[Home] [Updates] [Site map] [My Quotes; JW unclassified & classified quotes] [My Jesus is Jehovah! blog]
The following are quotes added to my Jesus is Jehovah unclassified quotes database in February 2008.
The date format is dd/mm/yy. See copyright conditions at end.
2008: Jan, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec.
1/02/2008
"It is important to note the force of the one article with attributive genitives like 2 Pet. 1:11 ten aionion
basileian tou kuriou emon kai soteros 'Iesou Christou the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour (the
one article tou pointing at kuriou kai soteros as one individual just like Rev 1:9 ho adelphos umon kai:
sunkoinonos (Rev. 1:9) your brother and companion). So in 2 Pet. 1:1 dikaiosune tou theou emon kai
soteros' Iesou Christou can only mean grammatically in righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus
Christ. Winer admits this as the necessary grammar, but for doctrinal reasons draws back. Grammar has
nothing primarily to do with theology. So in Tit. 2:13 ton makarian elpida kai epiphaneian tes doxa tou
megalou theou kai soteros Christou 'Iesou the happy hope and epiphany of our great God and Saviour
Christ Jesus. The use of epiphaneian besides the single article tou points directly to the second
coming of Christ Jesus. Note the correlation of articles here (ton, tes, tou). Paul's doctrinal system
(Phil. 2:9; Col. 1:15-19; 2:9; Rom. 9:5; Acts 20:28) does not forbid the necessary force of the single article in
Tit. 2:13." (Robertson, A.T. & Davis, W.H., "A New Short Grammar of the Greek Testament: For Students
Familiar With the Elements of Greek," [1933], Baker: Grand Rapids MI, Tenth edition, 1977, Fourth printing,
1985, p.278. Greek transliteration mine)
1/02/2008
"Jesus as God: Not Just a Title Besides the passages discussed so far in this chapter, there are four
other texts in the Bible not discussed in the JW booklet ["Should You Believe in the Trinity?,"
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society: Brooklyn NY, 1989] that clearly testify to the truth that Jesus
Christ is Jehovah God. These texts also show why it is so important to acknowledge Jesus as God.
These four texts are Titus 2:13, `of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus'; 2 Peter 1:1, `our God and
Savior, Jesus Christ'; 1 John 5:20, which calls Jesus Christ `the true God and eternal life'; and Hebrews
1:8-12, which calls Christ both God and Lord. The translation of the first two of these texts is often
disputed. Thus, the NWT translates them as `of the great God and of [the] Savior of us, Christ Jesus'
(Titus 2:13) and `our God and [the] Savior Jesus Christ' (2 Peter 1:1). But the addition of the word the
in brackets (indicating it is not found in the original Greek), attempting to make `God' a different person
than the `Savior,' is incorrect (despite the fact that some translators have done so). These passages
follow exactly the same construction as is found in the expressions `our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,'
`the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,' and `the Lord and Savior' (2 Peter 1:11; 2:20; 3:2, 18). This
construction in Greek connects two nouns with the Greek word for and (kai) and places a definite
article `the' in front of the first noun but not in front of the second (e.g., `the Lord and Savior'). In fact,
every occurrence of this construction, when the nouns are singular and are common nouns describing
persons (Father, Son, Lord, Savior, brother, etc.), uses the two nouns to refer to the same person .
Thus, the construction used, and especially the way Peter uses it elsewhere, strongly supports the
conclusion that in 2 Peter 1:1 Jesus is called `God.'" (Bowman, R.M., "Why You Should Believe in the
Trinity: An Answer to Jehovah's Witnesses," [1989], Baker: Grand Rapids MI, Third printing, 1990,
pp.104-105. Emphasis original)
1/02/2008
"In Titus 2:13 the context supports this interpretation also. First, the Greek word for manifestation (or
appearing in some translations) is always used by Paul with reference to Christ alone (2 Thess. 2:8; 1 Tim.
6:14; 2 Tim. 1:10; 4:1, 8; Titus 2:13). This makes sense, since Jesus Christ is the visible representation or
manifestation of God (John 1:18; Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:2; etc.). Second, three times in Titus the expression `our
Savior' is used with reference to God (1:3; 2:10; 3:4) and then immediately after with reference to Christ (1:4;
2:13; 3:6). In all six of these texts, the words `our Savior' have the Greek definite article the in front of them,
except for Titus 2:13 (a point missed in English since the expression `our Savior' in English cannot have the
word the in front of it). The simplest explanation, if not the only one, for this omission is that the definite
article in front of `God' ('the great God and Savior of us') serves as the article for both nouns." (Bowman,
R.M., "Why You Should Believe in the Trinity: An Answer to Jehovah's Witnesses," [1989], Baker: Grand
Rapids MI, Third printing, 1990, p.105. Emphasis original)
1/02/2008
"1 John 5:20 ends, `...his Son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God and life everlasting' (NWT). Biblical scholars
disagree as to whether `the true God' here applies to Jesus Christ, or to the Father whose `Son' Jesus Christ
is. The JWs, naturally, insist that the Father is being called the true God. Grammatically this is just possible
(though not the most obvious or simplest reading), but the context indicates otherwise. The statement `this
is the true God and life everlasting' clearly is referring to one person as both `true God' and `life
everlasting.' But in 1 John 1:2 Jesus Christ, who `was with the Father and was manifested to us,' is identified
as `the everlasting life' (NWT). Thus, in this letter John begins and ends with a reference to someone called
the `everlasting life'-and at the beginning of the letter it must be Jesus, while at the end the grammar most
naturally suggests that it is also Jesus. Both grammar and context, therefore, point most strongly to the
conclusion that it is Jesus Christ who is being called `the true God and life everlasting.' These three texts
show that one cannot know Jesus as `Savior,' as the source of `everlasting life,' without also knowing him as
`our great God,' `the true God.' It is only because Jesus Christ is God that he can save us. " (Bowman, R.M.,
"Why You Should Believe in the Trinity: An Answer to Jehovah's Witnesses," [1989], Baker: Grand Rapids
MI, Third printing, 1990, pp.105-106. Emphasis original)
1/02/2008
"Finally, Hebrews 1:8-12 is one of the most powerful passages in the Bible on the subject of Jesus as God.
The opening verses of Hebrews have already declared that the Son was the `heir of all things' (v. 2a; cf. Col.
1:15-17), the one through whom everything was made (v. 2b), the `exact representation' of God's very being
(v. 3a), the one who `sustains all things by the word of his power' (v. 3b) and who accomplished our
salvation (v. 3c), who is better than all the angels (v. 4), and is worshiped by the angels (v. 6). Thus, the Son
has already been described as in essence God, identified as the Creator, Sustainer, Owner, and Savior, and
ascribed worship by the inhabitants of heaven. It should come as no surprise, then, that in verse 8 God the
Father says `of the Son, `Your throne, O God, is forever and ever...' (translating literally). To circumvent this
plain statement, the NWT renders verse 8 as `God is your throne forever and ever....' On merely grammatical
considerations, this translation is possible, and some biblical scholars have favored this rendering.
According to such a reading, the point of the statement is then that God is the source of Jesus' authority.
However, this seems to be an unusual, if not completely odd, way of making that point. In Scripture a
`throne' is not the source of one's authority, but the position or place from which one rules. Thus, heaven is
called `the throne of God' (Matt. 5:34). Surely God does not derive his authority from heaven, or from anyone
or anything! But, even assuming that `God is your throne' would be understood as having that meaning, in
context this makes no sense: The writer of Hebrews is quoting Psalm 45:6 and applying it to the Son to show
that the Son is far greater than any of the angels. However, if all this verse means is that the Son's authority
derives from God, this in no way makes him unique or greater than the angels, since this could be said of
any of God's obedient angels." (Bowman, R.M., "Why You Should Believe in the Trinity: An Answer to
Jehovah's Witnesses," [1989], Baker: Grand Rapids MI, Third printing, 1990, pp.106-107. Emphasis original)
1/02/2008
"In any case, the next quotation from the Psalms leaves no room for doubt. Continuing to speak about the
Son, the writer of Hebrews quotes these words (Heb. 1:10-12 NWT): `You [at] the beginning, O Lord, laid the
foundations of the earth itself, and the heavens are [the] works of your hands. They themselves will perish,
but you yourself are to remain continually; and just like an outer garment they will all grow old, and you will
wrap them up just as a cloak, as an outer garment; and they will be changed, but you are the same, and your
years will never run out.' In the context of Psalm 102:25-27 from which this is quoted, these words are spoken
of Jehovah. If the Son was not Jehovah, then it was illegitimate for the writer of Hebrews to quote these
words about Jehovah and apply them to Jesus to try to prove that he was greater than the angels.
Moreover, what these verses say about Jesus can only be true of Jehovah-namely, that he created the
heavens and the earth (cf. Isa. 44:24) and is unchanging and eternal by nature. Thus, the entire first chapter
of Hebrews testifies that the Son, Jesus Christ, is himself God. This is not merely a matter of possessing the
title God, though he does have that title. It is a matter of his being the One who creates, sustains, and
saves us; the One to whom worship is due; the One who deserves to rule on the throne forever and ever.
These things are all true only of Jehovah God, and it is zeal for the greatness and uniqueness of Jehovah
God that demands that these things can be admitted to be true of Jesus only if he is in fact Jehovah."
(Bowman, R.M., "Why You Should Believe in the Trinity: An Answer to Jehovah's Witnesses," [1989],
Baker: Grand Rapids MI, Third printing, 1990, pp.107-108. Emphasis original)
1/02/2008
"Titus 2:13 The debate surrounding this verse relative to our present interest is whether the Apostle Paul
intended to refer to one person (Christ) or to two persons (the Father and Christ) when he wrote: `...while we
wait for the blessed hope, even the appearing of the glory [or, glorious appearing] of the great God and
Savior of us, Jesus Christ.' The issue, more pointedly put, is this: Are the two words `God' and `Savior' to be
construed as referring to one person or are they to be divorced from one another because of the demands of
exegesis and referred to two persons? In my opinion, there are five compelling reasons for understanding
Paul to be referring to Christ alone throughout the verse and to translate the relevant phrase: `the appearing
of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.' First, it is the most natural way to render the Greek sentence w
numerous commentators and grammarians have observed. Indeed, more than one grammarian has noted that
there would never have been a question as to whether `God' and `Savior' refer to one person if the sentence
had simply ended with `our Savior.' Second, the two nouns both stand under the regimen of the single
definite article preceding `God,' indicating (according to the Granville Sharp rule) that they are to be
construed corporately, not separately, or that they have a single referent. If Paul had intended to speak of
two persons, he could have expressed this unambiguously by inserting an article before `Savior' or by
writing `our Savior' after `Jesus Christ.' Third, inasmuch as `appearing' is never referred to the Father but is
consistently employed to refer to Christ's return in glory, the prima facie conclusion is that the `appearing
of the glory of our great God' refers to Christ's appearing and not to the Father's appearing. Fourth, note has
often been made of the fact that the terms ... ho theos kai soter, `god and savior') were employed in
combination together in second and first century B.C. secular literature to refer to single recipients of
heathen worship. ... Fifth, contrary to the oft-repeated assertion that the use of ... theos, as a
Christological title is an `un- Pauline locution' and thus the noun cannot refer to Christ here, I would simply
say that our exposition of Romans 9:5 has demonstrated that this simply is not so. Grammatically and
biblically, the evidence would indicate that Paul intended in Titus 2:13 to describe Christ as `our great God
and Savior." (Reymond, R.L., "Jesus, Divine Messiah: The New Testament and Old Testament Witness,"
[1990], Mentor: Fearn UK, 2003, pp.471-473. Emphasis original)
1/02/2008
"Second Peter In his second letter Peter refers to Jesus as `Jesus Christ' (1:1), `[the] Lord' (3:8,9, 10, 15;
perhaps 2:9), `the Lord and Savior' (3:2), `our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ' (1:11; 2:20; 3:18), and finally, `our
God and Savior Jesus Christ' (1:1). This last reference is very important, for now we find Peter-like Thomas
and Paul before him-employing ... theos, as a Christological title. This assertion, of course, has not gone
unchallenged, the alternative suggestion being that by ... theos Peter intended to refer to the Father. As
earlier with Titus 2:13 the issue turns on the question whether by the phrase, `the righteousness of our God
and Savior Jesus Christ,' Peter intended to refer to two persons (God the Father and Jesus) or to only one
person, Jesus alone. It is my opinion, as well as that of the KJV, RV, RSV, NASV, NEB, NIV, and the NKJV,
that Peter intended to refer only to Christ. I would offer the following six reasons for my conviction:"
(Reymond, R.L., "Jesus, Divine Messiah: The New Testament and Old Testament Witness," [1990], Mentor:
Fearn UK, 2003, pp.489-490. Emphasis original)
1/02/2008
"First, it is the most natural way to read the Greek sentence. If Peter had intended to speak of two persons,
he could have expressed himself unambiguously to that effect, as he does in the very next verse
('`knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord'), by placing `our Savior' after `Jesus Christ' or by simply
inserting an article before `Savior' in the present word order. Bigg rightly observes: `...if the author intended
to distinguish two persons, he has expressed himself with singular inaccuracy.' [Bigg, C., "A Critical and
Exegetical Commentary on the Epistles of St. Peter and St. Jude," T. & T. Clark: Edinburgh, 1902, p.251]:"
(Reymond, R.L., "Jesus, Divine Messiah: The New Testament and Old Testament Witness," [1990], Mentor:
Fearn UK, 2003, p.490)
1/02/2008
"Second, both `God' and `Savior' stand under the regimen of the single article before `God,' linking the two
nouns together as referents to a single person. [Metzger, B.M., "Jehovah's Witnesses and Jesus Christ" in
Theology Today, April 1953, p.789] Bigg again rightly states: `It is hardly open for anyone to translate in
1 Pet. 1.3 ... ho theos kai pater ... by `the God and Father,' and yet here decline to translate ... theos kai
soter ... by `the God and Saviour.' [Bigg, Ibid., p.251]" (Reymond, R.L., "Jesus, Divine Messiah: The New
Testament and Old Testament Witness," [1990], Mentor: Fearn UK, 2003, p.490)
1/02/2008
"Third, five times in 2 Peter, including this one, Peter uses the word `Savior.' It is always coupled with a
preceding noun (the other four times always with ... kurios) in precisely the same word order as in 1:1.
