MATTHEW 24:34—Did Jesus err by affirming that the signs of the end time would be fulfilled in His era?
PROBLEM: Jesus spoke of signs and wonders regarding His second coming. But Jesus said “this generation” would not end before all these events took place. Did this mean that these events would occur in the lifetime of His hearers?
SOLUTION: These events (e.g., the Great Tribulation, the sign of Christ’s return, and the end of the age) did not occur in the lifetime of Christ’s hearers. Therefore, it is reasonable to understand their fulfillment as something yet to come. This calls for a closer examination of the meaning of “generation” for meanings other than that of Jesus’ contemporaries.
First, “generation” in Greek (genea) can mean “race.” In this particular instance, Jesus’ statement could mean that the Jewish race would not pass away until all things are fulfilled. Since there were many promises to Israel, including the eternal inheritance of the land of Palestine (Gen. 12; 14–15; 17) and the Davidic kingdom (2 Sam. 7), then Jesus could be referring to God’s preservation of the nation of Israel in order to fulfill His promises to them. Indeed, Paul speaks of a future of the nation of Israel when they will be reinstated in God’s covenantal promises (Rom. 11:11–26). And Jesus’ response to His disciples’ last question implied there would yet be a future kingdom for Israel, when they asked: “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” Rather than rebuking them for their misunderstanding, He replied that “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority” (Acts 1:6–7). Indeed, Paul in Romans 11 speaks of the nation of Israel being restored to God’s promised blessings (cf. vv. 25–26).
Second, “generation” could also refer to a generation in its commonly understood sense of the people alive at the time indicated. In this case, “generation” would refer to the group of people who are alive when these things come to pass in the future. In other words, the generation alive when these things (the abomination of desolation [v.15], the great tribulation such as has never been seen before [v. 21], the sign of the Son of Man in heaven [v. 30], etc.) begin to come to pass will still be alive when these judgments are completed. Since it is commonly believed that the tribulation is a period of some seven years (Dan. 9:27; cf. Rev. 11:2) at the end of the age, then Jesus would be saying that “this generation” alive at the beginning of the tribulation will still be alive at the end of it. In any event, there is no reason to assume that Jesus made the obviously false assertion that the world would come to an end within the lifetime of His contemporaries.
MATTHEW 20:1ff—Are rewards the same for all, or do they differ in degree?
PROBLEM: Jesus told a parable of His kingdom in which each servant got the same pay even though each had worked a different number of hours. Yet in other places, the Bible speaks of different degrees of reward for working in God’s kingdom (cf. 1 Cor. 3:11–15; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 22:12).
SOLUTION: There are different degrees of reward in heaven, depending on our faithfulness to Christ on earth. Jesus said, “I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work” (Rev. 22:12). Paul said each believer’s work will be tried by fire and “if anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward” (1 Cor. 3:14). In 2 Corinthians 5, he says we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ “that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (v. 10, emphasis added).
The point of the parable in Matthew 20 is not that all rewards will be the same, but that all rewards are by grace. It is to show that God rewards on the basis of opportunity, not simply on accomplishment. Not all the servants had the opportunity to work for the master the same amount of time, but all, nevertheless, were given the same pay. God looks at our disposition as well as our actions and judges accordingly.
Geisler, N. L., & Howe, T. A. (1992). When critics ask : A popular handbook on Bible difficulties (351). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.
MATTHEW 16:28—Did Jesus make a mistake about His disciples seeing the kingdom come in their lifetimes?
PROBLEM: Jesus told His disciples that some of them would not see death until they saw Him coming in His kingdom. Yet during the life of the apostles, Jesus never returned to set up His kingdom.
SOLUTION: This is a question of when this was going to take place, not whether it would. There are three possible solutions.
First, some have suggested that this may be a reference to the Day of Pentecost where Christ’s Helper, the Holy Spirit, came to descend upon the apostles. In John’s Gospel (14:26), Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit, and, in the beginning of Acts (1:4–8), He tells them not to leave Jerusalem until they have received the Holy Spirit. But this hardly seems to fit the description of seeing Christ coming in His kingdom (Matt. 16:28).
Second, others believe this might be a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in a.d. 70. This would mean that He would return to bring judgment upon the city that rejected Him and crucified Him. While this is a possible explanation, it does not seem to account for the fact that Jesus appears to be coming for believers (those “standing there” with Him), not simply coming in judgment on unbelievers. Nor does the judgment on Jerusalem in a.d. 70 adequately express seeing the “Son of Man coming in His kingdom” (v. 28), a phrase reminiscent of His second coming (cf. 26:64). Nor does it explain why Jesus never appeared in a.d. 70.
