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Index to All Nine Chapters
The Deity of Christ Part II
The Strikingly Significant Parallels Between Yahweh In The Old Testament and Jesus In The New. What The Jehovah's Witnesses Maintain.
The Deity of Christ Part III
Should Jesus Be Worshipped?
THIS PAGE - The Deity of Christ Part I
The Jehovah's Witnesses say they "follow the teachings and example of Jesus Christ" and honor him as their Savior and as the Son of God. "but have learned from the Bible that Jesus is not Almighty God and that there is no Scriptural basis for the Trinity doctrine" [01] There are two issues here. One is the belief that there is no Scriptural basis for the Trinity doctrine and the second is that Jesus is not divine. The first is correct - the second is not.
The Trinity
Although it is beyond doubt that the Bible shows a plurality in the Godhead, there is absolutely no evidence that the Holy Spirit is the 'third person of the trinity' - a 'co-equal member of the Godhead'.
The Divinity of Jesus Christ.
The Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe that Jesus is God Almighty and have changed or mistranslated their Bible to reflect this belief. They have unfortunately not taken into consideration everything Jesus said about Himself, the language He used, His actions, how His contemporaries viewed Him, what they said about Him etc. etc.
The Visions
Isaiah's vision and what John said about it. Also a comparison between John and Daniel's visions
The Claims Jesus Made
During his time on earth Jesus made some outrageous claims that ordinary people wouldn't make unless they were stark raving mad or, at the very least, suffered from grandiose delusions.
Four Prophecies
Prophecies that were made by Yahweh about Himself in the Old Testament were either quoted in the New Testament as referring to Jesus or were exactly fulfilled by Jesus.
The Doxologies
The apostles used the same exact words when speaking about God the Father or Jesus.
Who Was Prayed To?
Prayers directed to God the Father were also applied to Jesus which would be outright blasphemy if Jesus were not God.
The Trinity
The doctrine of the trinity is one of mainstream Christianity's most universally accepted and hallowed doctrines held sacrosanct by Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox believers alike. From about the 4th century AD, the standard position of the church is that the trinity is only one God, who exists as three distinct, but equal, persons. Although most people cannot wrap their heads around, much less explain, the concept of the trinity, the vast majority of Christians believe it to be an unassailable and inviolable doctrine that comes straight from the pages of Scripture itself.
It isn't!
Please Note: Challenging the doctrine of the Trinity does not mean challenging the Divinity of Christ and it does not mean challenging the Divinity of the Holy Spirit. The New Testament abounds with proof of the deity of Jesus Christ - and Acts 5:3-4 is more than enough to clinch the issue of the Holy Spirit being God.
Although it is beyond doubt that the Bible shows a plurality in the Godhead, there is absolutely no evidence that the Holy Spirit is the 'third person of the trinity' - a 'co-equal member of the Godhead'. Much to the contrary there is plenty of Biblical evidence against it. Yet, the modern church has decided that belief in the trinity is a prerequisite to salvation. This in spite of the fact that God has never said nothing of the kind and Jesus made no such stipulation. How is that not adding to the word of God?
When non-Christians hang on to the beliefs they may have held from childhood, we urge them to examine the evidence for themselves. Yet Christians rarely seem to take their own advice, seemingly unwilling to even consider that any of the doctrines they have unquestioningly accepted may not conform to what the Bible teaches.
See Is God a Trinity?
The Divinity of Christ
According to the 2005 issue of The Watchtower, the Scriptures show
... that Jesus is not God Almighty. Instead, he is God's Son." [02]
In order to 'prove' their theories, the Jehovah's Witnesses have tampered with the verses in the New Testament that clearly indicate the deity of Christ. They have adding words to or removing words from the text in order to support their doctrine. Here is one example,
Three of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) are called the synoptic Gospels because in telling the story they have similar approaches . All three concentrate on what Jesus did and what He taught. John on the other hand was completely different - he focused on who Jesus was rather than what He said or did. This is evident from the very beginning of his book the opening statement of which reads
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1 NASB).
Because the Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe Jesus is God, they have added the word 'a' to the last part of this verse i.e. "and the Word was a god". The problem here is that saying that Jesus is "a god" implies that there is another god besides YHWH. See more on this in the Chapter Manipulating Scripture
We need to pay attention to the fact that the Bible is not a number of books by different authors that just happens to be bound in one volume. Much to the contrary, it is an integrated whole maintaining consistency, harmony, and continuity from cover to cover. It has one message from Genesis to Revelation with no discrepancy nor contradiction. Considering it was written over 1500 years by men who differed widely in background, education, status, etc. it is a literary miracle impossible to account for ordinary and natural principles. No other book in history can make the same claim. See Authorship of The Bible
Every word in the Bible is part of a sentence; every sentence is part of a paragraph; every paragraph is part of a book; and every book is part of the whole of Scripture. Thus interpreting a single sentence without taking all passages that speak of or have any bearing on the subject in question is like deciding what a painting is about by examining a single square inch of it.
