Yearly Archives: 2002

A Warning from Jesus

January 1, 2002

The beliefs expressed here are extremely unpopular, to say the least. Anyone who stands firm for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus will be hated and vilified. If Jesus, the sinless one who “became sin” for us to save us, could be hated and tortured and killed, how much more those of us imperfect sinners who follow him! Just as the religious leaders of Jesus’ day had blinded themselves to the truth and hated their Savior, the world today reacts to the Gospel by covering their ears and screaming as they mock you and try to destroy you. Just stick your Christian neck out and dare to speak of God’s justice and holiness, not only his love and peace, and you will be promptly beheaded. The “tolerant” will not tolerate you.

But just as Jesus endured it all for the motivation of the eternal glory that awaited him, so also we his followers must keep our eyes focused on him, not on ourselves. We must not be among those marginal Christians who “shrink back and are destroyed” out of fear of reprisal. Jesus said that he would be ashamed of anyone who was ashamed of him. The reaction of the world is a poor excuse for not faithfully proclaiming the Gospel that would save them (see articles here on negativity). People who are not confronted with their hopeless condition will see no need for any savior, but without this confrontation, if you happen to get a conversion, it’s almost certainly a false one. Everyone wants to live in eternal bliss, so a “warm, fuzzy” gospel is quite appealing. But that is not a gospel that saves.

Take your stand! Show some Spirit!

2 Timothy 4:1-5
“I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: Preach the message, be ready whether it is convenient or not, reprove, rebuke, exhort with complete patience and instruction. For there will be a time when people will not tolerate sound teaching. Instead, following their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves, because they have an insatiable curiosity to hear new things. And they will turn away from hearing the truth, but on the other hand they will turn aside to myths. You, however, be self-controlled in all things, endure hardship, do an evangelist’s work, fulfill your ministry.”

(Ref. Matthew 5:11-12, John 15:18, Galatians 6:9, 2 Timothy 3:12, Hebrews 6:12, 12:2)

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Prophecies of Daniel

January 1, 2002

Vision #1: The Statue

Daniel 2:41 In that you were seeing feet and toes partly of wet clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom. Some of the strength of iron will be in it, for you saw iron mixed with wet clay. 2:42 In that the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, the latter stages of this kingdom will be partly strong and partly fragile. 2:43 And in that you saw iron mixed with wet clay, so people will be mixed with one another without adhering to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. 2:44 In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever.

Rome, the fourth world empire* of the vision of the statue (2:31-45), would be divided between East (Greece) and West (Rome). Near its end (toes) it would become partly weak (iron mixed with clay), a weakness inherent in the attempt to force people to cooperate against their will. Since Rome was not divided or weak when Jesus came, it must refer to a future time. It is when Rome is in this future weakened condition that God will raise up an everlasting kingdom.

It would be reasonable to apply the two legs to the church age, since Rome has been divided throughout the church’s existence. Although Rome has not been an overt political power, it has never ceased to exist nor been replaced by any other world empire. The only thing lacking has been an actual king. Those kings (2:44) refers to the time of the weakened, mixed condition of Rome. A group of kings will achieve a world peace which is very loosely held (by force instead of single-mindedness).

*The four empires were Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian, and Roman.

Vision #2: The Beasts

Daniel 7:3 Then four large beasts came up from the sea; they were different from one another. 7:4 The first one was like a lion with eagles’ wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off and it was lifted up from the ground. It was made to stand on two feet like a human being and a human mind was given to it. 7:5 Then a second beast appeared, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and there were three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, “Get up and devour much flesh!” 7:6 After these things, as I was watching, another beast like a leopard appeared, with four bird-like wings on its back. This beast had four heads, and ruling authority was given to it. 7:7 After these things, as I was watching in the night visions a fourth beast appeared, one dreadful, terrible, and very strong. It had two large rows of iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and anything that was left it trampled with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that came before it, and it had ten horns.

7:8 As I was contemplating the horns, another horn, a small one, came up between them, and three of the former horns were torn out by the roots to make room for it. This horn had eyes resembling human eyes and a mouth speaking arrogant things. 7:11 Then I kept on watching because of the arrogant words of the horn that was speaking. I was watching until the beast was killed and its body destroyed and given over to flaming fire. 7:12 As for the rest of the beasts, their ruling authority had already been removed, though they were permitted to go on living for a time and a season…

7:17 These large beasts, which are four in number, represent four kings who will arise from the earth.7:23 This is what [the angel] told me: The fourth beast means that there will be a fourth kingdom on earth that will differ from all the other kingdoms. It will devour all the earth and will trample and crush it. 7:24 The ten horns mean that ten kings will arise from that kingdom. Another king will arise after them, but he will be different from the earlier ones. He will humiliate three kings. 7:25 He will speak words against the Most High. He will continually harass the holy ones of the Most High. His intention will be to change times established by law. They will be delivered into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.

These four beasts parallel the four metals of the earlier vision of the statue. The fourth beast, Rome, is distinguished from the rest and is again associated with iron. Since nothing like the “10-3-1″ kings has happened yet, they must be yet future. The “one” king possibly refers to the world leader, the Beast of Revelation, who will technically be a “king of kings”. The intention to “change times established by law” could mean the midpoint of the 70th “week” (covered shortly) where the antichrist stops the temple sacrifices and declares himself God.

