Topical Bible: Praise: Offered to Christ

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Praise, as an expression of reverence and adoration, is a central theme in Christian worship and is frequently directed towards Jesus Christ, acknowledging His divine nature, redemptive work, and sovereign authority. The New Testament provides numerous instances where Christ is the recipient of praise, reflecting His unique role in the Godhead and His fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah.

Biblical Instances of Praise to Christ

1. The Nativity and Early Life of Christ: From the very beginning of His earthly life, Jesus was the object of praise. The angels heralded His birth with a chorus of praise, declaring, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!" (Luke 2:14). The Magi, upon finding the child Jesus, "fell down and worshiped Him" (Matthew 2:11), offering gifts that symbolized His kingship, divinity, and sacrificial death.

2. Christ's Triumphal Entry: As Jesus entered Jerusalem, the crowds acclaimed Him with shouts of praise, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. They cried out, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" and "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Matthew 21:9). This public acknowledgment of Jesus as the Messiah was a significant moment of collective praise.

3. Miracles and Teachings: Throughout His ministry, Jesus performed miracles that led many to glorify God. After Jesus healed a paralytic, the crowd "were all struck with awe and glorified God" (Luke 5:26). Similarly, after Jesus calmed the storm, His disciples worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God" (Matthew 14:33).

4. The Resurrection and Ascension: The resurrection of Christ is the cornerstone of Christian faith and a profound reason for praise. The women who encountered the risen Christ "clasped His feet and worshiped Him" (Matthew 28:9). Following His ascension, the disciples "worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy" (Luke 24:52), continuing to praise God in the temple.

5. Heavenly Praise: The Book of Revelation provides a glimpse into the heavenly worship of Christ. The Lamb, representing Jesus, is the focus of celestial praise: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!" (Revelation 5:12). This scene underscores the eternal nature of Christ's worthiness to be praised.

Theological Significance

The praise offered to Christ is not merely an acknowledgment of His deeds but a recognition of His divine identity. As the second person of the Trinity, Jesus is worthy of the same honor and glory as the Father. The act of praising Christ is both a response to His love and grace and an affirmation of His lordship over all creation.

Practical Implications for Believers

For believers, offering praise to Christ is an integral part of worship and daily life. It involves both personal devotion and corporate worship, expressed through prayer, song, and acts of service. By praising Christ, Christians align themselves with the truth of His Word and participate in the eternal worship that transcends time and space.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

John 12:13
Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that comes in the name of the Lord.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Christ and the Unstable.
... must also meet with the same opposition which He experienced, and Christ's pain
must ... the contrary, He acknowledged it as a good thing, as praise offered to God ...
/.../schleiermacher/selected sermons of schleiermacher/v christ and the unstable.htm

Christ Glorified as the Builder of his Church
... No acceptable service can be offered to Christ except by ... him; he is baptized, he
honors Christ Another comes ... to offer sacrifice of prayer and praise unto the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/christ glorified as the builder.htm

The Praise of Unity.
... Chapter V."The praise of unity ... to God, prevail for the granting of all their petitions
in Christ! ... in the society where sacrifices [523] are offered, and with ...
/.../the epistle of ignatius to the ephesians/chapter v the praise of unity.htm

Article iii: of Christ.
... it does not read thus: Through Christ you have ... is manifested, ie, the remission of
sins is freely offered. ... should Paul so highly extol and praise grace?] For ...
/.../melanchthon/the apology of the augsburg confession/part 2 article iii of.htm

Nun.
... to be fruitless, nor any sin unpunished; but, because the body of Christ hath suffered ...
of the mouth are well understood the sacrifices of praise, offered up in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/nun.htm

With How Great Reverence Christ must be Received
... These are Thy words, O Christ, Eternal Truth; though not ... building his magnificent
temple to the praise of Thy ... the feast of its dedication, offered a thousand ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/kempis/imitation of christ/chapter i with how great.htm

Christ as Righteousness; as the Demiurge, the Agent of the Good ...
... question of the greater than the demiurge; Christ we have ... Himself as the sacrifice
which is offered once for all ... since they are His brethren, and praise Him for ...
/.../origens commentary on the gospel of john/40 christ as righteousness as.htm

The First Day in Passion-Week - Palm-Sunday - the Royal Entry into ...
... truly did they thus interpret and apply the Psalm, old and new Davidic praise mingling
in ... 5073] as if the homage of its services had been offered to Christ. ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter i the first day.htm

In Regard to the Saints who Having Died in the Body Live in Christ ...
... short, divest and defraud of due praise everything which ... that the public prayers
which are offered up in ... conclude with the words, through Jesus Christ our Lord ...
/.../calvin/of prayer--a perpetual exercise of faith/chapter 21 in regard to.htm

The Aggravated Guilt of Him who Delivered Christ to Pilate.
... "The wrath of man would thus be made to praise God;" and the ... Though the best services
of fallen man are imperfect, and mercy offered in Christ his only hope ...
/.../lee/sermons on various important subjects/sermon xii the aggravated guilt.htm