Todd Clippard

Topic(s): Bible Study

Some members of the church mistakenly refer to Psalm 111:9 as proof that, ‘in the Bible, only God's name is called reverend.’ However, this argument fails in several ways.

While it is true that the word "reverend" only appears in reference to God in the KJV Bible, the original Hebrew word appears over 325 times in varying ways. For example:

It is used again in connection to God in Psalm 89:7 -- "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence (same word - JTC) of all them that are about him."

But it is also used in reference to God’s Word in Exodus 9:20 -- "He that feared (i.e. had respect unto -- JTC = same word) the word of the Lord . . ."

It was also used in reference to the tabernacle- Leviticus 19:30 -- "Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD." (cf Lev 26:2).

It was also used in reference to men:
Genesis 19:30 Lot feared (same word) the inhabitants of Zoar and thus dwelled in a cave
Genesis 32:11 Jacob feared (same word) Esau
Exodus 2:4 Moses was afraid (same word) when the Israelite knew his secret
Joshua 4:14 the Israelites feared (same word) Joshua as they feared (same word) Moses
Joshua 10:1 Adonizedek, king of Jerusalem feared the Israelites.

The problem is not so much in the word "reverend" as it is in the use of religious titles to separate (elevate) some men above others in a religious sense. Jesus condemned the use of such religious titles in the New Testament in Matthew 23:5-12.

Elsewhere, the NT teaches that God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34-35; Romans 2:11). If God is no respecter of persons, then neither should we be.

There are words used to describe men in the New Testament: apostles, prophets, pastors/elders/bishops/overseers (all referring to the same man), but these describe the function of the man himself, and are never used as a means to elevate one man over another, or create some privileged class of people.