Jehovah’s Witnesses claim to follow the pattern of the original Christian congregation when teaching at their meetings. How does the Bible describe the teaching method used, and how is the teaching of Jehovah’s Witnesses?
The teaching method of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Jehovah’s Witnesses hold two regular meetings each week. One midweek meeting that involves training in the ministry and one weekend meeting that includes a talk and subsequent study of the Watchtower.
The central starting point for the teaching is the literature published by Jehovah’s Witnesses. The method used is mainly that Jehovah’s Witnesses as a starting point read from the organization’s teachings. Scriptures are then referred to to support their interpretations.
The method of teaching as described in the Bible
In the Bible, the early Christians followed the method of starting from the scriptures that were read aloud. The meaning of the Scriptures was then explained, and Christians were encouraged to apply the Scriptures. Here are some examples:
Jesus Himself read aloud from the book of Isaiah in the synagogue and used the text to teach about His mission. According to Luke 4:16-20, it says: “He now came to Nazareth, where he had grown up. As usual, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he got up to read. And he handed the scroll to the prophet Isaiah, and he opened the scroll and found the place where it was written: ‘The spirit of Jehovah is upon me, for he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim the release of prisoners and the restoration of sight to the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the benevolent year of Jehovah.’ Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the servant, and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were on him. Then he began to say to them: ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled while you were listening.'”
The Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy to make reading from the scriptures part of his ministry. In 1 Timothy 4:13, he writes: “Continue to devote yourself to public reading, exhortation, and teaching, until I come.” Timothy, who was directly sent by the apostle Paul, did not create his own doctrines or interpretive frameworks in his teaching. Regarding the teaching, the apostle Paul himself says to Timothy: “It . . . words you have heard from me”. The apostle Paul had a direct and active role in Timothy’s teaching.
In all other examples we have from the Bible, Christians always start from the Biblical text and then explain what it meant (Acts 8:30-35; 18:24-28; 20:17, 20, 27-28 and Colossians 3:16) There are no examples in the Bible that indicate that Christians, who were not apostles, published their own writings or taught from personal interpretations beyond what they themselves had been taught by Jesus or the apostles. 2 Peter 1:20-21 says: “For you know this first of all: No prophecy in the Scriptures has its origin in any man’s own interpretation.
Why is Jehovah’s Witnesses’ teaching method problematic?
The fact that the examples show that Jesus and the apostles explained from the scriptures, after they had been read, must be seen in the context of the apostles’ divine revelations and being inspired. The Governing Body and their literature are not inspired, nor do they themselves claim to have revelations from God. The explanations already given through the apostles do not need further literature. Jesus and the apostles’ explanations are sufficient to understand the Bible. This is emphasized in 2 Timothy 3:16 which says: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and instruction in what is right” seen in the context of Revelation 22:18,19 that no one should add or subtract anything from cf. Gal. 1:8,9. In addition, the apostle Paul writes that those who taught should not “go beyond what is written,” for example, by adding their own ideas and interpretations.
When the Governing Body studies its interpretations of the Bible as the primary source of its teaching, it creates its own religion that deviates from the original Christian teachings. Since the literature of Jehovah’s Witnesses is not inspired, there is a great danger that the literature may lead people astray from what is really the truth. Paul warns against this in Galatians 1:8,9, where he says: “If anyone declares to you any good news other than the one you have received, he will be accursed.” In Jehovah’s Witnesses, authority is shifted from the Biblical texts to the literature of Jehovah’s Witnesses. To illustrate this, Jehovah’s Witnesses are urged to be very careful not to deviate from the “counsel” of the Governing Body. The September 2018 Watchtower states: “They have shown loyalty to Jehovah and his organization.” The elders’ handbook is not publicly available, but it clearly emphasizes the importance of elders carefully following the counsel given there in the performance of their assignments. If the Bible and “counsel” seem to contradict each other, the elders will always be loyal to the “counsel” since they view this as the trustworthy and correct way to understand the Bible. Likewise, elders will be careful to follow the literature to make sure that they are acting in harmony with the understanding of the Governing Body. Elders are not allowed to use the Bible as a starting point and make their own judgments if this has already been considered by the Governing Body. If elders are unsure, perhaps because there is no counsel on the matter, they will be directed to ask the branch office (which is representatives of the headquarters of the Governing Body) for help in understanding the counsel. Only the Governing Body has the authority to interpret the Scriptures. Jesus and the teachings of the apostles were seen as the “foundation” of the Christian congregation (Ephesians 2:20). Any interpretation or teaching that did not align with the teachings of the Apostles was rejected (e.g., Galatians 1:8–9).
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