JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES

Official Name

Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., International Bible Students Association, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

Founder

Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916)

Current Leader(s)

Milton G. Henschel (b. 1918)

World And USA Headquarters

"Bethel", 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, New York 11201

Canadian Headquarters

Box 4100, Halton Hills, Ontario L7G 4T4

Active Participants

("Publishers"), 1997 Worldwide: 5.6 million in 232 countries; USA: 984,548; Canada: 113,763

Key Publications

PERIODICALS: The Watchtower (16.5 million in 120 languages), Awake! (16 million in 78 languages)

BOOKS: Reasoning from the Scriptures (Reasoning)----1985, Insight on the Scriptures - 2 Volumes (Insight) - 1988, Mankind's Search for God-----1990, Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life (Knowledge) - 1995, Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses---- (published annually)

BIBLE TRANSLATIONS: The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures (KIT) - 1964, The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT)-----1984

This Interfaith Evangelism Belief Bulletin presents basic Jehovah's Witnesses history and doctrines and provides a biblical analysis and response.

Historical background

In 1870, Charles Taze Russell began an independent Bible study, focusing on the second coming of Christ and biblical chronology. He published his views in several books and began lecturing in 1878. In 1879, Russell founded the monthly publication Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence that were used by study groups he established.

Zion's Watch Tower and Tract Society was incorporated in 1884 with Russell as president. From 1886 until his death in 1916, Russell wrote a series of books called Studies in the Scriptures. Their contents formed the basis of Jehovah's Witnesses' unchristian theology.

Russell was succeeded as president in 1917 by his legal assistant, Joseph Franklin Rutherford. Rutherford continued Russell's authoritarian leadership style. He was imprisoned briefly in 1918 for preaching against military service. He was a charismatic speaker who often railed against Christian churches and biblical scholars. He died in 1942.

Other Jehovah's Witnesses presidents included Nathan H. Knorr (1942-1977) and Fredrich W. Franz (1977-1992). The organization expanded worldwide under these men's leadership, from about 113,000 in 1942 to more than 4 million in 1992. The current president is Milton G. Henschel.

Jehovah's Witnesses Sources Of Authority Bible

The Bible is considered the divinely inspired and infallible Word of God. It "contains 66 books in two sections, often called the Old Testament and the New Testament. Thirty-nine Bible books were written mainly in Hebrew and 27 in Greek. . . . A proper study of the Scriptures must include the entire Bible" (Knowledge, p.13). "Though the Bible is not a science textbook, it is scientifically accurate. . . . The Bible contains many prophecies that have been fulfilled in detail" (Knowledge, p.17). The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT), is the English Bible Version published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (WBTS). The New World Bible Translation Committee members remain anonymous. It is regarded as the best translation because "the translators held so closely to what is in the original Bible languages" (Reasoning, p.279).

Biblical Response:

The Bible is indeed composed of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. It is the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God (see 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21). The NWT reflects WBTS theology, especially its bias against the deity of Jesus Christ and the historic doctrine of the Trinity. For example, John 1:1 reads "and the Word was a god" in the NWT. Nearly all other standard English Bible translations say, "and the Word was God."

The Watchtower Bible And Tract Society

The WBTS's Governing Body is called "the faithful and discreet slave," a term derived from the NWT rendering of Matthew 24:25 (The Watchtower, Feb. 1, 1993, p.16). It is therefore, regarded as Jehovah God's only channel of accurate biblical interpretation in the world today. A requirement for salvation "is that we be associated with God's channel, his organization" [the WBTS] (The Watchtower, Feb. 15, 1993, p.12). Thus there is no salvation apart from the WBTS.

Biblical Response:

All people who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord are saved by grace through faith and are born-again (see John 3:3-16; Rom. 10:9-10; Eph. 2:8-9). No single person, church, or religious organization can claim exclusive possession of the source of salvation or authority to interpret the Bible. All born-again Christians are capable of understanding and interpreting the Scriptures through the illumination of the Holy Spirit (see 2 Tim. 3:16; John 14:26; 15:26; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).

Doctrinal Beliefs Jehovah Is God

The true God is not a nameless God. His name is Jehovah (Deut. 6:4; Ps. 83:18). His principal attributes are love, wisdom, justice, and power. God is a "spirit-being", invisible and eternal, but has a spiritual body and is not omnipresent (Insight, vol. 1, p. 969-970). The historic Christian doctrine of the Trinity is denied. "The dogma of the Trinity is not found in the Bible, nor is it in harmony with what the Bible teaches. It grossly misrepresents the true God" (Reasoning, p. 424).

Biblical Response:

The Bible teaches there is only one God. He was called by several names in the Scripture. Christians acknowledge that the term "Trinity" is not found in the Bible. Nonetheless, the doctrine is clearly taught in Scripture. The Bible teaches that the One God exists in the three persons of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (see Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 8:6; 12:4-6; 2 Cor.1:21-22; 13:14; 1 Pet. 1:2).