Vision #3: The Goat and the Ram (chapter 8)

This vision is widely held to describe events of the time following the death of Alexander the Great. It is so precise and detailed that many have tried to assign a late date to Daniel’s prophecy to explain it away. Because of its great detail we can say with a high degree of assurance that the vision has been fulfilled and no part of it remains.

Vision #4: The 70 Weeks

9:24 Seventy weeks have been determined concerning your people and your holy city to put an end to rebellion, to bring sin to completion, to atone for iniquity, to bring in perpetual righteousness, to seal up the prophetic vision, and to anoint a most holy place.

9:25 So know and understand: From the going forth of the message to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until an anointed one, a prince arrives, there will be a period of seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. It will again be built, with plaza and moat, but in distressful times.

9:26 Now after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one will be cut off and have nothing. As for the city and the sanctuary, the people of the coming prince will destroy them. But his end will come speedily like a flood. Until the end of the war that has been decreed there will be destruction. 9:27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one week. But in the middle of that week he will bring sacrifices and offerings to a halt. On the wing of abominations will come one who destroys, until the decreed end is poured out on the one who destroys.

Notice that this vision concerns only Israel and Jerusalem; the Church is not in view here at all. This time is also a seal that ends prophecy and sin, ushering in perpetual righteousness when completed. The fact that all 70 weeks are seen as a unit is further indication of the focus on Israel. Without the cutting off at the end of the 69th week (the church age) there is no doubt as to the identity of the key players in the last week. That week will pick up where the previous one left off, pretty much as if nothing had happened.

In our hindsight we can see that the Church Age began with Israel’s rejection of her Messiah. This interruption, which Paul called a mystery that has now been revealed (Col. 1:26), will continue until God’s focus shifts back to Israel‚Äî a shift that cannot happen while the Church is still on the earth. Remembering that the Church is not involved in the last week of Daniel’s prophecy will clear up many misunderstandings.

So the 70th week will pick up at the point where Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed (AD 70) by the Roman Empire, involving a king who will desecrate the Temple. This of course necessitates the rebuilding of the Temple in order for it to be desecrated. We can therefore reasonably speculate that the covenant with many for one week concerns a 7-year peace accord between Israel and the Empire, with the Israelis agreeing to lay down their arms under the king’s “protection” in exchange for allowing the Temple to be built and the sacrifices reinstated.

But in the middle of the week, which is 3 1/2 years after the accord is signed, the king turns on Israel and attacks her. The few Jews who come to trust Jesus as Messiah during that time are to be kept in a safe place until Jesus comes back to the earth to reign, while the unbelieving Jews who remain in Jerusalem are destroyed.

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Mormonism

January 1, 2002

Comparing the Book of Mormon with the Bible

It’s easy to write a book and claim that one was given the words by God Himself, but to prove divine authorship a text must pass many tests. It must be historically accurate, have much external literary support, and have writers who must be recognized by both friend and foe to be commissioned by God.

The Bible passes all tests. Its bitterest enemies have been proven wrong again and again. But no such support exists for the Book of Mormon. Its authenticity depends completely on the integrity of Joseph Smith and his “witnesses”. But Smith was proven to be a liar when he claimed to have translated the golden plates from “reformed Egyptian”. He took the translation to be verified by a Prof. Charles Anthon, who concluded that this was merely a hoax made up by Smith, but Smith claimed he said it was authentic. Some of the “witnesses” of the golden plates later disavowed ever seeing them and were condemned by Smith. So both Smith and his “witnesses” have been discredited.

If God’s Word can be changed, then what is printed as absolute truth today may be heresy tomorrow! How can you ever know the truth about God if it can be changed by a man? Both the Bible and the Book of Mormon say that God never changes. But if something as fundamental as the method of salvation is changed by the Book of Mormon, then God has contradicted himself, which can’t be true.

The subtitle of the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, is countered by 2 Corinthians 11:14, which says that all other teachings than what the original apostles taught are false. The chapter headings sometimes make reference to America, but it never appears in the text, and there is no way to identify it from the vague descriptions of places and geography it contains. Large sections of text are taken verbatim from the Bible, but are taken out of context and mixed together. Over all, the Book of Mormon contains the writings of one who is described clearly in Colossians 2:18-19.

Concerning priesthood, Hebrews 7:12-17 shows that the Aaronic priesthood was REPLACED by the Melchizedek priesthood, and that Jesus holds that position FOREVER. No other priests are needed or qualified. Only those who are in Christ are priests (1 Peter 2:9), which includes ALL true believers. Therefore, Mormon priests have no authority.

1 Nephi 13:15, 2 Nephi 5:21, etc. are clearly racist. The Bible makes no reference at all to skin color as having anything to do with salvation or judgment.

