There will be two presentations in this booklet, one using the
first part of the book of Hebrews and another using the Gospel of
John chapter 5. Both of these passages assume that the reader is
familiar with Jewish beliefs. So as the discussion proceeds it
will be necessary to refer to Old Testament texts. Because a JW
will only accept the New World Translation

and because non-JWs
often do not realize the significance of the differences between
the NWT and other Bibles, this presentation will quote mainly
from the NWT.

The Deity of Christ

Would you consider the belief that Jesus is the "Christ" to be a
fundamental belief? Would you say that this belief was clearly
taught by Jesus?

Generally Jesus did not openly claim that he was the Christ (John
10:24,25,37,38; Luke 22:67) but wanted to be recognized based on
his teachings and his works (John 5:36; 14:10,11). Only rarely
did he admit to being the Christ (John 4:25,26). He normally did
not want others to proclaim that he was the Christ (Matthew
16:20; Luke 4:41). A few recognized him as the Christ (John 1:41;
7:31; 11:26,27; Matthew 16:13-16; 27:17,22), but most had
misconceptions about what to expect of the Christ and did not
recognize him (John 7:27,40-43; 12:34; Luke 23:39).

Why do some people today believe Jesus is the Christ?

The claims Jesus made imply that he was the Christ.

The works Jesus did imply that he was the Christ.
Persons close to Jesus professed him to be the Christ.

Why do some people doubt Jesus is the Christ?
Jesus did not actually claim to be the Christ.

Some misunderstand the implications of the title, leading
to false expectations.

I believe that the same is true for Jesus' Deity. Although his
claims and works show him to be God and some persons close to him
even professed him to be God,

because he never actually claimed
to be God and because some misunderstand the implications of the
title, many today are unable to believe that he is God.

So in the
examination that follows, ask yourself, do the claims and works
of Jesus imply that he is God? Do the scriptures actually call
him "God"? If you doubt that Jesus is God, could it be that the
title "God" causes you to expect things about Jesus that are not
actually taught in Scripture?

If a first-century Jew were curious about who Jesus was and
wanted a description of this new Christian religion in terms that
would utilize Jewish beliefs and heritage, what ONE book of the
Bible should he read? The book "to the Hebrews".

Hebrews 1: . . .
"1 God, who long ago spoke on many occasions and in
many ways to our forefathers by means of the prophets,
2 has at the end of these days spoken to us by means of
a Son, . . ."

The Hebrew Scriptures were revealed somewhat through angels but
mostly through imperfect human agents.

Now we are introduced to
someone called the "Son". Who is he? Can he be described in terms
already familiar to the Jewish believer? Will the Son be
described as a human, a prophet, as an angel or what?

Hebrews 1:2
". . . whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom
he made the systems of things."

Notice that this says the Son made the systems of things. This is
plural and emphasizes that he made everything in the universe.

This is echoed in ...:

John 1:3 "All things came into existence through him, and apart
from him not even one thing came into existence."

So through this Son, God (as mentioned in Hebrews 1:1) made the
universe. Nothing that was made came into existence without him.

This would probably cause a devout Jew a little puzzlement. Was
there anyone in the Hebrew scriptures that was revealed to have
shared in making the universe? Who could this be?

Angels, also
called sons of God (Job 1:6; 2:1; Psalm 29:1; 89:5-7), cannot do
what God can do, they did not participate in making the universe,
they were part of the creation:

Deuteronomy 3:24 "O Sovereign Lord Jehovah, you yourself have
started to make your servant see your greatness and your strong
arm, for who is a god in the heavens or on the earth that does
deeds like yours and mighty performances like yours?"

Psalm 71:19 "Your righteousness, O God, is up to the height; As
respects the great things that you have done, O God, who is like
you?"

Psalm 86:8 "There is none like you among the gods, O Jehovah,
Neither are there any works like yours."

Psalm 86:10 "For you are great and are doing wondrous things; You
are God, you alone."

