This post is about the earliest churches' practice of centring church life around the name of Jesus.
Christians have included Jesus in their devotions from the earliest days of the apostles. These were well developed devotional practices already by the time the apostle Paul was writing his letters.
As Larry Hurtado wrote here (link) about original earliest known Christianity:
“There is a constellation of devotional actions that reflect the striking inclusion of Jesus: the rite of initiation (baptism) performed by invoking Jesus, the common/sacred meal as one where Jesus is the presiding figure, the invocation of Jesus as “Lord” to constitute the worship-gathering, the ritual confession of Jesus as “Lord” as the mark of early Christian identity, the singing of hymns/odes about Jesus as a central feature of early Christian worship, prayer through him and sometimes to him (either singly or jointly with God).”
Hurtado writes about how the earliest church made ritual invocations of a heavenly Jesus:
“The most common instance seems to have been the corporate acclamation/ invocation by which the corporate worship event was constituted, which involved a “calling upon” Jesus. Likewise, in early Christian baptism, one called upon Jesus, invoking him over the baptized person. Indeed, in 1 Cor. 1:2 Paul refers to fellow believers simply as those who everywhere “call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
This absolutely makes the name of Jesus central to early Christian ritual.
Hurtado also notes that “prayers are typically offered with reference to Jesus, e.g., “in his name” and/or “through” him (e.g., Rom. 1:8; 7:25; Col. 3:17; Eph. 5:20).” The centrality of the name of Jesus in early Christian ritual, such as prayer, immediately became part of the Christian DNA. It’s so familiar that it easy to forget it must have been remarkably new to make Jesus’ name a central feature of ritual.
After Jesus' resurrection, baptism is changed from how John the Baptist would have done it. It's done "in the name of Jesus" in the Book of Acts. Jesus is the central name of the earliest Christian ritual life. This apostolic innovation is so ingrained in Christian practice.
As Hurtado says (link) in relation to the early Christians, “the exalted Jesus is their Lord to whom they owe obedience and reverence.” Of course, this is not said or done to de-centre God the Father. Not at all. The centrality of Jesus in Christian life glorifies God the Father.
There can be no doubt about the central ritual confession “Jesus is Lord” and the ritual invocation of Jesus in “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:9-13).
Paul refers to the common meal as “the Lord’s supper.” Paul makes a comparison with pagan meals in ritual honour of pagan deities. The Lord's supper is sharing in the blood and body of Christ, sharing in the Lord’s table (1 Corinthians 10:14-22). Whatever theology we attached to the bread and wine, it is obvious that Jesus is as central to the ritual as pagan gods are central to theirs.
Other examples of Jesus’ name being central to invocations are healings and exorcisms “in the name of Jesus” (Acts 3:6; 16:18). Hurtado: “the early Christian practice of invoking Jesus by name means that his name and power were regarded as the power by which they were able to perform these acts.”
Hurtado also reminds us to notice “the high and central place of Jesus in the early Christian circles” as seen in Paul’s letters: “grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2). Curiously, these early Christian blessings never feature the word Yahweh or Jehovah.
Hurtado adds that Paul’s letters also typically conclude with a benediction as from Christ, for example: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” (1 Thessalonians 5:28).” Consider that these words would have been read out in worship settings!
It all adds to the centrality of the name of Jesus in early Christian ritual life.
Consider also blessings such as this: “Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you.” Note, not “may Yahweh/Jehovah direct you.” It is another of these remarkable New Testament innovations, moving on from the Old Testament's ritual use of Yahweh/Jehovah’s name to the ritual use of Jesus’ name. To a large extent, it is what makes authentic Christian meetings Christian In the formal sense.
Elsewhere, Paul refers to pronouncing judgment on an errant believer “in the name of the Lord Jesus,” and to doing so “with the power of our Lord Jesus” (1 Corinthians 5:3-5). As Hurtado says, “the authority and power of the ritual is ascribed to the risen Jesus.” The resurrected Jesus is so central to this life that he is present in power on earth, notwithstanding his place in heaven. This too is remarkable.
Jesus is even salvation itself (John 14:6).
Whatever we think of the divinity of Jesus, it is clear that the central name of the authentic New Testament faith, the much repeated name, was Jesus.
It is beyond doubt that the Lord Jesus Christ, and his name, was a focal point of Christian devotion from the start. The Christian life is about serving Jesus (Romans 14:18). Indeed, “whatever we say or do,” let it be in the name of Jesus (Colossians 3:16). We “sanctify” Jesus as Lord in our hearts (1 Peter 3:15). The name of Jesus is glorified in us (Thessalonians 1:12). And indeed, for Jesus’ sake, Paul “suffered the loss of all things,” in order that he may gain him (Philippians 3:8).
Prayers to Jesus
The New Testament has prayers to God the Father and prayers to Jesus.
We are taught by Jesus to make requests of him in John 14:14: "If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it."
And in 2 Cor. 12:6-10, Paul remembers his repeated appeals to the heavenly Jesus to relieve him of his “thorn in the flesh," and receiving an answer from the Lord Jesus:
"Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness " Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me."
Here are a couple more examples of prayers directly to Jesus for now:
Acts 7:59: 'And they went on casting stones at Stephen as he made appeal and said: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”' (It was to Jesus that Stephen turned in prayer to receive his spirit.)
In Acts 9, Ananias prays to Jesus in relation to those who call on the name of Jesus:
Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name' (ie the name of Jesus).
