Not only should one know what the text says, but above all, what does it means for the average person in the Twenty-first Century? CM

1. How do you prove from the Bible that 1935 was the year for the selection to heaven stopped due to being filled? What is the difference between a Catholic appealing to "what the organization tells him " about December 25 being the date of Jesus' birthday and a JW appealing to "what the organization tells him" about 1935? Is it not hypocritical when you scold the "poor deluded Catholic" that his faith cannot find a Bible passage to support it when the same goes for you and 1935?

2. In the NWT, every time the Greek word "proskuneo" is used about God, it is translated as "worship" (Rev 5:14, 7:11, 11:16, 19:4, John 4:20, etc.). Every time "proskuneo" is used about Jesus, it is translated as "obeisance" (Matt 14:33, 28:9, 28:17, Lk 24:52, Heb 1:6, etc.), even though it is the same word in Greek (see Greek-English Interlinear). Especially compare the Greek word "prosekunhsan" used about God in Rev. 5:14, 7:11, 11:16, and 19:4 and used with reference to Christ in Matt. 14:33, 28:9, and 28:17. What is the reason for this inconsistency? If the NWT was consistent in translating "proskuneo" as "worship," how would the verses above referring to Christ read? 

3. The NWT translates the Greek word "kyrios" as "Jehovah" more than 25 times in the New Testament (Matt. 3:3, Lk 2:9, John 1:23, Acts 21:14, Rom. 12:19, Col 1:10, 1 Thess. 5:2, 1 Pet 1:25, Rev 4:8, etc.). Why is the word "Jehovah" translated when it does not appear in the Greek text? Why is the NWT not consistent in translating kyrios (kurion) as "Jehovah" in Rom. 10:9, 1 Cor. 12:3, Phil. 2:11, 2 Thess. 2:1, and Rev. 22:21 (see Greek-English Interlinear)? 

4. The NWT translates the Greek words "ego eimi" as "I am" every time it appears (John 6:34, 6:41, 8:24, 13:19, 15:5, etc.), except in John 8:58 where it is translated as "I have been." What is the reason for the inconsistency in this translation? If "ego eimi" was translated in John 8:58, the same way it is translated in every other verse in which it appears, how would John 8:58 read? 

5. The NWT translates John 1:1 as "... and the Word was WITH God, and the Word was a god". How can the Word (Jesus) be "a god" if God says in Deut. 32:39, "See now that I-I am he, and there are NO gods together WITH me ..."? 

6. Jesus uses the phrase "Truly I say to you, ..." over 50 times in the Bible. In the NWT, the comma is placed after the word "you" every time except in Lk 23:43, where the comma is placed after the word "today." Why is the comma placed after "today" instead of after "you" in this verse? If the translation of this phrase in Lk 23:43 was consistent with the translation of this phrase in all the other verses in which it appears (see concordance), and the comma was placed after the word "you", how would it read? 

7. The NWT translates the Greek word "esti" as "is" in almost every instance in the New Testament (Matt 26:18, 38, Mk 14:44, Lk 22:38, etc.). See Greek-English Interlinear. Why does the NWT translate this Greek word as "means" in Mt 26:26-28, Mk 14:22-24, and Lk 22:19? Why the inconsistency in the translation of the word "esti"? What would these verses say if the NWT was consistent and translated the Greek word "esti" as "is" in these verses? 

8. In Phil. 2:9, the NWT inserts the word "other," even though it doesn't appear in the original Greek (see Greek-English Interlinear). What is the reason for inserting this word? Is the word "Jehovah" a name? See Ex 6:3, Ps 83:18, and Isa. 42:8. How would the verse read if the word "other" had not been inserted? What does scripture say about adding words to the Bible? See Prov. 30:5-6. 

9. In Col 1:15-17, the NWT inserts the word "other" 4 times even though it is not in the original Greek (see Greek-English interlinear). Why is the word "other" inserted? How would these verses read if the word "other" had not been inserted? 

