Also read: False Christs and False Teachings
Jehovah's Witnesses: Do Their Distinctive Teachings Stand Up to Scripture?
Part 1
John 1:1 — Is the Word Really Jesus?
Quick Facts
Jehovah's Witnesses correctly reject the doctrine that Jesus is Almighty God.
However, they teach that the "Word" in John 1:1 is the pre-human Jesus.
The New World Translation renders the final clause, "the Word was a god."
Is this what John actually meant?
Or was John referring to God's own word, purpose, wisdom, and creative command recorded in Genesis 1?
In this article we will examine the oldest available Greek text together with the Old Testament Scriptures to see where the evidence leads.
Introduction
I have great respect for Jehovah's Witnesses because they encourage people to read the Bible and because they reject the belief that Jesus is Almighty God. On this important point, they differ from much of mainstream Christianity.
However, agreeing with someone on one subject does not automatically mean every other teaching is correct. Like every Christian denomination, the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses should be examined carefully in the light of Scripture.
One of their most distinctive beliefs is that the "Word" in John 1:1 refers to the pre-human Jesus Christ. They further translate the final phrase as, "the Word was a god."
In this article we will examine that claim by comparing Scripture with Scripture, beginning where John himself begins—Genesis 1.
Rather than relying upon church tradition or religious opinion, we will consider the biblical context, the Greek text, and the testimony of the Old Testament to discover what John intended his readers to understand.
As Jesus Himself taught:
"Your word is truth." (John 17:17)
Our responsibility is therefore not to defend a denomination or long-held tradition, but to follow the evidence wherever God's Word leads.
