Chapter 11

How We Came to Be Known as Jehovah’s Witnesses

DURING the early decades of their modern-day history, they were frequently referred to simply as Bible Students. When others asked about the name of the organization, our brothers would often answer, “We are Christians.” Brother Russell replied to such a question by saying, in the Watch Tower: “We do not separate ourselves from other Christians by taking any distinctive or peculiar name. We are satisfied with the name, Christian, by which the early saints were known.”—Issue of September 1888.

How, then, did it come about that we are known today as Jehovah’s Witnesses?

The Name Christian

True followers of Jesus Christ, both in the first century and in modern times, have referred to themselves and to fellow believers as “the brothers,” “the friends,” and “the congregation of God.” (Acts 11:29; 3 John 14; 1 Cor. 1:2) They have also spoken of Christ as “the Master” and of themselves as “slaves of Christ Jesus” and “slaves of God.” (Col. 3:24; Phil. 1:1; 1 Pet. 2:16) Such designations have been used freely within the congregation, and there they have been well understood.

In the first century, the manner of life that centered around faith in Jesus Christ (and, by extension, the congregation itself) was referred to as “The Way.” (Acts 9:2; 19:9) A number of translations of Acts 18:25 indicate that it was also called “the way of Jehovah.”a On the other hand, some who were outside the congregation derisively referred to it as “the sect of the Nazarenes.”—Acts 24:5.

By 44 C.E. or not long thereafter, faithful followers of Jesus Christ began to be known as Christians. Some claim that it was outsiders who dubbed them Christians, doing so in a derogatory way. However, a number of Biblical lexicographers and commentators state that a verb used at Acts 11:26 implies divine direction or revelation. Thus, in the New World Translation, that scripture reads: “It was first in Antioch that the disciples were by divine providence called Christians.” (Similar renderings are found in Robert Young’s Literal Translation of the Holy Bible, Revised Edition, of 1898; The Simple English Bible, of 1981; and Hugo McCord’s New Testament, of 1988.) By about 58 C.E., the name Christian was well-known even to Roman officials.—Acts 26:28.

While the apostles of Christ were still alive, the name Christian was distinctive and specific. (1 Pet. 4:16) All who professed to be Christians but whose beliefs or conduct belied their claim were expelled from the Christian community. However, as Jesus had foretold, after the death of the apostles Satan sowed seeds that produced imitation Christians. These counterfeits also claimed the name Christian. (Matt. 13:24, 25, 37-39) When apostate Christianity resorted to forced conversions, some claimed to be Christians simply to avoid being persecuted. In time, any European who did not claim to be a Jew, a Muslim, or an atheist was frequently considered to be a Christian, regardless of his beliefs or conduct.

Derisive Nicknames

From the 16th century onward, this situation posed a problem for the Reformers. Since the name Christian was being used so loosely, how could they distinguish themselves from others who claimed to be Christians?

Often they simply acquiesced to the use of a derisive nickname given to them by their enemies. Thus theological opponents of Martin Luther, in Germany, were the ones that first applied his name to his followers, calling them Lutherans. Those associated with John Wesley, in England, were labeled Methodists because they were unusually precise and methodical in the observance of religious duties. Baptists at first resisted the nickname Anabaptist (meaning, “Rebaptizer”) but gradually adopted the name Baptist as a sort of compromise.

What about the Bible Students? They were dubbed Russellites and Rutherfordites by the clergy. But adopting such a name would have fostered a sectarian spirit. It would have been inconsistent with the reproof given to early Christians by the apostle Paul, who wrote: “When one says: ‘I belong to Paul,’ but another says: ‘I to Apollos,’ are you not simply men [that is, fleshly in outlook instead of spiritual]?” (1 Cor. 3:4) Some people labeled them “Millennial Dawnists”; but Christ’s Millennial Reign was only one of their teachings. Others called them “Watch Tower People”; but that too was inappropriate, for the Watch Tower was merely one of the publications that they used to disseminate Bible truth.

Need for a Distinctive Name

In time, it became increasingly evident that in addition to the designation Christian, the congregation of Jehovah’s servants truly did need a distinctive name. The meaning of the name Christian had become distorted in the public mind because people who claimed to be Christians often had little or no idea who Jesus Christ was, what he taught, and what they should be doing if they really were his followers. Additionally, as our brothers progressed in their understanding of God’s Word, they clearly saw the need to be separate and distinct from those religious systems that fraudulently claimed to be Christian.

