Definitions
of Christian worship :
Our purpose in looking at the various ways
different Christian thinkers speak about Christian worship is not for
comparative study but to stimulate reflection. The best way to grasp the
meaning of each word is to observe its usage rather than giving a simple
definition. So we shall look over the shoulders of protestant, Orthodox, and
Catholic thinkers to see how they use the term.
Prof. Paul W. Hoon contributed greatly to
liturgical studies in his important book, The Integrity of worship, published
in 1971 . Writing from within the Methodist tradition,Hoon is concerned for
“theological discrimination as well as sensitivity to cultures.” Throughout he
emphasizes the Christological center of Christian worship, which “by definition
is Christological, and analysis of the meaning of worship likewise must be
fundamentally christiological.”
Worship is directly linked to Atonement in
historical events. Every event in this worship is tied directly to time and
history while bridging them and bringing them into our present. "The
foundation of worship is that God gives his life to people and brings people to
share life," Hoon said.”[1]
Peter Brunner, a Lutheran theologian who taught
at the University of Heidelberg for many years, parallels Hoon’s thinking in
many ways but expresses himself in quite different terms in his important book,
worship in the Name of Jesus. Brenner is very good at using the German word
"Gottesdienst" for worship, meaning both God's service to man and
man's service to God. Brenner takes up this confusion and speaks of the
"duality" of worship. The gift of God evokes man’s devotion to
God. [2]
As it was in the beginning :
Before man was created, before the world was
created, worship was eternal. Referring to the angels, Nehemiah 9:6 says, “ The
heavenly host bows down before You.” That is their present activity, and it has
been their activity their creation. When Adam and Eve were created and put in
this world them, too, worshiped God. They walked and talked with God in the
garden . They obeyed Him with unquestioning loyalty. Sin occurs because they
abandoned pure worship and followed Satan's teachings rather than God's
commandments. Their unqualified obedience to God was broken. As soon as they
honoured Satan’s advice over God’s clear commandment. Their unqualified
obedience to God was broken. As soon as they honoured Satan’s word above God’s,
they ceased worshiping God and were cursed (Gen. 3:1-6).
The first recorded division among Adam’s
offspring came between Cain and Abel, and the conflict had to do with the way
they worshiped . Cain brought and unacceptable offering to God, and Abel
brought an acceptable offering. Cain was jealous of his brother’s acceptance
with God, so he killed him (Gen 4 : 3-8).
Worship in the Old Testament : The difference between pagan worship in the ancient
world and the worship of the people of God In the Old Testament we have the
fact that God revealed himself to certain people and chose them for his servicey
. According to Roland de vaux, the worship of Israel was distinguished from
Oriental cults as follows : (1) Israel’s God was the only God; (2) he was a
personal God intervening in history; (3) There is no idol in the worship of the
Israelites.
G. Ernest Wright also contrasts the worship of
Israel with that of the polytheistic religions : “In the faith of Israel the
basis of worship lay in historical memory and in spiritual communion.” Although
there are no precise boundaries, the Old Testament narrative makes clear that
worship in Israelite life was an evolutionary process. That is a definite cults
developed, and the practices of worship varied throughout the history of
Israel.[3]
Enoch live in constant fellowship with God.
"Enoch walked with God, but he was not, because God led him" (5:24).
The Hebrew word "to walk" refers to the relationship between Enoch
and God. The translation is "they walk back together". Enoch not only
worshiped God at the appointed time, but also had a relationship with his
Creator.
Several generations later we find Noah to serve
him and to represent him before the people. Noah followed God's command, built
a safe ark and put his family on the ark. After the flood, at God’s command,
Noah left the ark and “built an altar unto the Lord... and offered burnt offerings
on the altar”(between God and man was sealed with the rainbow of promise
(9:11-12).[4]
The Patriarchal Period – Private and
Family Altars :
The Pentateuch took shape as a “priestly edition
of Israel’s sacred history.” The atmosphere of worship pervades the whole work.
Its designs and religious symbols have been blessed with centuries of worship
that has led to a better understanding of God's holiness and glory. The Old
Testament story begins with the idea of a personal God who created man for the
purpose of communion with himself. From the beginning God claimed man and took
the initiative in seeking him. Man’s worship response included the building of
altars and the dedication of places and objects. These altars or “sanctuaries”
were always established with reference to some manifestation of Yahweh at
particular places.
God appeared to Abraham and urged him to leave
his country and go to the promised land. God promised to bless Abraham , to
make of him a great nation, and to make his name great (Gen. 12:1-30). Abraham
responded with faith and obedience, building an altar to the Lord and
worshiping him. (13:7). Later Abraham worshiped God when he indicated his willingness
to sacrifice his own son, Isaac, to the Lord (22:9-10).
