It would be a shocker if the society came out with new light and stated that JWs should now start to refer to Jesus as Michael. Once again it would set them apart from other religions and place Jesus on a different level.
Jesus is his earthly name, Michael is his heavenly name
by bruh2012 31 Replies latest watchtower bible
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designs
John Calvin, Spurgeon, John Gill, Matthew Henry all held that Michael was Jesus.
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keyser soze
His close friends in heaven just called him Mikey.
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DATA-DOG
This is one of the issues that got me thinking about "the truth." I could find nothing to convince me that the Bible says Jesus=Michael. I did not think that it met the criteria for truth. Was I wrong?
The Jesus=Abaddon teaching is wrong and more clear cut, IMO. Good thing we can look at the fruitage of religions, because many teachings are a bit nebulous.
DD
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leaving_quietly
For JWs, I think it boils down to what appears to be a point they cannot get past: that there are more than just Jehovah and Jesus having positions of authority. Abaddon / Apollyon is "the king of the abyss". Michael is "the archangel", "one of the foremost princes". And so on. Grasping that God may actually have more angels in positions of authority is not something JWs are prepared to face. Good grief... it is described as a "heavenly army" after all (Luke 2:13). Why not have more 'chiefs', 'princes', etc?
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DATA-DOG
You have EL, and then you have the Heavenly courts and Heavenly Council, ect. I am inclined to go with a hybridization of Greek mythology and the Bible at this point. I mean, we are here. Whatever happened with Gilgamesh or Noah, or whoever, was a long, long time ago. Then we have ancient structures that are older than Man, according to JWism. It just doesn't add up. Maybe everything is simply a re-telling of events and everything has been distorted through time?
DD
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villagegirl
Kurtbethal - Wow - looks like the WT does believe in the Trinity.
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fulltimestudent
ummm...
that when Jesus returned to heaven he resumed his name Michael.
Gee, it's great that they speak English in heaven. When I get there I won't need a translator
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Legacy
Hi,
If those in other religions speculate that God is a trinity & it's not in there, you can say the same for the witnesses...Speculate that Michael is Jesus. Doesn't Jesus say in one scripture, I am the reflection of God...you could use that to justify The Trinity....The witnesses say it's not in the scriptures, well neither is Michael being Jesus in there, it's a formula they thought of themselves. But Hebrews 1 (I think) says to what Angel did God ever say "Today you are my son" now that is clear cut & to the point. I think they would love to take back what they said about Michael, but they are in enough hot water. They will die with that one. I think the friends would really look at them differently if they did. I do notice they only say it every now & again. Does anyone ever think that the thought of Michael being Jesus will eventually fade ?
Legacy
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Island Man
Legacy: If those in other religions speculate that God is a trinity & it's not in there, you can say the same for the witnesses...Speculate that Michael is Jesus.
As a matter of fact if you examine the kind of reasoning JWs use to suggest that Michael is Jesus, you would notice that it is the exact same kind of reasoning that trinitarians use to suggest that Jesus is God. Trinitarians quote texts that speak of Jesus doing things that the bible also speak of God doing. JWs quote texts that speak of Michael doing things that JWs say only Jesus would/should do.
JWs counter the trinitarian reasoning by saying that Jesus acts as God's representative and that's why he does things that other texts say God does/will do. Well the same counter could apply to JW Jesus-Michaelism. Michael, being chief of all the angels, is directly under Jesus' command and the things that Jesus does, he does through Michael. So when the bible speaks of Jesus having an archangel's voice it is just a concise way of alluding to the fact that Jesus will use the archangel as his medium for calling forth the dead - even as Jehovah used Jesus as his medium for calling forth Lazarus from the tomb.
When you really think about it, it makes sense. Jesus has been exalted above all of creation. Does he himself have to "get his hands dirty" in doing anything directly? What are all the angels there for? Does Jesus himself have to battle with satan? Wouldn't it be giving satan more dignity/glory than he deserves to have the exalted Jesus personally fight him and personally bind him in the abyss? Wouldn't it be more humiliating and more fitting for Jesus to send a lower ranked angel to do this, thus telling satan he's not worth the trouble of Jesus coming to him in person? Why would God give satan the honor of having Jesus himself come in person to confine satan to the abyss?