August 2001

“But of that day and hour knoweth no  man, no not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” (Matthew 24:36)

“The next chapter will present Bible evidence that 1874 A.D. was the exact date of the ‘Times of Restitution’, and hence of our Lord’s return” (Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 2, p. 170).

As a result of Russell’s false prophecy of the Second Coming many followers left the movement. His successor, Judge Rutherford, had to repair the blunders, and so invented the “invisible second presence” doctrine.          This view is expressed clearly in the following:

“Not only are we not to look for Christ to be visible to human eyes, when he comes again, but we should not even think of his leaving heaven and coming within the confines of earth’s atmosphere for him to be present. He returns or visits the earth, as did Jehovah in tims past, by turning his attention to things of earth” (Watchtower 1955, p. 102).

Today the Witnesses will say the reason they believe in the “invisible presence”, is because the word for ‘coming’ in the Greek is Parousia. This word, they say, means presence.

Now, presence is a legitimate translation, but what is meant by presence? Whedon says, “the word ‘Parousia’ never in the whole New Testament signifies anything else than a bodily presence…”   Also, the term parousia is a compound word, being made up of the word “para” which means beside, and the participial form of the word ‘to be’, “ousia”, which means “being”. It is a technical expression having several applications.

Scripture speaks about the nature of Christ’s return. Examine closely all the Scriptures cited.

The Watchtower says this ‘seeing’, and ‘eyes’, are actually ‘the eyes of understanding’. But, Christians believe what the Bible says about our Savior’s return. It says we will see him with our eyes. Christians don’t need an organization to tell them Christ returned in 1874, or 1914. Why? Because Christians believe the Scripture that says;

And again the Scriptures say of Christ’s return;

He will come again from heaven as they saw him go into heaven. This is contrary to Watchtower statements that he will not leave heaven to be present.

The following are more Scriptures and questions deserving careful and prayerful examination by the open-minded Witness.

Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses still “keep the commandment” (verses 11-13) if Jesus returned, or appeared, invisibly in 1914?

Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses continue to observe the Memorial Meal (Lord’s Supper) if Christ returned in 1914?

The Watchtower teaches that Jesus turned His attention to the earth in 1914. Was He not paying attention to believers until then? He said in Hebrews 13:5, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.”

Why does the Watchtower not deal with the other words in Greek which deal with Christ’s return?

“Epiphaneia” means manifestation.

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing (epiphaneia) of the great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.”  (Titus 2:13)

“Erchomai” is an action verb meaning coming.

“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming (erchomai) in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” (Matthew 24:30)

“Apocalupsis” means revelation, or unveiling

“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation (apocalupsis) of Jesus Christ.”    (I Peter 1:13)

According to Revelation 1:7, “Every eye shall see him” at His coming. Let us, for the sake of argumentation, assume this to mean the “eyes of understanding.”

Who shall see the return of the Lord? “Every eye” shall see him.     However, on page 197 of the Watchtower’s book Let God Be True, this statement is made, “His Witnesses alone saw him leave. Logically only his faithful witnesses would promptly recognize his return.”

So why did thousands of Witnesses (known as Bible Students at that time) leave the Society when 1914 came and passed? Why did “God’s organization” not “see with the eyes of their understanding” that Christ had returned in 1914 until years later?

Also, why did the Watchtower continue to see with the eyes of their understanding that Christ “returned” in 1874, even years after 1914? Is this what they mean by “promptly recognize his return”?

“The Scriptural proof is that the period of his presence and the day of God’s preparation is a period from 1874 A.D. forward. The second coming of the Lord, therefore, began in 1874; and that date and the years 1914 and 1918 are specially marked dates with reference to his coming” (Creation, page 289, published in 1927).

According to I Corinthians 15:23 the resurrection of the saints is to take place “at his coming (presence – NWT). However, on pages 213 and 214 of Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained, this resurrection took place several years later in 1918 and continues to occur today at the death of each “anointed” Jehovah’s Witness.

This passage is saying is that when the Lord comes believers will rise to meet Him, the dead first, and then the living believers will join them an instant later. This is clearly seen in the English translation below the Greek in the Watchtower’s Kingdom Interlinear Translation.

The Watchtower translates the Greek word hama as “at the same time.” At the same time, cannot be stretched over an 85 year period since 1914.

By David Henke