Jesus Saves—How?
"Jesus saves!" "Jesus is our Savior!" In many countries around the world, such messages are displayed on walls of buildings and in other public places. Millions of people sincerely believe that Jesus is their Savior. If you were to ask them, "How does Jesus save us?" they would probably reply, "Jesus died for us" or, "Jesus died for our sins." Yes, Jesus' death makes it possible for us to be saved. But how can the death of one man pay for the sins of a multitude? If you were asked, "How can Jesus' death save us?" what would you say?
THE answer that the Bible gives to this question is very simple but clear and full of significance. To grasp its importance, though, we first need to see Jesus' life and death as a solution to a very difficult problem. Only then can we properly understand the enormous value of Jesus' death.
In having Jesus give his life, God was dealing with a situation that arose when Adam sinned. What a tragedy that sin was! The very first man and his wife, Eve, were perfect. The beautiful garden of Eden was their home. God gave them the meaningful work of caring for their garden home. They were to have under their loving oversight the other living creatures on earth. And as humans multiplied and filled the earth with millions of their kind, they were to expand the paradise to earth's limits. (Genesis 1:28) What a delightful and exciting work they were given! Moreover, they had the warm companionship of each other. (Genesis 2:18) They lacked nothing. Happy eternal life was before them.
It is hard to imagine how Adam or Eve could sin. But the first human pair rebelled against the very one who created them—Jehovah God. Using a serpent, the spirit creature Satan the Devil deceived Eve into disobeying Jehovah, and Adam followed her.—Genesis 3:1-6.
There was no question about what the Creator would do about Adam and Eve. He had already spelled out the consequence of disobedience, stating: "From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die." (Genesis 2:16, 17) A question of far greater magnitude now required an answer.
Mankind Faces a Difficult Problem
The original sin created a very critical problem for mankind. Adam began life as a perfect human. Therefore, his children could have enjoyed perfect everlasting life. However, Adam sinned before he fathered any children. The entire human race was still in his loins when he received the sentence: "In the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For dust you are and to dust you will return." (Genesis 3:19) So when Adam sinned and began to die as God said he would, all mankind was sentenced to death along with him.
Appropriately, the apostle Paul later wrote: "Through one man [Adam] sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned." (Romans 5:12) Yes, because of the original sin, children that were supposed to be born perfect with endless life ahead of them were brought forth with sickness, old age, and death as their prospect.
"That is not fair," someone might say. "We did not choose to disobey God—Adam did. Why should we lose our prospect for everlasting life and happiness?" We know that if a court of law were to put a son in prison because his father had stolen a car, the son could rightly complain: "That is not just! I did not do anything wrong."—Deuteronomy 24:16.
Adam brought sin
and death upon mankind
By inducing the first man and woman to sin, Satan may have concluded that he would place God in an impossible situation. The Devil struck very early in the history of the human race—before any children had been born. The moment Adam sinned, an important question was, What will Jehovah do about the children that Adam and Eve will have?
Jehovah God did what was just and fair. "Far be it from the true God to act wickedly, and the Almighty to act unjustly!" declared the righteous man Elihu. (Job 34:10) And concerning Jehovah, the prophet Moses wrote: "The Rock, perfect is his activity, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness, with whom there is no injustice; righteous and upright is he." (Deuteronomy 32:4) The solution that the true God provided to the problem created by Adam's sin does not take away our opportunity for everlasting life on a paradise earth.
God Provides a Perfect Solution
Consider the solution God laid out in the sentence he pronounced on Satan the Devil. Jehovah said to Satan: "I shall put enmity between you and the woman [God's heavenly organization] and between your seed [the world under Satan's control] and her seed [Jesus Christ]. He will bruise you [Satan] in the head and you will bruise him in the heel [Jesus' death]." (Genesis 3:15) In this first prophecy of the Bible, Jehovah alluded to his purpose to have his heavenly spirit Son come to earth to live as the perfect man Jesus and then die—be bruised in the heel—in that sinless state.
Why did God require the death of a perfect man? Well, what was Jehovah God's penalty for Adam if he sinned? Was it not death? (Genesis 2:16, 17) "The wages sin pays is death," wrote the apostle Paul. (Romans 6:23) Adam paid for his sin with his own death. He was given life, he chose to sin, and he died as a penalty for his sin. (Genesis 3:19) What about the condemnation that the entire human race came under because of that sin? A death was needed to atone for their sins. But whose death could justly cover the transgressions of all mankind?
God's Law to the ancient nation of Israel required "soul for soul [or, life for life]." (Exodus 21:23) According to this legal principle, the death covering mankind's transgressions would have to be of a value equal to what Adam had lost. Only the death of another perfect man could pay the wages of sin. Jesus was such a man. Indeed, Jesus was "a corresponding ransom" for the saving of all redeemable mankind descended from Adam.—1 Timothy 2:6; Romans 5:16, 17.
Jesus' Death Has Great Value
Adam's death had no value; he deserved to die for his sin. Jesus' death, however, had great value because he died in a sinless state. Jehovah God could accept the value of Jesus' perfect life as a ransom for obedient descendants of sinful Adam. And the value of Jesus' sacrifice does not stop at paying for our past sins. If it did, we would have no future. Being conceived in sin, we are bound to err again. (Psalm 51:5) How grateful we can be that Jesus' death makes provision for us to gain the perfection that Jehovah originally intended for the offspring of Adam and Eve!
Adam can be likened to a father who died and left us in such deep financial debt (sin) that there is no possible way for us to get out of debt. On the other hand, Jesus is like a good father who died and left us a rich inheritance that not only frees us from the enormous debt that Adam burdened us with but also provides enough for us to live on eternally. Jesus' death is not simply a cancellation of past sins; it is also a wonderful provision for our future.
Jesus saves because he died for us. And what a valuable provision his death is! When we see it as a part of God's solution to the complex problem of Adam's sin, our faith in Jehovah and his way of doing things is strengthened. Yes, Jesus' death is a means of rescuing "everyone exercising faith" in him from sin, disease, old age, and death itself. (John 3:16) Are you thankful to God for making this loving arrangement for our salvation?
Reliving Jesus' Last Days on Earth
In this series:
Reliving Jesus' Last Days on Earth
The Last Days of Jesus' Human Life
Related topics:
Who Is Jesus Christ?
Jesus' Family—Who Were They?
What Would You Like to Ask God?
IT IS the seventh day of the Jewish month Nisan in the year 33 C.E. Imagine that you are observing events in the Roman province of Judea. Leaving Jericho and its lush foliage, Jesus Christ and his disciples are trudging up a dusty, twisting road. Many other travelers are also on their way up to Jerusalem for the annual Passover celebration. However, more than this tiring climb is on the minds of Christ's disciples.
The Jews have been yearning for a Messiah who can bring relief from the Roman yoke. Many believe Jesus of Nazareth to be that long-awaited Savior. For three and a half years, he has been speaking about God's Kingdom. He has cured the sick and fed the hungry. Yes, he has brought comfort to the people. But the religious leaders are chafing under Jesus' burning denunciation of them and are desperate to have him killed. Yet, there he is, walking purposefully up the parched road in front of his disciples.—Mark 10:32.
As the sun dips behind the Mount of Olives up ahead, Jesus and his companions reach the village of Bethany, where they will spend the next six nights. There to welcome them are their beloved friends Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. The evening provides cool relief from the hot journey and marks the start of the Sabbath of Nisan 8.—John 12:1, 2.
Nisan 9
After the Sabbath, Jerusalem is abuzz with activity. Thousands of visitors have already converged on the city for the Passover. But the noisy commotion we hear is more than usual for this time of the year. Inquisitive crowds are rushing down narrow streets to the city's gateways. As they shove their way out of the congested gates, what a sight greets them! Many jubilant people are making their way down the Mount of Olives on the road from Bethphage. (Luke 19:37) What is the meaning of all of this?