Jesus Christ - Jehovah's First Created Being

Jesus had three periods of existence. In his pre- human existence he was called "God's 'only-begotten Son' because Jehovah created him directly. As the 'first-born of all creation', Jesus was used by God to create all other things (Colossians 1:15; Revelation 3:14) . . . After Jehovah brought him into existence, the Word [Jesus] spent ages with God in heaven before becoming a man on earth" (Knowledge, p. 39). "John 1:1 says that 'the Word' (Jesus in his pre-human existence) was with God 'in the beginning'. So the word was with Jehovah when 'the heavens and earth' were created" (Knowledge, p. 39). He also had the personal name Michael (the archangel) (Insight, vol. 2, p. 394).

"The Second Stage of Jesus' life course was here on earth. He willingly submitted as God transferred his life from heaven to the womb of a faithful Jewish virgin named Mary" (Knowledge, p. 40). He became the Messiah at his baptism, who was executed on a torture stake, and rose again spiritually "Though the Bible reports on Jesus' death, he is now alive! He is a mighty reigning King! And very soon now, he will manifest his rulership over our troubled earth" (Knowledge, p. 41).

Biblical Response:

The Bible teaches that Jesus was not created but was deity from all eternity and coequal with the Father. He came to earth in bodily form to reveal God's nature and character to mankind. He now reigns with the Father in heaven and will return some day to close the age and judge all people. The Jehovah's Witnesses NWT translation of John 1:1, Colossians 1:15, and Revelation 3:14 are biased against Jesus' deity. There is no biblical basis for identifying Jesus with Michael the archangel. (see John 1:1-14; 5:17-18; 8:56-59;10:30-33; Col. 1:15-20; 2:9).

Holy Spirit - God's Active Force

The personality and deity of the Holy Spirit is denied. Holy Spirit is not capitalized in the NWT. "With this viewpoint, it is logical to conclude that the holy spirit is the active force of God. It is not a person but is a powerful force that God causes to emanate from himself to accomplish his holy will" (Reasoning, p. 381).

Biblical Response:

The personality of the Holy Spirit is evidenced in numerous New Testament Scriptures (see Luke 12:12; John 15:26; Acts 5:3-10; 13:2-4; 1 Cor. 12:11; Eph. 4:30; Heb. 3:7). His deity is demonstrated by His divine attributes as revealed in Scripture. The Holy Spirit convicts the lost of sin and He indwells believers at conversion and empowers them to live the Christian life. (see Matt. 12:31-32; 28:19; Mark 3:29; John 14-16; Rom. 8:4, 26-27; 1 Cor. 12; Eph. 2:18-19; 5:14-33).

Mankind's Sin Brought Death

God created man in his own image, but Adam and Eve willfully and deliberately disobeyed God. "'In the day that our first parents ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, they were sentenced by God and died from his standpoint. Then they were expelled from Paradise and began their descent into physical death" (Knowledge, p. 58). The spirit, or lifeforce, that God gives us at our birth departs at death. There is no conscious existence at death. "Where do the dead go? To Sheol, the common grave of mankind. Our dead loved ones are not conscious of anything. They are not suffering, and they cannot affect us in any way" (Knowledge, p.83).

Biblical Response:

Adam and Eve's sin indeed brought evil and death into the world. Thus, we are dead spiritually and separated from God. However, at death, believers in Christ maintain a conscious relationship with Him while awaiting the resurrection. (see Matt. 22:32; Luke 16:22-23; 23:43; John 11:26; 2 Cor. 5:8; 12:2-4; Phil. 1:23-24; 2 Thes. 4:14-5:10; 2 Pet. 2:9).

Jesus Paid A Ransom Sacrifice

Due to Adam's sin, it was necessary that an atonement be made to restore what he had lost. "Only a man with perfect human life could offer up the equivalent of what Adam lost. After Adam, the only perfect man born on earth was Jesus Christ" (Knowledge, p.65). "The Roman governor Pontius Pilate sentenced him to death on a torture stake. He was nailed to a wooden pole and hung there upright . . . Thus, it was on Nisan 14, 33 C.E. [A.D.], that Jesus gave his life as a 'ransom in exchange for many'" (Knowledge, p.66). "He slept in death for parts of three days, and then Jehovah God resurrected him to life as a mighty spirit being." (Knowledge, p.68).

Biblical Response:

Jesus was not just a perfect man, but also God incarnate (see Col. 2:9). Thus, His death on a Roman cross was the self-sacrificial atonement of God Himself for mankind's sin (see 1 Cor. 1:17-24; 2:2; 15:3-4). He rose again from the dead physically, not just spiritually (see Luke 24:14-39; John 2:19-21; 20:26-29; 1 Cor. 15:18).

Salvation - Faith And Obedience

"Therefore, let us show our gratitude for the love displayed by God and Christ by exercising faith in Jesus' ransom sacrifice" (Knowledge, p. 69). Requirements for salvation, in addition to faith, include baptism by immersion, active association with the WBTS, righteous conduct, and absolute loyalty to Jehovah. There is no assurance of salvation, only hope for a resurrection. Those who fail to live up to the above requirements or who are disfellowshipped by the WBTS have no hope of salvation.

