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The Lord Jesus not only declared the mystery of the Divine Sonship to be equal to that of the Divine
Fatherhood but by the omission of any statement concerning revelation it was indicated that the mystery of the
Sonship was one that had not yet been explained. This being the case, how dare any of us presume within the veil
and analyse, nay dissect the very nature, soul and body of the Lord from heaven?
We would now direct the reader's attention to the use of the word `worship', as offered to God (considered as
God absolute) and to Christ. Proskuneo is often used by the classical writers to mean that reverence paid to those
superior to us; but we are not here concerned with the classical usage, but with the Biblical usage of the word. The
word occurs sixty times, and the noun (proskunetes) once. Idolatrous worship is repudiated in twelve passages or
more. (Matt. 4:9; Luke 4:7; Acts 7:43; 10:25; Rev. 9:20; 13:4,8,12,15; 14:9,11; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4). An angel
refuses worship in Revelation 19:10, and 22:8,9.
There are two instances only of the use of this word as a salutation, viz. Matthew 18:26; Revelation 3:9. Five
instances of worship used intransitively (i.e. without the object of worship stated) are given in John 12:20; Acts
8:27; 24:11; Hebrews 11:21; Revelation 11:1. We have twenty-two instances of worship offered to God the Father
or to God absolute, five of Divine worship, fifteen of worship to the Lord Jesus Christ, seventeen of idolatrous
worship condemned, and two only of allowed salutations to man. Of these two, one is found in a parable (Matt.
18:26), and the one who there received the worship typified God Himself. We are therefore reduced to one solitary
instance of the usage of the word `worship' in a lesser sense than that ascribed to God. This being the case, those
who say that the worship paid to Christ was but the rendering of ordinary civility should also declare upon equal
authority that the twenty-two cases of worship rendered to God are of a similar nature which would manifest the
absurdity of their position. This is not all, however.
When this worship was offered to men or angels, the action was immediately rebuked, and the worship directed
to the Creator alone. Are we then to admit that Peter before Cornelius, Paul and Barnabas before the priests of
Jupiter, and the angel before John, were more concerned about the proper reverence of God than the Lord Himself!
If the worship paid to Him was not right, how is it that He never once said `See thou do it not', or `Stand up, I
myself also am a man'. Surely if ever there was a fitting opportunity for the Lord Jesus to disillusion His followers,
it was when Thomas bowed before Him with the words, `My Lord and my God'. The Lord's acceptance of these
words must mean one of two things, and we speak plainly because of the issues at stake. If, as some have said, the
Lord Jesus Christ was but the `Creature and the Servant-Son of God', He must have wittingly and knowingly
accepted that which He should have utterly repudiated. This would make our Saviour a gross deceiver, and a fearful
blasphemer. The only alternative is that the Lord Jesus rightly accepted the worship offered to Him, with the
accompanying titles and ascriptions of Deity and that we too, with Thomas of old, can unreservedly and with
unqualified adoration bow before Him and say, `My Lord and my God'. Those who attempt an explanation based
upon the idea that Thomas merely ejaculated the words, `My Lord and my God', evidence such ignorance of the
times, people and customs, that their ideas are not worth refuting.
Believers were styled those who `called upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord'. This word `call' has reference
to prayer: `If ye call on the Father' (1 Peter 1:17); `Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved'
(Acts 2:21). It is not one or two that call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, but all that are saints in every
place do so. We may be able to help one or two who are in trouble, and at the same time listen to their grievances
and keep them distinct, but if the number increased to four or five, all of them seeking our decision or our help in
matters of vital interest, we should despair of ever keeping pace with them, or of keeping their several separate
interests before us. If the number grew to twenty or thirty, we should give up the work as beyond human power, yet
all in every place who are saints call upon the Lord Jesus to undertake for them in their multifarious paths and
difficulties, and to them He can give the assurance that He `fainteth not, neither is weary'. He can still say, without
the slightest reservation so far as His power is concerned, `Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest'. While we contemplate and enjoy the blessed fact of the omnipotence of that One upon
Whose name we call, let us look forward into the future with reference to that day of universal worship and
adoration which is yet to dawn:
`God hath highly exalted Him, and graced Him with the name which is above every name, that at the name of
Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every