For Jehovah's Witnesses....?

Question

According to the Watchtower, when Jesus walked the earth was He -

a). 100% human with a singular nature.

b). A human / angelic hybrid with a dual nature.

c). Neither. If so, then what does the WT teach, please ?

All clear and concise answers will be most appreciated. Thanks in advance for all replies.

So please, just a staightforward answer - was Jesus 100% man when He walked on the earth, according to Watchtower theology, yes or no ?

danni d21 -

You said that according to the Bible, answer 'a' would probably be CLOSEST.

So, was Jesus 95% human and 5% angel ?

Therefore, is one to conclude that the WT teach that Jesus had a DUAL nature ? That He was both archangel and man ?

Please, can anyone clarify the WT teaching in simple, straightforward terms ?

7 thumbs up for arihaz - He says that Jesus was 100% human. Did those thumbs up come from JW's ?

But if - as arihaz says - Jesus had some memory of His life in heaven, how could He be 100% human ? Surely, if He had ANGELIC memories that would make Him less than 100% man ?

danni d21 (or anyone else) -

Which scripture says that the life of an angelic being was transferred into the womb of Mary ?

So, if the Watchtower teach that Jesus was 100% human - as some of these answers appear to indicate - doesn't it logically follow that - according to WT theology - the person who walked the earth for about 33 years WAS NOT THE SAME PERSON as the one who pre - existed in heaven ?

The WT teach that Jesus pre - existed as AN ANGELIC BEING, Michael, in heaven.

Yet if Jesus was "100% human" on earth, how could they be the same ?

Is it not the case that there is NO CONTINUITY in WT Christology ?

Angel - man - angel ? Where is the connection ?

John 17:5 - Jesus prayed, "And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory WHICH I HAD WITH YOU BEFORE THE WORLD WAS." ( caps for emphasis).

How logical would that prayer be for someone who was 100% human ?

NOWHERE in Luke chapter one or in all of the gospel accounts does it say that the lifeforce of Michael was transferred into Mary's womb.

The Bible actually teaches that the Holy Spirit fathered the child (Matthew 1:20).

If Michael's lifeforce was transferred into Mary's womb, then surely that would mean that Jesus was AT LEAST 1% angelic in nature ?

Comments, please ?

Keichi -

By your own admission Jesus did not have a dual nature ( I disagree, although I DO NOT believe that He was an archangel / human hybrid). However, your statement - which I assume is based upon Watchtower teaching - presents the JW with a problem.
If Jesus did not have a DUAL nature, then He clearly could not have been the person who pre - existed in heaven.
And if He did not have a dual nature, then the MAN Jesus is not the archangel Michael in heaven as the WT teach.
WT teaches three stages in "Jesus" life -

100% angel - pre - existent state.

100% human - earthly state.

100% angel (again) - heavenly state.

Where is the connection between the earthly Jesus & the pre - existent and ascended Jesus ?

Answer - according to WT "theology", there is none.

Therefore, the WT "Jesus" that died on the cross / torture stake is not the same Jesus that is in heaven today.

1 Timothy 2:5 clearly says that there is one mediator between God and men, THE MAN Jesus Christ, correct ?

Romans 8:34 refers to Christ's ONGOING intercessory ministry on behalf of His people. The tense of the Greek proves that this mediatorial ministry is an ACTIVE, CONTINUOUS one. That is, THE (risen, ascended, glorified) MAN Jesus Christ is at the right hand of God making intercession. There is no archangel there.

Exodus 7:1 -

Moses "as God".

i.e. God's spokesman, as verse 2 clearly shows, even in your NWT.

Moses never referred to himself as the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last (terms also attributed to Yahweh), as Jesus did.

Moses never had another monotheistic Jew say to him "the Lord of me and THE God of me." Jesus did.

"...but YOU received me like an angel of God, like Christ Jesus."

Who wrote this ?

Paul.

What was Paul ?

A messenger of God, correct ?

Jesus was also a messenger of God, but far more than that.

However -

What is the defintion of the Greek term translated "angel" ?

Does it EXCLUSIVELY refer to angelic beings, or not ? No, it can refer IN GENERAL to a messenger or envoy.

The CONTEXT of this section of Galatians - Paul is reminding the Galatian brothers of the loving welcome which they extended to him (see also 4:15). So much so, that they received him as an envoy of God, even as Christ Himself.

