"To me it is as clear as the sun at noonday that Christ was the Jehovah of the Old Testament."
John Nelson Darby
The article which begins on the opposite page is to be continued in the three succeeding monthly issues. It is also being prepared in separate pamphlet form (32 pages) and is to be available shortly, the Lord willing.
The editor and publishers of Christian Truth strongly urge Christians to meditate on the precious truths contained therein. It is a scriptural answer to the basic error on which the heresy of the so-called Jehovah's Witnesses is built. The same Arian heterodoxy is inherent in all modernistic teaching which affects the truth of the deity of the Lord Jesus.
Jesus Is Jehovah
1. Jehovah-Jesus, THE CREATOR
Early in the history of the professing Church of God, a grave and significant controversy arose as to the Person of Christ. This came to a head early in the fourth century. Emperor Constantine called a council at Nice in Bithynia in the year 325. A powerful defender of the faith came forward in the person of the great Athanasius, later bishop of Alexandria, who was used of God to turn the tide of the conference in favor of an uncompromising defense of the absolute deity of Christ. His opponent was a certain Arius, presbyter in the church at Alexandria. As the result of the latter's insistent denial of the deity of Christ, the term "Arianism" became a synonym for the blasphemy of reducing the Christ of God to the stature of a creature—"the greatest of creatures, but not equal to the Father."2
In contrast to Arius, eminent church fathers down through the ages taught that Christ was Jehovah. Among such might be named Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, Chrysostorn, and Augustine.3
Down through the church's history many sects, parties, and denominations have arisen who were of Arian persuasion, as. opposed to what is commonly called "orthodoxy," which word means simply, "right doctrine." Today the most militant and aggressive of all such Arian groups is the one which takes the name of "Jehovah's Witnesses." The present day organization is the offshoot of a movement started some ninety years ago by a C. T. Russell, later superseded by J. T. Rutherford, and now headed by N. H. Knorr.
The whole Jehovah's Witness credo may be said to be bifocal The Witnesses have selected one passage of scripture in the Old Testament, and one passage in the New, to which they make frequent reference in their discussions, preachments, and propaganda. We would refer to Isa. 43:10-12 in the Old Testament, and John 1:1-13 in the New.
Before discussing the above references, we would call attention to a helpful device used in the familiar King James Bible. When translating the Hebrew word "Yahwe" or "Jehovah," they use all large and small capital letters, and render it "Lord." Thus wherever we read "LORD" we know the word in the Hebrew was "Jehovah," which means "essential existence—self-existing." The Hebrew word "Elohim" is consistently rendered "God," and means, "supreme power, as in creation." Bearing these distinctions in mind, let us read now Isa. 43:10-12.
"Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD [Jehovah], and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD [Jehovah], and beside me there is no savior. I have declared, and have saved, and I have showed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD [Jehovah], that I am God."
A parallel passage follows in chapter 44:
"Thus saith the LORD [Jehovah] the King of Israel, and his Redeemer the LORD [Jehovah] of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God."
Now verse 8:
"Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? yea, there is no God; I know not any."
Remember as we read these portions of the prophet Isaiah, there were no chapter divisions in the original document. Isaiah is here occupied with calling the attention of Israel to the folly of idolatry. If we read right on into the 45th chapter, verses 11, 12 we find:
"Thus saith the LORD [Jehovah], the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come
concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me. I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded."
Now to this add Isa. 37:16.
"O LORD [Jehovah] of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubim, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth."
Now it is as clear as language can make it that the One who calls Himself, "the LORD [Jehovah]," beside whom is no God, is the One who "made the earth, and created man upon it." Likewise He
"stretched out the heavens," and commanded all their host.
Let us then turn to the New Testament for enlightenment as to who this "LORD [Jehovah]" is who
"made the earth, and created man upon it,... and stretched out the heavens."
In John's Gospel, first chapter, verses 1-3, we find ourselves at the second focal point of Jehovah's Witnesses' effort to demote the Christ of God to the status of a creature. We quote:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made."
Putting then these statements from Isaiah along all those from John we have the following startling parallel:
"Thus saith the LORD [Jehovah]... I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I... have stretched out
"All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made." John 1:3. the heavens, and all their host have I commanded." Isa. 45:11, 12. Surely any unprejudiced reader of the above citations must feel compelled to the conclusion that Jesus is Jehovah.
Thus we can see that the two major Scripture citations of the Jehovah's Witnesses' propaganda are mutually destructive of the Witnesses' Arian attack on the Person of Christ. That the Creator of the earth and man upon it was the work of the "Logos," the "Word," the Christ of God, is so unequivocal that nothing less than blind infatuation with an Arian inspired rationalization can escape seeing and owning it.
As a further attestation of Jesus' creatorship, let us note the following parallels. We shall compare Jer. 10:10-16 with Col. 1:12-17:
"But the LORD [Jehovah] is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting King [margin reads, "King of eternity"]:... He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.... The LORD [Jehovah] of hosts is his name."
"Giving thanks unto the Father... who... hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son [margin, "Son of his love"]: who is the image of the invisible God,... for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible... all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist."4
The Apostle Peter speaks of those who "wrest... the... Scriptures, unto their own destruction." 2 Pet. 3:16.
