Grace Junkies

Jehovah’s Witnesses use several arguments to defend their New World Translation (NWT) of the Bible. It’s important to note that these arguments reflect the perspective of Jehovah’s Witnesses themselves. Here are some common arguments they often put forth:

1. Accuracy in Translation: Jehovah’s Witnesses assert that the NWT is a more accurate translation of the original Greek and Hebrew texts. They claim that it avoids traditional biases and doctrines found in other translations.
2. Divine Name (Jehovah): One of the distinctive features of the NWT is its consistent use of the divine name “Jehovah” in the Old Testament, whereas many other translations use terms like “LORD” or “GOD” in capital letters. Jehovah’s Witnesses argue that this restores the name of God to its rightful place in the text.
3. Use of Footnotes: The NWT includes extensive footnotes explaining the rationale behind certain translation choices. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that this transparency helps readers understand the basis for the translation.
4. Doctrinal Consistency: Jehovah’s Witnesses maintain that the NWT is in harmony with their unique doctrinal beliefs, which they claim are supported by accurate translation. They argue that other translations may have been influenced by theologies that are inconsistent with their understanding of Scripture.
5. Literalness: The NWT strives to provide a more literal translation in certain passages, even if it results in a less fluid or more difficult-to-read text. Jehovah’s Witnesses argue that this helps readers get a clearer sense of the original language.
6. Simplicity: The language used in the NWT is often simpler and easier to understand, which Jehovah’s Witnesses believe makes the Bible more accessible to a wider range of readers, including those with limited education.
7. Commitment to Source Texts: Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that the NWT is faithful to the oldest available manuscripts and textual evidence. They suggest that other translations may have been influenced by later theological developments.
8. Independent Translation Committee: While the identities of the translators of the NWT are not widely known, Jehovah’s Witnesses emphasize that the translation was produced by a committee of dedicated scholars who were not influenced by denominational bias.

Many of these arguments bear striking resemblance to those put forth for the ESV (or any other modern critical Bible). However, the encouraging news is that the very arguments employed to demonstrate that the ESV does not faithfully represent God’s word can and should be employed to challenge the accuracy of the NWT as well.

Accuracy?

The doctrines of Preservation and Inerrancy stand in stark contrast to the assertions made by both the ESV and NWT regarding their heightened accuracy. Much like we rely on the Doctrine of Preservation, which asserts that God has meticulously safeguarded His word as promised, to unveil the inaccuracies stemming from omissions and alterations within the ESV, we can equally employ this doctrine to debunk the NWT. A case in point is Philippians 2:6, a verse interpreted negatively in both the NWT and ESV, suggesting that Jesus did not view Himself as equal to God.

Stated in the negative:

 “Christ Jesus, who, although he was existing in God’s form, did not even consider the idea of trying to be equal to God” -Phil 2:6, NWT
“Christ Jesus who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped” -Phil 2:6, ESV

Stated in the positive:

“Christ Jesus,  who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God” -Phil 2:6, KJV 

So one must be right and one must be wrong.  Did Jesus consider himself to be equal with God? Let’s see using passages where the modern Bibles agree with the Preserved Word.

 “I and the Father are one” -John 10:30, NWT
“I and the Father are one” -John 10:30, ESV
“I and My Father are one” -John 10:30, KJV

And

“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father also” -John 14:9, NWT
“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” -John 14:9, ESV
“he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” – John 14:9, KJV

And here even though the NWT changes the Holy Name as told to Moses, (a decision that goes against their #2 claim) Jesus is nonetheless still making His claim to diety and proclaiming that he is eternal.

“Most truly I say to you, before Abraham came into existence, I have been.” -John 8:58, NWT
“Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” -John 8:58, ESV
“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” -John 8:58, KJV

Now let us look at what the church has always taught that the Phil passage said. The following quotes from the early church fathers prior to 325AD and show that Phil 2:6 has not been corrupted as the modern ESV and NWT claim:

“who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but humbled himself” -Exhortation to Heathen, Clement of Alexandria
“thought it not robbery to be equal to God” -On the Resurrection of the Flesh, Tertullian
“who, being in the form of God  thought it not robbery to be equal to God”- Against Praxeas, Tertullian
“who, being in the form of God  thought it not robbery to be equal to God” -Origen De Principiis”, Origen

For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 1 John 5:7-8, ESV 

For there are three witness bearers: the spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 1 John 5:7-8, NWT

For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. 1 John 5:7-8, NKJV
FOOTNOTE: NU-Text and M-Text omit the words from in heaven (verse 7) through on earth (verse 8).  Five out of twelve extant Greek manuscripts contain these words.

The Lord says, “I and the Father are one; ” and again it is written of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, “And these three are one” -Treatise I:6, Cyprian 250AD

Thus the connection of the Father in the Son, and of the Son in the Paraclete, produces three coherent persons, one from the other, which “three are one”, not one person, as it is said, “I and my Father are One.” -Against Praxeas, Tertullian 240AD

The other Spirit comes from the Son just as the other Son comes from the Father.  So the Spirit is the third as the Son is the second person.  But the sum is one, for “the three are one.” -Contra Arianos XXVII, Phoebadius 359 AD

 

As John says, “There are three that give testimony in earth: the water, the flesh and the blood; and these three are one and there are three that give testimony in heaven: the Father, the Word and the Spirit; and these three are one” -Liber Apologeticus Priscillian of Avila 380 AD

 

Therefore God supreme and true, with His Word and Holy Spirit “which three are one”, one God omnipotent, creator and maker of every soul and of every body -City of God, Augustine 430 AD

 

“Also to the Parthians, ‘There are three’, He says, ‘that bear record in earth, the water, the blood and the flesh, and the three are in us. And there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, and these three are one.”-Contra Varimadum, Vigilius Tapsensis 450 AD

 

Therefore, although in the above examples the Scriptures are silent regarding the names of the persons, yet this union of the divine name by all in this is to be demonstrated to you; also as in this example of the truth, in which the names of the persons are clearly evident, and the united divine names declared closed, the Evangelist John says in his Epistle: ‘There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, and the Word, and the Spirit, and they are one in the Lord Jesus Christ”. -De Trinitate Libri Duodecim Book I,Vigilius Tapsensis 480 AD

 

And in order to show with clearer light that the unity of divinity is with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, John the evangelist bears record.  For which it is said: “There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one” -Historia persecutionis Africanae Provinciae, Victor Vitensis 485 AD

 

Here you have briefly that another is the Father, another is the Son, another is the Holy Spirit: different in person, not different in nature: and for this reason ‘I’, he says, ‘and the Father are one.’ We teach that ‘One’ refers to nature, and ‘We are’ refers to the persons.  Likewise regarding it: ‘There are three’, he says, who are said to testify in heaven, ‘the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, and these three are one.’ -Ad Felicem Notarium De Trinitate Liber Unus, Fulgentius Ruspensis 527 AD

 

This matter the three mysteries testify in earth: ‘the water, the blood, and the spirit’, which are fulfilled as we read in the Passion of the Lord: but in heaven ‘the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit: and these three are one God. -Complexiones In Epistollis Apostolorum, Cassiodorus of Italy 580 AD

by