A Different Jesus
The Watchtower Society says that the Son of God is a mighty god, but not Jehovah who is the only Almighty God. Jesus is a
created being also known as Michael the Archangel. They say their Jesus should not be worshipped. They also say that Jesus
was raised spiritually from the dead. (Not bodily) This can be verified in their books in the following locations
1. Jesus is a created being.
Reasoning from the Scriptures, pg. 209 (JW)
Jesus Christ - Definition: The only-begotten Son of God, the only Son produced by Jehovah alone. This Son is the firstborn of
all creation. By means of him all other things in heaven and on earth were created. He is the second-greatest personage in the
universe.
Aid to Bible understanding, pg.918 (JW)
Thus the Scriptures identify the Word (Jesus in his prehuman existence) as God's first creation, his firstborn Son. That Jehovah
was truly the Father or Life-giver to this firstborn Son, was actually a creature of God, is evident from Jesus' own statements.
Knowledge page 39 (JW) Jesus was called God's "only-begotten Son" because Jehovah created him directly. (John 3:16)
As "the firstborn of all creation," Jesus was then used by God to create all other things. (Colossians 1:15; Revelation 3:14)
John 1:1 says that "the Word" (Jesus in his prehuman existence) was with God "in the beginning." So the Word was with
Jehovah when "the heavens and the earth" were created. God was addressing the Word when He said: "Let us make man in
our image." (Genesis 1:1, 26) Likewise, the Word must have been God's beloved "master worker," described at Proverbs
8:22-31 as wisdom personified, laboring at Jehovah's side in the making of all things. After Jehovah brought him into
existence, the Word spent ages with God in heaven before becoming a man on earth.
Tract (1987) (under publication symbols T14) page 2 (JW)
What Do Jehovah's Witnesses Believe?
However, since Jesus said that he is "God's Son" and that the "Father sent me forth," Jehovah's Witnesses believe that God is
greater than Jesus. (John 10:36; 6:57) Jesus himself acknowledged: "The Father is greater than I am." (John 14:28; 8:28) Thus
we do not believe that Jesus is equal with the Father, as the Trinity doctrine says. Rather, we believe that he was created by
God and that he is subordinate to Him.
2. Jesus is a god, but not the Almighty God.
Reasoning from the Scriptures, pg. 417 (JW)
Referring to the Word (who became Jesus Christ) as "a god" is consistent with the use of that term in the rest of the Scriptures.
For example, at Psalm 82:1-6 human judges in Israel were referred to as "gods" (Hebrew, 'elo·him'; Greek, the·oi', at John
10:34) because they were representatives of Jehovah and were to speak his law.
Aid to Bible understanding, pg. 920 (JW)
So, Thomas may have addressed Jesus as "my God" in the sense of Jesus' being "a god" though not the Almighty God, not
"the only true God," to whom Thomas had often heard Jesus pray. (John 17:1-3)
Reasoning from the Scriptures, pg. 213 (JW)
Does Thomas' exclamation at John 20:28 prove that Jesus is truly God?
John 20:28 (RS) reads: "Thomas answered him, 'My Lord and my God!'"
There is no objection to referring to Jesus as "God," if this is what Thomas had in mind. Such would be in harmony with Jesus'
own quotation from the Psalms in which powerful men, judges, were addressed as "gods." (John 10:34, 35, RS; Ps. 82:1-6) Of
course, Christ occupies a position far higher than such men. Because of the uniqueness of his position in relation to Jehovah,
at John 1:18 (NW) Jesus is referred to as "the only-begotten god." (See also Ro, By.) Isaiah 9:6 (RS) also prophetically
describes Jesus as "Mighty God," but not as the Almighty God. All of this is in harmony with Jesus' being described as "a god,"
or "divine," at John 1:1 (NW, AT).
3. Jesus is Michael the Archangel
Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985 page 218 (JW)
Reasonably, then, the archangel Michael is Jesus Christ. (Interestingly, the expression "archangel" is never found in the plural in
the Scriptures, thus implying that there is only one.)................So the evidence indicates that the Son of God was known as
Michael before he came to earth and is known also by that name since his return to heaven where he resides as the glorified
spirit Son of God.
