John 14:28 NWT
You heard that I said to you, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I am.
JWs use this scripture to substantiate their claim that Jesus is not Jehovah.
There are two ways to interpret "greater" 1. The Father is greater in essence, being and dignity 2. The Father is greater in authority, rank or position STRONGS NT 3173: μείζων (meizōn)
In the same chapter just a few verses earlier, Jesus tells his disciples to pray to him, in His name and He will do whatever they ask..
John 14:12-14 NWT
Most truly I say to you, whoever exercises faith in me will also do the works that I do; and he will do works greater than these, because I am going my way to the Father. Also, whatever you ask in my name, I will do this, so that the Father may be glorified in connection with the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.
Does "greater" in this context mean that believers will do "better" works and of superior quality than Jesus? ... Or the same works but a greater number of them?
What attributes must Jesus possess to... - Know who is praying to Him? - Know how many are praying to Him? - Have the power to answer their prayers?
John 14:20-23 NWT
In that day you will know that I am in union with my Father and you are in union with me and I am in union with you. Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. In turn, whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will clearly show myself to him.”
Judas, not Is·carʹi·ot, said to him: “Lord, what has happened that you intend to show yourself clearly to us and not to the world?”
In answer Jesus said to him: “If anyone loves me, he will observe my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
What attributes must Jesus possess in order for the apostles to be in union and in communion with Christ no matter how many disciples there are and no matter where they’re at?
* To conclude that Jesus is not God from 14:28, you have to ignore everything else that was said in 14:20-23 about the qualities of Jesus and that "greater" is meant in terms of essence.
In context... what makes sense? If they love Jesus, why should they rejoice if Jesus tells them he is going to the Father? * Because while Jesus was incarnate on Earth, he was denied the glory due to Him and lived in a state of humiliation and condescension amongst sin, sickness and misery. By leaving to go to the Father, (who is positionally higher), Jesus rectifies this situation by being with His Father in a state of glory in the heavens... something that should make his disciples rejoice.
Hebrews 1:3-4 NWT
He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact representation of his very being, and he sustains all things by the word of his power. And after he had made a purification for our sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. So he has become better than the angels to the extent that he has inherited a name more excellent than theirs.
In what way is Jesus "better than the angels"?
Philippians 2:6-9 NWT
who, although he was existing in God’s form, did not even consider the idea of trying to be equal to God. No, but he emptied himself and took a slave’s form and became human. More than that, when he came as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, yes, death on a torture stake. For this very reason, God exalted him to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is above every other name,
Jesus existed in "God's form" but emptied himself and took a "slave's form"... when Jesus says "the Father is greater than I" while existing as an incarnate human being, doesn't it make sense that he's referring to his status as human?