Jesus is "God" or "a god"?

Cousin,

Before I begin, let me just point out that, in making my case for the deity of Christ, I haven't really said anything about the Watchtower. I've been focused on Scripture, as the case stands or falls on its support from Scripture. But because of the topic of this post, l have to discuss the Watchtower, specifically, in regard to their New World Translation of the Bible, because I think it's accurate to say they've superimposed a piece of themselves onto the Scriptures.

John 1:1 is a straightforward verse for establishing Jesus' identity as God. I haven't brought it up because I know the Watchtower's translation of the verse gives it a different meaning than other translations. I also am under the impression Jehovah's Witnesses are trained at length to reject the historic Christian understanding of the verse. Therefore, I figure any case I make for Jesus being God is probably going to be more persuasive if I focus on other evidences from Scripture (as I have been doing). But today a few things about John 1:1 struck me as worth considering.

As you know, the Watchtower's translation reads:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. [Or “was divine.]"

Based on the verses that follow, the Watchtower asserts that the term "Word" is referring to Jesus (I think, correctly).

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

I just happened to look up John 1:1 on BibleGatway and noticed that they provide a way to view the verse in multiple English translations, which I've listed at the bottom of this.

You'll notice that in the over 50 translations listed, none of them end with the term "a god." They all end in some variation of the word "God." While it could be argued this isn't conclusive evidence that the Watchtower's translation is inaccurate, it's certainly notable. Scholars who do Biblical translations are masters of ancient Hebrew and Greek and are fully aware of the gravity of their task. You have to know they approach it soberly and take great care to do the best translation possible. (For a technical explanation of why, according to Greek rules of grammar, "God" is a proper translation, see this helpful post.) As far as I know, the Watchtower's New World Translation, which came out in 1950, is the only English translation in the history of Christendom to use the term "a god."

This strikes me as particularly suspicious considering that, at the time of the translation, the organization doing the translating specifically had as one of its unique and defining characteristics opposition to the majority understanding of Jesus' nature. In other words, rightly or wrongly, if anyone had an axe to grind regarding the idea that Jesus was God in the flesh, it was the Watchtower.

The Watchtower's translation also strikes me as suspect in that, while other religions in Biblical times believed in multiple gods (polytheism), the belief that there is one and only one God (monotheism) was a fundamental tenant of Judaism and Christianity. The Watchtower doesn't deny this. In the Bible, other gods are referred to as false gods, representing false religions. They are imaginary. Any belief or trust in them is condemned. Given that context, a translation that says Jesus is "a god" is thematically out of place. This is especially true since Jesus is always characterized in Scripture in a favorable light -- far from being a false god.

I know a common Jehovah's Witness rebuttal cites Psalm 58, where a group of men are called "gods." But if you actually read that passage, the reference to "gods" in lowercase is tongue-in-cheek, ridiculing evil men who abuse governing authority. It's sarcasm. This use of the word is not at all similar to the manner in which the Watchtower believes the term should be applied to Jesus in John 1:1, namely, that Jesus is a good god, but distinct from "almighty God."

I'm not positive what the Watchtower thinks characterizes the type of god they think Jesus is, but since the Watchtower acknowledges Jesus created the universe, it must be supernaturally powerful on a massive scale -- on a scale most people would associate with "God" is uppercase letters.

Regardless of how they want to characterize their teaching, it seems undeniable the Watchtower is claiming the universe has two god-like beings. That's polytheism. At the same time, they know Scripture is strict regarding monotheism, so I realize they would never want to accept the characterization of it as polytheism. Neverltheless, it fits the definition.

Note, this is a problem for the Watchtower regardless of whether "God" is lowercase or uppercase. Without a triune understanding of the nature of God -- where there's one God in three Persons -- the fist chapter of John leaves one with a polytheistic theology. To me, this is a compelling reason to conclude the Watchtower's understanding of God's nature is flawed. It also provides good insight into what the doctrine of the Trinity has to offer.


These are the 50+ alternate English translations of John 1:1:

KJ21 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

ASV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

AMP In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.

AMPC In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.

BRG In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

CEB In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

CJB In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

CEV In the beginning was the one who is called the Word. The Word was with God and was truly God.

DARBY In [the] beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

DLNT In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

DRA In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

ERV Before the world began, the Word was there. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

ESV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

ESVUK In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

EXB In the beginning [Gen. 1:1] ·there was the Word [the Word already existed; ^Cthe Word refers to Christ, God’s revelation of himself]. The Word was ·with [in the presence of; in intimate relationship with] God [^Cthe Father], and the Word was [fully] God.

GNV In the beginning was that Word, and that Word was with God, and that Word was God.

GW In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

GNT In the beginning the Word already existed; the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

HCSB In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

ICB Before the world began, there was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

ISV In the beginning, the Word existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

PHILLIPS At the beginning God expressed himself. That personal expression, that word, was with God, and was God, and he existed with God from the beginning. All creation took place through him, and none took place without him. In him appeared life and this life was the light of mankind. The light still shines in the darkness and the darkness has never put it out.

JUB In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with the God, and the Word was God.

KJV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

AKJV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

LEB In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

TLB Before anything else existed, there was Christ,* with God. He has always been alive and is himself God.

MSG The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word. The Word was God, in readiness for God from day one.

MEV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

MOUNCE In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with · God, and the Word was God.

NOG In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

NABRE In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

NASB In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

NCV In the beginning there was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

NET In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God.

NIRV In the beginning, the Word was already there. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

NIV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

NIVUK In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

NKJV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

NLV The Word (Christ) was in the beginning. The Word was with God. The Word was God.

NLT In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

NRSV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

NRSVA In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

NRSVACE In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

NRSVCE In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

NTE In the beginning was the Word. The Word was close beside God, and the Word was God.

OJB Bereshis (in the Beginning) was the Dvar Hashem [YESHAYAH 55:11; BERESHIS 1:3], and the Dvar Hashem was agav (along with, etzel, Mishle 8:30;30:4) Hashem, and the Dvar Hashem was nothing less, by nature, than Elohim! [Psa 56:11(10); Yn 17:5; Rev. 19:13 i.e., the Ma’amar Memra]

RSV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

RSVCE In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

TLV In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

VOICE Before time itself was measured, the Voice was speaking. The Voice was and is God.

