John 1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. This one was in the beginning with God. All things came into existence through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into existence.
- John 1:1-3 (NWT)
Question: Between the categories of “all things that never came into existence” and “things that came into existence,” according to John 1:3, what category does Jesus belong to?
Psalm 102 and Hebrews 1
Long ago you laid the foundations of the earth,And the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain;Just like a garment they will all wear out. Just like clothing you will replace them, and they will pass away.
But you are the same, and your years will never end.
- Ps 102:25-27 (NWT)
Question: Would this be true of anyone other than Jehovah?
Answer: No, of course, this is only speaking of Jehovah since this is speaking of God’s eternality.
And: “At the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands. 11 They will perish, but you will remain; and just like a garment, they will all wear out, 12 and you will wrap them up just as a cloak, as a garment, and they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will never come to an end.”
- Heb 1:10-12 (NWT)
Question: Who is this speaking about?
Answer: JW’s will say this is speaking about Jehovah (since it is quoting Ps 102). However, in the wider context (Heb 1:8-9, 13), it is clearly speaking about Jesus. Here, the Scriptures are ascribing the same eternality of Jehovah to Jesus.
John 12 and Isaiah 6
Although he had performed so many signs before them, they were not putting faith in him, 38 so that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, who said: “Jehovah, who has put faith in the thing heard from us? And as for the arm of Jehovah, to whom has it been revealed?” The reason why they were not able to believe is that again Isaiah said: 40 “He has blinded their eyes and has made their hearts hard, so that they would not see with their eyes and understand with their hearts and turn around and I heal them.” 41 Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory, and he spoke about him.
- John 12:37-41 (NWT)
Question: Who is Isaiah speaking about in this passage? Whose glory did Isaiah see?
In the year that King Uz·ziʹah died, I saw Jehovah sitting on a lofty and elevated throne,b and the skirts of his robe filled the temple…And one called to the other:“Holy, holy, holy is Jehovah of armies. The whole earth is filled with his glory. And the pivots of the thresholds quivered at the sound of the shouting,and the house was filled with smoke. Then I said: “Woe to me!I am as good as dead, For I am a man of unclean lips,And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of armies himself!” At that, one of the seraphs flew to me, and in his hand was a glowing coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth and said:“Look! This has touched your lips.Your guilt is removed,And your sin is atoned for.” Then I heard the voice of Jehovah saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”mAnd I said: “Here I am! Send me!” And he replied, “Go, and say to this people:‘ You will hear again and again, But you will not understand; You will see again and again, But you will not get any knowledge.’ Make the heart of this people unreceptive, Make their ears unresponsive, And paste their eyes together, So that they may not see with their eyes. And hear with their ears,So that their heart may not understand. And they may not turn back and be healed.”
- Isa 6:1-10 (NWT)
Answer: Isaiah saw Jehovah’s glory. Thus when John 12:41 says that Isaiah saw “his glory,” he is clearly referring to Jehovah. However, in John 12, John says that Isaiah is speaking about Jesus, thus equating Jesus and Jehovah as one.
Colossians 1
…because by means of him all other things were created in the heavens and on the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All other things have been created through him and for him. 17 Also, he is before all other things, and by means of him all other things were made to exist,
Question: What would it mean if the word “other” wasn’t in Colossians 1:16-17?
Now, go to the JW.org website, and use their “Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures” and go to Colossians 1:16-17, where it will show that the word “other” is not in the Greek text.
