If Jehovah's Witnesses don't believe Jesus to be God then why is Matt 1:23 in their bible?

Answer 1

As always, the Scriptures NEVER prove the trinity and ALWAYS prove that Jesus and Jehovah are distinct persons. The truth doesn't need a lot of explaining beyond what the Scriptures plainly teach.

(Matthew 1:23, RS) Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and *HIS NAME* shall be called Emmanuel’ (which means, God with us).

(Luke 1:32, RS) He will be great, and will be called the *SON* of the Most High. [emphasis added]

(Luke 1:35, RS) the child to be born will be called holy, the *SON* of God.

(John 10:36, RS) [Jesus] said, `I am the *SON* of God'

(John 3:17, RS) God sent the *SON* into the world

(Colossians 1:15) the firstborn of all creation

(Mark 10:18) Jesus said to him: 'Why do you call me good? Nobody is good, except one, God.

(Revelation 3:14) the Amen says, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation by God

(Philippians 2:5-6) Christ Jesus, who, although he was existing in God's form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God

(John 8:42) Neither have I come of my own initiative at all, but that One sent me forth

(John 12:49) I have not spoken out of my own impulse, but the Father himself who sent me has given me a commandment as to what to tell and what to speak

(John 14:28) I am going my way to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am

(1 Corinthians 15:28) But when all things will have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him

(Matthew 20:23) this sitting down at my right hand and at my left is not mine to give, but it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by my Father

(1 Corinthians 11:3) I want you to know that the head of every man is the Christ; ...in turn the head of the Christ is God

(John 20:17) I am ascending to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God.

(Deuteronomy 6:4) Jehovah our God is one Jehovah

(1 Corinthians 8:4-6) There is no God but one. For even though there are those who are called "gods," whether in heaven or on earth, just as there are many "gods" and many "lords," there is actually to us one God the Father, out of whom all things are, and we for him

Thanks again for an opportunity to share what the bible actually says about the distinct persons of Jesus Christ the Son and Jehovah God the Father!

Learn more!
http://watchtower.org/e/ti/
http://watchtower.org/e/20050422/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/pr/article_04.htm

Answer 2

Does Matthew 1:23 indicate that Jesus when on earth was God?

Matt. 1:23, RS: “‘Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emman´u-el’ (which means, God with us [“God is with us,” NE]).”

In announcing Jesus’ coming birth, did Jehovah’s angel say that the child would be God himself? No, the announcement was: “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High.” (Luke 1:32, 35, RS; italics added.) And Jesus himself never claimed to be God but, rather, “the Son of God.” (John 10:36, RS; italics added.) Jesus was sent into the world by God; so by means of this only-begotten Son, God was with mankind.—John 3:17; 17:8.

It was not unusual for Hebrew names to include within them the word for God or even an abbreviated form of God’s personal name. For example, Eli´athah means “God Has Come”; Jehu means “Jehovah Is He”; Elijah means “My God Is Jehovah.” But none of these names implied that the possessor was himself God.

Answer 3

There is some good answers above concerning the scripture, but two things you should ask yourself is why some of the Trinity arguments prove him to be lesser than his father?

A favorite scripture for the Trinity is Isaiah 9:6, which refers to the pre-existence of Christ as a mighty god, and not as an almighty god. They didn't use capital letters in those days. The problem with this scriptural evidence is that a mighty god is created and receives its power form an almighty god.

The other is why would the Apostle John put down Jesus by using the same spelling for god as he used in reference to Satan and men. God is spelled four difference ways in Greek and John never used the spelling for Almighty "God" in reference to the Word or Christ. Buy any Interlinear Greek Translation of the New Testament at any Bible book store and look it up yourself. You don't need a fancy education to do this. JWs can't change what the Apostle John himself wrote. If you want to blame anyone for not promoting the trinity, it was him.

Answer 4

The Jehovah's Witness Bible is simply the most accurate modern
translation of the Bible....The Witnesses did not write this bible..
Matt 1:23 simply says that the son will be called Emmanuel which
means when translated "With us is God"...This does not mean or
say that Jesus is God...Jesus himself said many times that he is
the son of god and that god is his father...
The bible NEVER mentions a trinity or that Jesus is God...
This is easy and not difficult to understand..
AND...
I am an athiest...

Answer 5

This scripture in Matthew neither states nor teaches that Jesus himself is God Almighty. The name simply means With Us Is God. This verse, taken by itself or even together with all scriptures dealing with Christ, does not even suggest that he is God Almighty.

