Homage
A reading for Wednesday, March 9, 2016: Matthew 2:1-12.
The English word "homage" as we see it in today's lesson is from a feudal ceremony in which a vassal identified his lord publicly. He expressed his loyalty and even made payment to the lord as one under his authority. The vassal paid homage.
In Greek, the original language of Matthew, the word is "worship." The two words are related. Of course most of the time worship is a ceremony. To worship is to identify and publicly express one's relationship to a lord. So in the lesson today, both the wise men and Herod both expressed their desire to "pay homage" or to "worship" the baby Jesus. They wanted to publicly acknowledge Jesus as the Lord of their lives, or so they said.
When we gather for Christian worship, it's the same. We publicly declare that Jesus is our Lord and we are bound to him in relationship like that of a vassal. It's an act of loyalty and identity that we express to the Lord Jesus but also in a way that others would know too.
Worship is not only something we do, it's also who we are... We pay homage to the Lord Jesus Christ!
The English word "homage" as we see it in today's lesson is from a feudal ceremony in which a vassal identified his lord publicly. He expressed his loyalty and even made payment to the lord as one under his authority. The vassal paid homage.
In Greek, the original language of Matthew, the word is "worship." The two words are related. Of course most of the time worship is a ceremony. To worship is to identify and publicly express one's relationship to a lord. So in the lesson today, both the wise men and Herod both expressed their desire to "pay homage" or to "worship" the baby Jesus. They wanted to publicly acknowledge Jesus as the Lord of their lives, or so they said.
When we gather for Christian worship, it's the same. We publicly declare that Jesus is our Lord and we are bound to him in relationship like that of a vassal. It's an act of loyalty and identity that we express to the Lord Jesus but also in a way that others would know too.
Worship is not only something we do, it's also who we are... We pay homage to the Lord Jesus Christ!
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