Course: Cults
and Heresies
Jehovah's
Witnesses
Title: Jehovah's Witnesses
Text: 'Rightly dividing the Word of Truth', 2
Timothy
Theme: The scriptures must be read within the context of scripture.
Introduction:
The scriptures cannot
be privately interpreted but must be understood in the light of scripture. 'Knowing
this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of
any private interpretation.' (2 Peter 1:20)
The message of the Bible is one message in perfect unity.
Jehovah's Witnesses (JW'S) use individual texts to proof their doctrines. This appears to be a strong argument to those who do not know the scriptures. But this is how all the cults use scriptures to defend their doctrines. Scripture must be rightly divided by understanding individual scriptures within the context of scripture as a whole.
By using individual texts to support their doctrines the JW's claim to have a greater knowledge of scripture than evangelical Christians but in reality they are wrongly dividing scripture.
The teaching of Jehovah's Witnesses is a form of gnosticism.
'Gnosis' is the Greek word meaning knowledge. Jehovah witnesses believe they are the holders of knowledge that needs to be followed in order to avoid the annihilation of the soul.
The name Jehovah
Jehovah's Witnesses teach that it has been revealed to them that God's name is Jehovah.
The pronunciation of the Hebrew name known as the tetragrammaton YHWH is lost.
The Hebrew letters are
Yodh
He
Waw
He
By putting the vowels in between (YHWH) we can get Yahweh or (JHVH) Jehovah.
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that it has been revealed to them that the pronunciation of the name is Jehovah.
There is no evidence to support the claim of JW's regarding the pronunciation of the tetragrammaton name of God. It is more likely that the name was pronounced as Yahweh.
Introductory Story: Taking scripture out of context
One time some Jehovah's Witnesses came to my door. I told them that Jesus is the eternal Son of God and is also called Jehovah (YHWH) in the scriptures. One of the Jehovah's Witnesses immediately quoted the scripture to me 'The Father is greater than I'. He then argued that Jesus said the Father (Jehovah) is greater than He is, then how can Jesus be the eternal Son of God?
My answer was that scripture must be understood within the context of scripture and that Jesus was speaking as the Son of Man to His Father but He was still the eternal Son of God.
'Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today and forever', (Hebrews 13:8).
What is the error?
Scripture must be understood in the context of scripture.
Philippians 2:5-11 gives the answer. Jesus humbled Himself and became a servant. Jesus in his humiliation could say 'The Father is greater than I' because He made Himself subject to the will of the Father. He was not inferior in His nature and character. He could say 'Before Abraham was I AM'. In this way He claimed to be the eternal God Jehovah. The Jews sought to kill Him for this.
Exposition:
1.
The Origins of Jehovah Witnesses
The name Jehovah's Witnesses was adopted in 1931 by Joseph Franklin Rutherford (1869-1942). It is taken from the verse of scripture in Isaiah 43:10 'You are my witnesses, says Jehovah'.
The followers of Russell were known as 'The Dawn Bible Students' and 'Laymen's Home Missionary Movement'.
Jehovah's
Witnesses do not accept that they are Russellites
JW's divided after the final volume of Russell's seven volume work 'Studies in the Scriptures' was published posthumously in 1917. The first volume was published in 1886. JW's deny the association with C T Russell, but he was undeniably their founder. Why do JW'S dislike being associated with Russell?
a) His bad character
i. He divorced his wife. Russell married Maria Ackley in 1879. She left him 1897, divorce settlement 1909 (payment of $6036).
ii. The Miracle Wheat Scandal. He was involved in financial misdealings; including a fraud involving his followers in which Russell sold Miracle Wheat Seed claiming it would grow up to five times higher. 1913 court case, Russell sued The Brooklyn Daily Eagle for libel, Russell lost the case.
iii. Russell lied concerning his academic ability. He claimed to be able to read Hebrew and Greek, but it was found that he had no knowledge of either language.
b) The organisation claims to be a theocracy.