Isaac learned to worshiped God his father,
Abraham. He built an altar and invoked the name of the Lord. Jacob's worship of
God was numerous and glorious. He dreamed that God appeared to him through
angels descending and climbing a ladder to heaven. "God is really here, I
don't know," said the morning. What a place! This is not just God's
temple" (28:16-17). [5]
This is why the Old Testament mentioned the
necessity of worship long before the Leviticus laws!
The Mosaic Period – The Covenant of
Revelation and Response: Israel’s worship consisted in
the celebration and proclamation of the covenant that God ordained. God
revealed himself to Israel as Yahweh, God's covenant . The covenant was
delivered to Moses in Sinai as God’s claim upon Israel(Ex. 20:1-18). He called
for sincere worship: "Do not bow down before them or worship them, for I,
the eternal God, your God, am a jealous God." Yahweh saved. Perhaps the
matrix of the meaning and purpose of worship in the Old Testament is best
summed up in Deuteronomy 6:4, "The Lord our God is one Lord."[6]
Some forms of public worship were surely
observed in the wilderness under the direction of Moses. Primitive shelters or
"meeting tents" were probably similar to typical shepherd's tents,
with both outer and inner sections. It seems that the gathering tent has been
set up outside the camp (Ex. 3:7; Num. 11:26).
Concerning the history of the tabernacle, James
Strong has the following to say:
It appears (Ex.33:7) that the name “Tabernacle
of the Congregation” was originally applied to an ordinary tent, probably the
one officially occupied by Moses himself; and that this was It was first
installed at its door as a sign of God's presence as a place for regular public
communication between Jehovah and his people. This was before the construction
of what later became technically known as tabernacles, which naturally replaced
such temporary arrangements.
The Period of the Judges : As Israel proceeded with the conquest of Canaan, they encountered
the worship of the nature deities know as the “Baalim.” In this environment,
God’s people were influenced by the tribes who worshiped false gods.
Consequently, the worship of Jehovah was not always kept in its purest form.
Some people have abandoned their ancestral gods. Many of them transferred the
customs of the popular shrines to the worship of Jehovah, where false gods were
worshipped. Doubtless Hannah’s prayers were genuine (1 sam. 1), but the corrupt
acts of the priests (1 sam. 2:12-27) and the fetish value placed upon the ark (4:3)
indicate false acts of worship. It should be pointed out, however, that
biblical traditions present us with a religion which was much more than, and
quite different from Canaanite worship.[7]
Kings have been referred to many times in
history as worship leaders because they were holy figures, with the anointing
of sanctification and adopted sons of Yahweh. David erected the first altar of
the Lord in Jerusalem (Samuel 24:25) and also intended to build a temple for
the Lord. Old Testament worship culminates in Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem.
The Temple was the most magnificent and elaborates of Israel’s holy places
dedicated to the worship of God. It was erected in Jerusalem, where God had
previously appeared (24:16-25). Thus it became the central sanctuary of Israel.
King David had in mind the ark of God's covenant and the building of a resting
place for God's feet (1 chron.28:2).[8]
There was silence also in Israel’s worship.
Habakkuk cried. "The Lord is in his holy temple, let all the earth be
silent before him (2:20). The psalmist spoke for God and said: Be still and
know that I am God(46:10).
Elaborate rituals and ceremonies, with feast
days and sacrificial offerings, were developed to remind people of their
sinfulness and also of God’s mercy and love The entire book of Leviticus is
devoted to this sacrificial and priestly system. Sacrifice was understood to be
a necessary condition of effective worship.
The Prophets the Psalms – Personal
and Ethical Religion: Several of the prophets called
for a general reformation of worship. For example, Jeremiah insisted on the
personal or experiential element in worship. Jehovah is personal and desires
that his people worship him in sincerity. My people... I have left the spring
of living water and cut cisterns for themselves (2:13). Both blessings and
judgments are connected with their worship. "Blessed are those who put
their trust in God, and He is their hope for them" (17:7).[9]
Ezekiel, the priest and prophet, also called for
correction, saying, "Because you have defiled my sanctuary with all
abominations...therefore I will destroy you`" (5:11). He challenges Israel
to return to genuine worship by means of a vision which God revealed to him.
This magnificent vision of the measureless temple of God included a detailed
account of a meaningful cultus – a chamber for washing the offering, tables for
slaughtering the sacrifice, chambers for the priests, preparation, and the most
holy place.[10]
Many of the Psalms are “songs of ascent” sung by
pilgrims on their way up to the temple of worship located on Mount Zion. “I
will lift up mine eyes to the hills.