Biblical Response:

Salvation is "by grace through faith" in Jesus Christ alone. No amount of works or membership in any organization guarantees salvation. It is totally through faith in Christ (see Rom. 4:4-5; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). Good works are the natural response to salvation already received, not its cause (see Eph. 2:10). Salvation is eternally assured for those who have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior (see John 1:12; 5:24; I John 5:13).

Two Classes Of Saved People

Only 144,000 faithful elect Jehovah's Witnesses, known as the "Anointed Class" will go to heaven at death to rule with Jesus. Only those born since 33 C.E. (A.D.) can be part of that number (based on Rev. 14:1-3). Most Jehovah's Witnesses hope to be among the "other sheep" or "great crowd" who will not go to heaven, but, after Armageddon and the Millennium, will live forever in Paradise on Earth (based on John 10:16; Rev. 7:9).

Biblical Response:

The WBTS' doctrine of a duality of saved people is not supported by a careful study of the Scriptures. The Bible makes no distinction of two classes of saved people (see Matt. 5:12; Phil. 3:20). In Revelation 7 and 14, both the 144,000 and the "great crowd" or "multitude" are "before the throne" in heaven. All born-again Christians will live forever in heaven (see John 3:16; 14:3).

Armageddon Is Coming Soon!

"This name [Armageddon or Har-Magedon] is directly associated with 'the war of the great day of God the Almighty.' The term applies specifically to the condition, or situation, to which 'the kings of the entire inhabited earth' are gathered in opposition to Jehovah and his Kingdom by Jesus Christ" (Insight, vol. 1, p. 1037.) Armageddon will mark the destruction by God of this present evil system, including apostate "Christendom," and the binding of Satan. Afterward, Jehovah's surviving people will rebuild the world in a perfect environment under his rule for 1,000 years in the Millennium. After the Millennium, Satan will be released for a short time to test those resurrected, or born during the Millennium. (see Knowledge, pp. 182-190).

Biblical Response:

The Bible teaches that Jesus will return physically to judge mankind and usher in the Kingdom of God. Christians may respectfully disagree over the details of biblical interpretation about the events of the last days and the Millennium. Setting dates, however, is strictly forbidden and Jesus warned of false signs of His return. Nonetheless, believers are to be ready at any time for His coming (see Matt. 16:24-27; 24:14-51; Mark 13; Luke 21:5-16; John 5:28-29; 14:2-3; Acts 1:11; 1Thess. 5:1-11).

Final Judgement And Paradise On Earth

After the Millennium, Satan and his allies will be destroyed. Faithful Jehovah's Witnesses will inherit everlasting life on perfect Paradise Earth. Those who have disobeyed Jehovah and his law will be annihilated out of existence with Satan and his demons. This is the "second death." Hell is the grave and not a place of eternal punishment. The doctrine of eternal hell is regarded as unscriptural, unreasonable, contrary to God's love, and unjust.

Biblical Response:

All people will face the final judgment of God. The doctrine of eternal hell is based on a number of biblical texts and the teachings of Jesus Himself. He taught that righteous saved people will have eternal life in heaven but the wicked lost will suffer eternal punishment in hell (see Matt. 18:8-9; 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-38; 2 Thess. 1:9).

Witnessing To Jehovah's Witnesses

1. Have a clear understanding of your faith and the Bible.
2. Aquire a basic knowledge of Jehovah's Witnesses beliefs and practices.
3. Make a definite plan for the witnessing encounter and keep the initiative.
4. Initially talk about personal concerns to establish a friendly, courteous, and sincere relationship with the Jehovah's Witness. Gradually move on to a discussion of theological issues.
5. Be prepared to cite and explain specific biblical passages supporting Christian doctrines.
6. Define your terms clearly and ask the Jehovah's Witness to do so also.
7. Focus the discussion on the primary issue of the person and work of Christ. Stress the need for a personal relationship with Him.
8. Share your personal testimony of God's grace and your faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord.
9. Present the basic plan of salvation and encourage the Jehovah's Witness to make a decision.
10. Pray and trust the Holy Spirit to lead you.

Tal Davis, Interfaith Evangelism Associate for Cults, Sects, and New Religious Movements

A CLOSER LOOK AT JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES VIEW OF CHRIST

Who Is Jesus Christ?

The above question is one of the most critical religious and philosophical questions ever asked. It automatically leads to other equally crucial issues. Just who was Jesus Christ historically? What did He accomplish and why? And most important, what does His life mean to an individual?

The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society - also known as the Jehovah's Witnesses or the Watchtower Society - is one religious organization that claims definite answers to all questions about Jesus Christ. This unusual, century-old, religious movement led by a small committee of supposedly inspired biblical interpreters claims to have the final word about the person and work of Jesus as well as all theological issues.