One poster mentioned that JW's treat the Bible as if it were multiple choice. That is a curious observation given the fact that JW's study the Bible in its entirety. Frankly, most people treat the Bible like a salad bar. They take what satisfies their appetites and leave the rest behind. Case in point: John 1:1. It is a favorite for all those who believe that Jesus is God Almighty. But if I may ask, please, when someone ignores other portions of the Bible and builds his belief around a favorite rendering of a particular verse (such as John 1:1), then is that person’s belief a reflection of God’s word the Bible in its entirety, or is it a reflection of his own ideas and maybe those ideas and teachings of another imperfect human?

Look closer at John 1:1. It has been noted that the New World Translation renders this verse differently than does the King James Version and others. Many focus on the part which reads “and the Word was God” but they do so to the exclusion of the remainder of that part which reads “and the Word was WITH God.” Honestly, how can the Word be God and be with God at the same time? For example, how can Satan BE Satan and be WITH Satan at the same time? Moreover, consider the context of John. Verse 14 reads that the Word became flesh and lived among us. But verse 18 teaches that no man has seen God EVER. Now for those who believe that Jesus is God Almighty: how do you reconcile these two scriptures? If no one has EVER seen God and yet thousands saw Jesus, what is the explanation? Some resort to saying that since Jesus was God and human at the same time; what people saw was the human part. But is that a reasonable explanation? More importantly, is it a valid one? For if Jesus was human and God at the same time, then people who saw Jesus saw God, yes? Surely if Jesus was God, his human flesh did not limit him, did it? For who and what could ever possibly limit God?

Further, for those who base their belief on this particular scripture, how do they reconcile this belief with such scriptures as John 8:28-29; John 14:28; John 17:3; John 20:17; Revelation 3:12; and 1 Corinthians 15:20-28? These scriptures make it quite clear that Jesus himself is not God but rather, is in subjection to God, worships God, prays to God, carries out God’s will and does nothing that is not approved of by God. This is the case before his death, after his death, after his resurrection, after his return to heaven and even far into the future when he hands over everything to his God and father and subjects himself totally in the doing of it as we read at 1 Corinthians 15.

JW's have ample reason for rejecting the doctrine that Jesus is God Almighty. They do so because this teaching has no basis in fact, no basis in scripture and no basis in reason. I know that this teaching is dear to the hearts of many. Love for Christ Jesus and all he has done and continues to do moves us to give him all due respect and honor. But JW's are not prepared to violate God’s word the Bible to do this. Jesus himself taught that God was superior to him in every way. JW's teach the same.

Hannah

Answer 6

That isn't what the bible says: There is a heavenly father, a first cause. Then he created a first cause, Jesus. It tells about that in Colossians 1:14-20

14 by means of whom we have our release by ransom, the forgiveness of our sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 because by means of him all [other] things were created in the heavens and upon the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, no matter whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All [other] things have been created through him and for him. 17 Also, he is before all [other] things and by means of him all [other] things were made to exist, 18 and he is the head of the body, the congregation. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that he might become the one who is first in all things; 19 because [God] saw good for all fullness to dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile again to himself all [other] things by making peace through the blood [he shed] on the torture stake, no matter whether they are the things upon the earth or the things in the heavens.
Jesus is to be the ruler of the world. But he did say in the Lord's prayer: Matthew 6:9 Our father in heaven hollowed be thy name.
And he prayed to his father so there has to be two God's.
Rev 3:14He was the beginning of the creation by God.
Stephen in Acts 2:55 filled with holy spirit gazed into heaven and saw Jesus at the right hand of God. Show's two God's.

Answer 7

In announcing Jesus’ coming birth, did Jehovah’s angel say that the child would be God himself? No, the announcement was: “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High.” (Luke 1:32, 35, Revised Standard Version.) And Jesus himself never claimed to be God but, rather, “the Son of God.” (John 10:36, Revised Standard Version.) Jesus was sent into the world by God; so by means of this only-begotten Son, God was with mankind.—John 3:17; 17:8.

It was not unusual for Hebrew names to include within them the word for God or even an abbreviated form of God’s personal name. For example, Eli′athah means “God Has Come”; Jehu means “Jehovah Is He”; Elijah means “My God Is Jehovah.” But none of these names implied that the possessor was himself God.