10. In 2 Pet 1:1, the NWT inserts the word "the." Why is it inserted? How would the verse read if the word "the" was not inserted? What does scripture say about adding words to the Bible? (See Prov 30:5-6). 

11. In Lk 4:12, the NWT translates "kyrios" (Greek-lord) as "Jehovah," which makes the verse read "... 'You shall not put Jehovah your God to the test.'" See Greek-English Interlinear. Why is kyrios translated as "Jehovah" in this verse? Was the devil, in Lk 4:9-11, putting Jehovah to the test or JESUS to the test? 

Most of the questions are centered or from the New World Translation Bible. I and others want to know. Please take them seriously. I remain.

God's existence, love, ability, power, and manifestations are not limited to man's approval or comprehension. Man is the created and not the Creator. Man is lower than the angels. Let us not lose sight of our place and abilities. God can become a man, but man can NEVER become God. So, let us choose to believe The Almighty, who "is", "was" and "is to come"; and stop carrying the Devil's water of doubt and unbelief.

I invite all at CD to join me in giving "proof" (implied and explicit) from the Bible (Genesis to Revelation) that Jesus is God. What say ye? CM

1. What is this book about?
2. Any lessons in it for today's Christians?
3. This book speaks a lot about blood.
4. Did paganism slipped into the sacred Writings?

What's the meaning of sprinkling blood, animal sacrifices, smoke, altar, etc? What lesson if any to learn or to gain? The underlying theme throughout Lev is that sinful, filthy, depraved, unclean mankind cannot stand in the sight of God unless he is sanctified. Cleanliness on the outside is indicative of a sanctifying process that has occurred on the inside. Without either, neither man nor woman, can ever be completely whole.

A fact that the entire ritual of the Hebrew cultus hinges on blood manipulation. For this reason, the book of Leviticus is replete with the intricate detail of the sacrificial system at the heart of which, in this respect, is blood manipulation. The instructions are provided in meticulous detail as to the requirements of both priest and people in the sacrificial context. Blood aspersion is very helpful in understanding the intricacies of the OT cult.

Consequently, the book of Leviticus is replete with terms of the cultic procedure with respect to the manipulation of blood. Blood has an apotropaic ("supposedly having the power to avert evil influences or bad luck"] quality. While it was an agent employed in inaugural and consecration rites, it also played a significant role in covenant making. By blood, both Yahweh and His covenant people were bound together in a unique covenantal relationship. Blood manipulation was an important aspect of the OT cultus. The book of Leviticus provided elaborate instruction in this regard. This book provide a very helpful understanding about blood aspersion in the cult of the sanctuary.

The book of Leviticus is a study of God's laws. The law became (and still is) very important for the Israelites. While reading Leviticus, you might come across some laws that don‟t make any sense. The laws that God set up for them not only gave them guidelines for their behavior but they also established health codes that prevented the people from being wiped out from a disease. Through these detailed practices, God was protecting his people in a time when modern medicine was not available. 

The book of Leviticus details what God expects from those who had been redeemed and had been labeled as the people of God. Leviticus is the third book in the Pentateuch. The Levites are singled out as the people destined to serve God in the role of priests.

The OT ritual texts outline five basic types of sacrifices, which differed in their procedures and goals: 

1. The Burnt Offering (lev 1:1-17; 6:8-13)
2. Grain Offering (lev 2:1-16; 6:14-23)
3. Well-being (so-called peace or fellowship) 
4. Offering (Lev. 3:1-17; 7:11-38)
5. Purification (so called “sin”) 
6. Offering (4:1-5:13; 6:24-30). 
7. Reparation (so-called guilt) 
8. Offering (5:14-16; 7:1-10).

R. Laird Harris points out that “the need for various sacrifices arises from the varied needs of a people’s worship”. The Book of Leviticus is full of such needs: thanksgiving, celebration, cleansing, healing, and forgiveness.

Let the truth be known. Any thoughts on the subject matter? CM

SOURCES:

-- R. Laird Harris, “Leviticus,” The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1990), 2:534-552, 538.