Terrien says the secret of the vitality of the
Psalms may be explained by the following facts: (1) the sense of worship which
animated their poets; (2) the poets’ boldness and honesty in prayer; (3) their
theological certainty concerning God’s ultimate victory; (4) their sense of
historical and social responsibility; (5) and their elegant literary and
aesthetic form. The poetry of the Psalms as the vehicle of spiritual intuition
and devotion is related to the entire history of our worship.[11]
Worship in the New Testament :
Accoridng to the New Testament story, Christian
worship is rooted in Jewish practices . The earliest Christians were first of
all Jews who had been faithful in their worship at the Temple and in their
synagogues. Jesus himself followed the practices of his people in worship. The
first Christians followed the Hebrew manner of worship to some extent, such as
they were accustomed to in the Temple and in the synague. [12]
The Temple – Traditional place of
Worship :
There are numerous associations of New Testament
activity in the Temple. There Zechariah had a vision that assured him he would
not die childless (Luke 1:11). On his presentation by Mary, the infant Jesus
was greeted by Simeon and Anna (2:27). Jesus cleansed the Temple of the dealers
that profaned his Father’s house of prayer (Mark 11:15-17).
Luke observes that the Christians were
continually in the Temple blessing God (Luke 24:53). After Pentecost they were
found in the temple praying fervently every day (Acts 2:46). Jesus had
predicted. " The time is near, you will not
worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem" (John 4:21). The
Christians no longer needed the Temple in Jerusalem, for Christ himself had
become their Temple, their place for meeting God in worship. Paul saw the
church as a “holy temple” in the Lord (Eph 2:14,21).[13]
The mark of the believer :
Philippians 3:3 has the best meaning for
Christians anywhere in the Bible: "For we are the true circumcision, who
worship in the Spirit of God and glorify Christ Jesus, and do not trust in our
flesh. "
Indeed, the true mark of a true Christian is
worshiping God in the Spirit. All other virtues, including the fruit of the
Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), have their roots in worship. Worship in spirit and in
truth is not only the real mark of the Christian; it is also the touchstone of
every other virtue.[14]
The Synagogue – Worship in
Transition :
The fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of
Solomon’s Temple, the long period in exile away from the central place of
worship, the decline of the prophetic ministry, and the accelerated emphasis on
the Scriptures gave rise to new models of worship. New centers of worship known
as synagogues began to arise . Although no mention of the synagogue appears in
the Old Testament, it was probably established by the third century B.C. The
Greek word for “synagogue” meant a “gathering –place” (Luke 7:5). According to
gospels, Jesus, aggod Jew, made use of the synagogues for teaching and worship
(Luke 4:16-21). Paul and others of the disciples were also accustomed to going
to the synagogue for worship (Acts 14:1).
The worship in the synagogues differed a great
deal from worship in the Temple. The following differences are noted: (1)
Synagogue worship was less formal; (2) Educational or educational elements were
of great importance in synagogues. (3) The role of the priest was less
prominent;(4) the teacher was the central figure in the synagogue; and (5) lay
participation was more prominent.[15]
New Testament Distinctive: Although early Christian worship grew out of the Jewish practices
of the Temple and the synagogue, it must not be construed that there was
nothing distinctive about Christian worship. Phifer has pointed out numerous
distinctions in the materials used in worship.
1. The Christian s used
writings of their own leaders, such as the Epistles of Paul and the Gospel
accounts of the life of Jesus, and perhaps verbal recollections concerning
them. These writings soon took precedence over the Law and Prophets.
2. Psalms were used to
express praise in Christian worship, but new hymns were added by Christian
writers, such as those found in the Epistles of Paul. Paul encouraged
Christians to sing to each other "in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,
singing to God in the heart"(Eph 5:18-19).
3. Baptism and the Lord’s
Supper are distinctive additions to Christian worship. How large a place the
Lord’s Supper played in the early worship services cannot be known for certain,
but it can be sure that it was a vital experience in Christian worship.
4. There was a spirit of
zeal in Christian worship produced by the consciousness that the Holy Spirit
had come to make Christ regnant in their midst. Worship became primarily a
celebration of God's work in Jesus Christ. Paul expressed it in these words:
"Now the Lord is his Spirit, and wherever his Spirit is, there is
freedom" (2 Cor. 3:17).[16]
Although the early Christians at first worshiped
in the Temple and in the synagogues, the place for meeting God was no longer
limited to the central sanctuary. Wherever two or three people
gathered in his name, the living Christ was present (Matt. 18:20).
