The Bible is so straightforward about the Deity of Christ that those who choose to deny it can only do so by utterly rejecting the Word of God. No one with an objective mind can read the text of the New Testament and come away with any other conclusion than that the Christ that it speaks of is divine.
A typical challenge from Muslims to Christians is to produce a verse in which Jesus categorically states, "I am God. Worship Me." We have already covered some of the places where Jesus says He is God in previous articles so, in this one, we will take a look at the many places in the Scriptures where Jesus is worshiped as God.
But first let us look at two reactions to worship as exhibited in the New Testament.
Luke relates what the Apostle Peter encountered when he visited the home of a Gentile:
Acts 10
25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and worshiped him.
26 But Peter helped him up and said, “Stand up! I myself am also a man.”
On the other hand, in the Book of Revelation, the Apostle John is so overwhelmed at what he is hearing and seeing in his vision that he responds to his "heavenly tour guide" thus (text in brackets mine):
In both cases, the worship is immediately rejected.
In both cases, the word for "worship" that the Greek text uses is the word "προσκυνέω," which transliterates as "proskyneō."
It is the same word that is used when Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:13 and 10:20 to reject the temptation of Satan:
10 Then Jesus told him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship (proskyneō) the Lord your God, and serve only Him.” Matthew 4
This is the same word used in 1 Corinthians 14:25, Hebrews 1:6, Revelation 7:11, and Revelation 19:4, which speak of the worship of God.
Over and over again in the New Testament, we find Jesus being worshiped.
Over and over again, He demonstrates the same behavior.
But we begin with Jesus' birth. Wise men who have followed a star in the heavens announcing His coming have found Him at last:
Matthew 2
11 Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped (proskyneō) Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Neither Mary nor Joseph stop the magi from worshiping the Christ Child.
Many years later, Jesus the Messiah walks on stormy seas to join His apostles who He had sent on ahead,
Matthew 14
33 Then those in the boat worshiped (proskyneō) Him and said, “Truly You are the Son of God!”
On other occasions, Jesus elicits the same reaction and responds the very same way each time:
Matthew 28
9 Just then Jesus met them and said, “Good morning!” They came up, took hold of His feet, and worshiped (proskyneō) Him.
...
17 When they saw Him, they worshiped, but some doubted.
Luke 24
52 After worshiping Him, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy.
John 9
38 “I believe, Lord!” he said, and he worshiped Him.
But while Peter and the angel in John's Revelation very quickly stop the act of worship and redirect it to the Only One to Whom it is due...
Jesus always receives it.
He never rebukes the worshipper.
He never tells anyone not to worship Him.
This is certainly odd behavior...
if Jesus is just a mere "messenger."
If Jesus is not God...
then why does He never stop these people, His apostles and disciples among them, from worshiping Him?
Thus far, our evidence could be claimed as circumstantial and thus, inconclusive.
Revelation 5
11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and also of the living creatures and of the elders. Their number was countless thousands, plus thousands of thousands.
12 They said with a loud voice:
The Lamb who was slaughtered is worthy
to receive power and riches
and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and blessing!
13 I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them say:
Blessing and honor and glory and dominion
to the One seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb, forever and ever!
14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped (proskyneō).
See also:
Jesus Accepts Worship
http://www.answeringmuslims.com/2014/07/jesus-accepts-worship.html
Where Does Jesus Say, "I Am God. Worship Me?"
http://apologika.blogspot.com/2014/02/where-does-jesus-say-i-am-god-worship-me.html
Where Does Jesus Say, "I Am YHWH (God)" in the Bible?
http://apologika.blogspot.com/2013/12/where-does-jesus-say-i-am-yhwh-god.html
A typical challenge from Muslims to Christians is to produce a verse in which Jesus categorically states, "I am God. Worship Me." We have already covered some of the places where Jesus says He is God in previous articles so, in this one, we will take a look at the many places in the Scriptures where Jesus is worshiped as God.
But first let us look at two reactions to worship as exhibited in the New Testament.
Luke relates what the Apostle Peter encountered when he visited the home of a Gentile:
Acts 10
25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and worshiped him.
26 But Peter helped him up and said, “Stand up! I myself am also a man.”
On the other hand, in the Book of Revelation, the Apostle John is so overwhelmed at what he is hearing and seeing in his vision that he responds to his "heavenly tour guide" thus (text in brackets mine):
Revelation 19
10 Then I [John] fell at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow slave with you and your brothers who have the testimony about Jesus. Worship God, because the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” In both cases, the worship is immediately rejected.
