In order to avoid taking over the role of teacher, say to the Witnesses, “I understand you don’t believe Jesus is God and that you are here to teach me. That’s fine. What I would like to do is show you from the Bible why I believe Jesus is God as well as man so I can have you explain to me Jehovah’s Witnesses’ views on what these verses mean. Would you be willing to do that?”

Once they agree, here is how to present to Jehovah’s Witnesses four lines of biblical evidence that Jesus is God, not just “a god.”

1. Jesus is explicitly called God (pp. 162-164)

They will expect you to cite John 1:1. Don’t. The Watchtower renders the end of that verse, “…and the Word was a god.” They will trust their translation over yours. (pp. 162-163)

Instead, ask one of the Witnesses to read aloud John 20:27-29: “Then he [Jesus] said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’ Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’” (pp. 163-164)

Ask:

• What does Thomas call Jesus and how does Jesus respond?
• Thomas called Jesus “my God.” Do you have a different God than Thomas did?
• Sometimes they will say that Thomas directed the “My Lord” portion of his comment to Jesus and the “my God” portion to Jehovah. If this is what they say, point out that John 20:28 says: “Thomas said to him…” (emphasis added).
• Sometimes Witnesses will tell you that Thomas was so awe-struck by the appearance of the resurrected Christ that he burst forth with the exclamation, ‘My Lord and my God!!!’” But if Thomas had uttered such an expletive referring to God, wouldn’t Jesus have immediately rebuked him? What would an elder do if they blurted out “My Lord and my God!” at a Kingdom Hall? Point out that not only didn’t Jesus rebuke Thomas—he actually commended him!

2. The Old Testament prophesied that Jehovah himself would come to Israel (pp. 164-165)

Have one of the Witnesses read aloud Zechariah 2:10-12, where Jehovah says he will reside in Zion’s midst and that he will be sent by Jehovah! Go over that passage slowly and ask them to explain to you exactly what Jehovah is saying.

Ask one the Witnesses to read aloud Isaiah 40:3: “A voice of one calling out in the wilderness: ‘Clear up the way of Jehovah! Make a straight highway through the desert for our God'” (Watchtower’s translation). Ask, “Who does the voice clear the way for?” If they try to argue with you, point out that the passage in their own translation says it is Jehovah.

Ask the other Witness to read aloud Matthew 3:3 regarding John the Baptist: “This, in fact, is the one spoken of through Isaiah the prophet in these words: ‘A voice of one calling out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of Jehovah! Make his roads straight”‘ (Watchtower’s translation). Ask, “Who was this talking about?” Jesus, of course, but the prophecy was that he would prepare the way for Jehovah to come.

They will attempt to explain this by saying that Jesus came as the representative of Jehovah, his Father. To that argument, respond, “How would you react if the President of the United States said he would come to town to be with you, but instead the one who comes is his son? Would you say the President had fulfilled his promise to you?”

3. Old Testament “Jehovah alone” passages are applied to Jesus (pp. 164-169)

Go through these verses one-by-one with the Witnesses and ask for their explanations. Is the Bible contradicting itself or is Jesus—as well as the Father—Jehovah?

The only creator (pp. 165-167)

Isaiah 44:24 says that Jehovah created the heavens and earth by himself, alone. Yet, John 1:3 says Jesus created everything and that nothing was created without him.

Psalm 102:24-27 addresses Jehovah and says the heavens and earth are the work of his hands, yet Hebrews 1:10-12 quotes these verses and says it is the Father speaking about the Son.

The only one worthy of God’s glory (pp. 167-168)

Isaiah 42:8: “I am Jehovah. That is my name; I give my glory to no one else, nor my praise to graven images” (Watchtower’s translation).

John 17:5; “And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”

The ultimate judge (p. 168)

Psalm 50:6: “And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for God himself is judge.”

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.”

The only one who knows men’s hearts (pp. 168-169)

1 Kings 8:39: “…then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of all men).”

Jesus’ warning in Revelation 2:23: “I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.”

The only spiritual rock (p. 169)

Isaiah 44:8, where Jehovah says: “Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.”

1 Corinthians 10:4: “…for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.”

4. Revelation identifies both Jehovah and Jesus as the Alpha and Omega, the first and last, and the one who is coming (pp. 169-171)

Revelation 22:12-13: “‘Look! I am coming quickly, and the reward I give is with me, to repay each one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Because Revelation 1:8 identifies the Alpha and Omega as Almighty God, Jehovah’s Witnesses will tell you that this is Jehovah.

Revelation 22:20 reveals the speaker: “The one who bears witness of these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly.’ Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.”

The Witnesses will tell you that the speakers change in Revelation 22. The first speaker is Jehovah, but in verse 16 the speaker switches to Jesus. Point out that the speaker in Revelation 22:12-13 says he is coming quickly. Ask, “Is the Father coming or is Jesus?” If they say that both are coming, ask them when the Father is coming to the earth.

Next draw their attention to the phrase “the first and the last.”

• Isaiah 44:6: “This is what Jehovah has said, the King of Israel and his Repurchaser, Jehovah of armies, ‘I am the first and I am the last. There is no God but me.” (Watchtower’s translation).
• Revelation 1:17-18: “When I saw him, I fell as dead at his feet. And he laid his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, and the living one, and I became dead, but look! I am living forever and ever, and I have the keys of death and of the Grave.” (Watchtower’s translation).
• So Jesus is the first and the last. But Jehovah is the first and the last.
• How can you have two firsts and two lasts?

Study Questions

1. Why is it best to avoid John 1:1 when trying to show Jehovah’s Witnesses that Jesus is God? Please read Jesus’ interaction with Thomas in John 20:28-29. How might you use that passage to show Jehovah’s Witnesses that Jesus is God, a lesser “god”? (pp. 162-164)

2. Please read Zechariah 2:10-12; Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:3. What do they tell us about the identity of Jesus? What follow-up questions might you ask to get this across? (pp. 164-165)

3. How might you use these Jehovah-alone-but-also-Jesus passages to help Jehovah’s Witnesses see the deity of Christ? (pp. 165-171)

• The only creator (Isaiah 44:24; John 1:3; Psalm 102:24-27; Hebrews 1:10-12
• The only one worthy of God’s glory (Isaiah 42:8; John 17:5)
• The ultimate judge (Psalm 50:6; John 5:22-23)
• The only one who knows men’s hearts (1 Kings 8:37; Revelation 2:23)
• The only spiritual rock (Isaiah 44:8; 1 Corinthians 10:4)
• The Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, and the one who is coming (Revelation 1:8; 1:17-18; 2:8; 22:12-13; 22:20; Isaiah 44:6)