The Book of Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah is the Mighty God who will be born as a Child:  

“However, the gloom will not be as when the land had distress, as in former times when the land of Zebʹu·lun and the land of Naphʹta·li were treated with contempt. But at a later time He will cause it to be honored—the way by the sea, in the region of the Jordan, Galʹi·lee of the nations. The people who were walking in the darkness Have seen a great light. As for those dwelling in the land of deep shadow, Light has shone on them… For a child has been born to us, A son has been given to us; And the rulership will rest on his shoulder. His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God (el gibbor), Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. To the increase of his rulership And to peace, there will be no end, On the throne of David and on his kingdom In order to establish it firmly and to sustain it Through justice and righteousness, From now on and forever. The zeal of Jehovah of armies will do this.” Isaiah 9:1-2, 6-7 – Cf. Matt. 4:12-17; Luke 1:26-43, 79

The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of the Jehovah’s Witnesses admit that Jesus is being described as the Mighty God in this prophetic text. However, the Society seeks to undermine the implication this has by stating that Jesus is never identified as the Almighty God.

Here’s what they write in respect to this point:

“Mighty God” and “Eternal Father”

25. What does the name “Mighty God” tell us about the heavenly Jesus?

²⁵ Jesus is also “Mighty God” and “Eternal Father.” This does not mean that he usurps the authority and position of Jehovah, who is “God our Father.” (2 Corinthians 1:2) “He [Jesus] . . . gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God.” (Philippians 2:6) He is called Mighty God, not Almighty God. Jesus never thought of himself as God Almighty, for he spoke of his Father as “the only true God,” that is, the only God who should be worshiped. (John 17:3; Revelation 4:11) In the Scriptures, the word “god” can mean “mighty one” or “strong one.” (Exodus 12:12; Psalm 8:5; 2 Corinthians 4:4) Before Jesus came to earth, he was “a god,” “existing in God’s form.” After his resurrection, he returned to an even higher position in the heavens. (John 1:1; Philippians 2:6-11) Further, the designation “god” carries an additional implication. Judges in Israel were called “gods”​—once by Jesus himself. (Psalm 82:6; John 10:35) Jesus is Jehovah’s appointed Judge, “destined to judge the living and the dead.” (2 Timothy 4:1; John 5:30) Clearly, he is well named Mighty God.

26. Why can Jesus be called “Eternal Father”?

²⁶ The title “Eternal Father” refers to the Messianic King’s power and authority to give humans the prospect of eternal life on earth. (John 11:25, 26) The legacy of our first parent, Adam, was death. Jesus, the last Adam, “became a life-giving spirit.” (1 Corinthians 15:22, 45; Romans 5:12, 18) Just as Jesus, the Eternal Father, will live forever, so obedient mankind will enjoy the benefits of his fatherhood eternally.​—Romans 6:9. (Isaiah’s Prophecy—Light for All Mankind, Chapter Ten The Promise of a Prince of Peace, pp. 130-131 https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/Isaiahs-Prophecy-Light-for-All-Mankind-I/The-Promise-of-a-Prince-of-Peace/)

There are several problems with the arguments set forth by the Society.

First, the biblical doctrine of the Trinity does not teach that Jesus usurps the authority and position of Jehovah God the Father. Rather, the Trinity teaches that Jesus is one with the Father in essence, and therefore equal with him in authority and position.

Second, nowhere do Jesus and the inspired NT writings ever deny that the Son is the Almighty God. This is nothing more than an argument from silence.

Moreover, Jesus’ affirmation that the Father is the only true God isn’t a rejection of his also being the true God, but a contrast between the One who is God from those beings who are wrongly worshiped as such.

The teachings of Christ and his Spirit-filled followers are clear that the Son is essentially coequal with the Father and the Spirit. As such, this means that the Father is the only true God in union with–not in opposition to–his Son and Spirit (Cf. John 1:1-4, 9-10, 14; 10:27-33; 1 John 1:1-3; 5:20-21; Jude 1:4). I will have more to say in regards to this a little later.

This brings me to my next point.

In the very next chapter, the prophet Isaiah went on to identify Jehovah as the Mighty God:

“In that day those remaining of Israel And the survivors of the house of Jacob Will no longer support themselves on the one who struck them; But they will support themselves on Jehovah, The Holy One of Israel, with faithfulness. Only a remnant will return, The remnant of Jacob, to the Mighty God (el gibbor).” Isaiah 10:20-21

The prophet also hammers the point of there being no other god besides Jehovah God:

“Hez·e·kiʹah took the letters out of the hand of the messengers and read them. Hez·e·kiʹah then went up to the house of Jehovah and spread them out before Jehovah.  And Hez·e·kiʹah began to pray to Jehovah and say: ‘O Jehovah of armies, the God of Israel, sitting enthroned above the cherubs, you alone are the true God (ha elohim) of all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth. Incline your ear, O Jehovah, and hear! Open your eyes, O Jehovah, and see! Hear all the words that Sen·nachʹer·ib has sent to taunt the living God. It is a fact, O Jehovah, that the kings of As·syrʹi·a have devastated all the lands, as well as their own land. And they have thrown their gods into the fire, because they were not gods but the work of human hands, wood and stone. That is why they could destroy them. But now, O Jehovah our God, save us out of his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are God, O Jehovah.’” Isaiah 37:14-20

