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Index to All Nine Chapters
The Deity of Christ Part I
The Jehovah’s Witnesses say they have learned from the Bible that there is absolutely no evidence that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the trinity and Jesus is not Almighty God.
The Deity of Christ Part III
Should Jesus Be Worshipped?
THIS PAGE - The Deity of Christ Part II
The Strikingly Significant Parallels Between Yahweh In The Old Testament and Jesus In The New - Can we really be talking about God and a somehow lesser being here? What The Jehovah's Witnesses Maintain.
Titles Shared By God The Father and Jesus
including the First and The Last, the Alpha and The Omega, and the Beginning and The End. In fact, the parallels are so close that there can be no doubt that the same Person was being referred to in both sections of the Bible.
Attributes Shared By God The Father and Jesus
Include Omnipresence, Omniscience, Being Without Beginning Or End, Immutability, Power And Ability - inasmuch as who created the earth and heavens and who raised Jesus from the dead.
Common Roles
Both Father and Son are credited with being our shepherd, rock, hope, deliverer, judge etc.
Judgment and Salvation
Aren't we supposed to have just One Saviour and Redeemer. The Bible declares in no uncertain terms that God the Father alone is Savior, and only He could fill this role. Yet Jesus is called the savior of the world.
In The End of Days
Who Will Come With All His Holy Ones? Every Knee Shall Bow Before Whom? Who Will Take Vengeance on His Enemies? Whose Garments Will Be Stained With Blood? Who Will Judge the World And Give To Man According To His Ways and establish His Throne For all Eternity?
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Jesus - Michael the Archangel?
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the archangel Michael was God's very first creation - the rest of the universe subsequently created through him. Two passages presented as 'proof' are 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and Jude 9. But...
Hebrews
Hebrews can be summed up by four words - "The Superiority of Christ" - over various ancients, the temple sacrifices, and the Old Testament covenant itself. Jesus' comparison to and superiority over the angels is clearly seen in several verses of chapter one
Two Objections
Jehovah's Witnesses often point to the verse in which Jesus said no one, not even Him, knew the date and time of His second coming. and John 14:28 - Jesus' statement that the Father was greater then He.
Titles Shared By God The Father and Jesus
God the Father and Jesus shared common attributes and titles - including the First and The Last, the Alpha and The Omega, and the Beginning and The End In fact, the parallels are so close that there can be no doubt that the same Person was being referred to in both sections of the Bible.
Two Firsts And Two Lasts?
In the book of Isaiah the Father says several things about Himself...
Thus says the Lord (Heb. Yhvh), the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord (Heb. Yhvh) of hosts: 'I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me. (Isaiah 44:6 NASB) ten to Me, O Jacob, even Israel whom I called; I am He, I am the first, I am also the last. (Isaiah 48:12)
Yet, in the book of Revelation, Jesus says exactly the same thing about Himself. (Read context to know who is speaking)
When I saw Him (one like a son of man- Vs. 13), 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, (Revelation 1:17 NASB)
Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." (Revelation 22:12-13 NASB) See verse 16.
If the Father is the First and the Last and Jesus is the First and the Last they have to be the same person because there cannot be two firsts and two lasts.
Lord of Lords
In The Old Testament the Father is called "Lord of Lords"
"For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of Lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. (Deuteronomy 10:17 NASB)
Give thanks to the Lord of Lords, For His loving kindness is everlasting. (Psalms 136:2-3 NASB)
In The New Testament Jesus is called "Lord of Lords"
that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time - He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of Lords, (1 Timothy 6:14-15 NASB)
These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of Lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful. (Revelation 17:14 NASB)
And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "King of kings, and Lord of Lords." (Revelation 19:16 NASB)
King of Israel
God - "Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: 'I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me. (Isaiah 44:6)
Jesus - "He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. (Matthew 27:42)
Nathanael answered Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel." (John 1:49)
I don't see how there could be two kings of Israel!
Mighty God
However, perhaps one of the the most compelling pieces of evidence is the fact that both God the Father and Jesus are called “Mighty God”. In the ninth chapter of his book, Isaiah 9:6 says one of the titles of the coming Messiah will be "Mighty God" (Heb. El Gibbor).
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God (Heb. El Gibbor), Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6 NASB)
However, just one chapter earlier, Isaiah applied the title to God the Father - as did Jeremiah
Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God (Heb. El Gibbor). (Isaiah 10:20-21 NASB)
'Ah Lord (Heb. adônây) God (Heb. Yahweh) ! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You, who shows loving kindness to thousands, but repays the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children after them, O great and mighty God (Heb. El Gibbor). The Lord (Heb. Yahweh) of hosts is His name; (Jeremiah 32:17-18 NASB)
This is no ‘similarity’ of wording - the exact title is given both Jesus and Yahweh.
