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Worshiped Jesus – Matt. 14:33
Worshiped Jesus – Matt. 14:33
Matthew 14:33: “ 33 And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, "You are certainly God's Son!"”
The apostles worshiped Jesus. The word translated here by the word ‘worshiped’ is used in both an elevated sense and in a more common, worldly sense. It was used simply as an acknowledgment by one man to another as an act of honor. As such it was used to acknowledge a matter of ‘position’ or ‘authority’, such as a citizen to a king or a servant to a master, as Jesus used it of a slave before a master in Matthew 18:26. The NASB95 translated the word a ‘prostrated himself’, a literal sense of the word: “ 26 "So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.'”
BUT it was also used in the sense of bestowing such honor unto God. As such, men are NOT to do this unto demons, men, or any being other than God.
Angels rebuked and forbid men from worshiping them (cp. Peter and Cornelius in Acts 10:25-26). These same apostles rebuked and forbid men from worshiping them (cp. Rev. 19:10 and 22:9). Jesus refused to worship Satan saying “…you shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve” (Matt. 4:9-11).
YET, here the apostles who understood such prohibition, worshiped Jesus. Specifically, they acknowledged him to be the Son of God.
Matthew uses this word in the elevated sense of worship throughout his gospel. The magi of the East came to worship the new King Jesus (Matt. 2:2, 11). Herod said he too wanted to come and worship Him (Matt. 2:8). Such an action towards Jesus was mentioned many times.
We see people worshiping Him when they acknowledged His power to heal them miraculously: the leper wanting to be healed (8:2); the ruler wanting his servant to be healed (9:18); the Syrophoenician woman wanting Him to cast out the demon from her daughter (15:24). While they may have 'bowed the knee', it was done in acknowledgment of His great character. These are all translated 'worship' by the ASV.
When the apostles saw His power as He walked on water and calmed the storm, they worshiped Him saying: "truly you are the Son of God" (Matt. 14:33). After Jesus was raised from the dead, the women met Him. They then took hold of his feet and worshiped Him (28:9). When the disciples afterward met Jesus, they worshiped Him. These all indicate something more than just the bowing of the knee, such were done as acts of reverence, respect, and praise. They worshiped Him.
Such worship is to be coupled with reverence in one’s living. Jesus, quoting Isaiah, said that people could ‘worship’ in vain IF they at the same time were teaching the mere commandments and doctrines of men (Matt. 15:8-9). This is encompassed by the concept of acknowledging Jesus as our Lord and King.
As disciples then, let us worship Jesus in heart and life.
Hugh DeLong
