Friday, February 8, 2008

1914: The Generation That Will Not Pass Away? #2

To summarise from part #1: 1) The Watchtower Bible & Tract Society accepts the Biblical criteria of a false prophet being one

[Above (click image to enlarge): The Watchtower Society's claim to be prophet, in the Biblical sense, in "They shall know that a Prophet was among them," The Watchtower, April 1, 1972, p.197]

who "speaks in the name of Jehovah" a "word [that] does not occur or come true" then "that is the word that Jehovah did not speak" (Dt 18:20-22 NWT. My emphasis); 2) The Society has claimed to be a "prophet" in the same sense that the Biblical prophets were, such as Ezekiel, from at least 1914, including being the only "ones commissioned to speak for God ... to declare things to come;" and 3) The Society spoke "in the name of Jehovah" the following words that were to "occur or come true" (my emphases below):

  • 1958: "Many are the people alive since 1914 who will still be living when it is time for Armageddon to begin" ("From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained," 1958, p.205);
  • 1967: Of "the generation ... who saw with understanding the developing sign of the `last days' from their start in 1914," that is "the adult generation of that time," "The end of this wicked system ... will come before all members of that generation pass away." And since "the youngest" of that generation " was then "well over sixty years of age," "The time left" was "very short" ("Did Man Get Here by Evolution or by Creation?," 1967, pp.171-172);
  • 1968: Those "people still living who were alive in 1914 and saw what was happening then and who were old enough that they still remember those events," not "many" but only "Some of them will still be alive to see the end of this wicked system" ("The Truth that Leads to Eternal Life," 1968, p.95);
  • 1968: Of "those who were old enough to witness with understanding what took place when the `last days' began" in 1914, i..e. "15 years of age," to "be perceptive enough to realize the import of what happened in 1914," again not "many" but only "some of those persons ... would still be alive when God brought this system to its end," but they were "approaching old age" and so "the years left before the foretold end comes cannot be many." ("What will the 1970's Bring?," Awake!, October 8, 1968, p.13-14);
  • 1982: Of "the generation of people who were living in 1914 " still only "some of them will still be alive to see the end of this wicked system," but now "Those persons yet remaining of that generation are now very old," and so "Shortly now there will be a sudden end to all wickedness and wicked people at Armageddon" ("You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth," 1982, p.154);
  • 1989: "Before the last members of the generation that was alive in 1914 will have passed off the scene ...the present wicked world will end ...: "The present wicked system of things ... entered its last days in 1914, and some of the generation alive then will also be on hand to witness its complete end ..."; "The `generation' that was alive ... in 1914 is now well along in years. The time remaining must be very short. " ("Reasoning from the Scriptures," 1989, pp.97, 234, 239).

Again, Bible references are to the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society's New World Translation (NWT), unless otherwise indicated.

By 1995, of "the last members of the generation that was alive in 1914," were "old enough to witness with understanding what took place"and "still remember those events," i.e. being "15 years of age" in 1914, the youngest would have been born in 1899, which made them 95 year-olds, had nearly "passed off the scene." The Society, having in the 31 years from 1958 to 1989, progressively modified its prophecy from "Many are the people alive since 1914 who will still be living when it is time for Armageddon to begin," to "Before the last members of the generation that was alive in 1914 will have passed off the scene ...the present wicked world will end" in 1989, they thereby tacitly admitted that it was a false prophecy, and then the Society abandoned all reference to the 1914 generation and substituted for it indefinite terms like "near":

"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." ("Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life ," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, Second edition, 1995, pp.98-99).

and "soon":

"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." (Ibid., 1995, pp.106-107)

"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. ... `the war of the great day of God the Almighty.' .... Jehovah God's Son, the appointed King, will soon ride forth into battle. " (Ibid., 1995, pp.182-183).

"When Jesus told his followers to pray, `Let your kingdom come,' it was clear that the Kingdom had not come at that time. ... There was a waiting period. ... For how long? During the 19th century, sincere Bible students calculated that the waiting period would end in 1914. ... World events that began in 1914 confirm that the calculation of these sincere Bible students was correct. The fulfillment of Bible prophecy shows that in 1914, Christ became King and God's heavenly Kingdom began to rule. Hence, we are living in the `short period of time' that Satan has left. (Revelation 12:12; Psalm 110:2) We can also say with certainty that soon God's Kingdom will act to cause God's will to be done on earth." ("What Does the Bible Really Teach?" Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, 2005, pp.84-85. Italics original).

Which as former Governing Body member Ray Franz pointed out, "simply moved Watch Tower teachings closer to understandings presented long ago by those the organization disdains as `Christendom's scholars'":

"The inevitable signs of yet further `adjustment of understanding' began to appear with the February 15, 1994, Watchtower. In it the beginning of the application of Jesus' statement about `signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth anguish of nations' was moved up from the year-1914 to a point following the start of the yet future `great tribulation.' Likewise, the foretold `gathering of the chosen ones from the four winds,' previously taught as running from 1919 onward, was now also moved to the future, following the start of the `great tribulation' and subsequent to the appearance of the celestial phenomena. Each of the now-abandoned positions had been taught for some fifty years. (See, as but one of numerous examples, the Watchtower of July 15, 1946.) Though heralded as `new light,' the changes simply moved Watch Tower teachings closer to understandings presented long ago by those the organization disdains as `Christendom's scholars.'" (Franz, R., "Crisis of Conscience," Commentary Press: Atlanta GA, Fourth edition, 2002, pp.265-266).

But just because the Watchtower has abandoned its 1914 generation prophecy, the fact is that it made it, and what's more, repeated it, for nearly a third of a century from 1958 to 1989.

The relevance of the deaths of those two soldiers mentioned in part #1,who fought in World War I, aged 107 and 110 is that, having been born in 1901 and 1898 respectively, they in fact were members of that generation that was "old enough to witness with understanding what took place when the `last days' began" in 1914 and of whom the Watchtower prophesied that "Many" would "still be living when it is time for Armageddon to begin." They are therefore a concrete example of how extremely old that generation is today.

So how "many" are there of that generation alive today? Since the youngest of that generation would have had to be born in 1899, they would be 109, or over, this year. According to the Gerontology Research Group at UCLA, a global authority on the super-elderly, in 2005 the world population of persons aged 110 years or over, was estimated to be only 250 (Malcolm, A.H., "Hitting the Big Eleven-O," Los Angeles Times, June 23, 2005). Although Wikipedia states that of "the total number of supercentenarians [age 110+ years], this [was] an estimated 300 to 450 worldwide, of which only approximately 80 are validated."

Whether 250 or 450, clearly that is not "many" as a percentage of a world population of ~6.64 billion. And that the Watchtower itself has said that, "When the term `generation' is used with reference to the people living at a particular time ... the time would fall within reasonable limits" and "These limits would be determined by the life expectancy of the people of that time or of that population," i.e. "the general rule," which for "people living under favorable conditions may reach seventy or eighty years of age":

"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. ... Today, much as it was in the time of Moses, people living under favorable conditions may reach seventy or eighty years of age. Moses wrote: `In themselves the days of our years are seventy years; and if because of special mightiness they are eighty years, yet their insistence is on trouble and hurtful things; for it must quickly pass by, and away we fly.' (Ps. 90:10) However, some few may live longer, but Moses stated the general rule. ... 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.' ... 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." ("Aid to Bible Understanding," [1969], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY, Second edition, 1971, pp.641-642).

