The worship of the New Testament church: A grammatical and contextual analysis of first-century Christian devotion

Abstract

This thesis examines the nature of New Testament church worship and seeks to understand the concept of worship among first-century Christians. Chapter 1 describes the misconceptions held by present-day worshipers and presents unusual scholarly positions.

Chapter 2 analyzes the eight Greek words that are translated "worship" in the New Testament. Two words, [Special characters omitted.]<math> <f> <g>p</g><g>r</g>o<g>s</g><g>k</g><g>u</g><g>n</g><a><ac><g>e</g> </ac><ac>&d12;</ac></a><g>w</g></f> </math> and [Special characters omitted.]<math> <f> <g>l</g><g>a</g><g>t</g><g>r</g><g>e</g><a><ac><g>u</g></ac><ac>&d12;</ac></a> <g>w</g></f> </math> , stand out in both frequency of use and importance of meaning.

Chapter 3 examines six passages that deal specifically with worship. Portions of Matthew 2, John 4, Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 14, Hebrews 9, and Revelation 7 are analyzed in order to understand the contextual setting of worship.

Chapter 4 offers conclusions based on chapters 2 and 3. First-century worship is understood to focus on God primarily, with congregational ministries being of subsequent importance.