It is surprising how many XJW's do not understand that the Bible is not to be read as the J.W org does, or as most of Christendom does.
To read it, and understand what the Writer was on about, you have to know the full information about the time in which he lived, the religious and political situation, and much much more.
On that basis, I would dispute a number of things that are taken as "givens" about what the Bible "says" in the O.P.
Nothing is plain, and should not be looked upon with a 21st Century lens when considering verses written 2000 years ago, or much longer than that.
Evans is not criticising what the Bible ACTUALLY says, but the J.W interpretation of it.