In other words,"'many" in the Watchtower's 1958 prophecy ,"Many are the people alive since 1914 who will still be living when it is time for Armageddon to begin," meant, not the last few hundred of that generation who lived to over 110, far beyond "the general rule" of the life expectancy of the people of that time," which in 1914 would presumably have been no more than "seventy or eighty years of age." And since "Jesus was using the word `generation' in a literal sense, not in a symbolic or figurative sense," then "many" meant in the ordinary dictionary definition of "many ... a large but indefinite number" (Merriam-Webster Dictionary); "constituting or forming a large number ... a large or considerable number of persons or things" (Dictionary.com) and "used mainly ... to mean 'a large number of'" (Cambridge Dictionary).

So the estimated 250-450 remaining of that generation of "those who were old enough to witness with understanding what took place when the `last days' began" in 1914, i..e. were "15 years of age" in 1914, and so were born in 1899, cannot, in any reasonable, "literal sense" of the word, be regarded as "a large number." So the Watchtower's 1958 prophecy that "Many are the people alive since 1914 who will still be living when it is time for Armageddon to begin," has failed.

Moreover, given Jehovah's Witnesses' very small numbers in 1914, with only "about 5,100 that participated in the work":

"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." ("Jehovah's Witnesses, Proclaimers of God's Kingdom," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, Brooklyn NY, 1993, p.422)

there almost certainly are no Jehovah's Witnesses alive today, who are among that generation of 109+ year-olds. Indeed A.H. Macmillan (1877-1966) who joined the Watchtower Society in 1900 and died at the age of 89 in 1966, may well have been the last of that generation who were Jehovah's Witnesses.

Therefore, despite the Society's attempt to prevent their prophecy from failing by changing, "Many are the people alive since 1914 who will still be living when it is time for Armageddon to begin"in 1958 to "Before the last members" of the generation that was alive in 1914 will have passed off the scene," in 1989, according to the Bible's false prophecy test, Dt 18:20-22 NWT:

"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. You must not get frightened at him."

the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society is a false prophet!

Jehovah Himself said of "the prophet who presumes to speak in my name a word" and if that "word does not occur or come true" then "that is the word that Jehovah did not speak." Now a word that "Jehovah did not speak" cannot then become a word that Jehovah did speak, by changing it as subsequent events threaten to falsify it! So a prophet only has to get one prophecy wrong, to be a false prophet, and in ancient Israel, that false prophet would "die," i.e. be executed, so he would not live long enough to adjust his prophecy to fit the actual events as they unfolded!

And what is more, the Watchtower Society knows it is a false prophet. This is evident in that the Society once used to have, Dt 18:21-22, "... and the word does not occur or come true ..." as its primary criterion for distinguishing a false prophecy (and thus a false prophet) in its 1965 Watchtower field service manual:

"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.'" ("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).

But in its 1989 replacement of that same manual, the Society did not even mention that criterion, and quoted only Dt 18:18-20:

"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.' " ("Reasoning from the Scriptures," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY, Second edition, 1989, p.133. Emphasis original).

stopping just before verses 21 & 22, which contain the "when prophet speaks in the name of Jehovah and the word does not occur or come true" test, which the Watchtower fails:

Dt 18:21-22 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. You must not get frightened at him.

Presumably the main reason for this omission of what the Watchtower once recognised as the primary criterion for distinguishing a false prophet, is because in the same 1989 manual the Society has the following suggested response to a householder who says, "My minister said that Jehovah's Witnesses are the false prophets," which includes "May I show you how the Bible describes false prophets?" and "Then use one or more of the points outlined on pages 132-136":

"If Someone Says `My minister said that Jehovah's Witnesses are the false prophets' You might reply: May I ask, Did he show you anything in the Bible that describes what we believe or do and that says people of that sort would be false prophets? ... May I show you how the Bible describes false prophets? (Then use one or more of the points outlined on pages 132-136.)'" ("Reasoning from the Scriptures," 1989, p.137. Emphasis original)

But the "points outlined on pages 132-136" do not contain the primary false prophet test, "when prophet speaks in the name of Jehovah and the word does not occur or come true." The Watchtower here trades on the fact that most householders would not know where the false prophet test is, or what it is in full, so this is deliberate dishonesty on the Society's part. It also shows that the Society knows that it fails the primary false prophet test, and therefore that it is a false prophet! Otherwise it would include that primary false prophet test criterion in its section on "Distinguishing Between True Prophecy and False," and then be prepared to defend itself from the charge that it is a false prophet.

Indeed, in the same 1989 book, in the same "pages 132-136" that the Watchtower suggests its field workers offer to show householders, "how the Bible describes false prophets," the Society virtually admits it is a false prophet by pleading guilty to "the Witnesses" having "made mistakes in their understanding of what would occur at the end of certain time periods," but then arguing that "Jehovah's Witnesses do not claim to be inspired prophets" (my emphasis):

"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 ..." ("Reasoning from the Scriptures," 1989, p.136. Emphasis original).

But this defence also fails. First, the Watchtower has effectively claimed to be an inspired prophet, in the same sense as the Biblical prophets, such as Ezekiel (see above), from at least 1914. Second, Dt 18:21-22 says nothing about whether the prophet claims to be "inspired," or not. It simply says: 1) "when the prophet speaks in the name of Jehovah," which the Jehovah's Witnesses certainly do; and 2) "the word" spoken "does not occur or come true," which the Watchtower now admits to, having "made mistakes in their understanding of what would occur at the end of certain time periods;" then 3) "that is the word that Jehovah did not speak."

So again, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is a false prophet. And individual Jehovah's Witnesses who promulgate the Watchtower's false prophecies share in its guilt before God. The Biblical principle is that anyone who helps spread a false teacher's doctrines, "is a sharer in his wicked works" (2Jn 10-11). As former JW elder, David Reed urges, "the individual Jehovah's Witness," Rather than remain fearfully obedient to Watchtower leaders," should "start following the true Prophet, Jesus Christ":

"A JW may try to defend the Watchtower Society, saying that those false prophecies were all `mistakes' and that the organization has learned from these mistakes and no longer makes prophetic statements about when the end will come. In that case, ask the Witness to take out a copy of his latest Awake! magazine. Inside the front cover, on the page listing the contents of the magazine, there is a statement of purpose telling why Awake! is published. Ask the Witness to read it. As of this writing (1986), each issue still says: `Most importantly, this magazine builds confidence in the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure New Order before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away.' Another prophecy! ... The facts are inescapable: The Watchtower Society spoke as a prophet, in the name of God, and what was prophesied did not come true. What does this mean for the individual Jehovah's Witness? Invite one to read what God's Word says about false prophets-and then ask what God would have him or her do. The Bible contains these warnings from Jesus Christ: `Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.' `For false Christs and false prophets will arise ... ` (Matt. 7:15, and 24:24, RSV). And the strong words quoted above from Deuteronomy 18:20-22, besides expressing God's judgment that the false prophet `must die,' also tell listeners, `You must not get frightened at him.' Rather than remain fearfully obedient to Watchtower leaders, the individual Jehovah's Witness who recognizes the organization as a false prophet should quit following it and start following the true Prophet, Jesus Christ." (Reed, D.A., "Jehovah's Witnesses Answered Verse by Verse," [1986], Baker: Grand Rapids MI, Thirty-first printing, 2006, pp.32-33).

PS: See more `tagline' quotes below (my emphasis bold, original emphasis italics) from non-JW literature about this particular false prophecy, which is only one among many, of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society.

