Questions for My Jehovah's Witness Friends

    

“We need to examine, not only what we personally believe, but also what is taught by any religious organization with which we may be associated. Are its teachings in full harmony with God’s Word, or are they based on the traditions of men? If we are lovers of the truth, there is nothing to fear from such an examination. It should be the sincere desire of every one of us to learn what God’s will is for us, and then do it” (The Truth that leads to Eternal Life, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society 1968, p. 13).

Please give honest and satisfactory answers to these questions . . .

1.  Do you agree with the statement above? Regardless of what you may have done in the past, are you now willing to question your current beliefs? If your answer is “no,” how can you unhypocritically expect others to do so?

2.  Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses use instrumental music in their worship to Jehovah? Do you agree that “the Law covenant was terminated at Pentecost, 33 C.E.” and that the “‘law of the Christ’ covers the whole course and scope of the Christian’s life and work”? (Aid to Bible Understanding, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society 1971, p. 1037). If you agree, why do Jehovah’s Witnesses follow the old Jewish practice and the innovation of Roman Catholics and Protestant Denominations of worshiping with musical instruments when such is not authorized in the New Testament? “Regardless of whom a group profess to worship, if they hold to doctrines of men instead of the inspired Word of God, their worship is in vain” (Reasoning from the Scriptures, Watchtower Bible & Tract Society 1985, p. 323).

3.  Do you support the following statement? “Beyond all doubt, the evidence points to 1914 as the year when the kingdom of God went into operation . . .” (The Truth that leads to Eternal Life, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society 1968, p. 93). If this is true, why did Jesus make the following statements while he was still on earth? “The appointed time has been fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has drawn near” (Mark 1:15, New World Translation). “Truly I say to you, There are some of those standing here that will not taste death at all until first they see the kingdom of God already come in power” (Mark 9:1, NWT). Telling the apostles things about the kingdom of God: “Do not withdraw from Jerusalem, but keep waiting for what the Father has promised, about which you heard from me . . . but you will receive power when the holy spirit arrives upon you . . .” (Acts 1:1-8, NWT). Why does the kingdom appear to have been established shortly thereafter, in accordance with these scriptures? “He delivered us from the authority of the darkness and transplanted us into the kingdom of the Son of his love” (Colossians 1:13, NWT), i.e. “the kingdom of the Christ and God” (Ephesians 5:5). “I John, your brother and a sharer with you in the tribulation and kingdom and endurance in company with Jesus . . .” (Revelation 1:9, NWT).

4.  Wouldn’t it be contrary to Watchtower theology for you to refer to Jesus as “My Lord and my God”? (cf. Should You Believe in the Trinity?, Watchtower Bible & Tract Society 1989, p. 16). Why was it acceptable for Thomas to address Jesus as “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28-29, NWT)? If this was not a legitimate affirmation, why wasn’t Thomas charged with blasphemy or with using the name of the Lord God in vain (Exodus 20:7)? Note: The designations “Lord” and “God” are translated from the Greek words kurios and theos, and whenever these words are used together in the NT, they are equivalent to the Hebrew names YHWH [“Jehovah”] and Elohim [“God”] (Mark 12:29-30; Luke 1:68; 10:27; Acts 3:22) and always refer to the Supreme Deity (Acts 2:39; 4:24; 7:37).

5.  Do you agree with the following statement? “So the evidence points to the conclusion that the title ‘Alpha and Omega’ applies to Almighty God, the Father, not to the Son” (Reasoning from the Scriptures, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society 1985, p. 413). If so, how do you harmonize that conclusion with the following clear scriptural statements? “‘Look! I am coming quickly, and the reward I give is with me, to render to each one as his work is. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end . . . I, Jesus, sent my angel to bear witness to you people of these things for the congregations” (Revelation 22:12-13, 16, NWT; cf. 1:8, 17-18; Isaiah 44:6).

6.  Do you agree with the following statements? “Who is this prophet? . . . This ‘prophet’ was not one man, but a body of men and women. It was the small group of footstep followers of Jesus Christ, known at that time as International Bible Students. Today they are known as Jehovah’s Christian witnesses” (The Watchtower, 1 April 1972, p. 197). “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 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 . . .” (Deuteronomy 18:20-22, NWT). 

     Now consider these Jehovah’s Witness prophecies: “there will be a resurrection of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and other faithful ones of old, and that these will have the first favor, we may expect 1925 to witness the return of these faithful men of Israel from the condition of death, being resurrected and fully restored to perfect humanity and made to visible, legal representatives of the new order of things on earth” (Millions Now Living Will Never Die 1920, p. 88); “The date 1925 is even more distinctly indicated by the Scriptures than 1914” (The Watchtower, 1 Sept. 1922, p. 262); “According to this trustworthy Bible chronology six thousand years from man’s creation will end in 1975, and the seventh period of a thousand years of human history will begin in the fall of 1975 C.E.” (Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of God 1966, p. 29). 