Revelation Climax, 1988, page 180 (JW)
Who accomplish this great victory in Jehovah's name? The Bible says it is Michael and his angels. But who is Michael? The
name "Michael" means "Who Is Like God?" So Michael must be interested in vindicating Jehovah's sovereignty by proving that
no one is to be compared to Him. In Jude verse 9, he is called "Michael the archangel." Interestingly, the title "archangel" is
used elsewhere in the Bible with reference to only one person: Jesus Christ. .........These and other scriptures lead us to the
inescapable conclusion that Michael is no one else but the Lord Jesus Christ in his heavenly position.
Aid to Bible understanding, page 1152 (JW)
Scriptural evidence indicates that the name Michael applied to God's Son before he left heaven to become Jesus Christ and
also after his return. Michael is the only one said to be "archangel," meaning "chief angel" or "principle angel."
4. Jesus should not be worshipped
Aid to Bible understanding, page 1242 (JW)
Obeisance to a human king is found in Jesus' illustration at Matthew 18:26. It is also evident that this was the kind of obeisance
the astrologers rendered to the child Jesus.
....... If the rendering "worship" is preferred, then it must be understood that such "worship" is only a relative kind, for Jesus
himself emphatically stated to Satan that "it is Jehovah your God you must worship (form of pro-sky-ne'o) and it is to him alone
you must render sacred service."
Watchtower 1954 5/15, page 317- 319 (JW)
Questions from Readers
In the January 1 issue of The Watchtower the question from Ethiopia, "Should we worship Jesus?" is answered. In
paragraph five Hebrews 1:6 is quoted with regard to the angels of God worshiping Jesus, but in the final paragraph it says:
"The answer to the above question must be that no distinct worship is to be rendered to Jesus Christ now glorified in
heaven. Our worship is to go to Jehovah."
Watchtower 1954, 1/1, pg 30, Questions from Readers, (JW)
Should we worship Jesus?
The clergy of Christendom that believe in a trinity as the main doctrine of Christianity will answer with a positive Yes to this
question. Quite to be expected, for they believe that worshiping Jesus is at the same time worshiping God the Father and God
the Holy Spirit, for these three they believe to be Three Persons mysteriously making up one God. The King James Version of
the English Bible was rendered by trinitarian translators, and doubtless for this reason the translators rendered the Greek word
proskyne'"o by the word "worship," when applying to Jesus. In fact, in every case of its occurrence in the Christian Greek
Scriptures they consistently rendered this Greek verb by "worship." So we read of the magi's "worshiping" the babe Jesus, and
of persons who approached Jesus or received healing from him or asked favors of him "worshiping" Jesus on earth.
..............Consequently, since the Scriptures teach that Jesus Christ is not a trinitarian co-person with God the Father, but is a
distinct person, the Son of God, the answer to the above question must be that no distinct worship is to be rendered to Jesus
Christ now glorified in heaven. Our worship is to go to Jehovah God. However, we show the proper regard for God's
only-begotten Son by rendering our worship to God through and in the name of Jesus Christ.
I find it interesting that in my copy of the New Worlds Translation, Revised in 1970 Hebrews 1:5-6 (JW) reads as follows:
5 For example, to which one of the angels did he ever say: "You are my son; I, today, I have become your father"? And again: "I
myself shall become his father, and he himself will become my son"?
6 But when he again brings his First-born into the inhabited earth, he says: "And let all of God's angels worship him."
In the newer New Worlds Translation the word "worship" has been changed to "obeisance". Still the fact remains that the
Watchtower Society themselves have in the past translated this Greek word as "worship".
5. Jesus did not bodily rise from the dead
Aid to Bible Understanding 1971, pg.1395, (JW) "Jesus appeared to his disciples on different occasions in various fleshly
bodies, just as angels had appeared to men at ancient times. Like those angels, he had the power to construct and
disintegrate those fleshly bodies at will, for the purpose of proving visibly that he had been resurrected."
Reasoning from the Scriptures 1985, pg.334, (JW) "At his resurrection from the dead, Jesus was brought forth with a spirit
body."......"Why did not others see him too? Because he was a spirit creature and when, as the angels had done in the past, he
materialized fleshly bodies to make himself visible, he did so only in the presence of his disciples."
Let God be True, 1946, pg.122 (JW) "So the King Christ Jesus was put to death in the flesh and was resurrected an invisible
spirit creature"
Greatest Man, 1991, page 116 (JW)
Jesus will be a spirit creature that no human can see. But again Jesus promises his faithful apostles: "You will behold me,
because I live and you will live." Yes, not only will Jesus appear to them in human form after his resurrection but in due time he
will resurrect them to life with him in heaven as spirit creatures.
Turn the page to read the Christian response to these 5 points made by the Watchtower.