A third and more plausible explanation is that this is a reference to the appearance of Christ in His glory on the Mount of Transfiguration which begins in the very next verse (17:1). Here Christ does literally appear in a glorified form, and some of His apostles are there to witness the occasion, namely Peter, James, and John. This transfiguration experience, of course, was only a foretaste of His Second Coming when all believers will see Him come in power and great glory (cf. Acts 1:11; Rev. 1:7).
MATTHEW 16:18—Is Peter the rock on which the church is built?
PROBLEM: Roman Catholics use this passage to support their belief in the primacy of Peter, that is, that he is the rock on which the church is built. But Paul said the church is built on Christ, not Peter (1 Cor. 3:11). Is Peter the “rock” in this passage?
SOLUTION: There are different ways to understand this passage, but none of them support the Roman Catholic view that the church is built on St. Peter, who became the first Pope—infallible in all his official pronouncements on faith and doctrine. This is evident for many reasons.
First of all, Peter was married (Matt. 8:14), and Popes do not marry. If the first Pope could marry, why later pronounce that no priest (or Pope) can marry.
Second, Peter was not infallible in his views on the Christian life. Even Paul had to rebuke him for his hypocrisy, because he was not “straightforward about the truth of the Gospel” (Gal. 2:14).
Third, the Bible clearly declares that Christ is the foundation of the Christian church, insisting that “no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11).
Fourth, the only sense in which Peter had a foundational role in the church, all the other apostles shared in the same way. Peter was not unique in this respect. For Paul declared that in this sense the church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone” (Eph. 2:20). Indeed, the early church continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine [not just Peter’s]” (Acts 2:42). Even “keys of the kingdom” given to Peter (Matt. 16:19) were also given to all the apostles (cf. Matt. 18:18).
Fifth, there is no indication that Peter was the head of the early church. When the first council was held at Jerusalem, Peter played only an introductory role (Acts 15:6–11). James seems to have a more significant position, summing up the conference and making the final pronouncement (cf. Acts 15:13–21). In any event, Peter is never referred to as the “pillar” in the church. Rather, Paul speaks of “pillars” (plural), such as, “James, Cephas, and John” (Gal. 2:9). Peter (Cephas) is not even listed first among the pillars.
Sixth, many Protestant interpreters believe that Jesus’ reference to “this rock” (Matt. 16:18) upon which His church would be built was to Peter’s solid (rock-like) testimony that Jesus was “the Christ, the son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16). But even if this rock has reference to Peter (Petros, rock), which is certainly a possible interpretation, he was only a rock in the apostolic foundation of the church (Matt. 16:18), not the rock. Nor is he the only apostolic rock. Even Peter himself admitted that Christ is the chief rock (“cornerstone,” 1 Peter 2:7). And Paul notes that the other apostles are all part of the “foundation” (Eph. 2:20).
MATTHEW 11:12—How can God’s sovereign and peaceful kingdom be entered by force?
PROBLEM: Paul declared that the kingdom (rule) of God is “peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17). However, Matthew says “the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” How can one enter God’s kingdom by force?
SOLUTION: This is a difficult passage, and it has been interpreted several ways. Some take it to mean that the kingdom is violently taken by its enemies. That is, the forceful religious leaders of Jesus’ day were resisting the kingdom introduced by John. They wanted a kingdom, but not the kind that was being offered by John and Jesus (cf. Rom. 10:3). However, some object that this is opposed to the context that is expressing the greatness of John the Baptist and the contrast between his day and Christ’s.
Others see the “violence” as a figure of speech meaning, first, that the kingdom breaks through or intrudes itself with great power and abruptness. Then, the intense endeavors of people who on the preaching of John were taking the kingdom by storm. On this view, it is speaking of the response to John’s preaching as a great popular uprising, a storming of the kingdom of God by people rushing with eagerness to get in it with a violent zeal. This explains the use of the term “violence” and fits the overall context.
Jehovah’s Witnesses A Counterfeit Kingdom … or Not?
