The Governing Body is not inspired—so why does its authority override Scripture?
Few biblical passages have had a greater impact on modern medical decisions than Acts 15:28–29. For Jehovah's Witnesses, these verses are understood to prohibit not only eating blood but also accepting blood transfusions. As a result, many Witnesses have declined transfusions based on their understanding of this passage.
Read moreOne of the most fascinating features of the Bible is the use of “types” and “antitypes.”
In Scripture, a type is a person, event, object, or institution that foreshadows a greater future reality — the antitype.
The New Testament writers occasionally identified these prophetic patterns directly, especially when explaining how Jesus fulfilled the Hebrew Scriptures.
The important point, however, is this: the Bible itself identifies only a limited number of antitypes. Problems begin when interpreters move beyond what Scripture actually says and start assigning hidden prophetic meanings to nearly every detail in the Bible.
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Whenever you read a scripture that plainly says something, and the first response you hear from another person—perhaps even another Jehovah’s Witness—is, “Yeah, but…,” that should tell you something important.
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Back in the 1960s, many Jehovah’s Witnesses vividly remember the release of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. It came as a compact green hardcover Bible, and at the time it was presented as a major advancement because it used what was considered more modern English. Comparisons were often made with the King James Version, especially with archaic words such as “shambles,” which in older English referred to a meat market.
In Gospel of Matthew 23:16–19, Jesus delivers a sharp rebuke to the religious leaders of his day. They had developed a way of thinking that elevated certain religious objects above the very things that gave those objects meaning.
This is in reference to the April 2026 Christian Life and Ministry meeting material from JW.org. I found something in it rather ironic.
The part assigned was titled “Overcoming Obstacles to Personal Study.” The illustration shows a woman reading the New World Translation of the Bible. That, in itself, is interesting—because it raises a deeper question: what exactly is the obstacle here?
Have you really seriously thought about what that statement, that preamble, of every organizational change means? It means the Governing Body themselves—yes, that group of old white (and Sam Herd) men in New York—openly admit that they are not inspired by God. That’s not an accusation. That’s their own statement.
Most people today who identify as Christians own a Bible. That’s something we often take for granted—but it hasn’t always been this way.
In the first century, believers did not possess a complete, bound Bible as we know it today. The Hebrew Scriptures existed, but they were preserved primarily in scrolls housed in synagogues or the temple. Early Christians relied on oral teaching, eyewitness accounts, and eventually individual letters—what we might think of as “books”—circulating among congregations. The Christian faith grew and spread long before a compiled New Testament ever existed.
Understanding the identity of God’s witnesses requires beginning with the structure and purpose of the Bible itself.
The Bible is divided into two major sections. The first is the Old Testament, often called the Hebrew Scriptures. The second is the New Testament, which Jehovah’s Witnesses refer to as the Christian Greek Scriptures.
The Hebrew Scriptures record Jehovah’s dealings with the nation of Israel. They contain the Law of Moses, the writings of the prophets, and the historical account of God’s covenant people. Through these writings we learn about Jehovah’s character, his purposes for mankind, and the moral standards he expected Israel to follow.
The Ganges Analogy: A Tale of Two Waters
Picture this: the Ganges River in India, revered as sacred yet tragically recognized as the second most polluted waterway on Earth. Now imagine you're desperately thirsty and have two choices for a drink.
In the October 2025 study edition of Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, Study Article 33 focused on “Accept Jehovah’s Love.”
At first glance, it seemed like a standard article. But if you read carefully—especially paragraphs 14–16—a profound truth emerges. Here are key quotes from that article:
“Did anyone notice it? Did you catch the point?” This truth has major implications for how we understand our relationship with God.
“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
--New International Version
First, I want to be clear: I have no hidden agenda. I am not trying to convert you to another religion, nor am I telling you to leave the Jehovah’s Witnesses faith. My only goal is for you to understand what the Bible itself says. While the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society claims to interpret the scriptures for you, I am begging you to look at the evidence for yourself.