Point two -

All of these scriptures can be understood as Jesus speaking from His status as a man. He is not only the Son of God, but also the Son of man. Deity and humanity in one person. If He was not a man, how could He refer to the Father as His God (Rev. 3:12). If He was not deity, how could He refer to Himself as the Alpha and the Omega (Rev. 22:13) ?

In (truly) orthodox Christianity, there is continuity in it's Christology.

The Word in the beginning with God (John 1:1).

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). Note that the WORD dwelt among us. Not the Word ceased to exist and then a 100% human walked the earth. The same Word that was in heaven took upon Himself flesh (incarnation).

The same Word died, rose and ascended to be with the Father as before (John 17:5).

Disagree ? What alternative do you have to offer ? Three "Christ's" with no connection between the three?

Angel.

Man.

Angel.

Hebrews 13:8 says -

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."

Whichever way you view "yesterday" in that verse,

whether referring to the human apsect of the life of Jesus Christ prior to His death and resurrection,

or

referring to the pre - existent Word,

it is clear that there is CONTINUITY.

Jesus Christ is still a man (albeit in a glorified, spiritual body). Otherwise, how could He continue in His ministry as a sympathetic High Priest ? (Hebrews 4:15, 7:25).

If the man Jesus is "dead, forever dead" as Taze Russell once claimed, where is our sympathetic High Priest (Hebrews 4:15) ?

How can an archangel who - according to WT teaching - never walked the earth (if Jesus was 100% human) and never actually experienced being tempted in all points like us (again, 4:15) sympathise with us sinners at all ?

How could he ?

He couldn't.

The teaching is FALSE.

John 3:6 is NOT about being recreated as "spirit creatures", Keichi.

It is about a SPIRITUAL rebirth, an inner transformation which enables a person to both SEE (perceive) and also ENTER God's kingdom, in both it's spiritual and literal aspects.

You are greatly mistaken.

TeeM -

With all due respect - as has often been the case with you - yet again you have misquoted me.

I never said that I did not want to discuss the Bible anymore. What I conveyed to you was that I did not see the point in continuing OUR correspondence as it seemed that neither of us would move from our respective positions. I can re - send the e mail to you or pass it on to anyone who would care to view it as proof of this.

I DON'T say that there are three separate hybrids as you (again) falsely claim. I think that will be apparent to anyone who actually takes the time to carefully review my comments. On the contrary, there is CONTINUITY within truly orthodox Christian teaching on Jesus, quite unlike the Watchtower, where I have already shown that there is not.

I don't claim to be a teacher, but I do possess some knowledge and as a witness of God I am happy to share. Granted, that is a form of teaching, but I am not a Bible teacher per se, and have never claimed to be

"I enjoyed your comment that Satan was teaching the truth about the trinity as in the case of Baal worship".

What I ACTUALLY said in my e mail was,

"I imagine that Satan would have been well aware of the triune nature of Jehovah...What better way to discredit the truth concerning the trinity than to introduce false trinities (such as exist in Hinduism, for example) prior to the scriptural revelation of Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19) ?".

A copy of the entire e mail is available to anyone who requests it.

Why do you keep misquoting me and twisting my words, Terry ?

Do you justify this behaviour by viewing it as some kind of "Theocratic War Strategy" ?

I'm not surprised. Like begets like.
As the WT have lied to the European Commission concerning their disfellowshiping policy on blood, why should I be surprised that certain JW's misquote me and distort my words ?

You said that Michael and Jesus are not different people but they are "one in the same person".

And then you said, "There is no 'hybrid', be it God / man or Angel / man".

Am I misquoting YOU ? There seems to be some confusion here on your part.

Incidentally, your argument employing Peter / Cephas / Simon is invalid. These were just different names FOR ONE HUMAN BEING, Terry. Trying to contrast that with Jesus' situation is not logical. The issue here is not different names, the issue here is one of different CONSTITUTIONS.


I'll leave that to others to decide.

Keichi -

You responded to my comment that "The same Word that was in heaven took upon Himself flesh" as being incorrect.

Philippians 2:7 says that Jesus "took upon him the form of a servant". The Greek "lambano" means "to take, lay hold of, take upon oneself".

The scripture continues "and was made (ginomai) in the likeness of men".

Ginomai can mean "to become".

The general consensus among JW's appears to be that Jesus who walked the earth was 100% human with no angelic nature at all.

So where is the continuity ?

Angel - man - angel.

John 1:14 says, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us"

Who dwelt among us ?

The SAME Word which was with God in the beginning.

That SAME Word "was made" (Gr. gimomai - to become) flesh, and dwelt among us.

