Is It a Sin to Worship a Man?

When I recently suggested that Jesus was a man, and not God, I was confronted with the question, Is it a sin to worship a man?

My response to questions like these is to first define the terms.

Oftentimes our understanding of words can cloud the issue. I like to first clarify the meaning of words.

What Does “Worship” Mean?

In our current culture the English word “worship” as a verb means to “show reverence and adoration for (a deity); honor with religious rites.” according to Google.

However in the Bible, the Hebrew word that is most often translated as “worship” (“shachah” H7812) in the KJV of the Old Testament simply means “to bow down” according to Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Hebrew Definitions.

Customary Practice

There are examples of righteous men bowing down to other men in the days of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and there was no fault in it.

And Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth. (Genesis 23:7 ASV)

And he (Jacob) himself passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother (Esau). (Genesis 33:3 ASV)

And Joseph was the governor over the land; he it was that sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves to him with their faces to the earth. (Genesis 42:6 ASV) 

We see David doing it in his day in the presence of Jonathan and King Saul…

And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the South, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded. (1 Samuel 20:41 ASV)

David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance. (1 Samuel 24:8 ASV)

And others bowed down to David when he was King…

And Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came unto David, and fell on his face, and did obeisance. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold, thy servant! (2 Samuel 9:6 ASV)

And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and did obeisance, and blessed the king: and Joab said, To-day thy servant knoweth that I have found favor in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath performed the request of his servant. (2 Samuel 14:22 ASV)

The Greek word translated as such in the New Testament is “proskuneō” (G4352), which primarily means “to kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence” according to Thayer’s Greek Definitions.

We see numerous examples in the New Testament of people “worshipping” Jesus, but I don’t believe it was because they considered him to be God. Rather, they understood him to be the Messiah, the chosen one to sit on his father David’s throne.

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, Wise-men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we saw his star in the east, and are come to worship him. (Matthew 2:1-2 ASV)

Is it a Sin to Worship a Man as if He is God?

I personally believe it’s a sin to bow down to a man as if he is the Most High God, just like bowing down to graven images would be considered sin, the breaking of the 2nd commandment.

But I don’t think bowing down out of respect towards another, or to beseech someone for something he has the power to grant is considered sin.