In Matthew 9:2, Jesus told a man, “Your sins are forgiven.”

The Jewish leaders were outraged. Mark 2:7 tells us that they reasoned, “Why is this man talking this way? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins except one, God?

Here’s a great question to ask Jehovah’s Witnesses:

If—as the Watchtower teaches—Jesus isn’t God—what right did he have to do that?

The Watchtower says this: “Yes, based on the sacrifice that Jesus will in time offer, he can forgive the man’s sins. Then, Jesus shows the crowd, including his critics, that he has authority to forgive sins on earth… under the rule of God’s Kingdom, Jesus will forgive the sins of all who love and serve God.” (Jesus—The Way, The Truth, The Life, p. 67)

 But wait. Why does the fact that Jesus made the “ransom sacrifice” mean that he has the right to decide who is and isn’t worthy to receive God’s forgiveness? Isn’t that for Jehovah alone to determine?

In fact, in an article entitled  “Confessions of Sins—Man’s Way or God’s?” posted on its website, the Watchtower says this, “Penitential acts cannot earn such forgiveness. Only God can grant it. He takes the requirements of perfect justice into account, but his forgiveness expresses his love for mankind… Only those forgiven by Jehovah God will gain eternal life.” (emphasis added)

 In a 1969 article, the Watchtower said this:

Jesus’ disciples understood…that it was not some man, but God, who could ‘forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” But when a sinner does repent, those acting for the congregation can allow him to continue in the congregation, or accept him back in if he had been disfellowshiped. Apparently this is what later happened in Corinth. Knowing that God would forgive such a one, Paul urged the Christians to accept him back into the congregation. (2 Cor. 2:6-8) They would not themselves be forgiving his sins; Jehovah alone could do that. (The Watchtower, 4/15/69, “Question from Readers,” p. 256) (emphasis added)

In an online article entitled “Jehovah—The Greatest Forgiver,” the Watchtower explains why Jehovah is the only one who can decide who should be forgiven.

No one besides Jehovah has such a deep and strong sense of right and wrong. What else does a good judge need? He needs to be able to consider all the relevant facts in a case before he renders judgment. In this respect, Jehovah is uniquely qualified as Judge… Jehovah also reads the heart. He fully perceives the motivations, intentions, and desires of each person. Nothing can be hidden from Jehovah. (Heb. 4:13) Thus, Jehovah’s forgiveness is always based on his complete knowledge of a situation…Only Jehovah has the power to pardon a repentant sinner completely… What results when Jehovah forgives us?… When we accept the fact that Jehovah has forgiven us, we enjoy “seasons of refreshing,” including peace of mind and a clean conscience. Such forgiveness cannot come from men but must come from “Jehovah himself.” (Acts 3:19)

Psalm 50:6 accords with that: “The heavens proclaim his righteousness, for God himself is Judge.”

 Ask, “If Jehovah is the only one truly qualified to make judgments about who should or shouldn’t be forgiven, then how can Jesus make such judgments unless Jesus—as well as the Father—is Jehovah?”

 They may say that Jehovah makes his judgments and reveals them to Jesus, then ask one of the Witnesses to read aloud John 5:22-23: “Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.”

Say something like this: “So Jehovah alone is judge. He’s uniquely qualified to be judge. Yet the Father judges no one so that all may honor Jesus just as they honor the Father. Not to do so dishonors the Father.”

“Do you honor the Son just as you honor the Father? Isn’t that what this passage says the Father wants us to do?”