My Friend, The Witness

By Val Obienyem

Today’s reading contains no contentious exegetical interpretations. It is a straightforward chapter with a unidirectional interpretation, though its applications may differ—all leading to the same conclusion. Our chaplain, Fr. Chigozie Jidere, said nothing unusual to warrant further explanation. In light of this, I have decided to cause some controversy by recalling my conversation with my friend, the Witness, who is a member of Jehovah’s Witnesses, a Christian sect known for its unconventional beliefs.

Before proceeding, it is helpful to know a little about their history. Charles Taze Russell founded the organisation in 1879, and their beliefs are frequently unconventional, raising concerns about their compatibility with mainstream Christian doctrine. Did you know that, despite being the highest-ranking angel, Archangel Michael later became incarnate in Mary’s womb, transforming into Jesus Christ and ceasing to be an angel?

Among other things, they reject the Trinity, blood transfusions, and have made several failed predictions about the end of the world, including from 1914 to 1925 and again in 1975. They abstain from politics and voting to demonstrate their devotion to God’s Kingdom. They also do not celebrate Christmas, Easter, or birthdays, believing that these traditions have pagan roots.

However, I must commend their ability to memorise biblical passages. If the commitment to memorising scripture were the measure of Christianity, they would excel. Unfortunately, their literal interpretation of the Bible often leads to a shallow understanding and distorts its true meaning. Their indoctrination frequently confines them to a narrow viewpoint centred on the Kingdom Hall.

As a result, it is possible to understand my classmate’s situation. Our argument serves as an excellent example of this. On the day Catholics celebrated Corpus Christi, I wrote about the Real Presence. My Witness friend disagreed. We spent the majority of Monday presenting his viewpoints, which he claimed were approved by Jehovah. Here, I will go over his objections and my responses.

Objection One from my friend, the witness: The bread and wine in Christian communion represent Jesus Christ’s body and blood, commemorating his sacrifice (Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26). The belief that Jesus is present in the sacrament is a church dogma that is not supported by the Bible. Given my education, he thinks it is inconsistent to spread such unfounded beliefs.

My response: The Catholic Church upholds the doctrine of Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist through transubstantiation. Biblical passages on this subject are explicit, leaving little room for interpretation. To ensure clarity, the Council of Trent and the Second Vatican Council elaborated on this doctrine. The passages John 6:53, Matthew 26:26-28, Luke 22:19, 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, and 1 Corinthians 11:23-29 all support this belief. It is a fundamental component of Catholic teaching, as stated in the catechism.

Only the Catholic and Orthodox Churches profess faith in the real presence of Christ and have the authority to uphold this doctrine. This authority stems from their adherence to Apostolic Succession, which gives their priests the power to consecrate bread and wine into Christ’s body and blood, as originally bestowed upon the Apostles.

Objection Two by my friend, the Witness: Mary, Jesus’ mother, later had other children, disproving her perpetual virginity (Luke 1:28-31; Matthew 1:20-23; 13:55-58). Elevating Mary to divinity is a false teaching, and the Bible’s teachings are unchanging (Isaiah 40:8). The Catholic Church’s persecution of translators such as William Tyndale emphasises the importance of following Scripture over church traditions. Humility is required to accept biblical truths.

My reply: Mary did not have any other children. The Bible mentions Jesus’ brothers and sisters, but given the cultural and linguistic context of the time, these terms could refer to extended family or close relatives rather than direct siblings. Understanding exegesis and the Jewish concept of family makes this clearer. Show me where it says that Jesus had biological siblings. The Catholic Church, which had direct contact with Christ and His apostles, compiled the Bible you mentioned. It is surprising that you expect me to believe Jehovah’s Witness tracts, which were founded in the nineteenth century, over Catholic Church teachings based on the Bible and Apostolic Tradition. Who elevated Mary to the level of divinity? This is a misunderstanding; Catholics profess profound respect (veneration) for Mary, not worship, as stated in their teachings.

Objection Three from my friend, the witness: Since Constantine established Christianity as the state religion, falsehoods have prevailed in the Catholic Church. True Christians believe in only one God, Jehovah, and Jesus does not question His divinity (1 Corinthians 8:5-6; Philippians 2:5-10). The Trinity is a myth, and the Bible says Jesus will hand over authority to Jehovah after completing his mission (1 Corinthians 15:24-28). Reading the Bible and following the Holy Spirit over man-made doctrines is essential.

My response: When and by whom were Jehovah’s Witnesses founded? Following the schism, Martin Luther was the first to leave the Catholic Church in 1517. Could you look up what he said about the Bible coming to the world through the Catholic Church? If you consider other apostolic traditions preserved in the Catholic Church to be man-made doctrines, you must also consider the Bible to be man-made, as it was also delivered to you through the Catholic Church. When people mention Constantine when addressing the Catholic Church, it demonstrates their ignorance. More than 300 years after Christ founded the Catholic Church, Constantine became emperor. His actions simply supported his newly discovered religion against the paganism of his time. Through his Edict of Milan, Christians were granted religious tolerance and freedom, putting an end to persecution. Constantine was also responsible for the abolition of church taxes. I have yet to hear any Church say it would pay taxes because Constantine violated the principle of giving Caesar what is his.

Their arguments against the Trinity appear to be based on a new geometric demonstration. Arius, a Catholic priest, sparked the Trinity controversy. It is the same heresy that is perpetuated today. However, the Witnesses’ arguments are easily refuted because their Bible version has been rewritten to fit their beliefs. On the Trinity, compare John 1:1 in other Bibles to the Jehovah’s Witness Bible. The Catholic Bible reads, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The Bible mentions “a god.”

Their Bible contains many verses that differ from those in other translations. Other Bibles have different translations of Colossians 1:15-16, Acts 20:28, and Philippians 2:6 than yours. The curious thing was that their translation was only completed in 1950. They most likely translated from Tyndale’s edition. Leave our Bible alone and find your own book. You cannot interpret or rewrite our Bible to suit your beliefs without destroying its I.