`Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and

humility' (Col. 2:23).

Two out of the three references to worship in the Prison Epistles are

seen to be negative; only one positive statement appears, namely Philippians

3:3, and even that in a context that is negative in intention and character.

Having cited the passages, and knowing that proskuneo is not employed, we

must now acquaint ourselves with the actual words in use.  The word employed

in Philippians 3:3 is latreuo from a word that means in secular usage to

serve for hire, but no such word is employed in the New Testament where hired

servants are referred to.  Some derive latreuo from la `very much' and treo

`to tremble', according to which see Malachi 1:6: `If I be a master, where is

My fear?' or in Ephesians 6:5 `Servants, be obedient to them that are your

masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling'.  It is bad theology

however that attempts to build doctrine upon Greek mythology, for Greek was a

language employed by pagans before it was adopted by the Spirit of God as a

medium for the Gospel.  We are safe however if we use the LXX version to

perceive what Hebrew words are translated by latreuo, and foremost among them

we find the words abad and abodah.

This word (latreuo) is employed in Exodus 3:12; 4:23 and similar

passages.  The Hebrew word means `to serve' as did Jacob (Gen. 31:41), and

Israel (Exod. 1:14) `to till' and `to dress' the ground (Gen. 2:5,15), and

the service connected with the Tabernacle (Num. 3:7).  Moses is many times

given the title `Moses the servant of the Lord'.

`Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave?' (Jer. 2:14) shows that

service of a lowly and menial character can be intended as is the case where

the word is used of Israel under Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar.

With this insistence upon service, we turn once again to Philippians,

and notice that it opens with this very thought:

`Paul and Timotheus, the Servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in

Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the Bishops and Deacons'

(Phil. 1:1).

In this same epistle Paul uses the figure of service when he said of

Timothy that `as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel'

(Phil. 2:22).  It is moreover revealed in this epistle that Christ Himself

`took upon Him the form of a servant' (Phil. 2:7); and Paul himself speaks of

His willingness to be `offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith'

(Phil. 2:17).  Different words are used in these passages to speak of

service, but whether it be latreuo, douleuo or leitourgia, they but emphasize

various aspects of this common act.  It is in Philippians that the

exhortation comes to `work out' salvation with `fear and trembling', and it

is in Philippians that the `Prize' is in view.

When we turn to the references in Colossians, we note at once that this

reference to the Prize is before us.  In Philippians 3:14 the word translated

`prize' is brabeion and this word occurs in combination in Colossians 2:18,

where the words `let (no man) beguile you of your reward' translate the verb

katabrabeuo.  The Colossians were warned that their reward would be in

jeopardy by voluntary humility and by worshipping angels, which thought

recurs in verse 23, where the apostle speaks of will worship, humility,

neglecting of the body, yet of satisfying at the same time, the flesh.  The

word used here in both Colossians 2:18 and 23 for worship is threskeia.  This