Cofty's essay is worth repeating on this thread:
"How Early
Christians Viewed the person of Jesus"
1] Early Christians were WITNESSES of Jesus.
On his last evening with his disciples Jesus promised to send the
Holy Spirit who would;
"Bear witness about me, and you in turn are to bear
witness, because you have been with me from when I began."
(Jhn.15:26,27)
Immediately prior to his ascension Jesus told them ;
"You will be witnesses of me..to the most distant part of
the earth." (Acts 1:8)
Paul said that the minds of unbelievers had been blinded so that:
"The glorious good news about the Christ, who is the
image of God, might not shine through. For we are preaching not
ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord." (2Cor.4:4,5)
In Revelation the dragon goes off to wage war with those who:
"Have the work of bearing witness to Jesus."
The harlot is seen to be;
"Drunk with the blood of the holy ones and with the blood
of the witnesses of Jesus."
When John falls down before the angel he receives the rebuke:
"Be careful do not do that. All I am is a fellow slave of
you and of your brothers who have the work of witnessing to Jesus."
In contrast to the practice of early Christians, no Jehovah's
Witness would ever identify themselves as a witness of Jesus.
Acts 1:8 - "You
will be witnesses of me...."
John 1:15 - "John
bore witness about him..." [JESUS]
John 5:37 - "the
Father who
sent me has himself borne witness about
me."
John 8:18 - "the
Father who
sent me bears witness about me."
John 15:26,27 -
"..will bear witness about me;
and YOU in
turn, are to
bear witness."
Acts 4:17,18 -
...upon the basis of this
(Jesus') .... upon
the basis of the name of Jesus.
Acts 10:39 - "And
we are witnesses
of all the things he [Jesus] did..."
Acts 10:43 - "To
him [Jesus] all the prophets bear witness....."
Acts 13:31 - "who
are now his
(Jesus') witnesses to the people.
Acts 22:15 - "because
you are to be a witness for him
[Jesus] to all men......"
Acts 22:20 -
"......the blood of Stephen your
[Jesus'] witness
was being spilled..."
Acts 23:11 - ".....
a thorough witness
on the things about me
in Jerusalem..."
Acts 26:16 -"I
[Jesus]..choose you as an attendant and a
witness...respecting
me"
1 Corinthians 1:6 -
"even as the witness
about the
Christ..........."
2 Timothy 1:8 -
"............of the witness
about our Lord.. [Christ]"
1 John 5:9 - "the
witness God
gives...the fact that he
has borne witness concerning
his Son."
Revelation 1:9 -
"....for speaking about God and bearing
witness to Jesus."
Revelation 3:8 -
...."and you kept my word and did not prove false to my
name."
Revelation 12:17 -
".......and have the work of bearing
witness to Jesus."
Revelation 17:6 -
"........and with the blood of the
witnesses of Jesus."
Revelation 19:10
-".....the work of witnessing
to Jesus....
bearing
witness to Jesus."
Revelation 20:4 -
"............ for
the witness they bore to Jesus."
2] Early Christians BELONGED to Jesus.
Paul introduced himself to the Romans as;
"A slave of Jesus Christ" (Rom.1:1)
And described them as those who are;
"Called to belong to Jesus Christ" (Rom.1:6)
He further told the Corinthians that;
"He that is called when a freeman is a slave of Christ."
(1Cor.7:22)
and that; "those who belong to the Christ"
(1Cor.15:23) would be resurrected during his parousia.
In his second letter to the Corinthians he said that God
guarantees that;
"You and we belong to Christ." (2Cor.1:21)
He reminded the Galatians that;
"I am carrying on my body the brand marks of a slave of
Jesus." (Gal.6:1)
And admonished the Colossians to;
"Slave for the master Christ." (Col.3:24)
Perhaps the most emphatic statement of all was made by Jude when
he accused ungodly men of;
"Proving false to our only owner and Lord, Jesus Christ."
Jehovah's Witness do not think of themselves as belonging to
Jesus. It would be unthinkable for them to describe Jesus as their
"only owner and Lord." Early Christians had no such
inhibitions. This is not simply a difference in custom. It is not
just that a Witness is not in the habit of using this kind of
language. Anyone using such terms would be viewed, not just as
unconventional but as doctrinally suspect.
