I noticed in the bible reading in Titus this week that that they changed one instance of Christ Jesus to Jesus Christ. It made me wonder why it was done and what benefit it could have in their doctrines.
Christ Jesus vs Jesus Christ in RNWT
by wisdomfrombelow 21 Replies latest watchtower bible
-
-
KateWild
Hmmm seems like a pointless change to me-Kate xx
-
caliber
While the name Jesus, alone, normally appears in the gospels and the book of Acts, the compound name, Jesus Christ, appears on occasion. Interestingly, the same compound name is used exclusively by the disciples John and Peter in their letters, and by James and Jude, the brothers of our Lord. Of course, these men knew Him first by His human name, Jesus, and only fully comprehended the fact that He was the Christ (meaning "the Anointed," or "the Messiah") after His resurrection
and ascension.Paul, on the other hand, first encountered Christ in all His glory on the road to Damascus. Perhaps, as a consequence, he frequently reversed the order, speaking of Christ Jesus, ( The author of Titus identifies himself as "Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus ...)
One orginal anointed (you know chose before 35 ) told us once that Jesus Christ is often used as a swear word... thus he used Christ Jesus
to offset this.
-
mindnumbed
I noticed a scripture that they flipped them in too, maybe it was the same one ... I found it odd because Watchtower makes a big deal about what is meant when said as Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus ... maybe it's in the Insight book.
-
caliber
I noticed a scripture that they flipped them in too, maybe it was the same one ... I found it odd because Watchtower makes a big deal about what is meant when said as Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus ... maybe it's in the Insight book.
Jesus the man came first... maybe the teaching about Christ's kingdom being future ( as per JW's ) comes into the picture
Christ in all His glory was not "arrived "
-
Tiktaalik
I note that the wts, despite their claims of having the truth, still shy away from using Jesus Christ's middle name - Trevor.
Hypocrites!
-
wearewatchingyouman
hmmmm.... I always thought his middle name was Harvey. I've never heard Jesus T. Christ before, but I've heard Jesus H. Christ many times
-
Terry
Why not try the substitution test?
Take the words CHRIST, MESSIAH and ANOINTED and every time you read a passage which contains one of those terms you stop
and substitute first one and the other of the terms instead.
At the same time, pretend you are living in the 1st Century and you have no 21st century theory about theology going on in your head.
See what contextualizing does for the apparent "meaning."
-
blondie
The personal name of Jesus followed by the title Christ may call attention to the person himself and that he is the one who became the Anointed One of Jehovah. This occurred when he reached about 30 years of age, was baptized in water, and was anointed with Jehovah’s spirit visibly observed in the form of a dove descending upon him. (Mt 3:13-17) This is the point Peter made at Pentecost: “God made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus,” evidently recalling the expression he had heard from the lips of Jesus, who first used the term “Jesus Christ.” (Ac 2:36-38; Joh 17:3) This expression “Jesus Christ” is also used in the opening and closing words of the Christian Greek Scriptures.—Mt 1:1; Re 22:21.
On the other hand, putting the title ahead of the name and saying “ Christ Jesus” instead of “Jesus Christ” places greater emphasis on the office or position held by Jesus. It focuses attention primarily on the office, secondarily on the office holder, as in saying King David or Governor Zerubbabel. It would remind one of the singular official position Jesus holds as the Anointed One of Jehovah, an honored position not shared by others of his followers who are also anointed. Only Jehovah’s beloved Son is entitled “Christ Jesus.” Paul used this expression in his first inspired letter. (1Th 2:14) Luke also used it, once, at Acts 24:24 (NW; RS), when speaking about Paul’s bearing witness.
The use of the article “the” with the title (“the Christ”) is another way attention is sometimes drawn to the office as held by Jesus. (Mt 16:16; Mr 14:61) The grammatical structure of the sentence, however, may be a factor determining whether the article is used or not, for says W. E. Vine: “Speaking generally, when the title [Christ] is the subject of a sentence it has the article; when it forms part of the predicate the article is absent.”—Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, 1981, Vol. 1, p. 190.
In the Scriptures titles are never multiplied before or after Jesus’ name; but if one title precedes the personal name, then any other title is added only after the name. We never find a combination like the Lord Christ Jesus or the King Christ Jesus, but we do find the Lord Jesus Christ. The expression “our Savior, Christ Jesus,” at 2 Timothy 1:10, in the Greek text has the expression “of us” between “Savior” and “Christ” to identify who the Savior is, in keeping with the expression “Christ Jesus our Savior [literally, “Christ Jesus the Savior of us”].” (Tit 1:4) In the text at 1 Timothy 2:5 mention is made of “a man, Christ Jesus” as the Mediator, but “a man” is not a title. The expression only explains that Christ Jesus was at one time a man on earth.
- Insight, Volume 1
- it-1 pp. 438-439
- Christ
-
wisdomfrombelow
I believe it was Titus 2:14 which was changed to Jesus Christ which probably was similar in structure to what Blondie mentioned at Titus 1:4 in her quote. It was just something that I noticed and wondered how many other places they changed. It is hard to keep attentive at the meetings so it kept my mind occupied.