Four evidences that Jesus is God the Son (for sharing with Jehovah’s Witnesses)

The JWs use the New World translation (NWT).  This is a version that is considered flawed by leading Bible translators.  However, in order to connect with the Witnesses, I take references from it.

Below is a tract to share with Jehovah's Witnesses,  Please feel free to adapt it and use it.  I don't intend on getting involved in long discussions with the Witnesses (that tends to entrench people in their views).  But gentle talk to those working in Limerick and ask them to read this.

Four evidences that Jesus is God the Son (for sharing with Jehovah’s Witnesses)

1.      John’s Gospel (beginning, middle and end)

John 1:1 (NWT): ‘the was a god’.  In original no definite article.  Yet it is not necessary to translate Greek nouns that have no definite article with an indefinite article.  If John had meant a god/godlike etc. he could have used the adjective ‘theios’.  Julius Mantley says, ‘99% of the scholars of the world who have helped translate the Bible are in disagreement with the Jehovah Witnesses.’

John 8:58 (NWT): ‘before Abraham was, I have been’ [Greek: ‘ego eimi’].  Septuagint [Greek version of OT] of Exodus 3:14: ‘ego eimi’.

John 20:28 (NWT): “My Lord and my God!”  (Jesus did not rebuke Thomas for making this claim).

2.      Examples from the synoptics (Matthew, Mark of Luke)

Matthew 14:26-27 (NWT): ‘when they saw him walking on the sea … at once Jesus spoke to the, saying, Take courage! It is I’ [ego eimi] …’  Who walks on the water?  Job 9:8 (NWT): ‘he treads the high waters of the sea’.  More literal translation includes ‘who alone’.  Also see Psalm 77:19. 

Mark 2:7 (NWT): ‘who can forgive sins except one, God?’  Yet Jesus forgives sins.

Luke 8:25 (NWT): ‘Who really is this?  For he orders the winds and the water, and they obey him.’  Who commands the winds and the waves?  Psalm 107:25 (NWT): ‘He calms the windstorm; the waves of the sea grow quiet.’

3.      From the writings of Paul

Romans 8:13 (NWT): ‘for everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved.’  This is just a wrong translation.  The Greek manuscripts don’t have Jehovah here, they have ‘kuriou’ meaning ‘Lord’.  Read the context and you will see that the one being called on in Jesus.  This is also a quote from Joel 2:32 where the text refers to Jehovah.  In other words, as he does elsewhere, the apostle Paul has no problem using a verse referring to Jehovah and applying it to Jesus.

Philippians 2:10 (NWT): ‘so in the name of Jesus every knee shall bow’.  Who will every knee bow to?  Isaiah 45:23 (NWT): ‘to me every knee will bend’.

4.      From the book of Revelation

 In the book of Revelation John gets over excited and attempts to worship the angel.  However, the angel replies, ‘Do not do that … Worship God!’ (Rev. 22:9, NWT).  God alone is to be worshipped.  Yet in that same book of Revelation we see that Jesus is the object of worship (see Revelation 5:9-14).

Dear Friend

I am not sure that you are allowed read anything that critically examines the teaching of the Jehovah Witnesses.  That in itself should be a cause for you to be concerned.  I know that if you question the organisation you may be shunned.  I do not want to make your life difficult.  These evidences I have presented to you are just some of many.  I have taken them from the New World Translation, even though I believe it is a very biased translation.  If you would like to find freedom in Christ and examine other errors of the Watch Tower (including changes in doctrines and prophecies) then feel free to contact me confidentially.

Paul Ritchie (083 401 7116).