Isaiah 44:24 "This is what Jehovah has said, your Repurchaser and
the Former of you from the belly: `I, Jehovah, am doing
everything, stretching out the heavens by myself, laying out the
earth. Who was with me?' "

Isaiah 45:18 "For this is what Jehovah has said, the Creator of
the heavens, He the true God, the Former of the earth and the
Maker of it, He the One who firmly established it, who did not
create it simply for nothing, who formed it even to be inhabited:
`I am Jehovah, and there is no one else."

Isaiah 45: 21,22 ". . . Who has caused this to be heard from a
long time ago? Who has reported it from that very time? Is it not
I, Jehovah, besides whom there is no other God; a righteous God
and a Savior, there being none excepting me? Turn to me and be
saved, all you at the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there
is no one else."

So how many Gods made the universe? One or two? Notice what
Jesus' Jewish disciples thought . . .

Acts 4:24 "Upon hearing this they with one accord raised their
voices to God and said: "Sovereign Lord, you are the One who made
the heaven and the earth and the sea and all the things in them."

Acts 17:24 "The God that made the world and all the things in it,
being, as this One is, Lord of heaven and earth."

Only ONE God made the universe! Who? If God made the universe by
himself and no other God can do what He can do, who is this Son
that was used to make the universe? Will the rest of the book to
the Hebrews answer this? Will it name someone that has already
been revealed in the Hebrew Scriptures as this Son that made the
universe?

continuing with Hebrews 1:3 ". . .He is the reflection of [his]
glory . . ."

So this "Son" is the reflection (other translations say
"radiance") of God's glory! This too is a puzzlement.

For the
Hebrew Scriptures say:

Isaiah 42:8 "I am Jehovah. That is my name; and to no one
else shall I give my own glory, neither my praise to graven
images."

Isaiah 48:11 "For my own sake, for my own sake I shall act, for
how could one let oneself be profaned? And to no one else shall I
give my own glory." (Compare Matthew 16:27; Mark 8:38; John
16:14,15; 17:5; Revelation 5:13,14)

So who is it that is the reflection and radiance of the glory of
God himself? Is it really true that God will not share his glory
with another? Since we are in Isaiah for the moment, consider
another passage where Isaiah saw Jehovah's glory. As you read it,
ask yourself "Are Isaiah 42:8 and 48:11 true here? Is God's glory
being shared with another God? How many glories are mentioned
here?" . . .

Isaiah 6:1,2 ". . . I, however, got to see Jehovah, sitting on a
throne lofty and lifted up, and his skirts were filling the
temple. Seraphs were standing above him. "

Isaiah 6:3 "And this one called to that one and said: "Holy,
holy, holy is Jehovah of armies. The fullness of all the earth is
his glory.""

Isaiah 6:5 "And I proceeded to say: "Woe to me! For I am as good
as brought to silence, because a man unclean in lips I am, and in
among a people unclean in lips I am dwelling; for my eyes have
seen the King, Jehovah of armies, himself!""

Isaiah 6:8-10 "And I began to hear the voice of Jehovah saying:
"Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" And I proceeded to
say: "Here I am! Send me." And he went on to say: "Go, and you
must say to this people, `Hear again and again, O men, but do not
understand; and see again and again, but do not get any
knowledge.' Make the heart of this people unreceptive, and make
their very ears unresponsive, and paste their very eyes together,
that they may not see with their eyes and with their ears they
may not hear, and that their own heart may not understand and
that they may not actually turn back and get healing for
themselves." "

Well, how many glories did you see? Did you see the glory of
anyone else described here? Did Jehovah share his glory with
anyone else?

Now compare . . .

John 12:36,37: ". . . Jesus spoke these things and went off and
hid from them. But although he had performed so many signs before
them, they were not putting faith in him,"

John 12:39-43 "The reason why they were not able to believe is
that again Isaiah said: "He has blinded their eyes and he has
made their hearts hard, that they should not see with their eyes
and get the thought with their hearts and turn around and I
should heal them." Isaiah said these things because he saw his
glory, and he spoke about him. All the same, many even of the
rulers actually put faith in him, but because of the Pharisees
they would not confess [him], in order not to be expelled from
the synagogue; for they loved the glory of men more than even the
glory of God."