Look! Jesus of Nazareth comes riding on the colt of an ***. People spread garments out on the road ahead of him. Others wave freshly cut palm branches and joyfully shout: "Blessed is he that comes in Jehovah's name, even the king of Israel!"—John 12:12-15.
As the crowd nears Jerusalem, Jesus looks at the city and is deeply moved. He begins weeping, and we hear him foretelling that this city will be destroyed. When Jesus arrives at the temple a short time later, he teaches the crowds and cures blind and lame people who come to him.—Matthew 21:14; Luke 19:41-44, 47.
This does not go unnoticed by the chief priests and the scribes. How vexed they are to see the marvelous things Jesus does and the jubilation of the crowds! Unable to conceal their indignation, the Pharisees demand: "Teacher, rebuke your disciples." "I tell you," Jesus replies, "If these remained silent, the stones would cry out." Before departing, Jesus notes the commercial activities in the temple.—Luke 19:39, 40; Matthew 21:15, 16; Mark 11:11.
Nisan 10
Jesus arrives at the temple early. Yesterday, he could not help but be incensed at the gross commercialization of the worship of his Father, Jehovah God. With great fervor, therefore, he begins throwing out those buying and selling in the temple. Then he overturns the tables of the greedy money changers and the benches of those selling doves. "It is written," Jesus exclaims, "'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a cave of robbers."—Matthew 21:12, 13.
The chief priests, the scribes, and the principal men cannot stand Jesus' actions and public teaching. How they ache to kill him! But they are stymied by the crowd because the people are astounded by Jesus' teaching and they keep "hanging onto him to hear him." (Luke 19:47, 48) As evening approaches, Jesus and his companions enjoy the pleasant walk back to Bethany for a good night's rest.
Nisan 11
It is early in the morning, and Jesus and his disciples are already on their way over the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem. As they arrive at the temple, the chief priests and the older men are quick to confront Jesus. Fresh on their minds is his action against the money changers and the traders in the temple. His enemies venomously demand: "By what authority do you do these things? And who gave you this authority?" "I, also, will ask you one thing," Jesus counters. "If you tell it to me, I also will tell you by what authority I do these things: The baptism by John, from what source was it? From heaven or from men?" Huddling together, the opponents reason: "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why, then, did you not believe him?' If, though, we say, 'From men,' we have the crowd to fear, for they all hold John as a prophet." Stumped, they weakly answer: "We do not know." Jesus calmly responds: "Neither am I telling you by what authority I do these things."—Matthew 21:23-27.
"A Cave of Robbers"
JESUS had ample reason to say that greedy merchants had turned God's temple into "a cave of robbers." (Matthew 21:12, 13) To pay the temple tax, Jews and proselytes from other lands had to exchange their foreign money for acceptable currency. In his book The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Alfred Edersheim explains that money changers used to set up their businesses in the provinces on Adar 15, a month before Passover. Beginning on Adar 25, they moved into the temple area in Jerusalem to capitalize on the tremendous influx of Jews and proselytes. Dealers ran a thriving business, charging a fee for every piece of money exchanged. Jesus' reference to them as robbers suggests that their fees were so excessive that they were, in effect, extorting money from the poor.
Some could not bring their own sacrificial animals. Anyone who did so had to have the animal examined by an inspector at the temple—for a fee. Not wanting to risk having an animal rejected after bringing it a long distance, many bought a Levitically "approved" one from corrupt dealers at the temple. "Many a poor peasant was well fleeced there," says one scholar.
There is evidence that onetime high priest Annas and his family had a vested interest in the temple merchants. Rabbinic writings speak of "the [temple] Bazaars of the sons of Annas." Revenue from the money changers and from the sale of animals within the temple grounds was one of their main sources of income. One scholar says that Jesus' action in evicting the merchants "was aimed not only at the prestige of the priests but at their pockets." Be that as it may, his enemies surely wanted to do away with him!—Luke 19:45-48.
Jesus' enemies now try to trap him into saying something for which they can have him arrested. "Is it lawful," they ask, "to pay head tax to Caesar or not?" "Show me the head tax coin," Jesus retorts. He asks: "Whose image and inscription is this?" "Caesar's," they say. Confounding them, Jesus states clearly for all to hear: "Pay back, therefore, Caesar's things to Caesar, but God's things to God."—Matthew 22:15-22.
Having silenced his enemies with irrefutable argumentation, Jesus now goes on the offensive before the crowds and his disciples. Listen as he fearlessly denounces the scribes and the Pharisees. "Do not do according to their deeds," he says, "for they say but do not perform." Boldly, he pronounces a series of woes on them, identifying them as blind guides and hypocrites. "Serpents, offspring of vipers," Jesus says, "how are you to flee from the judgment of Gehenna?"—Matthew 23:1-33.
These scathing denunciations do not mean that Jesus is blind to the good points of others. Later, he sees people drop money into the temple treasury chests. How touching to observe a needy widow drop in her entire means of living—two small coins worth very little! With warm appreciation, Jesus points out that, in effect, she has dropped in far more than all who made lavish contributions "out of their surplus." In his tender compassion, Jesus deeply appreciates whatever a person is able to do.—Luke 21:1-4.
Jesus is now leaving the temple for the last time. Some of his disciples remark on its magnificence, that it is "adorned with fine stones and dedicated things." To their surprise, Jesus replies: "The days will come in which not a stone upon a stone will be left here and not be thrown down." (Luke 21:5, 6) As the apostles follow Jesus out of the congested city, they wonder what he could possibly mean.
Well, a little later Jesus and his apostles sit and enjoy the peace and quiet of the Mount of Olives. As they take in the splendid view of Jerusalem and the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew seek clarification of Jesus' startling prediction. "Tell us," they say, "When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?"—Matthew 24:3; Mark 13:3, 4.
In reply the Master Teacher gives a truly remarkable prophecy. He predicts severe wars, earthquakes, food shortages, and pestilences. Jesus also foretells that the good news of the Kingdom will be preached throughout the earth. "Then," he warns, "there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world's beginning until now, no, nor will occur again."—Matthew 24:7, 14, 21; Luke 21:10, 11.
The four apostles listen attentively as Jesus discusses other aspects of 'the sign of his presence.' He emphasizes the need to "keep on the watch." Why? "Because," says he, "you do not know on what day your Lord is coming."—Matthew 24:42; Mark 13:33, 35, 37.
This has been an unforgettable day for Jesus and his apostles. It is, in fact, the last day of Jesus' public ministry before his arrest, trial, and execution. Since it is getting late, they start walking back the short distance over the hill to Bethany.
Nisan 12 and 13
Jesus spends Nisan 12 quietly with his disciples. He realizes that the religious leaders desperately want to kill him, and he does not want them to hinder his Passover celebration the following evening. (Mark 14:1, 2) The next day, Nisan 13, people are busy making final arrangements for the Passover. Early in the afternoon, Jesus sends Peter and John to prepare the Passover for them in an upper room in Jerusalem. (Mark 14:12-16; Luke 22:8) A little before sundown, Jesus and the other ten apostles meet them there for their last Passover celebration.
Nisan 14, After Sundown
Jerusalem is shrouded in the soft light of dusk as the full moon rises over the Mount of Olives. In a large furnished room, Jesus and the 12 are reclining at a prepared table. "I have greatly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer," he says. (Luke 22:14, 15) After a while the apostles are surprised to see Jesus get up and put his outer garments to one side. Taking a towel and a basin of water, he begins washing their feet. What an unforgettable lesson in humble service!—John 13:2-15.
However, Jesus knows that one of these men—Judas Iscariot—has already arranged to betray him to the religious leaders. Understandably, he becomes very distressed. "One of you will betray me," he reveals. The apostles are highly grieved at this. (Matthew 26:21, 22) After celebrating the Passover, Jesus tells Judas: "What you are doing get done more quickly."—John 13:27.
