Bridge of Reason

  In Questions from Readers, the Watch Tower Society addresses the question: ‘ Does Stephen’s prayer to Jesus, as found in Acts 7:59, show that he understood Jesus to be Jehovah?’ The New World Translation gives us: ‘ And they went on casting stones at Stephen as he made appeal, and said: ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then, bending his knees, he cried out with a strong voice: ‘Jehovah, do not charge this sin against them.’ And after saying this he fell asleep in death.’ vv 59,60 They put the name Jehovah in the text where the Westcott and Hort Greek text has the word Lord translating the Greek kurios. Their own Kingdom Interlinear also translates Lord. The article they use is from a 1959 Watchtower: ‘The prayer offered by Stephen when he was being martyred is recorded at Acts 7:59, 60, which says: “And they went on casting stones at Stephen as he made appeal and said: ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then, bending his knees, he cried out with a strong voice: ‘Jehova...

    The Watch Tower Society believes that only Jehovah is God therefore only he is entitled to receive worship. Any other worship is wrong. The Society states: ‘ Most Hebrew and Greek words that can denote worship can also be applied to acts other than worship. However, the context determines in what way the respective words are to be understood.’ - Insight on the Scriptures, vol.2, 1988, p.1211 However, the Society's conclusions are decided in advance. They decide Jesus isn’t God the Son and allow that conclusion to colour every text that mentions Jesus being worshipped. This is not the way to do an open-minded Bible study. History The above position on worship has not always been held by the Society. Today a Jehovah’s Witness must not worship Jesus, but in 1916 they were told that many would worship even Charles Russell: ‘ Charles Taze Russell thou hast, by the Lord, been crowned a king and through the everlasting ages thy name shall be known amongst the people, and thy ...

Jehovah's Witnesses are known for their Unitarian doctrine of God. Utterly rejecting the Trinity doctrine of the Christian Church, they insist: 'Many Christian denominations teach that God is a Trinity. However, note what the Encyclopædia Britannica states: “Neither the word Trinity nor the explicit doctrine appears in the New Testament. . .The doctrine developed gradually over several centuries and through many controversies.” In fact, the God of the Bible is never described as being part of a Trinity.' We begin with a point I never tire of making, and that I made in my last post . I think of the generations of theologians, teachers, and leaders who have studied such things in great depth. Does the Watch Tower Society, which discourages further and higher education in favour of door-knocking, think it knows better? This no more true than when it comes to the nature of God. Do Jehovah’s Witnesses think the answer to this question is there to be had by anyone who cr...

  In my last Watchtower Wednesday we looked at the Watchtower understanding of Romans 10:13 asking, Who is 'the Lord' in this verse? Is it Jehovah? Is it Jesus? How would you talk about this teaching to a Jehovah's Witness? Most Bibles translate, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ (ESV) The New World Translation gives us, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved.’ Paul here is quoting a text from Joel 2:32, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.’ (ESV) We know that Joel is referring to Jehovah, but who is Paul writing about? I want to point out four things. T he Name First, t hey give the familiar argument about Jesus using the name: ‘ God’s name was important to Jesus Christ. The very first words in his model prayer were: “Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified,” or made holy. ( Matthew 6:9 ) Jesus also showed that we must come to know, obey, and love the Person behind that name if w...