Language Studies

Greek Thoughts

LATREUO* - Part 1 - εχηγεομαι (Strong's #1834)
To worship, to serve

Please note that the quotes in this article are taken from the Literal English Translation of the Hebrew Text of the Old Testament as produced by BTE Ministries.

This week we begin our study of λατρεὺω (Strong's #3000), a Greek verb expressing
worship in the form of service. Λατρεὺω, originally a secular Greek term, meant to work for hire or wages. Over time however, it came to be used to represent any type of service, be it physical labor or the performance of sacred service, whether in cultic practice or in priestly services related to the Jewish Tabernacle. Our study today focuses on the meaning of this word as it is used in the Old Testament Septuagint in order to lay a foundation for understanding its subsequent use in the New Testament.

In the Old Testament Septuagint, there are two Greek words used to translate the Hebrew word for service, a̔vad. When a̔vad is used to express the physical service of a slave, the Greek term δοῦλευω is used in translation; but when a̔vad is used to express the worship of heathen gods or the service of Israel to the true and living God, our Greek word of study λατρεὺω is used. This study, as previously stated, follows the expression of λατρεὺω.

In Exodus 20:5 and in Deuteronomy 5:9, λατρεὺω is used to express the Lord's command that Israel is to serve Him only. In Leviticus 16:9, the Lord expresses that the purpose for Israel is to serve Him. In Deuteronomy 7:16, Israel is commanded not to serve other gods in the Promised Land. In Deuteronomy 4:16; 7:4, Moses warns that the Israelites are to stay away from the heathen in the Promised land, as they will seduce them into worshipping and serving the gods of people in the land. In Deuteronomy 4:19, the Sons of Israel are told to teach their children the statutes and commandments of the Lord so that their children will not worship and serve the sun, moon, and stars. In Joshua 22:5, when Joshua releases the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, he tells them the following:

5)

"Only, observe to do the command and the Law which Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, to love Yahweh your God, and to walk in all His ways, and to observe His commandments, and to hold firm to Him, and to serve Him in all your heart and in all your soul."

14) "And now, fear Yahweh, and serve Him in integrity and in faithfulness and remove the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, and in Egypt; and you serve Yahweh.

15)

"And if in your eyes it is bad to serve Yahweh, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve, whether the gods whom you fathers served beyond the River, or whether the gods of the Amorites of whose land you are dwelling. But I and my house, we will serve Yahweh."

In Joshua 24:21, the people respond by expressing that they will not forsake the Lord, but will serve Him. Then, before Joshua makes a covenant with the people according to their choice to serve the Lord, he says:

22)

And Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen for yourselves Yahweh, to serve Him." And they said, "We are witnesses."

23)

"And now remove the gods of the foreign land among you, and extend your hearts to Yahweh the God of Israel."

24) And the people said to Joshua, "Yahweh our God we will serve, and to His voice we will listen."

The dual application of the word λατρεὺω is readily seen in the scriptures presented above—the word is used both of cultic practices in service to heathen gods and of service given to the Lord God. Additionally, we gain from this study—the application of λατρεὺω to the worship of the Lord— the understanding that serving Him is an integral part of worship, just as are submission (προσκυνὲω, Strong's #4352) and reverence (εὐσεβὲω, Strong's #2151) as we have understood from previous studies.

As we continue our study of this word in the New Testament, we will discover that who or what we serve is the actual object of our worship.

* LATREUO is the English font spelling of the Greek word λατρεὺω.

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