Worship Christ?
How does the NWT translate the word προσκυνέω “worship” 61x? Is this distinction based on Greek, or on theological convictions? Why would they make such a distinction? For about 70 years (until Jan 1, 1954) the WT had no problem with “worshipping” Christ.
Try searching for:
|
Verse Ref
×
|
Person
×
|
NWT
×
|
NIV
×
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Mat 2:2 | Christ | ||
| Mat 2:8 | Christ | ||
| Mat 2:11 | Christ | ||
| Mat 4:9 | Satan | ||
| Mat 4:10 | God | ||
| Mat 8:2 | Christ | ||
| Mat 9:18 | Christ | ||
| Mat 14:33 | Christ | ||
| Mat 15:9 | God | ||
| Mat 15:25 | Christ | ||
| Mat 28:9 | Christ | ||
| Mrk 7:7 | God | ||
| Luke 2:37 | God | ||
| Luke 4:7 | Satan | ||
| Luk 4:8 | God | ||
| Luke 24:52 | Christ | ||
| Joh 4:20 | general (God) | ||
| Joh 4:21 | Father | ||
| Joh 4:22 | general | ||
| Joh 4:23 | Father | ||
| Joh 4:24 | God | ||
| Joh 12:20 | (God) | ||
| Acts 7:43 | Idols | ||
| Acts 8:27 | (God) | ||
| Acts 10:25 | Peter | ||
| Acts 16:14 | God | ||
| Acts 17:23 | Unknown God | ||
| Acts 18:7 | God | ||
| Acts 18:13 | God | ||
| Acts 19:27 | Artemis | ||
| Acts 24:11 | (God) | ||
| Rom 1:25 | created things | ||
| 1Co 14:25 | God | ||
| Php 3:3 | in (by) the Spirit of God | ||
| Col 2:18 | Angels | ||
| Col 2:23 | unspecified | ||
| 2Th 2:4 | objects of worship | ||
| Heb 1:6 | Christ | ||
| Heb 11:21 | (God) | ||
| Rev 3:9 | Philadelphians (people) | ||
| Rev 4:10 | God | ||
| Rev 5:14 | God and the Lamb | ||
| Rev 7:11 | God | ||
| Rev 9:20 | demons and idols | ||
| Rev 11:1 | (God) | ||
| Rev 11:16 | God | ||
| Rev 13:4 | Dragon and the beast | ||
| Rev 13:8 | The beast | ||
| Rev 13:12 | The beast | ||
| Rev 13:15 | The beast | ||
| Rev 14:7 | Creator | ||
| Rev 14:9 | The beast | ||
| Rev 14:11 | The beast | ||
| Rev 15:4 | God | ||
| Rev 16:2 | The image of the beast | ||
| Rev 19:4 | God | ||
| Rev 19:10 | An angel | ||
| Rev 19:20 | The image of the beast | ||
| Rev 20:4 | The image of the beast | ||
| Rev 22:8 | Angel | ||
| Rev 22:9 | God |
4 questions can be asked to distinguish the position Christ has from the angels:
- Did any angels ever reject worship or obeisance? (Rev 19:10; 22:8,9)
- Did Christ ever reject worship or obeisance? (no)
- Did any angels ever receive worship or obeisance? (no)
- Did Christ ever receive worship or obeisance? (Heb 1:6)
What the angels were commanded to do in Heb 1:6 (without sinning) we can safely do as well.
What did the early Watchtower teach about worshipping Christ?
Zion’s Watch Tower March 1, 1880 “There is and ever has been but one Christ. A change of nature does not change identity. Whether as the pre-existent One, as the Word made flesh, or as the High Priest who can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, He still is Lord, and as such we worship Him... The wise men came at His birth to worship Him. (Matt. 2) The leper worshiped Him. They in the ship worshiped Him, as did also the ruler and woman of Canaan. Yet none were ever rebuked for it... To worship a false Christ would indeed be sin, but to worship Christ in any form cannot be wrong, for when He bringeth the first Begotten into the world, He sayeth, “Let all the angels of God worship Him.””
Zion’s Watch Tower June 1, 1880 “A mere human being, having our fallen nature, as some tell us Christ was and had, should not have received worship, and could not have forgiven sin, both of which Christ did.”
Zion’s Watch Tower Oct, 1880 p. 2-3 It seems clear that His Divinity was retained in humanity because
He repeatedly spoke of Himself as having come down from heaven, and because He, though passing through trial and sorrow
as a man, was yet possessed of the authority and exercised the prerogatives of a God. He was the object of unreproved
worship even when a babe, by the wise men who came to see the new-born King. `Matt. 2:2-11`. Even the angels delighted
to do Him honor. "When He bringeth the first-begotten into the world, He saith, "And let all the angels of God worship
Him." `Heb. 1:6`.
He never reproved any one for acts of worship offered to Himself, but when Cornelius offered such service to Peter—the
leading apostle—"he took him up, saying, stand up; I myself also am a man." `Acts 10:26`. The great apostle of the
Gentiles scarcely restrained the idolatry of the people in sacrifice offered to himself and his fellows, giving as a
reason why it should not be done: "We also are men, of like passions with yourselves." `Acts 14:15`. Had Christ not been
more than man the same reason should have prevented Him from receiving worship.
Zion’s Watch Tower May 15, 1892 p. 157 It is undoubtedly proper enough for us to address petitions to our Redeemer and Advocate, who loved us and gave himself for us. He is still interested in us--still loves us. He is still the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, and we are his sheep. He is still our faithful High Priest, who can be touched with a feeling of our infirmities and who is ready still to succor them that are tempted. And although we are nowhere instructed to make petitions to him, it evidently could not be improper so to do; for such a course is nowhere prohibited, and the disciples worshiped him.--`Matt. 28:9,17`.
Zion’s Watch Tower July 15 1898 p. 216: “Question. The fact that our Lord received worship is claimed by some to be an evidence that while on earth he was God the Father disguised in a body of flesh and not really a man. Was he really worshiped, or is the translation faulty?
Answer. Yes, we believe our Lord Jesus while on earth was really worshiped, and properly so. ... It was proper for our Lord to receive worship in view of his having been the only begotten of the Father, and his agent in the creation of all things, including man.”
The Watch Tower Jan 1, 1906 p. 15 In one respect many of Christendom could learn numerous important lessons from these wise Gentiles. No false patriotism stood in their way to hinder their appreciation of any manifestation of divine favor to the children of men. And when they found the Savior they were nothing daunted by the fact that his home surroundings were of the humbler sort. They worshiped him in three senses of the word: (1) They fell before him, prostrated themselves, thus physically expressing their reverence. (2) They worshiped him in their hearts and with the tongue gave expression to their rejoicing and confidence. (3) They opened their treasure-box and presented to him three gifts appropriate to royalty: the myrrh representing submission, frankincense representing praise, gold representing obedience.
1937 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses “While every Christian joyfully bows to and worships Christ Jesus himself as commanded, to bow before an image is an entirely different thing.”
Rutherford supported the same teaching
Watchtower Nov 15, 1939: “Jehovah God commands all to worship Christ Jesus because Christ Jesus is the express image of his Father, Jehovah, and because he is the Executive Officer of Jehovah always carrying out Jehovah’s purpose.”
