Hebrews 1:6 : Does this verse that Christ is just to be honored and or is he to be worshiped?

Question

Though legitimate tranlations shows Christ being worshiped by the angels in this verse, the NWT shows Christ being shown
o b e i s a n c e by the angels. The JWs say worship is to be " directed only toward God, " not toward Jesus Christ ( Reasoning from the Scriptures , 1989, 215 )

Answer 1

Here is Hebrews 1 in full:

Hebrews 1 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society



Hebrews 1
The Son Superior to Angels
1In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
5For to which of the angels did God ever say,
"You are my Son;
today I have become your Father"? Or again,
"I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son"? 6And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says,
"Let all God's angels worship him.] 7In speaking of the angels he says,
"He makes his angels winds,
his servants flames of fire." 8But about the Son he says,
"Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever,
and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.
9You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy." 10He also says,
"In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
11They will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
12You will roll them up like a robe;
like a garment they will be changed.
But you remain the same,
and your years will never end." 13To which of the angels did God ever say,
"Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet"? 14Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

I think that this chapter very clearly states that Jesus is to be both worshipped & honored!

Answer 2

"Do Angels Worship Jesus?

CERTAIN translations of Hebrews 1:6 say: “Let all the angels of God worship him [Jesus].” (King James Version; The Jerusalem Bible) The apostle Paul evidently quoted the Septuagint, which says at Psalm 97:7: “Worship Him [God] all ye His angels.”—C. Thomson.

The Greek word pro·sky·ne′o, rendered “worship” at Hebrews 1:6, is used at Psalm 97:7 in the Septuagint for a Hebrew term, sha·chah′, meaning “to bow down.” This can be an acceptable act of respect for humans. (Genesis 23:7; 1 Samuel 24:8; 2 Kings 2:15) Or it can relate to worship of the true God or that wrongly directed to false gods.—Exodus 23:24; 24:1; 34:14; Deuteronomy 8:19.

Usually pro·sky·ne′o given to Jesus corresponds with obeisance to kings and others. (Compare Matthew 2:2, 8; 8:2; 9:18; 15:25; 20:20 with 1 Samuel 25:23, 24; 2 Samuel 14:4-7; 1 Kings 1:16; 2 Kings 4:36, 37.) Often it is clear that obeisance is rendered to Jesus not as God but as “God’s Son” or the Messianic “Son of man.”—Matthew 14:32, 33; Luke 24:50-52; John 9:35, 38.

Hebrews 1:6 relates to Jesus’ position under God. (Philippians 2:9-11) Here some versions render pro·sky·ne′o “pay . . . homage” (The New English Bible), “do obeisance to” (New World Translation), or “bow before” (An American Translation). If one prefers the rendering “worship,” such worship is relative, for Jesus told Satan: “It is Jehovah your God you must worship [form of pro·sky·ne′o], and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.”—Matthew 4:8-10.

Though Psalm 97:7, which speaks about worshiping God, was applied to Christ at Hebrews 1:6, Paul had shown that the resurrected Jesus is “the reflection of [God’s] glory and the exact representation of his very being.” (Hebrews 1:1-3) So any “worship” the angels give God’s Son is relative and is directed through him to Jehovah."

Answer 3

Very interesting verse.
What is most interesting is you will not find the passage this is quoted from in most Bibles, because most versions are based on the Massoretic text, the accepted text of Jewish scholars; however this passage appears in the Septuagint in Deuteronomy 32:43, which reads:
"....Rejoice O heavens with Him, and let all the angels of God worship Him: For He avengeth the blood of His children, and will judge and execute vengeance on His enemies, to them who hate Him He will render retribution, and the Lord will purify the land of His people."
Doubtless this was the version most familiar to Greek speaking Jews to whom the author was writing.
It may be a little vague in the original context of the verse as to whom the Holy Spirit is referring.
I think though there is no question that we see Jesus worshipped by the angels quite plainly in this verse of the New Testament:

"Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands,
saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing."
And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever."

And the four living creatures kept saying, "Amen " And the elders fell down and worshiped. "

Revelation 5:11-14

Answer 4

Jw's state that Jesus did exist, but only as an Angel, therefore their translation , the NWT is full of this type of thing. Even in verse 4 of the same , we see that Jesus was clearly not an angel.