Millions of Jehovah's Witnesses believe confidently that the Watchtower Society's positions indisputedly are correct and any opinions to the contrary are wrong. The more significant issue for Jehovah's Witnesses and those outside that organization is how one's relationship to Christ is affected by Watchtower views.

Jesus' Prehuman Existence

The Watchtower Society teaches that Jesus Christ was the first created being of Jehovah God. Jehovah God created Jesus as a divine-like spirit at some point in ancient, pre-creation time. "This means that he was created before all the other spirit sons of God, and that he is the only one who was directly created by God" (You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth, Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, 1982, p. 58).

In His preexistence, Jesus was known as "the Word" (John 1:3,10,14) because He was God's spokesman. He is also identified by Jehovah's Witnesses with Michael the archangel. "Reasonably, then, the archangel Michael is Jesus Christ. So the evidence indicates that the Son of God (Jesus) was known as Michael before he came to earth" (Reasoning from the Scriptures, Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, 1985, p. 218).

The Watchtower teaches that through the agency of the prehuman Christ, Jehovah created all other things in the universe. "He is also God's 'only-begotten' Son in that he is the only one directly created by Jehovah God; all other things came into existence through him as God's Chief Agent" (The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life, p. 47).

This Agent, however, is not to be confused as being a Co-creator with God. "The Son's share in the creative works, however, did not make him a Co-creator with the Father. Rather than a Co-creator, then, the Son was the Agent or instrumentality through whom Jehovah, the Creator worked" (Aid to Bible Understanding, Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, 1971, p. 918).

Christians maintain there is no scriptural evidence to equate Michael the archangel with the prehuman Christ. The Watchtower Society's assertion that they are the same person is based on their incorrect assumptions about Christ's creation and misinterpretations of Daniel 10 and 12, Jude 9, and 1 Thessalonians 4:16, none of which identify Michael as Christ. Also, Christians contend that Christ was not merely a created being, but eternally preexistent as God the Son with the Father. He was indeed the creative Agent for all things (John 1:1-14; Phil. 2:5-11; Col. 1:15-20; Rev. 3:14).

Jesus' Divinity

The Watchtower Society denies the deity and eternal preexistence of Jesus Christ. This contrasts sharply with historic Christian beliefs that Jesus was God the Son, the second member of the eternal Trinity.

The Watchtower Society's position is similar to the fourth century Arian heresy, universally rejected by Christian churches at the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325. The Watchtower Society has made a number of interpretative errors and translation changes to conform Scripture to their presuppositions. For example, the Watchtower Society's Bible, The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT), translates John 1:1: "In (the) beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god."

The Watchtower Society asserts that since the Greek language has no indefinite articles (a or an), the article can be used where needed in translating; thus they insert "a" before god to emphasize the Word's (Christ's) inferiority to God. This biased rendering cannot be justified grammatically and has been rejected by every reputable Greek scholar.

The Watchtower Society also errs in its interpretation of Colossians 1:15-20. They interpret the word "firstborn" in verse 15 to mean "first-created." However, the firstborn (prototokos) principle in Hebrew culture refers to privilege and superiority, not to priority in time. Also, the Watchtower Society has presumptuously added to its translation of verses 16-20 by parenthetically inserting "other" in several places where no word appears in the Greek text. This unwarranted addition is made so the text will conform to the Watchtower Society's theological position on Christ. "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. Also, he is before all (other) things and by means of him all (other) things were made to exist" (Col. 1:16-17, NWT).

Another example is the Watchtower Society's interpretation of Revelation 3:14 (NASB), "The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God." The NWT renders the clause, "the beginning of the creation by God," which the Watchtower Society says is proof that Jesus was the first created being. This interpretation errs at two points. First, the word rendered "beginning" is the Greek arche, which can also be translated as "source" (New English Bible); "ruler" (New International Version), or "origin" (Good News Bible), thus confirming the orthodox view of Christ's divinity.

As A.T. Robertson comments on this phrase: "Not the first of creatures as the Arians held and Unitarians do now, but the originating source of creation through whom God works" (Archibald Thomas Robinson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1933, p. 321).

The other problem with the Watchtower Society's interpretation of this verse concerns their translation of the clause tou Theou as "by God." The genitive grammatical usage requires "of God," which further suggests that Christ is the prime source or origin of God's creation, not its beginning in time.

Other Scriptures also are translated incorrectly or interpreted to fit the Jehovah's Witness' theology. John 8:58 (NASB), where Jesus says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am," is rendered in the NWT as "Before Abraham came into existence, I have been." John 14:28 (NASB), in which Jesus states, "The Father is greater than I," is interpreted in the NWT to prove Jesus' inferiority. Christian interpreters contend that the verse refers to the voluntary, temporary subordination of Jesus during His earthly life, not to His divine nature. Titus 2:13 is inaccurately translated in the NWT as "while we wait for the happy hope and glorious manifestation of the great God and of (the) Savior of us, Christ Jesus." The verse is rendered correctly by the New American Standard Bible as "looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus."

