The Jehovah's Witness Dilemma in John 4:23

Let's put a "Jehovah's witness" on trial and see what he says about John 4:23 and worship.

Q=questioner, JWA= Jehovah's Witness answer, CA = Christian answer.

John 4:23. (NWT) "... true worshipers will worship the Father... "  But, (NWT) Hebrews 1:6, "... let all of God's angels do obeisance to him... " (referring to Jesus)

Q. Are you aware of the Greek word for worship?

JWA. There are more than one, and the one used in the passage above, as you see, can be translated with different variations.

Q. I see. I really do. I see that when that Greek word, "proskuneo", is referring to God the Father, the New World Translation renders it worship. But when it is referring to Jesus, the Son, we see do obeisance. Just what is "obeisance", by the way?

JWA. It is the showing of respect, honor. In the Old Testament, the kings of Israel received obeisance at times. Bowing low, humbling ones' self before an elder or superior.

Q. I see. So when the same Greek word, "proskuneo", is used in reference to two different persons, who decides which word better fits? Or why not use the same English word whenever "proskuneo" appears, as in all the other translations?

JWA. Careful study has shown us that the Son is inferior to the Father in a number of ways, and so cannot accept "worship" as given to a Divine Being.

Q. Are you sure that that Greek word can be torn apart like that, and used for deity in one sentence and non-deity in the next?

JWA. Yes, the verb can mean anything from serious honor to a man, to devout worship to a god.

Q. Then the only thing determining your decision is your theology? That is, you have made a determination that Jesus is not the Almighty God. Therefore you have translated this verse in Hebrews contrary to all translators of Scripture in our time, and historically.

CA. Further compounding the Witness error here is Psalm 97:7, whence the writer of Hebrews seems to draw his quote. Though the NWT puts "gods" instead of "angels" here, and perhaps rightly so, the word "worship" is certainly in their text. But if the Hebrews writer meant to use that verse in reference to the Son, as he most certainly did, the Witnesses have inadvertently applied "worship" to that Son in the Psalms. Finding the Son referenced in the Psalms as God is not a difficult task, by the way.

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 By Bob Faulkner


Article Source: The Jehovah's Witness Dilemma in John 4:23