Question for Jehovah's Witnesses on Hebrews chapter 1?

Question

From the King James Bible, Hebrews 1:5 implies that God would never call one of his angels "Son". Then in verse 6 it says all angels should worship Jesus. Then it contrasts angels and Jesus in verses 7 and 8. Then again in verse 13.

However, I received a Watchtower magazine from a Jehovah's Witness a few months ago that taught Jesus is Michael the Archangel.

My question is, what do Jehovah's Witnesses make of this apparent contradiction in teaching between the Watchtower magazine and the book of Hebrews?

[ Brief answers, please. I'm not looking for copy/paste from watchtower.org, but hoping to hear your personal thoughts on Hebrews chapter 1. Thanks. ]

Achtung, thank you for the insight into how Jehovah's Witnesses might read this chapter. However, it doesn't say "Which *one* of the angels..." and rather uses the word "but" (more than once) to contrast Jesus from angels.

"But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever..."

Furthermore, if Paul's (assuming he is the author) purpose in writing Hebrews 1 was to teach that Jesus is/was an angel, how do we reconcile this with what he wrote in Colossians chapter 1?

Verse 16: "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him."

Did Paul mean to say that Michael the Archangel created all things, but mistakenly wrote Jesus?

Answer 1

Every word of this answer was typed by this answerer (except the Scriptural excerpts). It seems remarkable to nontrinitarians when trinitarians focus on Hebrews chapter 1. The fact that they occasionally do so is powerful proof that there is a serious shortage of support for their ideas.


Hebrews 1:5 and 1:13 are absolutely the OPPOSITE of trinity proof texts! In fact, these verses (along with the verses from which Paul there quotes) demonstrate conclusively that Jesus *IS* (and was) an angel and distinct from Jehovah. Those verses ask three questions which are actually specific references to earlier Scriptures about Jesus, and each and every one of those Hebrew Scriptures juxtaposes Jesus as separate and distinct from the person of "Jehovah" (note that each referenced "OT" Scripture actually uses the Tetragrammaton). Thus, when each question frames itself as asking about “which angel” ("to which angel...?") then a well-read bible student in Paul's day or our own day would immediately recognize the quoted verses which supply each answer as pointing to Jesus (A: "the angel is Jesus!"), and reminding that Jesus is a distinct person from Jehovah.

There is no reason to argue that the apostle Paul was asking trick questions. Here is each of Paul’s rhetorical questions, along with the earlier Scriptural references from which Paul quotes...


From Hebrews 1:5, the question posed:
Q: [quote]To which one of the angels did [God] ever say: "You are my son; I, today, I have become your father"?[unquote]

The obvious answer:
To which angel? To the angel Jesus, the Christ, as Psalm 2 shows!
(Psalm 2:2-12) High officials themselves have massed together as one Against Jehovah and against his anointed one [footnote; "Christ"]... Let me refer to the decree of Jehovah; He has said to me: "You are my son; I, today, I have become your father..."


From Hebrews 1:5, the question posed:
Q: [quote]To which of one of the angels did [God] ever say: ..."I myself shall become his father, and he himself will become my son"?[unquote]

The obvious answer:
To which angel? To the angel Jesus, God's chosen King, as 2 Samuel 7 shows!
(2 Samuel 7:11-14) Jehovah has told you ... I myself shall become his father, and he himself will become my son


From Hebrews 1:13, the question posed:
Q: [quote]To which one of the angels has [God] ever said: “Sit at my right hand, until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet”?[unquote]

The obvious answer:
To which angel? To the angel Jesus, who waited patiently for God's purposes to unfold, as Psalm 110 shows!
(Psalm 110:1) The utterance of Jehovah to my Lord is: “Sit at my right hand Until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet.”


Remarkably, the only way this passage from Hebrews could possibly reconcile with trinitarianism is if one believes Paul was asking trick questions to confuse his readers.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/ti/index.htm?article=article_06.htm

Answer 2

Heb 1:3, shows that Jesus is not God, but the image of God, God's representitive.

Heb 1:9 shows that Jesus' God anointed him above his partners.

These partners cannot be God, but his brothers or the other sons of God. Job 1:6.