“‘You are my witnesses,’ declares Jehovah, ‘Yes, my servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and have faith in me And understand that I am the same One. Before me no God (el) was formed, And after me there has been none. I—I am Jehovah, and besides me there is no savior.’” Isaiah 43:10-11

“This is what Jehovah says, The King of Israeli and his Repurchaser, Jehovah of armies: ‘I am the first and I am the last. There is no God (elohim) but me. Who is there like me? Let him call out and tell it and prove it to me! From the time I established the people of long ago, Let them tell both the things to come And what will yet happen. Do not be in dread, And do not become paralyzed with fear. Have I not told each of you beforehand and declared it? You are my witnesses. Is there any God (eloah) but me? No, there is no other Rock; I know of none.” Isaiah 44:6-8

“I am Jehovah, and there is no one else. There is no God (elohim) except me. I will strengthen you, although you did not know me, In order that people may know From the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides me. I am Jehovah, and there is no one else… Make your report, present your case. Let them consult together in unity. Who foretold this long ago And declared it from times past? Is it not I, Jehovah? There is no other God (elohim) but me; A righteous God (el) and a Savior, there is none besides me. Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth, For I am God (el), and there is no one else. By myself I have sworn; The word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness, And it will not return: To me every knee will bend, Every tongue will swear loyalty.” Isaiah 45:5-6, 21-23

“Remember the former things of long ago, That I am God (el), and there is no other. I am God (elohim), and there is no one like me. From the beginning I foretell the outcome, And from long ago the things that have not yet been done. I say, ‘My decision will stand, And I will do whatever I please.’ I am calling a bird of prey from the sunrise, From a distant land the man to carry out my decision. I have spoken, and I will bring it about. I have purposed it, and I will also carry it out.” Isaiah 46:9-11

The rest of the inspired Scriptures agree since it denies that there can be any other god by nature:

“Nevertheless, when YOU did not know God, then it was that YOU slaved for those who by nature are not gods (tois physei me ousin theois).” Galatians 4:8 New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (1984 Edition)

Paul is referring to the gods whom the heathen worship which, according to him, are actually demons:

“What then am I saying?—That an idol-sacrifice is anything? Or that an idol is anything? On the contrary—That the things which the nations sacrifice Unto demons and not unto God they sacrifice; And I wish not that ye should become sharers together with the demons! Ye cannot be drinking—a cup of the Lord and a cup of demons; Ye cannot be partaking of a table of the Lord and a table of demons. Or are we to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we mightier than he?” 1 Corinthians 10:19-22 The Emphasized Bible

According to the Scriptures these demon gods whom the nations served are actually the fallen angels:

“Let all those serving any carved image be ashamed, Those who are making their boast in valueless gods. Bow down to him, all YOU gods. *+” Psalm 97:7

Footnote

“Gods.” Heb., ʼelo·himʹ; LXXSyVg, “his angels.”

Cross References

Exodus 12:12

¹²  And I must pass through the land of Egypt on this night and strike every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from man to beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I shall execute judgments. I am Jehovah.

Exodus 18:11

¹¹  Now I do know that Jehovah is greater than all the [other] gods by reason of this affair in which they acted presumptuously against them.”

Psalm 86:8

 ⁸  There is none like you among the gods, O Jehovah, Neither are there any works like yours.

Hebrews 1:6

⁶  But when he again brings his Firstborn into the inhabited earth, he says: “And let all God’s angels do obeisance to him.” (New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (1984 Edition) https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/bi12/books/psalms/97/#v19097007)

Note how the Society itself cross references Hebrews 1:6 to indicate that this is the passage which Paul is quoting from.

What this means is that none of the angelic host are divine in nature, not even the righteous ones among them such as Michael or Gabriel.

Note how this works out logically:

1. The beings which the Gentiles worshiped are not really gods in nature.
2. The gods worshiped by the nations are demons.
3. These demons are the rebellious angelic creatures, which includes Satan.
4. Therefore, created angelic beings are not gods in an ontological sense.

What this shows is that there is only one true Mighty God in existence, namely, Jehovah. Therefore, Jesus cannot be the Mighty God without being Jehovah, since Jehovah alone is the Mighty God. And since Jehovah is also the Almighty God, this means that Jesus must therefore be Almighty as well!

This is further brought out from the fact that the Scriptures affirm that none of the angelic creatures are like Jehovah or as mighty as he, nor are they capable of doing the works he does in the same manner in which he does them:

“There is none like you among the gods (elohim), O Jehovah, There are no works like yours. All the nations that you made Will come and bow down before you, O Jehovah, And they will give glory to your name. For you are great and do wondrous things; You are God (elohim), you alone.” Psalm 86:8-10

“The heavens praise your marvels, O Jehovah, Yes, your faithfulness in the congregation of the holy ones. For who in the skies can compare to Jehovah? Who among the sons of God (bibne elim) is like Jehovah? God is held in awe in the council of holy ones; He is grand and awe-inspiring to all who are around him. O Jehovah God of armies, Who is mighty like you, O Jah? Your faithfulness surrounds you.” Psalm 89:5-8

And yet the God-breathed writings proclaim that Jesus is exactly like the Father since he can do whatever the Father does in the exact same manner in which the Father does them. This even includes creating and sustaining the entire creation!

