From the beginning of His life the Scriptures make clear Jesus was indeed worshipped by men. Matthew 2:2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”All through His ministry people worshiped him Matthew 8:2-3: “And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.Some worshipped him for who He was, before he did any miracle, others worshipped Him afterwards.Matt 9:18: “While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.”The same word used for worshipping God is the same word used for Jesus to be worshipped. So if Jesus is not being worshipped neither is the Father. This word for worship in Greek is proskeneo the same word used for worship for the true God and for worship of false Gods. It does not mean one thing for one and another thing for the other. In Hebrew it is Shawkaw which means to prostate down bow worship (Gen.24:26, 48, 52 Gen. 22:5). In Psalm 2:12 it says, “Kiss the Son lest he be angry with you.” The word kiss is a term for worship (chashaq; a primitive root; to cling, i.e. join, (figuratively) to love, delight in... Strongs #2836)Matthew 14:33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.” Why? Because the Son of God is God who can receive worship, He is God in the flesh.Jesus said, “that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him” (John 5:23) We this example all through the Scripture.Matthew 15:25: “Then she worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.”“When Jesus walked on the water and made the wind and waves cease, they worshipped Him, saying, truly thou art the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:33). Notice the equating of being the Son of God elicits their worship .Again to equate him as the only Son of God made him equal with the Father and deserving of our worship. This is made clear in John 9:35-38. Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.”When he was resurrected Matthew 28:17: “And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.” Matthew 28:9: “And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, rejoice. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.”Luke 24:51-53: “Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.” And so the church has always worshipped the Son of God the same as they worship the Father. All the apostles worshipped God, the Son of God, and taught the church to do the same.We see Peter in Acts 10:25-27 As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together.Cornelius fell at Peter's feet and worshipped. Peter says to him Acts 10:26 I am a man. Obviously this is worship not obeisance (as the Jehovah Witnesses hold to) or there would not be the response of his human nature. Peter the apostle refused worship because he worshiped the true God and knew he, himself, was only a man. Peter could not have worshipped Jesus unless he was more than a man.The Bible teaches that Jesus was not only worshipped but also called God by Thomas. In Jn.20:28 after Jesus tells Thomas who doubted to put his fingers in the holes made by the crucifixion, Thomas states “My Lord my God” (in the Greek literally translated The Lord of me the God of me). Instead of being corrected or rebuked for this statement (which would be blasphemy if false), he is commended and blessed, something no true prophet would do unless it was correct.If Jesus is not God, then he would not accept worship nor would the Bible allow this to be insinuated.
No angel or man who was godly ever accepted worship from men even when they were mistaken. A good example of this is when Paul was in Athens (Acts 14:12) and the people cried out they are gods, they responded resoundly, “we are men like yourselves.”