Once Judas has left, Jesus introduces a meal to commemorate his impending death. He takes a loaf of the unleavened bread, expresses thanks in prayer, breaks it, and instructs the 11 to partake. "This means my body," he says, "which is to be given in your behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me." He then takes a cup of red wine. After saying a blessing, he passes the cup to them, telling them to drink out of it. Jesus adds: "This means my 'blood of the covenant,' which is to be poured out in behalf of many for forgiveness of sins."—Luke 22:19, 20; Matthew 26:26-28.
During that momentous evening, Jesus teaches his faithful apostles many valuable lessons, and among these the importance of brotherly love. (John 13:34, 35) He assures them that they will receive a "helper," the holy spirit. It will bring back to their minds all the things he has told them. (John 14:26) Later in the evening, they must be very encouraged to hear Jesus say a fervent prayer in their behalf. (John, chapter 17) After singing songs of praise, they leave the upper room and follow Jesus out into the cool late-night air.
Crossing the Kidron Valley, Jesus and his apostles make their way to one of their favorite places, the garden of Gethsemane. (John 18:1, 2) While his apostles wait, Jesus goes a short distance away to pray. His emotional stress is more than words can describe as he earnestly petitions God for help. (Luke 22:44) The very thought of the reproach that would be heaped on his dear heavenly Father if he failed is agonizing to the extreme.
Jesus has barely finished praying when Judas Iscariot arrives with a crowd carrying swords, clubs, and torches. "Good day, Rabbi!" says Judas, kissing Jesus tenderly. This is the signal for the men to arrest Jesus. All of a sudden, Peter slashes out with his sword and cuts off an ear of the high priest's slave. "Return your sword to its place," says Jesus as he heals the man's ear. "All those who take the sword will perish by the sword."—Matthew 26:47-52.
Everything happens so fast! Jesus is arrested and bound. In fear and confusion, the apostles abandon their Master and flee. Jesus is led away to Annas, the former high priest. Then he is taken to Caiaphas, the present high priest, to be tried. In the early hours of the morning, the Sanhedrin falsely charges Jesus with blasphemy. Next, Caiaphas has him taken to Roman governor Pontius Pilate. He sends Jesus to Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee. Herod and his guards mock Jesus. Then he is sent back to Pilate. Jesus' innocence is confirmed by Pilate. But the Jewish religious leaders pressure him to condemn Jesus to death. After considerable verbal and physical abuse, Jesus is taken out to Golgotha where he is mercilessly nailed to a torture stake and suffers an agonizing death.—Mark 14:50–15:39; Luke 23:4-25.
It would have been the greatest tragedy in history if Jesus' death had brought a permanent end to his life. Happily, that was not the case. On Nisan 16, 33 C.E., his disciples were amazed to find that he had been raised from the dead. In time, more than 500 people were able to verify that Jesus was again alive. And 40 days after his resurrection, a group of faithful followers saw him ascend to heaven.—Acts 1:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.
Jesus' Life and You
How does this affect you—indeed, all of us? Well, Jesus' ministry, death, and resurrection magnify Jehovah God and are crucial to the outworking of His grand purpose. (Colossians 1:18-20) They are of vital importance to us in that we can have our sins forgiven on the basis of Jesus' sacrifice and can thus have a personal relationship with Jehovah God.—John 14:6; 1 John 2:1, 2.
Even mankind's dead are affected. Jesus' resurrection opens the way to bring them back to life in God's promised Paradise earth. (Luke 23:39-43; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22) If you want to know more about such matters, we invite you to attend the Memorial of Christ's death on April 12, 2006, at a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in your area.
WHO IS
Jesus Christ?
In this series:
Who Is Jesus Christ?
Who Is “the Only True God”?
“Those Who Are Called ‘Gods’”
What “the Only True God” Promises
Related topics:
True Teachings—Where Can You Find Them?
Who Is God?
Do You Know God by Name?
ACCORDING to reliable history, a man named Jesus was born over 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem, a small town in the land of Judea. Herod the Great was king in Jerusalem then, and Caesar Augustus was emperor in Rome. (Matthew 2:1; Luke 2:1-7) Roman historians of the first two centuries generally avoided mentioning Jesus, since Roman rulers at that time were trying to suppress Christianity.
On the other hand, The Historians’ History of the World observes: “The historical result of [Jesus’] activities was more momentous, even from a strictly secular standpoint, than the deeds of any other character of history. A new era, recognised by the chief civilisations of the world, dates from [Jesus’] birth.”
Time magazine reported that more books have been written about Jesus than any other person in history. Many of these books focus on the question of Jesus’ identity, that is, who he really is. There has perhaps been more controversy about this matter than about any other subject in human history.
Early Questions About Identity
When Mary was told that she would have a child and that she was to name him Jesus, she asked: “How is this to be, since I am having no intercourse with a man?” God’s angel Gabriel replied: “Power of the Most High will overshadow you. For that reason also what is born will be called holy, God’s Son.”—Luke 1:30-35.
Later, Jesus performed miracles that caused his apostles to marvel. When a mighty windstorm threatened to sink their boat on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus calmed the waters with the rebuke “Hush! Be quiet!” In astonishment, his apostles exclaimed: “Who really is this?”—Mark 4:35-41; Matthew 8:23-27.
Questions about Jesus’ real identity became common among people of his day, so Jesus asked his apostles who people were saying he was. “Some say John the Baptist,” they replied, “others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets”—all of whom were then dead. Afterward Jesus asked: “‘You, though, who do you say I am?’ In answer Simon Peter said: ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’” Even the demons—wicked angels—said of Jesus: “You are the Son of God.”—Matthew 16:13-16; Luke 4:41.
Who Jesus Said He Was
Although Jesus rarely spoke of himself as God’s Son, he did acknowledge that he was. (Mark 14:61, 62; John 3:18; 5:25, 26; 11:4) Almost invariably, however, he said that he was “the Son of man.” By identifying himself this way, he highlighted his human birth—the fact that he was truly a man. Thus he also revealed himself to be that “son of man” whom Daniel had seen in vision appearing before Almighty God—“the Ancient of Days.”—Matthew 20:28; Daniel 7:13.
Rather than proclaim himself to be God’s Son, Jesus allowed others to reach that conclusion. And even people besides his apostles did so, including John the Baptist and Jesus’ friend Martha. (John 1:29-34; 11:27) These believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah. They learned that he had lived in heaven as a mighty spirit person and that his life had been miraculously transferred by God to the womb of the virgin Mary.—Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:20-23.
Similar to the First Man, Adam
In many respects, Jesus was similar to the first man, Adam. For example, both were perfect men who did not have a human father. (Genesis 2:7, 15) So the Bible calls Jesus “the last Adam”—a perfect man who could serve as “a corresponding ransom.” Jesus’ life corresponded to that of “the first man Adam,” whom God created as a perfect human.—1 Corinthians 15:45; 1 Timothy 2:5, 6.
No One Better Known
The account of Jesus’ life was recorded by four of his contemporaries—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—two of whom were intimate associates. Their books, named after them, are commonly called the Gospels, parts of which can be read in over two thousand languages. These small books are usually incorporated with others that make up the Bible. The circulation of the Gospels—either as individual books or as part of the Bible—is greater by far than that of any other writings in history. No wonder that Jesus is better known than any man who has ever lived!
The first Adam is called in the Bible “son of God.” (Luke 3:38) However, that Adam lost his precious relationship as God’s son by willfully disobeying God. On the other hand, Jesus was always faithful to his heavenly Father, and he remained God’s approved Son. (Matthew 3:17; 17:5) The Bible says that all who exercise faith in Jesus, accepting him as their Savior, can receive everlasting life.—John 3:16, 36; Acts 5:31; Romans 5:12, 17-19.
Yet, some argue that Jesus is not simply the Son of God but that he is actually God himself. They say that he and his Father are both Almighty God. Are they correct? Is Jesus somehow part of God? Is that what Jesus, or any of the Bible writers, said? Really, who is the only true God? Who did Jesus say He is? Let us see.
WHO IS
“the Only True God”?