“For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things during the Sabbath. But he answered them: ‘My Father has kept working until now, and I keep working.’ This is why the Jews began seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath but he was also calling God his own Father, making himself equal to God. Therefore, in response Jesus said to them: ‘Most truly I say to you, the Son cannot do a single thing of his own initiative, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever things that One does, these things the Son does also in like manner. For the Father has affection for the Son and shows him all the things he himself does, and he will show him works greater than these, so that you may marvel.For just as the Father raises the dead up and makes them alive, so the Son also makes alive whomever he wants to. For the Father judges no one at all, but he has entrusted all the judging to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.’” John 5:17-23

“who delivered you out of the jurisdiction of darkness and transferred you into the kingdom of the Son of his love, in whom we have redemption, the pardon of sins,—Who is image of the invisible God, firstborn of all creation, because in him EVERYTHING was created in the heavens and on earth, the visible and the invisible, be it thrones or lordships or governments or dominions—everything has been created through him and to come to him, and before everything HE IS, and IN HIM everything holds together. And he is the head of the body, the church, he who is the beginning, the firstborn out of the dead, in order that he may take the first place in every respect, because in him all the fullness was pleased to make its home and through him to reconcile everything to him, making peace through the blood of his cross, through him whether it were the things on earth or the things in the heavens,” Colossians 1:13-20 The Bible in Living English

Jesus is further described as being the very exact imprint/representation of the Father’s infinite, uncreated Being:

“Long ago God spoke to our forefathers by means of the prophets on many occasions and in many ways. Now at the end of these days he has spoken to us by means of a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the systems of things. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the EXACT REPRESENTATION of his very being, and HE sustains all things by the word of his power. And after he had made a purification for our sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high… But about the Son, he says… And: ‘At the beginning, O Lord [the Son], you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; and just like a garment, they will all wear out, and you will wrap them up just as a cloak, as a garment, and they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will never come to an end.’” Hebrews 1:1-3, 8a, 10-12

Remarkably, the inspired Apostle has the Father quoting the following Psalm about Jehovah’s being the unchangeable Creator and Sustainer of all creation,

“A prayer of the oppressed one when he is in despair and pours out his concern before Jehovah. O Jehovah, hear my prayer; Let my cry for help reach you. But you remain forever, O Jehovah, And your fame will endure for all generations… I said: ‘O my God, Do not do away with me in the middle of my life, You whose years span all generations. Long ago you laid the foundations of the earth, And the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; Just like a garment they will all wear out. Just like clothing you will replace them, and they will pass away. But you are the same, and your years will never end.” Psalm 102:1, 12, 24-27  

And attributing it to his Son!

In other words, it is the Father himself who glorifies the Lord Jesus for being that very immutable Creator and Sustainer of the entire creation, thereby identifying Christ as Jehovah God Almighty who became a human being for the salvation of the world!  

Since the Father himself testifies that Jesus is Jehovah this means that the Son is indeed God Almighty. There’s simply no way around this.

To sum up the biblical arguments:

1. Jesus is the Mighty God.
2. Only Jehovah is the Mighty God.
3. Jesus is, therefore, Jehovah God in the flesh (even though he is not the Father or the Spirit).
4. Jehovah is also the Almighty God.
5. Therefore, Jesus is the Almighty God since he is Jehovah who became Man.

Unless noted otherwise, all scriptural references taken from The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures.

FURTHER READING

Jesus Christ – The Mighty God: More OT Evidence for the Deity of the Messiah

Jesus as the Mighty God of Isaiah 9:6

Jesus is the Eternal Father but He is not God the Father!

JESUS IS NOT A CREATED ANGEL

JUDAISM’S RAMBAM CONFIRMS: THE MESSIAH IS THE MIGHTY GOD AND GOD’S BEGOTTEN SON!

According to the inspired Scriptures, the prophet Isaiah was allowed to see Jehovah God Almighty in a visible form, where he appeared to be visibly seated on a visible throne wearing a robe:

“In the year that King Uz·ziʹah died, I saw Jehovah sitting on a lofty and elevated throne, and the skirts of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were standing above him; each had six wings. Each covered his face with two and covered his feet with two, and each of them would fly about with two. And one called to the other: ‘Holy, holy, holy is Jehovah of armies. The whole earth is filled with HIS GLORY.’ And the pivots of the thresholds quivered at the sound of the shouting, and the house was filled with smoke. Then I said: “Woe to me! I am as good as dead, For I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of armies himself!’

“At that, one of the seraphs flew to me, and in his hand was a glowing coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth and said: ‘Look! This has touched your lips. Your guilt is removed, And your sin is atoned for.’ 

