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Was Jesus worshipped in the New Testament?

Often a claim from critics of the faith, and especially Muslims arguing against Christianity, is that Jesus wasn't thought of as God early on and more to the point, wasn't ever worshipped in the accounts of the New Testament. This is a very cursory look at a few places within the Gospels where Jesus was clearly worshipped, either by his followers or others he encountered, and didn't rebuke or correct people for doing something wrong. worshiping Jesus: 1. Matthew 14:33 - The Proclamation of Divinity And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” In the aftermath of a storm on the Lake of Galilee which Jesus calmed with a...

Francis Chan turns towards a more historical and ancient view of Communion

...entral to worship would help with that. Chan then laments about the apparent disunity within Protestantism, citing the dramatic statistics of there being “30,000 denominations” in the Protestant world. It’s a common claim, often from Roman Catholic apologists, but it’s not exactly accurate; there’s really only about six general umbrellas if you boil it all down: Lutheran, Anglican, Reformed, Baptist, Methodist and Pentecostal/Charismatic. Most “non-denominational” churches are still largely Baptist in their theology, despite avoiding any overarching labels. You could also possibly argue for maybe 20-ish denominational groups, if you accept some of...

The Temptations of Jesus: worship and Glory

...Here we are on the second Sunday of Lent, and this week I am looking at the next temptation Jesus faced in the desert against the devil, the one of worship and glory. Let's take a look at the text: Luke 4:5-8 Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.”  Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘worship the Lord your God,    and serve only him.’” (cf. Matthew 4:8-10) Last week we saw how Satan temp...

It's no longer about land!

...place for worshipping God when a Samaritan woman asked him about where the proper place to meet with God was: John 4:21,24 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem ... God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman says to Jesus, 'our ancestors worshipped here, but you Jews say only in Jerusalem – which is right?' Jesus gives an answer which just flips it all up on its head and effectively says "neither and both". Neither, because a time was coming where things were about to change, where physical, geograp...

Biblical Inspiration and the Canon: How We Got the Bible

...nd use in worship long before Nicaea convened. Conclusion The Bible is not a random collection of ancient writings but a carefully recognised collection of divinely inspired texts. God, the ultimate architect, ensured that His message was faithfully recorded and preserved through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The process of canonisation was not about choosing which books people liked best but about discerning which books bore the mark of divine inspiration and apostolic authority. Understanding this helps us appreciate the Bible not just as a historical document but as the living and active Word of God, given to guide us in faith and life. Further Re...

New Covenant Israel is no longer physical (nor literal)!

...place for worship when a Samaritan woman asked him about where the proper place to meet with God was? John 4:21,24 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem ... God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”   Now, under the New Covenant, it's no longer about nationality, race or land. Jesus changed all that by being the culmination of what the Old promised and then some (Hebrews 8:13)! Christianity is a new race. A new people group — a new creation in Christ. The new creation isn't...