The Watchtower Society says that the Son of God is a mighty god, but not Jehovah who is the only Almighty God. Jesus is a
created being also known as Michael the Archangel. They say their Jesus should not be worshipped. They also say that Jesus
was raised spiritually from the dead. (Not bodily) This can be verified in their books in the following locations
1. Jesus is a created being.
Reasoning from the Scriptures, pg. 209 (JW)
Jesus Christ - Definition: The only-begotten Son of God, the only Son produced by Jehovah alone. This Son is the firstborn of
all creation. By means of him all other things in heaven and on earth were created. He is the second-greatest personage in the
universe.
Aid to Bible understanding, pg.918 (JW)
Thus the Scriptures identify the Word (Jesus in his prehuman existence) as God's first creation, his firstborn Son. That Jehovah
was truly the Father or Life-giver to this firstborn Son, was actually a creature of God, is evident from Jesus' own statements.
Knowledge page 39 (JW) Jesus was called God's "only-begotten Son" because Jehovah created him directly. (John 3:16)
As "the firstborn of all creation," Jesus was then used by God to create all other things. (Colossians 1:15; Revelation 3:14)
John 1:1 says that "the Word" (Jesus in his prehuman existence) was with God "in the beginning." So the Word was with
Jehovah when "the heavens and the earth" were created. God was addressing the Word when He said: "Let us make man in
our image." (Genesis 1:1, 26) Likewise, the Word must have been God's beloved "master worker," described at Proverbs
8:22-31 as wisdom personified, laboring at Jehovah's side in the making of all things. After Jehovah brought him into
existence, the Word spent ages with God in heaven before becoming a man on earth.
Tract (1987) (under publication symbols T14) page 2 (JW)
What Do Jehovah's Witnesses Believe?
However, since Jesus said that he is "God's Son" and that the "Father sent me forth," Jehovah's Witnesses believe that God is
greater than Jesus. (John 10:36; 6:57) Jesus himself acknowledged: "The Father is greater than I am." (John 14:28; 8:28) Thus
we do not believe that Jesus is equal with the Father, as the Trinity doctrine says. Rather, we believe that he was created by
God and that he is subordinate to Him.
2. Jesus is a god, but not the Almighty God.
Reasoning from the Scriptures, pg. 417 (JW)
Referring to the Word (who became Jesus Christ) as "a god" is consistent with the use of that term in the rest of the Scriptures.
For example, at Psalm 82:1-6 human judges in Israel were referred to as "gods" (Hebrew, 'elo·him'; Greek, the·oi', at John
10:34) because they were representatives of Jehovah and were to speak his law.
Aid to Bible understanding, pg. 920 (JW)
So, Thomas may have addressed Jesus as "my God" in the sense of Jesus' being "a god" though not the Almighty God, not
"the only true God," to whom Thomas had often heard Jesus pray. (John 17:1-3)
Reasoning from the Scriptures, pg. 213 (JW)
Does Thomas' exclamation at John 20:28 prove that Jesus is truly God?
John 20:28 (RS) reads: "Thomas answered him, 'My Lord and my God!'"
There is no objection to referring to Jesus as "God," if this is what Thomas had in mind. Such would be in harmony with Jesus'
own quotation from the Psalms in which powerful men, judges, were addressed as "gods." (John 10:34, 35, RS; Ps. 82:1-6) Of
course, Christ occupies a position far higher than such men. Because of the uniqueness of his position in relation to Jehovah,
at John 1:18 (NW) Jesus is referred to as "the only-begotten god." (See also Ro, By.) Isaiah 9:6 (RS) also prophetically
describes Jesus as "Mighty God," but not as the Almighty God. All of this is in harmony with Jesus' being described as "a god,"
or "divine," at John 1:1 (NW, AT).
3. Jesus is Michael the Archangel
Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985 page 218 (JW)
Reasonably, then, the archangel Michael is Jesus Christ. (Interestingly, the expression "archangel" is never found in the plural in
the Scriptures, thus implying that there is only one.)................So the evidence indicates that the Son of God was known as
Michael before he came to earth and is known also by that name since his return to heaven where he resides as the glorified
spirit Son of God.
Revelation Climax, 1988, page 180 (JW)
Who accomplish this great victory in Jehovah's name? The Bible says it is Michael and his angels. But who is Michael? The
name "Michael" means "Who Is Like God?" So Michael must be interested in vindicating Jehovah's sovereignty by proving that
no one is to be compared to Him. In Jude verse 9, he is called "Michael the archangel." Interestingly, the title "archangel" is
used elsewhere in the Bible with reference to only one person: Jesus Christ. .........These and other scriptures lead us to the
inescapable conclusion that Michael is no one else but the Lord Jesus Christ in his heavenly position.