Jesus is an apostle of God, Heb 3:1

What lesson did Jesus have to learn?
What lesson does God have to Learn? Heb 5:8

The entire book of Hebrews teaches that Jesus is God's Son, in subjection to his Father, his God

When did a high priest become equal to the God he worships? Heb 7:21, 22

Heb 13:8 shows that Jesus was the same before coming to the earth, while on the earth, and after going back to heaven.

Jacob became Israel, Abram became Abraham, Michael became Jesus.

.

Answer 3

You ought to read from Heb 1- 5.. you will see that God is saying that in the past he spoke by means of the Prophets, but Now he speaks by means of his Son. It follows that God has " Given" Him or appointed him heir over all things.Trinity doctrine is Blown with that statement since the belief is that Jesus is God. How is it Possible for him to be " Given " anything?
It follows in Vs 4, when it says he has become " better" than the angels? In what sense? In that NONE of the other Angels are Given what he has been given by his Father.
Go back to Matt 28: 18.. Here we read that Jesus was Given ALL authority In Heaven & On Earth.. the Question is, who gave him that Authority, since its said that his " Equal" to the Father?
Last but not least. The King James Bible is Not the Authority On God's Word. It was Commisioned By King James, but do not assume that its the " First" Bible In Print.

Answer 4

I'm not a witness anymore, but I don't think they con sort that out no more than the denominations can figure out that Jesus is not, YHWH,nor will He be EQUAL to him! As it is wtitten in Heb 1:9 "therefore God, your God, chose you. how ahout Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ..? Maybe, "then I said 'Behold, I have come--In the volume of the Bookit is written of Me--To do your will o God...Somewhere in Rev. I read like Christ will deliver all things to the Father and plce Himself UNDER Him, (The Father) so that God will be all in all. You would do will to learn more about the Father & the Son, and thein ONENESS Jn 17; thanks

Answer 5

The bible they quote from has been altered to making answering these questions easier. John 1:1" In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the Word was God." In the JW's bible they have added one letter which completely corrupts the meaning of the scripture to say " In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was A God."
Very interesting how people alter scripture to accommodate their religion.

Answer 6

Hebrews 1:5-14 shows the difference between the angels and Jesus. It shows that Jesus is higher than the angels.

The witnesses still can not point to a single verse that says Michael is Jesus.

In scripture is says" Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee."

However we read that Jesus had no problem rebuking Satan. For one to assume that Jesus and Michael are the same, would raise the question of Michael/Jesus being double minded or he suffered from split personality.


Daniel 10:13 "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia."

Here Michael is one of the chief princes, not the chief prince as some would want to believe.

Answer 7

You seem to be asking the same question that is posed at Isa 44:24.

“I, Jehovah, am doing everything, stretching out the heavens by myself, laying out the earth. Who was with me?

That answer is at Proverbs 8.

“Jehovah himself produced me as the beginning of his way, the earliest of his achievements of long ago. From time indefinite I was installed, from the start, from times earlier than the earth. Then I came to be beside him as a master worker"

It was Jesus (Michael) that was produced by God. Jesus the word of God was with Jehovah in the beginning of the formation of the Heavens, Earth and the Angels. - John 1:1

Where Jesus is his father's Master worker, it is Jehovah that is only called Creator.

Isa 45:18 "For thus said Jehovah, Creator of heaven, He is God, Former of earth, and its Maker"

Answer 8

yes, this is the verse we always trot out to show them, but in their complete indoctrination, they continue to try to explain their way out of it with just more of the same WT regurgitation .

Another one we always show is Colossians 15-19. Because we know that angels are created beings, and yet this passage emphatically says that Jesus created ALL things in the heavens and on the earth. So, He obviously was the CREATOR OF ANGELS. Yet, they attempt to weasel their way out of it by using their corrputed NWT which adds the word "other" in brackets to each and every instance in this passage--5 times total.

So, rather than reading "For by him were are things created", it reads, "For by him all [other]things were created". This, of course, is done in an attempt to make it appear as if He was created and then, in turn, created all other things. If they would ever ONCE bother to read the foreward to some of the older revisions of the NWT translation, however, they would find that the WTS admits to having added these bracketed items, in a so-called effort to "help" the reader. Of course, they don't even bother saying this in the forewards of newer additions now.

