Whether Jesus as God’s representative should be “worshipped” and what that means may be more debatable. - SBF
9] Early Christians rendered WORSHIP to Jesus.
The Greek word rendered worship is proskenyo. Depending on the grammatical context different forms of the same word are used in scripture. For simplicity we will substitute the simple form proskenyo in each case. Whenever it is used in connection with Jehovah the NWT translates it accurately as worship. However when it is used with reference to Jesus the word obeisance is used instead. While it is true that proskenyo can denote an act of respect which falls short of worship there are a number of instances in the New Testament where the context clearly demands the stronger translation.
When Jesus walked on the sea of Galilee and calmed the storm, the apostles were astonished at his power;
'Then those on the boat 'proskenyo' him saying you are really God's Son.' - Matt.14:33
When Jesus identified himself to the man he had cured of blindness, the man said;
'I do put faith in him Lord. And he proskenyo him.' - Jhn. 9:38
When the two Marys met the resurrected Jesus in the garden;
'They approached and caught him by his feet and proskenyo him. - Matt. 28:9
As Jesus was ascending back to heaven he blessed his disciples and they;
'Having proskenyo him returned to Jerusalem with great joy.' - Luke 24:52
In each of these examples it is not simply an act of respect that is being described but an act of worship. That it involved more than the physical act of bowing is particularly clear in the account involving the two Marys where the scripture, having told us that they caught him by the feet goes on to add that they proskenyo him. In these and other examples it is noteworthy that Jesus never once offers a word of reproof to anyone involved. It is enlightening to compare this with three other occasions where the word proskenyo is used in the New Testament.
'As Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell down at his feet and proskenyo him. But Peter lifted him up saying, Rise I myself am also a man. - Acts 10:25,26
Similarly John was so overcome with the awesome visions of Revelation that twice he fell down at the feet of the angel who was showing him these things;
'At that I fell down before his feet to proskenyo him. but he tells me, Be careful do not do that. All I am is a fellow slave of you and of your brothers.' - Rev.19:10
In Revelation, John heard every creature in heaven and on earth say;
'The lamb that was slaughtered is worthy to receive the power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing. To the one seated on the throne and to the lamb be the blessing and the honour and the glory and the might forever and ever. And the four living creatures went saying Amen.' - Rev.5:12-14
Such an outpouring of adoration can not be interpreted as anything less than worship. Immediately after these things John tells us what he saw next;
'And the elders fell down and worshipped.' - Rev. 5:14
In this graphic description of an event that involved every one of God's creatures there is no distinction at all between the worship and adoration given to the one seated on the throne and that offered to the lamb.
If we begin with the assumption that worship is not be give to Jesus then we are forced to explain all the falling at his feet, that the gospel writers were careful to record for us, as simply gestures of respect. This despite the fact that elsewhere Cornelius and John are reprimanded for the same thing. We also have to invent the unbiblical notion of relative worship and contradict the most fundamental of Old Testament truths by allowing for worshipping God through someone else, a kind of legalised idolatry. Even all of this is not enough to deal with the amazing scenes described at Rev. 5:11-14.