In this series:
Who Is Jesus Christ?
Who Is “the Only True God”?
“Those Who Are Called ‘Gods’”
What “the Only True God” Promises
Related topics:
True Teachings—Where Can You Find Them?
Who Is God?
Do You Know God by Name?
JESUS often prayed to God, whom he called Father, and he also taught others to do so. (Matthew 6:9-11; Luke 11:1, 2) In prayer with his apostles—only hours before his death—Jesus petitioned: “Father, the hour has come; glorify your son, that your son may glorify you. This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.”—John 17:1, 3.
Notice that Jesus prays to One whom he calls “the only true God.” He points to God’s superior position when he continues: “So now you, Father, glorify me alongside yourself with the glory that I had alongside you before the world was.” (John 17:5) Since Jesus prayed to God requesting to be alongside God, how could Jesus at the same time be “the only true God”? Let us examine this matter.
Jesus’ Position in Heaven
A few hours after this prayer, Jesus was executed. But he was not dead for long—only from Friday afternoon till Sunday morning. (Matthew 27:57–28:6) “This Jesus God resurrected,” the apostle Peter reports, “of which fact we are all witnesses.” (Acts 2:31, 32) Could Jesus have resurrected himself? No, according to the Bible, the dead “are conscious of nothing at all.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5) “The only true God,” Jesus’ heavenly Father, resurrected his Son.—Acts 2:32; 10:40.
A short time afterward, Jesus’ disciple Stephen was killed by religious persecutors. As they were about to stone him, Stephen was granted a vision. He stated: “Look! I behold the heavens opened up and the Son of man standing at God’s right hand.” (Acts 7:56) Jesus, “the Son of man,” was thus seen by Stephen in a role supportive to God in heaven—“at God’s right hand”—even as he had been ‘alongside God’ before he came to earth.—John 17:5.
Later, after Stephen’s execution, Jesus made a miraculous appearance to Saul, better known by his Roman name, Paul. (Acts 9:3-6) When Paul was in Athens, Greece, he spoke of “the God that made the world and all the things in it.” He said that this God, the “only true God,” will “judge the inhabited earth in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and he has furnished a guarantee to all men in that he has resurrected him from the dead.” (Acts 17:24, 31) Here the apostle Paul described Jesus as “a man”—yes, lesser than God—whom God had restored to life in heaven.
The apostle John too described Jesus as subordinate to God. John said that he had written his Gospel so that readers might come to believe that “Jesus is the Christ the Son of God”—not that he was God. (John 20:31) John also received a heavenly vision in which he saw “the Lamb,” who in his Gospel is identified as Jesus. (John 1:29) The Lamb is standing with 144,000 others, who John says “have been bought [or resurrected] from the earth.” John explains that the 144,000 have the Lamb’s “name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads.”—Revelation 14:1, 3.
Could “the Lamb” be the same as “his Father”? Clearly not. In the Bible they are distinct. They even have different names.
Name of the Lamb and of the Father
As we have just seen, the name given to God’s Son, the Lamb, is Jesus. (Luke 1:30-32) What about his Father’s name? It appears in the Bible thousands of times. For example, Psalm 83:18 says: “You, whose name is Jehovah, you alone are the Most High over all the earth.” Sadly, God’s name, Jehovah, has been replaced in many Bible translations by the terms “LORD” and “GOD,” often spelled in all capital letters. The capitals are supposed to distinguish Jehovah from others called gods or lords.* Yet, in many Bible translations, the Divine Name has been restored to its rightful place.
The English-language American Standard Version (1901) is a notable example of a Bible translation that has restored God’s name, Jehovah, to its rightful place. Its preface observes: “The American Revisers, after a careful consideration, were brought to the unanimous conviction that a Jewish superstition, which regarded the Divine Name as too sacred to be uttered, ought no longer to dominate in the English or any other version of the Old Testament, as it fortunately does not in the numerous versions made by modern missionaries.”
EGYPT
Triad of Horus, Osiris, and Isis, second millennium B.C.E.
PALMYRA, SYRIA
Triad of moon god, Lord of Heavens, and sun god, c. first century C.E.
INDIA
Triune Hindu godhead, c. seventh century C.E.
NORWAY
Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), c. 13th century C.E.
The Trinity—Whose Teaching?
What, then, about the teaching that Jehovah and Jesus are, in effect, the same God, as the Trinity doctrine proclaims? In its issue of April-June 1999, The Living Pulpit magazine defined the Trinity this way: “There is one God and Father, one Lord Jesus Christ, and one Holy Spirit, three ‘persons’ . . . who are the same or one in essence . . . ; three persons equally God, possessing the same natural properties, yet really distinct, known by their personal characteristics.”#
Where did this complex Trinity teaching originate? The Christian Century, in its May 20-27, 1998, issue, quotes a pastor who acknowledges that the Trinity is “a teaching of the church rather than a teaching of Jesus.” Even though the Trinity is not a teaching of Jesus, is it consistent with what he taught?
The Father—Superior to the Son
Jesus taught his disciples to pray: “Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.” Our heavenly Father, whose name is Jehovah, is described in the Bible as being superior to his Son. For example, Jehovah is “from everlasting to everlasting.” But the Bible says that Jesus is “the firstborn of every creature.” That Jehovah is greater than Jesus, Jesus himself taught when he said: “My Father is greater than I.” (Matthew 6:9; Psalm 90:1, 2; Colossians 1:15; John 14:28, King James Version) Yet, the Trinity doctrine holds that the Father and the Son are “equally God.”
The Father’s superiority over the Son, as well as the fact that the Father is a separate person, is highlighted also in the prayers of Jesus, such as the one before his execution: “Father, if you wish, remove this cup [that is, an ignominious death] from me. Nevertheless, let, not my will, but yours take place.” (Luke 22:42) If God and Jesus are “one in essence,” as the Trinity doctrine says, how could Jesus’ will, or wish, seem different from that of his Father?—Hebrews 5:7, 8; 9:24.
Furthermore, if Jehovah and Jesus were the same, how could one of them be aware of things of which the other was not? Jesus, for instance, said regarding the time of the world’s judgment: “Concerning that day or the hour nobody knows, neither the angels in heaven nor the Son, but the Father.”—Mark 13:32.
The Trinity and the Church
The Trinity is not a teaching of Jesus or of the early Christians. As noted previously, it is “a teaching of the church.” In its 1999 issue on the Trinity, The Living Pulpit observed: “Sometimes, it seems that everyone assumes that the doctrine of the trinity is standard Christian theological fare,” but it added that it is not “a biblical idea.”
The New Catholic Encyclopedia (1967) discusses the Trinity at length and admits: “The Trinitarian dogma is in the last analysis a late 4th-century invention. . . . The formulation ‘one God in three Persons’ was not solidly established, certainly not fully assimilated into Christian life and its profession of faith, prior to the end of the 4th century.”
Martin Werner, as professor at the University of Bern, Switzerland, observed: “Wherever in the New Testament the relationship of Jesus to God, the Father, is brought into consideration, whether with reference to his appearance as a man or to his Messianic status, it is conceived of and represented categorically as subordination.” Clearly, what Jesus and the early Christians believed is far different from the Trinity teaching of churches today. From where, then, did this teaching come?
The Trinity’s Early Origins
The Bible tells of many gods and goddesses that people worshiped, including Ashtoreth, Milcom, Chemosh, and Molech. (1 Kings 11:1, 2, 5, 7) Even many people in the ancient nation of Israel once believed that Baal was the true God. So Jehovah’s prophet Elijah presented the challenge: “If Jehovah is the true God, go following him; but if Baal is, go following him.”—1 Kings 18:21.
The worship of pagan gods grouped in threes, or triads, was also common before Jesus was born. “From Egypt came the ideas of a divine trinity,” observed historian Will Durant. In the Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics, James Hastings wrote: “In Indian religion, e.g., we meet with the trinitarian group of Brahma, Siva, and Visnu; and in Egyptian religion with the trinitarian group of Osiris, Isis, and Horus.”