Dwelt - Gr. skenoo - means to fix one's tabernacle, have one's tabernacle, ABIDE (OR LIVE) IN A TABERNACLE (or tent), tabernacle.

Jesus was fully human and was also the Word which was with God in the beginning.

The argument that Jesus was 100% human, but had some memory of His pre - existent state -

How could that be if He was ONLY human ? For Him to have any recollection of an archangel's pre - existence would NECESSITATE Him being at least PARTLY an angel, right ?

John 17:5 -

"So now you, Father, glorify me alongside yourself with the glory that I had alongside you before the world was." (NWT).

How could someone who was 100% human and 0% angel pray this prayer ? The only person who could LOGICALLY pray this was the SAME person who pre - existed with God.

Whether you believe that the Word was God or an archangel, surely it must be clear that there existed TWO natures within Jesus ?

Answer 1

Im not a Jehovahs Witness but I have studied their books.

I think Jesus was 100% human with some memory of his earlier life as an angel in heaven.

When Jesus got baptized, Jehovah God spoke to Jesus and I think that is when Jesus realized who he really was?

Answer 2

The Watchtower doesn't teach anything about Jesus other than what the Bible tells us. And what the Bible says is that Jehovah God transferred His son, Jesus Christ, from life as an angelic being in heaven to the womb of Mary.

Jesus was a perfect human being, without any sin or imperfection, just as Adam was when God originally created him. He was, however, completely human, albeit with divine guidance and abilities that God granted him (healing people, miracles, prophecy, etc. etc.)

Upon his baptism, Jesus was blessed by God's Holy Spirit and was able to recall his heavenly life and experiences.

So according to the Bible, answer a would probably be closest :0)

EDIT: Wow, I guess this is what happens when I leave Y!A to get work done. Sheesh!

OK, Jesus while on Earth was 100% human. Duh. That's how he was able to die as a perfect man. Even Jesus acknowledged his previous heavenly existence to his followers, as others have mentioned.

And as for Jesus being Michael the Archangel, the term "archangel" itself is never, EVER used in the plural sense- it refers to only ONE being. And the Bible tells us that the "lord will descend and call out with and ARCHANGEL'S VOICE." Hmmm . . . Jesus is called our lord. Not The Lord, but lord, and it says he has an archangel's voice. Why would it say that?

Maybe because he is the archangel Michael?!

Besides that, the archangel is the foremost angel, the most prominent. Who else would God entrust with that position? Jesus is after all a spirit creature- who better to be foremost among them than God's Son?

I love how you ignore all scriptures that contradict you.

And Anna, I laughed hysterically at your "hundreds of references" to God and Jesus being the same. The fact is that trinitarians are the ones who have relatively few scriptures to cling to, trying in vain to prove their case. Those few are easily understood when read in context and compared to the rest of the Bible.

I guess the fact that the trinity comes from ancient Babylon, a nation God had the Medes and Persians overthrow and told His people to avoid close association with, has no meaning either.

Or, for that matter, the fact that the Jews and the first century Christians did not worship a triune God. Historical records tell us that the trinity wasn't adopted and practiced until the 4th century. That was long after the death of the apostles and more than enough time for false teachings (this means your trinity!) to creep in. So, if Jesus didn't believe in the Trinity, his parents didn't believe in the Trinity, and his disciples who heard his teachings didn't believe in the trinity, tell me again why we should?

Don't you think that the Jews who heard Jesus in person and all that he said to supposedly support the notion that he and his Father were the same would have immediately put faith in a triune god? Why wait over 300 years until no one was alive who knew Jesus' words personally? Again, very interesting . . . .

But I guess that's easy to ignore, right?

Really, you should just stop trying to answer questions altogether. You end up looking foolish and immature in your understanding.

Answer 3

The confusion is in your opinion.

You insinuate that the Watchtower doesn't teach the bible.

Were as you do. and yet you say you are not a teacher.

In our many conversations and your 'questions', you have stated many opinions.

I enjoyed your comment that Satan was teaching the truth about the trinity as in the case of Baal worship.

Baal translates into English as 'Lord', he was a son of another god, and was worshiped as a trinity. (Harpers Bible Dictionary) Yet that is the same thing you teach. Baal worship.

If what you said is true then Jehovah must have been lying when he said (Deuteronomy 6:4) 4 “Listen, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.

Then Jesus must also be lying:

(Mark 12:29) 29 Jesus answered: “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God is one Jehovah,

I thought you told me that you didn't want to discuss the bible anymore? And yet here you are trying to teach your opinions.