“Then I heard the voice of Jehovah saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for US?’ And I said: ‘Here I am! Send me!’ And he replied, ‘Go, and say to this people: “You will hear again and again, But you will not understand; You will see again and again, But you will not get any knowledge.” Make the heart of this people unreceptive, Make their ears unresponsive, And paste their eyes together, So that they may not see with their eyes And hear with their ears, So that their heart may not understand And they may not turn back and be healed.’” Isaiah 6:1-10

On the other hand, John’s Gospel teaches that this is the time when Isaiah actually saw Jesus in his prehuman existence:   

“Then the crowd answered him: ‘We heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?’ So Jesus said to them: ‘The light will be among you a little while longer. Walk while you still have the light, so that darkness does not overpower you; whoever walks in the darkness does not know where he is going While you have the light, exercise faith in the light, so that you may become sons of light.’ Jesus said these things and went off and hid from them. Although he had performed so many signs before them, they were not putting faith in him, so that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, who said: ‘Jehovah, who has put faith in the thing heard from us? And as for the arm of Jehovah, to whom has it been revealed?’  

“The reason why they were not able to believe is that again Isaiah said: ‘He has blinded their eyes and has made their hearts hard, so that they would not see with their eyes and understand with their hearts and turn around and I heal them.’ Isaiah said these things because he saw HIS GLORY, and he spoke about him. All the same, many even of the rulers actually put faith in him, but they would not acknowledge him because of the Pharisees, so that they would not be expelled from the synagogue; for they loved the glory of men even more than the glory of God. However, Jesus called out and said: ‘Whoever puts faith in me puts faith not only in me but also in him who sent me; and whoever sees me sees also the One who sent me. I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone putting faith in me may not remain in the darkness.’” John 12:34-46

The Apostle cites Isaiah 6:10 and states that Isaiah said these words because he had seen Jesus Christ’s glory and spoke of him. John then immediately follows this up by quoting the Lord himself clearly stating that to see him is to see the One who sent him, meaning, the Father.

Nor is this the only place where Jesus made such a remarkable claim:

“Jesus said to him: ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you men had known me, you would have known my Father also; from this moment on you know him and have seen him.’ Philip said to him: ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.’ Jesus said to him: ‘Even after I have been with you men for such a long time, Philip, have you not come to know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father also. How is it you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in union with the Father and the Father is in union with me? The things I say to you I do not speak of my own originality, but the Father who remains in union with me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in union with the Father and the Father is in union with me; otherwise, believe because of the works themselves.’” John 14:6-11

The inspired Apostle himself wrote that no one has seen or could ever see God apart from the only begotten God making him known:

“No man has seen God at any time; the only-begotten god who is at the Father’s side is the one who has explained Him.” John 1:18

What this means is that Isaiah must have beheld the glory of the prehuman Christ since the prophet could not have looked upon or even heard from Jehovah apart from the Son revealing God to him.

To put this in simpler terms, the Jehovah whose glory Isaiah saw was none other than that of the Lord Jesus Christ himself.

Astonishingly, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of the Jehovah’s Witnesses agrees with this fact since it candidly admits that Jesus was present during the time the prophet saw Jehovah (whom the Society identifies as the Father). They base this on the words of Isaiah 6:8 where the Voice of the Lord asks, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for US (lanu)?”.

The Society explains the reason why Jehovah’s Voice spoke in the plural “Us,” is because Jehovah was speaking to his only-begotten Son and Word, the very One who later became the Man Christ Jesus:

¹³ Let us listen with Isaiah. “I began to hear the voice of Jehovah saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I proceeded to say: ‘Here I am! Send me.’”(Isaiah 6:8) The question propounded by Jehovah is clearly designed to elicit a response from Isaiah, as no other human prophet appears in the vision. It is unmistakably an invitation for Isaiah to be Jehovah’s messenger. But why does Jehovah ask, “Who will go for us?” By switching from the singular personal pronoun “I” to the plural pronoun “us,” Jehovah now includes at least one other person with himself. Who? Was this not his only-begotten Son, who later became the man Jesus Christ? Indeed, it was this same Son to whom God said, “Let us make man in our image.” (Genesis 1:26; Proverbs 8:30, 31) Yes, alongside Jehovah in the heavenly courts is his only-begotten Son.​—John 1:14. (Isaiah’s Prophecy—Light for All Mankind, Chapter Eight. Chapter Eight Jehovah God Is in His Holy Temple, pp. 93-94 https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/Isaiahs-Prophecy-Light-for-All-Mankind-I/Jehovah-God-Is-in-His-Holy-Temple/; emphasis mine)

And:

In 778 B.C.E., the year Judean King Uzziah died, God’s prophet Isaiah beheld a vision of Jehovah on his lofty throne. “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” asked Jehovah. Isaiah volunteered, but Jehovah warned him that his fellow Israelites would be unresponsive to his declarations. The apostle John compared the unbelieving Jews of the first century to the people of Isaiah’s day, and noted: “Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory.” Whose glory? That of Jehovah AND OF THE PREHUMAN JESUS ALONGSIDE HIM in the heavenly courts.—Isaiah 6:1, 8-10; John 12:37-41. (Jesus—The Ruler “Whose Origin Is From Early Times,” The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom—1998, p. 24 https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1998445; emphasis mine)

