The nativity story

Children are often taught with nativity stories that the angels and shepherds worshipped the baby Jesus. This deception is also supported by some Christmas Carols that is sang every year to celebrate the baby Jesus as if the angels would have sang something similar.

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.

Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another,

“Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”

And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.

Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

-- Luke 2:8-20 (NKJV)

Differences between the traditional nativity story and the Bible:

1. The angels worshipped "God in the highest" (not baby Jesus)
2. The shepherds wanted to witness Jesus' birth as to "see this thing" (not worship Jesus)
3. There are no evidence that the shepherds worshipped Jesus like a God as often depicted in paintings.
4. The purpose of their visit was not to worship Jesus, but to testify what they had seen, because "Mary kept all these things ... in her heart".
5. When they shepherds returned (not from Jesus' manger - it was after testifying to different people which suggest some time must have passed), they glorified and praised "God" not the baby.

However, according to Matthew:

The wise men "worshipped" Jesus

And when they (the wise men) were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. -- Matthew 2:11

The disciples "worshipped" Jesus

A lot of verses confirm people worshiped Jesus, and he did not rebuke them for doing that:

And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. -- Matthew 8:2

While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. -- Matthew 9:18

Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. -- Matthew 14:33

Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. -- Matthew 15:25

Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. -- Matthew 20:20

And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. -- Matthew 28:9 (ESV)

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. -- Matthew 28:16-17 (ESV)

But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him... -- Mark 5:6

And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy -- Luke 24:52

And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. -- John 9:38

But, when Satan tried to make a deal with Jesus to worship him, Jesus responded:

And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only...’ ” -- Matthew 4:10 and Luke 4:8

Jesus was quoting 1 Samuel 7:4

Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the LORD (Yahweh)* and serve Him only, and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”

So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the LORD (Yahweh)* only.

Out of context, it seems like Jesus implies that he is Yahweh God. The real issue is that Satan requested Jesus to worship him like a God, in other words to "serve" him. If you read the previous verse too:

And he (Satan) said to him (Jesus), “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” -- Matthew 4:9 (ESV)

Note that "fall down" is "worship" in the sense of paying obeisance. It is unlikely that the author was repeating himself. In this context it makes more sense that "worship" means to "serve a god".

The Greek word translated as "worship" in many modern English bibles is:

HELPS Word-studies define "proskuneó" as:

4352 proskynéō (from 4314 /prós, "towards" and kyneo, "to kiss") – properly, to kiss the ground when prostrating before a superior

NAS Exhaustive Concordance define "proskuneó" as:

to do reverence to

Thayer's Greek Lexicon define "proskuneó" as

• to kiss the hand to (toward) one
• to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead
• by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make obeisance
• to worship

Therefore, "proskuneó" could mean "worship", but it also could mean to do reverence (act showing respect) depending on the context.

For example Satan was not asking Jesus to kiss his hand, but instead to prostrating before him as a superior. If Jesus was the Almighty God, then this request would have made no sense. However, a request like this to most humans may be really tempting especially if Jesus knew that God did not plan a luxurious life. So at that point Jesus had to choose who he would serve.

So Jesus responded:

"You shall worship the LORD your God and Him only shall you serve." -- Matthew 4:10 and Luke 4:8

Note that Jesus specially mentions "worship" and "serve" to put that "worship" in perspective as "of worshipping and serving a god" which is more than simply paying respect to God.

This act of "serving" anything other than God was forbidden by the law. Every time "serve" is used in combination with "worship" it means to "worship a god / the God".

Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve Him, and shalt swear by His name. -- Deuteronomy 6:13 (KJV)

Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; Him shalt thou serve, and to Him shalt thou cleave, and swear by His name. -- Deuteronomy 10:20 (KJV)

You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God. -- Exodus 20:4 (ESV)

This is a very serious matter. Many nations were destroyed because they served and worshipped idols.

And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. -- Deuteronomy 8:19

Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; -- Deuteronomy 11:16

And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded; -- Deuteronomy 17:3

Serve is the Hebrew word עָבַד abad and only means to serve or to work for (either freely or by force). We most certainly must only serve God and worship no other gods.

...

The Hebrew word translated as worship in the OT is שָׁחָה shachah, it means to bow down, to prostrate oneself, to pay homage or to worship. So we see it CAN mean worship but doesn’t necessarily always mean worship. This word appears 172 times throughout the OT scriptures and is not always translated as worship (KJV).

...

It is also interesting to note that the KJV NEVER, not once translates the word as worship or derivatives of (worshipping/worshipped) when it is referring to ANYONE else other than God or in condemnation of the worship of other gods. In the OT Worship was ONLY to be given to God and never for anyone other than God. It was never translated as worship when in reference to men or angels and was always condemned when other gods were worshipped and this is very clearly shown in the KJV.

BUT we do see that King David WAS worshipped... not worshipped as God or god. He was worshipped as king of Israel and this is a fundamental difference.