When it comes to the Deity of Christ one has to take into consideration everything Jesus said about Himself, the language He used, His actions, how His contemporaries viewed Him, what they said about Him etc. etc.
This is a long and involved topic but let's begin by comparing two statements - one made by Isaiah and the other by John.
The Visions
Isaiah and What John Said About His Vision
Isaiah very clearly said he saw God the Father,
In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord (Heb. adônây) sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord (Heb. Yahweh) of hosts." (Isaiah 6:1, 5 NASB)
But John was equally clear that Isaiah had seen the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 36 provides context
(36) "While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light." These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them. (37) But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him. (38) This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke: "Lord, who has believed our report? and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" (39) For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, (40) "He has blinded their eyes and he hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and be converted and I heal them." (41) These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him. (John 12:36-41 NASB)
Comparing John and Daniel's Visions
Similarly we should compare the description of the Ancient of Days in the book of Daniel with John's vision of "someone like a son of man" in Revelation 1
I kept looking until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, It's wheels were a burning fire. (Daniel 7:9 NASB)
Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lamp stands; and in the middle of the lamp stands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. (Revelation 1:11-14 NASB)
After a adding a few more details of the one like a son of man whom he saw, John made it very clear that he was describing Jesus , the only One who died and came back to life - permanently.
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. (Revelation 1:17-18 NASB)
The Claims Jesus Made
During his time on earth Jesus made some outrageous claims that ordinary people wouldn't make unless they were stark raving mad or, at the very least, suffered from grandiose delusions.
The significance of some of what Jesus said about Himself was not lost on His opponents who correctly understood them to be declarations of equality with God. For example, when Jesus said "Before Abraham was born, I am" (John 8:58), He was not only claiming existence prior to Abraham but, even more tellingly, was using the same appellation God gave Himself. See how the Jehovah's Witnesses have mistranslated this verse HERE
In John 10 Jesus plainly asserted, "I and the Father are one.” This led the Jews to pick up stones to stone Him, charging Him with making Himself out to be God. Again, Jesus didn't correct them, but affirmed their accusations.
and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. "I and the Father are one." The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?" The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God." (John 10:28-33 NASB)I
In John 14:9, after Philip asked Jesus to show them the Father, He replied, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
In John 5:21-23 Jesus made a further claim to Deity saying, (21) "For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. (22) "For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, (23) so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
In verse 21 and 22 Jesus stated that He had the same power and authority as the Father - power to raise the dead and the authority to judge. However, in order to accurately judge all men one would have to be omniscient (have total or infinite knowledge) which none but a Divine Being can be. Angels are not omniscient.
In verse 23 Jesus said "so that all will honor the Son even as (Gr. kathos ) they honor the Father. The Greek word kathos is used many times in the New Testament and means exactly what it says - 'in the same way'.
Be merciful, just as (Gr. kathos ) your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:36 NASB)
Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1 NASB)
If the Son were not God, then it would be wrong to honor the Son just as they honor the Father.
John 20:28-29 Also, in John 20:28-29, Thomas exclaimed to the risen Savior "My Lord and my God!” - literally "the (Ho) Lord (kyrios) of me (mou) and (kai) the (ho) God (theos) of me (mou). Jesus didn't rebuke him for blasphemy, but rather commended his faith. [03]
And Jesus wasn't making these statements in a vacuum. The next piece of evidence will show that numerous Old Testament prophecies or statements in the Old Testament that were made by Yahweh about Himself were either quoted in the New Testament as referring to Jesus or exactly fulfilled by Jesus
Four Prophecies
Whose Way Would Be Prepared by The Messenger?
The following two verses speak of the messenger who would prepare the way of the Lord. We can know that these verses are speaking about God the Father because only He was called Yahweh.
Note: Although êlôhîym was sometimes used for pagan 'gods', and even a human being was called êlôhîym on a couple of occasions (See The Deification of Man) the vast majority of the over 2500 occurrences of êlôhîym in the Old Testament refer to God the Father. In fact, the Bible opens with the words "In the beginning God (Heb. elôhîym) created the heavens and the earth.
Bearing this in mind read the prophecies about the Father made by Malachi and Isaiah.
Behold, I am going to send My messenger (Heb. mal'âk), and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord (Heb. âdôn), whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming," says the Lord (Heb Yahweh) of hosts. (Malachi 3:1 NASB)
A voice is calling, "Clear the way for the Lord (Heb Yahweh) in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God (Heb. elôhîym). (Isaiah 40:3 NASB)
These prophecies were applied to Christ by Matthew and Luke. The messenger was John The Baptist who heralded Jesus' public ministry. Note: We tend to largely associate messengers of God with angels however, a mal'âk can also be prophet, priest, or teacher.
