THE DEITY OF CHRIST #2
David J. Riggs
(Note: I am indebted to Bill Walton for much of the following
material).
Intro.
A. The Jehovah's Witnesses are an organization established by
Charles Taze Russell close to the end of the nineteenth
century.
1. Judge J.F. Rutherford further streamlined the organization
and gave them their name "Jehovah's Witnesses."
2. The Witnesses are guided by the Watchtower Bible and
Tract Society. This Society is the teaching arm of the
group, and it exercises great control over its members.
a. An example of its control is shown in a situation in
which the members of the church in Auburn, Alabama
arranged a public debate with a Jehovah's Witnesses'
teacher. The Witness thought a public debate where the
Bible would be closely examined was a wonderful idea.
b. However, the Watchtower Society told him he could
not have a debate. He then promptly canceled.
B. In this lesson we will consider the proof-texts that the
Witnesses give in an effort to support their denial of the
deity of Christ.
C. Their statements of belief and the passages they use (mis-use)
as proof are taken from their own publication, "Make Sure of
All Things, Hold Fast To What Is Fine," page 282-288.
I. Jehovah's Witnesses teach, "Jesus Was the First Creation by
God." (Make Sure of All Things Hold Fast to What is Fine" p. 282).
A. In support of their claim, they quote, first of all, Rev. 3:14.
1. The word for "beginning" as used in the New Testament
means:
a. "Primacy in regard to time" that is, the commencement
of a thing.
(1) This application to Rev. 3:14 would be in accord
with Jehovah's Witnesses' doctrine, but would
contradict other passages, e.g., John 1:3.
b. "Primacy in regard to rank and authority." It is often
translated "power," "rule" and "principality" in other
verses. Luke 20:20; 1 Cor. 15:24; Eph. 1:21
(1) Jesus was not the first part of God's creation, but
was the head and prince of God's creation.
(2) He created all things and sustains all things.
B. They also give Col. 1:15 in support of their claim.
1. The Apostle does not represent Christ as the first thing God
created is shown by the next verse. Verse 16
a. Jesus holds the elevated rank of a firstborn, - "For by
Him were all things created in heaven and on earth."
b. Jesus is the firstborn, not by actual generation, but by
authority.
c. The term is used in this sense many times in the Bible
when it is obvious that the literal meaning is not
appropriate.
(1) Psalm 89:27 - Was the Lord promising to make
David "firstborn" by natural generation? No, he
exalted Him to a high position.
(2) Ex. 4:22 - Again, it is obvious that "firstborn" is
used to indicate privilege and preeminence.
(a) Israel was God's chosen people and He had
placed them above all other nations.
d. Christ is therefore "firstborn" or preeminent because by
Him all things were created and all things consist or are
held together.
II. Jehovah's Witnesses teach "Through Him All Other Things Were
Created." (Make Sure of All Things Hold Fast to What is Fine, p.
282).
A. Their proof text - Col. 1:16-17
1. Their Scriptural quotation is taken from their own New
World Translation and is an outright perversion of the text.
2. The very fact that they thought it necessary to insert
"other" into the text shows that the passage, correctly
rendered, is a devastating blow to their doctrine. (See Col.
1:16-17,20)
B. The word "other" does not appear in the original Greek text and
is not found in any translation of the Bible except their own.
1. Adding to God's word is a very serious offense. Rev. 22:18-
19; Deut. 4:2; Prov. 30:5-6
2. Jesus is ever set forth in the Scripture as the Creator of
all things, but never as the Creator of all other things.
III. Jehovah's Witnesses teach that "Jesus Is Referred to as a Mighty
God, but not Almighty God, Jehovah." (Make Sure of All Things
Hold Fast to What is Fine" p. 282).
A. The proof text they give for this is Isa. 9:6.
1. Isa. 9:6 is commonly understood by Christians to be one of
the clearest O.T. affirmations to the Deity of Jesus Christ.
2. It is acknowledged even by Jehovah's witnesses that this
passage predicts the coming Messiah.
a. Yet the Witnesses evade the clear teaching of the
passage when they say, "He (Jesus Christ) is a 'Mighty
God,' but not the Almighty God who is Jehovah."
b. However, the Hebrew expression here translated Mighty
God ('ell gibboor) is also used in Isa. 10:21.
c. The Witnesses argue that Mighty God ('ell gibboor) is
not preceded by the definite article in Isa. 9:6 and
therefore means "a mighty God."
(1) But this distinction is refuted by the fact that the
definite article is also omitted in Isa. 10:21.
d. In the N.T., the name Christ is sometimes used with the
article, and at other times without the article - "the
Christ" in Matt. 16:16 and Acts 26:23 (ASV) and
"Christ" in Rom. 5:6 and in many other passages.
(1) Does this mean that there are two Christs, one as
"the Christ" and the other as "a Christ"?
B. Perhaps the best-known N.T. passage to which the Witnesses
appeal is John 1:1, which is translated in the NWT as follows:
"In the beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was a god."
1. In an appendix found on pages 773-774 of the NWT (1951
Edition), the Watchtower editors try to justify their
translation of John 1:1 by saying, "Careful translators
recognize that the articular construction of the noun (that
is, the construction in which a noun appears with the
definite article) points to an identity, a personality,
whereas an anarthrous construction (a construction in which
a noun appears without the definite article) points to a
quality about someone." (p. 774).
a. They are saying when "God" (Theos) appears without
the definite article, it must be rendered, "a god."
2. Let me emphatically state that this argumentation is simply
not true.
a. "Theos" is used in the N.T. many times in reference to
the true God, sometimes with, and sometimes without
the article.
b. As a matter of fact, Jehovah's Witnesses do not follow
the above-mentioned rule themselves in their NWT.
(1) In the very chapter under consideration, for
example, the word "Theos" occurs at least four
other times without the definite article, and yet in
each instance it is rendered "God," not "a god."
John 1:6,12,13,18
3. It is abundantly clear that Jehovah's Witnesses do not
believe their own statement about the articular and an
anarthrous construction of the noun since they do not follow
their rule in their own translation.
IV. Jehovah's Witnesses teach that "Jesus is Lesser than Jehovah."
(Make Sure of All Things Hold Fast to What is Fine" p. 282).
A. Their proof text for this is Phil. 2:5-8.
1. The Jehovah's Witnesses deny the equality of the Father and
Son and contradict Paul's plain affirmation of it by
twisting the passage to fit their own doctrine, "...existing
in God's form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely,
that he should be equal with God." (NWT)
2. Such a rendering is impossible, as the context clearly
shows.
a. Paul is pointing to Jesus as the perfect example of
humility, and instructs us to have the same mind.
b. For Christ failing to attempt a seizure to be equal with
God would not be an example of humility. According to
them (and their translation) He was not equal to God to
start with.
c. It would be like saying that a servant was humble
because he did not consider a seizure to be king.
However, if the person was a king and became a
servant, this would be humility.
d. We quote here Phil. 2:4 from several reliable
translations: ASV, NASV, KJV, NKJV, and NIV.
(1) The KJV and NKJV are saying that it would not
have been robbery for Him to hold or retain His
equality with God.
Concl.
A. We have shown beyond any shadow of doubt that Jesus Christ is
God. John 1:1-3
1. Will you not confess Him as your Lord and God? John
20:27-29; Rom. 10:9
2. Will you not continue to confess Him as Lord and God in
you daily living? 1 Tim. 6:11-14