Here are the last four uses in their precise word order:
1:11: `...kingdom of the Lord of us and Savior Jesus Christ'
2:20: `...knowledge of the Lord of us and Savior Jesus Christ'
3:4: `...commandment of the Lord and Savior'
3:18: `...knowledge of the Lord of us and Savior Jesus Christ'
In each of these four cases, `Lord' and `Savior,' standing under the regimen of the single article before `Lord,'
refer to the same person, a fact recognized by all grammarians, commentaries, and Bible versions. If we
simply substitute the word ... theos, for ... kurios, we have precisely the word order in 1:1:
`...righteousness of the God of us and Savior Jesus Christ.' In other words, the phrases in these verses are
perfectly similar and must stand or fall together. The parallelism of word order between the phrase in 1:l and
the other four phrases, where only one person is intended, puts it beyond all reasonable doubt that Peter
intend one person in 1:1 as well." (Reymond, R.L., "Jesus, Divine Messiah: The New Testament and Old
Testament Witness," [1990], Mentor: Fearn UK, 2003, pp.490-491)
1/02/2008
"Fourth, the doxology to `our Lord Jesus Christ' in 3:18 ascribes `glory both now and forever' to him, an
ascription suggesting a Christology in which Christ may be glorified in the same way that God is glorified.
There would be, then, nothing incongruous in describing Christ as God in 1:1." (Reymond, R.L., "Jesus,
Divine Messiah: The New Testament and Old Testament Witness," [1990], Mentor: Fearn UK, 2003, p.491)
1/02/2008
"Fifth, Peter was surely present on the occasion of Thomas' confession of Jesus as both Lord and God
(John 20:28), which confession had received Christ's approval. The memory of that confession, not to
mention his own confession in Matthew 16:16, would have dissolved any reticence on Peter's part to refer to
Jesus as ... theos. Such a description of Jesus here as God is simply in line with those earlier confessions
and does not go one centimeter beyond them." (Reymond, R.L., "Jesus, Divine Messiah: The New
Testament and Old Testament Witness," [1990], Mentor: Fearn UK, 2003, pp.491-492)
1/02/2008
"Sixth, since Peter was almost certainly aware of the content of' Paul's letter to the Roman church (he seems
to allude to it in 2 Peter 2:19 and 3:15 (compare 2:19 with Rom 6:16, and 3:15 with Rom 2:4; 9:22-23, 11:22-23),
he would have been aware that Paul in Romans 9:5 had referred to Christ as `over all, the ever-blessed God.'
According `scriptural status' to Paul's letters as he does (3:16), he would have seen nothing inappropriate or
`unscriptural' about his own description of Christ as God just as his `dear brother Paul' had done some years
earlier. " (Reymond, R.L., "Jesus, Divine Messiah: The New Testament and Old Testament Witness," [1990],
Mentor: Fearn UK, 2003, p.492)
1/02/2008
"We conclude then that 2 Peter 1:1 takes its place alongside John 20:28, Romans 9:5, and Titus 2:13 as a
fourth verse in which Jesus is described as being God by the Christological title of ... theos. While Peter's
Christology in 2 Peter is not as full with respect to detail as in his first letter it is still the same high
Christology `from above' which we observed there. That Jesus is God incarnate is attested, as we have just
argued, by Peter's description of him as `our God' (1:1) and by his being, with the Father, the cosource of
grace and peace (1:2). He also assigns to him divine power (... he theia dunamis), divine essence (... theia
phusis), and divine majesty (... megaleiotes) (1:3, 4, 16). His is an eternal kingdom (1:1 1), into which
Christians will be welcomed when he comes in power (1:16) on his `Day' (3:10), which is `the Day of God'
(3:12), to destroy the heavens and earth with fire (3:10-12). He is the Owner (... despotes) of men (2:1)
whose commands they are to obey (3:2) and through the knowledge of whom all spiritual blessing and
Christian virtue come (1:2, 8; 2:20; 3:18). Finally, to him is directed the doxology in 3:18 ('To him be the glory
both now and forever'), a doxology not unlike those addressed both to him (2 Tim 4:18; Heb 13:20-21; 1 Pet
4:11; Rev 1:5b-6) and to the Father (1 Pet 5:11; Jude 24-25) elsewhere. And yet he is distinct from his Father
as the Son of the Father who in his mediatorial role receives honor and glory from his Father (1:17). Peter's
epistolary witness comports with what we have seen elsewhere in his witness to Jesus and simply adds the
weight of its testimony to the New Testament's depiction of the full unabridged deity of Jesus Christ."
(Reymond, R.L., "Jesus, Divine Messiah: The New Testament and Old Testament Witness," [1990], Mentor:
Fearn UK, 2003, pp.492-493)
2/02/2008
"ii. An appeal to the grace of God ([Titus] 2:11-15) Having described 'the things which befit the sound
doctrine' (RV), Paul now turns to the doctrine which makes the demand. There can be no divorce between
the two, and this second of the three great doctrinal passages of the letter is given as the impulse and
reason for all practical godliness. The writer first refers to that most impelling of all motives-the grace of
God. This spontaneous loving intervention of God in history has procured salvation for all men.
Grace seen as a tutor teaching us, demands, negatively, that we renounce ungodliness and worldly
passions, that we have done with all `godless ways' (NEB) and those desires which are dominant in the
world that knows not God. Positively, it requires that the Christian's conduct in this present age should
be marked by personal self-control (cf. v. 2 note), uprightness relative to others, and godliness. The grace
which has appeared will find its consummation in the glorious appearing. Both alike are powerful
incentives to true Christian living, for the first promotes a response of gratitude while the second stimulates
the sense of expectancy, denoted by the participle `awaiting' (RSV). The text declaring the true hope of
the believer to be the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ bears attractive
testimony to the deity of Christ. The presence of only one definite article has the effect of binding together
the two titles. In addition, nowhere in the NT is there any hint of separate appearances of the Father and the
Son. Nor is the adjective great used of the Father. As Christ was the grace of God revealed (11), so will He
be the manifestation of the glory of God." (Nute, A.G., "Titus," in Bruce, F.F., ed., "The International Bible
Commentary," [1979], Marshall Pickering/Zondervan: Grand Rapids MI, Second edition, 1986, Reprinted,
1994, p.1495. Emphasis original)
2/02/2008
"In the New World Translation the opening verse of the Gospel according to John is mistranslated as
follows: `Originally the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.' A footnote which
is added to the first word, `Originally,' reads, `Literally, `In (At) a beginning.' ` By using here the indefinite
article `a' the translators have overlooked the well-known fact that in Greek grammar nouns may be definite
for various reasons, whether or not the Greek definite article is present. A prepositional phrase, for example,
where the definite article is not expressed, can be quite definite in Greek,' as in fact it is in John 1:1. The
customary translation, `In the beginning was the Word,' is therefore to be preferred to either alternative
suggested by the New World translators. Far more pernicious in this same verse is the rendering, `... and the
Word was a god,' with the following footnote: `'A god.' In contrast with `the God.' It must be stated quite
frankly that, if the Jehovah's Witnesses take this translation seriously, they are polytheists ... As a matter of
solid fact, however, such a rendering is a frightful mistranslation. It overlooks entirely an established rule of
Greek grammar which necessitates the rendering, `... and the Word was God.' " (Metzger, B.M., "The
Jehovah's Witnesses and Jesus Christ," Reprint of article in Theology Today, April, 1953, Princeton
Theological Seminary: Princeton NJ, 1953, pp.65-85, pp.74-75)
2/02/2008
"From reading all the above, it seems utterly clear that a primary goal of the New World Translation
committee was to strip from the Bible any vestige of Jesus Christ's identification with Yahweh. The fact is,
the New World Translation is an incredibly biased translation. Dr. Robert Countess, who wrote a doctoral
dissertation on the Greek text of the New World Translation, concluded that the translation `has been
sharply unsuccessful in keeping doctrinal considerations from influencing the actual translation.... It must
be viewed as a radically biased piece of work. At some points it is actually dishonest. At others it is neither
modern nor scholarly.' [Countess, R.H., "The Jehovah's Witnesses' New Testament," Presbyterian &
Reformed: Phillipsburg NJ, 1982, p.91] No wonder British scholar H.H. Rowley asserted, `From beginning to
end this volume is a shining example of how the Bible should not be translated.' [Rowley, H.H., "How Not to
Translate the Bible," Expository Times, November 1953, pp.41-42] Indeed, Rowley said, this translation is
`an insult to the Word of God.' [Ibid.] Are Drs. Countess and Rowley alone in their assessment of the New
World Translation? By no means! Dr. Julius Mantey, author of A Manual Grammar of the Greek New
Testament, calls the New World Translation `a shocking mistranslation.' [Mantey, J.R., in Grieshaber, E.
& J., "Exposé - of Jehovah's Witnesses," Jean Books: Tyler TX, 1982, p.30] Dr. Bruce M. Metzger, professor
of New Testament at Princeton University, calls the New World Translation `a frightful mistranslation,'
`erroneous,' `pernicious,' and `reprehensible.' [Metzger, B.M., "The Jehovah's Witnesses and Jesus Christ,"
Reprint of article in Theology Today, April, 1953, pp.74-75] Dr. William Barclay concluded that `the
deliberate distortion of truth by this sect is seen in their New Testament translation.... It is abundantly clear
that a sect which can translate the New Testament like that is intellectually dishonest.' [Barclay, W., "An
Ancient heresy in Modern Dress," Expository Times, October 1957]" (Rhodes, R., "Reasoning from the
Scriptures with the Jehovah's Witnesses," [1993], Harvest House: Eugene OR, Reprinted, 2006, pp.96-97.
Emphasis original)
2/02/2008
"What are some examples of NWT mistranslation? ... Titus 2:13 a) Comparison of translations
of Titus 2:13 (the same mistranslation occurs in 2 Peter 1:1). The Jehovah's Witnesses in their New
World Translation have translated Titus 2:13 in this way: NWT: `While we wait for the happy hope
and glorious manifestation of the great God and of (the) Savior of us, Christ Jesus.' (Jehovah's
Witnesses have added the word `the' and put it in parentheses in front of the word Savior.) On the
other hand, the NIV translates this: NIV: `While we wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of
our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ....' b) The reason the Jehovah's Witnesses have mistranslated
this verse is to deny the deity of Jesus Christ, a doctrine they do not accept." (Ankerberg, J. &
Weldon, J., "The Facts on Jehovah's Witnesses," [1988], Harvest House: Eugene OR, Reprinted, 2003,
pp.33-34. Emphasis original)
2/02/2008
"c) Proof and documentation from scholars that the New World translators dishonestly translated this
verse: By adding the word `the' in parentheses, the New World translators obscured the fact that in this
verse Paul clearly called Jesus `our God and Savior.' They have made it read as if Paul were speaking of two
persons here, God and Jesus, rather than one, namely Jesus. Paul expressly stated that it is Jesus who is our
great God and Savior. The Jehovah's Witnesses completely violate what Greek grammarians call Granville
Sharp's rule for the use of the article with personal nouns in a series. In essence, Sharp's rule states that
when two singular personal nouns (God and Savior) of the same case (God and Savior are both in the same
case), are connected by `and' (the Greek word is kai), and the modifying article `the' (the Greek word is
ho) appears only before the first noun, not before the second, both nouns must refer to the same person.
