AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |
Back to Blog
Christian vs jehovah witness beliefs11/21/2023 Roberts points out in Two Biblical Papyri, p. We should also note that the Society has carefully avoided mention of another portion of the LXX called ‘P. Most, if not all, of the versions that the Society quote are of Jewish origin and therefore the scribes, translating or copying, would be simply keeping to their traditions by using the tetragram. There were many versions of the LXX and some used by the Jews would have had the four Hebrew letters but those used by the Christians did not have any special wording at all. What makes this contradiction even more remarkable is that the Deuteronomy fragments were first published in 1944 and the ‘Equipped’ book was not published until 1946. ( Equipped for every Good Work, Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, 1946, p. Nevertheless, in an earlier publication we read: “ ‘Jehovah’ does not occur in the Septuagint version, that name being represented by the Greek words for ‘the Lord'”. The Society concludes that because this one copy of the LXX contains the tetragram then all copies must have, especially the ones that Jesus read. (See Insight on the Scriptures, WBTS, Vol.1, p.326.) This is almost certainly of Jewish origin because it is written in square Hebrew characters on a scroll. Dated first or second century BC, it contains parts of Deuteronomy 18:5-32:19. They base their case almost entirely on the discovery of a part copy of the LXX called ‘P. This is truth, but not the whole truth, and in any case, here the Society contradicts itself. “Claim 1: the tetragram is found instead of a Greek word in the LXX We reproduce here some of the details we printed about this on pp.49-52 of Jehovah’s Witnesses – their beliefs and practices. When did Christ and His disciples teach that there was only one God and Father distinguished by the name Jehovah? There is not one shred of evidence anywhere that the disciples or Jesus ever pronounced the name of Jehovah and if they did, there would have been rebellion amongst the Jews who had not pronounced the name for centuries. In simplicity though we need to ask when, where, why and how? I believe this one short paragraph to be so full of error, misleading statements and twisted meanings that it would take more than this article to unravel. Thus, as a created being, Jesus frankly stated: “The Father is greater than I am.” John 14:28.” p.5. (1 Corinthians 8:6 Psalm 83:18) Jesus was created by God he is “the firstborn of every creature,” says the Catholic Douay Version of the Bible at Colossians 1:15. “Christ and his disciples taught that there is only “one God the Father,” distinguished by his personal name, Jehovah, which appears some 7,000 times in early Bible manuscripts. But how? Several examples are given in the article and I want us to investigate each one carefully. So, what is described as the nominal Christian church – which actually equates to all groups except the Jehovah’s Witnesses – has changed and altered God’s original plan. History shows that soon after the death of Christ’s apostles, the official face of “Christianity” began ” p.4. Sadly, the story of this portrait is, in essence, the story of the nominal Christian church. If you knew this were to happen, how would you feel? No doubt indignant. Other “improvements” follow with succeeding generations, so that eventually the portrait bears little resemblance to you. Another dislikes the shape of the nose, so he has that changed. Some generations later, however, one of your descendants feels that the receded hairline in the portrait is unflattering, so he has hair added. You think of your children, grandchildren, and their grandchildren looking at the portrait with great pride. When he is finished, you are thrilled the likeness is perfect. “Suppose you commission an artist to do a portrait of you. The opening paragraphs set the tone of the article and establish the purpose of writing it. We will first reproduce some of the article and then make comments on what the Watchtower tells us is God’s truth for today. As this article is so fundamental in revealing the beliefs and nature of the Watchtower Society, we want to comment on all the main issues raised. The Watchtower 1 June 2000 carried a four-page article entitled, The Changing Face of ‘Christianity’.
0 Comments
Read More
Leave a Reply. |