From the context it is clear that this is referring to Jesus, the
Son of God, the one that many would not believe. Yet John quotes
Isaiah 6:10 (in John 12:40) and says that Isaiah saw the glory of
the Son of God! So how many glories did Isaiah see? Since Isaiah
heard Jehovah say "who will go for us?", does this imply that
there was another separate glory present but not mentioned? Or
does this imply only that there was another person present but
only ONE glory shared by both? Is Isaiah 42:8 and 48:11
contradicting Isaiah 6:1-10? So whose glory did Isaiah see -
Jesus' or Jehovah's? Did he see the glory of one God or two? Does
verse 43 answer the question when it refers to "the glory of
God"? Actually the answer is simple and easy to understand but
that will have to wait until later . . .

continuing with Hebrews 1:3 . . .
". . . and the exact representation of his very being,"

As a side reference, this thought is echoed in . . .

Philippians 2:6 "who, although he was existing in God's form,
. . ." (Although translations differ over how the end of this
verse should be translated they agree on the first part saying
that Jesus, while in heaven, existed in God's form.)

John 14:9 "Jesus said to him: "Have I been with you men so long a
time, and yet, Philip, you have not come to know me? He that has
seen me has seen the Father [also]. . . ."

Jesus has God's appearance, he looks exactly like God even in his
"very being". But who looks like God? Do angels look like God? Is
there another God that looks exactly like God?

Here is another
puzzle for the Hebrew trying to understand who the Son is in
terms of the Hebrew Scriptures:

Psalm 89:6-9 "For who in the skies can be compared to Jehovah?
Who can resemble Jehovah among the sons of God? God is to be held
in awe among the intimate group of holy ones; He is grand and
fear-inspiring over all who are round about him. O Jehovah God of
armies, Who is vigorous like you, O Jah? And your faithfulness is
all around you. You are ruling over the swelling of the sea; When
it raises up its waves you yourself calm them." - [What would a
Jew that was familiar with this verse think of the account in
Matthew 8:24-27 (Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25)?]

Note that this implies that the "sons of God" of verse 6 are the
ones who are around him in verse 7. So even the angels that are
around Jehovah, these sons of God, cannot compare nor do they
even resemble Him. Then WHO is the Son that is the reflection of
God's glory "and the exact representation of his very being"?

1 Kings 8:23 "and he went on to say: `O Jehovah the God of
Israel, there is no God like you in the heavens above or on the
earth beneath, keeping the covenant and the loving-kindness
toward your servants who are walking before you with all their
heart' " (2 Chronicles 6:14 reads the same.)

Isaiah 46:5 "To whom will you people liken me or make [me]
equal or compare me that we may resemble each other? . . ."

Isaiah 46:9 "Remember the first things of a long time ago, that I
am the Divine One and there is no other God, nor anyone like me."

(Other verses that also say there is no God like Jehovah, are:
Exodus 8:10; 9:14; 15:11; Deuteronomy 33:26; 1 Samuel 2:2; 2
Samuel 7:22; 1 Chronicles 17:20; Psalm 113:5; Isaiah 40:18,25;
44:6-8; Jeremiah 10:6; Micah 7:18.)

Would a Jew familiar with these texts conclude that the Son, the
one who is "the exact representation of his very being" must be
an angel or a second and distinct God? Just who is this book to
the Hebrews, chapter 1 verse 3, describing here?

continuing with Hebrews 1:3
". . . and he sustains all things by the word of his power;"

Again, as we saw in verse 2, the Son can do what God can. But who
can do the works of God? WHO sustains the universe? Not the
angels:

Psalm 148:1-6 "Praise Jah, you people! Praise Jehovah from the
heavens, Praise him in the heights. Praise him, all you his
angels. Praise him, all you his army. Praise him, you sun and
moon. Praise him, all you stars of light. Praise him, you heavens
of the heavens, And you waters that are above the heavens. Let
them praise the name of Jehovah; For he himself commanded, and
they were created. And he keeps them standing forever, to time
indefinite. A regulation he has given, and it will not pass
away."

So how is it that the Son sustains the universe?

continuing with Hebrews 1:3 . . .
". . . and after he had made a purification for our sins
he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty in lofty
places."