True, our brothers often referred to themselves as Bible Students, and starting in 1910, they used the name International Bible Students’ Association with reference to their meetings. In 1914, in order to avoid confusion with their recently formed legal corporation called International Bible Students Association, they adopted the name Associated Bible Students for their local groups. But their worship involved more than studying the Bible. Furthermore, there were others who also studied the Bible—some, devoutly; others, as critics; and not a few, as persons who viewed it simply as fine literature. Then, after the death of Brother Russell, some former associates refused to cooperate with the Watch Tower Society and the International Bible Students Association, even opposing the work of these societies. Such fragmented groups used a variety of names, some of them clinging to the designation Associated Bible Students. This caused further confusion.

But then, in 1931, we embraced the truly distinctive name Jehovah’s Witnesses. Author Chandler W. Sterling refers to this as “the greatest stroke of genius” on the part of J. F. Rutherford, then president of the Watch Tower Society. As that writer viewed the matter, this was a clever move that not only provided an official name for the group but also made it easy for them to interpret all the Biblical references to “witness” and “witnessing” as applying specifically to Jehovah’s Witnesses. In contrast, A. H. Macmillan, an administrative associate of three presidents of the Watch Tower Society, said concerning that announcement by Brother Rutherford: “There is no doubt in my mind—not then nor now—that the Lord guided him in that, and that is the name Jehovah wants us to bear, and we’re very happy and very glad to have it.” Which viewpoint do the facts support? Was the name ‘a stroke of genius’ on the part of Brother Rutherford, or was it the result of divine providence?

Developments Pointing to the Name

It was in the eighth century B.C.E. that Jehovah caused Isaiah to write: “‘You are my witnesses,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘even my servant whom I have chosen, in order that you may know and have faith in me, and that you may understand that I am the same One. Before me there was no God formed, and after me there continued to be none. . . . You are my witnesses,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘and I am God.’” (Isa. 43:10, 12) As shown in the Christian Greek Scriptures, many prophecies recorded by Isaiah have fulfillment in connection with the Christian congregation. (Compare Isaiah 8:18 with Hebrews 2:10-13; Isaiah 66:22 with Revelation 21:1, 2.) Yet, Isaiah 43:10, 12 was never discussed in any detail in The Watch Tower during its first 40 years of publication.

After that, however, their study of the Scriptures directed the attention of Jehovah’s servants to significant new developments. God’s Kingdom with Jesus as Messianic King had been brought to birth in the heavens in 1914. In 1925, the year that this was made clear in The Watch Tower, the prophetic command, in Isaiah chapter 43, to be witnesses of Jehovah was given attention in 11 different issues of the magazine.

In The Watch Tower of January 1, 1926, the principal article featured the challenging question: “Who Will Honor Jehovah?” During the next five years, The Watch Tower discussed some portion of Isaiah 43:10-12 in 46 separate issues and each time made application of it to true Christians.b In 1929 it was pointed out that the outstanding issue facing all intelligent creation involves the honoring of Jehovah’s name. And in connection with the responsibility that Jehovah’s servants have regarding this issue, Isaiah 43:10-12 repeatedly came up for consideration.

Thus the facts show that as a result of study of the Bible, attention was repeatedly being drawn to their obligation to be witnesses of Jehovah. It was not the name of a group that was under consideration but the work that they were to do.

But by what name should those witnesses be known? What would be appropriate in view of the work they were doing? To what conclusion did God’s own Word point? This matter was discussed at a convention in Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A., on July 24-30, 1931.

A New Name

The large letters J W appeared prominently on the front cover of the convention program. What did they mean? It was not until Sunday, July 26, that their significance was explained. On that day Brother Rutherford delivered the public discourse “The Kingdom, the Hope of the World.” In that discourse, when identifying those who are the proclaimers of God’s Kingdom, the speaker made special reference to the name Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Later that day Brother Rutherford followed this up with another talk, during which he discussed reasons why a distinctive name was needed.c To what name did the Scriptures themselves point? The speaker quoted Acts 15:14, which directs attention to God’s purpose to take out of the nations “a people for his name.” In his discourse he highlighted the fact that as stated at Revelation 3:14, Jesus Christ is “the faithful and true witness.” He referred to John 18:37, where Jesus declared: “For this I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.” He directed attention to 1 Peter 2:9, 10, which says that God’s servants are to ‘declare abroad the excellencies of the one that called them out of darkness into his wonderful light.’ He reasoned on a number of texts from Isaiah, not all of which were understood clearly at that time, but then he climaxed his presentation with Isaiah 43:8-12, which includes the divine commission: “‘You are my witnesses,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘and I am God.’” To what conclusion, then, was Jehovah’s own Word directing them? What name would be in harmony with the way God was in fact using them?