Aid to Bible understanding, page 1152 (JW)
Scriptural evidence indicates that the name Michael applied to God's Son before he left heaven to become Jesus Christ and
also after his return. Michael is the only one said to be "archangel," meaning "chief angel" or "principle angel."
4. Jesus should not be worshipped
Aid to Bible understanding, page 1242 (JW)
Obeisance to a human king is found in Jesus' illustration at Matthew 18:26. It is also evident that this was the kind of obeisance
the astrologers rendered to the child Jesus.
....... If the rendering "worship" is preferred, then it must be understood that such "worship" is only a relative kind, for Jesus
himself emphatically stated to Satan that "it is Jehovah your God you must worship (form of pro-sky-ne'o) and it is to him alone
you must render sacred service."
Watchtower 1954 5/15, page 317- 319 (JW)
Questions from Readers
In the January 1 issue of The Watchtower the question from Ethiopia, "Should we worship Jesus?" is answered. In
paragraph five Hebrews 1:6 is quoted with regard to the angels of God worshiping Jesus, but in the final paragraph it says:
"The answer to the above question must be that no distinct worship is to be rendered to Jesus Christ now glorified in
heaven. Our worship is to go to Jehovah."
Watchtower 1954, 1/1, pg 30, Questions from Readers, (JW)
Should we worship Jesus?
The clergy of Christendom that believe in a trinity as the main doctrine of Christianity will answer with a positive Yes to this
question. Quite to be expected, for they believe that worshiping Jesus is at the same time worshiping God the Father and God
the Holy Spirit, for these three they believe to be Three Persons mysteriously making up one God. The King James Version of
the English Bible was rendered by trinitarian translators, and doubtless for this reason the translators rendered the Greek word
proskyne'"o by the word "worship," when applying to Jesus. In fact, in every case of its occurrence in the Christian Greek
Scriptures they consistently rendered this Greek verb by "worship." So we read of the magi's "worshiping" the babe Jesus, and
of persons who approached Jesus or received healing from him or asked favors of him "worshiping" Jesus on earth.
..............Consequently, since the Scriptures teach that Jesus Christ is not a trinitarian co-person with God the Father, but is a
distinct person, the Son of God, the answer to the above question must be that no distinct worship is to be rendered to Jesus
Christ now glorified in heaven. Our worship is to go to Jehovah God. However, we show the proper regard for God's
only-begotten Son by rendering our worship to God through and in the name of Jesus Christ.
I find it interesting that in my copy of the New Worlds Translation, Revised in 1970 Hebrews 1:5-6 (JW) reads as follows:
5 For example, to which one of the angels did he ever say: "You are my son; I, today, I have become your father"? And again: "I
myself shall become his father, and he himself will become my son"?
6 But when he again brings his First-born into the inhabited earth, he says: "And let all of God's angels worship him."
In the newer New Worlds Translation the word "worship" has been changed to "obeisance". Still the fact remains that the
Watchtower Society themselves have in the past translated this Greek word as "worship".
5. Jesus did not bodily rise from the dead
Aid to Bible Understanding 1971, pg.1395, (JW) "Jesus appeared to his disciples on different occasions in various fleshly
bodies, just as angels had appeared to men at ancient times. Like those angels, he had the power to construct and
disintegrate those fleshly bodies at will, for the purpose of proving visibly that he had been resurrected."
Reasoning from the Scriptures 1985, pg.334, (JW) "At his resurrection from the dead, Jesus was brought forth with a spirit
body."......"Why did not others see him too? Because he was a spirit creature and when, as the angels had done in the past, he
materialized fleshly bodies to make himself visible, he did so only in the presence of his disciples."
Let God be True, 1946, pg.122 (JW) "So the King Christ Jesus was put to death in the flesh and was resurrected an invisible
spirit creature"
Greatest Man, 1991, page 116 (JW)
Jesus will be a spirit creature that no human can see. But again Jesus promises his faithful apostles: "You will behold me,
because I live and you will live." Yes, not only will Jesus appear to them in human form after his resurrection but in due time he
will resurrect them to life with him in heaven as spirit creatures.
Turn the page to read the Christian response to these 5 points made by the Watchtower.
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