WEB In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

WE The Word already was, way back before anything began to be. The Word and God were together. The Word was God.

WYC In the beginning was the word, and the word was at God, and God was the word. [In the beginning was the word, that is, God's Son, and the word was at God, and God was the word.]

YLT In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God;

A "mind prison"

[Note: This particular blog entry is not addressed to my cousin, but I think it provides insight into why it's more difficult than it should be to influence a Jehovah's Witness' thinking.]

Not too long ago I saw an impactful National Geographic documentary about North Korea. I recommend everyone see it (viewable on YouTube: Inside North Korea). North Korea basically operates as a cult. If you have anything less than complete devotion and adoration for their leader, your life will be destroyed -- quite literally. You, (and likely your family as well), will disappear into a concentration camp, never to be heard from again.

I found the film very disturbing. My discomfort lingered several days. The thought that people on planet Earth are right now living this sort of hellish existence was painful to grasp. I wondered if the North Koreans even realize they're in a "mind prison." There's evidence some are. But I suspect many eventually lose touch with reality and even willingly take part in the oppression.

Fast forward to this week: I did a Google search to re-locate this blog (it's been a while), and came across some YouTube videos made by former Jehovah's Witnesses. (You can find a bunch if you search on "why you shouldn't be a Jehovah's witness.") They were obviously home made, often rambling, but very insightful nonetheless for those of us on the outside. I think every speaker touched on the topic of being forced to terminate all contact with anyone the Jehovah's Witnesses kicked out or who left of their own accord. Known as "disfellowshipping," friendships are abruptly ended and family ties severed, even between parents and children. Violations of the ban put you at risk of the same fate yourself.

Although there is no violence involved, it doesn't take a lot of insight to see that this is another example of a "mind prison."

So far on this blog I've attempted to explain why I hold beliefs different than the Watchtower. But this whole practice of controlling people's religious beliefs by threatening to destroy their personal relationships is horrendous regardless of theological understanding. I wonder if there is a way to artfully bring this up when Jehovah's Witnesses come to our door that could help set them on the road towards escaping the situation they find themselves in.

I can envision taking a few minutes to ask them to describe the importance fellow Witnesses have to them personally. I expect they'd consider it an opportunity to pitch their organization and say positive things, especially with another Witness at their side.

Then I'd ask, "How likely would you be to consider the religious claims of someone who, at least in part, makes the claims they do due to coercion... in other words, because they're being threatened?"

I'm guessing they'd say they wouldn't be likely. 

Then I'd say,

"I'm with you! Religious beliefs should be adopted because one is persuaded they are true, not because one is threatened with harm.

"So I have a problem. I'm someone who's aware the Watchtower threatens to 'disfellowship' anyone who voluntarily leaves. I also understand the dire personal implications that would have for most people. I'm sure you don't want to lose fellowship with those you hold dear

"Knowing that, would it really make much sense for me to seriously consider what you, as a Witness, has to say about religion? How do I know you aren't saying what you have to in order to avoid having your relationships with family and friends essentially stolen from you?

"Though not his fault, no witness at gunpoint -- Jehovah's or otherwise -- is a reliable witness. Anyone would be foolish not to consider this when listening to what Jehovah's Witnesses have to say. But it's also something you yourself should be considering when you're listening to your fellow Witnesses. As far as I can tell, all of you are being blackmailed. 

"If you always think Watchtower teaching is correct, this situation might not bother you. But, think about it, are you okay with the fact that coming to a different conclusion than the Watchtower could put your relationship with everyone you hold dear at risk? In a very real sense, you guys are trapped.

"Someone like me, if you come to my door and I conclude the Watchtower is correct, I'm free to convert. My social network and familial relationships will remain intact. Jehovah's Witnesses don't have that assurance. 

"If I want to read and consider Watchtower literature, I'm free to do so, and I have done so. But the Watchtower forbids Witnesses from reading what others write. So if the Watchtower is ever wrong, they have minimized your ability to know about it. I realize they say they are never wrong, and therefore there is no error to be detected. But I think history informs us that those that forbid challenge typically have something to hide, and teachers who silence questioning are much more apt to unknowingly err.

"I don't expect you to express any agreement with me because I know you face punishment if you do. But I hope you'll give this some thought. 

"I don't know what the answer for you is. Blackmail, by its nature, doesn't offer painless alternatives. But I'd submit to you that any organization that uses coercion against you is an organization you should try and get out from underneath."

I'm guessing many Witnesses, deep inside, are intimidated by the threat they face from the Watchtower and have been conditioned to cope with it. Having an outsider shed light on the situation might be a way of penetrating the prison wall.

In theory, this should be a whole lot easier than addressing the problems in North Korea. In reality, I'm not sure it actually is.


This appears to be an excellent resource regarding disfellowshipping:

Disfellowshipping and Shunning

It includes a lot of excerpts from past Jehovah's Witness publications documenting the development and evolution of the practice in Jehovah's Witness history as well as Biblical reasons to regard it as wrong-headed.

The demon-possessed man provides a "clue" as to Jesus being God

Cousin,

Today in church we came across another "clue" in the Bible regarding Jesus' identity as God. This passage is in Mark 5. It's about Jesus driving 2,000 demons out of a man. It reads:

¹  They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. ² And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. ³  He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, ⁴ for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. ⁵ Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. ⁶ And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. ⁷ And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” ⁸ For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” ⁹ And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” ¹⁰ And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. ¹¹ Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, ¹² and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” ¹³ So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.

¹⁴ The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. ¹⁵ And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. ¹⁶ And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. ¹⁷ And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. ¹⁸ As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. ¹⁹ And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” ²⁰ And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

The New World Translation renders verses 19 and 20 as such:

However, he did not let him, but said to him: “Go home to your relatives, and report to them all the things Jehovah has done for you and the mercy he had on you.” And he went away and started to proclaim in the De·cap´o·lis all the things Jesus did for him, and all the people began to wonder.