This identity of Jesus Christ as Immanuel did not mean he was the incarnation of God, ‘God in the flesh,’ which proponents of the Trinity teaching claim is implied by the meaning of Immanuel, namely, “With Us Is God.” It was a common practice among Jews to embody the word “God,” even “Jehovah,” in Hebrew names. Even today Immanuel is the proper name of many men; none of whom are incarnations of God.

If there seems to be a conflict between the angel’s instructions to Mary (“you are to call his name Jesus”) and Isaiah’s prophecy (“she will certainly call his name Immanuel”), let it be remembered that Messiah was also to be called by yet other names. (Luke 1:31; Isaiah 7:14) For example, Isaiah 9:6 said concerning this one: “His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Yet none of these names were given to Mary’s firstborn as personal names, neither when he was a babe nor after he took up his ministry. Rather, they were all prophetic title-names by which Messiah would be identified. Jesus lived up to the meaning of these names in every respect, and that is the sense in which they were prophetically given, to show his qualities and the good offices he would perform toward all those accepting him as Messiah. So also with his title Immanuel. He measured up to and fulfilled its meaning.

If you would like further information or a free home Bible study, please contact Jehovah's Witnesses at the local Kingdom Hall. Or visit http://www.watchtower.org

Answer 8

Immanuel when translated means "God is with us". Does this mean that any person who is called Immanuel is God himself? The name Elihu means "God is he", does it mean that Elihu is God himself? God's people and his representatives have God's name in them, it doesn't mean that the reprentatives are part of God himself. Isaiah means "Salvation is Jehovah". Matt 16:16 states that Jesus is "the Christ, the SON of the living God". Jesus admitted in John 5:26 that his source of life is his Father. Col 1:15 states that of all the creation of God, Jesus is the firstborn among them. I hope this help.

Thanks.

Answer 9

The denial of Jesus as God, among the JW sect, is the founders "rational" solution to the problem of the trinity doctrine.

Now It is true that there is only one God and not some god in three persons. To solve the problem the JW scribes came up with what I call the "Pinocchio Doctrine".

Making Jesus a created son, not equal with the Father, does away with the 'supposed' problem and the resulting conflict. So they teach and rewrite Scripture to make things look like God made Jesus; kinda like Geppetto made his son Pinocchio.

See their doctrine is right and wrong at the same time. God created Jesus in the womb of Mary. She was an incubator and not even her egg was used. So the JW is right -- but wrong too because Scripture says that Jesus was God with us as you note: Further Isiah notes that He (Jesus) shall be called (will be) the Everlasting Father. The Messiah sung at Christmas ends on this Scriputre -- "The Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace."

Creating for Himself a body and becoming the Second Adam, the beginning of a new universal creation, Jehovah God dwelt in a tent of flesh which was totally without sin - yet subject to temptation. It was also the perfect sacrifice.

This same Christ was in the garden with Adam and Eve. This same Christ dwelt in a tent of skins with the children of Israel. This same Christ told the Jews that He was the I AM.

And the Scriptures tell us plainly that God emptied Himself to take on the form of man and humbled Himself even to the death of the Cross that we might stand perfected in Him.

And when He had suffered and died and rose again; He fell upon the 120 in the Upper Room that He might restore mankind, as many as will, to Himself.

And when the man named Saul (St. Paul) was apprehended by God he asked "Who are you Lord." And God replied, "I am Jesus whom you persecute."

The Jehovah of the Old Testament is Jesus of the New Testament. The babe that was laid in a manger 2,000 years ago embodied Jehovah God and that is the mystery hidden from the ages and from many even to this hour.

And now read and understand John 1:10. "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not."
Who else is this but the creator God who was manifest as the Son of God and the Son of Man that we also, who see His glory, might be called Sons of God.

Adam was created in the image of God. Jesus however was the Word made flesh. Not another finite being created by God or a God divided into three persons; but God walking a mile in your shoes.

This is the revelation needed to correct false doctrine of the Roman and Protestant churches and the JW sect and this is one of the revelations needed to soon unveil Messiah to the Nation of Israel.

Answer 10

Jesus never said He was God. He only made one cryptic remark about
"IF you have seen me, you have seen the Father."
Weighing this against 30 verses where he said His Father was still in
heaven while he was on Earth. One stating speciifcally that his Father
is GREATER THAN I! It can be concluded that the doctrines of Jesus actually
being God Himself, and the consequent distortion of turning the Godhead
into the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy spirit being the same being, are FALSE!
Howbeit, there is NO division in Spirit, as the book says WE ARE GODS,
and the godlike spirit in us is a part of our Creators own body.