The biblical concept of “religious service” or “sacred worship” revolves around specific terminology used in the Hebrew Bible, the Greek Septuagint (LXX), the New Testament, and the Aramaic Targums. Understanding these terms—especially latreuo (Greek) and pelach (Aramaic)—helps clarify what kinds of worship or service are directed toward God alone, which actions may be directed toward human figures, and how these terms were understood by early Jewish and Christian interpreters. These distinctions are essential for interpreting arguments about divine worship, especially in debates about the divinity of Jesus.

In the Septuagint (LXX), latreuō is used almost exclusively of service/worship rendered to the true God, especially in cultic/temple contexts (e.g., serving in the sanctuary). Examples of strict divine usage in the NT: Luke 1:74; 2:37; 4:8; Matt 4:10; Acts 7:7, 42; 24:14; 26:7; Rom 1:9; 2 Tim 1:3; Heb 9:14.

In Daniel 7:14, 18, 22, 27 (Aramaic), both the “Son of Man” and “the saints of the Most High” receive pelach—the same Aramaic word normally translated “serve/worship.” Many English versions soften v. 27 to avoid implying the saints receive divine worship: “serve them” (RSV, NEB, NJPS).

So despite claims that latreuō is used only of God in Hellenistic Jewish Greek. Aquila’s Greek version uses latreuō for human service in Gen 14:4 and Deut 28:48. The book of Judith (LXX/Apocrypha) 3:8 uses latreuō of Nebuchadnezzar: the nations “served/worshiped” the king as a god. Deut 28:48 LXX applies latreuō to Israel’s forced service to their enemies. Lastly, Isaiah 45:14 (of Gentile nations coming to restored Israel):

• Hebrew: “They shall bow down to you … and pray [pālal] to you.”
• LXX: “They shall make supplication to you … and worship [proskyneō] you.”
• NET Bible note: “Israel’s vassals are portrayed as so intimidated and awed that they treat Israel as an intermediary to God or sub-deity.”

This prophetic picture shows that Scripture can envisage exalted human/collective entities (Israel, the saints, the Son of Man) receiving acts of profound reverence, including forms of “worship” and prayer, without committing idolatry.

These examples demonstrate that even in post-exilic Greek translations, latreuō is not absolutely restricted to the true God.

A major New Testament shift: worship is decentralized. No longer confined to the Jerusalem temple, true worship (latreuō) is now to be offered “in spirit and truth” at all times and in all places (John 4:23–24). Paul can even describe his missionary preaching as “serving/worshiping God” (latreuō – Rom 1:9; Phil 3:3). So that in the NT [latreuō] is never used of service or worship given to Christ there is no instance of [latreuō] which has Christ as its object.

To summarize:

• The NT deliberately never uses latreuō of Jesus, a fact acknowledged even by Trinitarian scholars.
• Neither the Aramaic pelach nor the Greek latreuō in Second-Temple sources is strictly limited to divine worship; both are used of exalted human figures and nations.
• Biblical idolatry is defined as worshiping created things as if they were the one true God or alongside Him as separate deities (Exod 20:3–5; Rom 1:25)—not as giving supreme honor, obedience, and devotional acts to the uniquely exalted Messiah/Son of Man who shares the identity and throne of the Most High (Dan 7; Heb 1:3–6; Rev 5).

The biblical data shows that terms like latreuo (Greek) and pelach (Aramaic) are not as theologically rigid as some doctrinal arguments assume. While latreuo in the NT typically denotes religious service offered to God alone, it is never used of Jesus. Likewise, the Aramaic pelach is not restricted to divine worship. Daniel 7 and Isaiah 45 further demonstrate that “worship” language can be applied to exalted human or representative figures without implying deity.

Therefore, appeals to these terms to prove Christ’s deity rely on assumptions not supported by the textual and linguistic evidence. Instead, the biblical understanding of idolatry and worship remains tied to acknowledging the one God of Israel and not ascribing His divine identity to any other being.