The clue here regarding Jesus' identity is that Jesus told the man to report all the things Jehovah had done for him, and in response, the text says he reported all the things Jesus had done for him.

Thus, Jesus = Jehovah.

Granted, the equivalence is implied. But if the implication is a false one, who could deny that this represented a significant misstep on the part of the man? I think the fact that Mark didn't deem it necessary to provide commentary to clarify the issue, and instead, let the implication stand, makes this "clue" a significant one.

Jesus as the shepherd = Jesus as God (part 2)

Cousin,

Sunday we covered another passage in the New Testament (Revelation 7) that refers to Jesus as the shepherd:

¹³ Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” ¹⁴ I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

¹⁵ “Therefore they are before the throne of God,
    and serve him day and night in his temple;
    and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
¹⁶  They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
     the sun shall not strike them,
    nor any scorching heat.
¹⁷ For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
    and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

And there's also 1 Peter 2:

²⁴  He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. ²⁵ For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

 And Hebrews 13:

 ²⁰ Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep...

I think I said it before, but the doctrine of the Trinity, rather than being a problem, makes sense of passages like these. Without it, you're stuck with all sorts of blasphemous New Testament passages that attribute God's identifying characteristics to Jesus.

Jesus as the shepherd = Jesus as God

Cousin,

This week in church we read the following passage from Ezekiel 34 regarding YHWH being the shepherd of His people.

¹¹ “For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. ¹² As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. ¹³ And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. ¹⁴  I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. ¹⁵  I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. ¹⁶  I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.

Along that same theme, Psalm 23 reads:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
²     He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
³     He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name's sake.

⁴ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

These passages are clues to Jesus' identity as YHWH, for in John 10, Jesus teaches:

¹¹ I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. ¹³ He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. ¹⁴  I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, ¹⁵  just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

To his Jewish audience, Jesus' words would have been understood as blasphemy. Later in verses 19 and 20, John reports, "A division occurred again among the Jews because of these words. Many of them were saying, 'He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?'"

They knew the implication of what Jesus was saying.

Notice how in Ezekiel 34:12 and 15, the sheep are identified as belonging to the Lord God. And in John 20:12-14, Jesus makes the deliberate point that the sheep are "[his] own," not those of some hired hand. He is the ultimate owner, which is why he cares enough about them to lay down his life for their welfare.

Also worth noting is how in verse 16, Jesus says there is only one shepherd.

These passages are another reason Christians believe Jesus is YHWH.

Another example of Jesus receiving worship, and apparent NWT bias

Cousin,

I had posted before about Jesus receiving worship, and how I see it as a "clue" to Jesus' identity as YHWH (see: http://letterstomyjwcousin.blogspot.com/2010/03/jesus-receives-worship.html).

Recently at church I recognized another example of this in Matthew 14:

²⁴ But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. ²⁵ And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. ²⁶ When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. ²⁷ But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
 ²⁸ Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” ²⁹ And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” ³¹ Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and *said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” ³² When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. ³³ And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!”

In preparing this post, I came across what appears to be a very insightful article regarding how the Watchtower addresses this issue of Jesus receiving worship. I wasn't aware of this. This is how it reads:

The New World Translation and "Proskuneo" (worship)

(from: http://carm.org/religious-movements/jehovahs-witnesses/new-world-translation-and-proskuneo-worship)

The chart below is a list of every occurrence of the Greek word "proskuneo" that I could find in The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures (1969). This work was produced by the New World Translation Bible (NWT) committee in accordance with the Watchtower organization. An interlinear is a word-for-word translation of the Greek text. Included in this Watchtower interlinear is the text of the New World Translation Bible placed in a column on each page so the reader can see exactly how the NWT renders each occurrence of the verb "proskuneo."

The word "proskuneo" means "to kiss the hand, bow down before, show obeisance, to worship." Since the Jehovah's Witnesses deny that Jesus is God, they maintain that He is not to be worshipped. So, how does the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society translate the word "proskuneo" in their Greek New Testament in reference to Jesus and other objects of adoration? The NWT never translates the word into "worship" when it references Jesus. It does, however, render the word as "worship" in regards to the devil, the dragon, the beast, the image, demons, idols, and an angel. Of course, they correctly translate it as "worship" when it deals with God.

Is the New World Translation biased against worshipping Jesus? It would surely seem so, especially since the NASB, NIV, KJV, NKJV, etc., all translate the word as "worship" in reference to Jesus.

What is curious is to note that the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society used to teach that worshipping Jesus was acceptable:

"The fact that our Lord received worship is claimed by some to be an evidence that while on earth he was God the Father disguised in a body of flesh and not really a man. Was he really worshiped, or is the translation faulty? Yes we believe our Lord Jesus while on earth was really worshiped, and properly so. While he was not the God, Jehovah, he was a God. The word ‘God’ signifies a ‘mighty one,’ and our Lord was indeed a mighty one. So it is stated in the first two verses of the gospel of John. It was proper for our Lord to receive worship in view of his having been the only begotten of the Father. . ." (The Watchtower, July 15, 1898, p. 216.)

It seems that as the Watchtower theology changed, they needed a Bible consistent with those changes; hence, the New World Translation. Following is a chart listing every appearance of the word "proskuneo" in the New World Translation. Let's see if the bias of the Watchtower organization is obvious.

The word "proskuneo" occurs 55 times in the Watchtower Kingdom Interlinear. Of those 55, 15 are in reference to Jesus with 40 used of others. 27% of the usage is of Jesus and not a single reference is translated as "worship" even though in reference to the devil, demons, idols, etc., they do translate it as worship. If this doesn't demonstrate their bias, then what does?

[Note: I wasn't familiar with the word "obeisance" below, but it is a real word. See: definition.]