So there are many gods. Did early Christians acknowledge this? And did they view Jesus as Almighty God?
“Those
Who Are Called ‘Gods’”
In this series:
Who Is Jesus Christ?
Who Is “the Only True God”?
“Those Who Are Called ‘Gods’”
What “the Only True God” Promises
Related topics:
True Teachings—Where Can You Find Them?
Who Is God?
Do You Know God by Name?
WHEN the apostle Paul healed a lame man in Lystra, the people shouted: “The gods have become like humans and have come down to us!” Paul they called Hermes, and his companion Barnabas, Zeus. (Acts 14:8-14) In Ephesus the silversmith Demetrius warned that if Paul was allowed to continue to preach, ‘the temple of the great goddess Artemis would be esteemed as nothing.’—Acts 19:24-28.
People in the first century—like many today—worshiped “those who are called ‘gods,’ whether in heaven or on earth.” Paul, in fact, said: “There are many ‘gods’ and many ‘lords’.” However, he also explained: “There is actually to us one God the Father,” and “there is one Lord, Jesus Christ.”—1 Corinthians 8:5, 6.
The people of Lystra were inclined to call Paul and Barnabas gods
Was Jesus Also Called God?
Although Jesus never claimed to be God, as Jehovah’s appointed ruler he is identified in Isaiah’s prophecy by the terms “Mighty God” and “Prince of Peace.” Isaiah’s prophecy adds: “To the abundance of the princely rule and to peace there will be no end.” (Isaiah 9:6, 7) So, as the “Prince”—the son of the Great King, Jehovah—Jesus will serve as Ruler of the heavenly government of “God Almighty.”—Exodus 6:3.
Yet, a person may ask, ‘In what sense is Jesus a “Mighty God,” and didn’t the apostle John say that Jesus is himself God?’ In the King James version of the Bible, John 1:1 reads: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Some argue that this means that “the Word,” who was born on earth as the baby Jesus, is Almighty God himself. Is this true?
If this verse were interpreted to mean Jesus was himself God Almighty, it would contradict the preceding statement, “the Word was with God.” Someone who is “with” another person cannot be the same as that other person. Many Bible translations thus draw a distinction, making clear that the Word was not God Almighty. For example, a sampling of Bible translations say the following: “The Word was a God,” “a god was the Word,” and “the Word was divine.”*
Bible verses that in the Greek language have a construction similar to that of John 1:1 use the expression “a god.” For example, when referring to Herod Agrippa I, the crowds shouted: ‘It is a god speaking.’ And when Paul survived a bite by a poisonous snake, the people said: “He is a god.” (Acts 12:22; 28:3-6) It is in harmony with both Greek grammar and Bible teaching to speak of the Word as, not God, but “a god.”—John 1:1.
Consider how John identified “the Word” in the first chapter of his Gospel. “The Word became flesh and resided among us,” he wrote, “and we had a view of his glory, a glory such as belongs [not to God but] to an only-begotten son from a father.” So “the Word,” who became flesh, lived on the earth as the man Jesus and was seen by people. Therefore, he could not have been Almighty God, regarding whom John says: “No man has seen God at any time.”—John 1:14, 18.
‘Why, then,’ one may ask, ‘did Thomas exclaim when seeing the resurrected Jesus, “My Lord and my God!”?’ As already noted, Jesus is a god in the sense of being divine, but he is not the Father. Jesus had just told Mary Magdalene: “I am ascending to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God.” Remember, too, why John wrote his Gospel. Three verses after the account about Thomas, John explained that he wrote so that people “may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God”—not that he is God.—John 20:17, 28, 31.
Jesus told Mary Magdalene: ‘I am ascending to my God and your God’
Who Is “the God of This World”?
Clearly, there are many gods. Some, as we have seen, are named in the Bible. Yet, people who saw Jehovah’s power long ago exclaimed: “Jehovah is the true God! Jehovah is the true God!” (1 Kings 18:39) Another god, however, also has power. The Bible says: “The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not.”—2 Corinthians 4:4, King James Version.
The night before his death, Jesus three times warned his disciples about this god, calling him “the ruler of this world.” Jesus said this powerful ruler, or god, “will be cast out.” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) Who is this god, and what is the world over which he is the ruler?
He is none other than the rebel angel, Satan the Devil. How do we know? The Bible explains that when Satan tempted Jesus, Satan showed him “all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and he said to him: ‘All these things I will give you if you fall down and do an act of worship to me.’” (Matthew 4:8, 9) This offer would not have been a temptation at all if Satan had been offering Jesus what Satan did not possess. Indeed, the apostle John declared: “The whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.”—1 John 5:19.
Recall that Jesus promised: “The ruler of this world will be cast out.” (John 12:31) In fact, this world, or system of things, along with its ruler, will be removed, as foretold by the apostle John when he stated: “The world is passing away.” However, John added: “He that does the will of God remains forever.” (1 John 2:17) Let us examine now the glorious purposes of the only true God and how we can benefit from them.
WHAT
“the Only True God”
PROMISES
In this series:
Who Is Jesus Christ?
Who Is “the Only True God”?
“Those Who Are Called ‘Gods’”
What “the Only True God” Promises
Related topics:
True Teachings—Where Can You Find Them?
Who Is God?
Do You Know God by Name?
JEHOVAH GOD placed the first human couple in a paradise on earth—the garden of Eden. He instructed them to have children and to ‘subdue the earth,’ which would involve expanding their Paradise home as their family grew in numbers. (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15) Will God’s purpose for humans to enjoy an earthly paradise ever be fulfilled?
Indeed, it will! According to Bible prophecy, “[Jehovah] will actually swallow up death forever” and “will certainly wipe the tears from all faces.” When this occurs, “one will certainly say: ‘Look! This is our God. We have hoped in him, and he will save us. This is Jehovah. We have hoped in him. Let us be joyful and rejoice in the salvation by him.’”—Isaiah 25:8, 9.
The Bible’s last book describes the conditions on earth after this present world, or system of things under Satan’s rule, is removed. Regarding the “new earth” made up of humans who love God, the Bible says: “The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore.”—Revelation 21:1-4.
What marvelous promises! Can we believe them? Consider how Jesus’ sacrificial death and the miracles he performed provide a basis for confidence that God will accomplish whatever He promises.—2 Corinthians 1:20.
Jesus’ Life as a Ransom
When Satan induced Adam to disobey God and sin, all of Adam’s offspring inherited his sin. “Just as through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin,” the Bible says, “death spread to all men because they had all sinned.” Yet, the Bible account continues: “Through the obedience of the one person [the perfect man Jesus] many will be constituted righteous.” (Romans 5:12, 19) As noted in the first article of this series, Jesus is “the last Adam,”—the one “out of heaven”—the one who provided his life as “a ransom in exchange for many.”—1 Corinthians 15:45, 47; Matthew 20:28.
So all who exercise faith in Jesus can receive “the release [from sin] by ransom” and can enjoy everlasting life. (Ephesians 1:7; John 3:36) Surely we can rejoice that Jehovah God loved the world of mankind so much that he gave his Son as our Savior! (Luke 2:10-12; John 3:16) An examination of what Jesus did in behalf of suffering mankind in the first century provides insight regarding the future. And what Jesus did was truly amazing!
Foregleams of a New World
Jesus could heal every sick and ailing person who was brought to him. There was not a one whom he was unable to restore to health, regardless of their ailment or infirmity. Moreover, he miraculously fed thousands with only a few fishes and loaves of bread, and he did so on more than one occasion.—Matthew 14:14-22; 15:30-38.
When Jesus restored sight to a man born blind, neighbors and acquaintances acknowledged the miracle, but Jewish religious leaders were skeptical. So the man whose sight had been restored reasoned with them: “From of old it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of one born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing at all.”—John 9:32, 33.