1 Nephi 15:35 is opposite of Matthew 25:31: hell was created by God for the devil and his angels.

1 Nephi 19:6 Nephi disqualifies himself as a prophet of God (see Deut. 18:20-22, 2 Peter 1:20-21).

In 2 Nephi 2:22-25 Lehi makes the outrageous claim that God wanted Adam to fall so he could have children, without which there could be no joy! Contrast this with Gen. 3:16-24 and Romans 5:12-21.

Alma 46:15 claims the term Christian was first used for those who believed Christ would come soon, but Acts 11:26 says it wasn’t used until after Christ’s resurrection.

Alma 60:35-36 justifies armed rebellion against one’s own government, but Romans 13:1-6 considers it rebellion against God.

3 Nephi 18:1-10 shows Jesus drinking wine after his crucifixion and resurrection, but Jesus said he wouldn’t drink wine until he returned in his kingdom (Luke 22:17).

In 2 Nephi 9:24, 31:5ff, Alma 7:16, etc. additional requirements for salvation are added to faith: baptism, speaking in tongues, and keeping the commandments. But the Bible clearly teaches salvation by faith alone (Galatians 2:21-3:25, Ephesians 2:8-9, Colossians 2:14).

2 Nephi 29:10 speaks of “the lost tribes of Israel”. This false teaching, known as Replacement Theology, is an attempt to show that some modern civilizations (England, US, etc.) are true Israel. But both history and the Bible, in numerous references, prove this to be false.

2 Nephi 29:3-14 rails against those who believe the Bible was completed with the writings of the original apostles. But Proverbs 30:5-6, Jude 3, etc. warn against adding to God’s Word. Matthew 16:18 shows that the church would never be defeated by evil.

Key Verses from the Bible

Isaiah 64:6 All our “goodness” is like filthy rags
John 1:1-3, 14 Jesus (Word) is AND ALWAYS WAS equal to God
Numbers 23:19 God is not a man
Isaiah 44:24 Jehovah alone made all things (see Colossians 1:16)
Micah 5:2 Jesus is from EVERLASTING (Mat 2:4-6)
Phil 2:5-11 Jesus was GOD BECOMING A MAN, not a man becoming a god
1 Corinthians 15:22 In Adam ALL DIE, in Christ all made alive
Romans 5:12 Death through Adam, life through Christ
Hebrews 9:27 Die once, then face judgment
2 Corinthians 5:6 absent from body = present with Lord
Hebrews 5, 7-10 Jesus is our Priest FOREVER (Melchizedek)
Psalm 90:2 God is eternal
Jude 3, Mat.16:18 no new revelation; Bible is completed
Isaiah 53:6 The Lord laid on HIM the iniquity of us all
1 Peter 2:24 Jesus bore our sins ON THE CROSS, not in the garden
Psalms 139:13-16 Our beings (not just bodies) are formed IN THE WOMB; NO PRE-EXISTANCE
Isaiah 46:9 No other God (see also 44:24)
Galatians 1:8 No other gospel, even from angels (see also 2 Cor. 11:14)
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Jehovah's Witnesses

January 1, 2002

Jesus is Jehovah (Hebrew YHWH, Greek Theos)

Jehovah is the one who was pierced. The NWT (see below) is in error: They will look on ME, not HIM (Zech. 12:10). According to the Masoretic text, the word used here is the compound “Ahl’lee”, meaning “ON ME” or “UPON ME”.

Isaiah 9:6 How can the Son be “the mighty God, the everlasting Father”?
Isaiah 44:24 and Col. 1:16 Jehovah and Jesus are the Creator.
Isaiah 43:11, Luke 2:11, Acts 4:10-12 Jehovah and Jesus are the Savior.
Ex. 34:14, Daniel 7:14 Jehovah and Jesus are worshiped as God.
John 1:1-3, 14, 8:58-59, 10:30-33, Romans 9:5, Heb. 1:8 Jesus is God (”I AM”, I and Father are one)
Phil. 2:5-11, Col. 1:15, 1 Tim. 3:16, 1 John 4:2 Jesus is God in the flesh
Psalm 110:1, Rev. 22:16 Jesus the Lord is both the Root and Offspring of David.
Col. 1:14-20 “Firstborn of all creation” doesn’t mean “first created thing” but “one with authority ruling over all creation” (see Ex 4:22, Job 18:13, Ps 89:27, Jer. 31:9; Jesus is also called “the firstborn from the dead” in Rev. 1:5). Also supported by v. 16 which shows that Jesus created EVERYTHING that was created (which, of course, doesn’t include God, who is eternal).

Jehovah Is A Trinity

Gen. 1:26, Ex. 3:14, Psalm 45:6-7 Elohiym is a plural noun but is used with a singular verb.
Matthew 28:19 “in the name (not names) of the Father, Son, Spirit
Isaiah 46:9, 48:12-16, John, Acts 2:33, 19:2, Romans 8:11, 27, 15:16, 1 Cor. 12:4-6, 2 Cor. 3:17-18, 5:5, 13:14, Gal. 4:6, Eph 1:13-14, Heb. 9:14, 1 Peter 1:2, 3:18, Rev. 22:13, 16

No One is Good Enough to Get to Heaven

Isaiah 64:6 All our “goodness” is like filthy rags
Php. 3:9 Saved by Jesus’ righteousness, not ours
Eph 2:8-9 You are saved by grace (gift, not reward)
Gal 2:20-3:5 Receive Spirit by believing
Rom 3 All have sinned (why only God can pay for our sins)
Rom 6:23 Gift of God is eternal life
Rom 10:9 Believe and confess
Rom 4:5 Salvation without works
Heb 12:2 Jesus author of our faith
John 14:6 Jesus only way to Father

The Bible says you can KNOW you’ll get to Heaven!