Stephen E. Jones.
My other blogs: CreationEvolutionDesign & TheShroudofTurin


"Matthew 24:34- The 1914 Generation ... The New World Translation renders Matthew 24:34, `Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur' (emphasis added). The Watchtower Society teaches Jehovah's Witnesses that `this generation' is the 1914 generation. It is this group of people that will not pass away, they say, until all these things (prophecies, including Armageddon) come to pass. Now, it is an enlightening experience to study how the Watchtower Society has dealt with this verse throughout its history. Back in 1968, the Society was teaching its followers that Jehovah's Witnesses who were 15 years of age in 1914 would be alive to see the consummation of all things. Indeed, a 1968 issue of Awake! magazine said of `this generation': `Jesus was obviously speaking about those who were old enough to witness with understanding what took place when the `last days' began.... Even if we presume that youngsters 15 years of age would be perceptive enough to realize the import of what happened in 1914, it would still make the youngest of `this generation' nearly 70 years old today... . Jesus said that the end of this wicked world would come before that generation passed away in death (emphasis added). [Awake!, 8 October 1968, p.13]" (Rhodes, R., 1993, "Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Jehovah's Witnesses," Harvest House: Eugene OR, Reprinted, 2006, pp.363-364).

"Some ten years later, a 1978 issue of The Watchtower magazine said: `Thus, when it comes to the application in our time, the `generation' logically would not apply to babies born during World War I' [The Watchtower, 1 October 1978, p.31] (emphasis added). It is clear that at this time, the Watchtower Society was still holding out to the view that those who were teenagers during 1914 would see the culmination of all things. However, as David Reed points out, `one need only calculate that someone fifteen years old in 1914 would be twenty-five years old in 1924, thirty-five years old in 1934-and eighty-five years old in 1984-to realize that the Watchtower's `generation that will not pass away' was almost gone by the mid-1980s. The prophecy was about to fail. But, rather than change the prophecy, [Watchtower] leaders simply stretched the generation. [Reed, D., "Jehovah's Witnesses Answered Verse by Verse," Baker: Grand Rapids MI, 1986, p.57]" (Rhodes, 1993, p.364).

"A 1980 issue of The Watchtower magazine said of `this generation': `It is the generation of people who saw the catastrophic events that broke forth in connection with World War I from 1914 onward.... If you assume that 10 is the age at which an event creates a lasting impression' [The Watchtower, 15 October 1980, p.31] (emphasis added). The Watchtower leaders reduced the age from 15 to 10 in order to allow for five more years for a `generation' that was quickly dying off. The 1980 solution didn't alleviate the problem. Another step had to be taken. So, in a 1984 issue of The Watchtower magazine, we read, `If Jesus used `generation' in that sense and we apply it to 1914, then the babies of that generation are now 70 years old or older... . Some of them `will by no means pass away until all these things occur' [The Watchtower, 15 May 1984, p.5] (emphasis added). Along these same lines, a 1985 issue of The Watchtower said, `Before the 1914 generation completely dies out, God's judgment must be executed.' [The Watchtower, 1 May 1985, p.4] More recently, a 1988 issue of Awake! magazine said, `Most of the generation of 1914 has passed away. However, there are still millions on earth who were born in that year or prior to it.... Jesus' words will come true, `this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.' [Awake!, 8 April 1988, p.14] Reasoning from the Scriptures (1989) tells us that time is running short: `The "generation" that was alive at the beginning of the fulfillment of the sign in 1914 is now well along in years. The time remaining must be very short. World conditions give every indication that this is the case.' [Reasoning from the Scriptures, p.239]" (Rhodes, 1993, pp.364-365).

"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).

"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., 1997, "Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah's Witnesses," [1985], University of Toronto Press: Toronto ON, Second edition, p.166)

"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, 1997, pp.168-169).

"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, 1997, pp.316-317).

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

1914: The Generation That Will Not Pass Away? #1

In January there were two separate news items about the deaths of two soldiers who had each fought in World War I (1914-18),

[Above: The Watchtower, May 15, 1984, cover. Comments from the Friends]

The older of the two was 110 and fought on the side of France, leaving only one other French World War I soldier, also aged 110, remaining:

"France's oldest WWI veteran dies," BBC, 20 January 2008 ... One of the last two surviving French veterans of World War I has died at the age of 110. Louis de Cazenave, who fought in the Battle of the Somme in 1916, died in his sleep at his home in Brioude, central France, his son Louis said. Mr de Cazenave's death leaves Lazare Ponticelli, also 110, as the last "poilu", or French WWI veteran. ...

The other was 107 and was the last known soldier to fight in the first World War on the side of Germany:

"Germany's 'last' WWI veteran dies," BBC, 26 January 2008 ... The man believed to have been Germany's last World War I veteran has died peacefully at the age of 107. Erich Kaestner, who at 18 was sent to the Western Front but served only four months in the army, died in a Cologne nursing home, his son said. ...

This highlights again the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society's "1914 The Generation That Will Not Pass Away" false prophecy, according to the Biblical standard in Deuteronomy 18:20-22 "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" (my emphasis):

"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. You must not get frightened at him."

Again I have had to split this post into two-parts because it grew too long. Bible references are to the Society's New World Translation (NWT) unless otherwise indicated.

The Watchtower Society admitted in 1971 that the criteria for a true prophet included: "the true prophet would speak in Jehovah's name" and "the things foretold would come to pass" (my emphasis):

"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." ("Aid to Bible Understanding," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY, Second edition, 1971, p.1348).

Indeed, in 1968, it admitted that, "those ... who predicted an `end to the world,' even announcing a specific date" but "The `end' did not come. ... were guilty of false prophesying" (my emphasis):

"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).

Since at least 1972 the Watchtower Society has claimed to be a "prophet" in the same sense that the Biblical prophets, such as Ezekiel were (the title of the article, "They shall know that a Prophet was among them," The Watchtower, April 1, 1972, p.197, is based on Jehovah's words to Ezekiel in Eze 2:5 & 33:33, distinguishing him from false prophets by his predictions coming true). In that article, the Society claims to be Jehovah's "special messengers, "the ones commissioned to speak for God," "to declare things to come" (my emphasis), and that from at least the time they were "known ... as International Bible Students" (which was founded in 1914 by the Society's founder Charles Taze Russell):

"A third way of coming to know Jehovah God is through his representatives. In ancient times he sent prophets as his special messengers. While these men foretold things to come, they also served the people by telling them of God's will for them at that time, often also warning them of dangers and calamities. People today can view the creative works. They have at hand the Bible, but it is little read or understood. So, does Jehovah have a prophet to help them, to warn them of dangers and to declare things to come? ... These questions can be answered in the affirmative. Who is this prophet? The clergy of the so-called `Christian' nations hold themselves before the people as being the ones commissioned to speak for God. But ... they have failed God and failed as proclaimers of his kingdom ... However, Jehovah did not let the people of Christendom, as led by the clergy, go without being warned ... He had a `prophet' to warn them. This `prophet' was not one man, but was 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." ("They shall know that a Prophet was among them," The Watchtower, April 1, 1972, p.197). [Click here for page image]

Here are quotes (all from Watchtower literature that I own, or have downloaded actual image copies from the Internet), so that I may show the originals to the JW elder named Charlie who is conducting a home `Bible' study with me (however see PS). The quotes are generally in descending chronological order (oldest first). They document that: 1) the Watchtower Society's original prophecy that "many," i.e. a "great crowd," of the generation that was "old enough to witness with understanding what took place when the `last days' began" in 1914," "would not pass away before Armageddon breaks out"; and 2) the Society then progressively modified its prophecy as it became apparent that it was nearing failure, thereby showing that the Society itself tacitly admitted it was a false prophecy, and therefore it was a false prophet, according to Dt 18:20-22 above. But the Watchtower Bible & Tracy Society may be able deceive its followers, and even itself (2Tim 3:13 NIV), but it cannot deceive God. He knows that if a prophecy needs to be changed to avoid it being shown to be false, then it always was false!