By disassociating themselves from the name Russellites,
JW's claim to be following a theocratic organisation. JW's
are followers of an organisation established by Russell and built upon by
c) The teaching of Russell's last volume 'Studies in
the Scriptures'
Russell taught that scripture needed to be interpreted in the light of his teachings the 'Studies in the Scriptures' originally called 'Milliennial Dawn'. This is very dangerous as people are led into false doctrine in the pretence that they are studying scripture. Russell's organisation split after his final volume of 'Studies in the Scriptures' was published posthumously. This seventh volume was called 'The Finished Mystery'.
2.
The Scriptures and Writings of Jehovah's Witnesses
Russell began
Bible journal (Watchtower) in 1879
Russell copied
other people's work as his own - His 'Millenial
Dawn' appears to have been derived from an earlier work by J.H.Paton
of Almond,
The three corporations run by JW's.
1. The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania was founded by Russell.
2. The
3. The International Bible Students Association.
The message of JW's is spread by:
Adult education programs training JW's to defend their faith.
JW's publish periodicals, books, and tracts.
All books and articles published anonymously.
Two main magazines published by JW's are 'The Watchtower' issued twice a month, and 'Awake!'. which, in the 1980's, had a circulation of more than 10,000,000 in 80 languages.
The New World Translation of the Bible.
JW's produced a new translation of the Bible:
The New World Translation New Testament was first published in 1950. The complete Bible was published in 1961.
The translaters of this Bible are anonymous. This makes it impossible to know how qualified the translators were to translate the scriptures from Hebrew and Greek. It is evident that the teaching of the JW's has influenced the translation.
An example of this is found in John 1:1 which is incorrectly translated 'the word was a god'. This translation is used by JW's to deny the deity of Christ.
Explanation
God (theos) is the predicate describing the subject word. It is not necessary to put a definite article with a predicate.
In addition to this greater emphasis is placed upon the deity of Christ in the Greek by the word order of the phrase 'the word was God'. The predicate nominative 'God' stands at the beginning of the phrase to emphasise its meaning.
3.
The Teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses
Russell was raised as a congregationalist but he rejected the concept of eternal hell because this appeared contradictory to the concept of a merciful God.
He rejected the organised church - this is a main characteristic of the teaching of JW's following the teaching of Russell and Rutherford.
Adventists influenced Russell in predicting the date for the 'coming of Christ'. Russell taught that 1874 was the year of Christ's "invisible return"; 1914 was the year of Christ's Second Coming and also the end of the "times of the Gentiles."
He taught the millenial reign of Christ on earth.
Teaching
concerning Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is regarded as God's agent in establishing the Theocracy
Reconciler of sinful mankind to Jehovah.
1. They deny that Christ was physically raised from the dead.
2. They deny that Christ's atonement was expiatory. They hold that it was an example to follow.
3. They deny the person of the Holy Spirit.
4. They deny the concept of a literal hell. The teach that death in certain instances can mean total extinction.
Organisation
The Witnesses
1. …meet in churches called Kingdom Halls,
2. …baptise by immersion,
3. …insist upon a high moral code in personal conduct,
4. …disapprove of divorce except on grounds of adultery,
5. …oppose blood transfusions on a scriptural basis.
Members
Most members of a local congregation, or "company," are kingdom publishers, expected to spend five hours a week at meetings in Kingdom Hall and expected to spend as much time as circumstances permit in doorstep preaching.
Pioneer publishers hold part-time secular jobs and try to devote 100 hours a month to religious service.
Special pioneers are full-time, salaried employees of the society who should spend at least 150 hours a month in this work.
Kingdom
Halls
Each Kingdom Hall has an assigned territory and each Witness a particular neighbourhood to canvass. The sect takes great pains to keep records of the number of visits, back calls, Bible classes, and books and magazines distributed.
Conclusion:
Scripture is not for private interpretation but must be understood in the context of scripture as a whole. JW's use scriptural texts to defend their teaching without taking into account the message of scripture.
The miracle of the Bible is the consistency of the message that runs through the whole Bible.
JW's deny:
1. The deity of Christ
2. The trinity
3. The person of the Holy Spirit
4. The substitutionary atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is essential for Christians to be able to uphold these Biblical truths.
This training program is designed to equip all believers with the ability to rightly divide the scriptures.