Verse	Jesus	God	Demons	dragon, beast, image	Devil	Generic	Idols	Peter	angel
Matt. 2:2	obeisance
Matt. 2:8	obeisance
Matt. 2:11	obeisance
Matt. 4:9					worship
Matt. 4:10		worship
Matt. 8:2	obeisance
Matt. 9:18	obeisance
Matt. 14:33	obeisance
Matt. 15:25	obeisance
Matt. 18:26						obeisance
Matt. 20:20	obeisance
Matt. 28:9	obeisance
Matt. 28:17	obeisance
Mark 5:6	obeisance
Mark 15:19	obeisance
Luke 4:7					worship
Luke 4:8		worship
Luke 24:52	obeisance
Verse	Jesus	God	Demons	dragon, beast, image	Devil	Generic	Idols	Peter	angel
John 4:20		worship
John 4:21		worship
John 4:22		worship
John 4:23		worship
John 4:23		worship
John 4:24		worship
John 9:38	obeisance
John 12:20						worship
Acts 7:43							worship
Acts 8:27						worship
Acts 10:25								obeisance
Acts 24:11						worship
1 Cor. 14:25		worship
Heb. 1:6	obeisance
Heb. 11:21		worship
Verse	Jesus	God	Demons	dragon, beast, image	Devil	Generic	Idols	Peter	angel
Rev. 3:9						obeisance
Rev. 4:10		worship
Rev. 5:14		worship
Rev. 7:11		worship
Rev. 9:20			worship
Rev. 11:1						worship
Rev. 11:16		worship
Rev. 13:4				worship
Rev. 13:8				worship
Rev. 13:12				worship
Rev. 13:15				worship
Rev. 14:7		worship
Rev. 14:9				worship
Rev. 14:11				worship
Rev. 15:4		worship
Rev. 16:2				worship
Rev. 19:4		worship
Rev. 19:10		worship
Rev. 19:20				worship
Rev. 20:4				worship
Rev. 22:8									worship
Rev. 22:9		worship

As you can see, the NWT is very bias in how it translates the word "proskuneo." Whenever it is in reference to Jesus, they absolutely will not let it be translated as worship. Why? Because they erringly deny that Jesus is God in flesh and their Bible reflects their bias. This is not how proper theology is done.

The Watchtower Organization has changed the Bible to suit its needs.

Whose church is it?

Cousin,

I just noticed that Acts 20:28 makes mention of "the church of God." This is a common term in the New Testament.

To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:(1 Corinthians 1:2)

Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— (1 Corinthians 10:32)

If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God. (1 Corinthians 11:16)

Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not! (1 Corinthians 11:22)

For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. (1 Corinthians 15:9)

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia: (2 Corinthians 1:1)

For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. (Galatians 1:13)

Yet, Romans 16:16 reads:

"Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings."

We see the words "God" and "Christ" used interchangeably.

Furthermore, the church of God is sometimes referred to as "the body of Christ" in Scripture (1 Corinthians 12:27, Ephesians 4:12).

This is another "clue" regarding Jesus' identity.

Mike

Is there one God or two?

Cousin,

This morning our pastor told us about a conversation he had yesterday with some nice Jehovah's Witnesses that came to his door. They discussed John 1:1 and 1:18 together, and the Jehovah's Witnesses claim that Jesus is not God, but only "a god."

This is how he said the conversation ended:

Pastor: So are you saying there are two Gods?

Witnesses: No. Jehovah is the one almighty God.

Pastor: So what is this passage saying Jesus is?

Witnesses: "A god," god being lower case.

Pastor: But the Bible teaches there is only one God. Other so-called gods are always false gods.

Witnesses: Yes, that's true.

Pastor: But you believe Jesus is one of these other gods. You believe there are multiple gods, (or at least two), in some sort of hierarchy, Jesus being at a lower level than Jehovah.

Witnesses: [deer in the headlights look] We'll have to research that one. Can we come back when we have an answer for you?

Pastor: By all means.

This strikes me as a very valid question.

Mike

Purchased with God's blood?

Hi Cousin,

Acts 20:28 came up today in church:

"Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood."

The New World Translation renders it:

"Pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the holy spirit has appointed YOU overseers, to shepherd the congregation of God, which he purchased with the blood of his own [Son]."

Among translators, I believe the Watchtower is alone in adding the word "Son" to the passage. (I will give them credit for adding brackets to indicate the word was not there to begin with.)

If you look at a Greek Interlinear (such as this) you'll see that the translators of the NWT deviated from the Greek... which is tragic, because it's obviously very significant.

Mike

Will God Ever Destroy the Earth? (Part 2)

Cousin,

In a prior letter I discussed the question of whether God will eventually destroy the earth. I think the passages you said the Jehovah's Witnesses cite to support the idea of its permanence are Ecclesiastes 1: 4:

"A generation goes, and a generation comes,   but the earth remains forever."

... as well as Psalms 78:69:

 "He built his sanctuary like the heights,
      like the earth that he established forever."

Earlier I explained the use of figurative language in portions of Scripture. I can further illustrate what I mean using these passages.

Let's consider the verse from Psalms. Reading it in context, it strikes me that the mention of the earth is a tangential thought in the chapter. Even though Psalms 76 mentions something about the earth, the chapter is not really about the earth. What precedes verse 69 is a very lengthy recounting of the history of God's people. It is a story that is strikingly dramatic and dynamic in nature. In stark contrast, verse 69 introduces the reader to the Lord's sanctuary, comparing it to the mountains and to the earth. It says that the way the Lord built His sanctuary is like the way He built "the heights" and the earth.

Your point was that the verse does say "forever." And I can see that. It does say forever.

However, like other Psalms, this passage is a poem. And in this case, I think it is reasonable to conclude that the intention of this line is limited to conveying an impression to the reader.

It's similar to how someone might describe a very hot room by saying, "It's as hot as a furnace in here!" -- a literal inaccuracy, but serving the limited purpose for which it was intended. Of course, if we had no familiarity with furnaces, we might be confused by the saying.

In a similar way, if Scripture was otherwise silent on the fate of the earth, I'm sure everyone would be sympathetic to a literal interpretation of this verse. But as I pointed out before, Scripture is not silent on this topic. And other passages clearly contradict the literal meaning of this verse.

