Defend Jehovah's Witnesses: August 2014

Monday, August 11, 2014

How is Phil. 2:6 Meant to Be Understood?

"Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God". - Phil. 2:6; KJV

How is Phil. 2:6 Meant to Be Understood?

To begin with, the context of Phil. 2:3-9 indicates how Phil. 2:6 should be understood. The context stresses the concept of humility and obedience, and Phil. 2:6 itself is clearly meant as the prime example of this for all Christians. Even The Amplified Bible, for example, translates Phil. 2:3, 5 this way:

"Instead, in the true spirit of humility (lowliness of mind) let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself.... Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus. - Let Him be your example in humility."

Then that very example of Jesus (Phil. 2:6-8) is given. - Cf. The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, vol. 1, p. 547.

Most trinitarian interpretations of Phil. 2:6, however, do not show Jesus as regarding God as "better than and superior to himself" in the beginning (as the context demands for this example). Most of them, instead, twist that proper example of humility into just the opposite: an example of a person who regards himself already as equal to the Most High, Almighty God ("thought it not robbery to be equal to God"). Such an interpretation destroys the very purpose (Phil. 2:3) of Jesus' "example in humility" here.

Paul is not telling us to regard ourselves as equal to others. He is clearly using Jesus as his example to teach that each Christian must, as the very trinitarian Amplified Bible above puts it, "regard others as better than and superior to himself". And yet most trinitarian translations show Jesus doing the very opposite in this "example in humility" for all Christians.

Something, then, is very wrong with the translation of Phil. 2:6 in most trinitarian Bibles. Consider the following:
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CONCERNING THE WORD "FORM" [morphe]:

Many trinitarian Bible scholars attempt to force an interpretation of "form" [morphe] that includes the idea of "essence" or "nature." However, even many trinitarian Bible scholars admit:

"Morphe is instanced from Homer onwards and means form in the sense of outward appearance." - The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, 1986, Zondervan, p. 705, vol. 1.

Therefore, God, Jesus, and the angels all have the “essence” or “nature” of spirit. This obviously does not make them all equally God! Man, mouse, and canary are certainly not all equally man simply because they all have the same “essence” or “nature” of flesh.

If Paul had intended `nature,' `very essence,' etc., he certainly would not have used a word which means only external appearance (morphe). He would have used one of the words which really mean absolute nature.
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CONCERNING THE WORD "HARPAGMOS":

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (by trinitarian writer and trinitarian publisher) tells us that harpagmos means "plunder" and that it comes from the source word harpazo which means: "to seize ... catch away, pluck, take (by force)." - #725; 726, Abingdon Press, 1974 printing.

And the New American Standard Concordance of the Bible (also by trinitarians) tells us: "harpagmos; from [harpazo]; the act of seizing or the thing seized." And, "harpazo ... to seize, catch up, snatch away." Notice that all have to do with taking something away by force. - # 725; #726, Holman Bible Publ., 1981.

But, in spite of some trinitarians' reasonings and euphemistic renderings, it is clear from the way it was always used in Scripture that harpagmos means either taking something away by force (a verb), or something which has been taken by force (a noun).

Paul certainly wouldn't destroy this example of humility for fellow Christians by saying that Jesus is thinking that it isn't "robbery" (KJV) for him to be equal with the Most High. Besides being a nonsensical statement, it is just the opposite of humility. Instead, to be in harmony with the purpose of Paul's example, we must find a Jesus who regards God as superior to himself and won't give even a moment's thought about attempting to take that most high position himself, but, instead, humbles himself even further.

When even a number of the best trinitarian scholars are willing to admit the actual meaning (or even an equivalent compromise) of harpagmos at Phil. 2:6, it becomes necessary for honest-hearted, truth-seeking individuals to admit that Phil. 2:6 not only does not identify Jesus as God, but that it clearly shows Jesus is not God.

Also see:

Philippians 2:5, 6 (rs p. 405-p. 426; Watchtower Online Library)

PHIL 2:6; Part 2 - Notes (Examining the Trinity)

New World Translation and Philippians 2:6 (IN Defense of the NWT)

What does it mean when Phil. 2:6 says that Jesus was in God's form? (Search For Bible Truths)

Huparchon (or `Uparchon') - Does the word `being' in Philippians 2:6 [KJV], really literally mean `remaining or not ceasing to be'? (Defend Jehovah's Witnesses)

"[Other]" and Phil. 2:6 (Defending the NWT)

Thursday, August 7, 2014

The King of the North, the King of the South and the "Time of the End”

Chapters 10 through 12 of the Book of Daniel tells of Daniel's prophecy concerning the ongoing enmity between the "King of the North" and the "King of the South". The political identities of these two kings have changed as the battle between them continued for the past 2,000 years and down into our day. Considering that this prophecy also concerns "the time of the end" (Daniel 12:4), this should be of interest to us. This is because this prophecy could give us a clear view of where we are in the stream of time.