John 3:16,36 Believers HAVE eternal life
Eph. 4:30 Believers are SEALED
2 Cor. 1:22, Eph: 1:14 Believers’ salvation is GUARANTEED
1 John 5:13 Believers KNOW they are saved

Jehovah’s Witnesses, like most cults, believe that their version of the Bible is the only correct one, and that mainstream Christians bash them for no reason. Of course they are guilty of bashing as well, and the general arguments they present against our Bible (bias, tampering, etc.) apply only to theirs.

One thing JWs should ask themselves is how they determine truth or authority. Without an objective standard that can be investigated, truth becomes relative and subjective. If truth is changeable or arguable, then there is no such thing as truth, and the JWs have no ground to stand on since their truth is no better than anyone else’s.

Another question is what their religion offers them. Do they have assurance that they’ll ever get to Heaven? How good is good enough? Can they lose their place in Heaven? Does their church kick them when they’re down? There is plenty of evidence that it does. Contrast this with the guaranteed salvation of the Bible.

The New World Translation (NWT)

The Current Teaching Of The Watchtower Society

The Jehovah’s Witness Bible is known as the New World Translation. The Society believes that this version is a most accurate translation of the Bible and is the one they use in their teaching and Bible reading, and they consistently quote it in their literature.

Many scholars refer to the New World Translation as a commentary on the Bible instead of a translation in light of the way the text has been altered to fit the various Society doctrines. These changes are particularly evident when the subjects of hell, the Trinity, or the immortality of the soul are discussed. The following is a representative list of passages altered in the Society’s Bible:

Hbr 1:8, Luk 23:43, 1Jo 5:20, 1Cr 11:30, Phl 2:5, 1Cr 14:14, Jhn 1:1, 2Cr 5:1, Col 1:15-18, Gal 5:15, Tts 2:13, Gal 6:18, Act 2:17, Hbr 10:39, 1Pe 3:18, 19, Hbr 12:9, Jude 1:19, Hbr 12:28, 1Jo 4:1-6, Rev 5:10, Rev 8:9, Act 20:7, Mar 1:4, Col 2:12

Observations, Evaluations, And Criticisms of the NEW WORLD TRANSLATION
By Noted Greek And New Testament Scholars

[NOTE: These comments are particularly directed toward the NWT translation of John 1:1, but are indicative of the tone of their observations about the NWT translation in general.]

DR. J.R. MANTEY (who is quoted on pages 1158-1159, of the Society’s Kingdom Interlinear Translation): “A shocking mistranslation”. “Obsolete and incorrect”. “It is neither scholarly nor reasonable to translate John 1:1 “The Word was a god.”

DR. BRUCE M. METZGER of Princeton University (Professor New Testament Language and Literature): “A frightful mistranslation…”, “erroneous…”, “pernicious…” “reprehensible…”. “If the Jehovah’s Witnesses take this translation seriously, they are polytheists.”

DR. SAMUEL J. MIKOLASKI of Zurich, Switzerland: “This anarthrous (used without the article) construction does not mean what the indefinite article ‘a’ means in English. It is monstrous to translate the phrase ‘the Word was a god.’”

DR. PAUL L. KAUFFMAN of Portland, Oregon: “The Jehovah’s Witnesses [translators] evidence an abysmal ignorance of the basic tenets of Greek grammar in their mistranslation of John 1:1.”

DR. CHARLES L. FEINBERG of La Mirada, California: “I can assure you that the rendering which the Jehovah’s Witnesses give John 1:1 is not held by any reputable Greek scholar.”

DR. JAMES L. BOYER of Winona Lake, Indiana: “I have never heard of, or read of any Greek scholar who would agree to the interpretation of this [John 1:1] verse insisted upon by the Jehovah’s Witnesses… I have never encountered one of them [Society member] who had any knowledge of the Greek language.”

DR. WALTER MARTIN (who does not teach Greek but has studied the language): “The translation ‘a god’ instead of ‘God’ is erroneous and unsupported by any good Greek scholarship, ancient or contemporary, and is a translation rejected by all recognized scholars of the Greek language, many of whom are not even Christians, and cannot fairly be said to be biased in favor of the orthodox contention.”

DR. WILLIAN BARCLAY of the University of Glasgow, Scotland: “The deliberate distortion of truth by this sect is seen in their New Testament translations. John 1:1 is translated: ‘the Word was a god.’ a translation which is grammatically impossible. It is abundantly clear that a sect which can translate the New Testament like that is intellectually dishonest.”