In Titus 2:13, `God' and `Savior' are connected by `and.' Also, `the' appears only before `God.' Therefore,
`God' and `Savior' must refer to the same Person-Jesus. (The same rule also applies to the words in 2 Peter
1:1 that the Jehovah's Witnesses have also mistranslated in the NWT.)" (Ankerberg, J. & Weldon, J., "The
Facts on Jehovah's Witnesses," [1988], Harvest House: Eugene OR, Reprinted, 2003, pp.34-35. Emphasis
original)
2/02/2008
"In fact, scholars have conclusively shown that in ancient times the phraseology `god and savior' was used
of a ruling king, clearly showing that only one person was meant.' In an exhaustive study, C. Kuehne found
Sharp's rule to be without demonstrable exception in the entire New Testament. [Kuehne, C., `The Greek
Article and the Doctrine of Christ's Deity,' Journal of Theology, Church of the Lutheran Confession, Vols.
13-14, Sept. 1973-Dec. 1974] Thus, honest and unbiased scholarship requires that the words in these verses
must be translated `our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.' Dr. Bruce Metzger, an authority on the Greek
language and professor at Princeton University, has stated: `In support of this translation [our God and
Savior must refer only to Jesus Christ] there may be quoted such eminent grammarians of the Greek New
Testament as P.W. Schmiedel, J.H. Moulton, A.T Robertson, and Blass-Debrunner. All of these scholars
concur in the judgment that only one person is referred to in Titus 2:13 and that therefore, it must be
rendered, `our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.' [Metzger, B.M., "The Jehovah's Witnesses and Jesus
Christ: A Biblical and Theological Appraisal," Theology Today, Apr. 1953, p. 74] Greek scholars Dana
and Mantey, in their A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament, confirm the truth of Sharp's rule,
and then explain: `Second Peter 1:1...means that Jesus is our God and Savior. After the same manner Titus
2:13... asserts that Jesus is the great God and Savior.' [Metzger, op. cit., p.79] The greatest English-speaking
Greek scholar, A.T Robertson, insisted that `one person, not two, is in mind in 2 Peter 1:1.' [Robertson, A.T.,
"Word Pictures in the New Testament," Broadman: Nashville TN, 1933, Vol. 6, p. 147.]" (Ankerberg, J. &
Weldon, J., "The Facts on Jehovah's Witnesses," [1988], Harvest House: Eugene OR, Reprinted, 2003,
pp.34-35. Emphasis original)
2/02/2008
"Even the context of Titus 2:13 shows that one Person, not two, was in Paul's mind, for Paul wrote of the
`glorious appearing' of that Person. The Bible knows of only one such appearing: when `the Son of Man
[Jesus] comes in his glory' (Luke 9:26). Indeed, an appearing of `the invisible God,' other than as the visible
Christ, who is His image (Colossians 1:15), would be impossible. From all of this, scholars conclude that the
Jehovah's Witnesses' New World Translation of Titus 2:13 is a biased and inaccurate translation."
(Ankerberg, J. & Weldon, J., "The Facts on Jehovah's Witnesses," [1988], Harvest House: Eugene OR,
Reprinted, 2003, p.35)
3/02/2008
"The Name `Jesus' (Luke 1:31; Matthew 1:21) Mary was instructed that she should name her Son `Jesus.'
Although Luke does not draw attention to its significance, Matthew does (1:21). (It can hardly be the case,
however, that Luke was unaware of its significance in light of the fact that he alone of the Synoptic
Evangelists employs ... [soter, `Savior'] as a Christological title [2:11 ].) Matthew records that Joseph was
instructed to name Mary's Son Jesus, `for he will save his people from their sin.' ... The name `Jesus' means
then `Yahweh saves' and its essence is captured by Luke's `Savior.' This fact in itself, it is true, does not
need to mean that the one who bears this name is identical with Yahweh; others bore the name under the
Old Testament economy to symbolize the fact that Yahweh was at work in the salvation of his people. But I
would suggest that in Jesus' case it is to be understood as connoting more than a mere symbol, inasmuch as
`some intimation of the identity between Jehovah and the Messiah seems to be contained in the words of
the angel (Matt. 1:21). here the name Jesus, to be given to the child, is understood in its etymological sense:
"Jehovah is Salvation"... Jesus bears the name ... because he (Jesus) saves his (Jesus') people from their
sins. We have, therefore, in close succession the statements, that Jehovah is salvation, and that Jesus
saves, that Israel (Jehovah's people) are Jesus' people.' [Vos, G., "Biblical Theology," Eerdmans: Grand
Rapids, 1948, p.332]" (Reymond, R.L., "Jesus, Divine Messiah: The New Testament and Old Testament
Witness," [1990], Mentor: Fearn UK, 2003, pp.282-283. Emphasis original)
3/02/2008
"The very words of the annunciation in 1:21 suggest the Deity of the child, in the form of equivalence to
Jehovah. Of course the appointment of the name Jesus-'Jehovah is salvation'-does not of itself affirm this,
for as before under the Old Covenant, so now also the name might have been borne by the child as a
standing witness to the fact that Jehovah is salvation, without thereby meaning that the child is Jehovah. In
reality, however, the context here makes the situation far more concrete than would be the case under
general circumstances. When after the appointment of a name meaning `Jehovah is salvation' there is
immediately added the explanatory statement, `For it is he that shall save his people from their sins,' no other
interpretation remains possible than that Jesus will function as Jehovah, and that this truth is conveyed by
his name. Still even this does not go to the extent of putting the close identification with God in the form of
Jesus' being the Son of God. It is not rash to infer, however, that this latter lay actually in the mind of the
Evangelist, since it is hard to tell how he could have conceived the identification in `saving' with Jehovah on
any other principle than that of sonship." (Vos, G., "The Self-Disclosure of Jesus," Presbyterian &
Reformed: Phillisburg NJ, 1978, p.182, in Reymond, R.L., "Jesus, Divine Messiah: The New Testament and
Old Testament Witness," [1990], Mentor: Fearn UK, 2003, pp.282-283)
3/02/2008
"The suggestion is quite strong, then, because of this close succession of ideas, and particularly because of
the pronoun `his' in the expression `his people,' that this `Jesus' who saves his people is just Yahweh
himself. Agreeing with this interpretation, Warfield writes: `...here [in Matt 1:21] [the simple name `Jesus'] is
represented as itself a gift from heaven, designed to indicate that in this person is fulfilled the promise that
Jehovah shall visit his people,-for it is he [Jesus] who, in accordance with the prediction of the Psalmist
(130:8), shall save his people-his people, although, in accordance with that prediction, they are Jehovah's
people-from their sins.' [Warfield, B.B., "The Lord of Glory," Baker: Grand Rapids MI, Reprinted, 1974, p.91]
(Reymond, R.L., "Jesus, Divine Messiah: The New Testament and Old Testament Witness," [1990], Mentor:
Fearn UK, 2003, p.283)
3/02/2008
"When one adds to this compelling data first the fact that Yahweh again and again in the Old Testament
declares that he alone is Israel's `Savior' (Isa 43:3, 11; 45:21; 49:26; 60:16; Hos 13:4; see 1 Sam 10:19; 14:39; 2
Sam 22:3; Pss 7:10; 17:7; 106:21; Isa 45:15; 63:8; Jer 14:8) and then the fact that Jesus is often declared (along
with God the Father) to be `the Savior' in the New Testament (Luke 2:11; John 4:42; Acts 5:31; 13:23; Eph
5:23; Phil 3:20; 1 Tim 4:10; 2 Tim 1:10; Tit 1:4; 2:13; 3:6; 2 Pet 1:1, 11; 2:20; 3:2,18; 1 John 4:14), it is difficult to
avoid the conclusion that when Jesus was named `Yahweh saves,' the name was intended to connote more
than the mere fact that he stood as one more in the long line of `saviors' (see Judg 3:9,15; 6:36; 2 Kgs 13:5;
Neh 9:27), but rather that in him, as himself Yahweh incarnate, the line of `saviors' had now been
consummated in a transcendent manner." (Reymond, R.L., "Jesus, Divine Messiah: The New Testament and
Old Testament Witness," [1990], Mentor: Fearn UK, 2003, p.283)
3/02/2008
"Some intimation of the identity between Jehovah and the Messiah seems to be contained in the words of
the angel (Matt. 1:21). Here the name Jesus, to be given to the child, is understood in its etymological sense:
`Jehovah is Salvation.' In itself, of course, this need not by any means imply that the Messiah, as personally
identical with Jehovah, will be the Saviour. For this identical name had been borne under the O.T. by purely
human servants of God, not to mark them as Jehovah, but simply to render their work symbolic of the fact
that Jehovah in His own Person provides salvation for Israel. And in the abstract it might have been not
otherwise in the case of Jesus. This exegesis, however, overlooks the important fact, that Jesus bears the
name, as is explicitly stated, because He (Jesus) saves His (Jesus') people from their sins. We have,
therefore, in close succession the statements, that Jehovah is salvation, and that Jesus saves, that Israel
(Jehovah's people) are Jesus' people. On the other hand, the name Emmanuel in vs. 23 could be His merely
on account of His being exponential of God's being with his people; moreover the words in this verse are
not words of the angel, but words of Matthew's quoting Isaiah." (Vos, G., "Biblical Theology: Old and New
Testaments," [1948], Eerdmans: Grand Rapids MI, Reprinted, 1968, pp.330-331)
3/02/2008
"In some cases, such as that of Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and Jesus, God's prophets performed miraculous
works that attested the genuineness of their message and office. Not all, however, are recorded as
performing such powerful works. The three essentials for establishing the credentials of the true prophet, as
given through Moses, were: the true prophet would speak in Jehovah's name; the things foretold would
come to pass Deut. 18:20-22); and his prophesying must promote true worship, being in harmony with God's
revealed word and commandments. (Deut. 13:1-4) ... Jesus' later warning concerning false prophets paralleled
that of Moses. Though using his name, and giving `signs and wonders to lead astray,' their fruits would
prove them `workers of lawlessness.'-Matt. 7:15-23; Mark 13:21-23; compare 2 Peter 2:1-3; 1 John 4:1-3. ... All
such false prophets were to be put to death.-Zech. 13:2, 3; Deut. 13:5." (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society,
"Aid to Bible Understanding," [1969], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY, Second edition,
1971, p.1348. Emphasis original)
3/02/2008
Dt 18:20-22 NIV. 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." 21 You may say to
yourselves, "How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD ?" 22 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. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him
3/02/2008
Isa 44:24-26 NIV. 24 "This is what the LORD says - your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am
the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by
myself, 25 who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who overthrows the
learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense, 26 who carries out the words of his servants and fulfills
the predictions of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, 'It shall be inhabited,' of the towns of Judah,
'They shall be built,' and of their ruins, 'I will restore them,'
3/02/2008
Jer 14:13-15 NIV. 13 But I said, "Ah, Sovereign LORD, the prophets keep telling them, 'You will not see
the sword or suffer famine. Indeed, I will give you lasting peace in this place.' " 14 Then the LORD said
to me, "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or
spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries [a] and the delusions
of their own minds. 15 Therefore, this is what the LORD says about the prophets who are prophesying
in my name: I did not send them, yet they are saying, 'No sword or famine will touch this land.' Those
same prophets will perish by sword and famine.
3/02/2008
Jer 23:16-18, 21-22, 25-26, 30-32 NIV. 16 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Do not listen to what
the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own
minds, not from the mouth of the LORD. 17 They keep saying to those who despise me, 'The LORD
says: You will have peace.' And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, 'No harm
will come to you.' 18 But which of them has stood in the council of the LORD to see or to hear his
word? Who has listened and heard his word? ... 21 I did not send these prophets, yet they have run
with their message; I did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied. 22 But if they had stood in my
council, they would have proclaimed my words to my people and would have turned them from their
evil ways and from their evil deeds. ... 25 "I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my
name. They say, 'I had a dream! I had a dream!' 26 How long will this continue in the hearts of these
lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds? ... 30 "Therefore," declares the LORD,
"I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. 31 Yes," declares
the LORD, "I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, 'The LORD
declares.' 32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams," declares the LORD. "They tell
them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not
benefit these people in the least," declares the LORD.