Attributes Shared By God The Father and Jesus
Omnipresence (Present everywhere simultaneously)
God - Can a man hide himself in hiding places So I do not see him?" declares the Lord (Heb. Yahweh). "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?" declares the Lord (Heb. Yahweh). (Jeremiah 23:24 NASB)
Jesus - For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." (Matthew 18:20 NASB)
Omniscience (Having complete or unlimited knowledge, awareness, or understanding - perceiving all things.
God - The eyes of the Lord (Heb. Yahweh) are in every place, Watching the evil and the good. (Proverbs 15:3 NASB)
Jesus - Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and *said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!" Nathanael *said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael answered Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel." (John 1:47-49 NASB)
Eternality - Without Beginning Or End
God - "The eternal God is a dwelling place, And underneath are the everlasting arms; And He drove out the enemy from before you, And said, 'Destroy!' (Deuteronomy 33:27)
Jesus -And, "You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Your hands; they will perish, but You remain; and they all will become old like a garment, 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 1:10-12 NASB)
Immutability... Does Not Change
1. God - 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.
"For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed. (Malachi 3:6)
Jesus - 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 1:12)
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)
Power And Ability
Creation
God - Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb, "I, the Lord, am the maker of all things, Stretching out the heavens by Myself And spreading out the earth all alone, (Isaiah 44:24)
"I have made the earth, the men and the beasts which are on the face of the earth by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and I will give it to the one who is pleasing in My sight. (Jeremiah 27:5)
Jesus. - All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. (John 1:3)
Who Raised Jesus From the Dead?
Several verses in the New Testament say God raised Jesus from the dead
"But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power... "This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. (Acts 2:24, 32 NASB)
let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead - by this name this man stands here before you in good health... "God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, (Acts 4:10, 10:40 NASB)
Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead), (Galatians 1:1)
having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. (Colossians 2:12 NASB)
...Yet, Jesus said that He would raise Himself up.
Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews then said, "It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?" But He was speaking of the temple of His body. (John 2:19-21 NASB)
Common Roles
Our Shepherd
God - He blessed Joseph, and said, "The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, (Genesis 48:15)
A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. (Psalms 23:1)
Oh, give ear, Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who are enthroned above the cherubim, shine forth! (Psalms 80:1)
Jesus - "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. (John 10:11)
Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, (Hebrews 13:20)
And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. (1 Peter 5:4)
Our Only Rock
God - The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalms 18:2)
'Do not tremble and do not be afraid; Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, Or is there any other Rock? I know of none.'" (Isaiah 44:8)
Jesus - and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:4)
Our Hope
God - For You are my hope; O Lord God, You are my confidence from my youth. (Psalms 71:5)
Jesus - Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope, (1 Timothy 1:1)
The Horn Of Our Salvation
God - My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; My savior, You save me from violence. (2 Samuel 22:3)
Jesus - "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant (Luke 1:68-69)
Our Deliverer
God - He said, "The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; (2 Samuel 22:2)
But I am afflicted and needy; Hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay. (Psalms 70:5)
Jesus - and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, "the Deliverer will come from Zion, he will remove ungodliness from Jacob." (Romans 11:26)
Our Judge -
God - Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?" (Genesis 18:25)
Those who contend with the Lord will be shattered; Against them He will thunder in the heavens, The Lord will judge the ends of the earth; And He will give strength to His king, And will exalt the horn of His anointed." (1 Samuel 2:10)
Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the Lord; For He is coming to judge the earth. (1 Chronicles 16:33)
And the heavens declare His righteousness, For God Himself is judge. Selah. (Psalms 50:6)
For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:14)
Jesus - "I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. (John 5:30)
I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: (2 Timothy 4:1)
And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. (Acts 10:42)
because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead." (Acts 17:31)
Judgment and Salvation
Furthermore, aren't we supposed to have just One Saviour and Redeemer so ...
Who is Our Savior?
The Bible declares in no uncertain terms that God the Father alone is Savior, and only He could fill this role.