Elements of New Testament Worship:
Although there is no prescribed order for
worship in the New Testament, there is evidence of some kind of order and
planning. As Paul warns against the excesses expressed in ecstatic utterances
and speaking in tongues, he concludes with the exhortation concerning worship,
“Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40).
1. Music had a central
place in the Christians’ expression of praise. They sang psalms, psalms, and
hymns, and played songs to God in their hearts (Eph. 5:18-21; 1 Cor. 14:15).
Among the earliest Christian hymns were the Magnificent of in Luke 1:46,the
Nunc Dimittis of Simeon in Luke 2:29-32.
2. Bible reading was
definitely an element of early Christian worship. We are told that Jesus stood
up in the synagogue to read Scriptures (Luke 4:16). Paul's letters were written
to be read in the church.
3. There were prayers of
thanksgiving, petition, intercession, and benediction. Examples of these may be
seen in Philippians 4:6; Colossians 2:7; 2 Timothy 2:1-2. One of the oldest
liturgical prayers is the Aramaic Maranatha, “Come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).
4. Sermons and biblical
explanations seem to have been an important part of early Christian worship. On
the day of Pentecost Simon Peter sttod up and preached the gospel to the people
(Acts 2:40). Paul encouraged Timothy to be faithful in preaching the word (2
Tim. 4:1-4).
5. Open confessions seem
to have been a practice of Christians in the early church. There was the public
confession of one’s sin in the presence of witnesses (1 Tim. 6:12). Paul says
that confession of faith in Jesus Christ with one’s lips is a part of the
process of salvation (Rom. 10:9).[17]
[1] White James F. ‘Whati
do you mean by worship’ in Worship And Preaching(compiled by Zubeno
Kithan,Kolkata:Shrachi Centre,2014),6-7.
[2] White James F. ‘Whati
do you mean by Christian worship’ in Worship
And Preaching(compiled by Zubeno Kithan,Kolkata:Shrachi Centre,2014),7-8.
[3] Segler Franklin M.
‘What is Worship?’ in Introduction To
Christian Ministry(compiled by Kithan Zubeno;Kolkata : SCEPTRE,2013),10.
[4] Segler Franklin M.
‘What is Worship?’ in Introduction To
Christian Ministry(compiled by Kithan Zubeno;Kolkata : SCEPTRE,2013),11.
[5] Segler Franklin M.
‘What is Worship?’ in Introduction To
Christian Ministry(compiled by Kithan Zubeno;Kolkata : SCEPTRE,2013),11.
[6] Segler Franklin M.
‘What is Worship?’ in Introduction To
Christian Ministry(compiled by Kithan Zubeno;Kolkata : SCEPTRE,2013),12.
[7] Segler Franklin M.
‘What is Worship?’ in Introduction To
Christian Ministry(compiled by Kithan Zubeno;Kolkata : SCEPTRE,2013),13.
[8] Segler Franklin M.
‘What is Worship?’ in Introduction To
Christian Ministry(compiled by Kithan Zubeno;Kolkata : SCEPTRE,2013),13.
[9] Segler Franklin M.
‘What is Worship?’ in Introduction To
Christian Ministry(compiled by Kithan Zubeno;Kolkata : SCEPTRE,2013),15.
[10] Segler Franklin M.
‘What is Worship?’ in Introduction To
Christian Ministry(compiled by Kithan Zubeno;Kolkata : SCEPTRE,2013),16.
[11] Segler Franklin M.
‘What is Worship?’ in Introduction To
Christian Ministry(compiled by Kithan Zubeno;Kolkata : SCEPTRE,2013),17.
[12] Segler Franklin M.
‘What is Worship?’ in Introduction To
Christian Ministry(compiled by Kithan Zubeno;Kolkata : SCEPTRE,2013),18.
[13] Segler Franklin M.
‘What is Worship?’ in Introduction To
Christian Ministry(compiled by Kithan Zubeno;Kolkata : SCEPTRE,2013),18.
[14] Macarthur John,
WORSHIP, The ultimate priority(Chicago : Moody publishers,2012),65.
[15] Segler Franklin M.
‘What is Worship?’ in Introduction To
Christian Ministry(compiled by Kithan Zubeno;Kolkata : SCEPTRE,2013),19.
[16] Segler Franklin M.
‘What is Worship?’ in Introduction To
Christian Ministry(compiled by Kithan Zubeno;Kolkata : SCEPTRE,2013),20.
[17] Segler Franklin M.
‘What is Worship?’ in Introduction To
Christian Ministry(compiled by Kithan Zubeno;Kolkata : SCEPTRE,2013),21-23.
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