Again:

³ Did this Greater Isaiah need a miraculous vision of Jehovah enthroned in his temple with seraphs attending upon him, such as the original Isaiah had had? No, for he had been the heavenly Son of God and had beheld “the King, Jehovah of armies,” on his heavenly throne itself, and enjoyed heavenly glory with Jehovah. (John 17:5, 11, 20-24) By laying aside his heavenly glory and by having his life force transferred from heaven to earth by Jehovah’s miraculous power, he had become the man Jesus Christ. (Luke 1:26-38; Phil. 2:5-11) The human name that Jehovah God commanded to be given his Son on earth was Jesus, which is the shortened form for Jehoshua. Its meaning corresponds with that of the name Isaiah, only in reverse order. Jesus (or Jehoshua) means “Jehovah Is Salvation,” whereas Isaiah means “Salvation of Jah (Jehovah).” This circumstance goes well with the fact that Jesus Christ is the Greater Isaiah. Before becoming a man, he as the heavenly Son of God had been with Jehovah at the time that He said to the prophet Isaiah in the temple vision: “Who will go for us?” that is, ‘for me Jehovah and FOR my only-begotten Son.’—Isa. 6:8. (Have You Said: “Here I Am! Send Me”? The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom—1966, p. 753 https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1966922; emphasis mine)

Once more:

What “things” did Isaiah say “because he saw his glory”? Well, John quotes Isaiah here twice, first quoting Isaiah 53:1 concerning the ‘arm of Jehovah’ and then quoting Isaiah 6:10 concerning the temple vision. At Isaiah 53:1 the ‘arm of Jehovah’ is Christ Jesus. At Isaiah 6:10 the speaker at the temple is Jehovah, but HE INCLUDES HIS SON with him when he says: “Who will go for us?” that is, for me AND MY SON. Thus we see that the prehuman Jesus WAS ASSOCIATED WITH JEHOVAH IN HIS GLORY at the temple, and hence John could rightly say Isaiah here saw his glory and spoke about him, “the arm of Jehovah.” Certainly Jesus the Greater Isaiah had not sent himself, but Jehovah at the temple did so, for John here applies Isaiah 6:10 to Jesus as the Sent One toward whom this prophecy was first fulfilled, after Jesus had ridden into Jerusalem and offered himself as King and had cleansed the temple. … Especially since his resurrection, Jesus is the reflection of Jehovah’s glory.—Heb. 1:2, 3; 2 Cor. 4:6. (“Commissioning of Witnesses in the Time of the End,” The Watchtower, April 1, 1951, p. 219; emphasis mine)

Finally:

The Jews’ lack of faith in Jesus fulfills the words of Isaiah about the ‘eyes of people being blinded and their hearts being hardened so that they do not turn around to be healed.’ Isaiah saw in vision the heavenly courts of Jehovah, including Jesus in his prehuman glory along with Jehovah. Yet, the Jews, in fulfillment of what Isaiah wrote, stubbornly reject the evidence that this One is their promised Deliverer…

▪ How did the prophet Isaiah see Jesus’ glory? (The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, Chapter 104. God’s Voice Heard a Third Time https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/The-Greatest-Man-Who-Ever-Lived/Gods-Voice-Heard-a-Third-Time/; https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1989882; emphasis mine)

The Society’s candid acknowledgement that Isaiah beheld the glory of Jehovah and his preexistent, prehuman Son, and that it was with/to the Son whom Jehovah spoke in Genesis 1:26 in the creation of mankind raises serious problems for Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Isaiah 6 emphatically testifies that the prophet saw Jehovah’s glory alone, not the glory of God and a creature. Moreover, the context of Genesis 1:26 makes it explicitly clear that God alone created mankind in his own image and after his own likeness:

“Then God said: ‘Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and the domestic animals and all the earth and every creeping animal that is moving on the earth.’  And God went on to create the man in HIS image, in God’s image HE created him; male and female HE created them.” Genesis 1:26-27

“This is the book of Adam’s history. In the day that God created Adam, HE made himin the likeness of God. Male and female HE created them. On the day they were created, HE blessed them and named them Man.” Genesis 5:1-2

“This is a history of the heavens and the earth in the time they were created, in the day that Jehovah God made earth and heaven. No bush of the field was yet on the earth and no vegetation of the field had begun sprouting, because Jehovah God had not made it rain on the earth and there was no man to cultivate the ground.  But a mist would go up from the earth, and it watered the entire surface of the ground. And Jehovah God went on to form the man out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living person. Further, Jehovah God planted a garden in Eʹden, toward the east; and there HE put the man whom HE had formed… Now Jehovah God had been forming from the ground every wild animal of the field and every flying creature of the heavens, and he began bringing them to the man to see what he would call each one; and whatever the man would call each living creature, that became its name.  So the man named all the domestic animals and the flying creatures of the heavens and every wild animal of the field, but for man there was no helper as a complement of him. So Jehovah God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he was sleeping, HE took one of his ribs and then closed up the flesh over its place. And Jehovah God built the rib that he had taken from the man into a woman, and HE brought her to the man. Then the man said: ‘This is at last bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh. This one will be called Woman, Because from man she was taken.’ That is why a man will leave his father and his mother and he will stick to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” Genesis 2:4-8, 19-24

Therefore, these others whom God called upon to create humanity in their image and after their likeness, could not have been created beings. Rather, these other individuals who assisted God in creating male and female as the one Adam, could only have been eternal divine Persons who are essentially coequal with God the Father.     