At least as early as 1955 (i.e. over half a century ago), the Watchtower Society predicted that "there is a great crowd of people of good will today living who will survive the world catastrophe of Armageddon," that "Armageddon is so near at hand it will strike the generation now living" (my emphasis):

"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." ("You May Survive Armageddon into God's New World," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY, 1955, p.11).

and that "what is to happen inside this generation ... living since A.D. 1914" is that "Christendom and her religious organization" (i.e. everything but JWs) would be destroyed "in the opening phase of the `war of the great day of God the Almighty,"or Armageddon (my emphasis):

"The remnant of Jews who had called upon Jehovah's name through faith in his Son Jesus Christ escaped the frightful destruction upon earthly Jerusalem and Mount Zion at that climax of the `great and illustrious day of Jehovah.' This is not without solemn meaning for this generation living since A.D. 1914. For what happened back there to literal Jerusalem and Judea was a prophetic pattern of what is to happen inside this generation to their modern counterparts, Christendom and her religious organization, in the opening phase of the `war of the great day of God the Almighty.' ... the larger and final fulfillment of Joel's prophecy is within this generation .... That leaves Joel's prophecy ... to be fulfilled completely in all its details down here within this generation." (Ibid., 1955, pp.191-192).

However, I cannot see where the Society specified how many of this "great crowd" were from the "generation living since A.D. 1914," so I will not include the above prediction in my false prophecy test.

In 1958 the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society prophesied that, "Many are the people alive since 1914 who will still be living when it is time for Armageddon to begin" (my emphasis):

"We know Armageddon is near for another reason. Jesus said that the generation of people living when the `time of the end' began would not pass away before Armageddon breaks out. When did Jesus say this? When he told us about the many parts of the sign of the `time of the end.' That sign is made up of different happenings. All these happenings must come upon one generation to make up the sign. Since 1914 they have come. What does this mean? Jesus answers: `When you see all these things, know that he is near at the doors. Truly 1 say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.' (Matthew 24: 33, 34) Many are the people alive since 1914 who will still be living when it is time for Armageddon to begin." ("From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained ," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY, 1958, p.205).

Nine years later, in 1967, the Watchtower Society added that it was of "the generation ... who saw with understanding the developing sign of the `last days' from their start in 1914," i.e. "the adult generation of that time," that "The end of this wicked system ... will come before all members of that generation pass away." And since then "the youngest" of that generation were "well over sixty years of age ... The time left" was "very short" (my emphasis):

"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. So in answer to the question: `How much longer will it be?' the Bible replies, `Not long, for the end of wickedness is near." ("Did Man Get Here by Evolution or by Creation?," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, 1967, pp.171-172. Emphasis original).

So in 1958, with the youngest of the generation born in 1899 approaching sixty, the Society had shrunk "the great crowd" down to "many" and nine years later, in 1967, with that generation now "well over sixty," the "many" had been shrunk down to one, i.e. "before all members of that generation pass away"!

However, a year later in 1968, the "many" had shrunk down only to "some", i.e. "people still living who were alive in 1914 and saw what was happening then and who were old enough that they still remember those events ... Some of them will still be alive to see the end of this wicked system" (my emphasis):

"The Last Days of This Wicked System of Things THE Bible speaks of the time in which we are living as the `last days' or the `time of the end.' (2 Timothy 3:1; Daniel 11:40) The facts show that this is a limited period that has a definite beginning and a definite end. It began in 1914 when Jesus Christ was enthroned as king in the heavens. It will end when God destroys this present wicked system of things. What a relief it will be when the organizations and persons that cheat and oppress, and all who endanger the security of their fellowmen, are gone! ... How soon will that be? God's own Son, Jesus Christ, gives the answer. After drawing attention to the many things that mark the period from 1914 onward as the `time of the end,' Jesus said: `This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.' (Matthew 24:34) Which generation did he mean? ... Jesus had just referred to persons who would `see all these things.' `These things' are the events that have taken place since 1914 and those yet to occur down to the end of this wicked system. (Matthew 24:33) Persons born even as much as fifty years ago could not see `all these things,' They came on the scene after the foretold events were already under way. But there are people still living who were alive in 1914 and saw what was happening then and who were old enough that they still remember those events. This generation is getting up in years now. A great number of them have already passed away in death. Yet Jesus very pointedly said: `This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.' Some of them will still be alive to see the end of this wicked system. This means that only a short time is left before the end comes! (Psalm 90:10 ...) So now is the time to take urgent action if you do not want to be swept away with this wicked system." ("The Truth that Leads to Eternal Life," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY, 1968, pp.94-95. Italics original).

Note also that the above prophecy specifically stated that "Persons born even as much as fifty years ago" , i.e. in 1918, "could not see `all these things.'" Moreover, in 1914 they had to "old enough that they still remember those events."

In the Awake! of October 8, 1968, the Society further defined how old they had to be in 1914 to "witness with understanding what took place" (italics original), i.e. they had to be at least "15 years of age" in 1914 (i.e. born in 1899), and it admitted that "The remaining ones are approaching old age" (my emphasis):

"THE fact that fifty-four years of the period called the `last days' have already gone by is highly significant. It means that only a few years, at most, remain before the corrupt system of things dominating the earth is destroyed by God. How can we be certain of this? One way is by noting what Jesus said when he gave his great prophecy about the `last days'. After he listed the many events that would mark this period, he also stated, `Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.' - Matt. 24:34. `Jesus was obviously speaking about those who were old enough to witness with understanding what took place when the `last days' began. Jesus was saying that some of those persons who were alive at the appearance of the `sign of the last days' would still be alive when God brought this system to its end. Even if we presume that youngsters 15 years of age would be perceptive enough to realize the import of what happened in 1914, it would still make the youngest of `this generation' nearly 70 years old today. So the great majority of the generation to which Jesus was referring has already passed away in death. The remaining ones are approaching old age. And remember, Jesus said that the end of this wicked world would come before that generation passed away in death. This, of itself, tells us that the years left before the foretold end comes cannot be many." ("What will the 1970's Bring?," Awake!, October 8, 1968, p.13-14. Italics original). [Click here for page image]

Fourteen years later, in 1982, the Society continued to prophesy that of "the generation of people who were living in 1914 ... some of them will still be alive to see the end of this wicked system." But whereas in 1968 they were "approaching old age," in 1972, "Those persons yet remaining of that generation are now very old," and so, if the prophecy was to be true, then "Shortly now there will be a sudden end to all wickedness and wicked people at Armageddon" (my emphasis):

"After considering the foregoing, is it not clear that `the sign' Christ gave and the evidences foretold by his disciples are now being fulfilled? Although there are many other proofs, those listed here should be enough to show that we really are living in the time the Bible foretold as the `last days.' ... Yet some persons may say: `Such things as wars, famines, pestilences and earthquakes have occurred often throughout history. So it would not be hard to foretell that they would occur again.' But think: The Bible not only foretold these things, but indicated that they would occur on a worldwide scale. Also, the Bible said that all these things would happen upon the generation that was alive in 1914. ... After drawing attention to the many things that have marked the period from 1914 onward, Jesus said: `This generation will by no means pass away until all these things [including the end of this system] occur.' (Matthew 24:34, 14) Which generation did Jesus mean? He meant the generation of people who were living in 1914. Those persons yet remaining of that generation are now very old. However, some of them will still be alive to see the end of this wicked system. So of this we can be certain: Shortly now there will be a sudden end to all wickedness and wicked people at Armageddon." ("You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, 1982, p.154).