DR. F.F. BRUCE of the University of Manchester, England: “Much is made by Arian amateur grammarians of the omission of the definite article with ‘God’ in the phrase ‘and the Word was God.’ Such an omission is common with nouns in a predicative construction… ‘a god’ would be totally indefensible.”

(The late Dr. Barclay and Dr. Bruce are generally regarded as Great Britain’s leading Greek scholars. Each have New Testament translations in print.)

DR. ERNEST C. COLWELL of the University of Chicago: “A definite predicate nominative has the article when it follows the verb; it does not have the article when it precedes the verb… this statement cannot be regarded as strange in the prologue of the gospel which reaches its climax in the confession of Thomas: ‘My Lord and my God.’ (John 20:28)”

DR. PHILIP B. HARNER of Heidelberg College: “The verb preceding an anarthrous predicate, would probably mean that the LOGOS was ‘a god’ or a divine being of some kind, belonging to the general category of THEOS but a distinct being from HO THEOS. In the form the John actually uses, the word THEOS is placed at the beginning for emphasis [thus ruling out the 'a god' translation].”

DR. J. JOHNSON of California State University, Long Beach: “No justification whatsoever for translating THEOS EN HO LOGOS as ‘the Word was a god.’ There is no syntactical parallel to Acts 23:6 where there is a statement in indirect discourse; John 1:1 is direct… I am neither a Christian nor a Trinitarian.”

DR. EUGENE A. NIDA, head of Translation Department, American Bible Society: “With regard to John 1:1, there is of course a complication simply because the New World Translation was apparently done by persons who did not take seriously the syntax of the Greek.” (Responsible for the Good News Bible — the committee worked under him.)

DR. B.F. WESTCOTT (whose Greek New Testament text — not the English part — is used in the Kingdom Interlinear Translation): “The predicate (God) stands emphatically first, as in John 4:24. It is necessarily without the article… No idea of inferiority of nature is suggested by [this] form of expression, which simply affirms the true deity of the Word… in the third clause ‘the Word’ is declared to be ‘God’, and so included in the unity of the Godhead.”

DR. J.J. GRIESBACH (whose Greek New Testament text — not the English part — is used in the Society’s publication The Emphatic Diaglott): “So numerous and clear are the arguments and testimonies of Scriptures in favor of the true Deity of Christ, that I can hardly imagine how, upon the admission of the Divine authority of Scripture, and with regard to fair rules of interpretation, this doctrine can by any man be called in doubt. Especially the passage, John 1:1-3, is so clear and so superior to all exception, that by no daring efforts of either commentators or critics can it be snatched out of the hands of the defenders of the truth.”

Grieshaber, Erich, and Jean Grieshaber. “Mistranslations,” Redi-Answers on Jehovah’s Witness Doctrine. Blue Letter Bible. 1 Jul 2002. 22 Jun 2004. http://blueletterbible.org/study/cults/rajwd/rajwd24.html

The New World Translation
From http://www.bible-researcher.com/new-world.html
June 2004

New Testament, 1950. Frederick W. Franz, ed., New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures Rendered from the Original Language by the New World Translation Committee. Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1950.

Bible, 1961. Frederick W. Franz, ed., The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, rendered from the Original Languages by the New World Bible Translation Committee. Revised A.D. 1961. Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, 1961. The Old Testament was originally published in parts from 1953 to 1960. The whole was revised for the one-volume edition in 1961, and subsequently revised in 1970 and 1984. The publisher of this version has never made public the names of the translators. But former members of the Governing Body of the Jehovah’s Witnesses organization have identified the members of the committee as Nathan H. Knorr (President of the organization), Frederick W. Franz (Vice-President), George D. Cangas, and Albert D. Schroeder. According to Raymond V. Franz, the “principal translator of the Society’s New World Translation” was Frederick W. Franz.(1) According to M. James Penton, “to all intents and purposes the New World Translation is the work of one man, Frederick Franz.”(2) Franz afterwards became the President of the organization, from 1977 to 1992, and was responsible for the revisions.

The Forward to the first edition of the New Testament (1950) explained the need for the version, and also indicated the reason for its name: “It befits the significant time of transition from the old world to the righteous new world that translations of the Scriptures today should as far as possible eliminate the misleading influence of religious traditions which have their roots in paganism.” (p.7, emphasis added.)

The New Testament adheres to the text of Westcott & Hort. It is a fairly literal translation, for the most part, but it does have some peculiar non-literal renderings. These are the result of the committee’s efforts to conform the version to the doctrines of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. “Jehovah” is given as a translation for kurios (Lord) in the New Testament whenever the Father is meant, but not when it refers to Christ, the Son. “Torture stake” is put instead of “cross” because the Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that the cross is an idolatrous symbol introduced by the Roman Catholic Church. And because this sect teaches that Jesus Christ was merely an angel, the version reflects a Unitarian bias in several places.

Examples of Unitarian bias:

Gen. 1:1-2 “In [the] beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth proved to be formless and waste and there was darkness upon the surface of [the] watery deep; and God’s active force was moving to and fro over the surface of the waters.” The ruach elohim (”Spirit of God”) of the Hebrew is interpreted “God’s active force” in order to avoid the Trinitarian understanding of the “Spirit.”

