John 1:1 and the Jehovah’s Witnesses – Episode 21, Jesus is the Glory of Yahweh

If we would understand how John intended us to understand John 1:1c, “and the Word was God” (could he possibly, as Jehovah’s Witnesses assert, mean Jesus was “a god”?), we need to see John’s representation of Jesus in places outside of John 1:1, that is, in the remainder of his Gospel.

The Glory of Yahweh

During the last week of his life, Jesus goes to Jerusalem and many of the residents of the city receive him with “hosannas” but they are also confused by his comments that he must die. Jesus tries to help them understand that the light is only among them for a little while longer.

Jesus told them, “For a short while the light is among you. Walk while you have the day, so that the darkness doesn’t overcome you. The one who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become sons of light.” When he had said these things he left and was hidden from them.

Even though he had performed so many signs in front of them, they did not believe in him, in order that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled when he said, “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” For this reason they are not able to believe, because again Isaiah said, “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, that they might not see with their eyes and understand with their hearts, and so turn and I would heal them.”

Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke about him. (John 12:35-41)

John is referring to the vision Isaiah had, recorded in Isaiah 6, of Yahweh high and lifted up, seated on His throne in the heavenly temple, surrounded by angels called seraphim who are
declaring, “Holy, holy, holy, is Yahweh almighty.” The Jehovah’s Witnesses commentary on this verse says,

Isaiah . . . saw his glory: When Isaiah saw a vision of the heavenly courts where Jehovah was sitting on his lofty throne, Jehovah asked Isaiah: “Who will go for us?” (Isa 6:1, 8-10) The use of the plural pronoun “us” indicates that at least one other person was with God in this vision. So it is reasonable to conclude that when John wrote that Isaiah “saw his glory,” this refers to Jesus’ prehuman glory alongside Jehovah.

But is that really what John means? John says Isaiah saw “his” glory, and he is referring to Jesus, as the Witness commentary agrees. But Isaiah was not focused on those less than God who might be attending Him. Isaiah is focusing on Yahweh, the one seated on the throne, and the term “glory” must certainly pertain to Yahweh alone, not lesser glories that are in attendance.

So here is John’s own testimony that he considers Jesus to be Yahweh, the one whom the seraphim addressed as holy, the one whose robe filled the temple, the one who called Isaiah to his role as prophet, the King, Yahweh Almighty.