ΠΡΟΣΚΥΝΗΣΙΣ

Definition

According to the Liddell-Scott-Jones Lexicon, προσκύνησις is initially "the act of προσκυνεῖν," meaning "to bow towards, to do obeisance, to prostrate oneself." In classical Greek, it primarily referred to a physical act of submission or respect, such as kneeling, bowing, or even kissing the ground or the feet of a superior person, a ruler, or a deity. This act could be secular, expressing homage or subservience, or religious, expressing adoration.

The word's significance gained particular weight in the Septuagint (LXX) and the New Testament, where it is used almost exclusively to describe the worship of God. Here, προσκύνησις transcends a mere physical posture and denotes an internal attitude of reverence, devotion, and recognition of divine sovereignty. It is the act of rendering honor and worship due only to the Creator, clearly distinguishing it from idolatry.

In the Christian context, προσκύνησις becomes synonymous with "worship" (λατρεία) and "reverence" (σέβας), constituting a fundamental expression of faith. It encompasses both the external manifestation (kneeling, prostrations) and the internal disposition of the spirit. The distinction between proskynesis rendered to God (latreutic) and proskynesis rendered to saints or icons (honorific) developed later in theological thought, especially during the Iconoclastic Controversy, to clarify the object and type of veneration.

Main Meanings

1. Physical submission, kneeling, bowing — The original, secular meaning of the act of bending or kneeling before someone.
2. Expression of respect or homage — Towards kings, rulers, or superior persons, without necessarily a religious connotation.
3. Worship of idols or false gods — The act of rendering religious honor to non-true deities, often with a negative implication.
4. Worship of the true God — The central theological meaning in the Septuagint and New Testament, the rendering of honor and reverence to Yahweh or Christ.
5. Spiritual devotion — The internal attitude of reverence and recognition of divine sovereignty, beyond the external act.
6. Honorific veneration (προσκύνησις τιμητική) — In Byzantine theology, the distinction of proskynesis rendered to icons or saints, as honorific rather than worshipful.

Word Family

κυν- (root of the verb κυνέω, meaning "to kiss, to touch")

The root κυν- forms the basis for a small but significant family of words initially related to the act of kissing or touching. With the addition of the preposition πρός, the meaning dramatically shifts from a simple physical contact to an act of submission, respect, and ultimately, worship. This evolution highlights how an initially secular gesture can acquire profound spiritual and theological content, emphasizing the direction and intention of the act towards a superior being or idea.

In Ancient Texts

The significance of proskynesis is illuminated through texts spanning its secular usage to its culmination as divine worship.

The 18 Methods

Applying the 18 traditional lexarithmic methods to the word ΠΡΟΣΚΥΝΗΣΙΣ:

Sources & Bibliography

• Liddell, H. G., Scott, R., Jones, H. S. — A Greek-English Lexicon. Oxford University Press, 9th ed., 1940.
• Bauer, W., Arndt, W. F., Gingrich, F. W., Danker, F. W. — A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. University of Chicago Press, 3rd ed., 2000.
• Lampe, G. W. H. — A Patristic Greek Lexicon. Oxford University Press, 1961.
• Kittel, G., Friedrich, G. — Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Eerdmans, 1964-1976.
• Herodotus — Histories. Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press.
• Septuagint — Rahlfs-Hanhart Edition. Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 2006.
• New Testament — Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece. 28th ed., Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 2012.
• Ware, K. — The Orthodox Way. St Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1979.