And since the Society admits that it was the prehuman Jesus that Jehovah spoke with/to, this means that Christ is not a creation of the Father, but is the uncreated Son of God who is equal to the Father in essence, power, glory and majesty (Cf. John 5:18, 22-23; 10:27-33; 8:50, 54; Rev. 5:13-14).

As such, the JWs are simply wrong to assert that Christ is the first creature whom Jehovah produced, being the archangel Michael both in his prehuman and post mortem existence.

Instead, the God-breathed Scriptures describe Jesus Christ as the uncreated Word of the Father who became flesh, the Son that has been eternally existing in God’s form who later took on human nature from the holy, consecrated womb of the Virgin by the power of the Holy Spirit, and will forever exist as the God-Man (Cf. Matt. 1:18-25; 2:1-6, 11; Luke 1:26-35; 2:4-15; John 1:1-4, 9-10, 14; Acts 2:24-36; 17:30-31; John 1:1-14; Phil. 2:5-11; 1 Tim. 2:5-6; 6:14-16; Col. 1:13-20; 2:2-3, 9-10; Heb. 1:1-3, 8-13; 2:9-18; Rev. 1:12-18; 2:8; 5:5; 22:12-16, 20-21).

Scriptural references taken from the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition).

FURTHER READING

Jesus Christ: The God Whose Glory Isaiah Beheld

WHO DID THE PROPHETS SEE? A JEHOVAH’S WITNESS DILEMMA

JWS ADMIT: JESUS IS THE ETERNAL CREATOR!

Jesus Christ: The God of the Patriarchs and Prophets

Who Did Abraham See?

In this post I will furnish another case to illustrate why translations matter. I will be focusing on the inspired witness of the letters that the Spirit moved Peter to compose, commonly known as the Petrine Epistles.

These letters explicitly state that they were composed by Peter, and that the blessed Apostle even used an amanuensis (secretary/scribe) for at least one of them:

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as exiles, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen.” 1 Peter 1:1

“Through Silvanus, our faithful brother as I regard him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and bearing witness that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it! She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does my son, Mark.” 1 Peter 5:12-13 

“Simeon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received the same kind of faith as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:” 2 Peter 1:1

“This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,” 2 Peter 3:1

The 2^nd letter also refers to the time when Peter saw Christ transfigured on the Mountain:

“For we did not make known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, following cleverly devised myths, but being eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, ‘This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased’—and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.” 2 Peter 1:16-18 – Cf. Matt. 17:1-13; Mark 9:1-9; Luke 9:29-36

Unless noted otherwise, the translation I will be employing is the Legacy Standard Bible (LSB) since this version is based on the critical Greek NT text, collated from the earlier papyri and major codices. I call this the Critical Text (CT). It is not based on the Byzantine or Majority Text (MT), or even the Received Text (Textus Receptus [TR]), from which the King James Version was produced. In the conclusion, I will mention the major variant reading which impacts the Christology of one specific verse from Peter’s epistles.   

SPIRIT OF YHWH JESUS

To begin with, Peter identifies the Holy Spirit who spoke to and through the prophets in revealing the future sufferings and glorification of the Messiah as the Spirit of Christ:

“Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, made careful searches and inquiries, inquiring to know what time or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He was predicting the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been declared to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.” 1 Peter 1:10-12

For a Jew to describe the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of a fellow Jew is truly astonishing seeing that the Holy Spirit who inspired the OT prophets is clearly identified as the Spirit of YHWH God Almighty!

“You gave Your good Spirit to give them insight, Your manna You did not withhold from their mouth, And You gave them water for their thirst… However, You bore with them for many years, And testified to them by Your Spirit by the hand of Your prophets, Yet they would not give ear. So You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.” Nehemiah 9:20, 30

“The Spirit of Yahweh spoke by me, And His word was on my tongue. The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me, ‘He who rules over men as a righteous one, Who rules in the fear of God,’” 2 Samuel 23:2-3 

“Draw near to Me, hear this: From the first I have not spoken in secret, From the time it took place, I was there. So now Lord Yahweh has sent Me, and His Spirit.”” Isaiah 48:16

“The Spirit of Lord Yahweh is upon me Because Yahweh has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim release to captives And freedom to prisoners,” Isaiah 61:1

“On the other hand I am filled with power— With the Spirit of Yahweh— And with justice and might To declare to Jacob his transgression, Even to Israel his sin.” Micah 3:8

“And they made their hearts diamond-hard so that they could not hear the law and the words which Yahweh of hosts had sent by His Spirit by the hand of the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from Yahweh of hosts.” Zechariah 7:12

In light of the above, the only way that Peter could say that the Holy Spirit is Christ’s Spirit is if he believed that Jesus is indeed YHWH God Incarnate.