The obvious answer was embodied in a resolution enthusiastically adopted on that occasion.d That resolution said, in part:

“In order that our true position may be made known, and believing that this is in harmony with the will of God, as expressed in his Word, BE IT RESOLVED, as follows, to wit:

“THAT we have great love for Brother Charles T. Russell, for his work’s sake, and that we gladly acknowledge that the Lord used him and greatly blessed his work, yet we cannot consistently with the Word of God consent to be called by the name ‘Russellites’; that the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society and the International Bible Students Association and the Peoples Pulpit Association are merely names of corporations which as a company of Christian people we hold, control and use to carry on our work in obedience to God’s commandments, yet none of these names properly attach to or apply to us as a body of Christians who follow in the footsteps of our Lord and Master, Christ Jesus; that we are students of the Bible, but, as a body of Christians forming an association, we decline to assume or be called by the name ‘Bible Students’ or similar names as a means of identification of our proper position before the Lord; we refuse to bear or to be called by the name of any man;

“THAT, having been bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ our Lord and Redeemer, justified and begotten by Jehovah God and called to his kingdom, we unhesitatingly declare our entire allegiance and devotion to Jehovah God and his kingdom; that we are servants of Jehovah God commissioned to do a work in his name, and, in obedience to his commandment, to deliver the testimony of Jesus Christ, and to make known to the people that Jehovah is the true and Almighty God; therefore we joyfully embrace and take the name which the mouth of the Lord God has named, and we desire to be known as and called by the name, to wit, Jehovah’s witnesses.—Isa. 43:10-12.”e

Following the presentation of the full resolution, loud, sustained applause indicated the full agreement of the audience with what had been stated.

Accepting the Responsibility

What an honor it is to bear the name of the only true God, the Sovereign of the universe! But with that name goes responsibility. It is a responsibility that other religious groups do not want. As Brother Rutherford said in his discourse: “Happy are they that can take a name that nobody under the sun wants except those who are wholly and unreservedly devoted to Jehovah.” Yet, how fitting it is that Jehovah’s servants bear God’s personal name, that they make it known, and that it be prominently associated with the proclamation of his purpose!

Any group or individuals that speak in the name of Jehovah put themselves under obligation to convey his word truthfully. (Jer. 23:26-28) They must make known not only Jehovah’s provisions for the blessing of lovers of righteousness but also his judgments upon practicers of unrighteousness. As Jehovah commanded his prophets in times past, so today, his witnesses must not take away anything from God’s word by failing to make it known. (Jer. 1:17; 26:2; Ezek. 3:1-11) They must proclaim both “the year of goodwill on the part of Jehovah and the day of vengeance on the part of our God.” (Isa. 61:1, 2) Those adopting the above resolution recognized that responsibility, and in the latter part of the resolution, they declared:

“As Jehovah’s witnesses our sole and only purpose is to be entirely obedient to his commandments; to make known that he is the only true and Almighty God; that his Word is true and that his name is entitled to all honor and glory; that Christ is God’s King, whom he has placed upon his throne of authority; that his kingdom is now come, and in obedience to the Lord’s commandments we must now declare this good news as a testimony or witness to the nations and inform the rulers and the people of and concerning Satan’s cruel and oppressive organization, and particularly with reference to ‘Christendom’, which is the most wicked part of that visible organization, and of and concerning God’s purpose to shortly destroy Satan’s organization, which great act will be quickly followed by Christ the King’s bringing to the obedient peoples of earth peace and prosperity, liberty and health, happiness and everlasting life; that God’s kingdom is the hope of the world, and there is no other, and that this message must be delivered by those who are identified as Jehovah’s witnesses.

“We humbly invite all persons who are wholly devoted to Jehovah and his kingdom to join in proclaiming this good news to others, that the righteous standard of the Lord may be lifted up, that the peoples of the world may know where to find the truth and hope for relief; and, above all, that the great and holy name of Jehovah God may be vindicated and exalted.”

It was not only in Columbus, Ohio, in America, but as far away as Australia that audiences burst into applause when they heard announcement of that new name. In Japan, after hours of effort, just a brief portion of the program was picked up on a shortwave radio in the middle of the night. Immediately it was translated. Thus the small group there heard the resolution and the thunderous applause. Matsue Ishii was there with them, and as she later wrote, they ‘raised a shout of joy in harmony with their brothers in America.’ Following the convention in Columbus, assemblies and congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses in all the lands where they were carrying on their ministry expressed themselves as being in full agreement with that resolution. From Norway, as but one example, came the report: “At our year-convention . . . in Oslo we all arose on our feet and with great enthusiasm shouted ‘Ja’, when adopting our new name ‘Jehovah’s witnesses’.”

