words being used and translated into the "worship" verb. Most notably, "shachah", seems to reflect the same sense as proskuneo in the NT - see Strongs #7812 for the full definition and text listings for its occurrence (http://www.studylight.org/lex/heb/hwview.cgi?n=7812). Almost every significant definition and use of the "worship" word in the OT, including the commandments, Abraham's offering of Isaac, uses in much of the Psalms, and extensive uses throughout the prophets. It should be noted that the Hebrew word "segid" is used more thoroughly throughout the book of Daniel, but its use is confined to the context of the demand of Nebuchadnezzar to require the idolatrous worship from his subjects, as well as Daniel and his companions. Secondarily, the OT "abad" seems to be a similar word to the connotation of "latreia" used primarily as "service" in the NT. But, note that whenever "worship" is translated in the context of worshiping YHWH, it is almost always from the "shachah" root. The uses of other words most often (especially in the "segid" case) refer to idolatrous or heathen worship.
The first word, proskuneo, in the New Testament is always translated as "worship". Almost every text you find the New Testament is using that word underneath.
According to Thayer's Greek lexicon the word specifically means,
proskuneo
This word covers the vast majority of uses of the "worship" that we find in the New Testament. For clarity, I list all of them below.
Matthew 2:2
"Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him."
Matthew 2:8
And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him."
Matthew 2:11
After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Matthew 4:9
and he said to Him, "All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me."
Matthew 4:10
Then Jesus *said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.' "
Matthew 8:2
And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean
Matthew 9:18
While He was saying these things to them, a synagogue official came and bowed down before Him, and said, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live."
Matthew 14:33
And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, "You are certainly God's Son!"
Matthew 15:25
But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, "Lord, help me!"
Matthew 18:26
"So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.'
Matthew 20:20
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him.
Matthew 28:9
And behold, Jesus met them and greeted * them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.
Matthew 28:17
When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful.
Mark 5:6
Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him;
Mark 15:19
They kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling * and bowing before Him.
Luke 4:7
"Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours."
Luke 4:8
Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.' "
Luke 24:52
And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
John 4:20
"Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship."
John 4:21
Jesus *said to her, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.
John 4:22
"You worship what you do not know ; we worship what we know , for salvation is from the Jews.
John 4:23
"But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.
John 4:24
"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
John 9:38
And he said, "Lord, I believe." And he worshiped Him.
John 12:20
Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast;
Acts 7:43
'YOU ALSO TOOK ALONG THE TABERNACLE OF MOLOCH AND THE STAR OF THE GOD ROMPHA , THE IMAGES WHICH YOU MADE TO WORSHIP. I ALSO WILL REMOVE YOU BEYOND BABYLON.'
Acts 8:27
So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship,
Acts 10:25
When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him.
Acts 24:11
since you can take note of the fact that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship.
1 Corinthians 14:25
the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you.
Hebrews 1:6
And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, "AND LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP
Hebrews 11:21
By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
Revelation 3:9
'Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie --I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.
Revelation 4:10
the twenty-four * elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
Revelation 5:14
And the four living creatures kept saying, "Amen." And the elders fell down and worshiped.
Revelation 7:11
And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
Revelation 9:20
The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk;
Revelation 11:1
Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, "Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it.
Revelation 11:16
And the twenty-four * elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God,
Revelation 13:4
they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?"
Revelation 13:8
All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.
Revelation 13:12
He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.
Revelation 13:15
And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
Revelation 14:7
and he said with a loud voice, "Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters."
Revelation 14:9
Then another angel, a third one followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand,
Revelation 14:11
"And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever * receives the mark of his name."
Revelation 15:4
"Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED."
Revelation 16:2
So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant sore on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.
Revelation 19:4
And the twenty-four * elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, "Amen. Hallelujah!"
Revelation 19:10
Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he *said to me, "Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
Revelation 19:20
And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.
Revelation 20:4
Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
Revelation 22:8
I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things
Revelation 22:9
But he *said to me, "Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book. Worship God."
Now let's look at the instances of "latreia" in the NT:
John 16:2
"They will make you outcasts from the synagogue but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering //service// to God.
Romans 9:4
who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple //service// and the promises,
Romans 12:1
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual //service of worship//
Hebrews 9:1
Now even the first covenant had regulations of //divine worship// and the earthly sanctuary.
Hebrews 9:6
Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the //divine worship//
(my uses of the // marks are used for identification because the word isn't explicitly used as "worship" in all instances) I have used the translation of NAS to keep it consistent across the quotations here.
Greek translation of "latreia" to worship in Romans 12:1, in my opinion, lacks consistency with the use of worship in both the Old Testament (shachah) and New Testament (proskuneo) uses.
This is why both the original translation into English by William Tyndale (the first person to actually employ the term- then, worthscipe- that would eventually morph into "worship") and most of the noted more literal translations do not use Romans 12:1 as a translation into worship. Instead they translate it as "reasonable service" because the context and word provide this to be a better choice.
You can see this in more detailed lexography in the details shown here
http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/robertsons-word-pictures/romans/romans-12-1.html
Much of my backdrop to this understanding has been helped by John Hubley, ThD, whose book "Running the River of Praise, Wading in Pools of Worship" ( http://amzn.to/Z7MB8S ) explores literally every word and translation of the worship lexicon and helps to sift through the understandings of their uses.
In a separate piece, Hubley summates the Romans passage translation as a misconception, but a misconception that is often used as a pivot point to apply back its singular meaning onto the vast majority of "worship" translated texts in the NT (which I have listed above). Hubley says,
The Greek word translated "reasonable" was logikos meaning "rational." The word rendered "service" was latreia referring to the activities of the priests in taking care of their temple duties. Therefore, "reasonable service" identified the obedient posture of believers as their rational response to the Lord's incredible mercy and grace. To translate "latreia" with "worship" is a very bad rendering. 1
The problem is that this one text is often used as the singular launch point for people defining the "worship" word. Yet the translation is textually more accurate as "service". Let me emphasize- that the idea that life long and powerfully sacrificial surrender of ourselves is a concept I agree with! I am not arguing with Paul here, but agreeing with him. However, Paul used the word "latreia" here, rather than "proskuneo" and it is highly unlikely that he did it unintentionally or ignorantly. In the broad sense, Paul was indeed trying to redefine the "devotional" life and approach of the Christian church (from the Hebrew system of sacrifices and offerings to the new Christian concept of surrendered lives and bodies to God's will through Christ). But Paul didn't call this "worship". He called it our "reasonable service".
The fact that we are trying to force the "prokuneo" (worship) and the "latreia" (service) into our own 21st Century "worship" definition is a modernism that hasn't existed for almost 2000 years. Words matter, and this definition of worship has almost completely been lost to our misuse and not giving care to such things.
1. John Hubley, "Should Feelings Drive Our Devotion To God? Romans 12:1ff.", Mindheart Foundation, May 2003. All rights reserved.
Dan Wilt, definition, devotion, homograph, lifestyle, reformation, word, worship in Bible, Church Meeting, Scripture, Teaching, Theology, Worship 