TASTING THE KINDNESS OF YHWH JESUS

The Apostle speaks to the believers who have tasted the kindness of the Lord Jesus in contrast to those that had rejected Him, the living Stone chosen by and precious to God:   

“if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord (egeusasthe hoti chrestos ho Kyrios). And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,” 1 Peter 2:3-4 

Here, Peter has applied to the risen Jesus the very language of the Psalmist, who invites mankind to taste for themselves how good YHWH truly is:

“O taste and see that Yahweh is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” Psalm 34:8

“Taste and see that the Lord is good (geusasthe… hoti chrestos ho Kyrios): blessed is the man who hopes in him.” Psalm 33:9 LXX

Once again, the only way that a Jewish monotheist could ascribe a text about YHWH to the Man Jesus is if that Jewish believer had become convinced of the fact that the risen Christ was no mere Jewish Man. Rather, this simply hammers the point that the blessed Apostle must have believed that Jesus is in actual fact YHWH God who became a human being.

THE JUST GOD WHO SAVES

The foregoing helps us appreciate why Peter in his second epistle could speak of Jesus being the God and Savior of believers:

“Simeon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received the same kind of faith as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ (dikaiosyne tou Theou hemon kai Soteros ‘Iesou Christou):” 2 Peter 1:1

The inspired Apostle is again (are the readers surprised at this point?) alluding to an OT text where YHWH is said to be the only just God and Savior of the world:

“Declare and draw near with your case; Indeed, let them consult together. Who has made this heard from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, Yahweh? And there is no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a Savior; There is none except Me. Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:21-22

Note what the Greek says:

“If they will declare, let them draw nigh, that they may know together, who has caused these things to be heard from the beginning: then was it told you. I am God (ego ho Theos), and there is not another beside me; a just [God] and a Saviour (dikaios kai Soter); there is none but me.” Isaiah 45:21 LXX

Peter employs the same Greek grammatical construction in several places throughout his inspired letter, which no one seriously doubts are references to the risen Christ:

“for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (tou Kyriou hemon kai Soteros ‘Iesou Christou) will be abundantly supplied to you.” 2 Peter 1:11

“For if they are overcome, having both escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (tou Kyriou hemon kai Soteros ‘Iesou Christou) and having again been entangled in them, then the last state has become worse for them than the first.” 2 Peter 2:20 – Cf. 3:2, 18

The language employed in the aforementioned texts echoes the way the Greek version of the Hebrew Bible describes YHWH God:

“Then when she had become majestic, after calling upon the all-seeing God and savior (Theon kai sotera), she took along two of her attendants;” D:2 

“Then, when she had become majestic, and after calling upon the all-knowing One and savior God, she took along with her two attendants;” 5:2 (Esther, translated by Karen H. Jobes, in A New English Translation of the Septuagint [NETS], including corrections and emendations made in the second printing (2009) and corrections and emendations [Oxford University Press , 2014], p. 433; emphasis mine)

“[A Psalm] of David, before he was anointed.] The Lord (Kyrios) is my light and my Saviour (soter mou); whom shall I fear? the Lord is the defender of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?… Turn not thy face away from me, turn not thou away from thy servant in anger: be thou my helper, forsake me not; and, O God my Saviour (ho Theos ho soter mou), overlook me not.” Psalm 26:1, 9 LXX

“Behold, the Lord is my God, my savior (ho Theos mou soter mou Kyrios); I will trust in him and will not be afraid, because the Lord is my glory and my praise and he has become my salvation (soterian).” Isaiah 12:2 (Esaias, translated by Moisés Silva, in NETS, p. 834; emphasis mine)

“So Jacob ate and was filled, and the beloved one kicked; he grew fat, he became thick and broad: then he forsook the God that made him, and departed from God his Saviour (Theou soteros autou).” Deuteronomy 32:15 LXX

I again reiterate this point. The only way that Jewish monotheists such as Peter would dare to confess Christ as the Lord, God and Savior of the believers is if they/he had become convinced that Jesus is YHWH God in the flesh.

THE LORD WHO IS ETERNALLY PRAISED

Seeing that the Apostle clearly viewed Jesus as YHWH God who became Man, it should therefore not surprise the readers that he concludes his second epistle with a doxology to the risen Lord, which is an ascription of eternal glory and praise that one is supposed to give to God alone:

“that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior (tou Kyriou kai Soteros) spoken by your apostles… but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (tou Kyriou hemon kai Soteros ‘Iesou Christou). To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:2, 18

Contrast this with the doxologies that Peter offers to God the Father:

“whoever speaks, as one speaking the oracles of God; whoever serves, as one serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and might forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:11

“And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, strengthen, confirm, and ground you. To Him be might forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 5:10-11

This again highlights the fact that Peter must have viewed Christ as being essentially coequal with the Father, and therefore worthy of the same glory, honor and praise which the Father is supposed to receive from all believers.