I don't think it's far-fetched, sloppy, or disrespectful of God to conclude that the reference to the earth's permanence here is intended figuratively and relatively.

The point of the verse is that God's sanctuary is permanent. And while the author could have just said that, he chose to make his point by comparing it with something else known for its permanence. From the vantage point of human beings, the earth is the most permanent thing we know of in nature. It outlives us all. Generation after generation have shared this same planet. People come and go, but the earth remains.

Now the verse in Ecclesiastes is a little different. The greater passage it appears within is all about how nothing man does is permanent. Everything he does is temporary, and ultimately futile. (As I told you guys, Ecclesiastes is an "interesting" book.) The point of the passage is to relay the nature of man's work and existence, not the earth's.

Like I said, if the rest of Scripture was silent on the issue, I could see being persuaded. It simply isn't. 

Mike

Another Clue that Jesus is YHWH

Cousin,

I noticed something interesting about the passage from Hebrews chapter 1 that I quoted earlier regarding the earth's eventual destruction. I think it contains another "clue" to the divinity of Jesus.:

⁸ But of the Son he says,

   "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
   the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
⁹ You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;therefore God, your God, has anointed you
   with the oil of gladness beyond your companions."
¹⁰ And,

   "You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,
and the heavens are the work of your hands;
¹¹ they will perish, but you remain;
   they will all wear out like a garment,
¹² like a robe you will roll them up,
   like a garment they will be changed.
But you are the same,
   and your years will have no end."

For in verse 8 it says that these passages are speaking of the Son. Yet verses 10 through 12 are a direct quotation of Psalm 102:

²⁵ Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,
   and the heavens are the work of your hands.
²⁶ They will perish, but you will remain;
   they will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
 ²⁷ but you are the same, and your years have no end.

If you go read Psalm 102, from verse 12 on, you'll see it's unquestionably about YHWH. The author of Hebrews obviously believed that the Son was in some respect YHWH.

Mike

YHWH Speaking to Himself

Hi Cousin!

I've got another couple of "Trinity clues" to share with you. These ones can be found in Genesis 1 and Genesis 11. Both passages appear to refer to God speaking to Himself, as if He were in some manner comprised of multiple persons.

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; (Genesis 1:26)

And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. And the LORD said, "Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech." So the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. And from there the LORD dispersed them over the face of all the earth. (Genesis 11:5-9)

Point #1:
One may speculate that God was referring to some other heavenly beings who were present. However, the passages themselves make no reference to anyone else being present.

Point #2:
In both cases it is implied that the parties communicating share miraculous/supernatural/divine powers in that YHWH proposes that "they," not He, take miraculous action.

Point #3:
In Genesis 1:26, YHWH proposes that man be created in "our likeness." So whatever parties are communicating in 1:26, they have a likeness in common.

Point #4:
Whoever YHWH is speaking to in 11:7, he proposes that "they" confuse the languages of the people, implying that it will be a team effort. And then the next two verses goes on to explicitly say that YHWH confused their languages, not YHWH and some other party.

Christians believe that these two passages allude to the idea that God's nature involves a plurality in some manner. And, like I said earlier, the doctrine on the Trinity was formulated as a means of making sense of passages like these, and all the other ones I've been sharing with you.

Mike

Jesus Is Glorified

Hi Cousin!

I thought of our Trinity conversation when I heard [my son's] memory verse for school this week:

"I am the LORD, that is My name;
I will not give My glory to another,
Nor My praise to graven images. (Isaiah 42:8)

I am reminded of passages like these:

This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. (John 2:11)

Jesus answered, "If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, 'He is our God'; (John 8:54)

But when Jesus heard this, He said, "This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it." (John 11:4)

What strikes me is, in Isaiah, YHWH says He will not give his glory to "another." Yet Jesus tells us YHWH glorifies Him. It logically follows that the Son must then not actually be "another"... that the Son, like the Father, must also be YHWH.

On the topic of glorification, I'm reminded of Philippians 2:9-11 where it says...

For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

This Philippians passage is a allusion to Isaiah 45:

18 For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited), . . .
22 Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth;
For I am God, and there is no other.
23 "I have sworn by Myself,
The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness
And will not turn back,
That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.

Bowing down to someone other than YHWH is idolatry. Every knee will bow to YHWH.

Again, it logically follows that Jesus, like the Father, must also be YHWH.

Also in this passage we see YHWH saying He is the one who saves. Yet we know, from other passages, that Jesus is the Savior.

...just more clues that came to mind.

Mike

Will God Ever Destroy the Earth? (Part 1)

Hi Cousin,

Your dad had asked me whether I thought God would ever destroy the Earth. I told him that I thought the Bible said He would, and that He would then create a new one. But I didn't know off the top of my head where it said that.

In December, one of our Bible readings in church was from 2 Peter, where it mentions the earth being destroyed. I recalled our conversation, and when I got home, looked up all the verses I could find on the topic.

Psalms 102
²⁵ Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,
   and the heavens are the work of your hands.
²⁶ They will perish, but you will remain;
   they will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
 ²⁷but you are the same, and your years have no end.

Isaiah 51
⁶ Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
   and look at the earth beneath;
 for the heavens vanish like smoke,
   the earth will wear out like a garment,
   and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;
 but my salvation will be forever,
   and my righteousness will never be dismayed.

Isaiah 65
¹⁷ For behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.

Isaiah 66
²² For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before Me, says the LORD, so shall your offspring and your name remain.

Mark 13
³¹ "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

Luke 21
³³ "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

Matthew 5
¹⁸ "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

Hebrews 1
⁸ But of the Son he says,
   "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
   the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
⁹ You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
   therefore God, your God, has anointed you
   with the oil of gladness beyond your companions."
¹⁰ And,
   "You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,
   and the heavens are the work of your hands;
¹¹ they will perish, but you remain;
   they will all wear out like a garment,
¹² like a robe you will roll them up,
   like a garment they will be changed.
But you are the same,
   and your years will have no end."

2 Peter 3
⁷ But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.¹¹ Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
¹² looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!
¹³ But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

Revelation 20
¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.

Revelation 21
¹ Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.

