CHRIST "ENTHRONED" IN 1914 -- BIBLE "TRUTH" OR FALSEHOOD
Hebrews 1:3 says:
"He is the reflection of [his] glory and the exact representation of his very being, and he sustains all things by the word of his power; and after he had made a purification for our sins he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty in lofty places."
Above we read, Jesus was allowed to sit down at the "right hand" of His father. What does this Bible "expression" mean to all Jehovah's Witnesses and the WTS?
Nothing. It means absolutely nothing to all of JWs worldwide.
Why do we say such?
Well, it seems the WTS has taught for many years now, that even though Jesus Christ is in heaven, given God's everlasting favor, and granted the great privilege of sitting at the right hand of God Himself, sitting upon God's Heavenly Throne, he is NOT ruling at all. He is just sitting there, "awaiting" upon his time to start his kingdom rule, which of course comes in the year of 1914, the year "discovered" by Charles Russell. They cite Hebrews 10:12, 13 as their proof.
This teaching is promulgated worldwide, even in the face of Matthew 28:18 which shows Jesus describing his great, all-pervasive "authority" shortly after receiving a powerful, spiritual resurrection to glory by saying,
"...ALL AUTHORITY has been given me in heaven and on the earth."
Now, someone unfamiliar with JW teachings might at this point say, "this doesn't make sense. How do they explain the above verse?"
Well, after reading this verse above, JWs will heartily agree with you that Jesus has been "given all authority" over heaven and earth. They won't disagree with that verse. But they will insist that Jesus Christ IS STILL NOT ruling in the heavens, even though he has been given all of this power. They teach, he doesn't start "ruling" until 1914. The date the first president of the WTS, Charles Russell "discovered" and revealed to the world by way of Russell's early writings, principally "Zion's Watch Tower".
JWs agree that Jesus was allowed to "sit upon Jehovah's throne" after his heavenly resurrection. But they cite Psalms 110:1 in showing the significance of the date of 1914, which says:
"The utterance of Jehovah to my Lord is: "Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet."
They point out that Jehovah gave Jesus the invitation to "sit at my right hand" only. That's it. No "rulership" for Jesus is implied in this above critical statement. They also remind you that Paul quotes from this text at Hebrews 10:12, 13, to re-enforce their position on the matter.
So, the Watch Tower Society teaches that although Jesus has been allowed to "sit upon Jehovah's throne," since his death in the 1st century, Jesus did not receive the "throne" for rulership until the year of 1914. He was not "enthroned". Simply put, he was just allowed to "sit" upon the throne of God, without being actually "ENTHRONED". They say that came much later. They say, Jesus was "ENTHRONED" in the year of 1914. But he was allowed to "sit" upon God's Throne and has been "sitting" there for close to 2,000 years. But he wasn't "enthroned". That's the critical distinction that must be made.
Did you get that?
Keep in mind, this is an extremely important teaching to all JWs. A critical teaching because many other doctrines, practices and teachings of the WTS, such as the Authoritarian "Faithful and Discreet Slave" Class Arrangement itself, all hinge upon this particular "understanding" of scripture and its peculiar leanings. It is no small matter to all Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide. (Matt. 24:45-47)
However, Bible research reveals one simple problem with this teaching.
It is impossible for an individual to be allowed to sit upon the throne of God, without actually being himself "enthroned". The statement or teaching is then an "impossibility".
Here are a few examples from the Bible to prove this point.
"SITTING UPON THE THRONE" -- WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Please keep in mind that all of the examples I've cited below, are all taken from the WTS' New World Translation Bible.
The first one that comes to mind, is the one where King David spoke the Davidic promise to his son, Solomon by saying,
"...If your sons will take care of their way by walking before me in truth...there will not be cut off a man of yours from sitting upon the throne of Israel." (1 Kings 2:4)
By saying this, did David mean "enthronement" or official rulership for his offspring, by saying "sitting upon the throne"? What would you say?
Also, how about the one where Solomon repeated this promise by saying,
"...There will not be cut off a man of yours from before me to sit upon the throne of Israel..." (1 Kings 8:25; 2 Chron. 6:16)
Also in this case, was Solomon implying "rulership" and "enthronement" by saying they would be allowed to "sit upon the throne"?
And here is an even stronger example. The inspierd Psalmist was even more specific about the act of "enthroning" and what it meant by this expression, when speaking of Almighty God and saying of God Himself,
"God will hear and answer them, even He that is sitting ENTHRONED as in the past." (Psalms 55:19)
Now what does that expression mean for Almighty God, this "sitting enthroned"? Does not this very expression "sitting enthroned", actually mean "enthronement", as is clearly shown here?
And remember, this verse is taken from the New World Translation, the WTS' own Bible?
Now these are but a few examples, taken from the WTS' own bible.
And yet, the Watch Tower Society says that Jesus Christ was only "enthroned" in the heavens in the year of 1914, although he has been "sitting upon God's throne" and "given all authority in heaven and upon earth" ever since the first century. That's what they teach.
However, even using their own Bible, we can see there is no way that anyone could be allowed to "sit upon God's throne" and himself, not actually be "enthroned." That simply does not make good sense!
Clearly Jesus has been empowered as Jehovah's king from his own words found at Matthew 28:18.
So, it would be the height of foolishness to say that Jesus was going to "receive authority" over earth's affairs in the year of 1914 when he clearly states for the record that he had already received "authority" over everything right after his resurrection from the dead in the first century.