REVERENCING YHWH JESUS

The next examples are also remarkable:

“For this is contained in Scripture: ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who believes upon Him will not be put to shame.’ This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, ‘The stone which the builders rejected, This has become the chief corner stone,’ and, ‘A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.’ They stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this stumbling they were also appointed.” 1 Peter 2:6-8

“But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their fear, and do not be troubled (ton de phobon auton me phobethete mede tarachthete), but sanctify Christ as Lord (Kyrion de, ton Christon hagiasate) in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and fear,” 1 Peter 3:14-15 

Peter has taken (surprise!) the very description which Isaiah attributes to YHWH, and applied it to the risen Christ.

Note what the blessed prophet wrote in regards to reverencing YHWH, the Stone and Rock that causes unbelievers to stumble:

“You are not to say, ‘It is a conspiracy!’ In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy; And you are not to fear what they fear, and you shall not tremble. It is Yahweh of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, And He shall be your cause of trembling. Then He shall become a sanctuary; But to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over, And a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” Isaiah 8:12-14

Now compare the way the Greek versions (known as the Septuagint [LXX]) render the Hebrew of Isaiah:

“Let them not say, [It is] hard, for whatsoever this people says, is hard: but fear not ye their fear, neither be dismayed (ton de phobon autou ou me phobethete oude me tarachthete). Sanctify ye the Lord himself (Kyrion auton hagiasate); and he shall be thy fear. And if thou shalt trust in him, he shall be to thee for a sanctuary; and ye shall not come against [him] as against a stumbling-stone, neither as against the falling of a rock: but the houses of Jacob are in a snare, and the dwellers in Jerusalem in a pit.” Isaiah 8:12-14 LXX

The Greek of both Isaiah and Peter are virtually identical, making the identification of Jesus as YHWH absolutely certain and inescapable… unless, of course, one takes into consideration the fact that there is a variant reading, which affects the meaning of this citation from Peter.

This now brings me to my final point.

A VARIANT THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE

As noted, 1 Pete 3:15 is a passage which is affected by a variant reading, one that directly impact the issue of whether Christ is being identified as YHWH.

I will cite a slew of translations from both the Critical Text (CT) stream, and the Majority Text/Received Text (MT/TR), which will help the readers see the difference that exists in the manuscripts (MSS).

CT

“but treat the Messiah as holy, as Lord in your hearts; while remaining always ready to give a reasoned answer to anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you — yet with humility and fear,” CJB

“But keep the Lord Christ holy in your hearts. Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have.” ERV

“Instead, always remember that Christ is your Lord. Let him rule how you live. People may ask you, ‘Why do you trust God to help you?’ You must always be ready to answer them about that.” EASY

“But regard the Lord, the Christ, as holy in your hearts. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that is in you.” EHV

“but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,” ESV

“Instead, exalt the Messiah as Lord in your lives. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you to explain the hope you have.” ISV

“But dedicate your lives to Christ as Lord. Always be ready to defend your confidence in God when anyone asks you to explain it. However, make your defense with gentleness and respect.” NOG

“But respect Christ as the holy Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have,” NCV

“But in your hearts revere 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,” NIV

“Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.” NLT

“But reverence in your levavot Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach as Adoneinu, prepared always for a hitstaddekut (an apologetic defense) to everyone coming to you with a she’elah (question), ready with a word concerning the tikvah in you,” OJB

“but in your hearts reverence Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence;” RSV

“But hallow ye the Lord Christ in your hearts, and evermore be ye ready to [do] satisfaction to each man asking you reason of that faith and hope that is in you, but with mildness and dread,” WYC

MT/TR

“but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” AKJV

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to every man who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, with gentleness and fear.” MEV

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;” NKJV

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear,” WEB

As the readers can see, English versions based on the CT all have Christ as the Lord whom believers are to regard and revere as holy. On the other hand, the reading found in the MT/TR have the term God (Theon) as opposed to the word Christ (Christon). Therefore, according to the MT/TR it is the Lord God whom believers are to revere.

The NET has a textual note here explaining the MSS evidence for the two variants:

tc Most later mss, including some significant ones (P 5 81 436 442 1735 2344 2492 M) have θεόν (theon, “God”) instead of Χριστόν (Christon; “Christ”) here. But Χριστόν is widely supported by excellent and early witnesses (P א A B C Ψ 33 1175 1243 1611 1739 1852 latt sy co), and as a less common idiom better explains the rise of the other reading. (NET Bible https://netbible.org/bible/1+Peter+3; emphasis mine)

Hence, whether 1 Peter 3:15 is a place in the Petrine writings where Christ is identified as YHWH God Almighty depends on whether a person believes that the original readings of the inspired autographs are to be found in the CT. If so, then this is another case where Peter identifies his Lord as YHWH God Incarnate.

If, however, the individual believes that the original inspired words are located within the MT/TR then 1 Peter 3:15 must be jettisoned since according to these MSS this verse does not describe the risen Christ as YHWH.

Unless stated otherwise, scriptural references are from the Legacy Standard Bible (LSB).

FURTHER READING

TEXTUAL CRITICISM & CHRIST’S DEITY