Val Obienyem
Today’s reading does not involve any contentious exegetical interpretation. It is a straightforward chapter whose interpretation is unidirectional, though its applications may vary—all pointing to the same conclusion. Our chaplain, Fr. Chigozie Jidere, said nothing unusual to warrant further elaboration. In light of this, I have decided to stir up some trouble by recalling my exchange with my friend, the Witness, who belongs to Jehovah’s Witnesses, a Christian sect known for its unconventional beliefs.
Before going further, it is beneficial to understand a bit about their history. Founded in 1879 by Charles Taze Russell, their beliefs are often unorthodox, prompting questions about their alignment with mainstream Christian doctrines. Did you know they believe that although Archangel Michael was the highest-ranking angel, he later became incarnate in Mary’s womb, becoming Jesus Christ and ceasing to be an angel?
Among other beliefs, they reject the Trinity, blood transfusions, and have made several failed predictions about the end of the world—from 1914 to 1925, and later in 1975. They abstain from politics and voting as a demonstration of their allegiance to God’s Kingdom. They also do not celebrate Christmas, Easter, or birthdays, believing these observances have pagan origins.
However, I must commend their memorisation of biblical passages. If Christianity were measured by the commitment to memorise scripture, they would excel. Unfortunately, their literal interpretation of the Bible most times leads to a shallow understanding and distorting of its true meaning. Their indoctrination often confines them to a narrow viewpoint centred around the Kingdom Hall.
Hence, one can understand the predicament of my classmate. Our argument exemplifies this well. On the Sunday Catholics celebrated Corpus Christi, I wrote about the Real Presence. My Witness friend did not agree. We spent most of Monday presenting his viewpoints, which he claimed were sanctioned by Jehovah. Here, I will outline his objections and my replies.
Objection One from my friend, the Witness: The bread and wine in Christian communion symbolise Jesus Christ’s body and blood, commemorating his sacrifice (Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26). The idea of Jesus’ presence in the sacrament is a church dogma not supported by the Bible. Given my education, he believes it inconsistent to propagate such unfounded beliefs.
My Reply: Real Presence- The Catholic Church upholds the doctrine of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist through Transubstantiation. Biblical passages on this topic are explicit and leave little room for interpretation. The Council of Trent and the Second Vatican Council further defined this doctrine to ensure clarity. The passages John 6:53, Matthew 26:26-28, Luke 22:19, 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, and 1 Corinthians 11:23-29 affirm this belief. It is a fundamental aspect of Catholic teaching, as outlined in the catechism.
Only the Catholic and Orthodox Churches profess belief in the real presence of Christ and possess the authority to uphold this doctrine. This authority stems from their adherence to Apostolic Succession, which grants their priests the power, originally bestowed upon the Apostles, to consecrate bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ.
Objection Two from my friend, the Witness: Mary, the mother of Jesus, 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 remain unchangeable (Isaiah 40:8). The Catholic Church’s persecution of translators like William Tyndale highlights the importance of adhering to Scripture over church traditions. Humility is necessary to accept biblical truths.
My Reply: Please, Mary did not have other children. The Bible mentions Jesus’ brothers and sisters, but in 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 clarifies this. Show me where it is written that Jesus had biological siblings. The Catholic Church, which had direct contact with Christ and His apostles, compiled the Bible you reference. It is surprising that you expect me to believe Jehovah’s Witness tracts, a church founded in the 19th century, over the Catholic Church’s teachings rooted in the Bible and Apostolic Tradition. Who elevated Mary to divinity? This is a misunderstanding; Catholics profess profound respect (veneration) for Mary and not worship, as affirmed in their teachings.
Objection Three from my friend, the Witness: Since Christianity became the state religion under Constantine, falsehoods have prevailed in the Catholic Church. True Christians recognise only one God, Jehovah, and Jesus does not contest His divinity (1 Corinthians 8:5-6; Philippians 2:5-10). The Trinity is a false theory, and the Bible indicates Jesus will hand over authority to Jehovah after completing his mission (1 Corinthians 15:24-28). Reading the Bible and following the Holy Spirit, rather than man-made doctrines, is essential.
My Reply: When was Jehovah’s Witnesses founded, and by whom? After the schism, the first man to break away from the Catholic Church in 1517 was Martin Luther. Could you search what he said about the Bible getting to the world through the Catholic Church? If you refer to other apostolic traditions preserved in the Catholic Church as man-made doctrines, then by the same measure, consider the Bible as man-made, since it also came to you through the Catholic Church. Whenever people mention Constantine while addressing the Catholic Church, it reveals their ignorance. Constantine became emperor over 300 years after the Catholic Church was founded by Christ. His actions simply supported his newfound religion against the paganism of his time. Through his Edict of Milan, Christians were granted religious tolerance and freedom, ending their persecution. It was the same Constantine that ended Churches from paying taxes. I am yet to hear any Church say they would pay tax because Constantine acted against the principle of giving to Caesar what is his.
On the issue of the Trinity, their arguments against it appear as if they have discovered a new demonstration in geometry. The Trinity controversy first arose from a Catholic priest, Arius. It is the same heresy that is recycled today. However, it is easy to refute the Witness’ arguments because their Bible version is rewritten to fit their beliefs. On the issue of the Trinity, compare John 1:1 from other Bibles with the Jehovah’s Witness Bible. The Catholic Bible states, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Your Bible states, “…a god.”
Many verses in their Bible differ from those in other translations. Colossians 1:15-16, Acts 20:28, and Philippians 2:6 in other Bibles differ from your translations. The curious thing was that their translation was just in 1950. They most probably translated from Tyndale’s edition. Leave our Bible alone and look for your own book. You cannot interpret or rewrite our Bible to fit your beliefs, thereby destroying its sacredness.