3] Jesus was the focus of the BAPTISM of early Christians.
On the day of Pentecost Peter told the crowds to;
"Be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ."
(Acts2:38)
As a result of Philip's preaching Samaritans were;
"Baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus."
(Acts8:16)
Peter commanded Cornelius and his household to;
"Be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ."
(Acts10:48)
When Paul found disciples in Ephesus who had not yet receive the
Holy Spirit, he told them that they should be;
"Baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus."
(Acts19:5)
Paul also reminded the Galatians that;
"All of you who were baptised into Christ have put on
Christ." (Gal.3:27)
Every Jehovah's Witness is aware of the command to be baptised in
the "name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
It would be unthinkable however to speak only about being baptised in
the name of the Lord Jesus. In the early church this was evidently
common practice. Again it is not a sufficient answer to suggest that
this is only a cultural difference.
4] Early Christians wished Jesus' BLESSING on each other.
Paul concluded his first letter to the Corinthians with the words;
"O our Lord come. May the undeserved kindness of the Lord
Jesus be with you. May my love be with all of you in union with
Christ Jesus." (1Cor.16:22)
Similarly at the end of his second letter to Corinth he said;
"The undeserved kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ, and
the love of God and the sharing in the Holy Spirit be with all of
you." (2Cor.13:14)
He concluded his letters to the Galatians, Phillipians and both
epistles to the Thessalonians with slight variations of the phrase;
"The undeserved kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ be with
you."
This kind of blessing was not unique to Paul. John ends the book
of Revelation with the words;
"May the undeserved kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ be
with the holy ones." (Rev.22:21)
Although it is not the custom of Jehovah's Witnesses to wish God's
blessing on one another, this could be explained as simply a cultural
difference. However it can hardly be overstated how unthinkable it
would be for one Jehovah's Witness to wish the blessing of Jesus one
another. Even to cite any of the above texts at the end of a letter
would seem more than strange to the recipient. To early Christians it
was the most natural of things to say, and entirely in keeping with
their understanding of God.
5] Early Christians had the SPIRIT of Jesus
Luke informs us that Paul and Silas were forbidden by the Holy
Spirit to speak the word in Asia, but in the next verse he says that
they were unable to enter Bithynia because;
"The Spirit of Jesus did not permit them."
(Acts16:7)
Paul told Christians in Rome that;
"You are in harmony not with the flesh but with the
Spirit if God's Spirit truly dwells in you. But if anyone does not
have Christ's Spirit this one does not belong to him"
(Rom.8:9)
When writing to the Galatians about the Spirit of adoption Paul
said;
"God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts
and it cries out Abba Father." (Gal.4:6)
While in prison, Paul assured the Philipians that their
supplications for him would result in;
"A supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ."
(Phil.1:19)
Although it is not clear from the rendering in the New World
Translation it can be seen from the Interlinear that Peter credited
the Spirit of Christ with directing the minds of the ancient
prophets;
"Searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of
Christ which was in them did signify when it testified beforehand the
sufferings of Christ." (1Pet.1:11)
To a Jehovah's Witness the idea of using the expressions, Holy
Spirit, God's Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus and Christ's Spirit
interchangeably is totally foreign. If an elder were to say "Christ's
Spirit" instead of "the Holy Spirit" in public
speaking the congregation would be surprised. If they were to pray
for "the Spirit of Jesus" it would be viewed as shocking.
To the early Christians it was entirely natural.
Once more it must be stressed that the difference is not simply
one of language it is that the implications behind the phrase is
incompatible with the understanding of Jehovah's Witnesses. In all of
the above examples there would be resistance to using the kind of
language used by the apostles because it appears to elevate Jesus
rather than Jehovah. As will be seen from the following section this
was not something that troubled bible writers.
6] Early Christians PRAISED and GLORIFIED Jesus.