A Timeline of Jehovah’s Witnesses Predictions
1874 Christ returned invisibly, and Armageddon began! (Zion’s Watch Tower, January 15, 1892, 22)
1889 Battle of Armageddon will end in 1914. (Studies in Scriptures, Vol. 2, 76–7, 99, 101)
1914 THE WORLD DOES NOT END WITH ARMAGEDDON! (See prediction in 1889.). The Society later changes the prediction. They began to predict that 1914 began the “Last Generation” and that some of those alive in 1914 would live long enough to survive Armageddon and live forever on a paradise earth. (The Watchtower, May 1, 1967, 262)
1917 God will destroy “the churches wholesale and church members by millions” in 1918. (Studies in Scriptures, Vol. 7, 485)
1918 CHURCHES ARE NOT DESTROYED! (See prediction in 1917.)
1920 Therefore we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the faithful prophets of old.…” (Millions Now Living Will Never Die, 89–90)
1924 “The year 1925 is a date definitely and clearly marked in the Scriptures.…” (The Watchtower, July 15, 1924, 211)
1925 ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB DO NOT RETURN! (See prediction in 1920.)
1938 Because the end is so near, Jehovah’s Witnesses are advised to wait until after Armageddon to marry and rear children. (The Watchtower, November 1, 1938, 323–4)
1941 Armageddon is said to be only months away. (The Watchtower, September 15, 1941, 288)
1942 Abraham and “those faithful men of old may be expected back from the dead any day now.” (The New World, 104)
1943 The end of “Six Thousand Years of Human History” is mathematically shown to be 1972. (The Truth Shall Make You Free, 152)
1966 “Six Thousand years from man’s creation will end in 1975 …” followed by the millennial reign of Christ. (Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of God, 29–30)
1972 SIX THOUSAND YEARS OF HUMAN EXISTENCE DOES NOT END! (See prediction in 1943.)
1975 SIX THOUSAND YEARS OF HUMAN EXISTENCE DOES NOT END! (See prediction in 1966.)
1988 Jehovah’s Witnesses are reminded “Most of the generation of 1914 has passed away.” The generation will not pass all away until the end! (Awake!, April 8, 1988, 14) (See prediction in 1914.)
1989 The year 2000 marks the completion of Christian missionary work and the beginning of the thousand-year reign of Christ. “The apostle Paul was spearheading the Christian missionary activity. He was also laying a foundation for a work that would be completed in our 20th century.” (The Watchtower, January 1, 1989, 12)
Note: this was quietly altered in the bound volume and CD-ROM editions to read “in our day.”
1995 The Watchtower changes the “Creator’s promise.” The word “generation” is no longer based on a human life span. (Compare Awake! mastheads before October 22, 1995, 4 and after November 8, 1995, 4 to see how the “Creator’s promise” was altered. See also The Watchtower November 1, 1995, 16–20.) (See prediction 1914.)
The Great Tribulation is now declared to be Imminent. (The Watchtower, November 1, 1995, p. 19 par. 12 and p. 20 par. 15)
2000 THE CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY WORK WAS NOT COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE 20TH CENTURY. (See prediction 1989.)
2007 The Anointed Class now declared to be open to any Jehovah’s Witness who “has determined in his heart that he is now anointed and begins to partake of the emblems at the Memorial. (“Questions from Readers,” The Watchtower, May 1, 2007, 30–31)
The number 144,000 is no longer taken literally, but symbolically for all those who claim to be “anointed ones.”
2008 The time of the Great Tribulation is declared to be Indeterminate.
Historical Timeline
1852 Charles Taze Russell is born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.
1868 By age 16 Russell becomes so disturbed over the biblical doctrine of hell that he becomes a skeptic.
1869 Russell hears a sermon by the Second Adventist preacher Jonas Wendell. Russell’s trust in the Bible is restored since this Adventist group teaches that there is no eternal punishment in hell.
Russell continues to study the Bible under Adventist teachers.
1870 At age 18 Russell organizes a small Bible class. Six years later the class votes to call him “Pastor.”
1876 Russell accepts the view of Adventist teacher N. H. Barbour that Jesus Christ returned invisibly in 1874.
1877 At age 25, Russell and Barbour publish a book called Three Worlds or Plan of Redemption. This book proclaims that three years prior, in 1874, the second coming of Christ occurred invisibly. From that time a 40 year harvest period would occur, culminating in 1914 with the Battle of Armageddon.
1879 At age 27, having parted company with Barbour over theological grounds, Russell founds his new publication, Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence.
Thirty congregations exist in several states, each calling Russell “Pastor.”
1884 At age 32 Russell incorporates his new religious order in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It operates for 47 years as Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society.
