God’s name is Jehovah, and “Jehovah’s Witnesses” cultists say it is the name of the Father alone, denying that Jesus is God. As I wrote yesterday, their own Bible mis-translation, the New World “Translation,” changes many verses which show Jesus is Jehovah, one with the Father. Thus, they deny the doctrine which has become known as “The Trinity” — the Biblical teaching that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are One, yet Three.
We’re looking at a few passages which, even in their “Bible,” teach that Jesus is Jehovah.
Yesterday, in part one, we looked at the difficulty of trying to speak about the Lord to someone in this cult, because they always check in their “translation” of the Bible, which has changed so many important verses, and they trust it implicitly.
However, we saw that even their “version” shows that Jesus is THE Shepherd — and it also shows that Jehovah is THE Shepherd. Therefore, we know that Jesus is Jehovah. The verses, even in their “Bible,” that teach this can be very useful in witnessing to those who are deceived by this cult.
At the Right Hand
Continuing on from that post, we’ll see something else the New World “Translation” has to say, this time from Psalm 110.
Psalm 110:1 (New World “Translation”)
The utterance of Jehovah to my Lord is: “Sit at my right hand Until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet.”
References to this verse appear repeatedly in the New Testament, speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ sitting at the Father’s right hand (such as Mark 16:19, Acts 2:34, Ephesians 1:20, I Peter 3:22, and several passages in Hebrews). Psalm 110:1 clearly tells of the Father (“Jehovah”) saying to Jesus (“my Lord”, Hebrew Adonai), “Sit at my right hand.”
The “Jehovah’s Witnesses” like this verse, and will often take you to it themselves. It seems to them to fit their doctrine. The Father is called “Jehovah” here but Jesus is not. Jesus is given a title of respect (“my Lord”), but not the name which they believe is the Father’s alone. They teach that Jesus is to be honoured and respected, but is not Jehovah. This verse, for them, perfectly illustrates what they believe.
Note: There are places where the Father is called “Lord” (Adonai), such as in Joshua 3:13 and others, so the fact that Jesus is given the title (which means “Master”) does not prove what they want it to mean. But certainly, this verse, if it stood alone, would fit their belief.
For the purpose of discussion with a “Jehovah’s Witness”, the key point here is the relative position of the Father and the Son. If the Son is “at the right hand” then the Father is to the left. When a “Jehovah’s Witness” takes me to this verse, I ask him to verify that. The Father is on the left hand, Jesus on the right hand, the two side by side on the throne. That is what they were taught, and they will confirm it.
Psalm 110:5 (New World “Translation”)
Jehovah himself at your right hand Will certainly break kings to pieces on the day of his anger.
Psalm 110:5 in the New World “Translation” clearly identifies the one at the right hand as Jehovah.
Jesus is at the right hand, in Psalm 110:1. The Father is not the one at the right hand, but at the left. Four verses later, the One at the right hand (Jesus) is named as Jehovah. Jesus is Jehovah. The New World “Translation” of the Jehovah’s Witnesses says so.
Question for “Jehovah’s Witnesses”: Who is at the right hand in Heaven? Your New World Bible says it is Jesus, just like ours says, and it also says it is Jehovah. It has Jehovah at the left hand in verse one, and at the right hand in verse five. Jesus and the Father are both Jehovah, according to Psalm 110. Why do your teachers say that Jesus and the Father are not both Jehovah?
Mind Renewers 
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Good thoughts here, Jon. Another one I thought of (and brought up) during recent conversation was Isa 40 and the ministry of the John the Baptist. Isa 40 is preparing the way for Jehovah, and that is what the Baptist was doing in preparing the way for Jesus. The man I was talking to talked around it for a minute and tried to change the subject, and eventually said, “I don’t know.”
Thanks, Larry, that’s one I’ve used, too (but not one I’d intended to write on in this series, so I’m glad you mentioned it). The New World actually says “Jehovah” in quoting that Isaiah passage (Matthew 3:3, etc). And it is obviously referring to preparing the way of Jesus.
So that is another excellent passage for this purpose.
This does not show Jesus is Jehovah. One scripture will show you that this is not Jesus being called Jehovah.