And you, child (John The Baptist), will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways; (Luke 1:76 NASB)
This is the one about whom it is written, 'behold, I send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare Your way before You.' (Matthew 11:10 NASB)
Whose Side Would be Pierced?
The following statement in the Old Testament was quite obviously made by the Father. Note the change from the first to the third person - "I" and "Me" to "Him".
And in that day I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. "I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. (Zechariah 12:9-10 NASB)
Although the Father said "they will look on Me whom they have pierced", it was Jesus whose side was wounded by the Roman soldier's lance..
But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out... For these things came to pass to fulfill the Scripture, "Not a bone of Him shall be broken." And again another Scripture says, "they shall look on Him whom they pierced." (John 19:34, 36-37 NASB)
Who Was To Be a Stone Of Stumbling And A Rock Of Offense?
Isaiah 8:13-14 refer to Yahweh as the one who would become a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.
It is the Lord of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, And He shall be your dread. "Then He shall become a sanctuary; But to both the houses of Israel , a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over, and a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (Isaiah 8:13-14 NASB)
The New Testament applies these very same terms to Jesus.
you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture: "Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, and he who believes in Him will not be disappointed." This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, "the stone which the builders rejected, this became the very corner stone," and, "a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense"; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed. (1 Peter 2:5-8 NASB)
Valued At 30 Pieces Of Silver?
In the eleventh chapter of his book Zechariah acted out a prophecy and made himself out to be a shepherd. When he asked to be given his wages he was paid thirty pieces of silver. Although this was not an insignificant amount it was the price of a slave (See Exodus 21:32). God then instructed the prophet to give the silver to the potter. What needs to be noted is that the Lord said this was the 'magnificent' price at which He was valued by them.
I said to them, "If it is good in your sight, give me my wages; but if not, never mind!" So they weighed out thirty shekels of silver as my wages. Then the Lord said to me, "Throw it to the potter, that magnificent price at which I was valued by them." So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the Lord. (Zechariah 11:12-13)
In the New Testament, it was Jesus who was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver. In self recrimination Judas threw the money into the temple sanctuary which the priests used to buy the Potter's Field
And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself. The chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, "It is not lawful to put them into the temple treasury, since it is the price of blood." And they conferred together and with the money bought the Potter's Field as a burial place for strangers. (Matthew 27:5-7)
The Doxologies
Note how Peter concluded His prayer in his first letter,
After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:10-11 NASB)
The words "to Him" very clearly referred to the Father who would perfect and establish the believers Peter was writing to. Yet, more than once the apostle used the exact words when speaking about Jesus.
Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:11 NASB)
but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. (2 Peter 3:18 NASB)
As did John
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood - and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father - to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5-6 NASB)
Who Was Prayed To?
Prayers directed to God the Father were also applied to Jesus which would be outright blasphemy if Jesus were not God. Psalm 102 was written by someone who was very distressed and, according to verse 1, was 'pouring out his complaint' to Yahweh.
Of old You founded the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. "Even they will perish, but You endure; And all of them will wear out like a garment; Like clothing You will change them and they will be changed. "But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end. (Psalms 102:25-27 NASB)
In Hebrews 1:10-12, a section of this very prayer is addressed to the Son as the Creator who laid the foundation of the earth. Verses 8 and 9 provide context.
(8) But of the Son He says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of his kingdom. (9) "you have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your companions." (10) And, "You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Your hands; (11) they will perish, but You remain; and they all will become old like a garment, (12) and like a mantle you will roll them up; like a garment they will also be changed. but You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end." (Hebrews 1:8-12 NASB)
In fact almost the entire chapter is a testimony to Jesus being God. If Jesus was Michael the archangel before his birth as Jehovah's Witnesses believe then verses 5 and 13 make no sense whatever.
For to which of the angels did He ever say, "You are my Son, today I have begotten You"? ... But to which of the angels has He ever said, "sit at my right hand, until i make your enemies a footstool for your feet"? (Hebrews 1:5,13 NAS
Nor do verses 6 and 8
And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, "and let all the angels of God worship Him." .... But of the Son He says, "Your throne, o God, is forever and ever, (Hebrews 1:6, 8 NASB)
Continue on to Part II of The Deity of Christ - The Strikingly Significant Parallels Between Yahweh In The Old Testament and Jesus In The New. HERE
End Notes
[01] What Do Jehovah's Witnesses Believe? https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/jehovah-witness-beliefs/
[02] Watchtower 9/15/2005, p. 7 Who Is Jesus Christ? https://faithleaks.org/wiki/documents/9/93/W_E_20050915.pdf
[03] Steven J. Cole. Bible.org. Lesson 79: Joy and Peace for Troubled Times (John 14:25-31)
https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-79-joy-and-peace-troubled-times-john-1425-31
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