Questions From Readers

● At Zechariah 11:12, 13 (AS) Jehovah speaks of “thirty pieces of silver” as “the goodly price that I [Jehovah] was prized at by them.” At Matthew 27:9, 10 the prophecy is applied to the price Judas received for betraying Jesus. Does this indicate that Jehovah and Jesus are the same person, as taught by trinitarians?—W. R., U.S.A.

By no means! When considering the meaning of a given Scripture text we may not close our eyes and ears to all the other truths taught in the Bible. If one’s understanding of a scripture causes it to conflict with other portions of the inspired Word of God, then his understanding is in error.

That Jehovah and Jesus are not one and the same person is abundantly testified to in the Scriptures. In Deuteronomy 6:4 is found instruction that Jehovah commanded Moses to transmit to the Israelites, which says: “Listen, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.” Yes, he is one, not two, and not part of a trinitarian arrangement. Jesus himself plainly stated: “The Father is greater than I am.” (John 14:28) And Jesus said to Mary Magdalene, for her benefit and that of his other disciples: “I am ascending to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God.” (John 20:17) Jehovah is the God and Father of those disciples of Jesus even as he is the God and Father of Jesus. And Jesus is no more one and the same person as the Father than those of his disciples were.

We must keep in mind that at Zechariah 11:12, 13, Zechariah is not only uttering a prophecy but he is also speaking about his own case. He had prophesied to the faithless people of Israel and when he asked for his hire they weighed out thirty pieces of silver. Jehovah scorned it as a very meager price and stated that at such a low price they had prized him, Jehovah. The price was given for Zechariah but Jehovah counted it as their estimation and evaluation of him since, as Zech 11 verse 11 shows, “it was the Word of Jehovah” that Zechariah spoke.

This does not prove that Zechariah was one and the same as Jehovah, and so in its prophetic application to Jesus it does not prove that Jesus is one and the same as Jehovah. Jesus spoke Jehovah’s message. He said: “I have not spoken out of my own impulse, but the Father himself that sent me has given me a commandment as to what to tell and what to speak.” (John 12:48, 49) So the way Jesus was treated was the way Jehovah was treated representatively through Jesus. What was done to Jesus was done also to Jesus’ Father, Jehovah God.