Zech. 12:10 “…they will look upon the one whom they have pierced…” Here the Hebrew “look upon me whom they have pierced,” in which God is the speaker, has been altered in order to avoid the implication that the one who is to be pierced (on the cross) is God.

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.” Instead of the literal “the Word was God,” we have “a god,” which the sect interprets as “an angelic being.”

Col. 1:15-17 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 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. Also, he is before all [other] things and by means of him all [other] things were made to exist.” Because the sect teaches that Christ was a created being rather than eternal God, the word “other” is inserted several times. The first edition of the translation did this without brackets.

Heb. 1:8 “God is your throne forever” (a nonsensical statement) is put intead of “your throne, O God, is forever” because this statement refers to Christ.

The New World Translation is widely seen as an example of sectarian bias in Bible translation.

Bibliograpy

Robert H. Countess, The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ New Testament: a Critical Analysis of the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures (2nd ed. Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Pub. Co., 1987).

Bruce M. Metzger, “The New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures.” The Bible Translator 15/3 (July 1964), pp. 150-153.

Bruce M. Metzger, “The Jehovah’s Witnesses and Jesus Christ: A Biblical and Theological Appraisal.” Theology Today 10 (1953): 65-85.

1. Raymond V. Franz, Crisis of Conscience (Atlanta: Commentary Press, 1982), p. 50.

2. M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah’s Witnesses (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1985), p. 174.

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Islam: A Comparison with Christianity

January 1, 2002

In this comparison of Islam with Christianity, we will examine the two religions in the following areas:

  • The Text: internal and external evidence
  • Doctrinal Statements
  • Motivation
  • Practice
  • Leading by Example

The Text

The Bible— External Evidence

Please see other Bible Text articles here for a complete treatment of the issue of Bible reliability.

The Bible— Internal Evidence

The previous section represents the external evidence supporting the Bible, that is, evidence from outside the text itself. It is the result of literary, historical, and scientific research over hundreds of years by scholars both friendly and hostile to the Bible. Now we will consider the internal evidence, which is evidence provided by the text itself.

Although critics of the Bible have long attempted to show that it is full of contradictions, none can be found. In every alleged instance of contradiction, a thorough study of the whole Bible resolves the dispute. The same is true of alleged historical and scientific errors. No other religious writings, and few ancient documents, enjoy the unrivaled accuracy and clarity of the Bible.

In spite of the Bible’s having been written over a period of about 1500 years by people from different continents and cultures, it has an amazing unity of thought and doctrine. All attempts to prove that the various books of the Bible were edited to produce this unity have failed. Regarding prophecy, only the Bible even attempts to predict the future, and with 100% accuracy. Again the critics tried to post-date the scriptures to explain away this fact, but the dates of the writings have been firmly established as pre-dating the prophecies.

There are many other ways in which the Bible is absolutely unique among religious writings. No other writings can come close to answering the most basic questions: How did everything come into existence? Why is there death and decay? How will it all end? No other religion offers a personal relationship with God or the absolute assurance of eternal life with him. No other “holy” books are written so that the average person can understand them. While other writings are often cryptic and mystical, the Bible is clear and reasonable. And no other religious writings have been the object of hatred that the Bible has been, which has survived many attempts at wiping it off the face of the earth.

Clearly, in the light of such overwhelming external and internal evidence, no reasonable person can doubt the authenticity and uniqueness of the Bible. It stands alone as the most influential book of all time.

The Koran— External Evidence

Historical research has proven that the Koran has been corrupted. It contains many grammatical errors and non-Arabic words, and there are many conflicting readings of the text. Many parts of the originals have been lost. For example, one Sura (chapter) originally had 200 verses in the days of Ayesha, but by the time of the Uthman standardized text, it had only 73. There are also many instances of verses being added or removed for political reasons, or due to disputes between Sunni and Shiite Muslims. After Muhammad’s death there was great confusion as to what material should be included in the Koran. In the mid 600s, a standard text was made official, and all others were destroyed.

Obviously, compared to the mountain of external evidence supporting the Bible, there just isn’t much to say about the Koran. As a result, most Muslim apologists will center their arguments around attacks on the Bible. This is why it is so important for Christians to know the facts about our Biblical texts, and to be familiar with Christian apologetics.

The Koran— Internal Evidence

Using the current official Koran text, are there any self-contradictions, or discrepancies with the Bible?

Self-contradictions abound. Either all Noah’s family was saved, or some drowned. Either God took 8 days to create the world, or he took 7. There are several different accounts of Muhammad’s original call to be a prophet. Undoubtedly, many more such embarrassments were cleaned up by editors.

Discrepancies with the Bible also abound, as shown in the section on doctrinal statements. The only way for Muslims to accept the Koran’s teaching that the Bible is God’s Word is to claim that the Bible has been corrupted. But this is a false accusation. Since the Koran was written only a few hundred years after the Bible was finished, how can anyone account for such a huge degree of corruption in such a short time? If God was incapable of protecting his Word even for a few hundred years, why should we believe the Koran has been uncorrupted for over a thousand?

