The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Dilemma

In this post I am going to again prove from the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ (JWs) own Bible perversion, the New World Translation (NWT), that Jesus is Christ is Jehovah God Almighty in the flesh.

In our previous discussion (https://islamunmasked.com/2018/11/13/jesus-is-jehovah-god-according-to-the-jehovahs-witnesses-bible-pt-7/), we saw that even the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ own organization acknowledges that the following passage,

“to observe the commandment in a spotless and irreprehensible way until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, which the happy and only Potentate will show in its own appointed times. He is the King of those who rule as kings and Lord of those who rule as lords, the one alone having immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal might. Amen.” 1 Timothy 6:14-16

Is describing the risen Christ as the only sovereign Ruler who reigns from heaven as the supreme Lord and King over all other lords and kings, and who alone is immortal and clothed in unapproachable light.

This isn’t the only text that identifies Christ as the supreme Lord and Ruler over all other powers, dominions and authorities:

“He sent out the word to the sons of Israel to declare to them the good news of peace through Jesus Christ—this one is Lord of all.” Acts 10:36

“For to this end Christ died and came to life again, so that he might be Lord over both the dead and the living.” Romans 14:9

“and how surpassing the greatness of his power is toward us believers. It is according to the operation of the mightiness of his strength, which he exercised toward Christ when he raised him up from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, FAR ABOVE EVERY government and authority and power and lordship and EVERY NAME that is named, not only in this system of things BUT ALSO IN THAT TO COME. He also subjected all things under his feet and made him head over all things with regard to the congregation, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills up all things in all.” Ephesians 1:19-23

“and from Jesus Christ, ‘the Faithful Witness,’ ‘the firstborn from the dead,’ and ‘the Ruler of the kings of the earth.’ To him who loves us and who set us free from our sins by means of his own blood—and he made us to be a kingdom, priests to his God and Father—yes, to him be the glory and the might forever. Amen.” Revelation 1:5-6

“These will battle with the Lamb, but because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, the Lamb will conquer them. Also, those with him who are called and chosen and faithful will do so.” Revelation 17:14

“I saw heaven opened, and look! a white horse. And the one seated on it is called Faithful and True, and he judges and carries on war in righteousness. His eyes are a fiery flame, and on his head are many diadems. He has a name written that no one knows but he himself, and he is clothed with an outer garment stained with blood, and he is called by the name The Word of God. Also, the armies in heaven were following him on white horses, and they were clothed in white, clean, fine linen. And out of his mouth protrudes a sharp, long sword with which to strike the nations, and he will shepherd them with a rod of iron. Moreover, he treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his outer garment, yes, on his thigh, he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” Revelation 19:11-16

Pay close attention how one of the leading Greek lexicons, Thayer’s, defines the title “Lord of lords” in Revelation 19:16:

“… κύριος κυρίων, i. e. Supreme Lord (cf. Winer s Grammar, § 36,2; (Buttmann, § 123,12)): Revelation 19:16 (cf. in α. above; of God, Deuteronomy 10:17)…” (http://biblehub.com/thayers/2962.htm; http://www.studylight.org/lexicons/greek/gwview.cgi?n=2962; bold emphasis ours)

And note the definition given for “supreme” by the following dictionaries:

Supreme

adjective

su·​preme | \sə-ˈprēm,

Definition of supreme 

1: HIGHEST IN RANK OR AUTHORITY the supreme commander

2: highest in degree or quality supreme endurance in war and in labour— R. W. Emerson

3: ULTIMATE, FINAL the supreme sacrifice (Merriam-Webster https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supreme; capital emphasis ours)

adjective

1. HIGHEST IN RANK OR AUTHORITY; paramount; sovereign; chief.
2. of the highest quality, degree, character, importance, etc.: supreme courage.
3. GREATEST, UTMOST, or extreme: supreme disgust.
4. last or final; ULTIMATE. (Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/supreme?s=t; capital emphasis ours)

Hence, the inspired Christian Scriptures identify the risen Christ as the supreme Lord in heaven, holding the highest rank of authority imaginable. And yet the sacred Scriptures plainly teach that it is Jehovah who is the supreme Lord since he is the sovereign Ruler over all other lords, kings, powers, dominions etc.

