6.6

Worship in the Gospel of Matthew

Events

The magi worship (proskyneo) Jesus as one born King of the Jews (2:11; cf. 2:2).

A leper worships (proskyneo) Jesus, desiring to be cleansed (8:2).

Crowds glorify (doxazo) God after Jesus heals a paralytic (9:8).

A ruler worships (proskyneo) Jesus, wanting him to restore his daughter to life (9:18).

Jesus gives thanks (exomologeo) to the Father for revealing to infants what is hidden from the wise and understanding (11:25).

Disciples worship (proskyneo) Jesus as the Son of God (14:33).

A Canaanite woman worships (proskyneo) Jesus and asks him to heal her daughter (15:25).

A crowd glorifies (doxazo) the God of Israel after Jesus heals many people (15:31).

In a parable told by Jesus, a slave worships (proskyneo) his king and asks for patience in payment of debts (18:26).

The mother of James and John worships (proskyneo) Jesus and requests special positions for her sons (20:20–21).

Children offer Jesus praise (ainos) as the Son of David in the temple (21:15–16).

Two women worship (proskyneo) the risen Jesus (28:9).

The disciples worship (proskyneo) the risen Jesus (28:17).

Also:

Herod falsely promises to worship (proskyneo) Jesus (2:8).

Jesus refuses the temptation to worship (proskyneo) Satan (4:9–10).

Sayings

Jesus quotes Scripture to Satan: “Worship [?proskyneo] the Lord your God and serve [latreuo] only him” (4:10).

Jesus tells his disciples: “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and glorify [doxazo] your Father in heaven” (5:16).

Jesus applies to religious leaders the Scripture that says, “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship [sebomai?] me, teaching human precepts as doctrines” (15:8–9).