I know there are Old Testament passages that refer to the Earth as permanent. How do we make sense of that?

Well, here are my thoughts:

The passages the refer to the earth "standing forever" are all within the context of poetic writings -- writings which sometimes include figurative language. Books like the Psalms and Ecclesiastes contain figurative descriptions of things, where the intention for the words is limited to conveying an impression to the reader, not providing precise, literal accuracy.

For example, consider Psalm 139:15 where the Psalmist says he was "woven together in the depths of the earth." Read in context, it goes along with the idea expressed in the text leading up to it, that God's work of creating a child inside his mother is so secret and hidden from man that it might as well be in "the depths of the earth." It is unlikely the writer really meant to say that babies are formed underground. It is also unlikely he meant to say that human bodies are literally woven. The writer took what we call "poetic license."

Figurative language is one of the literary tools the writers of the Psalms and Ecclesiastes were using to communicate their message, which is completely legitimate. And, incidentally, accepting that detracts nothing from the fact that these passages are still the inspired word of God. The presence of figurative language needs to be kept in mind if one is to understand passages like these accurately and not read into them something beyond what was actually intended. Interpreting figurative passages as being literal in meaning is illegitimate because it inaccurately assesses of the intent of the writer.

Applying this to our current topic, if I encounter a passage in Scripture that appears to contradict teachings found elsewhere in Scripture -- like some passages that say the earth is permanent, and others that say it will be destroyed -- and if, in context, a figurative interpretation is plausible and reasonable, I'm going to lean towards concluding the passage was intended to be figurative, or only true in a relative sense.

On this particular issue, regarding the earth's fate, I could be wrong. However, if I am, I'm left with what I think is an even more substantial task: coming up with alternate meanings for unambiguous statements in Scripture that God will eventually destroy the earth -- statements which, from their context, are clearly not intended to be figurative (with the possible exception of the ones from Revelation).

And to clarify what I was trying to express to you and your dad when we spoke, I see no logical reason to accept the contention that the earth's destruction and recreation would mean God's purposes had been thwarted. Logic does not dictate that since God intended man to live on the earth, destroying earth would mean God's intention hadn't been fulfilled. That's akin to saying, if I buy a car, and at a later date, decide to replace it, my purposes have been circumvented. I just don't see that. I have a car to get me from place to place; that's its purpose. Getting a new car doesn't prevent me from accomplishing that purpose. In fact, depending upon the car I replace it with, my purposes might actually get accomplished better!

Similarly, God made the earth to provide a home for his creatures. Making us a new earth is not going to thwart his purposes, any more than perfecting our resurrected bodies is going to thwart his purposes. In fact, if I correctly understand the passages above, destroying the earth and creating a new one is exactly what God purposes to do.

Mike

Jesus Receives Worship

Hi Cousin,

Prior to Christmas, a couple of Bible passages were read at my church that, in my mind, relate to the question of whether or not Jesus is YHWH.

One is from the Matthew 2 account of the wise men.

⁹ After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was.
¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
¹¹ After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Here is a case where Jesus was worshiped, even though we know God forbade the worship of anyone but Him.

A couple chapters later, in Matthew 4, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:13 when the devil asked him to worship him.

¹⁰ Then Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'"

So obviously Matthew, (as would be true of any other practicing Jew), was well aware of the inappropriateness of worshiping anyone other than God. Yet Matthew's account in chapter 2 does not depict the wise men worshiping Jesus as a blasphemous act. For me, this is another "clue" as to Jesus' true nature.


Another passage that came up in church was in Matthew 1, where Matthew offers the following commentary on the events he just described:

²² Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
²³ "BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH US."

The first part of verse 23 is a quote from Isaiah 7:14. But Matthew adds an additional piece of information, namely, that the name Immanuel means "God with us." A child is born, and now God is with us. Alas, another clue!


I'm sure you're familiar with this passage from Isaiah 9, one that is read in churches every Christmas:

⁶ For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

This is speaking of Jesus. "Mighty God, Eternal Father." If Jesus is not in some manner YHWH, these titles would be blasphemous, and, at the very least, inviting significant confusion for readers.


The significance of the wise men worshiping Jesus is similar to the point I made to you (in person) about the disciple Thomas. When Thomas addressed Jesus as “my Lord and my God” in John 20:28, why didn't Jesus sternly renounce him? We know it was not in Jesus' character to remain silent as people partook in blasphemy or idolatry. Why didn't Jesus renounce him the same way he renounced Peter in Matt. 16:23 and Mark 8:33, where he said, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."? If Jesus was not YHWH, Thomas' words would be blasphemy of the highest order.

In Revelation 22 the apostle John began worshiping someone other than God and was quickly told not to:

⁸ I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things.
⁹ But he said to me, "Do not do that! I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book. Worship God."

Notice that Jesus didn't say anything of the sort to Thomas. Instead he made a statement indicating Thomas' reaction was evidence of a virtuous belief in his resurrection.

And don't miss this very significant detail: The passage specifically states that Thomas was speaking to Jesus, not to the Father.

²⁸ Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

There is no wiggle room here to interpret Thomas’ statement as anything other than a straightforward declaration of Jesus as both Thomas' Lord and his God -- a statement that Jesus, and John, the writer of this account, (and the same John mentioned in the passage from Revelation above), allowed to stand without correction.

For me, this is yet another clue.

Mike

Jesus as Savior, Thoughts About the Trinity, and Jesus Hiding Things

Hi Cousin!

The other night when we were having our "theological argument" at your dad's house, you made a point that kind of got drowned out. You challenged me to give reasons for why I believe Lutheranism is true. I didn't come prepared to make that case. And I'm not formally prepared to now. However, your challenge was a fair one, and I'd like, if it would be okay with you, to drop you a line once in a while to share with you bits and pieces of why I have come to the theological conclusions I have. (And you are more than welcome to comment.)