3/02/2008
Jer 23:33-40 NIV 33 "When these people, or a prophet or a priest, ask you, 'What is the oracle of the
LORD?' say to them, 'What oracle? I will forsake you, declares the LORD.' 34 If a prophet or a priest or
anyone else claims, 'This is the oracle of the LORD,' I will punish that man and his household. 35 This is
what each of you keeps on saying to his friend or relative: 'What is the LORD's answer?' or 'What has
the LORD spoken?' 36 But you must not mention 'the oracle of the LORD ' again, because every man's
own word becomes his oracle and so you distort the words of the living God, the LORD Almighty, our
God. 37 This is what you keep saying to a prophet: 'What is the LORD's answer to you?' or 'What has
the LORD spoken?' 38 Although you claim, 'This is the oracle of the LORD,' this is what the LORD
says: You used the words, 'This is the oracle of the LORD,' even though I told you that you must not
claim, 'This is the oracle of the LORD.' 39 Therefore, I will surely forget you and cast you out of my
presence along with the city I gave to you and your fathers. 40 I will bring upon you everlasting
disgrace-everlasting shame that will not be forgotten."
3/02/2008
Lam 2:13-14 NIV 13 What can I say for you? With what can I compare you, O Daughter of Jerusalem?
To what can I liken you, that I may comfort you, O Virgin Daughter of Zion? Your wound is as deep as
the sea. Who can heal you? 14 The visions of your prophets were false and worthless; they did not
expose your sin to ward off your captivity. The oracles they gave you were false and misleading.
3/02/2008
Eze 13:1-9NIV 1The word of the LORD came to me: 2 "Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of
Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: 'Hear the
word of the LORD! 3 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow
their own spirit and have seen nothing! 4 Your prophets, O Israel, are like jackals among ruins. 5 You
have not gone up to the breaks in the wall to repair it for the house of Israel so that it will stand firm in
the battle on the day of the LORD. 6 Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. They say, "The
LORD declares," when the LORD has not sent them; yet they expect their words to be fulfilled. 7 Have
you not seen false visions and uttered lying divinations when you say, "The LORD declares," though I
have not spoken? 'Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because of your false words and
lying visions, I am against you, declares the Sovereign LORD. 9 My hand will be against the prophets
who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or
be listed in the records of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know
that I am the Sovereign LORD.
3/02/2008
Eze 22:23-28 NIV. 23 Again the word of the LORD came to me: 24 "Son of man, say to the land, 'You
are a land that has had no rain or showers in the day of wrath.' 25 There is a conspiracy of her princes
within her like a roaring lion tearing its prey; they devour people, take treasures and precious things
and make many widows within her. 26 Her priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things;
they do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there is no difference
between the unclean and the clean; and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I
am profaned among them. 27 Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey; they shed blood
and kill people to make unjust gain. 28 Her prophets whitewash these deeds for them by false visions
and lying divinations. They say, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says'-when the LORD has not
spoken.
3/02/2008
Jer 14:13-15 NIV. 13 But I said, "Ah, Sovereign LORD, the prophets keep telling them, 'You will not see the
sword or suffer famine. Indeed, I will give you lasting peace in this place.' " 14 Then the LORD said to me,
"The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them.
They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries [a] and the delusions of their own minds.
15 Therefore, this is what the LORD says about the prophets who are prophesying in my name: I did not
send them, yet they are saying, 'No sword or famine will touch this land.' Those same prophets will perish by
sword and famine.
3/02/2008
Jer 23:16-18, 21-22, 25-26, 30-32 NIV. 16 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Do not listen to what the
prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds,
not from the mouth of the LORD. 17 They keep saying to those who despise me, 'The LORD says: You will
have peace.' And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, 'No harm will come to you.' 18
But which of them has stood in the council of the LORD to see or to hear his word? Who has listened and
heard his word? ... 21 I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message; I did not speak to
them, yet they have prophesied. 22 But if they had stood in my council, they would have proclaimed my
words to my people and would have turned them from their evil ways and from their evil deeds. ... 25 "I have
heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, 'I had a dream! I had a dream!' 26
How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own
minds? ... 30 "Therefore," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who steal from one another words
supposedly from me. 31 Yes," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues
and yet declare, 'The LORD declares.' 32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams," declares
the LORD. "They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint
them. They do not benefit these people in the least," declares the LORD.
3/02/2008
Jer 23:33-40 NIV 33 "When these people, or a prophet or a priest, ask you, 'What is the oracle of the LORD?'
say to them, 'What oracle? I will forsake you, declares the LORD.' 34 If a prophet or a priest or anyone else
claims, 'This is the oracle of the LORD,' I will punish that man and his household. 35 This is what each of
you keeps on saying to his friend or relative: 'What is the LORD's answer?' or 'What has the LORD spoken?'
36 But you must not mention 'the oracle of the LORD ' again, because every man's own word becomes his
oracle and so you distort the words of the living God, the LORD Almighty, our God. 37 This is what you
keep saying to a prophet: 'What is the LORD's answer to you?' or 'What has the LORD spoken?' 38
Although you claim, 'This is the oracle of the LORD,' this is what the LORD says: You used the words, 'This
is the oracle of the LORD,' even though I told you that you must not claim, 'This is the oracle of the LORD.'
39 Therefore, I will surely forget you and cast you out of my presence along with the city I gave to you and
your fathers. 40 I will bring upon you everlasting disgrace-everlasting shame that will not be forgotten."
3/02/2008
Lam 2:13-14 NIV 13 What can I say for you? With what can I compare you, O Daughter of Jerusalem? To
what can I liken you, that I may comfort you, O Virgin Daughter of Zion? Your wound is as deep as the sea.
Who can heal you? 14 The visions of your prophets were false and worthless; they did not expose your sin
to ward off your captivity. The oracles they gave you were false and misleading.
Eze 13:1-9NIV 1The word of the LORD came to me: 2 "Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel
who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: 'Hear the word of the
LORD! 3 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit
and have seen nothing! 4 Your prophets, O Israel, are like jackals among ruins. 5 You have not gone up to
the breaks in the wall to repair it for the house of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the
LORD. 6 Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. They say, "The LORD declares," when the LORD
has not sent them; yet they expect their words to be fulfilled. 7 Have you not seen false visions and uttered
lying divinations when you say, "The LORD declares," though I have not spoken? 'Therefore this is what
the Sovereign LORD says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you, declares the
Sovereign LORD. 9 My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations.
They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records of the house of Israel, nor will
they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.
3/02/2008
Eze 22:23-28 NIV. 23 Again the word of the LORD came to me: 24 "Son of man, say to the land, 'You are a
land that has had no rain or showers in the day of wrath.' 25 There is a conspiracy of her princes within her
like a roaring lion tearing its prey; they devour people, take treasures and precious things and make many
widows within her. 26 Her priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things; they do not
distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there is no difference between the unclean
and the clean; and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.
27 Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people to make unjust
gain. 28 Her prophets whitewash these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations. They say,
'This is what the Sovereign LORD says'-when the LORD has not spoken.
3/02/2008
Mt 7:15-16 NIV. 15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they
are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or
figs from thistles?
3/02/2008
Mt 24:4-5, 10-13 NIV. 4Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 5For many will come in my
name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. ... 10At that time many will turn away from the faith
and will betray and hate each other, 11and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
12Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13but he who stands firm to the
end will be saved.
4/02/2008
Mt 24:23-27 NIV. 23At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not
believe it. 24For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive
even the elect-if that were possible. 25See, I have told you ahead of time. 26"So if anyone tells you, 'There
he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. 27For as lightning
that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
4/02/2008
Mk 13:21-23 NIV. 21At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'Look, there he is!' do
not believe it. 22For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive
the elect-if that were possible. 23So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.
4/02/2008
2Pet 2:1 NIV. 1But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers
among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought
them-bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the
way of truth into disrepute. 3In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up.
Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
4/02/2008
1Jn 4:1-3 NIV. 1Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from
God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2This is how you can recognize the Spirit
of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3but every spirit
that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard
is coming and even now is already in the world.
4/02/2008
"Toward the close of his speech the speaker emphasized this `hope of surviving' by these words: `Just
a while ago we said that the vast majority of the subjects of the new world's King will be people
restored to life on earth by the resurrection of the dead. Why only the `vast majority,' and not all?
Because there is a great crowd of people of good will today living who will survive the world
catastrophe of Armageddon and enter the world of new heavens and new earth without going down
into the grave or ever afterward having the need to die and cease to exist. That means that
Armageddon is so near at hand it will strike the generation now living.' Then after an explanation came
the encouragement to be among the Armageddon survivors: `Avoid perishing with this old world in the
`war of the great day of God the Almighty.' Get ready now to live AFTER ARMAGEDDON in GOD'S
NEW WORLD!' With these words the president of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society [Nathan H.
Knorr] closed his prepared speech to that 1953 international assembly of Jehovah's witnesses in
Yankee Stadium, after which all the 165,829 in his visible audience were offered free printed copies of
the speech." (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "You May Survive Armageddon into God's New
World," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY, 1955, pp.12-13. Emphasis original)
4/02/2008
"Is there any wonder the Jehovah's Witness leaders in their Awake! magazine, October 8, 1968, p. 23,
were forced to admit that `certain persons' had previously falsely predicted the end of the world? In this
article Jehovah's Witness leaders asked why these false prophecies were given. Every Jehovah's Witness
should take note of what they said. They said it was because they lacked God's guidance. In this article in
Awake! magazine (October 8, 1968, p. 23) the Watchtower leadership admitted: True, there have been
those in times past who predicted an `end to the world,' even announcing a specific date. The `end' did not
come. They were guilty of false prophesying. Why? What was missing? ...Missing from such people were
God's truths and the evidence that He was guiding and using them. But what about today? Today we have
the evidence required, all of it, and it is overwhelming! (Emphasis added.) Notice that the Watchtower
leaders have condemned their predecessors as false prophets. They admit that all through the years they
were speaking in the name and authority of God, they were really lying and giving false prophecies."
(Ankerberg, J. & Weldon, J., "The Facts on Jehovah's Witnesses," [1988], Harvest House: Eugene OR,
Reprinted, 2003, p.45)
4/02/2008
"True, there have been those in times past who predicted an `end to the world,' even announcing a specific
date. The `end' did not come. They were guilty of false prophesying.("A Time to `Lift Up Your Head' in
Confident Hope," Awake! , October 8, 1968, p.23. http://www.jwfiles.com/scans/AW10-8-68p23.htm)
5/02/2008
"Just the year before, a book had been published, authored by Fred Franz, in which it was pointed out that
the year 1975 would mark the end of 6,000 years of human history. Likening those 6,000 years to six days of
a thousand years each, he had written: `So in not many years within our own generation we are reaching
what Jehovah God could view as the seventh day of man's existence. ... How appropriate it would be for
Jehovah God to make of this coming seventh period of a thousand years a sabbath period of rest and
release, a great Jubilee sabbath for the proclaiming of liberty throughout the earth to all its inhabitants! This
would be most timely for mankind. It would also be most fitting on God's part, for, remember, mankind has
yet ahead of it what the last book of the Holy Bible speaks of as the reign of Jesus Christ over earth for a
thousand years, the millennial reign of Christ. Prophetically Jesus Christ, when on earth nineteen centuries
ago, said concerning himself: "For Lord of the sabbath is what the Son of man is." (Matthew 12:8) It would
not be by mere chance or accident but would be according to the loving purpose of Jehovah God for the
reign of Jesus Christ, the "Lord of the sabbath," to run parallel with the seventh millennium of man's
existence.' ["Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of God," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn
NY, 1966, pp.29-30] Not for many decades had there been such a sense of excitement among Jehovah's
Witnesses as these statements generated. A tremendous surge of expectation developed, far surpassing the
feeling of the end's nearness that I and others had experienced in the early 1940s." (Franz, R., "Crisis of
Conscience," [1983], Commentary Press: Atlanta GA, Fourth edition, 2002, Third printing, pp.72-73.
