Bismillah, Allahumma Salli Wasallaim A’la Nabiiyyina Muhammad (Sal Allahu Aleyhi wasallam)
The following article is one of the works of Late Brother Sharjil (may Allah have mercy on him). I am presenting it to you wth some editing and helpful additions. May Allah accept these works of brother Sharjil and may Allah forgive him and give him a Place in Jannat ul firdaws. Ameen.
JESUS BEING WORSHIPPED
John 9:38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
Now before i answer this, i need the Christian to consider hypothetically, if there is a verse in the bible which says concerning peter or someone else the same as it is said concerning Jesus here in john 9:38, will you then accept peter also as God?
If you Yes, then I admire your devotion to the truth and if you say no, then I ask you to please quit double standards for the Sake of Almighty God and Accept the truth. A truth seeker must always be free of double standards.
Now I will respond to the argument that Jesus was Worshipped and hence he is God.
The greek word that is translated as worshiped when refered to jesus is “proskuneos” which is pros + kuneos, pros meaning “towards, come forward” and “kuneo means to kiss” and proskuneos means to come forward and kiss which was a gesture of greeting people and also a gesture of showing respect to elders, rulers,masters,owners,kings etc.
It is a gesture of greeting or respect where one bows down before another.
strong’s lexicon says-
pros-koo-neh’-o
From G4314 and probably a derivative of G2965 (meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master’s hand); to fawn or crouch to, that is, (literally or figuratively) prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence to, adore): – worship.
the complete word study dictionary says-
G4352
προσκυνέω
proskunéō; contracted proskunṓ, fut. proskunḗsō, from prós (G4314), to, and kunéō (n.f.), to kiss, adore. To worship, do obeisance, show respect, fall or prostrate before. Literally, to kiss toward someone, to throw a kiss in token of respect or homage. The ancient oriental (especially Persian) mode of salutation between persons of equal ranks was to kiss each other on the lips; when the difference of rank was slight, they kissed each other on the cheek; when one was much inferior, he fell upon his knees and touched his forehead to the ground or prostrated himself, throwing kisses at the same time toward the superior. It is this latter mode of salutation that Gr. writers express by proskunéō. In the NT, generally, to do reverence or homage to someone, usually by kneeling or prostrating oneself before him.
therefore this word proskuneos translated as worshiped is not only worshiped as to a God or a diety but is a gesture of greeting or showing respect or wishing etc. There are many other people in the bible to whom this same word which was applied to jesus is used
Ref-
Matthew 18:26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Do you mean to say this servant is worshiping his master as he does to a god and calling him lord as meaning calling God?
Definetely No!
Mark 15:17 And they clothed him with purple, and plaited a crown of thorns, and put it about his head,
Mark 15:18 And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!
Mark 15:19 And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshiped him.
Mark 15:20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.
Do you mean to say that these mocking soldiers were worshiping jesus? No, the gesture to bowing or bending of knees is described by the greek word proskuneos.
o.k now the christian may say that if someone came and worshiped the disciples, the disciples refused to be worshiped, but consider this case-
Acts 10:25 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.
Acts 10:26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
You may say here that Peter hesitates and is not comfortable but he does not vehemently object, and that is secondary. What is of prime importance is that you mean to say that this believer cornelius wanted to worship peter in the sense thinking him to be divine??
Definetely No!
Also John proskuneos before an angel, yes the angel objects but you mean to say that this apostle was into worshiping the angel in the sense as one worships God?
Definetely No!
Genesis 48:12 And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
Here joseph is worshiping his father? in the septuagint the same greek word “proskuneos” is present here and in several other places. Genesis 33:6-7, Genesis 37:7, Genesis 37:9, Joshua 5:14
1 Samuel 20:41 When the lad was gone, David rose from the south side and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed three times. And they kissed each other and wept together, but David wept the more.
There are 100s of places in the greek old testament where the same word that was used for jesus is used for everyone including elders, masters, kings, parents etc only as a gesture.
BUT in greek it is note worthy that there is a word which means worship and applies only to God .This cannot be used to anyone else except God. That word is “σέβομαι” i.e “sebomai” and this word is NOT used with respect to jesus even once in the bible and it occurs in the following verses-
Matthew 15:9 ‘But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.
Mark 7:7 ‘But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’
Acts 16:14 And a certain woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.
Acts 18:7 And he departed from there and went to the house of a certain man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next to the synagogue.
Acts 18:13 saying, “This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.”
The word used in all the above is “sebomai”. If the gospels wanted to tell us that jesus was worshiped as God then why was not this word used atleast once for him?
It is simple cause jesus was not worshiped as God but was worshiped as abraham, david, solomon etc were worshiped, i.e were shown respect or adoration and this was the Jewish Custom. This word “Sebomai” is used in relation to no one neither jesus nor any one else except god and the word “proskuneos” is used with respect to almost every important person , messenger n angel in the bible.
May Allah Guide us All. Ameen.