Why I Reject the Trinity Part: 11
Luke 4:7, 8
“If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”
“If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”
This verse is apparently based on one or a harmonized version of both:
Deuteronomy 6:13
"Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.”
"Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.”
Deuteronomy 10:20
“Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.”
“Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.”
With possibly:
1 Samuel 7:3
“And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, [then] put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”
1 Samuel 7:3
“And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, [then] put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”
In the Greek the word worship is proskyneō - to kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence. It means to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence. It is used of homage shown to men and beings of superior rank. In the Hebrew the word for worship - shachah is not found in Jesus’ source scripture however the meaning is the same, to bow down, prostrate oneself. Biblically, worship is a sign of reverence and recognition of someone else’s authority over the one bowing.
So, a common Trinitarian argument is as follows:
a. Jesus said men should only worship God.
b. Jesus received worship, therefore
a=b Jesus is the Trinitarian God.
a. Jesus said men should only worship God.
b. Jesus received worship, therefore
a=b Jesus is the Trinitarian God.
Jesus did not say in this NT reference to “only worship God.” He said “worship the Lord” and “him only shall you serve.” Serve – latreuō: to serve, minister to, either to the gods or men and used alike of slaves and freemen. Bowing – shachah- to people in authority other than God is a practice throughout the entire bible. Gen 18:2, 19:1, 23:7,12, 37:7-10, 42:6, Ex 18:7, Joshua 5:13-15, Ruth 2:10, 13 times in 1 and 2 Samuel, as well as Kings, Chronicles, and throughout the Prophets.
People bowed down before Kings of Israel, men in authority, Joseph’s brothers in his visions and in Egypt. Even in one of Jesus’ parables:
Mathew 18:26
“The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.”
“The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.”
Recognizing whom bows to who in the Bible shows the authoritative chain of command, not specifically divinity. Everyone will bow to Jesus because he was born Lord of the earth and at his resurrection and ascension was made Lord over everything. Everyone bows to him that is except for the Father to whom Jesus is under and not equal to in rank. (1Corinthians 15:24-28)
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