Malachi 3:1
““Look! I am sending my messenger (John the Baptist) , and he will clear up a way before me (Jehovah) . And suddenly the true Lord (Jesus) whom you are seeking, will come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant will come, in whom you take delight. Look! He will certainly come,” says Jehovah of armies.”
Here John the Baptist is clearing up the way for Jehovah to send the True Lord Jesus. Jesus is not Jehovah in this verse.
Chris, we have discussed this at length, and I do not have the time to go around with you, I am very busy these days. The purpose of this blog is to inform believers, not debate heresy, and spreading heresy is contrary to the comment policy.
Nevertheless, I’ve cleared this comment because it is so revealing for my readers of how the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who follow the false teachings of the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
First, they will assert that any passage that shows a distinction between the Father and Jesus, as this one does, proves that Jesus is not Jehovah. Bible believers believe, on the contrary that Jehovah is a name shared by the Father and the Son. We believe that the Father and Son are both united and distinct. This verse in Malachi does not at all disprove a Biblical teaching of the Triune God – it completely fits within that teaching.
It identifies the Father as Jehovah. That is well. We also believe that the Father is Jehovah. It clearly shows that Jesus (the Lord whom you seek) is not the Father. That also is well, we believe that. It also clearly teaches that John the Baptist is preparing the way of Jehovah. Again, we believe that. And we also believe that John the Baptist prepared the way of Jesus. But that is not hard for us to understand, because we believe that Jesus, as with the Father, is also Jehovah.
This verse in Malachi does not directly teach that Jesus is Jehovah. That is absolutely true. But it implies it by saying that John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus, is the one who prepares the way of Jehovah.
But this verse does more, and often the Jehovah’s Witnesses will take us to verses to try to prove something, when actually those verses disprove their doctrine. Here, Chris has identified the “true Lord” in this verse as Jesus. That is manifestly a correct identification. The later verses prophetically refer to His cleansing of the temple.
It is Jehovah who is speaking here in Malachi, and He tells us that Jesus will come to “his” temple. The NWT also says it is his temple. But whose temple is it? Why, Jehovah’s, of course.
II Samuel 22:7 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.
Psalm 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
Jeremiah 7:11 Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.
Jonah 2:7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.
Habakkuk 2:20 But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.
How can the temple be “his temple” referring to Jesus? It is Jehovah’s temple. Will Jehovah give His glory, His name, His honour, His sheep, His authority to send His angels, His temple, to another?
The triune nature of God may be difficult to understand, but the alternative that the Jehovah’s Witnesses propose is impossible. It dilutes the glory of Jehovah by saying that all these things are shared with one, Jesus, who is less than Jehovah. That is obviously grievous error.
I’m not a Jehovah’s Witless. I but I do know that it’s bad in the senators part to say his peace and then delete the comments. It’s like hitting someone and running.
Chris is unhappy that I’m not giving him a forum, but this kind of thing is why. Here, he denies that he is a Jehovah’s Witness. But last July, when directly asked if he was a Jehovah’s Witness, he said yes. https://mindrenewers.com/2013/07/30/is-jesus-jehovah-ask-the-new-world-translation-part-three/, see the comments thread.
There is someone named Chris or Christopher who actively posts around the Internet, denying the deity of Jesus. He sometimes says he is a Jehovah’s Witness, sometimes says he is a gay Jehovah’s Witness, sometimes says he is just a Bible student and not a Jehovah’s Witness at all and claims to be part of the International Bible Student’s Association.
That group follows the heresies of Charles Taze Russell who founded the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and is registered as a charity here in the UK as a support group of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/CharityWithPartB.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=216647&SubsidiaryNumber=0.
I do not see how it is consistent with the purpose of my blog to continue to let him spread those heresies. Invariably, when someone actively advocates gross doctrinal error, it affects other things as well, and the book of Jude comes to mind.
The messenger is Jesus who is Jehovah God. You deny Jesus is God and so assume since the messenger is Jesus the messenger can’t be Jehovah. Jesus is Jehovah.