Since we spoke, I have been thinking about the doctrine of the Trinity. I think I’m stating the case rightly when I say that the doctrine of the Trinity, rather than being a formula explicitly stated in Scripture, is one derived from Scripture. It attempts to summarize, and bring harmony to, the various things Scripture reveals (both explicitly and implicitly) about the nature of God. The doctrine of the Trinity was eventually stated formally in order to draw a distinction between accurate Scriptural teaching and deviant teaching that was creeping up in some sectors.

I imagine such a formulation is not completely foreign even to your church. For instance, the JW teaching on the topic of God's "theocracy" may be something like that; it attempts to provide a unified interpretation of teaching found in bits and pieces throughout Scripture. Arguing that such a thing is not explicitly taught misses the point; it is implicitly taught when reading Scripture as a whole. It is useful in delineating how a religious group's beliefs differ from those of another.

To understand where I and many other Christians are coming from on the Trinity, you should realize that the doctrine of the Trinity is not controversial in our circles. When we read Scripture, we do so assuming God's nature is Triune. If a JW or Mormon asks the average Christian where the doctrine of the Trinity is found in Scripture, he may not have an answer off the top of his head. It's almost akin to asking, “Where does Scripture support the idea that God is good?” The seeming answer is, All over! But it may not be obvious where to begin making a defense for it. Basically, like God's goodness, Jesus' divine nature is "a given." But the average Christian would have to do some homework to make a compelling case for it.

I intend to keep this question of the Trinity, as well as others we discussed, in the back of my mind and toss things out to you as I contemplate them. Thursday morning provided me the seed for one such opportunity.

On our morning drive to school, my son was working on memorizing a verse from Luke 1 that reads:

⁴⁶ And Mary said:
"My soul exalts the Lord,
⁴⁷ And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. "

It struck me that this is one of those passages I would categorize as a "Trinitarian clue."

Here Mary, in an expression of worship, says that God is her Savior. We see this echoed many places in Scripture. However, we also see the title “Savior” liberally applied to Jesus. Obvious questions arise for me: Why did the New Testament writers assign a title to Jesus that had always been reserved for YHWH? Why did they deviate from the message that was already familiar to their readers, that YHWH was their Savior? If they did not believe that Jesus was in some sense YHWH, why did they choose to use wording that would blur the distinction? Why did they choose controversial wording that could reasonably be interpreted blasphemous?

Below is a list I assembled (using biblegateway.com) of every passage in Scripture that uses the term “Savior.” (In this particular English translation, The New American Standard, “YHWH” is translated to the word "LORD," as was the custom of the translators of the Hebrew Scriptures into other languages. They considered the name of God so sacred as to be inappropriate to speak with human lips. Accordingly, my understanding is the word YHWH does not appear in any original text found in the New Testament.)

If I read these passages with no predisposition as to whether or not Jesus is in some sense YHWH, to my eyes, an implication in the affirmative surfaces. (For obvious reasons, Isaiah 43:11 and Hosea 13:4 really stands out as a significant clue.)

BibleGateway link to this list:
http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/?search=savior&searchtype=all&version1=49&spanbegin=1&spanend=73

1. 2 Samuel 22:3
   My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; My savior, You save me from violence.
   2 Samuel 22:2-4 (in Context) 2 Samuel 22 (Whole Chapter)
2. Psalm 17:7
   Wondrously show Your lovingkindness, O Savior of those who take refuge at Your right hand From those who rise up against them.
   Psalm 17:6-8 (in Context) Psalm 17 (Whole Chapter)
3. Psalm 106:21
   They forgot God their Savior, Who had done great things in Egypt,
   Psalm 106:20-22 (in Context) Psalm 106 (Whole Chapter)
4. Isaiah 19:20
   It will become a sign and a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the LORD because of oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a Champion, and He will deliver them.
   Isaiah 19:19-21 (in Context) Isaiah 19 (Whole Chapter)
5. Isaiah 43:3
   "For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I have given Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place.
   Isaiah 43:2-4 (in Context) Isaiah 43 (Whole Chapter)
6. Isaiah 43:11
   "I, even I, am the LORD, And there is no savior besides Me.
   Isaiah 43:10-12 (in Context) Isaiah 43 (Whole Chapter)
7. Isaiah 45:15
   Truly, You are a God who hides Himself, O God of Israel, Savior!
   Isaiah 45:14-16 (in Context) Isaiah 45 (Whole Chapter)
8. Isaiah 45:21
   " Declare and set forth your case; Indeed, let them consult together. Who has announced this from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, the LORD?And there is no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a Savior; There is none except Me.
   Isaiah 45:20-22 (in Context) Isaiah 45 (Whole Chapter)
9. Isaiah 49:26
   "I will feed your oppressors with their own flesh, And they will become drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine; And all flesh will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."
   Isaiah 49:25-26 (in Context) Isaiah 49 (Whole Chapter)
10. Isaiah 60:16
    "You will also suck the milk of nations and suck the breast of kings; Then you will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
    Isaiah 60:15-17 (in Context) Isaiah 60 (Whole Chapter)
11. Isaiah 63:8
    For He said, "Surely, they are My people, Sons who will not deal falsely." So He became their Savior.
    Isaiah 63:7-9 (in Context) Isaiah 63 (Whole Chapter)
12. Jeremiah 14:8
    "O Hope of Israel, Its Savior in time of distress, Why are You like a stranger in the land Or like a traveler who has pitched his tent for the night?
    Jeremiah 14:7-9 (in Context) Jeremiah 14 (Whole Chapter)
13. Hosea 13:4
    Yet I have been the LORD your God Since the land of Egypt; And you were not to know any god except Me, For there is no savior besides Me.
    Hosea 13:3-5 (in Context) Hosea 13 (Whole Chapter)
14. Luke 1:47
    And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
    Luke 1:46-48 (in Context) Luke 1 (Whole Chapter)
15. Luke 2:11
    for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
    Luke 2:10-12 (in Context) Luke 2 (Whole Chapter)
16. John 4:42
    and they were saying to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world."
    John 4:41-43 (in Context) John 4 (Whole Chapter)
17. Acts 5:31
    " He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
    Acts 5:30-32 (in Context) Acts 5 (Whole Chapter)
18. Acts 13:23
    " From the descendants of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus,
    Acts 13:22-24 (in Context) Acts 13 (Whole Chapter)
19. Ephesians 5:23
    For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.
    Ephesians 5:22-24 (in Context) Ephesians 5 (Whole Chapter)
20. Philippians 3:20
    For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
    Philippians 3:19-21 (in Context) Philippians 3 (Whole Chapter)
21. 1 Timothy 1:1
    Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope,
    1 Timothy 1:1-3 (in Context) 1 Timothy 1 (Whole Chapter)
22. 1 Timothy 2:3
    This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
    1 Timothy 2:2-4 (in Context) 1 Timothy 2 (Whole Chapter)
23. 1 Timothy 4:10
    For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.
    1 Timothy 4:9-11 (in Context) 1 Timothy 4 (Whole Chapter)
24. 2 Timothy 1:10
    but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
    2 Timothy 1:9-11 (in Context) 2 Timothy 1 (Whole Chapter)
25. Titus 1:3
    but at the proper time manifested, even His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior,
    Titus 1:2-4 (in Context) Titus 1 (Whole Chapter)
26. Titus 1:4
    To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
    Titus 1:3-5 (in Context) Titus 1 (Whole Chapter)
27. Titus 2:10
    not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.
    Titus 2:9-11 (in Context) Titus 2 (Whole Chapter)
28. Titus 2:13
    looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,
    Titus 2:12-14 (in Context) Titus 2 (Whole Chapter)
29. Titus 3:4
    But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,
    Titus 3:3-5 (in Context) Titus 3 (Whole Chapter)
30. Titus 3:6
    whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
    Titus 3:5-7 (in Context) Titus 3 (Whole Chapter)
31. 2 Peter 1:1
    Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:
    2 Peter 1:1-3 (in Context) 2 Peter 1 (Whole Chapter)
32. 2 Peter 1:11
    for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.
    2 Peter 1:10-12 (in Context) 2 Peter 1 (Whole Chapter)
33. 2 Peter 2:20
    For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
    2 Peter 2:19-21 (in Context) 2 Peter 2 (Whole Chapter)
34. 2 Peter 3:2
    that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.
    2 Peter 3:1-3 (in Context) 2 Peter 3 (Whole Chapter)
35. 2 Peter 3:18
    but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
    2 Peter 3:17-18 (in Context) 2 Peter 3 (Whole Chapter)
36. 1 John 4:14
    We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
    1 John 4:13-15 (in Context) 1 John 4 (Whole Chapter)
37. Jude 1:25
    to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
    Jude 1:24-25 (in Context) Jude 1 (Whole Chapter)