The Watchtower Society approaches its biblical translation and interpretation with a clear anti-trinitarian bias. The Jehovah's Witnesses are intent on denying the full divinity of Jesus Christ. This denial presents a radical deviation from historic Christian theology and thus places the Watchtower Society outside orthodox Christianity, establishing it as a cult.

Jesus' Birth

The Watchtower Society teaches that Michael the archangel disappeared from heaven and was conceived miraculously by (the Virgin) Mary. "Since actual conception took place, it appears that Jehovah God caused an ovum or egg cell in Mary's womb to become fertile, accomplishing this by the transferral of the life of his firstborn Son from the spirit realm to the earth" (Aid, p. 920).

"Marvelously, Jehovah transferred the life-force and the personality pattern of his first-born heavenly Son to the womb of Mary. God's own active force, his holy spirit, safeguarded the development of the child in Mary's womb so that what was born was a perfect human" (Reasoning, p. 255).

Christians concur with the Watchtower Society's belief in the miraculous, virgin birth (conception) of Jesus Christ. However, in addition to the unscriptural notions of Jesus' preexistence as Michael, a major disagreement by Christians relates to the Watchtower Society's depersonalization of the Holy Spirit. The Watchtower Society also contends that they have determined the exact dates for Jesus' birth, baptism, and death. "Jesus was evidently born in the month of Ethanium (September-October) of the year 2 B.C.E. (Before the Common Era), was baptized about the same time of the year in 29 C.E. (Common Era), and died about 3 p.m. on Friday, the fourteenth day of the spring month of Nisan (March-April), 33 C.E." (Aid, p. 920).

Most Bible scholars dispute the above chronology for many reasons and agree that Jesus' birth date cannot be determined precisely. For instance, most scholars disagree with the date of 2 B.C. based on archaeological evidence that indicates King Herod I, who attempted to kill the infant Jesus, died in 4 B.C.

Jesus' Life And Death

The Watchtower Society teaches that after His birth Jesus became a perfect man who came to earth to bear witness to the truth of Jehovah God and to defeat Satan. Jesus received His messiahship at age 30, on the day of His baptism. "By pouring out his holy spirit on Jesus, Jehovah was anointing him or appointing him to be the King of his coming kingdom. Being thus anointed with the spirit, Jesus became the 'Messiah,' or the 'Christ,' which words in the Hebrew and Greek languages mean, 'Anointed.' Therefore, he became, in fact, Jesus Christ, or Jesus the Anointed" (Live, p. 60).

The Watchtower Society says that, since Adam was also a perfect man who sinned, only a perfect sacrifice of another perfect man could bring salvation. "By his disobedience the perfect man Adam lost perfect life on a paradise earth for himself and all his children. Jesus Christ gave his own perfect life to buy back what Adam lost. Yes, Jesus 'gave himself a corresponding ransom for all'" (Live, p. 62). Thus, the Watchtower Society teaches that Jesus' ransom death at age 33 balanced the scales of justice between Adam's sin and God's perfect requirements. "Even now Jesus' ransom sacrifice can benefit us. How? By exercising faith in it we can enjoy a clean standing before God and come under his loving and tender care. But we can freely seek forgiveness from God on the basis of the ransom, with confidence that he will hear us" (Live, p. 63).

The Watchtower Society teaches that Jesus was crucified on a "torture stake" instead of a cross (Matt. 27-33, NWT). The Watchtower Society specifically dates Jesus' death: "On Nisan 14 of the year 33 C.E. Jesus' enemies put him to death on a torture stake" (The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life, Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, 1968, p. 51).

In general, Christians agree with the Watchtower Society on details of the life of Christ. However, the notion that Jesus became the Messiah at His baptism runs counter to biblical teaching. Jesus was hailed as the Messiah at His birth and even before (Isa. 9:6; Matt. 1:16-18, 2:4; Luke 2:11,26).

Christians agree that Jesus did die as a sacrifice for man's sin, as He was perfect and sinless. Nonetheless, Christians maintain that linguistic and historical evidence supports the traditional view that Jesus died on a Roman cross.

Jesus' Resurrection

Jehovah's Witnesses deny the physical resurrection of Jesus from the dead. This is another radical departure from historic Christian teaching. The Watchtower Society maintains that the Lord's resurrection was purely spiritual and only appeared as physical.

"Jehovah God did not leave his Son dead in the grave, but raised him to life on the third day. He was not given human life again, because that would have meant that he was taking back the ransom price. But he was 'made alive in the spirit' (1 Pet. 3:18, NWT). During a period of forty days after his resurrection he appeared visibly to his disciples a number of times, in materialized bodies, to prove that he really had been raised from the dead" (Truth, p. 52).

Christians affirm the physical bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself prophesied His physical resurrection. "Jesus answered and said to them, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.' The Jews therefore said, 'It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?'" (John 2:19-20, NASB).

Jesus clearly indicated the physical aspect of His resurrection when He appeared to His disciples. "And He said to them, 'Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have'" (Luke 24:38-39, NASB).