-- ljthriepland

This "service" to the "other gods" could also be understood as making sacrifices as explained in:

You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim (for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and when they whore after their gods and sacrifice to their gods and you are invited, you eat of his sacrifice, and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters whore after their gods and make your sons whore after their gods. -- Exodus 34:13-16 (ESV)

Jesus never requested anyone to build him altars, pillars or making sacrifices to him. However, worship in the sense of paying obeisance to him as the Lord ("master") is allowed and even encouraged.

For example note how different translation replace "honour" with "worship":

Isaiah's prophecy:

And the Lord said:

"Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men."

-- Isaiah 29:13 (ESV)

Compare it with Jesus' quote:

And he (Jesus) said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,

“‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” Mark 7:6-8

-- Mark 7:6-8 (ESV)

New International Version:

When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. -- Matthew 28:17 (NIV)

Young's Literal Translation

having seen him, they bowed to him, but some did waver. -- Matthew 28:17 (YLT)

Jesus mentions a king who was "worshipped" by his servants. In this case Jesus did not condemn this act of worship to another human:

A king who wished to settle accounts with his servants... So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him (the human king), ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ -- Matthew 18:26 (ESV)

There are even more examples of people who had been "worshipped" (honoured):

Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear: forget your people and your father's house, and the king will desire your beauty. Since he is your lord, bow to him.

-- Psalm 45:10-11 (ESV)

David "worshipped" king Saul:

Afterward David also arose and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage. -- 1 Samuel 24:8 (ESV)

Joab "worshipped" the king:

And Joab fell on his face to the ground and paid homage and blessed the king. -- 2 Samuel 14:22 (ESV)

Nathan "worshipped" king David:

And they told the king, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And when he came in before the king, he bowed before the king, with his face to the ground. -- 1 Kings 1:23 (ESV)

King Solomon being "worshipped":

So King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and paid homage to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.” -- 1 Kings 1:52 (ESV)

Elisha being "worshipped":

And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him (Elisha). -- 2 Kings 2:15 (ESV)

Jacob "worshipped" Joseph's sons:

By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. -- Hebrews 11:21 (ESV)

Therefore, nothing forbids anyone to "worship" Jesus in the sense of obeisance or paying homage or showing honor.

For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. -- John 5:22 (ESV)

In fact Jesus requires this kind of "worship" so that "every knee should bow" (pay obeisance) to him as the Lord:

Therefore God (the Father) has highly exalted him (the Son) and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. -- Philippians 2:9-11 (ESV)

Paul did not say that Jesus should be worshipped instead of the Father, but that Jesus should be "worshipped" (pay obeisance) to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus taught that his disciples should worship (serve) God instead

God's angels "worship" Jesus

And again, when He brings the firstborn into the world, He says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” -- Hebrews 1:6 (ESV)

The ESV bible's footnotes cross-references Deuteronomy 32:43 and Psalm 97:7 which out of context seems like Jesus should be worshipped, however neither scriptures suggested worshipping Jesus and both say the LORD with capital letters indicating Yahweh should be worshipped. So the author of the book of Hebrews could not have been quoting these scriptures.

For I will proclaim the name of the LORD (Yahweh); ascribe greatness to our God! ... For the LORD (Yahweh) will vindicate His people ... “Rejoice with Him, O heavens; bow down to Him, all gods ...

-- Deuteronomy 32:3,36,43 (ESV)

Moses spoke about the LORD Yahweh, not Jesus. There is nothing in Moses song that suggest that Jesus should be worshipped by God's angels.

The mountains melt like wax before the LORD (Yahweh) before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see His glory.

All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship Him, all you gods!

Zion hears and is glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments, O LORD (Yahweh).

Psalm 97:5-8 (ESV)

So, what did the author of Hebrews quote?

Most likely the author meant that God's angels respect Jesus as their superior because God has given him the authority to lead them.

All creation "worship" Jesus

And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

-- Revelation 5:13-14 (ESV)

Some translations like the ESV omits "worshiped Him who lives for the ages of the ages".

This is significant because it means they worshipped Someone specific and not both "Him who sits on the throne and the Lamb".

Only One "sat on the throne" (Revelation 4:2), not a trinity and not God with the Lamb.

Trinitarians would argue it does not matter because "the Lamb" is "the One who sat on the throne".

But according to John of Patmos they are two different beings because:

And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then he came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.

Now when He had taken the scroll

-- Revelation 5:6-8 (NKJV)

• The Lamb "stood" (Revelation 5:6) and God "sat" (Revelation 5:7)
• The Lamb was "in the midst of the elders" (Revelation 5:6) and God "on the throne" (Revelation 5:7)

Confusion occurs when Revelation 5:8-14 is seen as one worship event. However, it is actually a build up of different events which eventually lead to the worship of God.