Answer 5

Actually, if you look in a Greek/English dictionary, obeisance is a thoroughly valid translation of this word. Indeed, worship and obeisance are closely related in thought and in action. There is absolutely nothing wrong with translating this word as "obeisance" - although, as you have correctly detected, the Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs) have translated this verse with their religious bias well in mind. Likely, those versions translating this as "worship" rather than "obeisance" had their own religious bias in mind, as well. Again, "worship" is an entirely valid translation of this word. The actual meaning? Not important in this particular case. If this is the only verse that non-JWs have for proving that Jesus should be worshiped, then that teaching is worthless. If this is the only verse that JWs have for proving that Jesus should not be worshiped, then *that* teaching is worthless. The truth is, the determining factor in this case does not lie in this particular verse.

Jim, http://www.life-after-harry-potter.com

Answer 6

If you read a few verse down from there, verse 8 I think, God the Father is calling the Son, God.

And in Jerimiah 23:5-6, Jesus is called Jehovah.

Pastor Art

Answer 7

The Koine Greek word used here in Hebrews 1:6 is, "proskunasatosan", which means in English, "to worship, to bow low, to fall down prostrate (lying down flat with one's face facing the ground), fall at another's feet". There's nothing here in the Greek lexicon using the phrase "showing obeisance" as a definition for this word. In the Massoretic Hebrew text, Joshua uses in chapter 5 verse14 the Hebrew words "Yoshua - panai artsa shatacho", which means in English, to "Joshua worshipped", or literally, "Joshua fell down on his face". The Septuagint (the Greek OT) uses the same root word as the author of Hebrews does, "proskuneo", in its translation from the Hebrew. It appears that Joshua was visited by not just an angel, since they are not to be worshipped, but the Lord Himself. As this Commander of the Lord of Hosts told him, "...the place you are standing is holy ground." Who else could this possibly be? The words in Greek and Hebrew are no mistake, since this is the inspired Word of God. It appears that translating this word as, "being shown obeisance" is a fabrication made up by Russellites only to justify their false doctrine. What other reason could there possibly be?

Answer 8

If you look at the underlying Greek, you'll see that the word translated as "obeisance" when referring to Jesus is the same word translated as "worship" when referring to Jehovah in the NWT. So theology is obviously determining the translation rather than the other way around.

Answer 9

The primary "question" here seems one of semantics regarding the term "worship".

Jehovah's Witnesses fully understand and agree that Jesus Christ the Son deserves and receives what can be described as "worship", but only when the English-language word "worship" has been properly defined. The obeisance and honors due the Christ should remain unambiguously subject to the "exclusive devotion" which is owed to the Father, Jehovah God. The Scriptures quite plainly show that true worship is uniquely devoted to the person of Almighty Jehovah God the Father. His Son, Jesus, personally taught that Jehovah deserves a unique form of "sacred service".

(Matthew 4:10) Jesus said... ‘It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’

(Luke 4:8) Jesus said... ‘It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’

(Exodus 20:5) I Jehovah your God am a God exacting exclusive devotion


Jehovah the Father specifically directs that Jesus the Son receive obeisance and honor. Note that Jesus is at God's right hand and has *BECOME* better than the angels.

(Hebrews 1:6) [God] says: “And let all God’s angels do obeisance to him [Jesus].”

(Hebrews 1:3-4) [Jesus] sat down on the right hand of the Majesty in lofty places. So he has become better than the angels


From where does Christ's authority come?

(Matthew 28:18) And Jesus approached and spoke to them, saying: “All authority has been given me in heaven and on the earth.

(Acts 2:36) God made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you impaled.

(John 3:35) The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.

(Acts 5:31) God exalted this one as Chief Agent and Savior to his right hand

(Psalm 2:2-6) The kings of earth take their stand And high officials themselves have massed together as one Against Jehovah and against his anointed one... Jehovah himself will hold them in derision..., Saying: “I, even I, have installed my king [Jesus]

Learn more:
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/20050422/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/19951101/article_02.htm

Answer 10

NLT says And then when he presented his honoured Son to the world, God said, "Let all the angels of God worship him."

NIV says And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says "Let all God's angels worship him."

The Jehovah’s Witnesses and Watchtower Society realized that their beliefs contradicted Scripture. So, rather than conforming their beliefs to Scripture, they altered Scripture to agree with their beliefs. The “New World Bible Translation Committee” went through the Bible and changed any Scripture that did not agree with Jehovah’s Witness’ theology. This is clearly demonstrated by the fact that as new editions to the New World Translation were published, additional changes were made to the Biblical text. As Biblical Christians continued to point out Scriptures that clearly argue for the deity of Christ (for example), the Watchtower Society would publish a new edition of the New World Translation with those Scriptures changed.