The Bible and the Koran are hopelessly incompatible, and the evidence overwhelmingly supports the Bible as being the true Word of God. There is just no evidence of any kind for the Koran to stand on.

Doctrinal Statements

The Bible

Genesis 16:11-12, 17:18-21, 21:3 Isaac, Ishmael, covenant
Matthew 1:1-17 Jesus’ genealogy from Abraham and Isaac
Luke 3:24-38 Jesus’ genealogy back to Adam
Galatians 4:22-31 two covenants
Genesis 1:26, Ex. 3:14, Deut. 6:4, Ps. 45:6-7, Isaiah 46:9, Matt. 28:19, Luke 11:15, John 14:26, 16:13, John 17:1-5, 20:22, Acts 1:4-5, 2:33, 19:2, etc. proof of the Trinity
John 5:18, 6:38, 10:30 Jesus & Father One yet distinct
Luke 1:35, John 1:1-5, 14, 18, 3:16 the Son of God
Isaiah 48:16 God doesn’t speak in secret
John 2:19-21, 1 Tim. 2:3-6 crucifixion, resurrection
Rev. 22:13 Jesus is the FIRST and the LAST
Malachi 2:16, Matt. 5:31-32, Mk. 10:2-12, Col 3:19, 1 Peter 3:7 husbands and wives
Deut. 32:35, Isaiah 34:8, Rom. 12:19, 1 Peter 3:9 teachings on vengeance
ohn 3:16-17, Acts 4:10-12, Rom. 5:10, 10:9-10, Eph. 2:8-9 Salvation by faith, not works, only through Jesus

The Koran

(note: Sura numbers differ from one translation to another)

Hostility towards Jews and Christians Sura 2:105-115, 129, 9:28-39
No religion but Islam; others are losers Sura 3:79
believers don’t take Jews / Christians as friends Sura 5:56
Lie in ambush for infidels, who must repent or die Sura 9:5
salvation by works Sura 9:18
Abraham was a Muslim! Sura 3:60
Muhammad is naught but a Messenger Sura 3:138
Muhammad seal (last) of the prophets Sura 33:40
a man can beat a rebellious wife Sura 4:38

The Koran’s Jesus

Not crucified; it was a likeness of Him Sura 4:135
Not God, just a messenger Sura 4:169, 5:19, 76, 79
Not the Messiah Sura 5:19, 76
Not the Son of God Sura 19:91, 93

The Koran’s God

Made a covenant with Abraham and Ishmael Sura 2:119
Has no son Sura 19:91, 93
Is the same as the God of the Bible (YHWH) Sura 29:45
Has not begotten Sura 112:1
Is not a Trinity Sura 4:169, 5:77

(Sura 5:50, 70 and throughout Koran: Who are We and Us, who do God-like things? If God is not a Trinity, and Muhammad is just a messenger, then who else has God-like powers?)

Motivation

The Bible

The Bible commands us to love God and love other people. It teaches respect for property and authority, considerate treatment of the weak, and concern for the lost. It shows us how to administer justice, cope with adversity, and return the love of God. The highest ideals known to mankind are found in the Bible. Any who accept it as the Word of God are powerfully motivated to exhibit the highest standards in all areas of life. Contrary to most, if not all, other “holy books”, the Bible emphasizes the condition of the heart as of first importance, with outward behavior being changed as a result.

The Koran

Although the Koran does teach respect for property and other high ideals, its motivation is not the love of God but the fear of him. Outward behavior is essential to salvation, and believers obey not because they want to, but because they must. The teachings of the Koran motivate men to domineer women, to hate and kill, and to ruthlessly spread Islam by force. Jews and Christians are named as the enemies of Islam and are condemned to Gehenna.

Practice

The Bible

Practice is, of course, the result of motivation. The obvious result of following the teachings of the Bible is a civilizing influence on society. Historically, the Bible has had a strong, positive effect on the development of humane governments and much scientific research. Yes, there have been those who did evil in the name of Christianity, but they did so in spite of what the Bible says, not because of it. Where true Biblical Christianity is practiced, people are free and prosperous. The United States has been an example of how God blesses nations that honor him (and what happens when they stop).

The Koran

The results of acting on what the Koran motivates people to do are obvious. Islam was spread by the sword, in obedience to the Koran. After Muhammad’s death, many who had followed him abandoned his teachings, thinking they were free at last. But the true believers persecuted them until Islam was firmly established. In every country where Islam has been dominant, the people have been impoverished and oppressed. No Islamic country allows freedom of any kind. Those Muslims that are considered extreme or fanatical are simply taking the Koran literally. Contrary to popular opinion, it isn’t the violent Muslims who are not practicing true Islam, it’s the peaceful ones! Those who claim to be peaceful must somehow spiritualize the Koran, believing it to teach only spiritual warfare. But there is no contextual justification for such a view, and no historical precedent.

To our shame, though, some Christians do the same thing. They don’t like the clear teachings of Scripture, so they spiritualize them to mean something else. The people who do that are ripe for deception, because they will be easily persuaded to accept false teachings and religions. If the actual words don’t matter, then any belief will do.