1886 At age 34 Russell writes the first volume of his commentary on the Bible, Studies in the Scriptures.
1916 At age 64, Charles Taze Russell dies.
Joseph Franklin Rutherford becomes president of the Society. Under Rutherford’s leadership, the Society takes most authority away from the local congregations and becomes God’s sole dispenser of truth, making all policy decisions.
1931 The official title of the organization becomes the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, headquartered in Brooklyn, New York.
The Society adopts the name “Jehovah’s Witnesses.”
1942 Rutherford dies. Nathan Knorr becomes president of the Society.
Under Knorr’s leadership the Society increases from 115,000 to over 2 million members. The Governing Body is established under Knorr’s leadership. The Watchtower begins to publish all Jehovah’s Witnesses literature anonymously, unlike in Russell and Rutherford’s days.
1961 The Watchtower publishes the first edition of its own English version of the Bible, the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures.
1975 The failed Watchtower prediction that the 6,000 years of human existence would end in 1975 shakes the faith of many Jehovah’s Witnesses.
1977 Knorr dies. Frederich Franz becomes the fourth president. Franz was the primary Watchtower theologian while Knorr was president.
1980 While Franz is president, several prominent Watchtower leaders are removed on the charge of disloyalty, including Franz’s nephew Raymond Franz.
1992 Franz dies. Milton G. Henschel replaces Franz as the next president.
If you were to ask, “Do you know you have eternal life?”
—a Jehovah’s Witness would say, “No one can know that for sure!”
Yet, 1 John 5:13 says, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
“For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.” (Romans 10:2)
Becompassionate and loving.
“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.” (Mark 6:34)
Callthem by name.
“The lips of the righteous know what is fitting.” (Proverbs 10:32)
Don’tslam the door in their faces.
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12)
Explainhow you know that you have received eternal life through Christ.
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:13)
Focuson the prophecies that discredit the Watchtower as a “False Prophet.” (See next page.)
“But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death.… If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken.” (Deuteronomy 18:20, 22)
Givethem copies of their own materials that document the errors.31
“Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 2:25)
“It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.” (Proverbs 19:2)
Haveappropriate tracts available for them.
“In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15)
Impartpertinent Scripture but be prepared for them to change the meaning.
“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
Illustration:
To show that Jesus is Jehovah, the Lord Almighty
“Who is referred to in Isaiah 44:6?”
(The Lord Almighty is the first and the last.)
“And who is referred to in Revelation 1:5–8?”
(Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.)
“Do you see that the truth of God’s Holy Word clearly shows Jesus is the Lord Almighty?”
Illustration:
“Who is to be worshiped?”
“Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.” ’ ” (Luke 4:8)
“And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, ‘Let all God’s angels worship him.’ ” (Hebrews 1:6)
Joinin agreement with them whenever possible.
“And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.” (2 Timothy 2:24)
Keeppraying for wisdom and for their eyes to be opened.
“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.” (Ephesians 1:18)
Learnall you can about answering doctrinal differences because TRUTH alone will set Jehovah’s Witnesses FREE.
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)
Jehovah’s Witnesses A Counterfeit Kingdom … or Not?
Jehovah’s Witnesses mistakenly believe that the doctrine of the trinity is actually the worship of three gods (tri-theism). The truth is that the Bible proclaims in many passages that there is only one true God (monotheism).
“We maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.”
(Romans 3:28–30)
If, indeed, there is only one God, then why was the Trinitarian position such a bedrock belief in the early church? And why has the doctrine of the Trinity been tenaciously taught throughout the centuries within churches that hold to Biblical inerrancy?
Consider this: The Bible teaches that within the one true God, three coequal, coeternal persons exist: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
— The Father is called God.
“There is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.” (1 Corinthians 8:6)
— The Son is called God.
“But about the Son he [God] says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.’ ” (Hebrews 1:8)
— The Holy Spirit is called God.
“Then Peter said, ‘Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.’ ” (Acts 5:3–4)
Consider this: The Bible presents the attributes of deity for each person of the Trinity—attributes that can be assigned only to God.
— Omnipotence (all-powerful)
The Father
“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jeremiah 32:17)
The Son
“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power.” (John 13:3)
The Holy Spirit
“The power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit.” (Romans 15:19)
— Omniscience (all-knowing)
The Father
“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” (Romans 11:33)
The Son
“Now we can see that you [Jesus] know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions.” (John 16:30)
The Holy Spirit
“God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:10)
— Omnipresence (everywhere present)
The Father
“ ‘Am I only a God nearby,’ declares the Lord, ‘and not a God far away? Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?’ declares the Lord. ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth?’ declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 23:23–24)
The Son
“Surely I [Jesus] am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)
The Holy Spirit
“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” (Psalm 139:7–8)
Question: “How can the Trinity be illustrated?”