More Than a Label

Would the world in general be aware that our brothers had adopted that new name? Yes, indeed! The speech in which announcement of the name was first made was delivered over the largest radio hookup ever used until that time. Additionally, the resolution setting out the new name was included in the booklet The Kingdom, the Hope of the World. Following the convention, Jehovah’s Witnesses distributed millions of copies of that booklet in many languages in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the islands of the sea. In addition to offering copies from house to house, they made special effort to put a copy into the hands of every government official, prominent businessman, and clergyman. Some still alive in 1992 well remembered their share in that significant campaign.

Not all received the booklet graciously. Eva Abbott recalls that as she left the house of a clergyman in the United States, the booklet came sailing past her and landed on the ground. She did not want to leave it there, so she proceeded to pick it up; but a large dog growled, snatched it from her hand, and took it to his master, the preacher. She said: “What I could not deliver, the dog did!”

Martin Poetzinger, who later served as a member of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses, recalled: “Astonished faces appeared at every door when we introduced ourselves with the words: ‘I have come to you today as one of Jehovah’s witnesses.’ People would shake their heads or ask: ‘But you are still Bible students, are you not? Or have you joined a new sect?’” Gradually that situation changed. Several decades after they began to use their distinctive name, Brother Poetzinger wrote: “What a change! Before I say a word people will remark: ‘You must be one of Jehovah’s witnesses.’” Yes, they know the name now.

That name is not just a label. Whether young or old, male or female, all of Jehovah’s Witnesses share in the work of bearing witness to Jehovah and his grand purpose. As a result, C. S. Braden, a professor of religious history, wrote: “Jehovah’s Witnesses have literally covered the earth with their witnessing.”—These Also Believe.

Although the witnessing done by our brothers before they adopted the name Jehovah’s Witnesses was globe encircling, in retrospect it appears that Jehovah was preparing them for an even greater work—the gathering of a great crowd who would be preserved alive through Armageddon, with the opportunity to live forever on a paradise earth.

[Footnotes]

[Blurb on page 149]

“The disciples were by divine providence called Christians”

[Blurb on page 150]

The name Christian became distorted in the public mind

[Blurb on page 151]

They were more than Bible Students

[Blurb on page 157]

“‘You are my witnesses,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘and I am God’”

[Box on page 151]

The Name Jehovah’s Witnesses in The Americas

Arabic ش‍هود ‍ي‍هوه‍

Armenian Եհովայի Վկաներ

Chinese 耶和華見證人

English Jehovah’s Witnesses

French Témoins de Jéhovah

Greek Μάρτυρες του Ιεχωβά

Greenlandic Jehovap Nalunaajaasui

Italian Testimoni di Geova

Japanese エホバの証人

Korean 여호와의 증인

Papiamento Testigonan di Jehova

Polish Świadkowie Jehowy

Portuguese Testemunhas de Jeová

Samoan Molimau a Ieova

Spanish Testigos de Jehová

Sranantongo Jehovah Kotoigi

Tagalog Mga Saksi ni Jehova

Vietnamese Nhân-chứng Giê-hô-va

[Box on page 152]

Others Saw It

It was not only “The Watch Tower” that pointed out from the Bible that Jehovah would have witnesses on the earth. As an example, H. A. Ironside, in the book “Lectures on Daniel the Prophet” (first published in 1911), referred to those toward whom the precious promises of Isaiah chapter 43 would be fulfilled and said: “These shall be Jehovah’s witnesses, testifying to the power and glory of the one true God, when apostate Christendom shall have been given up to the strong delusion to believe the lie of the Antichrist.”

[Box on page 153]