In both cases, the word for "worship" that the Greek text uses is the word "προσκυνέω," which transliterates as "proskyneō."
It is the same word that is used when Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:13 and 10:20 to reject the temptation of Satan:
10 Then Jesus told him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship (proskyneō) the Lord your God, and serve only Him.” Matthew 4
This is the same word used in 1 Corinthians 14:25, Hebrews 1:6, Revelation 7:11, and Revelation 19:4, which speak of the worship of God.
Over and over again in the New Testament, we find Jesus being worshiped.
Over and over again, He demonstrates the same behavior.
But we begin with Jesus' birth. Wise men who have followed a star in the heavens announcing His coming have found Him at last:
Matthew 2
11 Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped (proskyneō) Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Neither Mary nor Joseph stop the magi from worshiping the Christ Child.
Many years later, Jesus the Messiah walks on stormy seas to join His apostles who He had sent on ahead,
Matthew 14
33 Then those in the boat worshiped (proskyneō) Him and said, “Truly You are the Son of God!”
Matthew 28
9 Just then Jesus met them and said, “Good morning!” They came up, took hold of His feet, and worshiped (proskyneō) Him.
...
17 When they saw Him, they worshiped, but some doubted.
Luke 24
52 After worshiping Him, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy.
John 9
38 “I believe, Lord!” he said, and he worshiped Him.
But while Peter and the angel in John's Revelation very quickly stop the act of worship and redirect it to the Only One to Whom it is due...
Jesus always receives it.
He never rebukes the worshipper.
He never tells anyone not to worship Him.
This is certainly odd behavior...
if Jesus is just a mere "messenger."
If Jesus is not God...
then why does He never stop these people, His apostles and disciples among them, from worshiping Him?
Thus far, our evidence could be claimed as circumstantial and thus, inconclusive.
But Scripture doesn't end its testimony there.
Once again we are given eyewitness testimony to prove that Jesus is God...
in John's stirring portrait in Revelation 5 of the worship being lavished upon Jesus, the Lamb of God, in the heavens from whence He came.Revelation 5
11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and also of the living creatures and of the elders. Their number was countless thousands, plus thousands of thousands.
12 They said with a loud voice:
The Lamb who was slaughtered is worthy
to receive power and riches
and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and blessing!
13 I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them say:
Blessing and honor and glory and dominion
to the One seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb, forever and ever!
14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped (proskyneō).
He is worthy!
See also:
Jesus Accepts Worship
http://www.answeringmuslims.com/2014/07/jesus-accepts-worship.html
Where Does Jesus Say, "I Am God. Worship Me?"
http://apologika.blogspot.com/2014/02/where-does-jesus-say-i-am-god-worship-me.html
Where Does Jesus Say, "I Am YHWH (God)" in the Bible?
http://apologika.blogspot.com/2013/12/where-does-jesus-say-i-am-yhwh-god.html
Comments
*Does God have Brothers?*
Romans 8:
For whom he did FOREKNOW, he also did PREDESTINATE to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the FIRSTBORN among MANY BRETHREN
Moreover whom he did PREDESTINATE, them he also called: and whom he CALLED, them he also justified: and whom he JUSTIFIED, them he also GLORIFIED.
*Who sits on the Throne of Majesty in Heaven?*
YHWH Does.
*Where is Jesus, the Son of God?*
At YHWHs Right Hand, until Jesus returns and Rules this planet as an HEIR forever*
YHWH will still be on His throne in Heaven.
John 20:17
Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, *I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to MY God, and your God*
Of course Jesus existed before Abraham.. Jesus is the firstborn
Colossians 1:15
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature
The firstborn of many BRETHREN.
How can Jesus be an heir (inheritor) of YHWH if Jesus is YHWH?
Romans 8:17
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together
Hebrews 2:9
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
“he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”
God by the grace of God should taste death for every man - makes no sense.
https://lutherwasnotbornagaincom.wordpress.com/2021/11/17/damning-evidence-that-jesus-never-claimed-to-be-god/
The truth is, while Jesus probably claimed to be the Messiah, and that is what got him killed, there is no good evidence in the Synoptic Gospels that he ever claimed to be God.