“For Jehovah your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the God great, mighty, and awe-inspiring, who treats none with partiality and does not accept a bribe.” Deuteronomy 10:17

Here is the Greek rendering (LXX) of the phrase “Lord of lords”:

“… and the Lord of lords (Kurios ton kurion)…” Septuagint

There’s more:

“Give thanks to the Lord of lords, For his loyal love endures forever.” Psalm 136:3

“Give thanks to the Lord of lords (to Kurio ton kurion)…” Psalm 135:3 LXX

“The king said to Daniel: ‘Truly your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a Revealer of secrets, because you were able to reveal this secret.’” Daniel 2:47

We even find the titles “Lord of lords” and “King of kings,” employed for the true God in the inter-testamental Jewish literature:

“And then Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel looked down from heaven and saw much blood being shed upon the earth, and all lawlessness being wrought upon the earth. And they said one to another: ‘The earth made without inhabitant cries the voice of their cryingst up to the gates of heaven. And now to you, the holy ones of heaven, the souls of men make their suit, saying, “Bring our cause before the Most High.”’ And they said to the Lord of the ages: ‘Lord of lords, God of gods, King of kings, and God of the ages, the throne of Thy glory (standeth) unto all the generations of the ages, and Thy name holy and glorious and blessed unto all the ages! Thou hast made all things, and power over all things hast Thou: and all things are naked and open in Thy sight, and Thou seest all things, and nothing can hide itself from Thee…” 1 Enoch: The Book of the Watchers, Chapter 9:1-6a (Bold and italicized emphasis ours)

Now since there cannot be more than one supreme Lord over all creation, especially One who reigns from above the heavens, and therefore over every created being,

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold on to our public declaration of him. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but we have one who has been tested in all respects as we have, but without sin. Let us, then, approach the throne of undeserved kindness with freeness of speech, so that we may receive mercy and find undeserved kindness to help us at the right time.” Hebrews 4:14-16

“For it is fitting for us to have such a high priest who is loyal, innocent, undefiled, separated from the sinners, and exalted above the heavens.” Hebrews 7:26

“Baptism, which corresponds to this, is also now saving you (not by the removing of the filth of the flesh, but by the request to God for a good conscience), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is at God’s right hand, for he went to heaven, and angels and authorities and powers were made subject to him.” 1 Peter 3:21-22

And since the Holy Bible clearly testifies that Jehovah is that one supreme Lord from heaven,

“For you, O Jehovah, are the Most High over all the earth; You are exalted far above all other gods.” Psalm 97:9

“Who is like Jehovah our God, The one who dwells on high?” Psalm 113:5

“To you I raise my eyes, You who are enthroned in the heavens. As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, And the eyes of a servant girl to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to Jehovah our God Until he shows us favor.” Psalm 123:1-2

This means Jesus must be Jehovah God in the flesh. Otherwise, Christ could not reign in heaven itself as the supreme Lord over all powers, dominions, rulers etc.

This brings me to my next point. The same inspired Scriptures testify that the Father of Christ is the only true God:

“Jesus spoke these things, and raising his eyes to heaven, he said: ‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify your son so that your son may glorify you, just as you have given him authority over all flesh, so that he may give everlasting life to all those whom you have given to him. This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.” John 17:1-3

“For they themselves keep reporting about our first contact with you and how you turned to God from your idols to slave for a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from the heavens, whom he raised up from the dead, namely, Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.” 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

And according to the Hebrew Bible, it is Jehovah who is the true God,

“For a long time Israel had been without the true God, without a priest teaching, and without law.” 2 Chronicles 15:3 – cf. Jeremiah 10:10

And he is the only one:

“You ALONE are Jehovah; you made the heavens, yes, the heaven of the heavens and all their army, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. And you preserve all of them alive, and the army of the heavens are bowing down to you.” Nehemiah 9:6

“And Jehovah will be King over all the earth. In that day Jehovah will be one (echad), and his name one (echad).” Zechariah 14:9

This means that the Father must be Jehovah God as well. And yet the Father is personally distinct from Jesus Christ his beloved Son, who is also Jehovah God Almighty!

Now since there can’t be two Jehovah’s, and since the Father and the Son are not the same Person, this must mean that Jehovah is a multi-Personal Being.