The physical nature of Jesus' appearances is further substantiated by His serving and sharing a meal with the two disciples in Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35), His conversation with Thomas (John 20:26), His appearance to more than 500 people (1 Cor. 15:1-8), and His visible ascension to heaven (Acts 1:9-11).

Jesus' Second Coming

The Watchtower Society teaches that following His ascension, Jesus, once again as Michael the archangel, returned to heaven and sat down at Jehovah's right to await the end of the seven "times of the Gentiles" as recorded in Daniel 4. The "times of the Gentiles" supposedly began in 607 B.C. when the Babylonians overthrew King Zedekiah of Judah (Note: Bible scholars place the above date at 587-586 B.C.). Jesus would begin His rule at the end of this period, figured by the Watchtower Society as 2,520 years (based on the "seven times" of Dan. 4:16,23).

"What was to happen at the end of these appointed times of the nations (Gentiles)? Jehovah was to give the power to rule to the One 'who has the legal right!' This One is Jesus Christ" (Live, p. 140).

"This means that Jesus Christ began to rule as King of God's heavenly government in 1914" (Live, p. 141).

The above statement would surprise most non-Jehovah's Witnesses. If Jesus returned to rule in 1914, where is He? The Watchtower Society answers that Jesus' rule is in heaven and that He will never appear physically on earth again. At the present time, Satan is in control of this world and its institutions - especially the Christian churches. However, in the near future, the world as we know it will be destroyed by Christ from heaven and the millennium, or 1,000-year judgment day, will begin. When will this take place? The Watchtower Society claims that it will take place in "this generation" (Matt. 24:14,34). "Which generation did Jesus mean? He meant the generation of people who were living in 1914. Those persons yet remaining of that generation are now very old. However, some of them will still be alive to see the end of this wicked system" (Live, p. 154).

The Watchtower Society says that during the 1,000-year judgment day, most people will be resurrected and judged by Christ and others of the "anointed class" of Jehovah's Witnesses. "We have certainly seen that when the dead come forth from the grave, they are not judged by their past deeds. Rather, they are judged on the basis of what they do during Judgment Day (the millennium)" (Live, p. 180). At the close of judgment day, those not deemed worthy will be cast into the "lake of fire," along with Satan and his demons, and annihilated from existence. The world being purified and those Jehovah judges as righteous will live in paradise on earth, and Jesus (Michael) will then turn His kingdom back over to Jehovah.

Perhaps no theological issue has fostered as much interest, debate, and disagreement among Christians as the "last things." However, several aspects of Christ's second coming commonly are held by evangelical Christians. All affirm that Jesus will return physically to earth to judge humankind and establish God's kingdom (Matt. 6:24-27; Mark 13; Luke 21:5-36). Christians reject the Watchtower Society's dating of 1914 as spurious. In fact, Jesus specifically warned that no one knows the time of His coming (Matt. 24:4-7,36; Mark 13:32; Acts 1:7). Nonetheless, believers are admonished to be alert, ready, and watching at any time for the Lord's return (Matt. 24:14, 25:13; 1 Thess. 5:1-11).

Christians contend that Jesus will judge all humankind. Those found righteous (saved Christians) will inherit eternal life in heaven and the lost will suffer eternal punishment (Matt. 18:8-9, 25:41-46; Mark 9:47-48; 2 Thess. 1:9; Rev. 20-22). No second chance or probationary period will be given. As Hebrews states: "And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment" (Heb. 9:27, NASB).

Conclusion

The Watchtower Society's concept of who Jesus Christ is and what He has done is opposed to the historic, biblical, and Christian position.

Jesus Christ is the Lord, the second Person of the Godhead, who came to earth as a Man, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins, and was resurrected bodily from the dead. He ascended into heaven and will return to earth to judge all people and angels and to establish the eternal kingdom of God. Christians know that by God's grace, through faith in Christ, they are assured a place in His kingdom (1 John 5:13). Jehovah's Witnesses also can have that assurance. They first must renounce the unbiblical teaching of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. Then they must repent of their sin (Acts 3:19), place their faith in Jesus alone for salvation (Eph. 2:8-9), and surrender to Him as their Lord (Rom. 10:9-10). As Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me" (John 14:6, NASB).

Tal Davis, Interfaith Evangelism Associate for Cults, Sects, and New Religious Movements

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE NEW WORLD TRANSLATION

"All scripture is inspired of God." These words of 2 Timothy 3:16 identify God, whose name is Jehovah, as the Author and Inspirer of the Holy Scriptures. How satisfyingly delightful the inspired Scriptures are! What an amazing find of true knowledge they provide! They are indeed "the very knowledge of God" that has been sought after and treasured by lovers of righteousness in all ages – Proverbs 2:5.

(All Scripture is Inspired of God and Beneficial [Brooklyn, NY: Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., 1983], p.7)

The above statement comes from a textbook written by anonymous authors of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (WBTS), the official corporation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Most evangelical Christians would read it and find little or nothing to dispute about it. Indeed, Christians historically have affirmed the full inspiration and authority of the sixty-six books comprising the Protestant Bible.