Answer: An analogy describing daylight could be used. Scientifically, light is comprised of the three primary colors: red, yellow, and blue. Each color is separate, but when blended together they make “white light” or daylight, and they function as one. Similarly, each person of the Trinity is a separate and distinct person, but together they constitute the Trinity and function as One.
Jehovah’s Witnesses A Counterfeit Kingdom … or Not?
1) Witnesses Claim:
Jesus is not God.
Biblical Correction:
The apostle Thomas (known as “doubting Thomas”) called Jesus “God.”
“The other disciples told him [Thomas], ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.’ … He [Jesus] said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’ Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ ” (John 20:25–28)
2) Witnesses Claim:
The Holy Spirit is not God.
Biblical Correction:
The apostle Peter called the Holy Spirit “God.”
“Peter said, ‘Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.’ ” (Acts 5:3–4)
3) Witnesses Claim:
The word Trinity isn’t found in the Bible.
Biblical Correction:
That is correct … neither are words such as discipleship, missions, rapture, and the Old and New Testaments. Likewise, important Jehovah’s Witness terms like Theocratic, Pioneer, Governing Body, and Disfellowship are not found in the Bible—including the New World Translation. The lack of these specific words in the Bible doesn’t necessarily mean that they are unbiblical. For example, the Trinity is presumed in Matthew 28:19.
“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)
4) Witnesses Claim:
Jesus is less than the Father according to the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:3, “The head of Christ is God.”
Biblical Correction:
When on earth, Jesus submitted to the Father. When in heaven, Jesus was equal to the Father. Jesus is equal to God the Father in nature, glory, and honor. The apostle Paul also said,
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.” (Philippians 2:5–6)
5) Witnesses Claim:
Jesus did not rise bodily from the grave; instead He was a vapor.
Biblical Correction:
Jesus Christ was raised bodily from the grave.
“Look at my hands and my feet. It is I [Jesus] myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” (Luke 24:39)
6) Witnesses Claim:
For the unrighteous who reject Jehovah, no eternal torment in hell exists, only physical annihilation.
Biblical Correction:
The doctrine of eternal punishment in hell is clearly taught in numerous places throughout the Bible. In the story of Lazarus and the rich man, Jesus clearly states,
“In hell, where he [the rich man] was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ ” (Luke 16:23–24)
7) Witnesses Claim:
Jesus is not to be worshiped.
Biblical Correction:
Jesus was worshiped and is to be worshiped.
“On coming to the house, they [the Magi] saw the child [Jesus] with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.” (Matthew 2:11)
Having just seen Jesus empower Peter to walk on water, the disciples who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying,
Jehovah’s Witnesses A Counterfeit Kingdom … or Not?
Is Jesus God?
Most critics assume that Jesus never claimed to be God.30 They also assume that the New Testament writers never claimed that Jesus is God. For accurate interpretation, a student of the Bible must look at the whole counsel of God—at Scripture in context of the whole. For example, the first words in Genesis state, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Since God was the Creator and since Colossians 1:15–17 presents that Christ created all things, the relationship between God and Jesus must be that of equality. Jesus Christ must be God.
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
(Colossians 1:15–17)
What Different People and Books of the Bible Say
Paul refers to Jesus as “God” and “Savior.”
“We wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:13)
Peter refers to Jesus as “God” and “Savior.”
“Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours.” (2 Peter 1:1)
Thomas refers to Jesus as “My Lord and my God.”
“Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ ” (John 20:28)
John refers to Jesus as “the Word” and as “God.”
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)
Jesus even says that He and God the Father are one.
“I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30)
In Hebrews, Jesus is called “God.”
“But about the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.’ ” (Hebrews 1:8)
In the Epistle of 1 John, Jesus is called “the true God and eternal life.”
“We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” (1 John 5:20)
In Philippians, Jesus is described as “in very nature God.”
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.” (Philippians 2:5–6)
In Colossians, Jesus is fully God with “all the fullness of Diety.”
“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.” (Colossians 2:9–10)
In the Gospel of John, Jesus is called the great “I AM.” (See Exodus 3:14.)
