The claim that Hebrews 1:6 and the use of proskyneō in Scripture do
not imply worship of Jesus as God is fundamentally flawed. The argument rests
on a misunderstanding of the Greek term proskyneō, a selective approach
to biblical texts, and an inconsistent treatment of worship as it pertains to
Jesus. While proskyneō can also signify homage or obeisance to a superior,
its usage in the NT often implies worship in a divine sense, particularly when
directed toward Jesus. The context determines whether proskyneō
signifies mere reverence or true worship. For instance, when the wise men
"fell down and worshipped" the child Jesus (Matthew 2:11), this act
is presented in a religious context, signaling recognition of Jesus' divine
status. Similarly, the disciples worshipped Jesus after He calmed the storm,
exclaiming, "Truly you are the Son of God" (Matthew 14:33). These are
not acts of mere respect but of divine worship. The Watchtower's claim that proskyneō
does not indicate worship when applied to Jesus contradicts its own translation
principles. In Revelation 5:13-14, both God the Father and the Lamb (Jesus)
receive identical worship from all creation: "To the one seated on the
throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and power forever
and ever." The parallel construction demonstrates that Jesus is
worshipped as God.
Hebrews 1:6 quotes the Septuagint's rendering of Deuteronomy 32:43 or Psalm
97:7, applying it to Christ: "And let all God’s angels worship
Him." In its original OT context, this passage refers to Yahweh. By
attributing this divine worship to Jesus, the author of Hebrews unequivocally
identifies Him as God. The Watchtower’s alteration of "worship" to
"do obeisance" in its New World Translation reflects theological bias
rather than linguistic fidelity. Notably, the same term proskyneō is
translated as "worship" when referring to Jehovah in the NWT (e.g.,
Matthew 4:10). The argument that proskyneō in Hebrews 1:6 means only
homage collapses under the weight of its biblical and theological context. The
angels are commanded to worship Jesus as part of their acknowledgment of His
divine status, not as a mere created being.
The NT presents Jesus as the object of prayer, worship, and divine attributes.
Acts 7:59 records Stephen praying to Jesus: "Lord Jesus, receive my
spirit." This mirrors OT prayers directed to Yahweh (Psalm 31:5). If
Jesus were not divine, this would constitute idolatry. In Mark 2:5-7, Jesus
forgives sins, a prerogative that belongs solely to God. The scribes correctly
recognized this act as a claim to divinity, yet Jesus does not correct them;
instead, He demonstrates His authority by healing the paralytic. Philippians
2:10-11 applies Isaiah 45:23 to Jesus, stating, "At the name of Jesus
every knee should bow... and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord." Isaiah’s original passage declares this worship as due to
Yahweh alone. Paul’s application to Jesus underscores His divine identity.
The Watchtower Society’s shifting stance on the worship of Jesus undermines
its credibility. Early Watchtower publications endorsed the worship of Jesus,
as noted in the writings of C.T. Russell and J.F. Rutherford. For instance, the
1945 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses affirmed, "Let all the
angels of God worship Him" in Hebrews 1:6. It was only in 1954 that
the Society began prohibiting the worship of Jesus, not based on new biblical
insights but on doctrinal revisionism. This inconsistency suggests theological
convenience rather than faithful exegesis.
Philo’s
Logos is fundamentally different from John’s. For Philo, the Logos is a
semi-divine intermediary—neither fully divine nor fully personal. It serves as
a bridge between the transcendent God and the material world, functioning as an
abstract principle of reason and order. John’s Logos is fully divine, personal,
and eternal. John 1:1 explicitly states, “The Word was God.” John 1:14
declares, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
This is a radical departure from Philo’s philosophical abstraction. The Logos
in John is not a mere emanation or cosmic principle but the Second Person of
the Trinity. The concept of the Logos in John is deeply rooted in the Hebrew
Scriptures, particularly the idea of God’s Word (dabar)
as active in creation (Genesis 1:3, Psalm 33:6), revelation (Isaiah 55:11), and
salvation (Psalm 107:20). John’s Gospel connects this Jewish understanding with
the incarnational reality of Jesus Christ. While John may have been aware of
Hellenistic philosophical concepts, his Logos theology is firmly anchored in
the Hebrew Scriptures and the revelation of Christ. The Stoic concept of the logos spermatikos (a principle of rationality
permeating the cosmos) is impersonal and fundamentally incompatible with the
personal Logos of John. The Christian Logos is not a universal rational
principle but a distinct Person who entered history through the Incarnation. So
while Philo and the Stoics provide historical context for the term Logos, John’s theology transcends these frameworks. The
Logos in John’s Gospel is a unique and divinely revealed concept, rooted in the
Hebrew Scriptures and culminating in the person of Jesus Christ.
Angels in
the Hebrew Scriptures are always subordinate to God and serve as His messengers
or agents (e.g., Genesis 19, Exodus 3:2). They do not receive worship, as
worship is reserved for Yahweh alone (Deuteronomy 6:13). In Revelation 19:10
and 22:8-9, John attempts to worship an angel but is rebuked: “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your
brothers. Worship God.” This explicitly reinforces the NT’s strict
monotheism and the prohibition of worshiping angels. Jesus, however, is
worshiped throughout the NT (e.g., Matthew 28:17, John 20:28, Hebrews 1:6),
highlighting His unique status as God incarnate. The distinction between Jesus
and angels is consistently maintained, as seen in Hebrews 1, which declares
Jesus as superior to all angels. While apocryphal texts like the Ascension of Isaiah and the Epistle
of the Apostles provide fascinating insights into early Christian
thought, they are not authoritative Scripture and often reflect speculative or
syncretistic ideas. The hierarchical descriptions of angels in these texts do
not equate Jesus with angels but rather emphasize His transcendence. For
example, in the Ascension of Isaiah, Christ is
depicted as descending through angelic ranks, assuming their forms, but
ultimately surpassing them in glory and authority. The argument that Jesus is
equated with the Angel of the Lord misunderstands the typological and
christological connections in Scripture. The Angel of the Lord in the OT often
speaks and acts as Yahweh (e.g., Exodus 3:2-6), prefiguring the Incarnation.
However, the NT clarifies that Jesus is not merely an angel but Yahweh Himself
made flesh (John 8:58, Philippians 2:6-11). So the NT and early Christian
theology clearly distinguish Jesus from angels. While angels are servants of
God, Jesus is God incarnate, worthy of worship and adoration. Apocryphal texts
may provide background for certain theological developments but cannot supersede
the authority of Scripture.
The “Two
Powers in Heaven” concept in Second Temple Judaism was often used to describe
an intermediary figure (e.g., the Angel of the Lord) who acted on behalf of
Yahweh. However, this does not imply a belief in two deities but rather
highlights the complex ways in which God’s actions were perceived. The NT
redefines this concept by presenting Jesus as the unique Son of God who shares
fully in the divine identity (John 10:30, Colossians 2:9). Jesus is not a
subordinate power but one with the Father. Describing the Logos as an emanation
diminishes His full divinity. The NT consistently affirms that Jesus is fully
God, not a derived or secondary being. John 1:1-3 identifies the Logos as
eternal, uncreated, and the agent of all creation. The claim that Yahweh is
absent from the NT is baseless. The NT applies Yahweh’s name and attributes to
Jesus (e.g., Philippians 2:10-11 cites Isaiah 45:23). This demonstrates
continuity between the OT and NT in affirming the divinity of Christ. So the NT
transforms Second Temple Jewish concepts to reveal the full truth of the
Trinity. Jesus is not a second power or emanation but the eternal Son of God,
fully equal with the Father and the Spirit.