And we read that Jesus even promised his followers,
"To the one that conquers I will grant to sit down with me on my throne, even as I conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne." (Rev. 3:21)
Here again, Jesus promises his faithful followers that they too, would be permitted to "sit upon his throne," if they would "conquer," the same way he had "conquered" and was permitted to "sit upon his father's throne". Nevertheless, in the same way, before they could be permitted this great privilege, they too would have to prove themselves "sons" of Jehovah.
"Anyone conquering will inherit these things, and I shall be his God and he will be my son." (Rev. 21:7)
Jesus points out the prerequisite for "inheriting all these things" was for one to "conquer" and thus show himself to be a "son," in the complete sense of the word. In this way, one would become a "son" and subsequently be "declared" after a period of testing, just as Jesus was. In this way, he would become a "conqueror" like Jesus. And in this way, Jehovah would become his "father" in the final, definitive sense. Paul spoke of Jesus' "declaration" of "sonship" by saying,
"[Jesus] ... who with power was DECLARED God's Son according to the spirit of holiness by means of resurrection from the dead -- yes Jesus Christ our Lord". (Romans 1:4)
"[GOD] LEFT NOTHING THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO HIM"
An additional scripture that also sheds light on the subject of Christ's authority and all that was given him at his resurrection from death is found at Hebrews 2:8 which says:
"All things you subjected under his feet." For in that he subjected all things to him [God] left nothing that is not subject to him. Now, though, we do not yet see all things in subjection to him."
This is a scripture that Jehovah's Witnesses nor the WTS will spend much time examining in their literature. We see this is so because Hebrews 2:8 shows us "all things have been made subject" to Jesus, since his resurrection. In fact it says, "[God] has left nothing that is not subject" to him. That's right, "nothing."
Therefore, according to this verse, Jesus Christ is in complete control of "all things," and "nothing" is exempt from his authority and control. However, Paul adds this enlightening point for us by saying,
"...though, we do not see all things in subjection to him."
We today, do not actually see the full power of Jesus demonstrated in "making all things subject" to him. No, even though in actuality everything is "subject" to Jesus right now. Nevertheless, God's Son simply has not totally exercised that power to fully demonstrate his domination over everything. That comes later.
Jesus fully demonstrates his full control and domination over all, AT THE VERY END OF HIS REIGN. This is when Jesus removes all inherited "sin" "sickness" and Adamic "death" from earth's scene. He also at this time, at the end of his reign, removes all human "governments, authorities and powers" exercised upon earth, as recognized Satanic "enemies" of his. When he does this, and brings them "to nothing" in complete and utter destruction before God, Jesus' reign will "end". Afterwhich, Jesus will "hand over the kingdom" to his God and father, Jehovah, and "subject" himself to this One, God Almighty, the Supreme Ruler in the Universe. This is how Jesus' reign in heaven, will end. (1 Corinthians 15:24-28)
So, in harmony with Jehovah's will, the "enthroned" and reigning heavenly king, Jesus Christ, simply has not as of yet, fully demonstrated his superiority over "all things" upon earth and their total "subjection" to his power. That comes later.
Paul spoke of the situation this way by saying,
"As for us, our citizenship exists in the heavens, from which place also we are eagerly waiting for a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will refashion our humiliated body to be conformed to his glorious body according to the operation of the power that he has, even to subject all things to himself. (Philippians 3:20, 21)
Therefore based upon this understanding of matter, is it any wonder Paul wrote,
"But this [man] offered one sacrifice for sins perpetually and sat down at the right hand of God, from then on awaiting until his enemies should be placed as a stool for his feet." (Hebrews 10:12, 13}
Now, the WTS says this scripture proves Jesus is "awaiting" rulership. He is "sitting" at God's right hand, "awaiting" the year of 1914, so that he can become "enthroned" and BEGIN His rule.
But is that what Paul said? We just read what Paul said of the matter.
Paul said, sure, Jesus is "awaiting" something. But it is not kingdom rule. No, he is not "awaiting" this at all. No, but Paul said that Jesus is "awaiting" or expecting the Word from God to fully demonstrate his "authority" over his "enemies", by placing them "as a stool for his feet." Which means, as Paul states, to "bring them to nothing," or complete and utter destruction. That's what Paul is saying.
"Next, the end, when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father, when he has BROUGHT TO NOTHING [or destroyed] all government and all authority and power. For he [Jesus] must rule as king UNTIL God has put all enemies under his feet [or destroyed them]. As the last enemy, death is to be BROUGHT TO NOTHING [or destroyed]." (1 Corinthians 15:24-26)
As we have just read, Paul shows that at the end of Jesus' reign, he is allowed to bring his enemies, as "to nothing" or total destruction. Jesus' kingdom or rulership will extend itself until the actual time he is told by God to "put all enemies under his feet", in destruction. He is to "bring them to nothing". All "governments and authorities" upon earth, also inherited "sin" and "death", are all "brought to nothing" at the same time, by Jesus Christ's heavenly rulership. As the scripture says above, "For he must rule as king until..." he accomplishes this for God. And when he accomplishes this, that is, "brought to nothing", "all [human] governments, authorities and powers", "brought" all inherited Adamic sin and death "to nothing", then, Jesus' rule ends.
bjc