The WBTS concurs:

"The sacred Scriptures, as a collection from Genesis to Revelation, form one complete Book, one complete library, all inspired by the one supreme Author…The sixty-six Bible books, all together, form the one library of the Holy Scriptures" (All Scripture, p. 11).

Evangelical Christians furthermore affirm the Bible as the authority for believers in all matters of faith and practice. Once again, the WBTS assumes the same authority for the Bible, in principle: "The Scriptures are God’s incomparable gift to mankind, a storehouse of spiritual treasures whose depth of wisdom is unfathomable, and whose power for enlightening and stimulating to righteousness exceeds that of all other books ever written" (All Scripture, p. 8).

The discerning Christian, however, must ask, "Is the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ claim of biblical authority accurate?" The reality is that the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ assertion to be totally biblically based should be questioned at two major points. One is regarding the WBTS interpretation of the Bible, and the other is regarding the WBTS’ translation of the Bible.

Interpretation of the Bible

The WBTS claims that its Governing Body, its highest administrative authority, is the "faithful and discreet slave"” mentioned in Matthew 24:45 (New World Translation). That is, it considers itself and its publications the only legitimate channel of directly inspired leadership and the only totally correct interpreters of Scripture in the world today. Thus, they say, only WBTS literature is reliable and can be trusted to interpret the Bible correctly.

All Christian churches and their teachers, writers, and preachers are regarded as part of the evil world system and under the control of Satan. Their interpretations are thus dismissed as flawed, corrupted, and distorted and never consulted except to confirm WBTS teachings. Evangelical Christians would argue that no one church or organization can claim exclusive authority to interpret the Bible. All Christians are capable, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, and with proper training, to understand the Bible.

Translating the Bible

Christians affirm the inspiration and authority of the Bible. However, the original texts of the biblical books were not written in English. Biblical authors wrote in Hebrew, Koine Greek, and, in a few instances, Aramaic. Thus we do not affirm the same level of inspiration for any translation as we do for the original autographs in their original languages. Translators are obliged to review carefully the biblical texts in their original languages when doing their work. Translation is a difficult task, and there is rarely universal satisfaction with the final outcome. Revisions and corrections of translations are expected. Only the original Greek and Hebrew texts are invariable.

The WBTS would probably agree, in principle, to the above statement. However, it is at this very point that we find one of the most significant differences between the WBTS and nearly every other Bible-believing movement in the world.

In 1950 the WBTS published its own English version of the New Testament, which they called The New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures. Translations of various Old Testament books were subsequently released as the New World Translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. Finally, in 1961 the entire set of WBTS translations was published as The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT). Some revisions have been made since that initial edition, but essentially the NWT remains as it was originally published.

Jehovah’s Witnesses regard the NWT as the best, if not the only, reliable Bible translation. It is this critical issue that concerns us here: Is the NWT a truly reliable rendering of God’s Word? Our contention, in agreement with some of the world’s foremost biblical scholars, is that it is not. We will now examine several specific reasons why we hold this position.

The NWT Translation Committee

One WBTS book, in an article on the NWT, states that it is ... "a translation of the Holy Scriptures made directly from Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek into modern-day English by a committee of anointed witnesses of Jehovah" (Reasoning From the Scriptures [Brooklyn, NY: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., 1985], p. 276).

But, one might naturally ask, if that is so, just who were the translators on the committee, that they are so qualified to make such an audacious claim to be "anointed"? Surprisingly, in the same book, in direct answer to that question, the following statement is made: "When presenting as a gift the publishing rights to their translation, the New World Bible Translation Committee requested that its members remain anonymous. The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania has honored their request" (Reasoning, p. 277).

The truth is that nowhere in the NWT or any WBTS literature are the names of the translators revealed; and while it is true that some other Bible translations such as the New American Standard Bible (NASB) (La Habra, California: The Lockman Foundation, 1977) also do not list their translators in their editions, only the NWT and the WBTS will not send the names to curious inquirers upon written request.

So do we know whom the NWT translators were? The answer is yes, we do know, despite the WBTS’ refusal to release the names. Raymond Franz is a former member of the WBTS Governing Body. In his book, Crisis of Conscience (Atlanta: Commentary Press, 1983), he states that the translation committed consisted of Governing Body members George Gangas, Albert Schroeder, Fredrick Franz, and then WBTS President Nathan Knorr.

"Fred Franz (Raymond Franz’s uncle, who later became WBTS President), however, was the only one with sufficient knowledge of the Bible languages to attempt translation of this kind. He had studied Greek for two years in the University of Cincinnati but was only self-taught in Hebrew" (Crisis of Conscience, p. 50).

The fact is, none of the members of the NWT committee, including Fredrick Franz, were really qualified to make a scholarly translation from the original languages. None had more than a rudimentary familiarity with Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic. This lack of acumen is clearly revealed in the poor and biased quality of the NWT’s renderings of many key biblical passages.