By 1989, the Watchtower was still saying of "The present wicked system of things" that "some of the generation alive then will also be on hand to witness its complete end" (my emphasis):

"Last Days Definition: The Bible uses the expression `last days' to refer to the concluding time period leading up to a divinely appointed execution that marks the end of a system of things. The Jewish system with its worship built around the temple in Jerusalem experienced its last days from 33 to 70 C.E. What occurred then was pictorial of what would be experienced in a greatly intensified way and on a global scale at a time when all nations would be facing the execution of judgment decreed by God. The present wicked system of things, which extends worldwide, entered its last days in 1914, and some of the generation alive then will also be on hand to witness its complete end in the `great tribulation.'" ("Reasoning from the Scriptures," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, Second edition, 1989, p.234).

And as "The `generation' that was alive at the beginning of fulfillment of the sign in 1914 is now well along in years," therefore "The time remaining must be very short" (my emphasis):

"To what do all these events of `the last days' point? Luke 21:31, 32: `When you see these things occurring, know that the kingdom of God is near [that is, the time when it will destroy the present wicked world and itself take full charge of earth's affairs]. Truly I say to you, This generation will by no means pass away until all things occur.' (The `generation' that was alive at the beginning of fulfillment of the sign in 1914 is now well along in years. The time remaining must be very short. World conditions give every indication that this is the case.)" (Ibid, 1989, p.239).

But the "some" had now shrunk down to, "Before the last members of the generation that was alive in 1914 will have passed off the scene" will "the end of this wicked world come":

"Before the last members of the generation that was alive in 1914 will have passed off the scene, all the things foretold will occur, including the `great tribulation' in which the present wicked world will end.- Matt. 24:21, 22, 34. When will the end of this wicked world come? Jesus answered: `Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father.' However, he also stated: `Truly I say to you that this generation [that was alive when `the sign' of `the last days' began its fulfillment] will by no means pass away until all these things occur.'-Matt. 24:36, 34. Also, after telling of events that would follow the establishment of the Kingdom in the hands of Jesus Christ in 1914, Revelation 12:12 adds: `Be glad, you heavens and you who reside in them! Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time." (Ibid., 1989, pp.97-98. Emphasis original).

Continued in part #2.

PS: Charlie came yesterday, but in the midst of a friendly discussion, said he was not coming again, except to drop off a copy of "Should You Believe in the Trinity?" and the Watchtower Library CD. We parted on friendly terms and I will continue to pray for him. I may report on my meetings with him in the near future.

See `tagline' quotes below (my emphasis bold and original emphasis italics) from non-JW literature about this particular 1914 false prophecy of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society.

Stephen E. Jones.
My other blogs: CreationEvolutionDesign & TheShroudofTurin


"Matthew 24:34 "Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things are fulfilled." (NKJV) Which generation? The subject is a matter of debate among Christian Bible readers-but not among Jehovah's Witnesses, because their organization has told them specifically that `the evidence points to the 1914 generation as the generation spoken of by Jesus. Thus, "this generation will by no means pass away until all these things (including the apocalypse) occur"' (The Watchtower, 2/15/86, p. 5). For many years, each issue of their Awake! magazine has featured this statement of purpose on page 2: `Most importantly, this magazine builds confidence in the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure New Order before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away.' The Awake! issue of October 8, 1968, defined the generation even more precisely by saying, `Jesus was obviously speaking about those who were old enough to witness with understanding what took place,' suggesting that these would be `youngsters 15 years of age' (p. 13, italics theirs). They said most definitely that `the `generation' logically would not apply to babies born during World War I' (The Watchtower, 10/1/78, p. 31). One need only calculate that someone fifteen years old in 1914 would be twenty-five years old in 1924, thirty-five years old in 1934-and eighty-five years old in 1984-to realize that the Watchtower's `generation that will not pass away' was almost gone by the mid-1980s. The prophecy was about to fail. But, rather than change the prophecy, JW leaders simply stretched the generation. Instead of fifteen-year-olds, who could witness `with understanding' what took place in 1914, they began to indicate instead that the generation would be made up of `those born around the time' (the very babies that they had earlier excluded!), saying: `If Jesus used `generation' in that sense and we apply it to 1914, then the babies of that generation are now 70 years old or older' (The Watchtower, 5/15/84, p. 5). ... persons who make false prophecies fall into the categories of those the Lord warned us to watch out for: `For false christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect' (Matt. 24:24, NKJV). For information on the Watchtower organization's hundred-year history of false prophesying, see our discussion of Deuteronomy 18:20-22." (Reed, D.A., 1986, "Jehovah's Witnesses Answered Verse by Verse," Baker: Grand Rapids MI, Thirty-first printing, 2006, pp.56-57).

"Deuteronomy 18:20-22 `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. You must not get frightened at him.' (NWT). The Watchtower organization identifies itself as `The Prophet,' saying: `This `prophet' was not one man, but was 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. They are still proclaiming a warning...' (The Watchtower, 4/1/72, p. 197). The added claim is made that: `Unless we are in touch with this channel of communication that God is using, we will not progress along the road to life, no matter how much Bible reading we do' (The Watchtower, 12/1/81, p. 27)." (Reed, 1986, pp.30-31).

"Are these claims true? Is the Watchtower organization really the Prophet, the channel of communication from God? Or, is it a false prophet, fitting the description of Deuteronomy 18:20-22? The test is simple: Step #1-We know the organization `spoke in the name of Jehovah'; Step #2-We must determine whether or not the prophecies actually did occur or come true. Let's examine the facts: Throughout half of its hundred-year history, the Watchtower Society taught the belief of its founder and first president, Charles Taze Russell, that the Great Pyramid of Egypt was `inspired' of God just like the Bible (see the Watchtower's book Thy Kingdom Come, 1903 edition, p. 362). The Society's publications translated inches of pyramid measurements into calendar years, in attempts to foretell future events. Thus, they predicted that the Battle of Armageddon `will end in A.D. 1914 with the complete overthrow of earth's present rulership' (The Time Is at Hand, 1904 edition, p. 101). Obviously, this did not occur or come true. Still determined to act as a prophet, the Watchtower Society went on to predict an earthly resurrection for the year 1925: `They are to be resurrected as perfect men and constitute the princes or rulers in the earth, according to his promise.... Therefore we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old' (Watchtower's book Millions Now Living Will Never Die, 1920, pp. 89-90). Did this occur or come true? No! More recently, the organization misled millions into believing that `the end' would come in 1975. They asked: `Why Are You Looking Forward to 1975?' (title of article in The Watchtower, 8/15/68, p. 494): Are we to assume from this study that the battle of Armageddon will be all over by the autumn of 1975, and the long-looked-for thousand-year reign of Christ will begin by then? Possibly, but we wait to see how closely the seventh thousand-year period of man's existence coincides with the sabbathlike thousand-year reign of Christ. If these two periods run parallel with each other as to the calendar year, it will not be by mere chance or accident but will be according to Jehovah's loving and timely purposes... . It may involve only a difference of weeks or months, not years [p. 499]. Certainly, by now, enough weeks, months, and years have passed to prove that this prophecy concerning 1975 did not occur or come true." (Reed, 1986, pp.31-32).