Emphasis original)
5/02/2008
"The Bible reliably helps us to see where we are in the stream of time. It shows us that we are in "the last
days" of the present system of things. ... the Christian apostles Paul, Peter, and John provide us with further
details concerning the last days. True, most features of the sign and of the last days involve distressing
situations. Yet, the fulfillment of these prophecies should convince us that this wicked system is near its
end." (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life ," [1984], Watchtower
Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, Second edition, 1995, pp.98-99)
5/02/2008
"This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth." (Matthew 24:14) Jesus
foretold that the good news of the Kingdom would be preached earth wide, for a witness to all the nations.
... message and take their stand as true Christians, that is, as Witnesses of Jehovah. It is an inestimable
privilege to serve Jehovah and thus spread the knowledge of God. And after this good news is preached in
all the inhabited earth, the end of this wicked system will come." (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society,
"Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life ," [1984], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York:
Brooklyn NY, Second edition, 1995, pp.105-106. Emphasis original)
5/02/2008
"By themselves, some features of the prophecies describing the last days might seem to apply to other
periods of history. But when combined, the prophesied evidences pinpoint our day. To illustrate: The lines
making up a person's fingerprint form a pattern that cannot belong to any other individual. Similarly, the last
days have their own pattern of marks, or happenings. These form a `finger print' that cannot belong to any
other time period. When ' considered along with Bible indications that God's heavenly Kingdom is now
ruling, the evidence provides a solid basis for concluding that these are indeed the last days. Moreover,
there is clear Scriptural proof that the present wicked system will soon be destroyed." (Watchtower Bible &
Tract Society, "Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life ," [1984], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of
New York: Brooklyn NY, Second edition, 1995, pp.106-107)
5/02/2008
"As shown earlier, Jehovah God will soon destroy the present wicked system of things. The world is rapidly
approaching what the Bible calls Har-Magedon, or Armageddon. That word may make some people think of
a nuclear holocaust brought about by warring nations, but Armageddon is nothing of the kind. As
Revelation 16:14-16 shows, Armageddon is `the war of the great day of God the Almighty.' It is a war
involving `the kings of the entire inhabited earth,' or the nations. Jehovah God's Son, the appointed King,
will soon ride forth into battle. " (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting
Life ," [1984], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, Second edition, 1995, pp.182-
183. Emphasis original)
6/02/2008
"ALL honest-hearted men and women everywhere keenly desire to know when God will bring an end to
wickedness. How much longer will it be? In the first century of our Common Era, Jesus' disciples were keenly
interested in this too. In fact, they pointedly asked him: `Tell us, When will these things be, and what will be
the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?' ... These `last days' would mean
that all elements of Satan's system of things and rebellious mankind, the political, the military, the economic,
the social and the religious, would be nearing a cataclysmic finish. As the last day of a week has a definite
beginning and a definite end, so the `last days' of this entire system of things have a definite beginning and
a definite end. During this time the many distinguishing events enumerated by Jesus and other Bible writers
would take place. They would happen within one generation to identify the `last days' clearly. ... When the
many factors are put together, what do we find? We find that the time of our generation, our day, is the
one that is identified in the Bible as the `last days.' In fact, we are actually living in the final part of that
time. This can be compared, not just to the last day of a week, but, rather, to the last part of that last day."
(Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "Did Man Get Here by Evolution or by Creation?," Watchtower Bible &
Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, 1967, pp.160-161. Emphasis original)
6/02/2008
"The end of all the chaotic conditions in this system of things will not be delayed. But when will it come?
After enumerating the many unpleasant conditions marking this `time of the end,' Jesus added the key
thought: `This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.' (Matthew 24:34) Which
generation did he mean? The one that would see the beginning of the woes he mentioned. Thus the
generation living in 1914 can expect to see the end of this wicked system of things. It is to be carefully noted
that the youngest of those who saw with understanding the developing sign of the `last days' from their
start in 1914 are now well over sixty years of age. The greater part of the adult generation of that time is now
well along toward its complete passing away. The time left, then, is definitely limited. It is very short. Note,
too, that Jesus pointedly said: `This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.'
The end of this wicked system and of all wickedness will come before all members of that generation pass
away." (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "Did Man Get Here by Evolution or by Creation?," Watchtower
Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, 1967, pp.171-172. Emphasis original)
6/02/2008
"So in answer to the question: `How much longer will it be?' the Bible replies, `Not long, for the end of
wickedness is near.' Not much longer will the Creator, Jehovah God, tolerate the wicked system of things
that has continually reproached his name and often blamed him for its failures, and for the suffering it has
caused. Not much longer will he permit false religious teachers and godless scientists and politicians to
deceive the people. Not much longer will he permit false ideologies to turn people away from him and his
Word of truth. Not much longer will he permit Satan to be the invisible ruler of the world. For a certainty
cataclysmic times are fast approaching. A climax in man's history is at the door." (Watchtower Bible & Tract
Society, "Did Man Get Here by Evolution or by Creation?," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York:
Brooklyn NY, 1967, p.172)
7/02/2008
"For years the Watch Tower Society had proclaimed that Christ had returned invisibly in 1914 and the
generation who had witnessed that year would see the `final end' of the system of things. Following the
debacle of 1975, this doctrine began to become more and more of an embarrassment. Carl Olof Jonsson's
The Gentile Times Reconsidered raised seriously damaging questions about the society's so-called
biblical chronology that is used to support the 1914 date. The society has largely been able to discount that
work, however, by disfellowshipping Jonsson and ignoring the most damning aspects of his work in an area
which is far too complex for the average Jehovah's Witness to understand. Still, as year followed year and
the generation of 1914 began to die off, it became obvious that, if Armageddon was again delayed,
something would have to be done to avert another impending crisis in Witness date-setting. Consequently,
beginning with the 15 February 1994 issue of The Watchtower, the society began to revise its
eschatology. ... On 1 November 1995, the society came to grips with its greatest immediate eschatological
problem by reinterpreting the meaning of the term `this generation' as used by Jesus at Matthew 24: 34. As
indicated above, the Watch Tower Society had long continued to teach that those who were alive in 1914
would see the end of the present world or system of things. Accordingly, `this generation' was understood
to mean people living contemporaneously, in this case with the grand event of Christ's invisible presence
and enthronement in 1914. Until a week after the society changed its `this generation doctrine,' Awake!
was still making this proclamation about itself on its masthead: `Most important, this magazine builds
confidence in the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure new world before the generation that saw the
events of 1914 passes away.' Thus, because of this longstanding doctrine, Jehovah's Witnesses had
speculated time and again over the years about the length of a biblical generation. In the 1 November 1995
Watchtower, however, the society decided that it was wrong to hold that the term `this generation' could
be linked to a specific date. It quoted with approval history professor Robert Wohl's statement in The
Generation of 1914: `A historical generation is not defined by its chronological limits ... It is not a zone of
dates.' Then it asserted that `in the final fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy [at Matthew 24 and 25] today, `this
generation' apparently refers to the peoples of the earth who see the sign of Christ's presence but fail to
mend their ways.' [WT, 1 November 1995, pp.18-19] What this means is that the Watch Tower Society,
acting for the governing body of Jehovah's Witnesses, has created a situation whereby it can go on arguing
that Christ came invisibly in 1914 and that the `final end' is near at hand, but the society can say, with some
equivocation, as is noted below, that it no longer preaches even an approximate date for the apocalyptic
events of the great tribulation. So now Jehovah's Witnesses are not so likely to be disappointed if the old
system of things is not finally destroyed or the millennium does not begin by the year 2000." (Penton, M.J.,
"Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah's Witnesses," [1985], University of Toronto Press: Toronto
ON, Second edition, 1997, pp.316-317)
7/02/2008
"What a remarkable, intensive, global witness was given during those early decades of the modern-day
history of Jehovah's Witnesses! But, really, the work was just beginning. Only a few hundred had actively
shared in spreading Bible truth during the early 1880's. By 1914, according to available reports, there were
about 5,100 that participated in the work. Others may occasionally have distributed some tracts. The workers
were relatively few. This small band of evangelizers had, in various ways, already spread their proclamation
of God's Kingdom into 68 lands by the latter part of 1914. And their work as preachers and teachers of God's
Word was established on a fairly consistent basis in 30 of these lands." (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society,
"Jehovah's Witnesses, Proclaimers of God's Kingdom," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, Brooklyn NY,
1993, p.422)
7/02/2008
"FALSE PROPHETS ... Jehovah's Witnesses do not claim to be inspired prophets. They have made
mistakes. ... The Scriptures provide time elements related to Christ's presence, and Jehovah's Witnesses
have studied these with keen interest. (Luke 21:24; Dan. 4:10-17) Jesus also described a many-featured sign
that would tie in with the fulfillment of time prophecies to identify the generation that would live to see the
end of Satan's wicked system of things. (Luke 21:7-36) Jehovah's Witnesses have pointed to evidence in
fulfillment of this sign. It is true that the Witnesses have made mistakes in their understanding of what
would occur at the end of certain time periods ..." (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "Reasoning from the
Scriptures," [1985], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, Second edition, 1989,
p.136. Emphasis original)
7/02/2008
"Note that most if not all of the major events expected by Russell, Rutherford. and the Watch Tower Society
since Rutherford's day have not happened. Russell first believed that the rapture of the church would take
place in 1878 and then in 1881. When that event did not occur as he had expected, he reinterpreted the
significance of those years. He felt that a time of trouble would begin about 1910 and would end in 1914 or
1915: `But bear in mind that the end for 1914 is not the beginning, but the end of the time of trouble.' [WT,
1894] `The culmination of the trouble in October 1914 is clearly marked in the Scriptures and we are bound
therefore to expect a beginning of that severe trouble not later than 1910; - with severe spasms between now
and then. [WT, 1901] As noted earlier, Rutherford was equally certain about 1925, and for nearly a decade
prior to 1975, the society pointed to that year. But all these prophecies have failed, and the society has been
forced to reinterpret much of its eschatology. In a number of instances it has reinterpreted the significance
of certain dates, while it no longer says anything about others. The year 1914 is now seen as having marked
the beginning of the time of trouble rather than the end, while Jehovah's Witnesses no longer believe that
dates which were important to Russell such as 1799, 1846, 1874, 1878, 1881, or 1910 have any special
meaning. They have abandoned as wrong much of the system of prophetic calculation used by Russell and
for a time by Rutherford." (Penton, M.J., "Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah's Witnesses," [1985],
University of Toronto Press: Toronto ON, Second edition, 1997, p.166)
7/02/2008
"The society therefore does not claim to be `inspired.' Like Pastor Russell, Jehovah's Witnesses today do
admit that they can and do make mistakes. ... But there is another side to the matter of Witness attitudes
with respect to chronology and prophetic speculation. In fact, it would be either a serious mistake or quite
dishonest to argue that the restrained and undogmatic position just outlined has been the dominant one of
Jehovah's Witnesses or Witness leaders over the years. In general, what has been the case, especially since
Pastor Russell's death, has been that the Watch Tower Society has been extremely doctrinaire whenever it
has held to a particular position, whether relating to prophetic speculation or otherwise. Then, later, when it
became obvious that the doctrine in question was untenable, it would retreat to the assertion that Watch
Tower leaders are not infallible and must progress with the light." (Penton, M.J., "Apocalypse Delayed: The
Story of Jehovah's Witnesses," [1985], University of Toronto Press: Toronto ON, Second edition, 1997,
pp.168-169)
8/02/2008
"Distinguishing Between True Prophecy and False Deut. 18:21, 22 `In case you should say in your
heart: "How shall we know the word that Jehovah has not spoken?"when the prophet speaks in the name of
Jehovah and the word does not occur or come true, that is the word that Jehovah did not speak. With
presumptuousness the prophet spoke it. You must not get frightened at him.' Deut. 13:1-3 `In case a
prophet or a dreamer of a dreams arises in your midst and does give you a sign or a portent, and the sign or
the portent does come true of which he spoke to you, saying, "Let us walk after other gods, whom you have
not known, and let us serve them," you must not listen to the words of that prophet or to the dreamer of that
dream, because Jehovah your God is testing you to know whether you are loving Jehovah your God with all
your heart and all your soul." (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "Make Sure of All Things, Hold Fast to
What Is Fine," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, 1965, p.394. Emphasis original)
8/02/2008
"How can true prophets and false ones be identified? ... True prophets speak in the name of God, but
merely claiming to represent him is not enough Deut. 18:18-20: `A prophet I shall raise up for them from the
midst of their brothers, like you [like Moses]; and I shall indeed put my words in his mouth, and he will
certainly speak to them all that I shall command him. And it must occur that the man who will not listen to
my words that he will speak in my name, I shall myself require an account from him. However, the prophet
who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded him to speak or who speaks in the
name of other gods, that prophet must die.' " (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "Reasoning from the
Scriptures," [1985], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, Second edition, 1989,
p.133. Emphasis original)
8/02/2008
"When the term `generation' is used with reference to the people living at a particular time, the exact length
of that time cannot be stated, except that the time would fall within reasonable limits. These limits would be
determined by the life expectancy of the people of that time or of that population. ... When Bible prophecy
speaks of `this generation,' it is necessary to consider the context to determine what generation is meant.
