“When He again brings His firstborn into the world, He says, And all God’s angels must worship Him” (Hebrews 1:6 HCSB).
The Biblical word “worship” serves to express an act of exceptional reverence or honor. It also refers to an attitude of exceeding respect and high regard, especially when used in relation to God. As found in the original language of this passage, the concept of worship finds its origin in the act of kissing one’s hand, just as one might do in the presence of royalty today. (1)
Thus, it is important to note the command here in Hebrews 1:6: “…all God’s angels must worship Him.” This clearly separates Jesus from the members of the angelic realm, for God is to be worshipped, but angels are not. Perhaps the clearest expression of this Biblical truth is found in a scene from the New Testament book of Revelation. In that portion of Scripture, John, the human author of Revelation, drew a rebuke for responding to his angelic escort in an inappropriate manner…
“And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, ‘See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!…'” (Revelation 19:10).
This has led one scholar to conclude, “The argument of the writer is that if the Son is to be worshipped by angels, surely He must be superior to them, which fact makes the New Testament He inaugurated better than the First Testament which they were instrumental in bringing in.” (2)
In addition, we should note that Jesus also accepted those who sought to worship Him. That lengthy list includes…
- Jesus’ disciples, both collectively (Matthew 14:22-33) and individually (John 20:28).
- A rich young ruler (Matthew 9:18).
- A diseased individual (Matthew 8:2).
- A Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21-28).
- A formerly blind man (John 9:38).
- Mary Magdalene and another woman named Mary (Matthew 28:1-10)
To that list, we might also add the Magi who came to visit Jesus following His birth and worshipped Him while He was still an infant (Matthew 2:1-12). So, among this group, we have the rich and powerful, the healthy and sick, men and women, and those who followed Jesus as well as those who did not. Therefore, “It is noteworthy that Jesus always accepted such worship as perfectly appropriate (Matt. 28:9; John 9:38). Knowing that only God is to be worshiped (Exod. 20:5), Jesus never once corrected anyone who bowed down before him in worship.” (3)
(1) G4352 proskuneo https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4352/kjv/tr/0-1/
(2) Kenneth S. Wuest, Word Studies in the Greek New Testament [note on Hebrews 1:6] Copyright © 1942-55 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
(3) Norman L. Giesler and Ron Rhodes, When Cultists Ask A Popular Handbook on Cultic Misinterpretations [note on Hebrews 1:6] Baker Books, 1997