"Declare and set forth your case; Indeed, let them consult together. Who has announced this from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, the Lord (Heb. Yahweh) ? And there is no other God (Heb. elôhîym) besides Me, A righteous God (Heb. el) and a Savior; There is none except Me. "Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God (Heb. êl) , and there is no other. (Isaiah 45:21-22 NASB)
"I, even I, am the Lord (Heb. Yahweh), And there is no savior besides Me. (Isaiah 43:11 NASB)
"You will also suck the milk of nations And suck the breast of kings; Then you will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. (Isaiah 60:16)
Yet I have been the Lord (Heb. Yahweh) your God (Heb. elôhîym) since the land of Egypt; And you were not to know any god except Me, For there is no savior besides Me. (Hosea 13:4 NASB)
So how could Jesus be called the Savior of the world, unless He was God?
for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11)
and they were saying to the woman (the woman at the well in Samaria), "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world." (John 4:42 NASB)
let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead - by this name this man stands here before you in good health... And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:10, 12 NASB)
looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, (Titus 2:13)
Simon Peter, a bond -servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: (2 Peter 1:1)
And, if He wasn't God, then He added insult to injury by claiming to be the only way to salvation. In His words - "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me" (John 14:6).
Those Who Call On The Name of The "Lord" Shall Be Saved...
"And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the Lord (Heb. Yahweh) will be delivered; For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem There will be those who escape, As the Lord (Heb. Yahweh) has said, Even among the survivors whom the Lord (Heb. Yahweh) calls. (Joel 2:32 NASB)
In Romans 10 which is all about salvation by faith in Christ, Paul echoing Joel 2:32 says that "whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved" However, while Joel was speaking about Yahweh, Paul was referring to Jesus
that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for "whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:9, 13 NASB)
And Whose Gospel Is It Anyway?
The Gospel is God's "good news" of salvation, a plan which He both decided on, and carried out. If Jesus were a created being, the authors of the New Testament would never have given credit that was due to God alone. the fact that they randomly switched between calling the Gospel the 'Gospel of God' and the 'Gospel of Christ' should tell us that they knew Christ to be God. For example Paul said the Gospel was the Gospel of God then, just three verses later, he said it was "the gospel of Christ."
to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God (Gr. theos), so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:16 NASB)
in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. (Romans 15:19 NASB)
Similarly, Paul alternated terms in two consecutive chapter of 1 Thessalonians
Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God (Gr. theos) but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us. (1 Thessalonians 2:8 NASB)
and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith, (1 Thessalonians 3:2 NASB)
Several other New Testament passages mention the "gospel of Christ" but Peter speaks of the gospel of God
If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. (1 Corinthians 9:12 NASB) Also see 2 Corinthians 9:13 and Galatians 1:7
For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God (Gr. theos)? (1 Peter 4:17 NASB)
And Whose Words Will Stand Forever?
God - The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation. (Psalms 33:11)
The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever. (Isaiah 40:8)
Jesus - Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. (Matthew 24:35)
Whose Spirit Dwells In Us?
God - However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. (Romans 8:9)
Jesus - Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" (Galatians 4:6)
In The End of Days
Who Will Come With All His Holy Ones?
God - As Zechariah wrote, in the day God's feet will stand on the Mount of Olives which will be split down the middle...
You will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord (Heb. Yahweh), my God (Heb. elôhîym), will come, and all the holy ones with Him! (Zechariah 14:5 NASB)
Jesus - so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:13)
Every Knee Shall Bow Before Whom?
God - Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God (Heb. êl), , and there is no other. "I have sworn by Myself, The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance. (Isaiah 45:22-23 NASB)
Paul was obviously very familiar with this verse from Isaiah, since he referred to it in the book of Romans, when he says "it is written"
For it is written, "as I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God (Gr theos)." (Romans 14:11 NASB)
Although, just two verses earlier, Paul spoke about Christ being Lord of both the dead and the living (Vs.9), some are not sure whether the apostle was referring to Jesus or God the Father. The book of Philippians in which Paul very clearly stated that every knee shall bow at the name of Jesus should settle the matter.
so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10-11 NASB)
Who Will Take Vengeance on His Enemies?
If you read the context, there is no question that God the Father is speaking about taking vengeance on His enemies
'Vengeance is Mine, and retribution, In due time their foot will slip; For the day of their calamity is near, And the impending things are hastening upon them.' "For the Lord (Heb. Yahweh) will vindicate His people, And will have compassion on His servants, When He sees that their strength is gone, And there is none remaining, bond or free... If I sharpen My flashing sword, And My hand takes hold on justice, I will render vengeance on My adversaries, And I will repay those who hate Me. (Deuteronomy 32:35-36, 41 NASB)
But it is the Lord Jesus Christ that actually renders vengeance.
and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 NASB)
Whose Garments Will Be Stained With Blood?
Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press? "I have trodden the wine trough alone, And from the peoples there was no man with Me. I also trod them in My anger And trampled them in My wrath; And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I stained all My raiment. (Isaiah 63:2-3 NASB)
He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords." (Revelation 19:13-16 NASB)
Who Will Judge the World And Give To Man According To His Ways?
Let the field exult, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy Before the Lord (Heb. Yahweh), for He is coming, For He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness And the peoples in His faithfulness. (Psalms 96:12-13 NASB)
"I, the Lord (Heb. Yahweh), search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds. (Jeremiah 17:10 NASB)
"For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, (John 5:22 NASB)
And if you read the context of the following verse which starts in the previous chapter in verse 10 (pay attention to verse 18) it becomes clear that the following statement was made by none other than Jesus
'And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. (Revelation 2:23 NASB)
Who Will Establish His Throne For all Eternity?
Hebrews 1:8-9 are clearly spoken by the Father to the Son
But of the Son he says, "Your throne, O God (Gk. theos), is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God (Gk. theos), your God (Gk. theos), has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” (Hebrews 1:8-9 ESV)
They were a direct quote from Psalm 45:6-7
Your throne, O God (Heb. elôhîym) is forever and ever; A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; Therefore God (Heb. elôhîym), Your God (Heb. elôhîym), has anointed You With the oil of joy above Your fellows. (Psalms 45:6-7 NASB)
The Psalm was addressed to elôhîym, the Eternal God himself. If the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews did not believe Jesus Christ to be the true and eternal God he has, as commentator Adam Clarke said, "utterly misapplied this Scripture".
Jesus - Michael the Archangel?
In spite of all this evidence the Jehovah's Witnesses maintain that "Jesus is not God and never claimed to be" and "This is being recognized by an increasing number of scholars." [04]
So who do the Jehovah's Witnesses say He is?
They believe that the archangel Michael was God's very first creation - the rest of the universe subsequently created through him (Christians hold that Jesus wasn't created by God but is God). At the appointed time, Michael ceased to be an angel and was born to the virgin Mary as a human being then, after His spiritual resurrection, Jesus resumed His identity as Michael. According to the Watchtower,
There is Scriptural evidence for concluding that Michael was the name of Jesus Christ before he left heaven and after his return" [05].
The foremost angel, both in power and authority, is the archangel, Jesus Christ, also called Michael. (1 Thessalonians 4:16; Jude 9) Under his authority are seraphs, cherubs, and angels. [06]
The two passages presented as 'proof' are 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and Jude 9.
1 Thessalonians 4:16
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
The assumption is obviously being made that if Jesus descends from heaven "with the voice of an archangel" He must be the archangel Michael. However, the verse says when Jesus descends from heaven He will be accompanied by "the voice of an archangel". The verse does not say it is Jesus' voice nor which particular archangel the voice belongs to. It may be Michael or it may not. We have no way of knowing.
In the interests of consistency if Jesus' descension with "the voice of an archangel" makes Him an archangel, doesn't His descension with the trumpet of God make Him God - or at the very least, a trumpet?
Jude 1:9
But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" (Jude 1:9 NASB)
I cannot fathom how this verse can be used to show that Jesus and Michael are one and the same being.
Jude makes it clear that Michael did not dare pronounce a 'railing judgment' against the devil, yet Jesus clearly has the authority to command Satan. When Satan tempted Him in the wilderness, Jesus countered with Scripture then finally commanded Satan to leave which Satan promptly did. Also Jesus had no qualms about boldly called the devil "a murderer from the beginning" and "a liar and the father of lies" with "no truth in him." (John 8:44)
If Jesus was Michael the Archangel before he became a man, then why does Daniel 10:13 refer to Michael as "ONE of the foremost princes". In other words, there were several foremost angels of whom Michael was only one. i.e. the other angels were equal to Michael.
Apart from Jude 1:9 Michael the archangel is mentioned by name only four times in the Bible. None of the verses even hint him being the Christ - neither before or after the Savior's incarnation
But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. (Daniel 10:13 NASB)
However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth. Yet there is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael your prince. (Daniel 10:21 NASB)
Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. (Daniel 12:1 NASB)nd there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, (Revelation 12:7 NASB)
Hebrews
Hebrews can be summed up by four words - "The Superiority of Christ". The books can be divided into sections, each of which shows Jesus' superiority over various ancients, the temple sacrifices, and the Old Testament covenant itself. Each section also usually includes a warning.
1) Christ is Superior to the Prophets (1:1-4) who were servants or spokespersons of the Lord. Christ is the Son of God.
2) Christ is superior to the angels (1:5–2:18) inasmuch as He has inherited a more excellent name than the angels.
