When and on what basis did people begin worshiping Jesus?

Question

It seems that Jesus wanted to be emulated, not worshiped. The example prayer he gives prays to "Our Father," not "Christ Our Lord." I don't remember any of his apostles praying to him. At what point did people begin worshiping Jesus, and what logic did they use to get around the blatant idolatry?

Answer 1

I ask that you please read the Scriptures that I've included to hopefully answer your question. I do not want you to take my word for it, but God's word. I've used the New King James Version of the Bible.
Throughout the Bible starting in the old Testament, we are commanded to worship God. After reading through the New Testament, we can see that we are to worship the entire being of God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. God is actually the three of them. All 3 of them were at the beginning of creation (John 1:1-3, Genesis 1:2, 26). In the Old Testament, the Son has not yet come. But the people knew that He was to come (Messiah, Savior, Christ, King). Jesus is the son of God, the human form of God on Earth. It was Jesus who was sacrificed by the Father for us (Lamb of God) (John 3:16,17) for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). Because of this sacrifice, we can have the hope of eternal life in Heaven. It is through our obedience to the gospel of Christ that we have this hope (Matthew 7:21; Luke 6:46; John 14:15,23). Therefore, it is by Jesus' authority (Matthew 28:18-20; 6:6) that we pray, to the Father. Jesus is our Mediator between us and the Father (Hebrews 9:15). He lived to teach us all we need to know about God's will and to establish His church(Matthew 16:16-18), where/how we are to worship (John 4:21-24; 14:6). According to the Scriptures, we are to be worshipping God. We can get a full description of how we are to worship and when we are to worship by reading the book of Acts.
People worshipped Jesus while He was on Earth because they saw/knew God when they saw/knew Him (John 14:7-11). To call it blatant idolatry may be a little harsh. He is afterall part of the Godhead. We worship the Father because of the Son, through whom we learn of from the Holy Spirit (John 16:5-15). Without anyone of them, our worship would be incomplete, therefore incorrect. Jesus tells Satan in Luke 4:8 "...Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."
Hope this answered your question.

Answer 2

Jesus never asked people to worship him. His request was: Give up everything and follow me.

That is too hard for most fundies to do so they lapse into telling other people how to live their lives.

Yet there are a few people who hear the call to Follow Me and they respond to it. They follow the man, while fundies only follow the book.

I have read about Dr. Albert Schweitzer and the way he chose to spend his life. I have met monks and nuns of the Anglican, Roman and Orthodox Catholic communions, and many of these are amazing people who have given up everything to follow him.

The idolatry of the fundies is much worse than the idolatry of worshipping a man. The fundies worship a book. If Jesus were to return next week and show up at the door of a fundie church and told them to choose between him and their Bible, they would crucify him all over again.

Answer 3

Jesus Christ said that he came in his fathers name. When you read the New Testament you will find that God overshadowed the virgin Mary,to enter into this economy legally. He walked among us for 30+ years, was crucified on that cross for our sins and resurrected 3 days later proving that He overcame death and hell. He was the invisible God made visible by enrobing Himself in flesh!!.The Bible says that when we pray, we pray in the name of Jesus Christ.. Whatever we say or do, do in the name of Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament each name was used to describe a characteristic of God.. In the New Testament all of these characteristics are combined into Jesus Christ which means anointed Savior. I hope that this clears up any confusion. God Bless you in Jesus name.

Answer 4

A huge question. With no simple answers.

I, too, find it very curious that the things Jesus said (assuming Jesus existed, and that what we have as record of his words is accurate) never had anything to do with worshiping or even venerating himself.

The conversation w/ the thief on the cross is obviously anecdotal, thrown in by later generations to support their idea that one must incorporate a spoken belief formula in order to enter heaven. I mean, who was up there, listening to what they were saying, taking down their every word? Hmmm...

In Matthew, Jesus is asked what the most important commandment is. He replies:

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." [Matt22:37-40]

He doesn't go on to say, "And you have to worship ME in order for this all to make sense."

In the excellent "The Gospel According to Jesus" by Stephen Mitchell this very subject is explored and illuminated. I highly recommend this thoughtful, intelligent, compassionate, and meticulously researched book.

Answer 5

When an audible voice from heaven said "this is my son in whom I am well pleased at his baptism."