Jesus told the Jews at Jerusalem that he was to be the judge of
all;
"In order that all may honour the Son just as they honour
the Father." (Jhn.5:23)
Later, when he promised the disciples that he would send them the
Holy Spirit, he said;
"That one will glorify me because he will receive from
what is mine and will declare it to you." (Jh.16:14)
Paul could therefore tell the Thessalonians that he prayed that;
"The name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you."
(2Thes.1:12)
And he closed both his letters to Timothy with similar expressions
of praise directed to Jesus;
"To him be the honour and might everlasting. Amen."
(1Tim.6:16)
"To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen."
(2Tim.4:18)
Peter signed off his second epistle with the words;
"Go on growing in the undeserved kindness and knowledge
of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now
and to the day of eternity." (2Pet.3:18)
Addressing the seven congregations of Asia Minor the apostle John
said concerning Jesus;
"Yes to him be the glory and might forever. Amen."
(Rev.1:6)
Later in Revelation John heard myriads of angels say;
"The lamb that was slaughtered is worthy to receive the
power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and
blessing." (Rev.5:12)
Following this, every creature in heaven and on earth responded;
"To the one sitting on the throne and to the lamb be the
blessing and the honour and the glory and the might forever and
ever." (Rev.5:13)
It is completely unknown for Jehovah's Witnesses to openly praise
Jesus in anything like the manner found in these and other verses.
There is nothing remotely like it in any "kingdom song". It
is almost impossible to believe that such expressions could ever be
heard in a Kingdom Hall. If anyone did publicly glorify Jesus in this
way it would be viewed with suspicion. The assumption would be that
all such praise should only be addressed to Jehovah. Early Christians
on the other hand were uninhibited in their praise and adoration of
Jesus.
7] Early Christians CALLED ON THE NAME of Jesus
When Jesus appeared to Ananias, Ananias said to him that Saul had
authority;
"to put in bonds all those calling upon your name."
(Acts9:14)
After Saul's conversion those who heard him preach were astonished
and said;
"Is this not the man that ravaged those in Jerusalem who
call upon this name." (Acts9:21)
Paul described the Christians at Corinth as being among those;
"Who everywhere are calling upon the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ their Lord and ours." (1Cor.1:2)
8] Early Christians ADDRESSED PRAYERS to Jesus.
As Jesus prepared his eleven faithful disciples for his imminent
departure he promised them;
"If you ask (me) anything in my name I will do it."
(Jhn.14:14)
Although the word "me" has been omitted from the NWT the
Interlinear shows that it was in the original Greek text. It is found
in the oldest and most reliable manuscripts.
Luke tells us that when Stephen was being stoned to death;
"He made appeal and said, Lord Jesus receive my spirit."
(Acts7:59)
Again the Interlinear shows the more literal translation of the
phrase "making appeal" to be "calling upon." In
English we would always say calling upon, followed by a name, but in
the New Testament it had acquired a specific meaning so that Luke
could simply write that Stephen was "calling upon" the Lord
Jesus. In the context it clearly denotes prayer.
Likely seeking relief from some physical ailment Paul told the
Corinthians that he had;
"Three times entreated the Lord that it might depart from
me." (2Cor.12:8)
The context of verses 8-10 make the conclusion inescapable that
the Lord, Paul is referring to is the Lord Jesus Christ. The reply to
Paul's prayer is that "my power is being made perfect in
weakness" to which Paul rejoices that "the power
of the Christ might remain like a tent over" him. This is
clearly the most natural reading of the text.
In his first epistle John assures those who put their faith;
"In the name of the Son of God. And this is the
confidence that we have toward him that no matter what it is that we
ask according to his will he hears us." (1Jhn.5:13,14)
The faith or confidence of Christians is said by John to be in the
Son of God who hears their requests and answers accordingly. With an
obvious allusion to Jesus own words at Jhn.14:14 quoted above John
continues;
"Further if we know he hears us respecting whatever we
are asking, we know we are to have the things asked since we have
asked them of him." (1Jhn5:15)
There would seem to be no doubt that the normal pattern of prayer
in the New Testament is that which is addressed to the Father in the
name of the Son. However these other examples of prayer addressed to
Jesus directly cannot be ignored or explained away, and are a
significant part of a study of how early Christians viewed Jesus.