During Jesus’ ministry his cousin John the Baptist, who had been imprisoned, sent messengers to confirm reports about Jesus. “In that hour,” the Bible says, Jesus “cured many of sicknesses and grievous diseases and wicked spirits, and granted many blind persons the favor of seeing.” Then Jesus told the messengers: “Report to John what you saw and heard: the blind are receiving sight, the lame are walking, the lepers are being cleansed and the deaf are hearing, the dead are being raised up.”—Luke 7:18-22.
Think of it: If something good occurred in the past, would that not give you confidence that it could happen again? By means of his miracles, Jesus demonstrated on a small scale what he will do on a grand scale during his rule as King of God’s Kingdom. His miracles serve as proof that he was sent by God and that he really was God’s Son.
During the rule of God’s Kingdom, there will be a literal fulfillment of prophecies of marvelous things. As foretold, blind eyes will be opened, deaf ears will be unstopped, the lame will leap as a deer, and no one will be sick. There will also be peace and security everywhere on earth. Even animals that are now dangerous will be at peace with man.—Isaiah 9:6, 7; 11:6-9; 33:24; 35:5, 6; 65:17-25.
This is what God promises for the earth
Would you like to live forever under the rule of God’s Kingdom, surrounded by such conditions? Jesus showed what you must do when he said in prayer to his father: “This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.” (John 17:3) May you allow nothing to prevent you from continuing to take in such life-giving knowledge.
A God or a Man?
In this series:
A God or a Man?
Who Is Jesus Christ?
Is Jesus God Almighty?
Related topics:
Do You Know God by Name?
Why You Can Trust the Bible
“I AM the light of the world. He that follows me will by no means walk in darkness, but will possess the light of life.” (John 8:12) These words were spoken by Jesus Christ. A learned man of the first century wrote about him: “Carefully concealed in him are all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge.” (Colossians 2:3) Moreover, the Bible says: “This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.” (John 17:3) Accurate knowledge about Jesus is essential in order to satisfy our spiritual need.
People around the earth have heard of Jesus Christ. His influence on the history of mankind is beyond question. In fact, the calendar used in most parts of the world is based on the year he is thought to have been born. “Many people refer to dates before that year as B.C., or before Christ,” explains The World Book Encyclopedia. “They use A.D., or anno Domini (in the year of our Lord), for dates after that year.”
Yet, there are conflicting ideas about who Jesus was. To some, he was no more than an outstanding man who left his mark on history. Others, though, worship him as God Almighty. Some Hindu thinkers have likened Jesus Christ to the Hindu god Krishna, said by many to be a god incarnate. Was Jesus merely a man, or was he someone to be worshipped? Exactly who was he? Where did he come from? What was he like? And where is he now? As we will see in the following article, the book that has a great deal to say about Jesus gives truthful answers to these questions.
Who Is
Jesus Christ?
In this series:
A God or a Man?
Who Is Jesus Christ?
Is Jesus God Almighty?
Related topics:
Do You Know God by Name?
Why You Can Trust the Bible
IMAGINE how excited a young Jew named Andrew must have been when he first listened to the words of Jesus of Nazareth! The Bible states that Andrew rushed to his brother and said: “We have found the Messiah [or, Christ].” (John 1:41) In the Hebrew and Greek languages, the words usually translated “Messiah” and “Christ” mean “Anointed One.” Jesus was the Anointed One, or the Chosen One of God—the promised Leader. (Isaiah 55:4) The Scriptures contained prophecies concerning him, and the Jews at the time were in expectation of him.—Luke 3:15.
At his baptism, Jesus became God’s Anointed One
How do we know that Jesus really was God’s Chosen One? Well, consider what happened in the year 29 C.E. when Jesus was 30 years of age. He went to John the Baptizer to be baptized by him in the waters of the Jordan River. The Bible states: “After being baptized Jesus immediately came up from the water; and, look! the heavens were opened up, and he saw descending like a dove God’s spirit coming upon him. Look! Also, there was a voice from the heavens that said: ‘This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved.’” (Matthew 3:16, 17) After hearing those words of approval, could John have had any doubt that Jesus was God’s Chosen One? By pouring out His holy spirit on Jesus, Jehovah God anointed him, or appointed him, to be the King of His coming Kingdom. Thus, Jesus became Jesus Christ, or Jesus the Anointed One. In what way, though, was Jesus God’s Son? What was his origin?
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?
His Life as a Man
The second stage of Jesus’ life course began when God sent his Son to the earth. Jehovah did this by miraculously transferring the life of Jesus from heaven to the womb of a faithful Jewish virgin named Mary. Jesus inherited no imperfections because he did not have a human father. Jehovah’s holy spirit, or active force, came upon Mary, and his power ‘overshadowed’ her, miraculously causing her to become pregnant. (Luke 1:34, 35) Mary therefore gave birth to a perfect child. As the adopted son of the carpenter Joseph, he was brought up in a humble home and was the first of several children in the family.—Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:22, 23; Mark 6:3.
Little is known about Jesus’ childhood, but one incident is noteworthy. When Jesus was 12 years old, his parents took him on their annual visit to Jerusalem for the Passover. While there, he spent quite some time at the temple, “sitting in the midst of the teachers and listening to them and questioning them.” Moreover, “all those listening to him were in constant amazement at his understanding and his answers.” Yes, young Jesus could not only ask thought-provoking, spiritually oriented questions but also give intelligent answers that amazed others. (Luke 2:41-50) As he grew up in the city of Nazareth, he learned to be a carpenter, undoubtedly from his adoptive father, Joseph.—Matthew 13:55.
Jesus lived in Nazareth until he was 30 years old. Then he went to John to be baptized. Following his baptism, Jesus embarked on his dynamic ministry. For three and a half years, he traveled throughout his homeland declaring the good news of God’s Kingdom. He gave evidence that he had been sent by God. How? By performing many miracles—powerful works that were beyond human ability.—Matthew 4:17; Luke 19:37, 38.
Jesus devoted his energy to his God-assigned work
Jesus was also a man of tender warmth and deep feelings. His tenderness was especially evident in the way he viewed and treated others. Because Jesus was approachable and kind, people were attracted to him. Even children felt at ease in his presence. (Mark 10:13-16) Jesus treated women with respect, even though some in his day looked down on them. (John 4:9, 27) He helped the poor and oppressed to ‘find refreshment for their souls.’ (Matthew 11:28-30) His manner of teaching was clear, simple, and practical. And what he taught reflected his heartfelt desire to acquaint his listeners with the true God, Jehovah.—John 17:6-8.
Using God’s holy spirit to perform miracles, Jesus compassionately healed the sick and the afflicted. (Matthew 15:30, 31) For example, a person with leprosy came to him and said: “If you just want to, you can make me clean.” What did Jesus do? He stretched out his hand and touched the man, saying to him: “I want to. Be made clean.” And the sick man was healed!—Matthew 8:2-4.
Consider, too, an occasion when a crowd who came to Jesus stayed with him for three days with nothing to eat. He felt pity for the people and miraculously fed the “four thousand men, besides women and young children.” (Matthew 15:32-38) On another occasion, Jesus calmed a storm that threatened the safety of his friends. (Mark 4:37-39) He resurrected, or brought back to life, those who had died.* (Luke 7:22; John 11:43, 44) Jesus even willingly gave his perfect human life so that imperfect mankind would have a hope for the future. What profound love Jesus had for people!
Where Is Jesus Today?
Jesus died on a torture stake at the age of 33 1/2.# But death was not the end of his life course. The third stage of his life began about three days later when Jehovah God resurrected his Son as a spirit person. After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to hundreds of people living in the first century C.E. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) Thereafter, he “sat down at the right hand of God” and waited to receive kingly power. (Hebrews 10:12, 13) When that time came, Jesus began ruling as King. So how should we imagine Jesus today? Should we think of him as a suffering man being put to death? Or should we view him as someone to be worshipped? Jesus today is neither a man nor God Almighty. Rather, he is a mighty spirit creature, a reigning King. Very soon now, he will manifest his rulership over our troubled earth.
