jw

Is Jesus a Created Being?

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Many cults like the Jehovah Witnesses deny the trinity.  The Watchtower and bible tract society teach that Jesus was a created being the first and direct creation of Jehovah and all other things were created through him.  I have had many street conversation with Jehovah Witnesses and when I ask them for a verse that says Jesus is a created being they often quote Colossians 1 : 15.

Colossians 1 : 15 – “He is the image of the invisible God,+ the firstborn of all creation” (New World Translation, Jehovah Witnesses own translation of the bible).

The Jehovah Witnesses understand firstborn to mean first created and then  all other things were made through him.

“God created Jesus before creating Adam. In fact, God created Jesus and then used him to make everything else, including the angels. That is why the Bible calls Jesus “the firstborn of all creation” by God.”​—  Taken from jw.org (https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/wp20130301/when-jesus-created-why-son/#?insight[search_id]=3d0bb731-75e3-49b6-8fc7-fe1a1e888531&insight[search_result_index]=0)

However this is what firstborn means and is this how the original audience of Colossians would have understood it.  The book of Colossians was a epistle (letter) from Paul to the believers in Colosse (ch1 : 1 – 2). Paul was responding to some of the Gnostic teaching that was infiltrating the Church of Colosse.  This teaching was that Jesus was a demigod. The Jehovah witnesses interpretation of this verse would confirm this teaching not speak against it.

The term firstborn is used elsewhere in the scriptures and refers to authority instead of genealogical.  In Psalm 89 David is referred to as the firstborn.

“I have found David, my servant;

   with my holy oil I have anointed him,

21 so that my hand shall be established with him;

   my arm also shall strengthen him.

22 The enemy shall not outwit him;

   the wicked shall not humble him.

23 I will crush his foes before him

   and strike down those who hate him.

24 My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him,

   and in my name shall his horn be exalted.

25 I will set his hand on the sea

   and his right hand on the rivers.

26 He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father,

   my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’

27 And I will make him the firstborn,

   the highest of the kings of the earth”. (Psalm 89 : 20 – 27, ESV, emphasis added.)  

However 1 Samuel 17 : 13 indicates that Eliab was the first born.  

“he three oldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.” (1 Samuel 17 : 13, ESV)

The term firstborn 1 Colossians 1 : 15 in the Greek language is not referring to birth but to kingship, authority and preeminence.  The first place in all things as the creator of all things. God assigned this title to David as it would be his lineage that the messiah would come.  (Matthew ch 1).

The bible clearly teaches that Jesus was the creator of all things and not a created being.  The bible identifies Jesus as Jehovah (Yahweh). An example of this can be seen in John chapter 12

John 12 is at the  end of jesus public ministry.

“The reason why they were not able to believe is that again Isaiah said:  “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.”  Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory, and he spoke about him. All the same, many even of the rulers actually put faith in him, but they would not acknowledge him because of the Pharisees, so that they would not be expelled from the synagogue; for they loved the glory of men even more than the glory of God” (John 12 : 39 – 43, New World Translation).  

Within these few verses there is a reference  to Isaiah 6:10 which in the New World Translation is referenced to in the footnotes.   

“Make the heart of this people unreceptive,+Make their ears unresponsive,+And paste their eyes together,So that they may not see with their eyesAnd hear with their ears,So that their heart may not understandAnd they may not turn back and be healed.” (Isaiah 6 : 10, New World Translation)

Isaiah 6 is a vision of Yahweh( Jehovah) in John he tributes this to Jesus.  Isaiah identifies Yahweh as the one sitting on the throne. However John identifies Jesus as the one sitting on the throne.  This is not a contradiction if the doctrine of the trinity is true.

      

 

Was Jesus the Archangel Michael?

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The Jehovah Witnesses believe that Jesus was the archangel Michael.  In there magazine the Watchtower states “Michael, is the chief angel in terms of power and authority.  The scriptures clearly indicate that Michael is another name for Jesus Christ”  (N0 5, 2017, page 5).  The article refers to 1 Thessalonians 4 : 16 and Jude verse 9 as proof texts.

 

The Jehovah witnesses use their own version of the bible called the new world translation.  It is important to known that the New World translation was a work of anonymous work of a watchtower society committee.

 

1 Thessalonians 4 : 16 “because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s+ voice and with God’s trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first” (New world translation)

 

This text indicates that the coming of the Lord will  be herald by an archangel’s voice not that the Lord is a archangel.

 

Jude 1 : 9 “But when Michael the archangel had a difference with the Devil and was disputing about Moses’ body,+ he did not dare to bring a judgement against him in abusive terms, but said: “May Jehovah rebuke you.” (new world translation)

 

In this passage the New World Translation changes “Lord rebuke you” (New King James Version) to “Jehovah rebuke you (New World Translation).  In fact the Watchtower changes the greek for Lord or God and renders it as Jehovah.  Jehovah is add to the New Testament 237 times with no textual authority for doing so.

 

Here you have Michael the archangel leaving the judgement of Satan to  God.  This is a vast difference to who Jesus responded to Satan in Mathew chapter 4.

 

Mathew 4 : 10 “Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” (New King James Version.

 

Neither of these scriptures indicate that Jesus was the archangel of Michael.  Hebrews chapter 1 indicates that Jesus is exalted even above the angels.   There is no scriptural support for this belief.

 

However the bible indicates that Jesus is Yahweh (God).

 

psalm 102:25-27  “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” (New World Translation)

 

This passage indicates that Jehovah (God, Yahweh) is unchanging and the creator of all things.

 

Hebrews 1:8-10“But about the Son, he says: “God is your throne forever and ever, and the scepter of your Kingdom is the scepter of uprightness. You loved righteousness, and you hated lawlessness. That is why God, your God, anointed you with the oil of exultation more than your companions.” And: “At the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands” (New World Translation) 

 

Here you have unique attributes assigned to the son Jesus that are assigned to Jehovah (Yahweh, God).