"A JW may try to defend the Watchtower Society, saying that those false prophecies were all `mistakes' and that the organization has learned from these mistakes and no longer makes prophetic statements about when the end will come. In that case, ask the Witness to take out a copy of his latest Awake! magazine. Inside the front cover, on the page listing the contents of the magazine, there is a statement of purpose telling why Awake! is published. Ask the Witness to read it. As of this writing (1986), each issue still says: `Most importantly, this magazine builds confidence in the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure New Order before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away.' Another prophecy! ... The facts are inescapable: The Watchtower Society spoke as a prophet, in the name of God, and what was prophesied did not come true. What does this mean for the individual Jehovah's Witness? Invite one to read what God's Word says about false prophets-and then ask what God would have him or her do. The Bible contains these warnings from Jesus Christ: `Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.' `For false Christs and false prophets will arise ... ` (Matt. 7:15, and 24:24, RSV). And the strong words quoted above from Deuteronomy 18:20-22, besides expressing God's judgment that the false prophet `must die,' also tell listeners, `You must not get frightened at him.' Rather than remain fearfully obedient to Watchtower leaders, the individual Jehovah's Witness who recognizes the organization as a false prophet should quit following it and start following the true Prophet, Jesus Christ." (Reed, 1986, pp.32-33).

"'Jesus was obviously speaking about those who were old enough to witness with understanding what took place when the `last days' began.... Even if we presume that youngsters 15 years of age would be perceptive enough to realize the import of what happened in 1914, it would still make the youngest of `this generation' nearly 70 years old today... . Jesus said that the end of this wicked world would come before that generation passed away in death.' A 10/8/1968, p. 13. `Thus, when it comes to the application in our time, the `generation' logically would not apply to babies-born during World War I' WT 10/1/1978, p. 31. `It is the generation of people who saw the catastrophic events that broke forth in connection with World War I from 1914 onward.... If you assume that 10 is the age at which an event creates a lasting impression ...' WT 10/15/1980, p. 31. `If Jesus used `generation' in that sense and we apply it to 1914, then the babies of that generation are now 70 years old or older.... Some of them `will by no means pass away until all things occur.' WT 5/15/1984, p.5." (Reed, D.A., ed., 1990, "Index of Watchtower Errors, 1879 to 1989," Compiled by Steve Huntoon and John Cornell, Baker: Grand Rapids MI, p.102. Emphasis Reed's).

"'This Generation' `Jesus was obviously speaking about those who were old enough to witness with understanding what took place when the `last days' began.... Even if we presume that youngsters 15 years of age would be perceptive enough to realize the import of what happened in 1914, it would still make the youngest of `this generation' nearly 70 years old today... . Jesus said that the end of this wicked world would come before that generation passed away in death.' A 10/8/1968, p.13.... the generation alive in 1914, some will see the major fulfillment of Christ Jesus' prophecy and the destruction... .' A 10/8/1973, p.19.`Thus, when it comes to the application in our time, the `generation' logically would not apply to babies born during World War I' WT 10/1/1978, p.31.`It is the generation of people who saw the catastrophic events that broke forth in connection with World War I from 1914 onward.... If you assume that 10 is the age at which an event creates a lasting impression...... WT 10/15/1980, p.31.`If Jesus used `generation' in that sense and we apply it to 1914, then the babies of that generation are now 70 years old or older.... Some of them `will by no means pass away until all things occur.' WT 5/15/1984, p.5.`Before the 1914 generation completely dies out, God's judgment must be executed.' WT 5/1/1985, p.4. Awake! magazine discontinues statements in masthead about the generation that saw 1914. A 1/8/1987, p.4. Awake! magazine resumes statements in masthead about the generation that saw 1914. A 3/8/1988, p.4.`The Hebrews ... reckon seventy-five years as one generation... .' A 4/8/1988, p.14.`Most of the generation of 1914 has passed away. However, there are still millions on earth who were born in that year or prior to it.... Jesus' words will come true, `this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.' A 4/8/1988, p.14.`He [the apostle Paul] was also laying a foundation for a work that would be completed in our 20th century.' WT 1/1/1989, original magazine, p.12.`He [the apostle Paul] was also laying a foundation for a work that would be completed in our day.' WT 1/1/1989, bound volume, p.12." (Reed, 1990, pp.110-111).

Saturday, February 2, 2008

I sincerely believe that Jesus is not Jehovah, but that he is Jehovah God's Son #2

TJ

Continued from part #1. Bible verses are from the Watchtower

[Above: Early latinised Greek ΙΧΘΥΣ (ICHTHYS or ICHTHUS = "fish") inscription, with fish symbols. ICHTHYS is an acrostic on the first letters of the Greek for "Jesus Christ, God's Son, Saviour." Again, "The use of the Ichthys symbol by early Christians appears to date from the end of the 1st century AD" (Wikipedia) and so this is archaeological evidence that the earliest Christians worshipped Jesus as their God and Saviour.]

Bible & Tract Society's online Bible, the New World Translation (NWT), or if in Greek from the Society's Kingdom Interlinear Translation (KIT), unless otherwise indicated.

>My question is, does the fact that both Jesus and Jehovah are each called "Savior" necessitate the conclusion that Jesus is Jehovah? Could one not, on this evidence, come to the valid conclusion that both Jesus and Jehovah are Saviors? I.e. Jesus is a Savior, Jehovah is a Savior, but Jesus is not Jehovah?

[...]

If there was room on the "Jesus is Yahweh" diagram, it could also have included the following verses which also show further that the Apostles Paul and Peter (who were Jews who already believed that Jehovah was both God and Saviour) , believed that Jesus was both God and Saviour:

Tit 2:13. while we wait for the happy hope and glorious manifestation of the great God and of [the] Savior of us, Christ Jesus,

There is no "[the]" in the above NWT mistranslation. Without the "[the]" The Gk. is, to megalou Theou kai soteros emon Kristos 'Iesou, i.e. "the great God and Savior of us Christ Jesus,"in my The Interlinear Bible (since the KIT also mistranslates the interlinear English ), or as in the NIV:

Titus 2:13 NIV. while we wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

See various `tagline' quotes below that point out a number of things wrong with the NWT's rendering of Titus 2:13 above and 2 Pet 1:1 below. Rather than list all those points, which would make this post too long, the most basic error of the NWT's translation of these two verses, is that it contravenes a rule of Greek grammar (Sharp's rule), that when two nouns, i.e. "God" and "Saviour" are joined by an "and" and preceded by only one article, i.e. "the," then there is only one person or thing being referred to. It is exactly the same Greek construction as in "our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," in the following verses correctly translated by the NWT:

2Pet 1:11. In fact, thus there will be richly supplied to YOU the entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2Pet 2:20. Certainly if, after having escaped from the defilements of the world by an accurate knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they get involved again with these very things and are overcome, the final conditions have become worse for them than the first.
2Pet 3:18. No, but go on growing in the undeserved kindness and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him [be] the glory both now and to the day of eternity.

The only difference is that the first noun is kurios ("Lord") instead of theos ("God") in Titus 2:13 and 2Pet 1:1. But Greek grammar, like English grammar, does not change because one noun is "Lord" and the other is "God." If it is correct grammar to translate 2Pet 1:11; 2:20 & 3:18 as "our/the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (which it is) then it is correct grammar to translate Titus 2:13 and 2Pet 1:1, which have an identical structure to the previous three verses, as "our/the God and Savior Jesus Christ."