The following is specifically centered on the "time of the end” (Daniel 11:40 through Daniel 12:9). But some excellent information concerning the changing of the political identities of these two kings prior to the 20th century can be found in the Daniel's Prophecy book published by the Watchtower and Bible Tract Society.

Concerning the "Time of the End”

Concerning the "time of the end”, Daniel 11:40a reads:

“In the time of the end the king of the south will engage with him [the King of the North] in a pushing.”

If “the time of the end” here means the same as it does at Daniel 12:4, 9, we should look for the fulfillment of these words throughout the last days. What immediately comes to mind when a "pushing" is described between two major powers durin

g the course of our past century? What two "kings" have targeted fearsome nuclear weapons on each other and have engaged in high-tech espionage as well as diplomatic and even limited military offensives? This kind of "pushing" has even adopted a name: The "Cold War".

Daniel 11:40b helps to identify the King of the North in “the time of the end”:

“Against him the king of the north will storm with chariots and with horsemen and with many ships; and he will certainly enter into the lands and flood over and pass through.”

The identity of the King of the North in the time of the end seems apparent when considering that the history of the past century has well recorded the King of the North's expansionism. But, even though—from the viewpoint of his rival—the King of the North has loomed as a menacing presence, he has not achieved world conquest.

Events To Come

But what happens next? The following is a brief excerpt from the 11/1/93 Watchtower, "The Final Victory of Michael, the Great Prince", pars. 10-14:

"Does the rivalry between the two kings continue indefinitely? No. The angel told Daniel: “There will be reports that will disturb him [the king of the north], out of the sunrising and out of the north, and he will certainly go forth in a great rage in order to annihilate and to devote many to destruction. And he will plant his palatial tents between the grand sea and the holy mountain of Decoration; and he will have to come all the way to his end, and there will be no helper for him.”—Daniel 11:44, 45.

"These events are yet future, so we cannot say in detail how the prophecy will be fulfilled. Recently, the political situation regarding the two kings has changed. The bitter rivalry between the United States and Eastern European countries has cooled. Further, the Soviet Union was disbanded in 1991 and no longer exists.—See the March 1, 1992, issue of The Watchtower, pages 4, 5.

"So who is the king of the north now? Is he to be identified with one of the countries that were part of the old Soviet Union? Or is he changing identity completely, as he has a number of times before? We cannot say. Who will be the king of the north when Daniel 11:44, 45 is fulfilled? Will the rivalry between the two kings flare up again? And what of the huge nuclear stockpiles that still exist in a number of lands? Only time will provide the answers to these questions.

"One thing we do know. Soon, the king of the north will conduct an offensive campaign that will be triggered by “reports that will disturb him, out of the sunrising and out of the north.” This campaign will immediately precede his “end.” We can learn more about these “reports” if we consider other Bible prophecies.

"First, though, notice that these acts of the king of the north are not said to be against the king of the south. He does not come to his end at the hands of his great rival. Similarly, the king of the south is not destroyed by the king of the north. The southern king (represented in other prophecies as the final horn to appear on a wild beast) is destroyed “without [human] hand” by God’s Kingdom. (Daniel 7:26; 8:25) In fact, all earthly kings are finally destroyed by God’s Kingdom at the battle of Armageddon, and this evidently is what happens to the king of the north. (Daniel 2:44; 12:1; Revelation 16:14, 16) Daniel 11:44, 45 describes events leading up to that final battle. No wonder “there will be no helper” when the king of the north meets his end!"

For much more, see:

Kings of North and South - Links to Information (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)

North Versus South, Michael Stands Up (si pp. 138-142; Bible Book Number 27—Daniel; Watchtower Online Library)

Time of the End (Insight-2 pp. 1103-1104; Watchtower Online Library)

Monday, August 4, 2014

Do Jehovah's Witnesses Eat Red Meat Since it May Contain a Trace of Blood?

Though Christians are to abstain from blood (Acts 15:29), the Bible shows that the eating of flesh by Christians is proper, for God Himself told us that we could eat meat from "every animal". "Every moving animal that is alive may serve as food for YOU." (Gen. 9:3)

But God commanded that before eating the flesh of an animal, his people were to pour out its blood on the ground and cover it with dust, being careful not to eat the blood, on pain of death. (Deut. 12:23-25; Lev. 7:27) This is our way for us to show respect for God's view of life.

So when someone carefully takes the strict precautions that God outlined by making sure that an animal is properly bled before consumption, they wouldn't be breaking God's command of eating blood. Since God Himself has issued these directions, obviously, if properly done, God does not have a problem with eating the meat from "every animal".

People can rest assured that nearly all blood is removed from meat during slaughter, which is why you don’t see blood in raw “white meat”; only an extremely small amount of blood remains within the muscle tissue when you get it from the store. (Also see: The Red Juice in Raw Meat is Not Blood (todayifoundit.com)

For more, see:

Blood—Vital For Life / BLOOD AND TRUE CHRISTIANS (JW.ORG)

Showing Respect for Blood (bh chap. 13 pp. 125-133; Watchtower Online Library)

Meat - Links to Information (Search For Bible Truths)