     Do you honestly believe that Proverbs 4:18 gives justification for making false prophecies? “Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired expression, but test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world” (1 John 4:1, NWT).

7. Would you like to learn more about the Bible and God's will for your life?

--Kevin L. Moore

Related Posts: Responding to Arianism, Questions For My Mormon Friends

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Questions About Jesus

     Q#1: Was Jesus denying that He was “good” in Mark 10:18? Jesus was responding to a wealthy young Jewish ruler who had just addressed Him as “Good Teacher.” Before answering his question, the Lord gave him something to think about: “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.” Jesus was not denying that He was good. He merely asked a thought-provoking question followed by a statement of fact. The implication is: “You call me good, and since only God is good, you are therefore (unwittingly) acknowledging that I am God.” A similar situation is found a few chapters earlier. In Mark 2:5-7, when Jesus had forgiven the sins of a paralytic, some scribes asked: “Why does this man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” When Jesus went on to claim the power to forgive sins anyway (v. 10), the implication is clear. Jesus is God (in essence) and is therefore good.

     Q#2: In the New King James Version John 3:13 reads: “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.” Why are the last four words omitted in other versions (e.g. the New American Standard Bible)? If this phrase should be in the text, how could Jesus have been in heaven while He was with Nicodemus on earth? 
     The phrase “who is in heaven” is not found in some Greek manuscripts (primarily Egyptian texts), so the NASB translators left it out. However, most other Greek manuscripts include these words. Because this phrase somewhat complicates the verse, there is no sensible reason for it to have been added by later copyists. The phrase may have been removed from the original account (in some manuscripts) in order to alleviate the difficulty. How, then, can the apparent discrepancy of this statement be resolved? 
     Keep in mind that John was writing from the perspective of an inspired historian, and his Gospel was written a number of years after Jesus had ascended to heaven. At the time of John’s writing, Jesus was “in the bosom of the Father” (1:18). Remember also that John’s original text was not a Red Letter Edition. The phrase, “that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven” or simply “who is in heaven,” was probably meant to be parenthetical (i.e. an explanatory statement in parentheses), inserted by John to clarify to his readers that Jesus was referring to Himself (cf. 1:38-42; 2:21-22; 4:1-3; 9:7; 12:32-33; 18:8-9; 20:16).


    Q#3: The NASB refers to Christ as “the one” [lower case] in John 1:33, but as “One” [upper case] in Luke 3:16 – why the difference? The primary reason seems to be in the preference of the translators. This difference does not appear in other English versions. In John 1:33 the phrase is houtos estin ho, literally “he it is who.” The phrase in Luke 3:16 is erchetai ho, literally “he comes who.” The word houtos is a demonstrative pronoun meaning “this” or “he” or “this one,” used to draw attention to someone in particular. The article ho, when used as a demonstrative pronoun, means “this” or “the one” or “this one” or even “the one who.” Each of these possibilities essentially communicates the same meaning. Whether or not the word “one” is used in the translation and whether or not capitalization is employed does not alter the intent of the passage. A possible rationale of the NASB translators is that “the one” in John 1:33 is used as a predicate nominative (telling something about the subject), whereas “One” in Luke 3:16 is used as a subject. The 1975 edition of the NASB renders Luke 3:16, “but He … is coming,” whereas the 1977 edition changes it to, “but One is coming…”

–Kevin L. Moore

Originally appearing in The Exhorter (Jan.-March 1999) and republished in The Summit Chronicle 6:1 (Jan. 2008): 12.

Related Posts: Text of the NT Part 1 & Part 2, Triune Godhead

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Biblical Interpretation: Asking the Right Questions

      What does the Bible say to me, and how does it apply to my life? As important as these questions are, the proverbial cart is placed before the horse when they are the first to be asked. Conscientious Bible students should instead begin their investigation of any biblical text by considering what the inspired writer was seeking to convey to his original audience and how they would have understood the message in the context in which it was first communicated. When this is the preliminary focus, one is in a much better position to correctly interpret and apply the sacred writings as they were intended.