Acts 26:15: "And I said, “Who art thou, Lord?” And he said,” I am Jesus whom thou persecutest… I have appeared unto thee for this purpose…”
1 Cor 16:22: 'O our Lord, come!' (this is followed immediately by 'May the undeserved kindness of the Lord Jesus be with you', so we know the Lord, to whom this prayer is directed, to be Jesus.)
Praise to Jesus
So, devotions to Jesus are scriptural, and singing to Jesus is commanded. Ephesians 5:19-20 commands us to (amongst other things):
1) sing and make melody in your heart to the Lord Jesus; and
2) give thanks in the name of the Lord Jesus to God the Father.
So we join in with the chorus in Revelation 5:13, where joint honour is given to them: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honour and glory and power, for ever and ever!"
That is in keeping with God's purposes revealed in John 5:23: "that all may honour the Son just as they honour the Father."
It's not for me to frustrate God's purposes! So that verse is implicitly another command: to honour the Son just as we honour the Father. The Bible envisages "every creature ... on earth" joining in. Rev 5:13-14:
'And every creature that is in heaven and on earth and underneath the earth and on the sea, and all the things in them, I heard saying: “To the One sitting on the throne and to the Lamb be the blessing and the honour and the glory and the might forever and ever.” '
We must conclude that the New Testament includes devotions directly to Jesus. I hope all will one day be able to join in the fulness of the New Testament practice of devotions to Jesus to the glory of his Father.
Some Greek words
This is an opportunity for me to say a little more about what we call 'worship' as a religious service to God. I'll use the headings PROSKUNEO and LATREUO, two Greek words that the Bible uses for 'worship'.
In Matthew 4:10, Jesus tells the devil to both 'proskuneo' to God and 'latreuo' to God alone.
Two powerful words, and the Book of Revelation invests both words with huge weight and religious significance.
Proskuneo
In Rev 19:9 and 22:9, the angel tells John not to worship him (the Greek word is 'proskuneo'), but only to worship God. (The Greek word can mean 'worship' as it clearly does in this context.)
Matthew 4:10 likewise says 'PROSKUNEO the Lord your God and serve him only'
Note people's responses to Jesus in the same gospel:
Matthew 8:2 'there was a leper who came to him and proskuneo before him' And Jesus receives it without complaint.
Matthew 9:18 'a leader of the synagogue came in and proskuneo before him' And Jesus receives it without complaint.
Matthew 14:33 'and those in the boat proskuneo him' And Jesus receives it without complaint.
And you'll see the same in...Matthew 15:25, 18:26, 20:20, 28:9, 28:17. This happens too often to pass over lightly.
That is a good basis to consider Matthew 4:10 again:'proskuneo the Lord your God and serve him only'
Now contrast that again with Rev 19:9 and 22:9, the angel tells John not to worship him (the Greek word is 'proskuneo') but to worship God.
Now proskuneo has a wider social application than being applied towards God alone, but we need to bear the above in mind, as we come to the next point.
Latreuo
Let's look further at Matthew 4:10. It says: 'worship (proskune\o) the Lord your God and serve (latreuo) him only'.
Latreuo is the Greek word for sacred service, as done by Jewish priests as acts of worship. (Although it also had a secular meaning to do with civic duties. It wasn't a specifically religious word.)
Here's why that is relevant here. There is a famous connection between Revelation 5 and Daniel 7.
In Daniel 7:14, when the Son of Man (Jesus) is given authority, glory and power, then... all peoples, nations and men of every language 'worshipped' him. Those people don't merely 'serve' him; this word 'service' means religious sacred service, an act of worship.
In the Greek Septuagint, the word 'worship' in Daniel 7:14 is 'latreuousa' (from 'latreuo'). This is the more specific word for 'sacred service' as given to God. It is clearly given to the Son of Man, Jesus, in Daniel 7:14.
So, 'proskuneo' to God and 'latreuo' to God. Two powerful words, and the Book of Revelation invests both words with huge weight and significance as said.
'Latreuo' occurs, for example, in Revelation 22:3, where 'the throne' is the throne of both God AND the Lamb, one throne. And his servants give sacred service (latreuo) to 'him' (singular). The text reduces God and the Lamb to 'him', one object of sacred service on one throne.
Appendix: proskuneo
This brief appendix is to assist anyone puzzled by the Jehovah's Witnesses' own Bible translation (called the "New World Translation").
Their translation conspicuously evades the word "worship" whenever a scene in the Bible has someone showing proskuneo towards Jesus.
They are happy to translate it as "worship" when the subject is God or the devil, or demons or idols, or an angel. But as you can see below, they trenchantly avoid referring to worship of Jesus. To get round using the word, they resort to using an obscure 14th century word, "obeisance," towards Jesus. This is so that their members don't contemplate biblical worship towards Jesus.
Modern parlance for "obeisance" would be something like "bowing low" or "taking the knee" as you might do in front of a chief in submission. (Interestingly, in Islam, the act of bowing and touching the face to the ground is reserved towards God alone, an act or worship.) But "obeisance" is such an obscure and archaic word that even Shakespeare barely used it! Why resort to it?
If you look at the yellow column below, you can see how trenchant this bias is, against worship of Jesus. This table is credited to the CARM website, showing each instance of the New World Translation method of translating proskuneo:
Source: https://carm.org/the-new-world-translation-and-proskuneo-worship
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