Please note that Hebrews 1:6 is a quotation from Deuteronomy 32:43 in the Septuagint: "Let all the angels of God worship him." The angels were to worship God at the time when he would cause the nations to be glad with his people. That time is related to the coming of Christ, as stated, when God "again brings the firstborn [Christ] into the world." So, is the writer of Hebrews telling the angels to worship Christ at that time? Not really. The angels in Hebrews 1 belong to God. The angels of God are instructed to worship "him," meaning God the Father. Please be careful how you read.
This shows one of the most basic problems a trinitarian has. Yes, worship was instructed. But, was it the same worship given to God?
The Greek word proskuneo has various meanings and was offered to many in the Bible, including the dragon, man, judges, etc. Scholars today admit that there is no single English word that adequately fits the various meaning and usuages of that particular word. When the King James was penned, worship was not as restricted a word as it is today.
I will echo your sentiments as to being careful how you read and urge you to read it as it was written, not as we see and view language today.
Here are some comments and research I did long ago on it's usage;
"This word [proskuneo most often translated as worship] literally means to prostrate oneself, to bow down or to kiss the ground before someone. So, for example, when one of the gospels says that the disciples worshipped Jesus, it means that they knelt or bowed down around him, as an act of deference and reverence. The old English word obeisance means the same thing, and in the time of the King James version worship also meant that. King James own subjects might be expected to worship him, by bowing down before him. But in modern English, we have forgotten this meaning of worship and take the word to refer to an act of prayer or veneration to God."
".... the English word "worship" is misleading (can we say deceptive?) in that, to a modern audience, it implies a meaning exclusively reserved for action towards a god. The Greek proskuneo does not have that restricted sense, and one can prostrate before any number of superior people and beings. Now I for one cannot come up with a single English word that conveys that range of meaning, so I am not going to give the JWs too much grief for not being better than I am when it comes to making perfect translations. The authors of the New Testament used a common word for showing reverence to a superior. It has a broad sense, not a restrictive one. English readers have a right to know what the Greek means, don't they? The JW solution is not the best one, but nor is it proper to continue to mislead people into thinking that anytime a writer uses proskuneo he means an action restricted to a divine being.
The problem with taking such a strident attitude in this conversation is that, as intelligent and educated as you are, you are working in this particular subject with a lack of basic information about the origins of the New Testament, and the linguistic and cultural background that allows us to understand its meaning."
Professor Jason BeDuhn from an e-mail debate with John Pacheco, a Catholic Apologist in opposition to the New World Translation.
Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
page 1258,1259
Topic: Worship (Verb and Noun), Worshiping
"to make obeisance, do reverence to
" (from pros, "towards," and kuneo, "to kiss"), is the most frequent word rendered "to worship." It is used of an act of homage or reverence (a) to God, e.g., Matt. 4:10; John 4:21-24; 1 Cor. 14:25; Rev. 4:10; 5:14; 7:11; 11:16; 19:10 (2nd part); 22:9; (b) to Christ, e.g., Matt. 2:2,8,11; 8:2; 9:18; 14:33; 15:25; 20:20; 28:9,17; John 9:38; Heb. 1:6, in a quotation from the Sept. of Deut. 32:43, referring to Christ's Second Advent; (c) to a man, Matt. 18:26; (d) to the Dragon, by men, Rev. 13:4; (e) to the Beast, his human instrument, Rev. 13:4,8,12; 14:9,11; (f) the image of the Beast, Rev. 13:15; 14:11; 16:2; (g) to demons, Rev. 9:20; (h) to idols, Acts 7:43.
From Strong's Concodance, we also read;
4352 proskuneo {pros-koo-neh'-o}
from 4314 and a probable derivative of 2965 (meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master's hand); TDNT - 6:758,948; v
AV - worship 60; 60 [note: just because it says worship, bear in mind that worship does not carry the restrictive sense that narrow-minded fundamentalist try to assign it. There is no single English word that conveys the varried meanings of the Greek proskuneo]1) to kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence
2) among the Orientals, esp. the Persians, to fall upon the knees and
touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound
reverence
3) in the NT by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make
obeisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication
3a) used of homage shown to men and beings of superior rank
3a1) to the Jewish high priests
3a2) to God
3a3) to Christ
3a4) to heavenly beings
3a5) to demons
A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, by G.Abbott-Smith, 3rd edition, p.386 says:
"[pros-kuneo],..(< kuneo,to kiss),....to make obeisance, do reverance to, worship.
