On page 148 of its book What Does the Bible Really Teach?, the Watchtower succinctly states its position regarding worship: “Jesus declared: ‘It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’ (Matthew 4:10) Thus, God’s servants’ worship no one other than Jehovah.”

Because the Watchtower believes only the Father is Jehovah and that Jesus is a lesser, created being, it is adamant that we must not worship Jesus.

But what about Hebrews 1:6, which says, “And again, when he [God] brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him”?

Likewise, Matthew 14:32-33 tells us, “And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’”

Many other examples could be cited. Jesus was worshiped by:

• The wise men (Matthew 2:11)
• A blind man (John 9:38)
• Mary Magdalene near his tomb (Matthew 28:9)
• Jesus’ disciples at Galilee (Matthew 28:16-17)

Still others knelt at his feet, expressed faith in him, some of them addressing him as “Lord”:

• A leper (Matthew 8:2)
• A ruler (Matthew 9:18)
• A Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:25)

How does the Watchtower respond to this?

It says that they were “doing obeisance” to Jesus, not worshiping him, and its Bible translation uses this phrase.

On page 215 of its book Reasoning from the Scriptures, it explains its position:

The Greek word rendered “worship” is proskyneo, which A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature says was also “used to designate the custom of prostrating oneself before a person and kissing his feet, the hem of his garment, the ground… In harmony with [Jesus’ statement in Matthew 4:10 that only Jehovah is to be worshiped] we must understand that it is proskyneo with a particular attitude of heart and mind that should be directed only to God.”

In response to this claim, I recommend that you point out that John 5:22-23 says that the Father’s desire is “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.”

The Witnesses will insist that they do honor Jesus as King.

Ask them if in their worship services they honor the Son just as they honor the Father.

Then have them read aloud and compare the worship given to the Father in heaven in Revelation 4:9-11 with the worship given both the Father and the Son in Revelation 5:11-14:

Revelation 4:9-11: Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanksgiving to the One seated on the throne, the One who lives forever and ever, the 24 elders fall down before the One seated on the throne and worship the One who lives forever and ever, and they cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “You are worthy, Jehovah our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and because of your will they came into existence and were created.”

 Revelation 5:11-14: And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders, and the number of them was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, and they were saying with a loud voice: “The Lamb who was slaughtered is worthy to receive the power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and underneath the earth and on the sea, and all the things in them, 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.” The four living creatures were saying: “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshipped.”

Online, you can watch a video of Pastor Erwin Lutzer describing his own experience in sharing the Revelation 5 passage with some Jehovah’s Witnesses who called on him at his home.

If follow-up seems helpful, ask one of the Witnesses to read aloud Isaiah 42:8 from the Watchtower Bible: “I am Jehovah. That is my name; I give my glory to no one else, nor my praise to graven images.”

Ask the other Witness to read aloud John 17:5, where Jesus says, “And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”

Make sure they understand your point.

Jehovah does not give his glory to anyone else, yet—as Revelation 4 and 5 show—Jesus shares his Father’s heavenly glory and worship.

Ask, “Do you see why this leads me to conclude that Jesus—as well as the Father—is Jehovah?”

I once posed that question to a Jehovah’s Witness and he answered yes! He told me later that after they left our house his partner upbraided him because of his answer. He said, “I told him, ‘Dave didn’t ask me if I agreed with him. He asked if I could see why he drew that conclusion from that passage, and I do understand.’”

That moment was an important step in that man’s journey out of the Watchtower to Christ.