Jesus Christ, when denouncing the Jewish religious leaders, concluded by saying: `Truly I say to you, All
these things will come upon this generation.' History recounts that about thirty-seven years later (in 70 C.E.)
that contemporary generation personally experienced the destruction of Jerusalem, as foretold.-Matt. 23:36.
Later that same day, Jesus again used practically the same words, saying: `Truly I say to you that this
generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.' (Matt. 24:34) In this instance, however,
Jesus was not speaking only of the things that would befall natural Israel. He was answering a question as
to what `sign' would mark his `presence' and `the conclusion of the system of things.' Therefore, he outlined
things that would befall the Jewish nation during the execution of Jehovah's judgment upon Jerusalem at the
hands of the Roman general Titus. (Dan. 9:26) But his words also were evidently to have a later and larger
fulfillment upon the system of things that would be in existence during his second presence, when he would
came `in his glory.' (Matt. 25:31-33; Rev. 1:7) In both instances Jesus was using the word `generation' in a
literal sense, not in a symbolic or figurative sense, for the events Jesus described in the context were literal.-
Matt. chap. 24. The people of this twentieth-century generation living since 1914 have experienced these
many terrifying events concurrently and in concentrated measure -international wars, great earthquakes,
terrible pestilences, widespread famine, persecution of Christians, and other conditions that Jesus outlined
in Matthew chapter 24, Mark chapter 13 and Luke chapter 21." (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "Aid to
Bible Understanding," [1969], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY, Second edition, 1971,
pp.641-642)
9/02/2008
"Before getting into the specifics, invite him [a Jehovah's Witness] to turn in his own Bible to Deuteronomy
18:20-22, to see what God's Word says about true and false prophets. The true ones are highly esteemed as
men of God, but false ones are judged to be worthy of death: `However, the prophet who presumes to speak
in my name a word that I have not commanded him to speak or who speaks in the name of other gods, that
prophet must die. And in case you should say in your heart: `How shall we know the word that Jehovah has
spoken?' when the prophet speaks in the name of Jehovah and the word does not occur or come true, that is
the word that Jehovah did not speak. With presumptuousness the prophet spoke it... (NWT).' So, God
himself has established the criteria for judging true and false prophets: (1) Is the utterance spoken in his
name or in the name of other gods; and (2) does the word spoken occur or come true? Now it is simply a
matter of comparing the Watchtower prophecies to this divinely inspired standard of judgment. Obviously
the Jehovah's Witness organization has spoken in the name of Jehovah, so it is okay on point number one.
But have the messages spoken occurred or come true? If not, then the condemnation of God is on the
organization and it is worthy of death, because it has presumptuously pretended to speak for God. In the
case of ancient Israel, where the standard of Deuteronomy 18:20-22 was first applied, prophets usually
communicated their pronouncements by means of the spoken word. At times they addressed kings in
private, and at other times, large gatherings of people in public places. In order to determine whether what
was prophesied actually occurred or came true, hearers would have to testify as to what they had heard the
prophet speak. But in the case of the Watchtower Society, most of its prophetic statements have been made
in the pages of its books and magazines. Thus, they are preserved in black and white, and it becomes a
simple matter of comparing what was said with what actually occurred. ... The things prophesied to take
place in 1914, 1918, 1925, and 1975 did not happen, of course, so the Watchtower Society has proved to be a
false prophet many times over. This should be discussed as dispassionately as possible. Let the Witness
grasp the point without trying to hammer it in with an I-told-you-so! remark that would only get in the
way of his admitting the facts. A better approach might be to conclude the discussion with a rereading of
Deuteronomy 18:20-22, quoted above, perhaps adding also Jesus' words at Matthew 7:15, `Beware of false
prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves' [KJV]." (Reed,
D.A., "How to Rescue Your Loved One from the Watchtower," [1989], Baker: Grand Rapids MI, Second
printing, 1990, p.57-58,60)
15/02/2008
"Jesus courageously exposed the hypocrisy of the religious leaders, and they sought his death. They
eventually hatched an ugly plot that involved betrayal, improper arrest, an illegal trial, and a false charge of
sedition. Jesus was struck, spat upon, ridiculed, and beaten with a whip designed to tear his flesh. The
Roman governor Pontius Pilate then sentenced him to death on a torture stake. He was nailed to a wooden
pole and hung there upright. Each breath was excruciating, and it took hours for him to die. Throughout that
ordeal, Jesus maintained perfect integrity to God." (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "Knowledge That
Leads to Everlasting Life ," [1984], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, Second
edition, 1995, p.66)
16/02/2008
"THE cross is loved and respected by millions of people. The Encyclopaedia Britannica calls the cross
`the principal symbol of the Christian religion.' Nevertheless, true Christians do not use the cross in worship.
Why not? An important reason is that Jesus Christ did not die on a cross. The Greek word generally
translated `cross' is stau-ros'. It basically means `an upright pale or stake.' The Companion Bible points
out: `[Stau-ros'] never means two pieces of timber placed across one another at any angle ... There is
nothing in the Greek of the [New Testament] even to imply two pieces of timber.' In several texts, Bible
writers use another word for the instrument of Jesus' death. It is the Greek word xy'lon. (Acts 5: 30; 10:39;
13:29; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24) This word simply means `timber' or `a stick, club, or tree.' Explaining why a
simple stake was often used for executions, the book Das Kreuz und die Kreuzigung (The Cross and the
Crucifixion), by Hermann Fulda, states: `Trees were not everywhere available at the places chosen for
public execution. So a simple beam was sunk into the ground. On this the outlaws, with hands raised upward
and often also with their feet, were bound or nailed.'" (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "What Does the
Bible Really Teach?" Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, 2005, p.205)
16/02/2008
"The most convincing proof of all, however, comes from God's Word. The apostle Paul says: `Christ by
purchase released us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse instead of us, because it is written:
'Accursed is every man hanged upon a stake ['a tree,' King James Version].- (Galatians 3:13) Here Paul
quotes Deuteronomy 21:22, 23, which clearly refers to a stake, not a cross. Since such a means of execution
made the person `a curse,' it would not be proper for Christians to decorate their homes with images of
Christ impaled." (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "What Does the Bible Really Teach?" Watchtower
Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, 2005, p.205)
16/02/2008
"There is no evidence that for the first 300 years after Christ's death, those claiming to be Christians used
the cross in worship. In the fourth century, however, pagan Emperor Constantine became a convert to
apostate Christianity and promoted the cross as its symbol. Whatever Constantine's motives, the cross had
nothing to do with Jesus Christ. The cross is, in fact, pagan in origin. The New Catholic Encyclopedia
admits: `The cross is found in both pre-Christian and non-Christian cultures.' Various other authorities have
linked the cross with nature worship and pagan sex rites. Why, then, was this pagan symbol promoted?
Apparently, to make it easier for pagans to accept `Christianity.' Nevertheless, devotion to any pagan
symbol is clearly condemned by the Bible. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) The Scriptures also forbid all forms of
idolatry. (Exodus 20:4, 5; 1 Corinthians 10:14). With very good reason , therefore, true Christians do not use
the cross in worship." (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "What Does the Bible Really Teach?"
Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, 2005, pp.205-206)
16/02/2008
"Many churchgoers wear a cross, or have a crucifix in the home, and crosses are found in many church
buildings. But did you know that the cross actually has a pagan origin? The facts show that, rather than
being the exclusive symbol of Christianity, the cross was in use centuries before the birth of Christ. This is
admitted by The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908 edition, Vol. IV, page 517) : "The sign of the cross,
represented in its simplest form by a crossing of two lines at right angles, greatly antedates, in both the East
and the West, the introduction of Christianity. It goes back to a very remote period of human civilization."
(Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "The Truth that Leads to Eternal Life," Watchtower Bible & Tract
Society: Brooklyn NY, 1968, p.141)
16/02/2008
"Showing the pagan religious origin of the cross, the book The Ancient Church by clergyman W. D.
Killen says (1859 edition, page 316): `From the most remote antiquity the cross was venerated in Egypt and
Syria; it was held in equal honour by the Buddhists of the East; ... about the commencement of our era, the
pagans were wont to make the sign of a cross upon the forehead in the celebration of some of their sacred
mysteries.' ... And, further showing its connection with Babylonish religion, W. E. Vine, in An Expository
Dictionary of New Testament Words (Vol. 1, page 256), says that the cross `had its origin in ancient
Chaldea [Babylon], and was used as the symbol of the god Tammuz (being in the shape of the mystic Tau
[or T], the initial of his name).'" (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "The Truth that Leads to Eternal Life,"
Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY, 1968, pp.141-142)
16/02/2008
"But was not Jesus put to death on a two-beamed cross? The Bible indicates that he was not. At Acts 5:30
and 10:39, in both Catholic and Protestant Bible translations, we are told that Jesus died on a `tree.' The
word `tree' here translates the Greek word xylon (or xulon). Concerning this word and the word
stauros, translated `cross' in some versions, The Companion Bible says on page 186 in the
`Appendixes': `Homer [ancient Greek poet] uses the word stauros of an ordinary pole or stake, or a single
piece of timber. And this is the meaning and usage of the word throughout the Greek classics. It never
means two pieces of timber placed across one another at any angle, but always of one piece alone. Hence
the use of the word xulon [or xylon, meaning a timber] in connection with the manner of our Lord's
death, ... The evidence is thus complete, that the Lord was put to death upon an upright stake, and not on
two pieces of timber placed at any angle.'" (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "The Truth that Leads to
Eternal Life," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY, 1968, p.142)
16/02/2008
"Showing how and when such use of the cross began among professed Christians, W. E. Vine, in his book,
says: `By the middle of the 3rd century A.D. the churches had either departed from, or had [made a distorted
imitation of], certain doctrines of the Christian faith. In order to increase the prestige of the apostate
ecclesiastical system pagans were received into the churches apart from regeneration by faith, and were
permitted largely to retain their pagan signs and symbols. Hence the Tau or T, . . with the cross-piece
lowered, was adopted to stand for the cross of Christ.'-Vol. 1, page 256." (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society,
"The Truth that Leads to Eternal Life," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY, 1968, pp.142-143)
16/02/2008
"It is not normal to cherish and adore the instrument used to murder someone we love. Who would think of
kissing the revolver that had been used to murder a loved one, or of wearing it around one's neck? This
being so, and the cross being proved to be a pagan religious symbol, persons who have worn such an
object or had crucifixes in their homes, thinking that this honored God and his Son Jesus Christ, are faced
with an important decision. Will they continue to use them? Will they even keep them? Love of the truth
and the desire to please God in all things will help in making the right decision.-Deuteronomy 7:26."
(Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "The Truth that Leads to Eternal Life," Watchtower Bible & Tract
Society: Brooklyn NY, 1968, p.143)
16/02/2008
"Cross ... `No biblical evidence even intimates that Jesus died on a cross.' A 11/8/1972, p. 28 ... ... `So,
the evidence indicates that Jesus did not die on the traditional cross.' A 9/22/1974, p. 28 ... `Jesus most
likely was executed on an upright stake without any crossbeam. No man today can know with certainty even
how many nails were used in Jesus' case.' WT 8/15/1987, p. 29 ... " (Reed, D.A., ed., "Index of Watchtower
Errors, 1879 to 1989," Compiled by Steve Huntoon and John Cornell, Baker: Grand Rapids MI, 1990, pp.73-74)
16/02/2008
"proskyneo [to bow down, worship]... The NT uses proskynein only in relation to a divine object. Even
Mt. 18:26 is no true exception, for in view of the importance of proskynesis in Matthew (cf. 8:2; 9:18;
14:33; 15:25; 20:2) the divine king plainly stands behind the king of the parable. Thus when those who seek
help from Jesus fall at his feet, this is more than a gesture of respect. The wise men bow in worship (Mt. 2:2,
11). The tempter seeks the worship that belongs to God (4:9-10). The disciples worship Jesus when they
begin to grasp his divine sonship (14:33) and when they meet the risen Lord (28:9). The thought of God's
transcendence forbids any weakening of the term in the NT. Peter rejects proskynesis in Acts 10:25-26.
