Great article. Very well put. However, I take exception to just one thing.
I think the Bible is very funny in some places. I think God has a very good sense of humor. And I think he wants us to have a good sense of humor too. Sure, there is a time to laugh, as well as a time to refrain from laughing. But God is pretty funny. Peter acts the fool in the Gospels and makes me laugh at times. Some of the prophets in the Old Testament ended up in some pretty funny predicaments. The Greek Philosopher's reaction to Paul in Athens makes me laugh.
So, I get what you are saying, but maybe you went a little too far.
Let me be more clear, then: I agree that there is a lot of accidental humor in the Bible and that life itself is full of funny ironies. Proverbs sometimes sounds like a joke book. I myself am a big fan of dark humor. But when a person wants to "worship God" in a sense of devotion, or dedicated time to think about God, it requires gravity.
In 605 BC the apostate synagogue and nation of Israel were taken away into captivity by Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar. Babylon’s captive Jewish synagogue assembled for the dedication of the glorious golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. In weighty heart felt reverence they stood before it with idolizing admiration. Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe playing Babylon’s anthem, you shall bow down and worship the sacred image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever refuses to worship, bowing their heart’s allegiance to the King’s golden image, will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” Therefore, as soon as they heard the patriotic music of Babylon’s national anthem, all the nations and peoples of every language bowed down in allegiance and ecumenically worshiped the nation’s sacred image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Daniel 3:1-30
Three righteous Jews were set over the secular affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They paid no attention to the King’s commandment. They could not idolatrously serve the will of Babylon’s god by bowing/pledging their heart’s democratic allegiance in idolatrous worship to its beloved sacred image (i.e. Uncle Sam’s sacred Masonic image—Old Glory) . Faithfully taking up their martyr’s cross they were cast into Babylon’s fiery furnace where they worshipped and communed with the Creator of the Universe.
Oh yes. I learned the meaning of προσκυνέω from my cult-church, decades ago. Their theology was a terrible mess, but they knew their Greek. The TDNT* has an interesting spread about this word, too long to quote in its entirety but here are a few excerpts I find interesting...
A. Meaning for the Greeks. Usually connected with the Old High German Kuss, although in different ways, proskynéō is an ancient term for reverent adoration of the gods, which in the case of chthonic deities would mean stooping to kiss the earth. The Greeks abandon the outward gesture but keep the term for the inner attitude. Later the word takes on a much more general sense expressing love and respect.
...
C. The NT.
1. The NT uses proskyneín only in relation to a divine object. Even Mt. 18:26 is no true exception, for in view of the importance of proskýnēsis in Matthew (cf. 8:2; 9:18; 14:33; 15:25; 20:2) the divine king plainly stands behind the king of the parable. Thus when those who seek help from Jesus fall at his feet, this is more than a gesture of respect. The wise men bow in worship (Mt. 2:2, 11). The tempter seeks the worship that belongs to God (4:9-10). The disciples worship Jesus when they begin to grasp his divine sonship (14:33) and when they meet the risen Lord (28:9). The thought of God’s transcendence forbids any weakening of the term in the NT. Peter rejects proskýnēsis in Acts 10:25-26. Even the angel forbids it in Rev. 19:10. The gesture is expressly mentioned in Acts 10:25.
2. In Jn. 4:20ff. proskyneín seems to have a wholly figurative sense. Yet the act of worship stands in the background. What Jesus says is that there is no one place to worship. The concrete act is lifted up into the sphere of spirit and truth which now controls it. This does not mean a total spiritualizing of worship but the possibility of true worship at all times and in all places.
...
* TDNT (LITTLE KITTEL), Theological Dictionary of the New Testament
Great article. Very well put. However, I take exception to just one thing.
I think the Bible is very funny in some places. I think God has a very good sense of humor. And I think he wants us to have a good sense of humor too. Sure, there is a time to laugh, as well as a time to refrain from laughing. But God is pretty funny. Peter acts the fool in the Gospels and makes me laugh at times. Some of the prophets in the Old Testament ended up in some pretty funny predicaments. The Greek Philosopher's reaction to Paul in Athens makes me laugh.
So, I get what you are saying, but maybe you went a little too far.
Let me be more clear, then: I agree that there is a lot of accidental humor in the Bible and that life itself is full of funny ironies. Proverbs sometimes sounds like a joke book. I myself am a big fan of dark humor. But when a person wants to "worship God" in a sense of devotion, or dedicated time to think about God, it requires gravity.
Agreed.
In 605 BC the apostate synagogue and nation of Israel were taken away into captivity by Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar. Babylon’s captive Jewish synagogue assembled for the dedication of the glorious golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. In weighty heart felt reverence they stood before it with idolizing admiration. Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe playing Babylon’s anthem, you shall bow down and worship the sacred image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever refuses to worship, bowing their heart’s allegiance to the King’s golden image, will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” Therefore, as soon as they heard the patriotic music of Babylon’s national anthem, all the nations and peoples of every language bowed down in allegiance and ecumenically worshiped the nation’s sacred image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Daniel 3:1-30
Three righteous Jews were set over the secular affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They paid no attention to the King’s commandment. They could not idolatrously serve the will of Babylon’s god by bowing/pledging their heart’s democratic allegiance in idolatrous worship to its beloved sacred image (i.e. Uncle Sam’s sacred Masonic image—Old Glory) . Faithfully taking up their martyr’s cross they were cast into Babylon’s fiery furnace where they worshipped and communed with the Creator of the Universe.
Oh yes. I learned the meaning of προσκυνέω from my cult-church, decades ago. Their theology was a terrible mess, but they knew their Greek. The TDNT* has an interesting spread about this word, too long to quote in its entirety but here are a few excerpts I find interesting...
προσκυνέω proskynéō [to bow down, worship], προσκυνητής proskynētḗs [worshipper]
proskynéō.
A. Meaning for the Greeks. Usually connected with the Old High German Kuss, although in different ways, proskynéō is an ancient term for reverent adoration of the gods, which in the case of chthonic deities would mean stooping to kiss the earth. The Greeks abandon the outward gesture but keep the term for the inner attitude. Later the word takes on a much more general sense expressing love and respect.
...
C. The NT.
1. The NT uses proskyneín only in relation to a divine object. Even Mt. 18:26 is no true exception, for in view of the importance of proskýnēsis in Matthew (cf. 8:2; 9:18; 14:33; 15:25; 20:2) the divine king plainly stands behind the king of the parable. Thus when those who seek help from Jesus fall at his feet, this is more than a gesture of respect. The wise men bow in worship (Mt. 2:2, 11). The tempter seeks the worship that belongs to God (4:9-10). The disciples worship Jesus when they begin to grasp his divine sonship (14:33) and when they meet the risen Lord (28:9). The thought of God’s transcendence forbids any weakening of the term in the NT. Peter rejects proskýnēsis in Acts 10:25-26. Even the angel forbids it in Rev. 19:10. The gesture is expressly mentioned in Acts 10:25.
2. In Jn. 4:20ff. proskyneín seems to have a wholly figurative sense. Yet the act of worship stands in the background. What Jesus says is that there is no one place to worship. The concrete act is lifted up into the sphere of spirit and truth which now controls it. This does not mean a total spiritualizing of worship but the possibility of true worship at all times and in all places.
...
* TDNT (LITTLE KITTEL), Theological Dictionary of the New Testament
“Little Kittel” edited by Geoffrey W. Bromiley
© 1985 by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, All Rights Reserved.