How would a first-century Jew react to this claim that the Son
removed his sins? The same situation occurred at Mark 2:1-12
(Luke 5:18-26) where Jesus showed he had the authority to forgive
sins before his death (Mark 2:10; Luke 5:24). The Jews replied
(Mark 2:7) "He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins except one,
God?" or (Luke 5:21) "Who is this that is speaking blasphemies?
Who can forgive sins except God alone?" There reaction to saying
that someone, other than God, removed sin was blasphemy!

So what
would a Hebrew, reading this book written to the Hebrews,
conclude as to the identity of the Son of God? Would he say `Of
course, the Son must be a second God (or an angel) that made the
universe, does everything God does, looks exactly like God, has
the glory of God, sustains the universe and forgives sins.'?

Up to this point the Son has been compared to God. Would you say
that the comparisons show the Son to be different, somewhat
similar or exactly like God? Well, now we will see how the Son is
compared to angels. Will we find that the writer of Hebrews
identifies the Son with some special angel that was revealed in
the Hebrew Scriptures? Will we see a parallel between the Son and
any angel mentioned in the New Testament, such as Revelation
20:1? No. From this point on we will see the Son contrasted with
angels and shown to be VERY different. If the Son is to be
identified with some Old Testament angel, this is THE place to
show it so that our Jewish reader of this book to the Hebrews
will understand who the Son is in familiar terms.

"Hebrews 1:4 So he has become better than the angels, to
the extent that he has inherited a name more excellent
than theirs."

For clarity compare this rendering from the New Revised Standard
Version

"4 having become as much superior to angels as the
name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs."

This is echoed in . . .
1 Peter 3:22 "He is at God's right hand, for he went his way to
heaven; and angels and authorities and powers were made subject
to him."

We learn from Hebrews 2:9,17 that the Son had to take on the
nature of humans and become, temporarily, lower than angels. But
at his resurrection he was exalted to heaven, and received a
position superior to that of angels (compare John 17:5) and
received another superior name, the "only-begotten Son" that had
its fullest meaning after his resurrection (Romans 1:3,4; Acts
13:33).

"Hebrews 1:5 For example, to which one of the angels did
he ever say: "You are my son; I, today, I have become
your father"? And again: "I myself shall become his
father, and he himself will become my son"?"

There are two Old Testament references here, the first is from
Psalm 2:7, the second is from 2 Samuel 7:14 (that these apply to
Jesus, the Son, compare Acts 13:33 and Hebrews 5:5).

Following
the line of reasoning here, we see this is a rhetorical question,
that is, the answer is supposed to be obvious to the informed
reader. God never said these things to any angel.

"Hebrews 1:6 But when he again brings his Firstborn into
the inhabited earth, he says: "And let all God's angels
do obeisance to him." "

This is similar to Psalm 148:2 (quoted above) where the angels
praise God. It could be considered somewhat like Daniel 7:14
where all people are to serve the "son of man". It is possibly a
quotation from Psalm 97:7, which is very close when viewed in the
Greek Septuagint (abbreviated LXX, the Greek Old Testament used
by early Christians and some Jews). But it is closest to
Deuteronomy 32:43 which reads (only in the LXX!):

"Rejoice, ye heavens, with him, and let all the angels of
God worship him; rejoice ye Gentiles, with his people, and
let all the sons of God strengthen themselves in him; for he
will avenge the blood of his sons, and he will render ven-
geance, and recompense justice to his enemies, and will re-
ward them that hate him; and the Lord shall purge the land
of his people."

So here is the point: The Old Testament, either Psalm 97:7 (LXX)
or Deuteronomy 32:43 (LXX), has the angels giving homage to God.
This is, of course, because God is so much higher than angels.
But in Hebrews 1:6 the writer quotes this very same passage and
applies it to the relationship between the angels and the Son.
Again, this contrasts angels from the Son, it does not compare
them as being equal or even similar.