     Who is speaking? This is a logical question to ask when examining any form of communication. A statement like, "Curse God and die!" (Job 2:9),¹ although recorded in scripture, was not originally spoken by God or one of his authorized representatives. In addition to what has been revealed from heaven, the biblical record also contains words spoken by the devil (Matthew 4:3-9) and fallible human beings (John 8:48). Even true statements are not always attributable to a divine source (e.g. John 9:31; Acts 5:38-39; 17:28). The fact that the Bible is the inspired word of God simply means that whenever the sayings of uninspired individuals are recorded, an accurate account is given of what was said. As the pages of scripture are evaluated, the information's original source must be ascertained.
     Who is being addressed? If this question is ignored or not answered properly, misunderstanding is the inevitable result. Jesus promised in John 16:13a, "when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all the truth . . ." Would it be legitimate for me to read these words with a realistic expectation of all truth being directly revealed to me by the divine Spirit? By taking the time to examine the surrounding context (chaps. 13–16), it is clear that Christ is not speaking to me at all. In fact, while addressing the very same hearers in the very same setting he also says, "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet" (13:14). Contextually, Christ’s chosen apostles are the ones whose feet he had just washed and who were to receive the outpouring of God’s Spirit not long after these words were spoken (cf. Acts 1:1-8).
     Who is the author? The sixty-six books of the Bible were penned by over forty separate writers whose forty+ different perspectives were utilized to transmit the biblical message. Bible study is significantly enhanced when the matter of authorship is taken into account. In the parallel Gospel records of the dispute over paying taxes, one might wonder why the common term dēnarion is used in Mark 12:15 and Luke 20:24, while the more precise nomisma (state coin) is employed in Matthew 22:19a. The fact that the author of the latter passage was a tax collector (cf. Matthew 10:3) is a reasonable explanation for this difference. In the synoptic accounts of Jesus’ statement about a camel going through the eye of a "needle," the term hraphis (an ordinary sewing needle) is used in Matthew 19:24 and Mark 10:25, whereas the word belonē (a surgeon’s needle) is found in Luke 18:25. This linguistic variation ought not be surprising, seeing that the latter text was authored by a physician (cf. Colossians 4:14).² Of the three occurrences in the New Testament of the term deleazō (to "entice" or "lure" with bait), two appear in 2 Peter (2:14, 18), the significance of which is appreciated more when the question of authorship is considered (cf. Matthew 17:26-27).
     Who is the intended readership? Before a biblical text says anything to me, it has already spoken to those who first received it. If would-be interpreters have little regard for the immediate audience of any writing, chances are the meaning will be misconstrued and the message misapplied. I recently heard a televangelist quote Matthew 11:12, "the kingdom of heaven suffers violence," making direct application to persecuted believers in modern-day Eastern Europe. The historical context of this passage was completely ignored, including the fierce aggression of Jewish Zealots in the contemporary experience of Jesus’ listeners and Matthew’s readers, and was replaced by current events far removed from the setting of the original message.
     To what do the prophecies of Revelation 6 have reference? Is the first seal (vv. 1-2) an allusion to the present-day United States of America, with the rider of the white horse depicting the U.S. president, and the other seals (vv. 3-17) descriptive of the current war on terrorism and the advent of World War III? Such an interpretation implies that the message of Revelation had absolutely no relevance, meaning or application for the seven churches of the 1st-century province of Asia to whom it was addressed and for whom it was intended (1:4, 11). Moreover, the repeated warnings of "things which must shortly take place" (1:1, 3; 22:6, 10) are thereby rendered misleading. Alternatively, deciphering the complex symbolism is much less daunting when viewed through the lense of John’s contemporary audience. These readers were facing brutal and widespread persecution (1:9; 2:10, 13; 3:10; 6:9; 12:13; 16:6; 17:6; 18:24; 19:2; 20:4) and desperately needed a message of hope (2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 5:5; 12:11; 15:2; 17:14; 21:7). The bottom line is, since the day the sixth chapter of Revelation was penned, historical realities such as war, famine, disease, Christian martyrdom, and the fall of governing powers have not been restricted to modern times.
     Any shallow, irresponsible approach to Bible study not only generates a great deal of religious confusion and division, it provides a superficial boost to the ammunition supplies of biblical critics. But when the right questions are asked and valid answers attained, God’s word is capable of providing a solid basis for religious unity, an effective pattern for spiritual guidance, and a powerful instrument for saving souls.
–Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:
      ¹ All scripture quotations are from the New King James Version (1985).
    ² See Authorship of NT Gospels and Authorship of Luke-Acts.

Related Posts: Biblical Interpretation in Perspective

Related articles: Jack Wilke's 3 Dangerous Ways to Interpret the Bible; Ben Giselbach's Why People Interpret the Bible Differently, M. Riley's Studying Revelation