The Name Jehovah’s Witnesses in The Orient and Islands of the Pacific

Bengali যিহোবার সাক্ষিরা

Bislama Ol Wetnes blong Jeova

Chinese 耶和華見證人

English Jehovah’s Witnesses

Fijian Vakadinadina i Jiova

Gujarati યહોવાહના સાક્ષીઓ

Hindi यहोवा के साक्षी

Hiri Motu Iehova ena Witness Taudia

Iloko Dagiti Saksi ni Jehova

Indonesian Saksi-Saksi Yehuwa

Japanese エホバの証人

Kannada ಯೆಹೋವನ ಸಾಕ್ಷಿಗಳು

Korean 여호와의 증인

Malayalam യഹോവയുടെ സാക്ഷികൾ

Marathi यहोवाचे साक्षीदार

Marshallese Dri Kennan ro an Jeova

Myanmar ယေဟောဝါသက်သေမျာ

Nepali यहोवाका साक्षीहरू

New Guinea Pidgin Ol Witnes Bilong Jehova

Niuean Tau Fakamoli a Iehova

Palauan reSioning er a Jehovah

Pangasinan Saray Tasi nen Jehova

Ponapean Sounkadehde kan en Siohwa

Rarotongan Au Kite o Iehova

Russian Свидетели Иеговы

Samoan, Tuvaluan Molimau a Ieova

Sinhalese යෙහෝවාගේ සාක්ෂිකරුවෝ

Solomon Islands Pidgin all’gether Jehovah’s Witness

Tahitian Ite no Iehova

Tamil யெகோவாவின் சாட்சிகள்

Telugu యెహోవాసాక్షులు

Thai พยาน​พระ​ยะโฮวา

Tongan Fakamo‘oni ‘a Sihova

Trukese Ekkewe Chon Pwarata Jiowa

Urdu ہاوگ‌ےک‌ہاووہی

Vietnamese Nhân-chứng Giê-hô-va

Yapese Pi Mich Rok Jehovah

[Box on page 154]

The Name Jehovah’s Witnesses in Africa

Afrikaans Jehovah se Getuies

Amharic የይሖዋ ምሥክሮች

Arabic ش‍هود ‍ي‍هوه‍

Chicheŵa Mboni za Yehova

Cibemba Inte sha kwa Yehova

Efịk Mme Ntiense Jehovah

English Jehovah’s Witnesses

Ewe Yehowa Ðasefowo

French Témoins de Jéhovah

Ga Yehowa Odasefoi

Gun Kunnudetọ Jehovah tọn lẹ

Hausa Shaidun Jehovah

Igbo Ndịàmà Jehova

Kiluba Ba Tumoni twa Yehova

Kinyarwanda Abahamya ba Yehova

Kirundi Ivyabona vya Yehova

Kisi Seiyaa Jɛhowaa

Kwanyama Eendombwedi daJehova

Lingala Batemwe ya Jéhovah

Luganda Abajulirwa ba Yakuwa

Malagasy Vavolombelon’i Jehovah

Moore A Zeova Kaset rãmba

Ndonga Oonzapo dhaJehova

Portuguese Testemunhas de Jeová

Sango A-Témoin ti Jéhovah

Sepedi Dihlatse tša Jehofa

Sesotho Lipaki tsa Jehova

Shona Zvapupu zvaJehovha

Silozi Lipaki za Jehova

Swahili Mashahidi wa Yehova

Tigrinya ናይ የሆዋ መሰኻኽር

Tshiluba Bantemu ba Yehowa

Tsonga Timbhoni ta Yehova

Tswana Basupi ba ga Jehofa

Twi Yehowa Adansefo

Venda Ṱhanzi dza Yehova

Xhosa amaNgqina kaYehova

Yoruba Ẹlẹ́rìí Jehofa

Zulu oFakazi BakaJehova

[Box on page 154]

The Name Jehovah’s Witnesses in Europe and the Middle East

Albanian Dëshmitarët e Jehovait

Arabic ش‍هود ‍ي‍هوه‍

Armenian Եհովայի Վկաներ

Bulgarian Свидетелите на Йехова

Croatian Jehovini svjedoci

Czech svĕdkové Jehovovi

Danish Jehovas Vidner

Dutch Jehovah’s Getuigen

English Jehovah’s Witnesses

Estonian Jehoova tunnistajad

Finnish Jehovan todistajat

French Témoins de Jéhovah

German Jehovas Zeugen

Greek Μάρτυρες του Ιεχωβά

Hebrew עדי־יהוה

Hungarian Jehova Tanúi

Icelandic Vottar Jehóva

Italian Testimoni di Geova

Macedonian, Serbian Јеховини сведоци

Maltese Xhieda ta’ Jehovah

Norwegian Jehovas vitner

Polish Świadkowie Jehowy

Portuguese Testemunhas de Jeová

Romanian Martorii lui Iehova

Russian Свидетели Иеговы

Slovak Jehovovi svedkovia

Slovenian Jehovove priče

Spanish Testigos de Jehová

Swedish Jehovas vittnen

Turkish Yehova’nın Şahitleri

Ukrainian Свідки Єгови

[Pictures on page 155]

The initials J W (with no explanation) were prominent at the 1931 convention. Their meaning was disclosed in a thrilling talk on the new name

[Pictures on page 156]

They were proud to let others know that they were Jehovah’s Witnesses