The NWT also translates 2Pet 1:11 by inserting a "[the]" that is not there in the original Greek :

2Pet 1:1. ... the righteousness of our God and [the] Savior Jesus Christ:

The Gk. in the KIT is tou Theou emon kai soteros emon 'Iesou Kristos, which my The Interlinear Bible (because again the KIT mistranslates the interlinear English) renders "the God of us and Savior of us, Jesus Christ,"or as in the NIV:

2Pet 1:1. the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ

Those who can read Greek and have downloaded the BST Greek fonts and can check this out for themselves on the online Interlinear Bible (not to be confused with my hardcopy The Interlinear Bible), comparing 2Pet 1:11; 2:20; 3:18 with Titus 2:13 & 2Pet 1:1.

This is supported by the fact that it is not God the Father who will be manifested (Gk. epiphaneia, "appearing"), but Jesus (see also 2Th 2:8; 1Tim 6:14; 2Tim 4:1,8), i.e. God the Son.

So (again) the Watchtower's theological prejudices against the deity of Christ have overridden what the NWT translators' must have known was correct Greek grammar! This presumably is one of the reasons that "Dr Robert Countess, who wrote a doctoral dissertation on the Greek text of the New World Translation, concluded that the translation ... must be viewed as a radically biased piece of work. At some points it is actually dishonest." (see `tagline').

There is only one viable explanation for this evidence (which is consistent with all the other Biblical evidence) and that is that Jesus is Jehovah!

That is, the name of Jesus (which means Jehovah is salvation - Mt 1:21 NWT, 1971, footnote), is the "new name" that had superseded the Old Testament name of Jehovah, as predicted in Isa 62:2 NWT:

"And you will actually be called by a new name, which the very mouth of Jehovah will designate.

Immediately before His ascension, Jesus commanded His disciples that they would be witnesses of Him (i.e. be Jesus' Witnesses, not Jehovah's Witnesses):

Acts 1:8. but YOU will receive power when the holy spirit arrives upon YOU, and YOU will be witnesses of me both in Jerusalem and in all Ju•de´a and Sa•mar´i•a and to the most distant part of the earth."

And the Apostle Paul, quoting Isa 45:23 (two verses after Isa 45:21 in which, as we saw above, Jehovah stated that, "besides" Him "there is no other God ... and ... Savior"), that to "Jehovah", "every knee will bend down, every tongue will swear" :

Isa 45:21-23. Make YOUR report and YOUR presentation. Yes, let them consult together in unity. Who has caused this to be heard from a long time ago? [Who] has reported it from that very time? Is it not I, Jehovah, besides whom there is no other God; a righteous God and a Savior, there being none excepting me? "Turn to me and be saved, all YOU [at the] ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no one else. By my own self I have sworn-out of my own mouth in righteousness the word has gone forth, so that it will not return-that to me every knee will bend down, every tongue will swear,

applies it to "Jesus," that "God ... gave him the name that is above every [other] name" so that to Him "every knee should bend " and "every tongue should openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord [Kurios]":

Php 2:9-11. For this very reason also God exalted him to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is above every [other] name, so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the ground, and every tongue should openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

But there is no "[other]" in the Gk, it literally is, to onoma to huper pan onoma , "the name the over every name." And that "every name" (even the NWT's insertion of "[other]" does not change it) includes the Old Testament name, YHWH (Jehovah).

This would be even clearer if the Watchtower had been consistent in their policy of replacing the original Greek word Kurios "Lord" with "Jehovah," "By determining where the inspired Christian writers have quoted from the Hebrew Scriptures ... we have followed this course in rendering our version of the Christian Greek Scriptures" (see `tagline'), because then, in Php 2:10-11 "the inspired Christian writer" Paul "quoted from the Hebrew Scriptures," Isa 45:23, and so the NWT of Php 2:11 should then read:

"... and every tongue should openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Jehovah to the glory of God the Father."

>Many thanks,
TJ

You are welcome. I hope this has helped answer your question. To summarise: 1) Titus 2:13 & 2Pet 1:1, rightly translated, state that Jesus is both God and Saviour; 2) only Jesus is going to appear, not God the Father, and yet the One who is going to appear is called "the great God" in Titus 2:13, even in the NWT; 3) Jehovah claims to be the only Savior (Isa 43:11; 45:21; Hos 13:4 NWT); therefore Jesus must be Jehovah!

And if the NWT was consistent in replacing "Lord" with "Jehovah" in the New Testament, when it is a quote from the Old Testament, then Philippians 2:11 (which is a quote from Isa 45:23) would say that Jesus Christ is Jehovah!

Ps: See also `tagline' quotes below (emphases in italics are original, bold emphases are mine). Bible verses below are from the New International Version (NIV), unless otherwise indicated.

Stephen E. Jones.
My other blogs: CreationEvolutionDesign & TheShroudofTurin


"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., 1988, "The Facts on Jehovah's Witnesses," Harvest House: Eugene OR, Reprinted, 2003, pp.33-34).

"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 & Weldon, 1988, pp.34-35).

"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 & Weldon, 1988, pp.34-35).

"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 & Weldon, 1988, p.35).

"Titus 2:13-Our Great God and Savior The Watchtower Teaching. The New World Translation renders Titus 2:13, `While we wait for the happy hope and glorious manifestation of the great God and of [the] Savior of us, Christ Jesus' (emphasis added). This is in contrast to, for example, the New American Standard Bible, which renders this verse, `Looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus' (emphasis added). Notice how the two translations are different. The Jehovah's Witnesses mistranslate Titus 2:13 to make it appear that two different persons are in view-God Almighty and Christ the Savior. Yet all legitimate translations have only one person in view in this verse-our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. ... The Biblical Teaching. A study of the Old Testament indicates that it is only God who saves. In Isaiah 43:11, God asserts: `I, even I, am the LORD [Yahweh], and apart from me there is no savior' (emphasis added). This is an extremely important verse, for it indicates that 1) a claim to be Savior is, in itself, a claim to deity; and 2) there is only one Savior-God. Since the New Testament clearly refers to Jesus Christ as the Savior, the only conclusion that makes sense is that Christ is indeed God. Shortly after His birth, an angel appeared to a group of nearby shepherds and said, `Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord' (Luke 2:11). John's Gospel records the conclusion reached by the Samaritans: Jesus `really is the Savior of the world' (John 4:42)." (Rhodes, R., 1993, "Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Jehovah's Witnesses," Harvest House: Eugene OR, Reprinted, 2006, pp.88-90. Emphasis original).

