Should We Worship Jesus
2 min read
One of the most important questions anyone can ask is: Should we worship Jesus? For Christians, the answer to this question shapes how we pray, live, and understand our relationship with God. For Jehovah’s Witnesses, the answer is a firm no—Jesus is honored, but not worshipped. But what does the Bible actually say?
Let’s take a deeper look into Scripture, history, and theology to explore this vital topic.
What Does Worship Mean?
Worship is more than respect or admiration. In Scripture, worship (Greek: proskuneō) involves bowing down, reverence, and acts of devotion directed toward deity. It is something only God is supposed to receive:
“You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.”
— Matthew 4:10 (quoting Deuteronomy 6:13)
So the question becomes—is Jesus God? And does the Bible show that Jesus received or accepted worship?
Did People Worship Jesus in the Bible?
Yes—many did. And unlike angels or righteous men, Jesus never rejected worship.
Here are a few powerful examples:
The Wise Men worshiped Him:
“And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him.”
— Matthew 2:11A healed man worshiped Jesus:
“He said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped him.”
— John 9:38The disciples worshiped Jesus after the resurrection:
“And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.”
— Matthew 28:17All creation worships the Lamb (Jesus) in heaven:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
— Revelation 5:13
This heavenly worship scene is especially significant. If worship belongs only to God, and Jesus receives worship alongside the Father, what does that say about His identity?
Jesus’ Divine Identity
Throughout the New Testament, Jesus is repeatedly shown to share the titles, attributes, and authority of God:
He forgives sins (Mark 2:5–7) — something only God can do.
He is called “God” (John 1:1, John 20:28, Hebrews 1:8).
He is prayed to (Acts 7:59, 2 Corinthians 12:8–9).
He is the object of faith (John 14:1).
He receives equal honor to the Father:
“That all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father.”
— John 5:23
Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that Jesus is a created being—Michael the Archangel—and not to be worshipped. But Hebrews 1:6 says this about Jesus:
“Let all God’s angels worship him.”
That’s a direct command from the Father Himself.
What Did Early Christians Believe?
The earliest followers of Jesus worshipped Him. Pliny the Younger, a Roman governor writing around 112 A.D., described Christians as meeting on a specific day to “sing hymns to Christ as to a god.” This aligns with the New Testament church, which prayed in Jesus’ name, baptized in His name, and proclaimed Him as “Lord”—a title reserved for God (see Philippians 2:9–11).
If Jesus was not to be worshipped, this would have been corrected early and decisively. Instead, worship of Jesus was central to early Christian faith.
But Didn’t Jesus Say the Father is Greater?
Jehovah’s Witnesses often point to verses like John 14:28, where Jesus says, “The Father is greater than I.” But this speaks to Jesus’ role in His human form—not His nature. Philippians 2 tells us that Jesus, being in the very nature God, humbled Himself by becoming human. His earthly humility does not cancel His eternal deity.
Final Thoughts: Should We Worship Jesus?
The biblical evidence is overwhelming:
Yes, we should worship Jesus.
He is called God.
He receives worship.
He forgives sins.
He is honored in heaven.
He is one with the Father.
To deny Jesus worship is to deny His true nature. And to deny His divine identity is to misunderstand the heart of the gospel.
As Thomas said when He saw the risen Jesus:
“My Lord and my God!” — John 20:28
Let that be our confession too.