A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, by William F.Arndt and F.Wilbur Gingrich, 1957, says on pages 723,724, under proskuneo:
"...used to designate the custom of prostrating oneself before a person,and kissing his feet, the hem of his garment, the ground, etc,.....(fall down) worship, do obeisance to, prostrate oneself before, do reverence to, welcome respectfully.(see here Reinecker's Linguistic Key, p.2, where the above is quoted at Matthew 2:2)
"1 to human beings who,however, are to be recognised by this act as belonging to a supernatural realm...
"2 to God...a)of the God worshipped by monotheists...
"5)to Jesus,who is revered and worshipped as Messianic King and Divine Helper: Mt.2:2,8,11; 8:2; 9:18; 14:33; J 9:38.....-The risen Lord is esp.the object of worship: Mt28:9,17; Lk 24:52..."
Lastly, The New Thayers Greek-Lexicon of the New Testament, Joseph Henry Thayer, p.548:
"[proskuneo]......to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence....hence in the N.T. by kneeling or prostration to do homage(to one)or make obseisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication...".
The New American Bible translates proskuneo as "homage" (note: not worship) at Matthew 2:2,8,11; 8:2; 9:18: 14:33; 15:25; 18:26; 20:20; 28:9 it does not do so at Matthew 28:17. Would you call the NAB an abomination or accuse it of falsifying God's Word, because of failing to be "consistent" with the other places it translates the word as "homage"? The Revised English Bible has done exactly the same. Another Bible translation that was also not "consistent" at Matthew 28:17 because it rendered proskuneo differently than the other places cited above? See also Barclay's translation. But going back to the New American Translation. If one looks up in how it has translated proskuneo at Mark 5:6; Luke 24:52; John 9:38 we can see that it does not measure up to your critical level of consistency for in those places in Mark and Luke it is rendered as "prostrated" and "homage" respectively yet in John 9:38 as "worship." So when you insinuate that legitimate bibles use the word proskuneo consistently, are you not charged the Catholic New American Bible as one that is also improper? Do you feel that same way toward the other Bibles above as you do toward the New World Translation? Will you go to the Catholic Board and tell them how wrong they
are?
Matthew 18 :26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped (proskuneo) him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. (KJV) {Incidentally, did you also notice your word "Lord" applied to a human? Just a side note ;o) }
Revelation 13:4 And they worshipped (proskuneo) the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped (proskuneo) the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship (proskuneo) him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein * * to worship (proskuneo) the first beast, whose * * deadly wound was healed.
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would * not worship (proskuneo) the image of the beast should be killed (KJV)
Revelation 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship (proskuneo) the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship (proskuneo) the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. (KJV)
Revelation 16:2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped (proskuneo) his image. (KJV)
Acts 7:43 Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship (proskuneo) them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon. (KJV)
"Much of the confusion which obstructs clear thinking about the Godhead may be traced to a prime cause. We have not reckoned with changes in the meaning of words, effected by time, as language is transplanted from one culture to another." (The Doctrine of the Trinity: Christianity's Self Inflicted Wound, 1998, Anthony F. Buzzard, Charles F. Hunting, International Scholars Publications, Page 3)
"The meaning of words must be sought within the environment in which they were written. The Bible was not composed in the 20th century, nor did it's writers know anything of the subsequent creeds and councils. Context is all-important in determining the author's intent. Within the pages of [the Bible] Jesus never referred to himself as God." (The Doctrine of the Trinity: Christianity's Self Inflicted Wound, 1998, Anthony F. Buzzard, Charles F. Hunting, International Scholars Publications, Page 84)
"The irony of this bitter age-old controversy is that all factions, unitarians, Binitarians, and Trinitarians, claim to be worshipping only one God. Those who insist that Jesus is God argue that he is worthy of worship, an act offered only to God. If that point were sustained, we would have to conclude that two persons are worthy of worship as God. To propose a Godhead of two or three persons contradicts the many plain biblical statements that God is a single person. It is futile to escape this conclusion that by holding that the creeds do not mean by person what we mean today mean by person. In the Bible the Father and Jesus are obviously persons in the modern sense -- two different individuals."
"The solution to the puzzle is that "worship" in Scripture is offered not only to God but to human persons who hold positions of dignity. The point is obscured in translation by the fact that that the Greek verb proskuneo is used both of worship to God and doing obeisance to human persons. Thus, for example, the king of Israel is worshipped in association with God (1 Chron 29:20 KJV). Daniel was worshipped (Dan 2:46). The saints are worshipped (Rev 3:9 KJV). Jesus is worshipped as Messiah, but only one person, the Father, is worthy of worship as God. It is highly significant that another Greek word, latreuo, which is used of religious service only, is applied exclusively to the Father in the New Testament" (The Doctrine of the Trinity: Christianity's Self Inflicted Wound, 1998, Anthony F. Buzzard, Charles F. Hunting, International Scholars Publications, Page 134)