Looks like you can't make up your mind.

The simple answer to your question is.

Jesus is ONE person, not parts of many persons.

He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Yesterday, He is the firstborn 'of all creation' (Col 1:15)
Jehovah's Son (Matt 3:17; John 10:36)
(Anne, do you remember what "of all creation" really means?)

Today, (when Paul wrote the book of Hebrews) The resurrected Jesus was still Jehovah's Son. (Heb 1:2, 8)
Heb 1:8, 9 Who is the God of Jesus?

Forever, Rev. 2:18; Compare Rev 1:1,2 with 1:6 to get the 'context' of Jesus' (his) God, not my words, the apostle John's.

When did the apostle John quote the Watchtower to come up with this false teaching?

Let's consider Peter,

(John 1:42) 42 He led him to Jesus. When Jesus looked upon him he said: “You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Ce′phas” (which is translated Peter).

Your argument is like trying to say, Peter denied Christ, but Cephas didn't.

Cephas got into an arguement with Barnabas, but Simon didn't.

Peter, Simon, Cephas are the same person, just different names.

Michael, and Jesus are not different people, they are one in the same person.

Just as Peter, Cephas, and Simon are all the same person.

There is no 'hybrid', be it God/man or Angel/man.

These is no, as you teach, three separate hybrids

Jesus the man, Jesus the Christ, Jesus the God .

I find it interesting that you accuse us of teaching the very thing you, yourself are quilty of.

The trinity teachings dishonors God, by making Him (Jesus) equal to Adam, or are you going to reject Paul's statements in this matter also?

"All clear and concise answers will be rejected and denied",

Is what you really mean.

Answer 4

Prehuman Existence: The person who became known as Jesus Christ did not begin life here on earth. He himself spoke of his prehuman heavenly life. (Joh 3:13; 6:38, 62; 8:23, 42, 58) John 1:1, 2

Prior to Jesus’ birth on earth, angels had appeared on this planet in human form, apparently materializing suitable bodies for the occasion, then dematerializing them after completing such assignments. (Ge 19:1-3; Jg 6:20-22; 13:15-20) They thus remained spirit creatures, merely employing a physical body temporarily. This, however, was not the case with the coming of God’s Son to earth to become the man Jesus. John 1:14 says that “the Word became flesh and resided among us.” For that reason he could call himself “the Son of man.” (Joh 1:51; 3:14, 15) Some draw attention to the expression “resided [literally, “tented”] among us” and claim this shows Jesus was, not a true human, but an incarnation. However, the apostle Peter uses a similar expression about himself, and Peter was obviously not an incarnation.—2Pe 1:13, 14.

Jehovah’s angelic messenger had informed the virgin girl Mary that she would ‘conceive in her womb’ as the result of God’s holy spirit coming upon her and His power overshadowing her. (Lu 1:30, 31, 34, 35) Since actual conception took place, it appears that Jehovah God caused an ovum, or egg cell, in Mary’s womb to become fertile, accomplishing this by the transferal of the life of his firstborn Son from the spirit realm to earth. (Ga 4:4) It is likely, therefore, that the child born resembled its Jewish mother in certain physical characteristics.

So basically boiling down your question and using the scriptural references provided jesus was a 100% human who had previously existed (and continues to exist after his human death) as a spirit son of God.

He was, however, a perfect human much as Adam was before he disobeyed God.

Answer 5

The bible teaches that Jesus was human while he walked the earth (until Nisan 14, 33 C.E., after which Jesus intermittently walked the earth for 40 days as a materialized spirit creature).

(1 Corinthians 15:45) The first man Adam became a living soul.” The last Adam BECAME a life-giving spirit. [caps added]

(John 21:12-14) Jesus said to them: “Come ...This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after his being raised up from the dead.


Incidentally, Jehovah's Witnesses do not quote from "The Watchtower" as though it were some sacred text. Instead, true Christians, such as Jehovah's Witnesses, preach and teach directly from the bible as the only inspired and infallible means of knowing God's will and purposes.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20050915/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/19980315/diagram_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20010315/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20021215/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20031215/article_01.htm

Answer 6

Jesus (waking on this planet) was totally human. But a Perfect Human being. The word perfection here states "up to standard" and since man was created by God in his Image, God created man to an excellence that God destined. Though through original sin we have lost that high "standard", and makes us less than perfect (subject to sin and death), this was not a burden that Jesus was born with (On earth), due to the "insemination" of Mary by God's active force.
Therefor Jesus was 100% human, but a perfect Human Being, up to God's standard of excellence.