"In Titus 2:13 Paul encourages Titus to await the blessed hope, the `glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.' An examination of Titus 2:10-13, 3:4, and 3:6 reveals that the phrases God our Savior and Jesus Christ our Savior are used interchangeably four times. The parallel truths that only God is the Savior (Isaiah 43:11) and that Jesus Himself is the Savior constitute a powerful evidence for Christ's deity. One must keep in mind that the apostle Paul (who wrote Titus) had been trained in the strictest form of Judaism (its main tenet being monotheism-the belief that there is only one true God). It is against this backdrop that Paul unabashedly affirms that Jesus is `our great God and Savior.' Now, we must emphasize that Greek grammarians have taken a solid stand against the Watchtower's view that there are two persons-Jehovah and the Savior Jesus-in Titus 2:13. Indeed, these scholars are emphatic that only one person-'our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ'-is found in this verse. Greek scholar Bruce Metzger writes: `In support of this translation ['our great God and Savior'] 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," Theology Today, April, 1953, pp.78-79] Likewise, Dana and Mantey's authoritative Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament positively affirms that Titus 2:13 'asserts that Jesus is the great God and Savior.' [Dana, H.E. & Mantey, J.R., "A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament," Macmillan: New York, 1957, p.147] Such Greek scholars argue their case based upon a detailed study of a number of identical sentence constructions in the Greek New Testament. Greek scholars have thus come up with a guiding principle or rule for interpreting such constructions: `When two nouns in the same case are connected by the Greek word `and,' and the first noun is preceded by the article `the,' and the second noun is not preceded by the article, the second noun refers to the same person or thing to which the first noun refers, and is a farther description of it.' [Wuest, K.S., "Wuest's Word Studies," Eerdmans: Grand Rapids MI, 1953, Vol. 3, p.31] In Titus 2:13, two nouns-'God' and `Savior'-are joined together with the Greek word for `and,' and a definite article ('the') is placed only in front of the first noun ('God'). [Bowman, R.M., "Why You Should Believe in the Trinity," Baker: Grand Rapids MI, 1989 p.105.] The sentence literally reads: `the great God and Savior of us.' In this particular sentence construction in the Greek New Testament, the two nouns in question-'God' and `Savior'-are referring to the same person, Jesus Christ. [Ibid., p.105] As scholar Robert Reymond explains, `The two nouns [`God' and `Savior'] both stand under the regimen of the single definite article preceding `God,' indicating ... that they are to be construed corporately, not separately, or that they have a single referent.' [Reymond, R.L., "Jesus, Divine Messiah: The New Testament Witness," Presbyterian & Reformed: Phillipsburg NJ, 1990, p.276] Indeed, `the presence of only one definite article has the effect of binding together the two titles [`God' and `Savior'].' [Bruce, F.F., ed., "Titus," in "The International Bible Commentary," Zondervan: Grand Rapids MI, 1979, p.1495.]" (Rhodes, 1993, pp.90-91. Emphasis original).

"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.65-85] 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. 1993, pp.96).

"In still another crucial verse the New World Translation has garbled the meaning of the original so as to avoid referring to Jesus Christ as God. In Titus 2:13 it reads, `We wait for the happy hope and glorious manifestation of the great God and of our Savior Christ Jesus.' This rendering, by separating `the great God' from `our Savior Christ Jesus,' overlooks a principle of Greek grammar which was detected and formulated in a rule by Granville Sharp in 1798. This rule, in brief, is that when the copulative kai connects two nouns of the same case, if the article precedes the first noun and is not repeated before the second noun, the latter always refers to the same person that is expressed or described by the first noun. This verse in Titus, therefore, must be translated, as in fact the Revised Standard Version (1952) renders it, `Awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.' In support of this translation 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., 1953, "The Jehovah's Witnesses and Jesus Christ," Theology Today, April, 1953, Princeton Theological Seminary: Princeton NJ, Reprinted, pp.65-85, pp.78-79. Greek transliterations mine).

"Exactly similar to the last error considered above is the rendering of II Pet. 1:1 in the New World Translation, `... by the righteousness of our God and the Savior Jesus Christ.' All that has been written in the preceding section, including the judgment of the grammatical authorities cited there, applies with equal appropriateness to the correct rendering of II Pet. 1:1. Accordingly, in this verse also there is an express declaration of the deity of Jesus Christ, `... of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.'" (Metzger, 1953, pp.65-85, p.79. Ellipses original).

"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 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)

"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.' ." (Reymond, R.L., 2003, "Jesus, Divine Messiah: The New Testament and Old Testament Witness," [1990], Mentor: Fearn UK, p.471).

"First, it is the most natural way to render the Greek sentence as 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 ... 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, 2003, pp.471).

"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 Θεοσ, theos, as a Christological title. This assertion, of course, has not gone unchallenged, the alternative suggestion being that by Θεοσ , 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, 2003, pp.489-490).

"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, 2003, p.490).

"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 ο Θεοσ και πατηρ [ho theos kai pater] by `the God and Father,' and yet here decline to translate ο Θεοσ και πατηρ [ho theos kai soter] by `the God and Saviour.' [Bigg, Ibid., p.251]" (Reymond, 2003, p.490).

"Third, five times in 2 Peter, including this one [2Pet 1:1], Peter uses the word `Savior.' It is always coupled with a preceding noun (the other four times always with κυριοσ, 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' 3:2: `... 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 Θεοσ, theos, for κυριοσ, 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, 2003, pp.490-491. Typo corrected).

"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, 2003, p.491).

"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 Θεοσ, 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, 2003, pp.491-492).

"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, 2003, p.492).

"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 Θεοσ, theos. [God]" (Reymond, 2003, p.492).

"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., 1986, "Titus," in Bruce, F.F., ed., "The International Bible Commentary," [1979], Marshall Pickering/Zondervan: Grand Rapids MI, Second edition, Reprinted, 1994, p.1495. Emphasis original).

"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 [NASB], `of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus'; 2 Peter 1:1[NASB], `our God and Savior, Jesus Christ'; 1 John 5:20 [NASB], which calls Jesus Christ `the true God and eternal life'; and Hebrews 1:8-12 [NASB], 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 [NWT]) and `our God and [the] Savior Jesus Christ' (2 Peter 1:1 [NWT]). 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 [NASB]). 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., 1989, "Why You Should Believe in the Trinity: An Answer to Jehovah's Witnesses," Baker: Grand Rapids MI, Third printing, 1990, pp.104-105).

"In Titus 2:13 [NASB] 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 [NASB]). This makes sense, since Jesus Christ is the visible representation or manifestation of God (John 1:18; Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:2 [NASB]; etc. ). Second, three times in Titus the expression `our Savior' is used with reference to God (1:3; 2:10; 3:4 [NASB]) and then immediately after with reference to Christ (1:4; 2:13; 3:6 [NASB]). 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, 1989, p.105).

"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, 1989, pp.105-106).

"Finally, Hebrews 1:8-12 [NASB] 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 [NASB]), 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 [NASB] 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, 1989, pp.106-107).

"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 [NASB] 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, 1989, pp.107-108).

"How is a modern translator to know or determine when to render the Greek words κυριοσ and θεοσ into the divine name in his version? By determining where the inspired Christian writers have quoted from the Hebrew Scriptures. Then he must refer back to the original to locate whether the divine name appears there. This way he can determine the identity to give to Ky'ri-os and the-os' and he can then clothe them with personality. Realizing that this is the time and place for it, we have followed this course in rendering our version of the Christian Greek Scriptures. To avoid overstepping the bounds of a translator into the field of exegesis, we have tried to be most cautious about rendering the divine name, always carefully considering the Hebrew Scriptures. We have looked for some agreement with us by the Hebrew versions we consulted to confirm our own rendering. Thus, out of the 237 times that we have rendered the divine name in the body of our version, there are only two instances where we have no support or agreement from any of the Hebrew versions. But in these two instances, namely, Ephesians 6:8 and Colossians 3:13, we feel strongly supported by the context and by related texts in rendering the divine name. The notes in our lower margin show the support we have for our renderings from the Hebrew versions and other authorities. Not in all cases where the divine name is shown in the lower margin have we rendered it in the main body of our version. Thus there are 72 instances where the divine name is shown in the margin alone, but not incorporated into the text, the warrant not being strong enough." ("The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY, Second printing, 1969, pp.18-19).