Pathetic really. I guess the WTS never read God's command in Deut. 4:2 that clues us in on the fact that He doesn't appreaciate it very much when someone adds or subtracts from His Word. I wouldn't want to be one of the Governing Board on Judgement Day, is all I'm saying.

Answer 9

Not sure how AH's "insight" is meaningful to you, I suppose if you wanted to prove a commandment to play tennis, you could say that Joseph served in Pharoah's courts, too. But it is an explanation, at least they came up with something. My mouth was agape as I read it though.

Answer 10

I'm not a JW but I have a close friend that is,or was until she was excommunicated about a year ago, but i believe that they pretty much believe the Watchtower over the Bible but not sure,I will be watching for the answers because this is a very interesting subject for me at least.When i told one JW that i believed in Jesus,(they say that they do as well)I said that I believe that Jesus Was God in the flesh,and i believe that there is a Holy Trinity.They tryed to tell me that Jesus was an angel.

Answer 11

Jesus Christ is God

The scriptures bear abundant testimony that Jesus Christ is God. I believe the Bible 100%. It is the word of God. If you don't believe it, Jesus is of no effect to you, you are still in your sins."

Additional Verses:
"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: GOD was manifest in the FLESH, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, BELIEVED ON in the world, RECEIVED UP into glory."
--1 Timothy 3:16

"But unto the SON he saith, 'Thy throne, O GOD, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom'...And, 'Thou, LORD, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands."
-- Hebrews 1:8, 10

"I and my Father are ONE."
--Jesus Christ, John 10:30

"...CHRIST JESUS...being in the FORM OF GOD, thought it not robbery to be EQUAL WITH GOD: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."
--Philippians 2:5-8

"For there are three that bear record in heaven, the FATHER, THE WORD, AND THE HOLY GHOST: and THESE THREE ARE ONE."
--1 John 5:7

"... feed the church of GOD, which he hath purchased with his OWN BLOOD."
--Acts 20:28

"Hereby perceive we the love of GOD, because he LAID DOWN HIS LIFE for us...
--1 John 3:16

"And they stoned Stephen, calling upon GOD, and saying, LORD JESUS, receive my spirit."
--Acts 7:59

"For unto us A CHILD IS BORN, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, THE MIGHTY GOD, THE EVERLASTING FATHER, The Prince of Peace."
--Isaiah 9:6

"And Thomas answered and said unto him [JESUS], My Lord and MY GOD."
--John 20:28
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"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and THE WORD WAS GOD. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH, AND DWELT AMONG US, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
--John 1:1-4, 14

"Philip saith unto him, 'Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.' Jesus saith unto him, 'Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me Philip? HE THAT HATH SEEN ME HATH SEEN THE FATHER; and how sayest thou then, 'Shew us the Father?''"
-- John 14:8-9

...CHRIST, who is the IMAGE OF GOD..."
--II Corinthians 4:4

"...glory of GOD in the FACE OF JESUS CHRIST."
--II Corinthians 4:6

"GOD...hath in these last days spoken unto us by his SON...who being the brightness of his glory, and the EXPRESS IMAGE OF HIS PERSON..."
--Hebrews 1:1-3

Colossians 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
1:15 WHO IS THE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD, the firstborn* of every creature:
1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

*firstborn: pre-eminence in rank more than to priority in time. This can be shown in passages where the term 'firstborn' is used of the pre-eminent son who was not the eldest, e.g. Psalm 89:27, where David is called 'firstborn' although he was actually the youngest son.

"For in [Jesus] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."
-- Colossians 2:9

..they shall call his name EMMANUEL, which being interpreted is, GOD WITH US."
--Matthew 1:23

"The voice of him [John the Baptist] that crieth in the wilderness, PREPARE ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway FOR OUR GOD."
-- Isaiah 40:3

THESE PEOPLE DID NOT UNDERSTAND THAT JESUS WAS GOD AND THOUGHT HE BLASPHEMED WHEN HE TOLD THE TRUTH.
"The Jews answered [Jesus], saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God."
-- John 10:33