Using symbolic language, Revelation 19:11-16 describes Jesus Christ as a king seated upon a white horse and coming to judge and carry on war in righteousness. He has “a sharp long sword, that he may strike the nations with it.” Yes, Jesus will use his great power to destroy the wicked. And what about those who strive to follow the example he set while on earth? (1 Peter 2:21) He and his Father will preserve them through the upcoming “war of the great day of God the Almighty”—often called Armageddon—so that they can live forever as earthly subjects of God’s heavenly Kingdom.—Revelation 7:9, 14; 16:14, 16; 21:3, 4.
During his reign of peace, what miracles Jesus will perform in behalf of all mankind! (Isaiah 9:6, 7; 11:1-10) He will cure sickness and bring an end to death. Jesus will be used by God to resurrect billions, giving them an opportunity to live forever on earth. (John 5:28, 29) We cannot even imagine how wonderful our lives will be under Kingdom rule. It is important, then, that we continue to take in Bible knowledge and become better acquainted with Jesus Christ.
Who Is Jesus Christ?Is Jesus God Almighty?
In this series:
A God or a Man?
Who Is Jesus Christ?
Is Jesus God Almighty?
Related topics:
Do You Know God by Name?
Why You Can Trust the Bible
Many religious people say that Jesus is God. Some claim that God is a Trinity. According to this teaching, “the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and yet there are not three Gods but one God.” It is held that the three “are co-eternal and co-equal.” (The Catholic Encyclopedia) Are such views correct?
Jehovah God is the Creator. (Revelation 4:11) He is without beginning or end, and he is almighty. (Psalm 90:2) Jesus, on the other hand, had a beginning. (Colossians 1:15, 16) Referring to God as his Father, Jesus said: “The Father is greater than I am.” (John 14:28) Jesus also explained that there were some things neither he nor the angels knew but that were known only by his Father.—Mark 13:32.
Moreover, Jesus prayed to his Father: “Let, not my will, but yours take place.” (Luke 22:42) To whom was Jesus praying if not to a superior Personage? Furthermore, it was God who resurrected Jesus from the dead, not Jesus himself. (Acts 2:32) Obviously, the Father and the Son were not equal before Jesus came to the earth or during his earthly life. What about after Jesus’ resurrection to heaven? First Corinthians 11:3 states: “The head of the Christ is God.” In fact, the Son will always be in subjection to God. (1 Corinthians 15:28) The Scriptures therefore show that Jesus is not God Almighty. Instead, he is God’s Son.
The so-called third person of the Trinity—the holy spirit—is not a person. Addressing God in prayer, the psalmist said: “If you send forth your spirit, they are created.” (Psalm 104:30) This spirit is not God himself; it is an active force that he sends forth or uses to accomplish whatever he wishes. By means of it, God created the physical heavens, the earth, and all living things. (Genesis 1:2; Psalm 33:6) God used his holy spirit to inspire the men who wrote the Bible. (2 Peter 1:20, 21) The Trinity, then, is not a Scriptural teaching.* “Jehovah our God is one Jehovah,” says the Bible.—Deuteronomy 6:4.
Do You
Know God
by Name?
In this series:
God Has a Name!
The Fight Against God's Name
How You Can Know God by Name
A God Who Makes Things Happen
Related topics:
Is God Everywhere?
The Divine Name That Will Endure Forever
Who Is Jesus Christ?
God Has a Name!
What is God's name? Humans all have personal names. Why, many people even name their pets! Would it not be reasonable for God to have a name? Having and using personal names is unquestionably a vital part of human relationships and interactions. Should it be different when it comes to our relationship with God? Ironically, millions who profess faith in the God of the Bible do not use his personal name. Yet, God's name has been known for centuries. As you read this series of articles, learn of times when God's name was widely used. More important, learn what the Bible says about getting to know God by name.
BY THE 17th century, several European countries were minting coins featuring the name of God. A German coin minted in the year 1634 prominently featured the name Jehovah. Such coins became popularly known as the Jehovah talers, or Jehovah coins, and were circulated for decades.
The Tetragrammaton, meaning "four letters," spells out the personal name of God in Hebrew
Jehovah is a rendering of God's name that has been recognized for centuries. In Hebrew, a language that is read from right to left, the name appears as four consonants, . These four Hebrew characters—transliterated YHWH—are known as the Tetragrammaton. God's name in this form was also inscribed on European coins for decades.
God's name can also be found on buildings, monuments, and works of art as well as in many church hymns. According to the German Brockhaus encyclopedia, at one time it was customary for Protestant princes to wear an insignia composed of a stylized sun and the Tetragrammaton. The symbol, also used on flags and coins, was known as the Jehovah-Sun insignia. Clearly, the deeply religious Europeans of the 17th and 18th centuries knew that Almighty God had a name. More significantly, they were not afraid to use it.
The name of God was no mystery in Colonial America either. Consider, for example, the American Revolutionary soldier Ethan Allen. According to his memoirs, in 1775 he demanded that his enemies surrender "in the name of the Great Jehovah." Later, during the presidency of Abraham Lincoln, several advisers made frequent mention of Jehovah in their letters to Lincoln. Other American historical documents containing the name of God are available for public review in many libraries. These are but a few examples of how the name of God has for centuries been prominently displayed.
What about today? Has the name of God been forgotten? Hardly. Various Bible translations feature the personal name of God in many verses. A quick visit to a library or a few minutes of research in your own dictionaries will likely reveal that the name Jehovah is widely accepted as the vernacular equivalent of the Tetragrammaton. For example, the Encyclopedia International pointedly defines the name Jehovah as the "modern form of the Hebrew sacred name of God." A recent edition of The New Encyclopædia Britannica explains that Jehovah is the "Judeo-Christian name for God."
'But,' you may wonder, 'is God's name a matter of concern to people today?' The name of God, in one form or another, is still featured in many public areas. For instance, the name Jehovah is inscribed on the cornerstone of a building in New York City. In the same city, the name has also been found in Hebrew in a colorful mosaic decorating a busy subway station. It is safe to say, however, that of the thousands of people who have walked by these locations, few have attached any significance to the inscriptions.
Is the name of God important to people in your part of the world? Or do most refer to the Creator as "God," as if this title were his actual name? Your personal observation might be that many people do not give any thought to whether God even has a name. What about you? Do you feel comfortable addressing God by his personal name, Jehovah?
What Does
the Lord’s Prayer
Mean to You?
In this series:
‘You Must Pray This Way’
The Lord’s Prayer—Its Meaning for You
Related topics:
Prayers That Are Heard by God
‘Your Will Be Done on Earth’—When?
How Can You Find Inner Peace?
‘You Must Pray This Way’
DO YOU know the words of the Lord’s Prayer? It is a model prayer taught by Jesus Christ. During his renowned Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: “You must pray, then, this way.” (Matthew 6:9) Since it was introduced by Jesus, it is often called the Lord’s Prayer, also known as the Our Father prayer.—Latin, Paternoster.
Millions around the world have committed the Lord’s Prayer to memory and repeat it often, perhaps daily. In recent years, many have recited this prayer in schools and at public events. Why is the Lord’s Prayer so highly esteemed?
The third-century theologian Cyprian wrote: “What can be a more spiritual prayer than that which was given to us by Christ . . . ? What praying to the Father can be more truthful than that which was delivered to us by the Son who is the Truth?”—John 14:6.
In its catechism, the Roman Catholic Church deems the Our Father to be “the fundamental Christian prayer.” The World Book Encyclopedia acknowledges this prayer’s important place in all religions of Christendom, calling it one of the “basic statements of Christian faith.”
It must be acknowledged, however, that many who recite the Lord’s Prayer do not fully understand it. “If you have any kind of Christian background you probably are able to rattle off the Lord’s Prayer without having to pause for breath,” says Canada’s Ottawa Citizen newspaper, “but you might have difficulty saying it slowly and with understanding.”
