Veneration plays an important role in the Bible. But it’s important to understand what the Bible says about veneration. Misunderstanding veneration can lead us to worship in ways that actually lead us away from God. Once we understand veneration, however, we can enjoy awe-inspiring experiences with God.
What Does Veneration Mean?
Veneration is a term used to describe a deep respect and admiration for someone or something. In the context of Christianity, veneration refers to the act of showing respect or honor to God and people whose faith we admire, such as saints or church leaders. It is a way of acknowledging the importance of God or people who are role models for us. We may express veneration through a variety of ways, such as through words of gratitude to someone, donating something in that person’s honor, naming a place after someone, lighting candles to show respect for a person, or saying a prayer asking God to bless someone for his or her strong example of faith.
Is Veneration Biblical?
Veneration is a concept that is deeply rooted in the Bible. Since the Bible often encourages us to treat people with love and respect, it promotes the concept of venerating – honoring – both God and people who we admire.
The Bible speaks frequently about venerating God in the context of worship. It calls us to honor God by centering our lives around our relationships with him and following where he leads us. 1 Timothy 1:17 declares: “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” In Luke 9:23, Jesus tells us how to venerate him: “‘Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.’” Venerating God through praise moves us closer to God, so we can enjoy a greater awareness of his presence with us. Psalm 22:3 points out that God inhabits the praises of his people. When we worship God, we naturally venerate him as well. Hebrews 12:28-29 says: “‘Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’”
However, it’s vital to distinguish between veneration and worship. The Bible doesn’t support veneration practices that are forms of worship devoted to people. While we may both venerate and worship God, we can venerate people but not worship them. Only God is worthy of worship, so worship should be reserved for God alone. The Bible always ascribes veneration in the context of worship to God alone.
So, we need to be careful to make sure that our veneration doesn’t become worship – unless we’re venerating God. It can be easy to get spiritually off track by venerating people or things we love that we end up prioritizing them over God. But if we do so, they become idols in our lives. Idols can include anyone or anything we devote ourselves more to than we do to our relationships with God, such as romantic relationships, friendships, money, sex, work, possessions, and hobbies. A powerful way of making sure that we’re directing our worship only toward God is to pursue God’s wonder regularly, as I show how to do in my book Wake Up to Wonder. The more we discover something God has done and feel awe, the more we become inspired to focus on God rather than on idols. As we do, we can make sure that our veneration doesn’t veer into the worship of anyone or anything apart from God.
Where Do We See Veneration in the Bible?
Throughout the Old and New Testaments, we see examples of people showing veneration to God and people like religious figures who have lived holy lives and served as examples of faithfulness. The Bible also includes verses that encourage venerating people such as parents, spouses, and church leaders.
In the Old Testament, the Israelites venerated God through the Ark of the Covenant. God told Moses in Exodus 25:17: “There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.” The ark was seen as a physical representation of God’s presence among the people, and it was treated with great reverence and respect. But venerating God isn’t limited to veneration rituals. It encompasses everything we say and do, since the Bible emphasizes venerating God with every aspect of our lives. Deuteronomy 6:5 exhorts us to, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Jesus repeats that in Mark 12:30 and Matthew 22:37. The Old Testament also encourages us to venerate people by honoring them. Exodus 20:12 urges: “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”
In the New Testament, we also see people venerating God and other people. Revelation 4:11 encourages venerating God: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” 1 Peter 2:17 exhorts us to venerate God and others: “Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.” Romans 12:10 speaks of venerating people we love (“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”) while Romans 13:7 urges us to respect and honor people (“Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.”). In Hebrews 13:7, we read instructions to “remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith”. This is an example of how we can venerate the lives of holy men and women who have lived before us and served as examples of faithfulness. 1 Timothy 5:17 even tells us to give extra veneration (honor) to church leaders: “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.”
It's also important to note that both the Old and New Testaments caution against worshiping anyone or anything apart from God. The Bible always ascribes veneration in the context of worship to God alone. Exodus 20:4-5 commands: “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them…”. In Acts 10:25-26, Cornelius falls at the apostle Peter’s feet in reverence, but Peter makes him stand up and tells him: “I am only a man myself.” Acts 14:15 records that Paul and Barnabas urge the people of Lystra not to worship them. When the apostle John starts to worship an angel, the angel stops him and corrects him by saying, “Worship God!” (Revelation 19:10 and Revelation 22:8-9).
Conclusion
Veneration is an important concept in the Bible. It is a way of showing deep respect and honor to those who have lived holy lives and served as examples of faithfulness. It’s crucial to differentiate between veneration and worship to make sure that our worship leads us in the right direction. Only God is worthy of our worship, but we can venerate both God and people we admire as long as we do so from an accurate perspective. Done correctly, veneration can inspire us to move closer to God and enjoy the wonder of relationships with him.
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Whitney Hopler helps people discover God's wonder and experience awe. She is the author of several books, including the nonfiction books Wake Up to Wonder and Wonder Through the Year: A Daily Devotional for Every Year, and the young adult novel Dream Factory. Whitney has served as an editor at leading media organizations, including Crosswalk.com, The Salvation Army USA’s national publications, and Dotdash.com (where she produced a popular channel on angels and miracles). She currently leads the communications work at George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. Connect with Whitney on her website at www.whitneyhopler.com, on Facebook, and on X/Twitter.