Note the biblical logic behind all this:

• There’s only one supreme Lord over all creation, namely, Jehovah God.
• Jesus Christ is identified as the one supreme Lord over all creation.
• Jesus must, therefore, be Jehovah God Almighty in the flesh.
• At the same time the Father is identified as the only true God.
• Since Jehovah is the only true God, the Father must therefore be Jehovah God.
• And since Jehovah is the one supreme Lord, the Father must therefore be the one supreme Lord over all creation.
• This means that both the Father and the Son are Jehovah God Almighty.
• The Father and the Son are not the same Person, but are personally distinct from one another.
• And since there’s only one Jehovah God, this in turn proves that Jehovah God is a multi-Personal Being who has eternally existed as the Father and the Son (along with the Holy Spirit).

There’s simply no way of getting around all of these biblical facts.

The inspired Bible writers provide further proof that Jesus, along with the Father (as well as the Holy Spirit), is in fact Jehovah God Almighty.

The following passage, known as the Shema,

“Listen, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.” Deuteronomy 6:4

Functions as a sort of creedal statement, by which the Israelites were to live by. Here is how the Greek version renders the Hebrew:

“Answered the Jesus that First (one) is Be hearing, Israel, Lord the God of us Lord one is (Kurios ho Theos hemon Kurios heis estin),” Mark 12:29 (The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/b/r1/lp-e/int/E/1985/41/12#s=29&study=discover)

Notice that the Greek translates YHWH echad (“Jehovah [is] one”) as Kurios heis (“Lord one”). This isn’t the only time that the Greek renders the Hebrew in this manner:

“… In that day Jehovah will be one, and his name one.” Zechariah 14:9

“And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day there shall be one Lord (Kurios heis), and his name one,” LXX

And here is another passage that is relevant:

“You alone are Jehovah…” Nehemiah 9:6

Once again, note how the Greek translates this expression:

“And Esdras said, Thou art the only true Lord (Kurios monos); thou madest the heaven, and the heaven of heavens, and all their array, the earth, and all things that are in it, the seas, and all things in them; and thou quickenest all things, and the hosts of heaven worship thee.” LXX

Hence, a Greek speaking Jew would take the expressions Kurios heis and Kurios monos, and their equivalents, i.e. heis Kurios, monos Kurios, as references to those OT texts calling Israel to confess and acknowledge that Jehovah is one, and that Israel’s God is the only one who is Jehovah.

And yet here is where it gets rather amazing. According to the inspired NT writings, these phrases are applied, not to the Father, but to Jesus Christ the Son!

“there is actually to us one God, the Father, from whom all things are and we for him; and there is ONE LORD, Jesus Christ (kai HEIS Kurios ‘Iesous Christos), through whom all things are and we through him.” 1 Corinthians 8:6

The above text is problematic for the JWs for at least two reasons. First, the blessed Apostle expressly identifies Christ as heis Kurios which, as we saw, is simply the Greek way of saying that Jehovah is one. This means that, for Paul, Jesus is none other than Jehovah God in the flesh!

Secondly, Paul says that all things come from God the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ. Even JWs will have to admit that the phrase “all things” refers to creation, that the entire creation came into existence from God. And yet not only does the Apostle say that all creation is from God, meaning brought into being by God, but that it also came into existence through the agency of the Lord Jesus.

Here’s where the dilemma lies for the JWS. For Christ to be the active Agent that the Father employed to create all things he must have existed before the creation of all those things. And since all things clearly refer to the entire creation, this means that both the Father and the Son existed together even before creation came into being.

In other words, the blessed Apostle has just affirmed that both the Father and the Son are eternal since both of them existed together before the entire creation was ever made!

Finally, not only is Jesus identified as the one Lord (heis Kurios), he is even described as the one and only Lord (monos Kurios) of all believers:

“My reason is that certain men have slipped in among you who were long ago appointed to this judgment by the Scriptures; they are ungodly men who turn the undeserved kindness of our God into an excuse for brazen conduct and who prove false to our ONLY owner and LORD, Jesus Christ (ton MONON Despoten kai KURION hemon ‘Iesoun Christon).” Jude 1:4

And since the phrase monos Kurios is simply the Greek way of saying that there is only one Jehovah, this means that Christ is again being identified as Jehovah God Almighty in the flesh. Again, there’s simply no honest way of getting around this divinely revealed truth.

Jehovah Jesus willing, I’ll be posting more articles where I prove the Trinity from the JW’s very own (per)version of the Holy Bible in the near future.

 

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