To the Trinitarian, these passages make absolute sense. Trinitarians believe Scripture teaches that Jesus is God, Jesus is Lord, and Jesus is Savior. So the use of these terms in a rather interchangeable manner, applying them to both the Father and the Son, is completely natural. Scripture teaches YHWH is the only God, Lord, and Savior. And oh, by the way, Jesus is God, Lord, and Savior. (Notice how, in verse 4 of Titus 3, God is called "our Savior," and then two verses later, Jesus Christ is called "our Savior.")

We also know from Scripture that God is one, but that the Son is not the same as the Father. How can that reconcile? Well, to be faithful to all these facts, we conclude that YHWH's nature must be "one God in three persons." There's nothing sinister here.

The doctrine of the Trinity is not that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are three individual Gods. Rather, it's that they are three persons. The Trinitarian formula is: one God in three persons. Trinitarians say that the Father is God, Jesus (the Son) is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. And the term God in each case refers to the same "divine substance," as one of our historic Christian creeds words it. God is one, and there is only one God.

The formal development of the doctrine of the Trinity was not an evolution or outgrowth of pagan religious concepts. It was an attempt by Christians to bring clarity to what YHWH had revealed about Himself in Scripture.

Some may complain that they'd like even more clarity or detail, that the Trinity is difficult to understand. But we only have the details God has revealed to us; we simply don't have access to any more information on the matter. But contrary to what some people claim about it, I fail to recognize anything irrational about it. Given the text of Scripture, it strikes me as a straightforward, elegant explanation. (This issue of how the word "Savior" is used is just one example of what the doctrine explains. I hope to be sharing more examples with you later.)

I have sometimes wondered why, if Jesus was actually YHWH, he didn't come right out and say it. I think part of the answer might be found in examining Jesus' communication style. A lot of times Jesus kept things somewhat veiled. In Matthew 13 we find this:

¹⁰ And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"
¹¹ Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.
¹² "For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.
¹³ "Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

And in John 10 we find:

²⁴ The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, "How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly."
²⁵ Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's name, these testify of Me.

Jesus intentionally made it so that not everyone would understand him. He didn't spoon feed people. And he didn't draw attention to himself. A lot of times even his disciples were slow to "connect the dots." There were numerous times Jesus actually forbade people from revealing his true identity or telling about his miraculous works (examples: Matt. 8:4, 16:20, 17:9, Mark 8:30, Luke 4:41, 5:14, 8:56). I don't claim to fully understand the reasoning behind Jesus' choice to keep some things hidden. But it does seem "in character" for Jesus not to spell everything out -- particularly regarding his identity -- leaving it to his followers, who were familiar with Scripture, to figure it all out. And from what I can tell from his followers' writings, they did indeed concluded that Jesus was YHWH.

One last point: Trinitarians understand the term "God" or "YHWH" in Scripture to mean different things depending upon the context. When Jesus uses the term God, he's usually referring specifically to the Father. However, there are other times in Scripture where the reference is to Jesus specifically or to the Holy Spirit specifically. I realize you don't agree with that. But if you keep that in mind as an alternate reading, you can see how it is that Christians interpret some Scripture passages in a different way than you're accustomed to, and yet it makes sense.

I appreciate your challenge, because it has spawned in my mind a lot of other ideas I'd like to run by you. The book your wife gave me about similarities between pagan religious practices and Catholicism (The Two Babylons) was interesting. It's come to mind a few times this Christmas season. Anyway, feel free to comment in any way you wish.

Mike