Isaiah 40:3, 9-10 KJV
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord , make straight in the desert a highway for our God. [9] O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! [10] Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand , and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
JESUS IS CALLED JEHOVAH
Jeremiah 23:5-6 KJV
Behold, the days come, saith the JEHOVAH , that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. [6] In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, JEHOVAH OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
JEHOVAH SAYS JEHOVAH SENT HIM
Zechariah 2:7-10 KJV
Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. [8] For thus saith the JEHOVAH of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. [9] For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the JEHOVAH of hosts hath sent me. [10] Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith JEHOVAH .
JEHOVAH ON EARTH AND JEHOVAH IN HEAVEN
Genesis 18.22 KJV
And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the JEHOVAH .
Genesis 19:24 KJV
Then the JEHOVAH rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the JEHOVAH out of heaven;
BELOW, GOD IS SPEAKING OF ANOTHER PERSON CALLING HIM GOD THAT OVERTHREW SODOM AND GOMORRAH. BUT IN GEN 19.24 IT SAYS JEHOVAH
Amos 4:10-11 KJV
I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the JEHOVAH . [11] I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith JEHOVAH.
James, as with so many other comments, I apologise for not getting this posted sooner while the blog was dormant. Thank you for those Scriptures you’ve posted. Someone like Chris could perhaps dispute some of them but there’s a mountain of evidence.
Jon,
I use this same strategy with our JW neighbors. The remaining testimony to the deity of Christ in the warped NWT is a testimony to the power of God’s word… though mutilated by men of depraved intentions, yet He speaks the truth of His Son still. I have recently offered 3 of my own findings from NWT research: http://citizenofnewjerusalem.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/how-i-answered-a-jehovahs-witness-couple/
Thanks,
Justin
Hello, Justin. Good article, good approach. I see the Christadelphians found you, too. 🙂
The “despotes” argument is probably too technical for some JWs, and often when two come to your door one is a relative novice. But it is a very solid argument if you have some who are willing to take some time.
The other passages you could use with just about anyone, of course. I’d never picked up on the correlation of the Alpha and Omega passages in Revelation, that is excellent and very clear.
As bad as the NWT is, God’s Word is so powerful that they couldn’t suppress all the truth. There are many more — I’ll post two more in the next couple of days.
Thank you for the comment, and may the Lord bless your service for Him.
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Cross reference Psalms 110:5 with Psalms 16:8. Jesus is not Jehovah.
Psalm 110:5 (New World): “Jehovah himself at your right hand Will certainly break kings to pieces on the day of his anger.”
Psalm 16:8 (New World): “I keep Jehovah before me constantly. Because he is at my right hand, I will never be shaken.”
In Psalm 16, the Psalmist (David) is speaking with words that foreshadow Messiah, asserting that Jehovah is his helper, just as He will be the helper of Messiah. Thus, Jehovah is both before him (David is looking to Jehovah for help) and at his side (Jehovah is his helper on whom he relies).
This is also true of Jesus, for the Father is Jehovah. Thus, He is both looking to the Father and the Father is His helper.
This really has little to do with Psalm 110, though the wording is similar. Here David has a vision of the throne room of Heaven. The Father, Jehovah, is seated on the throne, with Jesus seated on His right hand. David is speaking throughout, thus he addresses God saying His people will be willing in the day of God’s power. It cannot be Jehovah speaking to David, it is David addressing God in praise. And he says, according to the NWT, Jehovah is at “your” right hand. He can’t be speaking to Jesus, because the Father is not at Jesus’ right hand. He has to be speaking to the Father, and calling Jesus “Jehovah.”
Chris, have you been baptised? If so, in whose name?
I’ve heard your argument before. You’re going to say that The NAME of the Father Son Holy. Think of in Exodus 3 when Moses asked what Gods name was. Was he asking his name or who HE is? Moses knew Gods name. But he was asking about his being. Name doesn’t mean the name-title here’s the best description I can give about Matthew 28:19.
The fact that “name” is singular at Matt. 28:19 is only further proof that “authority” or “power” was meant and not a personal name. If more than one person is involved, then the plural “names” would be used (compare Rev. 21:12). Even trinitarians admit that their God is composed of 3 separate persons. And each one of those “persons” has his own personal name (except, as we have seen, the holy spirit really does not)! Therefore, if personal names were intended here for these three different “persons,” the plural “names” would have been used in this Scripture.
Since it clearly means “in recognition of the power, or authority of,” it is perfectly correct to use “name” in the singular. In fact, it must be used that way. We even recognize this in our own language today. We say, for example, “I did it in the name [singular] of love, humanity, and justice.”