Even the angel forbids it in Rev. 19:10. The gesture is expressly mentioned in Acts 10:25. ... In Jn. 4:20ff.
proskynein seems to have a wholly figurative sense. Yet the act of worship stands in the background.
What Jesus says is that there is no one place to worship. The concrete act is lifted up into the sphere of
spirit and truth which now controls it. This does not mean a total spiritualizing of worship but the possibility
of true worship at all times and in all places. ... The worship of heaven involves repeated proskynesis
(Rev. 4:10; 5:14; 7:11; 11:16; 19:4). Those who fear God (and those who worship the beast!) are also
proskynountes (Rev. 11:1; 13:4). Those who worship Satan will finally bow down at the feet of the angel
of the church of Philadelphia (3:9), and all nations shall come and worship God at the last day (15:4). ... While
proskynein is common in the Gospels and Acts, and then again in Revelation, it occurs in the epistles
only in Heb. 1:6; 11:21 and 1 Cor 14:25. The last verse offers the only instance of proskynein in the
Christian community and it refers along OT lines to the unconditional subjection expressed by an
unbeliever. Elsewhere we read of kneeling or raising hands in prayer (Acts 9:40; 1 Tim. 2:8), but the word
proskynein does not occur. Being a concrete term, proskynein demands visible majesty. It is thus
apposite only when the incarnate Christ is present or when the exalted Lord is again manifested." (Kittel, G.
& Friedrich, G., eds., "Theological Dictionary of the New Testament: Abridged in one Volume," [1985],
Bromiley, G.W., transl., Eerdmans: Grand Rapids MI, Reprinted, 1988, pp.948-949)
19/02/2008
"Counting back from Nisan of 538 B.C.E., historians therefore date Nabopolassar's first year as beginning in
625 B.C:E., Nebuchadnezzar's first year in 604, and the destruction of Jerusalem is placed by some in 586, by
others in 587. These dates are some 20 years later than those presented in the chart accompanying this
article (that is, 624 for Nebuchadnezzar's first regnal year and 607 for the destruction of Jerusalem)."
(Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "Aid to Bible Understanding," [1969], Watchtower Bible & Tract
Society: Brooklyn NY, Second edition, 1971, p.327. Emphasis original)
19/02/2008
"Therefore, the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 607 B.C.E. was very significant. This event
marked the beginning of a lengthy interruption of God's direct rule over his people on earth. Some six
centuries later, Jesus indicated that this period of interrupted rule was still in effect, for he said: `Jerusalem
will be trampled on by the nations, until the appointed times of the nations are fulfilled.'-Luke 21:24. ...
During `the appointed times of the nations,' worldly governments would be allowed to interrupt rulership
approved by God. That period began with the destruction of Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E., and Daniel indicated
that it would go on for `seven times.' (Daniel 4:23-25) How long is that? The Bible shows that three and a
half `times' equal 1,260 days. (Revelation 12:6, 14) Twice that period, or seven times, would be 2,520 days.
But nothing noteworthy happened at the end of that short period of time. By applying `a day for a year' to
Daniel's prophecy and counting 2,520 years from 607 B.C.E., however, we arrive at the year 1914 C.E.
Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6." (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting
Life ," [1984], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, Second edition, 1995, pp.96-97)
19/02/2008
"In due course, the kingdom of Judah that Jehovah had set up became so corrupt that he allowed King
Nebuchadnezzar to destroy it, to cut it down. This happened in the year 607 B.C.E. At that time Zedekiah,
the last king of Judah to sit on Jehovah's throne, was told: `Lift off the crown... . it will certainly become no
one's until he comes who has the legal right, and I must give it to him.'-Ezekiel 21:25-27. ... So God's rulership,
as represented by the `tree,' was cut down in 607 B.C.E. No longer was there a government to represent
God's rulership in the earth. Thus, in 607 B.C.E. a period of time began that Jesus Christ later referred to as
`the appointed times of the nations,' or, `the times of the Gentiles.' (Luke 21:24; King James Version)
During these `appointed times' God did not have a government to represent his rulership in the earth."
(Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth," [1982], Watchtower Bible
& Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, Second edition, 1989, pp.140-141. Emphasis original)
19/02/2008
"What was to happen at the end of these `appointed times of the nations'? Jehovah was to give the power
to rule to the One `who has the legal right.' This One is Jesus Christ. So if we can find out when `the
appointed times of the nations' end, we will know when Christ begins to rule as king. ... According to Daniel
chapter four, these `appointed times' would be `seven times.' Daniel shows that there would be `seven
times' during which God's rulership, as represented by the `tree,' would not be in operation over the earth.
(Daniel 4:16, 23) How long are these `seven times'? ... In Revelation chapter 12, verses 6 and 14, we learn that
1,260 days are equal to `a time [that is, 1 time] and times [that is, 2 times] and half a time.' That is a total of 3
1/2 times. So `a time' would be equal to 360 days. Therefore, `seven times' would be 7 times 360, or 2,520
days. Now if we count a day for a year, according to a Bible rule, the `seven times' equal 2,520 years.-
Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6." (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "You Can Live Forever in Paradise on
Earth," [1982], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, Second edition, 1989, pp.140-
141. Emphasis original)
19/02/2008
"We have already learned that `the appointed times of the nations' began in the year 607 B.C.E. So by
counting 2,520 years from that date, we come down to 1914 C.E. That is the year these `appointed times'
ended. Millions of people still living remember the things that happened in 1914. In that year, World War I
began a period of terrible trouble that has continued to our day. This means that Jesus Christ began to rule
as king of God's heavenly government in 1914. And because the Kingdom has already started its rule, how
timely it is that we pray for it to `come' and wipe Satan's wicked system of things from the earth!-Matthew
6:10; Daniel 2:44." (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth," [1982],
Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, Second edition, 1989, p.141. Emphasis
original)
19/02/2008
"As recorded at Luke 21:24, Jesus said: `Jerusalem will be trampled on by the nations, until the appointed
times of the nations ['the times of the Gentiles,' King James Version] are fulfilled.' Jerusalem had been the
capital city of the Jewish nation-the seat of rulership of the line of kings from the house of King David.
(Psalm 48:1, 2) However, these kings were unique among national leaders. They sat on `Jehovah's throne' as
representatives of God himself. (1 Chronicles 29: 23) Jerusalem was thus a symbol of Jehovah's rulership."
(Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "What Does the Bible Really Teach?" Watchtower Bible & Tract
Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, 2005, pp.215-216)
19/02/2008
"How and when, though, did God's rulership begin to be `trampled on by the nations'? This happened in 607
B.C.E. when Jerusalem was conquered by the Babylonians. `Jehovah's throne' became vacant, and the line
of kings who descended from David was interrupted. (2 Kings 25:1-26) Would this `trampling' go on forever?
No, for the prophecy of Ezekiel said regarding Jerusalem's last king, Zedekiah: `Remove the turban, and lift
off the crown.... It will certainly become no one's until he comes who has the legal right, and I must give it to
him.' (Ezekiel 21:26, 27) The one who has `the legal right' to the Davidic crown is Christ Jesus. (Luke 1:32, 33)
So the 'trampling' would end when Jesus became King." (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "What Does
the Bible Really Teach?" Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, 2005, pp.216-217)
19/02/2008
"When would that grand event occur? Jesus showed that the Gentiles would rule for a fixed period of time.
The account in Daniel chapter 4 holds the key to knowing how long that period would last. It relates a
prophetic dream experienced by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. He saw an immense tree that was
chopped down. Its stump could not grow because it was banded with iron and copper. An angel declared:
`Let seven times pass over it.'-Daniel 4:10-16. In the Bible, trees are sometimes used to represent rulership.
(Ezekiel 17:22-24; 31:2-5) So the chopping down of the symbolic tree represents how God's rulership, as
expressed through the kings at Jerusalem, would be interrupted. However. the vision served notice that this
`trampling of Jerusalem' would be temporary-a period of `seven times.' How long a period is that? Revelation
12:6, 14 indicates that three and a half times equal `a thousand two hundred and sixty days.' `Seven times'
would therefore last twice as long, or 2,520 days. But the Gentile nations did not stop `trampling' on God's
rulership a mere 2,520 days after Jerusalem's fall. Evidently, then, this prophecy covers a much longer period
of time. On the basis of Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6, which speak of `a day for a year,' the `seven times'
would cover 2,520 years." (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "What Does the Bible Really Teach?"
Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, 2005, p.217)
19/02/2008
"The 2,520 years began in October 607 B.C.E., when Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians and the Davidic king
was taken off his throne. The period ended in October 1914. At that time, `the appointed times of the
nations' ended, and Jesus Christ was installed as God's heavenly King.*-Psalm 2:1-6; Daniel 7:13,14. * From
October 607 B.C.E. to October 1 B.C.E. is 606 years. Since there is no zero year, from October 1 B.C.E. to
October 1914 C.E. is 1,914 years. By adding 606 years and 1,914 years, we get 2,520 years. For information on
Jerusalem's fall in 607 B.C.E., see the article `Chronology' in Insight on the Scriptures, published by
Jehovah's Witnesses." (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "What Does the Bible Really Teach?"
Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, 2005, p.217. Emphasis original)
19/02/2008
"1914 is a pivotal date on which a major portion of the doctrinal and authority structure of Jehovah's
Witnesses rests. Jehovah's Witnesses today hold the following beliefs tied in with that date: That in 1914
Christ Jesus became `present,' invisible to human eyes, but now beginning a judgment period for all his
professed followers and for the world. That in 1914 Christ Jesus now began active rulership toward all the
world, his kingdom officially taking power. That 1914 marks the start of the `last days' or the `time of the end'
foretold in Bible prophecy. That three and a half years after 1914 (in 1918) the resurrection of Christians
sleeping in death, from the apostles onward, began. That about that same time (in 1918) Christ's true
followers then living went into spiritual captivity to Babylon the Great, being released the following year,
1919, at which time Christ Jesus acknowledged them collectively as his `faithful and discreet slave,' his
approved agency for directing his work and caring for his interests on earth, his sole channel for
communicating guidance and illumination to his servants earthwide. That from that time forward the final
`harvest' work has been in progress, with salvation or destruction as ultimate destinies. To weaken belief in
the significance of the foundation date of 1914 would weaken the whole doctrinal superstructure (described
above) that rests on it. It would also weaken the claim of special authority for those acting as the official
spokesman group for the `faithful and discreet slave' class. To remove that date as having such
significance could mean the virtual collapse of all the doctrinal and authority structure founded on it. That is
how crucial it is." (Franz, R., "Crisis of Conscience," [1983], Commentary Press: Atlanta GA, Fourth edition,
2002, Third printing, pp.174-175. Emphasis original)
19/02/2008
"Yet few Witnesses today know that for nearly half a century-from 1879 to the late 1920s-the time
prophecies published in the Watch Tower magazine and related publications were essentially contrary
to all the beliefs just outlined. I for one did not realize it much of my life. Then I found that for nearly fifty
years the `channel' of the Watch Tower had assigned different times and dates for every one of the
things just listed, and that it was only the failure of all the original expectations regarding 1914 that led to an
assigning of new dates to those claimed fulfillments of prophecy." (Franz, R., "Crisis of Conscience," [1983],
Commentary Press: Atlanta GA, Fourth edition, 2002, Third printing, pp.175-176. Emphasis original)
19/02/2008
"As discussed in a previous chapter, the research I had to do in connection with the book Aid to Bible
Understanding brought home to me that the Society's date of 607 B.C.E. for Jerusalem's destruction by
Babylon was contradicted by all known historical evidence. Still, I continued to put trust in that date in spite
of the evidence, feeling that it had Scriptural backing. Without 607 B.C.E. the crucial date of 1914 would be
placed in question. I took the view that the historical evidence was likely defective and argued that way in
the Aid book." (Franz, R., "Crisis of Conscience," [1983], Commentary Press: Atlanta GA, Fourth edition,
2002, Third printing, p.176)
19/02/2008
"Then, in 1977, one of Jehovah's Witnesses in Sweden, named Carl Olof Jonsson, sent to the Brooklyn
headquarters a massive amount of research he had done on Biblically related chronology and on
chronological speculation. Jonsson was an elder and had been actively associated with Jehovah's
Witnesses for some twenty years. Having had experience researching chronology myself, I was impressed
by how deeply he had gone into the matter, also by the completeness and factualness of his presentation.