Is it really important to understand our prayers to God? Why did Jesus give us the Lord’s Prayer? What does it mean for you? Let us now address these questions.
What Does
the Lord’s Prayer
Mean to You?
In this series:
‘You Must Pray This Way’
The Lord’s Prayer—Its Meaning for You
Related topics:
Prayers That Are Heard by God
‘Your Will Be Done on Earth’—When?
How Can You Find Inner Peace?
The Lord’s Prayer
Its Meaning for You
THE Lord’s Prayer, as given by Jesus Christ in the Sermon on the Mount, is found in the Bible at Matthew chapter 6, verses 9 through 13. Just before giving this prayer, Jesus said: “When praying, do not say the same things over and over again, just as the people of the nations do, for they imagine they will get a hearing for their use of many words.”—Matthew 6:7.
Clearly, then, Jesus did not intend that the Lord’s Prayer be recited word for word. True, he later repeated this prayer for the benefit of another audience. (Luke 11:2-4) But the wording of the prayer differs somewhat in the Gospel accounts of Matthew and Luke. Moreover, later prayers by Jesus and his disciples did not rigidly adhere to the specific words of his model prayer.
Why is the Lord’s Prayer recorded in the Bible? Through this model, Jesus teaches us how our prayers can be acceptable to God. In this prayer, we also find answers to some of life’s basic questions. Let us therefore consider each part of the Lord’s Prayer.
“Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth. Give us today our bread for this day; and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the wicked one.”—Matthew 6:9-13
What Is God’s Name?
“Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified.” (Matthew 6:9) These opening words of the model prayer help us to draw close to God by addressing him as “our Father.” Like a child, who is naturally drawn to a loving and understanding parent, we can approach our heavenly Father confident that he wants to hear us. “O Hearer of prayer,” sang King David, “even to you people of all flesh will come.”—Psalm 65:2.
Jesus instructs us to pray for God’s name to be sanctified, or set apart as holy. But what is God’s name? The Bible answers in these words: “You, whose name is Jehovah, you alone are the Most High over all the earth.” (Psalm 83:18) Have you ever read the name Jehovah in the Bible?
Actually, God’s name, Jehovah, appears nearly 7,000 times in ancient Bible manuscripts. However, some translators have gone so far as to remove this name from their versions of the Bible. Rightly, therefore, we pray for our Creator to sanctify his name, or make it holy. (Ezekiel 36:23) One way to act in harmony with such a prayer is to use the name Jehovah when we pray to God.
A woman named Patricia was raised a Catholic and was quite familiar with the Lord’s Prayer. How did she react when one of Jehovah’s Witnesses showed her God’s name in the Bible? “I couldn’t believe it!” she exclaimed. “So I got my own translation of the Bible, and it was also in there. Then the Witness showed me Matthew 6:9, 10 and explained that God’s name is tied in with the Lord’s Prayer. I was really excited and asked her to study the Bible with me.”
God’s Will to Take Place on Earth
“Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.” (Matthew 6:10) How will this part of Jesus’ model prayer be fulfilled? Most people imagine heaven as a realm of peace and tranquillity. The Scriptures refer to heaven as Jehovah’s “lofty abode of holiness and beauty.” (Isaiah 63:15) No wonder we pray that God’s will take place upon earth “as in heaven”! But will this ever happen?
Jehovah’s prophet Daniel foretold: “The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these [earthly] kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite.” (Daniel 2:44) This heavenly Kingdom, or government, will soon take action to bring about global peace under righteous rule.—2 Peter 3:13.
Praying for God’s Kingdom to come and for his will to be done on earth is an expression of faith that will not lead to disappointment. The Christian apostle John wrote: “I heard a loud voice from the throne say: ‘Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.’” Then John added: “And the One seated on the throne said: . . . ‘Write, because these words are faithful and true.’”—Revelation 21:3-5.
Jehovah provides for the needs of those who love him
Prayer and Our Physical Needs
By what he said in the model prayer, Jesus showed that our primary concern when praying should be related to God’s name and will. Yet, the model prayer continues with personal requests that are properly addressed to Jehovah.
The first of these is: “Give us today our bread for this day.” (Matthew 6:11) This is not a request for material wealth. Jesus encouraged us to pray for “our bread for the day according to the day’s requirement.” (Luke 11:3) In harmony with the Lord’s Prayer, we can pray in faith that God will provide for our daily needs if we love and obey him.
Undue anxiety over economic problems could cause us to neglect our spiritual need and thus fail to do what God expects of us. But if we put the worship of God first in life, we can be sure that our petitions for material needs, such as food and clothing, will be favorably heard. Jesus said: “Keep on . . . seeking first the kingdom and [God’s] righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:26-33) Seeking God’s righteousness is a challenge, since all of us are sinful and in need of forgiveness. (Romans 5:12) The Lord’s Prayer addresses that matter too.
Our Prayers and Forgiveness
“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12) In Luke’s record of the Lord’s Prayer, these “debts” are referred to as “sins.” (Luke 11:4) Will Jehovah God really forgive our sins?
Although King David of ancient Israel had committed serious sins, he was repentant and confidently prayed: “You, O Jehovah, are good and ready to forgive; and the loving-kindness to all those calling upon you is abundant.” (Psalm 86:5) What a comforting thought! Our heavenly Father is “ready to forgive” the sins of those who repentantly call upon him. Just as surely as a debt can be fully canceled, so Jehovah God can forgive our sins completely.
If we, like Job, forgive those who sin against us, we can benefit from God’s mercy
However, Jesus mentioned a condition: To be forgiven by God, we must forgive others. (Matthew 6:14, 15) Although the righteous man Job was mistreated by three companions, he was forgiving and even prayed for them. (Job 42:10) If we forgive those who sin against us, we will please God and be in a position to benefit from his mercy.
God’s willingness to hear our petitions should move us to seek his approval. And we can do so even though we are imperfect. (Matthew 26:41) Here, too, Jehovah can help us, just as Jesus showed by concluding the model prayer with a vital request.
God also helps us to resist the Devil
Help to Pursue a Righteous Course
“Do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the wicked one.” (Matthew 6:13) Jehovah does not abandon us to temptation or cause us to fall into sin. His Word states: “With evil things God cannot be tried nor does he himself try anyone.” (James 1:13) God does allow us to be tempted, but he can deliver us from the Great Tempter—“the wicked one” known as Satan the Devil.
The apostle Peter urged fellow Christians: “Keep your senses, be watchful. Your adversary, the Devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour someone.” (1 Peter 5:8) Why, Satan even tempted the perfect man Jesus Christ! What was the Devil’s goal? To draw Jesus away from the pure worship of Jehovah God. (Matthew 4:1-11) If you are seeking to serve God, Satan’s goal is to devour you too!
Through the world that is under his control, the Devil may tempt us to engage in practices disapproved by God. (1 John 5:19) So it is vital that we regularly turn to God for help, especially when we are facing a persistent temptation. And if we worship Jehovah according to his inspired Word, the Bible, he will deliver us by helping us to resist the Devil. “God is faithful,” the Bible tells us, “and he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.”—1 Corinthians 10:13.
Faith in God Essential
How heartwarming it is to know that our heavenly Father is interested in each one of us! He even had his Son, Jesus Christ, teach us how to pray. Surely this makes us want to please Jehovah God. How can we do so?
The Bible states: “Without faith it is impossible to please [God] well, for he that approaches God must believe that he is and that he becomes the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him.” (Hebrews 11:6) How can such faith be acquired? “Faith follows the thing heard,” says the Bible. (Romans 10:17) Jehovah’s Witnesses are delighted to talk about Scriptural matters with all who yearn to serve God in true faith.
It is hoped that this discussion of the Lord’s Prayer has deepened your appreciation for its meaning. By taking in further knowledge of Jehovah and his rewards for “those earnestly seeking him,” you can strengthen your faith in God. May you learn more about him and his purposes so that you can enjoy a close relationship with your heavenly Father forever.—John 17:3.