From the darkness and uncertainty of Jehovah's Witnesses to the glory of the Kingdom of Heaven

No longer dead, but made alive by God Himself to be an heir with Jesus Christ by faith and grace alone.

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

New World Translation

This is the New World Translation from the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society published in a single volume in 1961 (replaced by their newest bible in 1984). It is actually a green-colored bible, but the scan came out black.

This 1961 version has a couple of points of interest. For example, a dinosaur on the map of the Ancient World Before Our Common Era that didn't make it to the 1984 edition (also, why do their publications never refer to it as "Before Christ"?).



A most important change is found in Hebrews 1:6. This passage actually is translated correctedly.

"But when he again brings his First-born into the inhabited earth, he says: "And let all of God's angels worship him."
God is commanding all of of His angels to worship His Son. It is idolatry to worship anyone else but God. Therefore to worship (Greek verb: proskuneo) man, beast, graven images, and angels is a sin (thus Christ cannot even be Michael the Archangel).

The 1984 edition changed "worship" to read "obeisance". Interestingly enough the Society at certain points believed Jesus is to be worshiped.
The Watchtower July 15, 1898 pg 216:

"Question: The fact that our Lord received worship is claimed by some to be an evidence that while on earth he was God the Father disguised in a body of flesh and not really a man. Was he really worshiped, or is the translation faulty? (Please note the Watchtower 7/15/1898 question is misleading. Jesus did not come disguised as the Father. He came as the Son, the Word made flesh.)

Answer: Yes, we believe our Lord Jesus while on earth was really worshiped, and properly so...It was proper for our Lord to receive worship in view of his having been the only begotten of the Father, and his agent in the creation of all things, including man."

New Heavens and a New Earth 1953 pgs 27-28 included the Hebrews passage:

"For example, to which one of the angels did he ever say: 'You are my Son; today I have become your Father'? And again: 'I shall be a Father to him, and he will be a Son to me'? But when he again brings his Firstborn into the inhabited earth, he says: 'And let all God's angels worship him.'"

3 comments:

Shelly said...

I love your posts. They always are so interesting and get me thinking.

Sacchiel said...

Thanks for making my day!

Evan said...

I'm glad you enjoyed the article on my site! Thanks for leaving a comment. I don't get many of those, but when I do it is especially encouraging.