It is often claimed that Russell denied the deity of Christ. Russell never denied the deity of Christ, but he did explain that deity in harmony Biblical usage of the words that are translated as “deity.”
From Russell’s Book,
The Atonement Between God and Man, pages 65-71
Appellations of Deity in the Old Testament
(1) The name Jehovah is properly rendered only four times, where it seemed impossible to do otherwise (Exod. 6:3; Psa. 83:18; Isa. 12:2; 26:4); it is rendered God 298 times, and Lord over 5,000 times. [E66]
(2) The title Adonai, generally properly rendered Lord, is once rendered God.
(3) The title Adon is rendered Sir, Master, Lord.
(4) The word elohim, with its modifications eloah, elah and el, occurs over 2,500 times. These most frequently refer to Jehovah; but in many instances with evident propriety are applied to others: hence the connections must determine who is referred to. We will give Scripture illustrations which will make the matter perfectly clear, and prove beyond a doubt that elohim signifies mighty. It is properly applied to Jehovah, because he is All-mighty, all-powerful. It is properly applied to any angel, for they are mighty, powerful, and in their visits to man recorded in the Old Testament they were specially mighty because representatives of Jehovah, the All-mighty. Great, influential men were also properly described as elohim—mighty. Like our English word “sheep,” elohim is used either in the singular or plural as occasion may require.
These are facts, and our quotations from the Common Version Bible will substantiate them thoroughly; and thus will demonstrate the Scriptural propriety and consistency in referring to our Lord Jesus Christ as God [elohim] and as Adon [Master, Lord] and as Adonai [my Lord], and yet never as Jehovah. [E67]
Elohim [Mighty] Translated “Angels”
Psalm 8:5—“Thou [Jehovah, vs. 1] hast made him a little lower than the angels [elohim], and hast crowned him with glory and honor.”
That this is a proper rendering of elohim is proven by the fact that the inspired Apostle translated it thus into the Greek, angelos—when, referring to how our Lord humbled himself, he says—“Thou madest him a little lower than angels.” Heb. 2:7,9
Elohim [Mighty] Translated “Gods”
In referring to false gods of the heathen, the word elohim [mighty] is used 196 times; and quite properly, too, for they were mighty or influential to their devotees.
Jehovah the [All-Mighty] Elohim Contrasted
With Other Elohim [Mighty Ones]
Psalm 86:6-8—“Give ear O Jehovah unto my prayer…. Among all the gods [elohim—mighty ones] there is none like unto thee.”
Psalm 95:3—“Jehovah is a great God [el—mighty one] and a great King above all gods [elohim—mighty ones].”
Psalm 50:1—“The mighty God [lit. God of gods—el elohim— the mighty of the mighty], Jehovah, hath spoken.”
Psalm 29:1—“Give unto Jehovah O ye mighty [el—gods], ascribe unto Jehovah glory and strength. Give unto Jehovah the honor of his name; and worship Jehovah in the beauty of holiness.”
Genesis 17:1—“Jehovah appeared to Abraham and said unto him, I am the Almighty God [el].”
Exodus 15:11—“Who is like unto thee, O Jehovah, among the gods [el—mighty ones].” See margin.
Genesis 14:22—“Abraham said, I have lifted up my hand unto Jehovah, the most high God [el], possessor of heaven and earth.” [E68]
Psalm 96:4—“Jehovah is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods [elohim—mighty ones.]”
These instances suffice as samples: others may be found by those who desire and seek them.
Elohim Applied to Men
In the aforementioned 196 translations of elohim by the word gods, probably fully one-half refer to men—mighty ones—kings, princes, nobles, etc., but now we notice a few instances in which elohim is applied to the Lord’s people.
Genesis 23:6—Abraham is styled elohim, the word being translated mighty in our Common Version Bible. “Thou art a mighty [elohim] prince among us.”
Exodus 7:1—Moses is denominated the god [elohim] of Pharaoh. “I have made thee a god [elohim] to Pharaoh.”
Exodus 21:6—The judges [rulers, mighty ones] of Israel were styled elohim. “His master shall bring him unto the judges [elohim].”
Exodus 22:8,10—“If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought into the judges [elohim]. …Both parties shall come before the judges [elohim]; and whom the judges [elohim] shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbor.”
Exodus 22:28—“Thou shalt not revile the gods [elohim— margin, judges].” Note the Apostle’s sanction of this translation. Acts 23:5
The Saints Called Elohim
Psalm 82:6,7—“I have said, Ye are gods [elohim—mighty ones], all of you sons of the highest, ye yet shall all die like [other] men, falling like one of the princes [heads].” The saints must all die, but like Christ Jesus their “head,” sacrificially, and not as Adam for his own sin.