Answer 7

Adam and Jesus were made flesh and less then Angels

(God made Adam little lower then Angels) Psa 8:5-8
For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all [things] under his feet:

All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, [and whatsoever] passeth through the paths of the seas.

(God made Jesus little lower then Angels while on Earth) Hbr 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

Adam and Jesus were made perfect Humans, Jesus was called the last Adam. Adam was not a God and neither was Jesus on Earth. 1Corinthians 15:45, 47

Answer 8

First of all, I would like to add that The Watchtower is founded on the very pinnacle of reliable wisdom, namely, God’s Word the Bible.
Hence the purpose of this magazine is to keep sharp and faithful focus on Bible truth, on world happenings that may fulfill prophecies, and on religious news generally. Sometimes it will tear down religious falsehoods, that Bible truth may be built up in their stead. Such two-way work is Scripturally commanded, and is beneficial for all persons of right heart condition. (Jer. 1:10; Heb. 12:5-13)
However, The Watchtower does not claim to be inspired in its utterances, nor is it dogmatic. It invites careful and critical examination of its contents in the light of the Scriptures. Its purpose is to aid others to know Jehovah and his purposes toward mankind, and to announce Christ’s established kingdom as our only hope.


What Does the Bible Say About Jesus? His Origin Was “From Early Times”:

Jesus’ life course might be divided into three stages. The first began long before his human birth. His origin was “from early times, from the days of time indefinite,” says Micah 5:2. Jesus himself said: “I am from the realms above”—that is, from heaven. (John 8:23) He had been in heaven as a mighty spirit person.

Since all created things had a beginning, there was a time when God was alone. Countless ages ago, however, God became a Creator. Who was his first creation? The last book of the Bible identifies Jesus as “the beginning of the creation by God.” (Revelation 3:14) Jesus is “the firstborn of all creation.” That is so “because by means of him all other things were created in the heavens and upon the earth, the things visible and the things invisible.” (Colossians 1:15, 16) Yes, Jesus was the only one directly created by God himself. Therefore, he is called God’s “only-begotten Son.” (John 3:16) The firstborn Son also bears the title “the Word.” (John 1:14) Why? Because before being born as a human, he served in heaven as one who spoke for God.

“The Word” was with Jehovah God “in the beginning,” when “the heavens and the earth” were created. He was the one to whom God said: “Let us make man in our image.” (John 1:1; Genesis 1:1, 26) Jehovah’s firstborn Son was there at his Father’s side, actively working with him. At Proverbs 8:22-31, he is represented as saying: “I came to be beside [the Creator] as a master worker, and I came to be the one he was specially fond of day by day, I being glad before him all the time.”

How intimately Jehovah God and his only-begotten Son must have come to know each other as they worked side by side! That close association with Jehovah for untold ages deeply affected God’s Son. This obedient Son came to be just like his Father, Jehovah. In fact, Colossians 1:15 calls Jesus “the image of the invisible God.” This is one reason why knowledge about Jesus is vital in satisfying our spiritual need and our natural desire to know God. Everything Jesus did while on earth is exactly what Jehovah expected him to do. Hence, getting to know Jesus also means increasing our knowledge of Jehovah. (John 8:28; 14:8-10) But how did Jesus come to be on earth?

Answer 9

A) yes
B) no
C) see what sxanthop; arihaz; #4 w/ no name;
Danni_d2; Achtung_...; Jvitne; TeeM;
also 'no name/face' ; wrote.
It's all there.
The answers in truth 2 ur Q's.
They did such a good job,
I don't think it's necessary to elaborate.
It'd be redundant

Answer 10

I know carlpartis is asking for what the watchtower teaches on the subject....but I am so confused by some of the things I read in these answers! You are so right to be confused by the teaching carlpartis - they are saying Jesus is JUST A HUMAN...yet he is human made from an angel??? (per them)

JWs... you are really reaching. You are saying that Jesus was JUST LIKE ADAM because 2 verses correlate. How many of them correlate between Jesus and God??? I believe it's up into the hundreds..... you know...they are both savior, I AM, first and the last, etc. Yet, two verses line up about Jesus and Adam so Jesus MUST be just like Adam. Do you not realize how totally ridiculous that is? Especially because you believe that Jesus existed in heaven as an angel before his birth. Was Adam an angel too?

As argumentative as you all think I am, I am truly, truly, truly trying to figure out why you really believe the things you do....