No better example of this truth could be given than by citing the manner in which the Jehovah's Witnesses wrest the Scriptures in their fallacious rendering of John 1:1. We quote:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god."
The unwarranted and gratuitous insertion of the indefinite article before the word "God" in the third clause of this sentence, shows an utter disregard of the context, and is, moreover, at variance with the best scholarship of the ages, both Catholic and Protestant. Not one of the reputable translations that have appeared during the past one hundred years has had the effrontery to insert the indefinite article and thus render it "a god." It would seem the Witnesses got their cue for this vulgarism from Benjamin Wilson's "Emphatic Diaglott," published in 1864, a work filled with gross errors and misrepresentations. In 1926 Wilson's translation found a rival in another of similar irresponsible character, "The Concordant Version of the Sacred Scriptures" by Adolph E. Knock of Los Angeles. Both became very popular with the Witnesses because they were both in agreement in denying the deity of our Lord.5
Now, having vitiated this statement as to Christ's being God, and having reduced Him to the level of "a god," the Witnesses are willing to accept him as the creator of all things. But we shall see as we follow on in our study, that such a view is in stubborn contradiction to many other statements as to the Person of our Lord.
No, reader, the Word of God is crystal clear-
Jesus-Jehovah is the Creator God.
2. Jehovah-Jesus OF Isa. 6 AND John 12
One of the most striking parallels is that between Isa. 6:1-3 and John 12:37-41. We quote:
"I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up.... Above it stood the seraphim: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did
"But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him.... Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart;
fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD [Jehovah] of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.... Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD [Jehovah] of hosts.... And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed." Isa. 6:1-10.
that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him." John 12:37-41.
With what precision John lets us know that the One of whom he was writing, Jesus, was none other personage than the LORD (Jehovah) whom Isaiah had seen. Yes, Jesus is Jehovah.
3. Jehovah-Jesus INTRODUCED BY JOHN THE BAPTIST
Anyone with even an elementary knowledge of the Scriptures is aware of the fact that the Old Testament abounds with prophetic announcements of the eventual coming into the world of the promised Messiah. Of all these promises one of the most glorious is that found in Isa. 40:1-5. Now in order that we may see that it was of Christ that Isaiah was prophesying we shall put in parallel the promise and its fulfillment as recorded in Matthew's Gospel:
"Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem,
"In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying,
and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S [Jehovah's] hand double for all her sins. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD [Jehovah], make straight in the desert a highway for our God.... And the glory of the Lord [Jehovah] shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD [Jehovah] hath spoken it."
Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." Matt. 3:1-3.
If the reader will note carefully the above comparison he will see that here the Spirit of God has definitely identified the Jehovah of Isaiah with the Jesus of Matthew. Then add to this Luke's word in chapter 1, verse 76:
"And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways."
Thus is John the Baptist called the prophet of the Highest. Who can this be but the Lord Himself, Jehovah. Yes, Jesus is Jehovah.
4. Jehovah-Jesus, THE STUMBLING STONE
Of all the Old Testament prophets, perhaps Isaiah is the most noted for his many and detailed announcements regarding the coming of Messiah. Repeatedly he identifies this Messiah with Jehovah. Witness the following from Isa. 8:13-15 and note the identity of this One with Jesus as recorded by Peter in his first epistle, chapter 2, verses 7, 8:
"Sanctify the LORD [Jehovah] of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him
"Unto you therefore which believe he is precious; but unto them which be disobedient,
be your dread. And he shall be for... a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel.... And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken."
the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient."
How patent is the conclusion from the above comparison that Jesus is Jehovah.
5. Jehovah-Jesus, THE ROCK
Another of the majestic titles of Jehovah in the Old Testament is "the Rock." The same is applied unreservedly to Christ in the New Testament.
"I will publish the name of the LORD [Jehovah]: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment." Deut. 32:3, 4.
"And did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." 1 Cor. 10:4.
Thus we see again that Jesus is Jehovah.
(To be continued)
1. Collected Writings of J. N. Darby, vol. 9, pp. 475-478. London, G. Morrish, 20 Paternoster Square, E.G. 4.
2. "Christian Testimony Through the Ages," T. W. Canon, G. Morrish, 114 Camberwell Rd., London. p. 50.
3. Evangelical Quarterly, James Clark & Co. Ltd., 9 Essex St., Strand, W. C. 2, London, England. Article by Prof. Dr. W. Childs Robinson, Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, G. vol. 5, pp. 275-282.
4. "In Col. 1:15-17 the Jehovah Witnesses' translation falsifies what Paul originally wrote, rendering it, 'He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, because by means of him all other things were created in the heavens and upon the earth.... All other things were made to exist.' Here the word 'other' has been unwarrantably inserted four times. It is not present in the original Greek, and was obviously used by the translators in order to make the passage refer to Jesus as being on a par with other created things." "Jehovah's Witnesses and Jesus Christ," by Bruce M. Metzer in Theology Today, Princeton, N. J., p. 76. April, 1953.
5. For a fuller discussion of the fallacious rendering of John 1:1, see "Jehovah of the Watchtower," by Martin and Klann, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Mich., 1956, pp. 50-54.