Basically he sought to draw the Governing Body's attention to the weakness in the Society's chronological
reckonings leading to the 1914 date as the end point of the "Gentile Times," referred to by Jesus at Luke,
chapter twenty-one, verse 24 (called "the appointed times of the nations" in the New World
Translation)." (Franz, R., "Crisis of Conscience," [1983], Commentary Press: Atlanta GA, Fourth edition,
2002, Third printing, p.176)
19/02/2008
"Briefly stated, the 1914 date is arrived at by the following process: In the fourth chapter of Daniel's
prophecy, the expression `seven times' occurs, applied there to the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar and
describing a period of seven times of insanity the king would experience. [Dan 4:17, 23-33] The Society
teaches that those `seven times' are prophetic of something greater, namely, of the period of time extending
from Jerusalem's destruction (placed by the Society at 607 B.C.E.) down to the end of the `Gentile Times,'
explained as meaning the period during which the Gentile nations exercise `uninterrupted' dominion over all
the earth. The `seven times' are interpreted as meaning seven years with each year consisting of 360 days
(12 lunar months of 30 days each). Seven multiplied by 360 gives 2,520 days. However, other prophecies are
referred to that use the expression `a day for a year.' Employing this formula, the 2,520 days become 2,520
years, running from 607 B.C.E. to the year 1914 C.E." (Franz, R., "Crisis of Conscience," [1983], Commentary
Press: Atlanta GA, Fourth edition, 2002, Third printing, pp.176-177)
19/02/2008
"As noted earlier, the Society's present teachings about the beginning of Christ's kingdom rule, the `last
days,' the start of the resurrection and related matters are all tied in with this calculation. Not many
Witnesses are able to explain the rather intricate application and combination of texts involved, but they
accept the end product of this process and calculation. Most of Jehovah's Witnesses for many decades
believed that this explanation leading to 1914 was more or less unique with their organization, that it was
initially understood and published by the Society's first president, Pastor Russell. On its inside cover, the
Society's publication Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, published in 1959, contained these
statements: 1870 Charles Taze Russell begins his study of the Bible with a small group of associates 1877
The book `Three Worlds' is published identifying the date 1914 as the end of `Gentile Times' The impression
given here, as well as that presented within the book, was that this book `The Three Worlds' (which Russell
actually only financed) was the first publication to contain this teaching about 1914. This is what I had
thought, until the material from the Swedish elder came in to the world headquarters. Then I realized how
many facts had been either ignored or glossed over by the Society's publications. Jonsson first traced the
long history of chronological speculation. He showed that the practice of arbitrarily applying the `year for a
day' formula to various time periods found in the Bible was initially done by Jewish rabbis dating back to the
first century C.E. In the ninth century C.E. a `string of Jewish rabbis' began making calculations and
predictions utilizing this day-year formula in connection with the time periods of 1,290, 1,335 and 2,300 days
found in Daniel's prophecy; in each case applying their results to the time for the appearance of the Messiah
[Num 14:34; Eze 4:6]" (Franz, R., "Crisis of Conscience," [1983], Commentary Press: Atlanta GA, Fourth
edition, 2002, Third printing, p.177. Emphasis original)
23/02/2008
"Will it be more difficult for some of the resurrected dead to learn and practice righteousness than it will be
for others? When Jesus Christ was on earth, he showed that it would be. Most of the persons to whom he
and his disciples preached did not listen. They rejected Jesus as the Messiah, even after hearing his
preaching and seeing him perform miracles. When sending out his disciples to preach, Jesus said of a city
that would reject their message: `Truly I say to you, it will be more endurable for the land of Sodom and
Gomorrah on Judgment Day than for that city.'-Matthew 10:15. ... By saying this, Jesus showed that at least
some of the unrighteous people of ancient Sodom and Gomorrah will be present on earth during Judgment
Day. Although they had been very immoral, we can expect that some of them will be resurrected. (Genesis
19:1-26) Jehovah in his mercy will bring them back so that they will have an opportunity to learn about his
purposes. But Jesus' words also show that some of the unrighteous ones to whom he and his disciples
personally preached will be present during Judgment Day. They, too, will be resurrected and be given
further opportunity to learn God's purposes. For whom will it be more difficult to accept Christ as king at that
time? For the people of ancient Sodom or for those who had rejected the preaching of Jesus and his
disciples? ... It will be more difficult for those who personally rejected Jesus. Speaking of Capernaum, one of
the cities where he performed miracles, Jesus said: `If the powerful works that took place in you had taken
place in Sodom, it would have remained until this very day. Consequently I say to you people, It will be
more endurable for the land of Sodom on Judgment Day than for you.' (Matthew 11:22-24) Yes, during
Judgment Day it will be even more difficult for those from Capernaum to admit their mistakes and to accept
and serve Christ as king than it will be for the people of ancient Sodom to learn righteousness."
(Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth," Watchtower Bible & Tract
Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, 1982, pp.178-179)
23/02/2008
"It will truly be a grand privilege to be resurrected on earth during Jehovah's great Judgment Day. However,
the Bible indicates that it will be a privilege that not all will enjoy. Consider, for example, the people of
ancient Sodom. The Bible says that the men of Sodom sought to have sexual relations with `the men' who
were visiting Lot. Their immoral behavior was so extreme that even when they were miraculously struck with
blindness, `they were wearing themselves out trying to find the entrance' of the house to get inside to have
intercourse with Lot's visitors.-Genesis 19: 4-11. .... Will such terribly wicked persons be resurrected during
Judgment Day? The Scriptures indicate that apparently they will not. For example, one of Jesus' inspired
disciples, Jude, wrote first about the angels that forsook their place in heaven to have relations with the
daughters of men. Then he added: `So too Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them, after they in the
same manner as the foregoing ones had committed fornication excessively and gone out after flesh for
unnatural use, are placed before us as a warning example by undergoing the judicial punishment of
everlasting fire.' (Jude 6, 7; Genesis 6:1, 2) Yes, for their excessive immorality the people of Sodom and of the
surrounding cities suffered a destruction from which they will apparently never be resurrected.-2 Peter 2:4-6,
9, 10a." (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth," [1982],
Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, Second edition, 1989, pp.178-179)
25/02/2008
"stauros [cross], stauroo [to crucify], anastauroo [to crucify] stauros. ... I. The Meaning of the
Word. 1. stauros is an upright `stake' such as is used in fences or palisades. 2. The stauros is an
instrument of torture for serious offenses. It may be a vertical pointed stake, an upright with a cross-beam
above it, or a post with an intersecting beam of equal length." (Kittel, G. & Friedrich, G., eds., "Theological
Dictionary of the New Testament: Abridged in one Volume," [1985], Bromiley, G.W., transl., Eerdmans:
Grand Rapids MI, Reprinted, 1988, p.1071)
25/02/2008
"Which instrument of execution fits the biblical accounts of Christ's death? Thomas said, `Except I shall see
in his hands the print of the nails...' indicating that there was not just a single nail in Jesus' hands as in
Watchtower illustrations, but two or more nails such as would be needed to pin his hands to the opposite
ends of a crossbeam. (John 20:25 KJV) Matthew also notes, `Above his head they placed the written charge
against him.. .' (Matthew 27:37 NIV) If Christ had been nailed to an upright stake with his hands above his
head as in Watchtower illustrations, Matthew would more likely have said that the written charge was
placed above his hands; since he actually did say `above his head,' this would imply that Jesus' hands were
someplace else-at the ends of a crossbeam. In addition to the above, Scripture indicates that Jesus set out
for Calvary `carrying his own cross.' (John 19:17 NIV) A man could not carry the massive cross that
illustrations sometimes show Christ nailed to. Nor could a man carry the Watchtower's `torture stake'-any
more than a man could carry a telephone pole. But a man could, with great difficulty, carry a crosspiece that
he would be nailed to and that would then be hoisted by ropes onto an upright piece that was permanently
set in the ground. This, according to scriptural and archaeological evidence, is the sort of instrument on
which Christ died." (Reed, D.A., "Answering Jehovah's Witnesses: Subject by Subject," [1996], Baker:
Grand Rapids MI, Second printing, 1998, pp.86-87)
25/02/2008
"On page 647 of Lipsus' [sic] book, as depicted by the Governing Body, there is actually no mention of
Jesus Christ at all; rather it is one of several woodcuts in this book illustrating how criminals were put to
death on stakes and poles. The Governing Body would have you believe that Justus Lipsus is saying that
this was how Jesus was 'impaled.' However, just 14 pages later, there is another woodcut of a man
suspended on a cross. This time, Justus Lipsus does mention our Lord Jesus Christ! Here is a partial
translation of page 661 of Lipsus' book: `I do not know whether the words of Innocent to this matter should
be referred to: "In the Lord's cross there were four pieces of wood, the upright beam, the crossbar, a tree
trunk (piece of wood) placed below, and the title (inscription) placed above."' `Also they hand down (this
account by) Iraneus: "The construction itself of the cross has five ends, two on the vertical and two on the
horizontal, and one in the middle where the person attached with nails rested."' `They devide the cross into
five ends ("points" Tertullian calls them), those four which are known (familiar) and extend out; and the fifth
which they place in the middle of the cross, where the transverse beam cuts and crosses the fixed beam."
(Lips ius, J., "De Cruce Liber Primus," Tseng, M., transl., in Watters, R., "Thus Saith the Governing Body of
Jehovah's Witnesses," Free Minds: Manhattan Beach CA, 1996, p.80)
27/02/2008
"Cross or Stake? The Jehovah's Witnesses fail to point out that the Greek word stauros was used to
refer to a variety of wooden structures used for execution in ancient days. Robert Bowman notes that
stauros as a wooden structure could represent shapes `similar to the Greek letter tau (T) and the plus
sign (+), occasionally using two diagonal beams (X), as well as (infrequently) a simple upright stake with no
crosspiece. To argue that only the last-named form was used, or that stauros could be used only for that
form, is contradictory to the actual historical facts and is based on a naive restriction of the term to its
original or simplest meaning.' [Bowman, R.M., "Understanding Jehovah's Witnesses," Baker: Grand Rapids,
1991, p.143]" (Rhodes, R., "Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Jehovah's Witnesses," [1993], Harvest
House: Eugene OR, Reprinted, 2006, p.396. Emphasis original)
27/02/2008
"To support the view that Jesus died on a cross and not a stake, you might want to ask the Jehovah's
Witness to open the New World Translation and read aloud from John 20:25: `Consequently the other
disciples would say to him: `We have seen the Lord!' But he [Thomas] said to them: `Unless I see in his
hands the print of the nails and stick my finger into the print of the nails and stick my hand into his
side, I will certainly not believe' (emphasis added). Now, if Jesus was crucified not on a cross but on a stake,
then only one nail would have been used for His hands. Our text, however, says that nails were used (one
for each hand). [Bowman, R.M., "Understanding Jehovah's Witnesses," Baker: Grand Rapids, 1991, p.144]
This verse is extremely problematic for the Watchtower position-especially since their own New World
Translation has the plural form of `nails.'" (Rhodes, R., "Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Jehovah's
Witnesses," [1993], Harvest House: Eugene OR, Reprinted, 2006, pp.396-397. Emphasis original)
27/02/2008
"It is also significant that when Jesus spoke of Peter's future crucifixion, He indicated that Peter's arms
would be outstretched, not above his head. [Grieshaber, E. & J., "Redi-Answers on Jehovah's Witnesses
Doctrine," Grieshaber Ministries: Tyler TX, 1979), p.8]. Jesus told Peter: `'I tell you the truth, when you were
younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out
your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.' Now Jesus said
this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God' (John 21:18,19, emphasis added)."
(Rhodes, R., "Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Jehovah's Witnesses," [1993], Harvest House: Eugene
OR, Reprinted, 2006, p.397)
27/02/2008
"In keeping with a cross-crucifixion instead of a stake-crucifixion, we read in Matthew 27:37, `Above his
head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS' (emphasis
added). If Jesus had died on a stake, the text would have said, `Above His hands.' But it clearly says,
`Above His head,' showing that a cross-crucifixion is meant." (Rhodes, R., "Reasoning from the Scriptures
with the Jehovah's Witnesses," [1993], Harvest House: Eugene OR, Reprinted, 2006, pp.397-398. Emphasis
original)
27/02/2008
"The very form of the cross, too, has five extremities, two in length, two in breadth, and one in the middle,
on which [last] the person rests who is fixed by the nails." (Irenaeus, "Against Heresies," II.XXIV.4)
[top]
Copyright © 2008, by Stephen E. Jones. All rights reserved. These my quotes may be used for
non-commercial purposes only and may not be used in a book, ebook, CD, DVD, or any other
medium except the Internet, without my written permission. If used on the Internet, a link back
to this page would be appreciated.
Created: 30 January, 2008. Updated: 24 August, 2008.