This passage was quoted by our Lord Jesus, and applied to those who received the word of God at his lips—those [E69] having ears “to hear”: and it applies still to the same class.* “Beloved, now are we the sons of God,” reckonedly, hoping by divine grace to “become partakers of the divine nature.” John 10:34,35; 1 John 3:2; 2 Pet. 1:4
*This entire Psalm (82) seems to refer to our Lord Jesus as the divinely appointed Deliverer and Judge of Christendom, now, in the time of his parousia. To Him we apply the words, “God [elohim, Christ appointed by the Father to judge the world now] standeth in the assemblage of the mighty [amongst the financial, political and ecclesiastical princes]; he judgeth among [these] gods [elohim—mighty ones].” He is represented first as reproving these princes and calling for equity, but “They heed not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness [respecting what will be the result of their policy]: all the foundations of the earth [the social world] are out of the course”; is his decision: it is useless to attempt to patch present institutions; they must all be “dissolved,” that the new heavens and new earth—the new social world—may come instead. Then verses 6 and 7 are addressed to his faithful “little flock.” When they are gathered—when all the “elect” Church by dying shall have passed beyond the veil—then Christ will be called upon, “Arise, O God [elohim], judge the earth: for thou hast inherited all nations.” It will be to establish his Kingdom that he will let loose the judgments which in “a great time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation,” shall abase the proud and exalt the humble and usher in the “times of restitution” long promised by all the holy prophets. Acts 3:19-23
Elohim Rendered “Great,” “Strong,” Etc.
This word is sometimes rendered strong, power, great, etc., in connection with inanimate things; as “Great [elohim— mighty] tremblings” (1 Sam. 14:15); “Great [elohim— mighty] wrestlings” (Gen. 30:8); “Great [el—mighty] mountains” (Psa. 36:6); “The strong [el] among the mighty” (Ezek. 32:21); “It is in the power [el] of my hand.” Gen. 31:29
“God” and “Lord” in the New Testament
In the New Testament the matter is simplified by the use of fewer words; but it may be said that nothing whatever in the words used distinguishes the Father from the Son in the [E70] words rendered Lord and God. The matter is left entirely to the judgment of the reader, and indicated only by the construction of the sentence—except that where the word Theos is used twice in the same clause the Greek Prepositive Article is sometimes used, so as to give the effect of the God in contrast with a God. An illustration of this is found in John 1:1— “The Word was with the God [ho theos] and the Word was a God [theos].” But the careful student (freed from prejudice) will generally have no difficulty in determining the thought of the Apostle. Indeed, the language is so explicit that the wonder is that we were heedless of it so long.
The word God in our New Testament, whether in referring to our Heavenly Father or to his Heavenly Son, our Lord Jesus, or to false gods, is almost invariably the translation of the Greek word Theos. Exceptions are that the word kurios is once translated God when it should have been rendered Lord or Master, namely in Acts 19:20; and in Acts 17:18 daimonion is rendered gods, and should be demons.
The title “Lord,” whether applied to Jehovah, or Christ, or man, or angels, is generally the translation of the Greek word kurios signifying Master, or Lord. It is frequently translated Sir and Master. Exceptions are that in five places Lord is the translation of despotes, where it would better have been translated Sovereign or Autocrat. The cases are:
(1) Luke 2:29—“Lord [despotes] now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace.”
(2) Acts 4:24—“Lord [despotes] thou art God which hast made heaven and earth….The rulers were gathered together against the Lord [kurios] and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy Son Jesus, whom thou hast anointed,…were gathered.”
(3) 2 Pet. 2:1—“Heresies, even denying the Lord [despotes] that bought them.”
(4) Jude 4—“Denying the only Lord [despotes] God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” [E71]
(5) Rev. 6:10—“How long, O Lord [despotes], holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood?”
Rabboni [master] is once rendered Lord. Mark 10:51
Kurieno [to be lords] is once rendered lords. 1 Tim. 6:15
The Godhead
The translators of our New Testament were extremely unfortunate in selecting and using the word “godhead” three times to translate three different words—none of which have any such significance as comes from this word to the mind of the ordinary English reader: namely—a God with several bodies and but one head. Its occurrences are:
(1) Ho Theios is rendered Godhead in Acts 17:29 whereas it should be “the Deity,”—“We ought not to think that the Godhead [ho Theios—the Deity] is like unto gold or silver or stone.” The same word is translated divine in the only two other instances of its occurrence in the New Testament; viz., 2 Pet. 1:3,4.
(2) Theiotes is rendered Godhead in Romans 1:20; whereas it should be translated Divinity or Deity,—“God hath showed it unto them,…even his eternal power and godhead [Theiotes—Deity].” This is the only occurrence of this word in the New Testament.
(3) Theotes is rendered Godhead in Colossians 2:9; whereas it should be translated Deity,—“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead [Theotes—Deity] bodily.” This is the only occurrence of this word in the New Testament.
In the glorified Christ, who is the head of the Church, dwells all fulness; plenitude of wisdom, grace and power, not only to guide all the affairs of the Church, his body, but also as the Father’s representative to do any and every thing necessary to be done in carrying forward to successful completion the great divine plan committed to his care.
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With this in mind Russell thus in the Watch Tower proclaimed:
“We affirm the humanity of Jesus and the deity of Christ.” (The Watch Tower, January 15, 1912, page 28)
http://tinyurl.com/d2nglzhttp://godandson.reslight.netRussell did, however, reject the extra-Biblical teaching that Jesus’ deity means that Jesus is his God. This added-on doctrine, in effect, negates the Biblical atonement — ransom sacrifice of Jesus, the central Biblical doctrine that Russell upheld.