The following quotes are from the preface to Volume II of The Koran Interpreted.

p. 8 “Whenever I hear the Koran chanted… there is sounding all the time the insistent beat of a drum.”
p. 10 “When it is read aloud or recited it has an almost hypnotic effect that makes the listener indifferent to its sometimes strange syntax and its sometimes, to us, repellent content.”
p. 16 “This, the mystic’s approach, is surely the right approach to the study of the Koran”

Since the Koran is best “revealed” when chanted, it bears a strong resemblance to shamanism (witchcraft) and Hinduism; the “western” concepts of analysis and logical reason are abandoned in favor of emotion and “enlightenment”. This, of course, points out yet another difference between Allah and Jehovah: Jehovah is a God of order and reason, quite the opposite of a god whose writings can only be truly known through chanting and emotion, the “mystic’s approach.”

Leading by Example

Jesus

When comparing religions, it’s a good idea to find out what kind of people founded them. It’s one thing for your friends to speak well of you, but another for your enemies to do the same. This is true of Jesus. Whether in the Bible or other sources, even his enemies have had to acknowledge, at the very least, the superiority of his teachings. He is flawless in every way, and is still the undisputed “champ” of Resurrection! After seeing his life on earth and hearing his teachings, the world must at least acknowledge him as the best example of a religious leader. No other person in history is as widely quoted or emulated.

Muhammad

From the Preface to Volume I of The Koran Interpreted:

p. 15 “If Muhammad… was indeed the illiterate person the Muslims represent him to have been, then… the Koran is, as they assert it to be, a standing miracle.”
p. 15 “- …he was… the victim of a certain amount of self-deception… liable to morbid and fantastic hallucinations…”
p. 16 “- he was… an earnest though mistaken teacher…”

Conclusion

Compared to reading the Bible, reading the Koran is a very tedious chore. It is composed mostly of endless repetitions of the anti-infidel theme, with a few dubious re-tellings of some Biblical passages. Actual doctrinal statements are few and far between. If I were to liken the Bible and the Koran to physical objects, the Bible would be a strong brick building, while the Koran would be a glob of jelly mixed with shards of glass.

Primary Sources

The Koran Interpreted by A. J. Arberry
The Facts on Islam by John Ankerberg and John Weldon
Behind the Veil– Unmasking Islam by Abd El Schafi
Aspects of Islam by D. B. MacDonald
Islam: A Way of Life by Philip K. Hitti
Evidence That Demands A Verdict by Josh McDowell

Posted in: Bible Text, Other Religions – No Comments

Negativity

January 1, 2002

Many people today, religious or not, Christian or not, firmly believe that proselytizing is harsh, offensive, and worst of all, negative. Negativity is the now the buzzword for hatefulness and narrow-mindedness. Christians harshly (and therefore hypocritically!) condemn other Christians who dare to point out the fact that sinners are sinners. But what is our example from Scripture?

Many passages of scripture show that the preaching of the Gospel is inherently negative. People must be convinced of their sinful, hopeless condition before they are ready to receive the Gospel. Peter’s first public sermon was one of condemnation and finger pointing, not peace and love. Later, Paul publicly scolded Peter. For what, being negative? No, for ecumenism! Peter was trying to blend in, get along, not make waves.

The blind can’t see the Way; sin recoils from the Truth; the dead don’t understand the Life; evil runs from the Light. It should come as no surprise that sinners cannot tolerate being told there’s a problem with their soul, way of life, or belief system. But Jesus does not call us to be popular or successful, just faithful. How the message is received is not the believer’s concern. Look at God’s “witness” to Cain in Genesis 4:7. Cain rejected the “proselytism” of God Himself! The hearer is solely responsible for his or her reaction to the Truth.

We must not become fearful of the world. Jesus said that he will be ashamed of anyone who is ashamed of him and his words. “Fear God rather than men!” Too many Christians are afraid to stick our necks out, rock the boat, make waves. The world demands peace at any price, but we must not be sucked into the world’s vortex. If the Christianity we practice is palatable to the lost, then we’re doing something wrong.

The message of the Gospel has been watered down to the point of becoming some kind of “holistic religion”. A mere vapor of the original message is all we offer people. We think we are offering a cure, but when nothing happens we say, “Just give it more time”. Yet Jesus said he would come at a time when we do not expect him (Matt. 24:44). The time is short, the hour is late. What will we say to the condemned on Judgment Day, when they demand to know why we only gave them a drop of water when they were dying of thirst? “I didn’t think you could handle it”? “I was afraid you wouldn’t like it”? “I didn’t want to be persecuted”? Will we “hide our Master’s money in the ground” (Matt. 25:24-30) instead of putting it to work out in the world?

Although the context here is ‘tongues’, look at 1 Cor. 14:7-9: “Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.” Is the church today sending a clear signal? Do the lost really know what they’re being called to?

Are You Salty?

Matthew 5:10-16

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Col. 4:5

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

2 Cor. 2:14-16

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.

2 Timothy 3:12

In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

1 Peter 4:3-5

For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do— living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

1 Peter 4:12-19

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

Rev. 3:15-16

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm— neither hot nor cold— I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

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