Further note the issue of propriety of rendering this homage to
the Son. The Hebrew word that appears in Psalm 97:7 also appears
in these two verses in Exodus:

Exodus 20:3-5 (from the Ten Commandments): "You must not have any
other gods against my face. You must not make for yourself a
carved image or a form like anything that is in the heavens above
or that is on the earth underneath or that is in the waters under
the earth. You must not bow down to them nor be induced to serve
them, because I Jehovah your God am a God exacting exclusive
devotion, . . ."

Exodus 34:14 "For you must not prostrate yourself to another god,
because Jehovah, whose name is Jealous, he is a jealous God"

How can this form of honor, which is not supposed to be given to
any other God, be given to the Son? What do you think is the
point that the writer of Hebrews is trying to make? Here in
Hebrews 1:6 he is writing to Jews and describing just who the Son
is in terms of the Jewish Scriptures. He selects an Old Testament
passage that describes the angels bowing to Jehovah. A Jew would
of course know the Law that it is wrong to give this to any other
God. So what would a Jew conclude from reading this? Do you
really think he would conclude: `Since the Son receives homage
from angels, he must be a second God, or an angel'?

Is Hebrews 1:6 the only place that shows Jesus receiving homage?
No, the same Greek word that appears in Hebrews 1:6 also appears
in Matthew 28:9 and Revelation 5:14.

Matthew 28:9 "And, look! Jesus met them and said: "Good day!"
They approached and caught him by his feet and did obeisance to
him."

Revelation 5:13,14 "And every creature that is in heaven and on
earth and underneath the earth and on the sea, and all the things
in them, I heard saying: "To the One sitting on the throne and to
the Lamb be the blessing and the honor and the glory and the
might forever and ever." And the four living creatures went
saying: "Amen!" and the elders fell down and worshiped."

In Revelation 5:13 we see every living creature giving "glory" to
both the Father and the Son. But Isaiah 42:8; 48:11 says Jehovah
will not share his glory with anyone else. Is this a
contradiction? Why is there no distinction made between what is
being given to the One on the throne (the Father) and what is
given to the Lamb (Jesus)? Also of interest, is that in this
context where every living creature is giving these praises to
both the Father and Son without distinction, the elders
"worshiped". Who is being worshiped? Is it significant that this
is the same Greek word that is translated "obeisance" in Hebrews
1:6 and Matthew 28:9 and there given to Jesus?

Continuing with Hebrews 1:7-9 . . .
"Also, with reference to the angels he says: "And he makes his
angels spirits, and his public servants a flame of fire." But
with reference to the Son: "God is your throne forever and ever,
and [the] scepter of your kingdom is the scepter of uprightness.
You loved righteousness, and you hated lawlessness. That is why
God, your God, anointed you with [the] oil of exultation more
than your partners."

Again, here is another contrast between angels and the Son.
Angels are public servants but the Son is King. So where is the
admission that the Son is also an angel?

Verse 9 says that God is "your" God, that is, the Son's God. What
does this imply? It shows that the Son is not the same person as
the one who anointed him and he does not have the same position
as that one. So who is he? The answer is simple as we will see
later . . .

But what about the term "partners" in verse 9? Does that not
imply that the Son has partners and therefore he came from that
class of beings and is one of them? No. This cannot be justified
anymore than saying that because God has intimate association
with angels (see Psalm 89:6,7 quoted above) that therefore he is
one of them.

Also note that the same Greek word for "partner"
appears in Hebrews 6:4 where it discusses humans that at one time
had been partners with God's Holy Spirit but had fallen away.

This certainly does not mean that these humans were from the same
class of being as the Holy Spirit. So, no, this verse does not
imply that the Son is of the same class of being as his partners.

"Hebrews 1:10-12 And: "You at [the] beginning, O Lord, laid the
foundations of the earth itself, and the heavens are [the] works
of your hands. They themselves will perish, but you yourself are
to remain continually; and just like an outer garment they will
all grow old, and you will wrap them up just as a cloak, as an
outer garment; and they will be changed, but you are the same,
and your years will never run out." "

What would a Jew conclude from this? Another puzzlement.

For this
are quotations from Psalm 102:

Psalm 102:1 "O Jehovah, do hear my prayer . . ."

Psalm 102:24 "I proceeded to say: "O my God, . . .

Psalm 102:25-27 "Long ago you l