3) Christ is superior to Moses (3:1–4:13) who was a servant of the Father. Christ was faithful as a Son over His house"
4) "Christ is superior to Aaron (4:14–7:28).
5) Christ's ministry is superior to the old covenant ministry (8:1–10:18).
Jesus' comparison to and superiority over the angels is clearly seen in several verses of chapter one of Hebrews.
Ch1. Verse 6 says "But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: "Let all the angels of God worship Him." (Also see Philippians 2:10 and Revelation 5:11-13)
But as Jesus Himself reminded Satan: "It is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve'" (Matthew 4:10).
In any case angels do not accept worship. Note what one of them said when John tried to worship him.
I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. But he *said to me, "Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book. Worship God." (Revelation 22:8-9 NASB)
Ch1. Verse 13 reads But to which of the angels has He ever said: "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool"?
This verse taken directly from Psalm 110:1 (and quoted twice more in the New Testament in Acts 2:33-35 (Pentecost) and in Luke 20:41-43) clearly states that God never said anything like this to any of the angels (including Michael) - only to Jesus.
Note: Because Christ wasn't a Levite the author of Hebrews specified that Jesus did not make Himself Priest but was appointed priest according to the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4 and Hebrews 5:6). What is significant about this is that Melchizedek was both king and priest - the only one until the Lord Jesus. None of the Jewish kings held the office of priest, and none of the priests ever became king. Psalms 110:4 (quoted in 5:6) reads "The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind, "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."
In Hebrews 2 the author wrote
For He did not subject to angels the world to come, concerning which we are speaking. (Hebrews 2:5 NASB)
So, who will the world be subject to? Hebrews 1:2 makes it very clear that it is the Son who was appointed heir of all things by God. 1 Peter supports this
Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you - not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience - through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him. (1 Peter 3:21-22 NASB)
As Eric Lyons from Apologetics Press says
Interestingly, Charles Taze Russell, the founder of The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, admitted such when he stated in The Watchtower magazine near the end of its inaugural year: "Hence it is said, 'let all the angels of God worship him': (that must include Michael, the chief angel, hence Michael is not the Son of God)…" (1879, p. 4, emp. added).
Sadly, even though Russell (the Society's president for over 30 years) rejected the idea of Jesus being Michael the archangel, Jehovah's Witnesses today hold firmly to this doctrine. [07]
Two Objections Raised By Jehovah's Witnesses
The Jehovah's Witnesses often point to the verse in which Jesus said no one, not even Him, knew the date and time of His second coming.
But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. (Matthew 24:36 NASB)
There are two possibilities here. Luke 2:52 that says "Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." which could possibly mean that His knowledge kept increasing throughout His ministry and, at the time of the statement in Matthew He, didn't as yet know everything. (Luke 2:52 NASB)
I doubt it.
Luke 2:52 was written about Jesus when He was still very young - twelve years old to be precise. Matthew 24 dealt with a time when Jesus was an adult and much closer to the end than the beginning of His ministry. In any case, Jesus' claim to be unaware of the date of His second coming was made smack bang in the middle of numerous prophecies about the future - He knew and was warning the disciples of what was to come. Anyone who knows every detail about the end times should also know exactly when He would return.
So why didn't He? We can speculate to our hearts content but that is all it will be - speculation.
Incidentally, Matthew 24:4-9 describes the events leading up to and the actual tribulation or persecution of the church in the end times. What is not always realized, is that these verses are exactly paralleled by the first four Seals (Revelation 6-7). This means that these seals have to be referring to the persecution of Christians, not God's judgment on the rest of humanity. See A Comparison of The Seals And Matthew 24:4-9
John 14:28
The other question is how one is to explain John 14:28 - Jesus' statement that the Father was greater then He. This verse is often cited by Jehovah's Witnesses as proof that Jesus is not God.
You heard that I said to you, 'I go away, and I will come to you.' If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
It's not really that difficult.
Even in 'heaven' there is a hierarchy of authority. Although the Father and the Son are all equally one God, the Son clearly submits to the Father which is also demonstrated by the fact that He was sent to earth by the Father.
Continue on to The Deity of Christ 3 - Worshipping Jesus HERE
End Notes
[04] Is God Always Superior to Jesus?
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1101989305?q="Jesus+is+not+God+and+never+claimed+to+be"&p=par
[05] Crushing All Nations in Our Day by God's Kingdom https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1969363?q="Scriptural+evidence+for+conclupar
[06] The Truth About Angels. https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1995801?q="+foremost+angel"&p=par
[07] Eric Lyons. Is Jesus Really Michael the Archangel? http://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=10&article=1473
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