It is significant that Scriptures show that the personal name of God and the personal name of Christ are two distinctly separate names. It is also significant that there is no mention in the entire Bible of any personal name for the holy spirit.
If Jesus were really saying that Jehovah, Jesus, and the holy spirit had personal names and these names must be used during baptism, he would have used the plural word “names” at Matt. 28:19. And we would see the Father’s personal name (“Jehovah” – Is. 63:16; 64:8 – Ps. 83:18 and Luke 1:32 – Exodus 3:15 and Acts 3:13) and the Son’s personal name (“Jesus” – Luke 1:31, 32) and the holy spirit’s personal name (“?”) all being used in Christian baptism ceremonies for the past 1900 years.
In spite of the extreme weakness of the trinitarian “evidence” for Matt. 28:19, it is nearly always cited by trinitarians because, incredibly poor as it is, it is one of their very best trinitarian “proofs”! And it is generally hailed by trinitarians as the best evidence for the deity of the holy spirit! This certainly shows how extremely weak the scriptural evidence is for a trinity!
I responded to this argument in one of the other posts on this topic, I won’t repeat it here, except to say that your argument necessitates the power and authority of Jesus and the Holy Spirit being put on the same level as that of the Father. Since Jehovah will not give His glory to another, that is impossible unless Jehovah is a Tri-unity, Three in One.
Not necessarily. They are not on the same level as Jesus said, “The father is greater than I am.” (John 10:16) The holy Spirit is something that the Father and Jesus hold together. They are not on the same level. Jesus was “GRANTED” the authority from God. Matthew 28:18)Why would he need to be grand something he already should have possessed? Jesus has this authority given to him by the father according to Matthew 28:18
I take them to Rev.22 where we are shown that the Lord God of the Holy Prophets is coming quickly and has sent his angel to testify. Their translation has Jehovah of the Holy Prophets. We are told a few verses later that Jesus has sent his angel and Jesus is coming quickly. I ask them in what sense is the Father coming quickly.
Rev. 22: 6 “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord (NWT Jehovah) God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. 7 “Behold, I am coming quickly! [It is Jesus who is coming quickly]
Rev. 22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
Rev. 22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Rev 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Yes, this is another good and compelling passage. I posted on it a couple months ago, https://mindrenewers.com/2015/04/08/three-questions-from-revelation-2216/. But you are right, it is there in the NWT, too. It is Jehovah who sends His angels — how could Jesus send HIS angel unless He is Jehovah-God?
But I had not connected the reference to Jesus coming quickly as well, as you did. Thank you for that.
I love that one at the link “Both the root and offspring of David” Funny one can read something 50 times and miss something like that.
We never stop learning, do we?
So you aren’t familiar with the “creative” days and how Jesus was the first born of Jehovah’s creation? And how about the fact that Jesus told his heavenly Father, Jehovah, that out of all creation that he loved mankind most? And who was it that was impaled by Pontius Pilate? Jesus or Jehovah? If memory serves, it was Jesus and Jehovah resurrected Jesus to rule next to him, at his right hand. You’ll notice I did not include the scriptures that prove all these statements. If you’re really a Bible scholar, you can do the research.
Respectfully, Janice
Janice, as with others, I apologise for this going into moderation when the blog was dormant.
Jesus is the firstborn, yes. David is also God’s firstborn (Psalm 89). So is Israel (Exodus 4:22). It doesn’t mean the first in time, it means first in preeminence. Israel was preeminent over the nations, David over the kings of the earth, Jesus is preeminent over creation. It does not say Jesus is part of creation, it says He is over it.
Yes, Jesus was crucified, and he took up His life again (John 10:17). He could only say that if He was Jehovah, otherwise it was blasphemy.
And the question remains, who is at the right hand in Psalm 110? Your Bible says it is Jesus in verse 1 and Jehovah in verse 5. You can try to bring other verses into it but you haven’t even tried to answer that, have you? Just like Chris above, you ran away from this problem for your position without even addressing it. We don’t have the right to do that, if the Scripture is true. We have to find the explanation that fits all Scripture, rather than argue as if one Scripture trumps another.