Why Jesus Is Not Michael The Archangel

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus is Michael the Archangel (2). To begin, it is helpful to define the Greek word for archangel. It is Strong's G743 and is defined as, an "archangel, or chief of the angels" (1). The use of this word is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and Jude 1:9 in the entire New Testament.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words" (NIV).

Jude 1:9, "But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!" (NIV)

Daniel 10:13, "But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia." (NIV)


Analysis #1:
There is an issue with this view. Daniel 10:13 states that Michael is one of the chief princes. So, just because the term "archangel" appears only twice in the New Testament (1 Thessalonians 4:16 and Jude 1:9), this verse clearly shows that there are multiple archangels in existence who are also given the title "chief of the angels", but that Michael is the only archangel that is named.


Analysis #2:
A...Since Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus is Michael, they therefore believe that Jesus is not God. On JW.org, their website states, "Jesus was a spirit creature in heaven before he was born as a human on earth." and that, "God created Jesus before he created anything else." (3) Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus is a created being, and therefore not God.

B...However, Jesus himself stated that He is God (John 8:58, John 10:30, John 14:6-14).

C... Jehovah's Witnesses believe Jesus is a creation. John the Baptist called Jesus the Lamb of God (John 1:29 and John 1:36), and the Lamb receives worship the same way the Father does while being set apart from the rest of creation in Revelation 5:13-14, "Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped."

Summary: Jesus is the Lamb of God who is seated on the throne of God, thus He is God. "Every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea and all that is in them"  is praising and worshiping Jesus. Jesus is not Michael the archangel, they are two completely different people. Jesus is God, and Michael is one of Jesus' creations, therefore Michael himself is worshipping Jesus in Heaven.


Works Cited
(1) Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Thomas Nelson.


(2) The Archangel Michael—Who Is He? (n.d.). JW.ORG. https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/archangel-michael/

(3) Why Is Jesus Called the Son of God? How Is Jesus God’s Son? (n.d.). JW.ORG. https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/jesus-son-of-god/
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