9] Early Christians rendered WORSHIP to Jesus.
The Greek word rendered worship is proskenyo. Depending
on the grammatical context different forms of the same word are used
in scripture. For simplicity we will substitute the simple form
proskenyo in each case. Whenever it is used in connection
with Jehovah the NWT translates it accurately as worship. However
when it is used with reference to Jesus the word "obeisance"
is used instead. While it is true that proskenyo can denote
an act of respect which falls short of worship there are a number of
instances in the New Testament where the context clearly demands the
stronger translation.
When Jesus walked on the sea of Galilee and calmed the storm, the
apostles were astonished at his power;
"Then those on the boat 'proskenyo' him saying you are
really God's Son." (Matt.14:33)
When Jesus identified himself to the man he had cured of
blindness, the man said;
"I do put faith in him Lord. And he 'proskenyo' him."
(Jhn.9:38)
When the two Marys met the resurrected Jesus in the garden;
"They approached and caught him by his feet and
'proskenyo' him." (Matt.28:9)
As Jesus was ascending back to heaven he blessed his disciples and
they;
"Having 'proskenyo' him returned to Jerusalem with great
joy." (Luke24:52)
In each of these examples it is not simply an act of respect that
is being described but an act of worship. That it involved more than
the physical act of bowing is particularly clear in the account
involving the two Marys where the scripture, having told us that they
caught him by the feet goes on to add that they proskenyo
him. In these and other examples it is noteworthy that Jesus never
once offers a word of reproof to anyone involved. It is enlightening
to compare this with three other occasions where the word proskenyo
is used in the New Testament.
"As Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell down at his
feet and 'proskenyo' him. But Peter lifted him up saying, Rise I
myself am also a man." (Acts10:25,26)
Similarly John was so overcome with the awesome visions of
Revelation that twice he fell down at the feet of the angel who was
showing him these things;
"At that I fell down before his feet to 'proskenyo' him.
but he tells me, Be careful do not do that. All I am is a fellow
slave of you and of your brothers." (Rev.19:10)
In Revelation, John heard every creature in heaven and on earth
say;
"The lamb that was slaughtered is worthy to receive the
power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and
blessing. To the one seated on the throne and to the lamb be the
blessing and the honour and the glory and the might forever and ever.
And the four living creatures went saying Amen."
(Rev.5:12-14)
Such an outpouring of adoration can not be interpreted as anything
less than worship. Immediately after these things John tells us what
he saw next;
"And the elders fell down and worshipped."
(Rev.5:14)
In this graphic description of an event that involved every one of
God's creatures there is no distinction at all between the worship
and adoration given to the one seated on the throne and that offered
to the lamb.
If we begin with the assumption that worship is not be give to
Jesus then we are forced to explain all the falling at his feet, that
the gospel writers were careful to record for us, as simply gestures
of respect. This despite the fact that elsewhere Cornelius and John
are reprimanded for the same thing. We also have to invent the
unbiblical notion of relative worship and contradict the most
fundamental of Old Testament truths by allowing for worshipping God
through someone else, a kind of legalised idolatry. Even all of this
is not enough to deal with the amazing scenes described at
Rev.5:11-14.
In view of this sample of texts quoted above, it would seem
reasonable to say that Jehovah's Witnesses do not speak about Jesus
in the same manner as early Christians did. The apostles described
themselves as witnesses of Jesus, they called him their only owner
and Lord, and the one to whom they belonged. They were baptised in
his name, led by his Spirit, rejoiced in his blessing and overflowed
with praise for him. All of these statements are incompatible with
the beliefs and practice of Jehovah's Witnesses. Even if an
individual Witness may feel comfortable with such expressions they
could never voice such sentiments in the hearing of others. There can
be no doubt that if a Jehovah's Witness were to go back to a meeting
of early Christians they would feel profoundly out of place.
Even if as a JW you allow that the trinity is a false doctrine and
that Jesus was created by the Father, how do you explain this
gulf in the way you view Jesus as compared to the place he had in the
lives and worship of the New Testament Church?