For a complete list of translators of the NASB, see Lockman Foundation’s Web site at http://www.gospelcom.net/lockman/trans/nasbprin.htm.

The Name of God

The WBTS teaches that god is a unitary being who created the universe. They state, correctly that God revealed His personal name to Moses in the Old Testament. That name in Hebrew consists of four Hebrew consonants called by biblical scholars (Jewish and Christian) as the Tetragrammaton. It is written in Hebrew thusly: hwhy (YHWH).

Many attempts have been made to transliterate the Tetragrammaton in English and other languages. None are perfectly adequate since it is not known exactly how it was originally pronounced. Most biblical scholars believe that the pronunciation “Yahweh” is closest to the original.

The WBTS, however, traditionally has maintained that the best English transliteration is rendered "Jehovah." Thus, in the NWT, 6,974 times where The Tetragrammaton appears in the Hebrew text (Old Testament), it renders the name of God as Jehovah.

Most Hebrew scholars find no serious fault with this NWT usage in the Old Testament. Indeed, some older English translations did likewise, including The American Standard Version (1901). The King James Version translators used "Jehovah" in only four instances (Ex. 6:3; Ps. 83:18; Isa. 12:2; 26:4). They, as do most modern translators, preferred to render the Tetragrammaton by the capitalized designation LORD in keeping with ancient Jewish tradition to avoid pronouncing (or mispronouncing) the sacred name of God.

Consider this statement from the "Principles of Translation" of the NASB:

In the Scriptures, the name of God is most significant and understandably so. It is inconceivable to think of spiritual matters without a proper designation for the Supreme Deity. Thus, the most common name for Deity is God, a translation of the original Elohim. The normal word for Master is Lord, a rendering of Adonai. There is yet another name which is particularly assigned to God as His special or proper name, that is, the four letter YHWH (Exodus 3;14 and Isaiah 42:8). This name has not been pronounced by the Jews because of reverence for the great sacredness of the divine name. Therefore, it was consistently pronounced and translated Lord. The only exception to this translation of YHWH is when it occurs in immediate proximity to the word Lord, that is, Adonai. In that case it is regularly translated God in order to avoid confusion.

It is known that for many years YHWH has been transliterated as Yahweh; however, no complete certainty attaches to this pronunciation.

The WBTS has criticized this practice as indicative of Jewish and Christian attempts to obscure the sacred name of Jehovah God from its people. They argue that it demonstrates the satanic nature of modern religious practice.

Granted, some Christian scholars acknowledge that the use of LORD instead of the sacred name is unwarranted and that perhaps Yahweh or Jehovah should be the standard English transliteration. That being said, the WBTS contention that the Tetragrammaton is somehow the exclusive sacred name of God is also unwarranted. In fact, in the Old Testament, several other common names for God are utilized in Hebrew including Elohim (a generic word for God); El (a shorter form of Elohim); and other combinations of terms such as El-Elyon (God Most High) and El-Shaddai (God Almighty).

Thus, the WBTS makes a reasonable case for using the sacred name in the Old Testament and criticizing those who do not. However, in their translation of the New Testament, which they call The Christian Greek Scriptures, they commit an even more grievous and presumptuous error. The NWT inexplicably translates the common Greek words for Lord (kurios) and God (Theos) as "Jehovah" 237 times in the New Testament. This unwarranted substitutionary use of the Old Testament name of God is made, however, only when kurios is used in the context of a clear reference to God in a generic sense, or when used in a passage that is a quote from the Old Testament. However, not once do they translate kurios as Jehovah in the nearly 400 times in the New Testament when it is applied as a title to Jesus Christ. There is simply no legitimate textual or linguistic basis for making that distinction. The word kurios should always be accurately translated, according to context, as Lord or Master, and the word Theos as God, but never either as "Jehovah."

The reason for the NWT committee’s placement of this name of God in the New Testament is obvious to anyone who understands Jehovah’s Witnesses theology. The WBTS, since its inception over a century ago, has totally rejected the key doctrines of the Holy Trinity and the full deity of Jesus Christ. As a result, in their literature, and especially in their translation of the Bible, they have sought to obscure the clear New Testament teachings of those truths. This deliberate concealment is obvious when one makes a simple comparison of the NWT to the word-for-word translation of the Westcott and Hort Greek Text in the WBTS’ own book The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures (1985).

The use of Jehovah to translate kurios (Lord) or Theos (God) 237 times in generic reference to God, but never as a title of Jesus, was clearly done to reinforce the distinction between God and Jesus in the minds of uninformed Jehovah’s Witnesses. The truth is that the New Testament writers, following Jewish tradition in the Greek Septuagint’s translation of the Old Testament, understood the term kurios (Lord), in most cases, to be a reference to deity in the fullest sense. Thus, when New Testament writers call Jesus "Lord," they are identifying Him with the God of the Old Testament (Yahweh or Jehovah).

The WBTS’ denial of Jesus’ deity is evidenced in numerous biased and inaccurate renderings of key passages by the NWT translators. Consider the following examples: