
In the previous article, we observed that no New Testament passage instructs Christians to gather for the purpose of worship. But the issue goes even deeper: the English word “worship” itself fails to accurately capture the original meanings found in the New Testament. I contend that our modern concept of worship rests on assumptions foreign to the New Testament and the early church.
The New Testament portrays Christian assemblies as gatherings for mutual edification, not primarily for worship. Hebrews 10:24-25 emphasizes strengthening each other’s faith, while Paul’s instructions in 1 Corinthians 14 mention “edification” seven times. Paul concludes with the directive “Let all things be done for edification” rather than prescribing worship as the assembly’s purpose.
What do we mean by “worship?”
“Worship” brings to mind church services, hymns, and acts of devotion directed toward God. Most Christians see worship as something that happens within the walls of a church, a specific activity with a set purpose. But this modern definition doesn’t capture the meaning of the original English word.
The English word traces back to Old English weorðscipe. In Old English, this word meant “condition of being worthy, dignity, glory, distinction, honor, renown,” from weorð ‘worthy.’”1 In this sense, worship was more about recognizing someone’s inherent value or worthiness than about a religious practice. It was the quality of being worthy: worth-ship.
“Since it was first used in translation, ‘worship’ has acquired a semantic range quite different from its own original meaning. That this is so can be seen in some surviving English archaisms. Judges are still called ‘Your worship’ and we still have a few ‘worshipful companies’, yet the term has no religious significance in these contexts.”2
Originally, people could “worship” by honoring a king, a friend, or anyone worthy of respect.
A shift in meaning
However, in the mid thirteenth century, people began to use the word to indicate paying reverence to God.3 Over time, the word’s meaning narrowed, becoming linked almost exclusively to acts of religious reverence. By the time translators worked on the first English Bible translations, worship had shifted to mean specific ceremonies or acts directed toward God.
This shift may seem minor, but it affects our understanding of what worship involves. Early Christians saw honoring God as a way of life. They did not view worship as specific events, activities, or gatherings. Our modern definition of the word fails to capture the New Testament’s perspective. Using just one English word—worship—distorts the New Testament’s meaning. This is because the English word worship translates several New Testament Greek words.
What words are used in the New Testament?
The New Testament writers used a variety of words which our English Bibles mainly translate as either worship or serve. The word worship does not capture the New Testament authors’ intended meaning. To truly understand what worship meant to early Christians, we must examine the original terms and their contexts.
For example, the word proskuneo describes the act of bowing down in prostration to show reverence to God, and even other humans. Latreuo focuses on serving God through daily acts of obedience. Leitourgeo adds yet another layer, emphasizing service in ministry. The sebo word group highlights reverence or awe which we may summarize as an attitude of piousness. Finally, threskeia refers to religious practice with its rules and rites. It emphasizes external forms of devotion.
These are “temple” words
However, there is more to the story. It may come as a shock to modern Christians to learn that all five of these Greek words described specific temple activities. Proskuneo denoted prostration before a deity in their temple. Latreuo described sacrificial service within temple walls. Leitourgeo referred to priestly temple duties. Sebomai expressed the reverent attitude one had during temple rituals. Threskeia encompassed the religious ceremonies performed in temples.
Early Christians avoided using these terms for their gatherings because Christ’s sacrifice eliminated temple worship. His death rendered obsolete the physical temple’s prostrations, sacrifices, priestly duties, sacred spaces, and religious rites. Jesus transformed these concepts from literal temple practices into metaphorical expressions of devotion through ethical living and spiritual transformation.
What is meant by worship?
With only our English Bibles, can we even know what is meant by the words worship or serve in the New Testament?
“[When] an English Bible says that someone ‘worshiped,’ what did that person do? Did they offer a prayer or a song? Did they feel a sense of reverence? When a Bible verse says that someone ‘paid homage,’ what exactly constitutes ‘homage?’ Did the person present a gift? Did they offer a sacrifice? Did they say certain words? The reader does not know.”4
As it turns out, we have a gaping hole in our knowledge. Furthermore, it’s one we can’t even see because we are unaware of the meaning of the Greek words because the words “worship” and “serve” mask the New Testament authors’ message.
Implications
The New Testament’s use of words like proskuneo, latreuo, leitourgeo, sebo, and threskeia reveals a striking contrast with modern assumptions about worship. These words, rooted in temple practices, show that early Christian worship was not about replicating religious rituals in a new context. Why? Because Jesus eliminated the temple and its rituals. The New Testament reapplies these words to living transformed lives in response to Christ’s sacrifice: “offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship [latreuo]” (Rom. 12:1 BEREAN). By translating all these distinct terms as “worship” or “serve,” English Bibles unintentionally blur their original meanings, leaving us with a narrow view of what it means to honor God.
If we rely on a single word to describe the complex and varied expressions of devotion found in the New Testament, we risk missing the fullness of their intent. Worship, as the New Testament portrays it, extends far beyond a weekly gathering or a set of religious actions. It encompasses reverence, service, humility, and holy living—practices that reflect God’s holiness in every area of life.
In the next article, we’ll begin to explore these words one at a time starting with proskuneo. Its meaning offers a glimpse into the “heart posture” that early Christians adopted toward God, one that transcends the confines of temple walls or ceremonial acts.
References
- https://www.etymonline.com/word/worship#etymonline_v_10853
- Richardson, John. “Is ‘Worship’ Biblical.” Churchman 109, no. 3 (1995): 197–218.
- https://www.etymonline.com/word/worship#etymonline_v_10853
- Wadsworth, Thomas Richard. “A Worship Service or an Assembly: An Investigation of the Terminology Used to Describe Church Meetings in the New Testament,” 2022.