Members of the “Jehovah’s Witnesses” cult have their own Bible “translation” which changes key verses to support their false teaching. This series of posts gives verses we can use which, even in the “Jehovah’s Witness” translation, show the errors of the cult.
Previous Posts
The cult teaches rightly that God’s name is Jehovah. But they deny that Jesus is Jehovah, one with the Father, and their New World “Translation” has “adjusted” some verses that refute their error.
Part one showed the deceiving influence of this mistranslation, but also that even it shows Jesus as THE one true Shepherd, the owner of the sheep — and also shows Jehovah as the true Shepherd, thus demonstrating that Jesus is Jehovah.
Part two showed that Psalm 110, even in the New World “Translation,” reveals Jesus as Jehovah at the right hand of Jehovah (the Father) — they share the same name, Jehovah.
In part three, we saw that Jesus, in Matthew 28:19, spoke of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all having the same name. If Jehovah is the Father’s name, and He and Jesus have the same name, Jesus must be Jehovah.
A few related articles elsewhere:
- As mentioned in the last post, Glenn Chatfield’s extensive defense of the doctrine which has come to be known as the Trinity.
- One Way to Respond by a pastor in Tennessee (disclaimer, I know nothing about him, so if he’s a heretic, please let me know! :) But it’s a good post.)
- How I Answered by a seminary student (same disclaimer :)). Justin uses a similar approach on one Scripture text, in using the New World “Translation.”
The Creator
The New World “Translation” shows that Jesus is the Creator. Again, we are using their version, not because it is reliable, but because it shows their teachings are refuted even by their own translation.
John 1:1-3, 10 (New World “Translation”)
1 In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.
2 This one was in [the] beginning with God.
3 All things came into existence through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into existence.
…
10 He was in the world, and the world came into existence through him, but the world did not know him.
As discussed earlier, the first verse is horribly mistranslated, but we’ll ignore that for the purposes of this post. These verses identify the Word (a title for Jesus) as the One who brought everything into existence.
Colossians 1:16-19 (New World “Translation”)
16 because by means of him all [other] things were created in the heavens and upon the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, no matter whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All [other] things have been created through him and for him.
17 Also, he is before all [other] things and by means of him all [other] things were made to exist,
18 and he is the head of the body, the congregation. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that he might become the one who is first in all things;
19 because [God] saw good for all fullness to dwell in him,
This passage even uses the word “created” and clearly identifies Jesus (head of the church, firstborn from the dead) as the One who created.
There are other passages, but this is enough. The Bible says Jesus is the Creator, the New World “Translation” says so, and “Jehovah’s Witnesses” acknowledge Him as Creator.
The “Created Creator,” the “Apprentice”?
The “Jehovah’s Witnesses” cannot deny that Jesus is the Creator, but this causes a problem for them, because even their “Bible” teaches that Jehovah is the Creator:
Isaiah 42:5 (New World “Translation”)
This is what the [true] God, Jehovah, has said, the Creator of the heavens and the Grand One stretching them out; the One laying out the earth and its produce, the One giving breath to the people on it, and spirit to those walking in it:
If Jehovah is the Creator, as Isaiah says, and if Jesus created (as the passages above say), how can they say Jesus is not Jehovah? Their answer is based on verses like the following:
Hebrews 1:1-2 (New World “Translation”)
1 God, who long ago spoke on many occasions and in many ways to our forefathers by means of the prophets,
2 has at the end of these days spoken to us by means of a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the systems of things.
“Through whom He made” — the “Jehovah’s Witnesses” claim that Jehovah-God is the real Creator, and Jesus is only an assistant, Himself created by God, merely the agent by which Jehovah-God did His work.
They may say Jesus was like an “apprentice.” A craftsman may instruct his apprentice in implementing his design, and yet the result is known as the teacher’s work. So also they say Jesus was the Father’s apprentice in creation, that Jehovah-God the Father is the true Creator, and the creation verses about Jesus describe His work as Jehovah’s assistant.
“By Myself”
Isaiah 44:24 (New World “Translation”)
This is what Jehovah has said, your Repurchaser and the Former of you from the belly: “I, Jehovah, am doing everything, stretching out the heavens by myself, laying out the earth. Who was with me?
Jehovah says He created the heavens and earth by Himself — even in the New World “Translation.” To say He did it by Himself, and then to ask “Who was with me?” is to say that no one was with Him. It is as He says further up in the same chapter:
Isaiah 44:8 (New World “Translation”)
Does there exist a God besides me? No, there is no Rock.
As there is no God beside Jehovah, so also there was no Creator with Him, He created “by Myself.”
A master craftsman, guiding apprentices, can claim credit for the work — but he cannot honestly say he did it by himself, that no one was with him in it. Yet, that is Jehovah’s claim. It cannot be true if Jesus was an apprentice with Him. It can only be true if Jesus is also Jehovah, one with the Father. If Jesus was present, He must be Jehovah, for only Jehovah was present. Jehovah Himself said so.
Question for Jehovah’s Witnesses: If Jesus created, if Jehovah told the truth that He is the only Creator, if He did it by Himself, why do your teachers tell you Jesus is not Jehovah? Will you believe Jehovah, or will you believe your teachers?
Isaiah 44:24, as much as any other verse, discredits the false teaching of the “Jehovah’s Witnesses” (even in their translation). And so the very next verse seems very fitting, even in the words of the New World “Translation”:
Isaiah 44:25 (New World “Translation”)
[I am] frustrating the signs of the empty talkers, and [I am] the One that makes diviners themselves act crazily; the One turning wise men backwards, and the One that turns even their knowledge into foolishness.
