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When the subject of
worship comes up I see basically two extremes that form. 1) There are
those who out of fear of "Pattern Theology" reject any notion of
"corporate" worship and something called an "act" of worship. This
view is also rooted in a sharp (ironically an extreme form of
Campbell) disjunction between the Testaments. This is a view that I
believe is wrong headed. This view is also rooted in a caricature of
Jewish worship in Jesus' own day. The "assembly" in this view is not
about worship at all but edification. Worship can only take place
through daily life. 2) The other extreme is that of Pattern Theology
itself with its assumption that worship is limited only five
prescribed "acts" of worship. If one of these "acts" are not named it
cannot be worship. Edification plays only a small role in the
assembly of this point of view. I think both views fall short of the
biblical, historical and theological mark.
What I propose to do is share some attitudes pertaining to worship by
the Jews during the Second Temple period -- that is basically the time
of the Christ or just prior to him. Both groups mentioned above
usually approach the subject of worship and the teaching of Scripture
in an unhistorical manner -- thus coming up with some demonstrably
wrong conclusions about Jewish attitudes of the day.
The Apocrypha provides extremely valuable information and background
for understanding many subjects in the NT and even specific passages.
Worship happens to be a subject that is enriched by the Apocrypha.
Scattered throughout this literature are references to both corporate
and "life-style" worship.
On several occasions the Apocrypha contains detailed accounts of
entire "worship services." For example Josiah's Passover celebration
in 1 Esdras 1 and Nehemiah's sacrifice of dedication in 2 Maccabees 1;
the Temp le rededication account in 1 Maccabees 4 and the Temple
dedication in 1 Esdras 5-7. These accounts show us the role of the
priesthood in Hebrew worship, the role of the "congregation" in
participating in worship also.
More specifically the Apocrypha mentions a wide array of worship
responses from God's People during the time of Jesus and the early
church. These would include:
1) Raising hands and prostration in worship (1 Esdras 9.47; Sirach
50.17; 1 Maccabees 4.55; Judith 6.18; 13.17; etc)
2) Pilgrimages to Jerusalem and festival worship (Tobit 1.6; 5.13;
etc)
3) Prayer including certain postures of prayer (Tobit 12.8; 13.1;
Sirach 7.14; etc)
4) Repentance and confession including fasting (1 Esdras 8.91; Tobit
12.8; etc)
5) Temple worship including daily sacrifice (Judith 4.14; 16.16-18;
etc)
What comes as a surprise, perhaps, to those unfamiliar with Jewish
literature of the period is the heavy emphasis on personal piety
as the foundation of any corporate worship and upon "works of
righteousness" as an outgrowth of worship. Personal devotion is
rooted in obedience to God's gracious Torah and is essential for
proper worship (4 Maccabees 5.24). In addition the "fear of the Lord"
(Judith 16.15; Sirach 1.11-20; 7.29-31) and a right heart are
accorded prominence in the worship of God in Jewish writings of the
time of Jesus (among other places see 2 Maccabees 1.3-4; 15.27; Sirach
1.12; 21.6; etc).
Likewise, worship as service to others, that is as in a lifestyle of
good deeds, is regarded as a natural complement to the worship of God
(3 Maccabees 3.4). For Jews of Jesus' day charity and almsgiving to
the poor and the socially disadvantaged are essential works of mercy
of God's People (Tobit 4.11; 12.9; Sirach 17.22; 29.12; 40.17, 24;
etc).
The Book of Tobit brings most of these themes together in one
delightful (and very edifying) story. Sometimes called the
Pilgrim's Progress of the Apocrypha, Tobit is a tale of faith in
adversity. Tobit recognizes the spiritual warfare surrounding this
life and the importance of personal piety in the sea of human trials.
Significant for my purposes is the nexus in Tobit between
corporate worship (1.6-9), private devotion (13.3-6, see
the whole chapter), and the worship response of a life-style
of service to others (12.6-10).
The key ingredient for inspiring this participation in corporate
worship and the lifestyle of praise and service to God is personal
piety before God. Here the Book of Tobit mirrors quite closely the
Hebrew Bible's demand of personal piety for coming into the Holy
Presence of God. In Tobit piety is focused upon the "fear of the
Lord" (4.21; 14.2, 6) and is demonstrated by three practices: prayer,
fasting and almsgiving to the poor (4.5-11; 12.8-15). These three
acts of piety would later become known as the "Three Pillars of
Judaism" (See G. F. Moore's classic, Judaism in the first Three
Centuries of the Christian Era, vol. 1, p. 35ff).
What I think we see in Tobit is a balance that is not seen in many
contemporary discussions of "worship." To say that there is in fact a
time when God's People gather together in his Presence in "corporate"
worship in no way negates the truth that we are to have a "lifestyle"
of worship responses. Tobit knows this truth very well -- and I am
convinced that Paul did as well.
Tobit sees that corporate worship, a lifestyle of praise and devotion
and works of mercy are not "either/or" propositions; rather all three
depend upon each other! What the Apocrypha, and especially Tobit,
show us is that the Jews never believed that worship was
reduced to RITUAL and certain prescribed "acts" done in the Temple.
Rather worship was the essence of life itself and service to
God (this should not surprise us for every word Paul uses for worship
he pulls out of the Jewish Bible and "lectionary" when he mentions
worship -- this is particularly true of the Hebrew Writer). The
Apocrypha exposes our assumptions about Jewish worship in the time of
Christ -- that it was essentially legalistic or . . . as unfounded.
The Apocrypha shows that Jews in Jesus' day saw a meaningful
connection between corporate worship, private worship and works of
mercy as responses to worship. Maybe I am wrong (but I do not think
so) but I believe this same dynamic underlies the New Testament's
teaching regarding worship -- especially as it is seen in 1
Corinthians, Hebrews and even Revelation. When we get Christians to
understand this relationship of the grace of coming into his Presence
in corporate worship and how that then empowers us for a holy
lifestyle (and how that lifestyle also prepares us for corporate
worship) of devotion and service -- we just might see a major revival
among our churches. Perhaps we would also see fewer "worship wars!"
Shalom,
Bobby Valentine
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