What does reverence mean in the bible

reverenced, reverences, reverencing

A feeling or attitude of deep respect, love, and awe, as for something sacred; veneration.

A manifestation of this; specif., a bow, curtsy, or similar gesture of respect; obeisance.

The state of being revered.

A title used in speaking to or of a member of the clergy.

reverenced, reverences, reverencing

To treat or regard with reverence; venerate.

Words Near Reverence in the Dictionary

3. (n.) That which deserves or exacts manifestations of reverence; reverend character; dignity; state.

4. (n.) A person entitled to be revered; -- a title applied to priests or other ministers with the pronouns his or your; sometimes poetically to a father.

5. (v. t.) To regard or treat with reverence; to regard with respect and affection mingled with fear; to venerate.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

rev'-er-ens: In the Old Testament, "reverence" occurs as the translation of two Hebrew words, yare' and shachah. The root idea of the former is "fear." It is used to express the attitude toward God Himself, as in Psalm 89:7 the King James Version; or toward His sanctuary, as in Leviticus 19:30; Leviticus 26:2. So the group of ideas there would be "fear," "awe," "reverence." The root idea of the second is "falling down," as prostration of the body. It is used to express the bearing toward another who is considered superior, as in 2 Samuel 9:6 the King James Version; 1 Kings 1:31 the King James Version; Esther 3:2, 5. The group of ideas here, therefore, is "honor," "obeisance," "reverence."

In the New Testament "reverence" occurs as the translation of three Greek words, aidos, phobeomai, and entrepomai. In the first, the idea is "modesty" (Hebrews 12:28; compare 1 Timothy 2:9). In the second, "fear" (Ephesians 5:33 the King James Version), though here it is used to set forth the attitude of proper subjection on the part of a wife toward her husband (compare 1 Peter 3:2, 5). In the third, the idea is that of the "self-valuation of inferiority," and so sets forth an attitude toward another of doing him honor (Matthew 21:37 Mark 12:6 Luke 20:13 Hebrews 12:9).

In the Apocrypha entrepomai occurs in The Wisdom of Solomon 2:10; Sirach 4:22. In addition, proskuneo, "make obeisance," occurs in Judith 10:23; 14:07; thaumazo, "wonder," Sirach 7:29, and aischunomai, "be ashamed," Baruch 4:15.

"Reverend" occurs in the Old Testament in Psalm 111:9, of the name of God (yare'), and in the Apocrypha in 2 Maccabees 15:12, "a man reverend (aidemon, "modest") in bearing," and in the New Testament the Revised Version (British and American) has "reverent in demeanor" (hieroprepes) in Titus 2:3 and "reverend" in Philippians 4:8 margin (semnos).

What does reverence mean?  How does the Bible define reverence?  Let’s examine the Scriptures to see.

Root Meaning of Reverence

The Hebrew word for fear is “yare” and it literally means “to fear, be afraid, or to revere.”  Other meanings of this word in Hebraic (Qal) are to “stand in awe, to have a deep respect or honor.”  As for the way the word fear is used in the New Testament Greek, “phobe” from which we get the word phobia, means to “put to flight by terrifying, to flee, or be afraid” but also has the meaning of “reverence and to hesitate.”  So when we are told to fear God we are commanded to have a deep, abiding respect for Him which includes a holy, reverential fear or honor of Him because He is able to cast both body and soul into hell (Matt 10:28) which man has only the power to kill the body.  Jesus was telling His followers that persecution would be coming (Matt 10:16-25) but to not fear man but to fear only God because only God has the ability to cast both the body and the soul into hell and “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb 10:31).

Should Clergy Be Called Reverend?

I am only a pastor, an under-shepherd to the Great Shepherd but one man once called my by the title “Reverend” to which I recoiled from and I told him “Only God is reverend” because we are to not stand in awe, be afraid of, or terrified of any man.”  I was not comfortable with this title and I am not judging those who use this as part of their title in the clergy but I cannot take that name to myself knowing the root word or meaning in both the Old Testament Hebrew and the New Testament Greek.  I think only God can have that reference because God alone is to be honored, revered, and deeply respected.  God is a respecter of no man but all men are to be a respecter of Him.  I moved from disaster to pastor but this was only by the grace of God.  I do not ask the church where I pastor at to call me pastor or preacher but just call me what they feel comfortable with.  They can call me Jack, pastor, preacher or whatever but I reject the title of reverend because to be called reverend is showing me far too much honor and respect because I am still a sinner.  Reverend can be used as an adjective, title or noun and I believe it should only be reserved for God.  I would hope that no one would fear me but fear only God and fear is a form of a reverential, holy, deep and abiding respect and honor for the only One Who is worthy of it.  There is true wisdom in fearing God (Prov 9:10) but fearing man is a stumbling block (Prov 29:25).

Fear or Reverence of God

Paul talks about having reverence for God in Ephesians 5:21 with respect to “submitting ourselves to one another out of reverence for Christ” and we should “offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (Heb 12:28c-29) because even Jesus “offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence” for God (Heb 5:7) in the Garden of Gethsemane.   Believers have or at least should have a fear or reverence for God for He is so holy that He is totally other and is transcendent above His creation.  To have reverence for God is to stand in awe of Him for all that He has done to redeem us.  This redemptive love should make us stand in wonder and amazement that He would die for us while were still His enemies and “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8).  This is the primary reason that when I pray, if at all possible for where I am at during the day, I fall on my face and at times, lay prostate on the ground in showing God that He is above all things and that He is worthy to be praised, adored, honored, respected, feared, and reverenced.   This is what many of the saints did in the Old Testament or in the New Testament when they came into the presence of God.

Conclusion

If you haven’t yet repented and trusted in Christ, you have every reason to fear God because your day of judgment is coming at the day of your death (Heb 9:27) when all flesh will be judged according to what they  have done in this life (Rev 20:11-15) and if you haven’t had the righteousness of Christ imputed to your account (2 Cor 5:21) then know this; “whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36).  Either you can have Christ pay for your sins or you will have to pay for them in all of eternity.  Adam and Eve had this kind of fear because of their sin and that is why they hid and Adam told God; “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself” (Gen 3:10).  A child tends to hide from their parents when they know that they’ve done something wrong.  There is no need to fear because “whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned [but] whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (John 3:16b-18) because Jesus says “Whoever is not with me is against me” (Matt 12:30a).  Believe me, you don’t what Christ against you…you want Him with you…or you really have to fear God in a much broader and more terrifying sense.

Another Reading on Patheos to Check Out: What Did Jesus Really Look Like: A Look at the Bible Facts

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book  Blind Chance or Intelligent Design available on Amazon

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