The Key in Your Pocket — A Christ-Centred Reading of Scripture
Many JWs read the Bible their whole lives without seeing Christ as the unifying centre. The Watchtower's reading method emphasises types, prophetic chronology, and organisational continuity — but rarely unfolds the OT as anticipation of the Messiah. The Emmaus Hermeneutic is Jesus' own approach: open the Old Testament and show how Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms all spoke of Him (, 24:32, 24:44). For ex-JWs and JWs in early conversation, this is often the moment when the whole Bible suddenly cohers — "didn't our hearts burn?" Use this playbook when a JW shows signs of openness to Scripture but is filtering everything through the Watchtower's interpretive grid.
Source: Watchtower study aids generally — daily text, study Bible footnotes
Listen For These Phrases
"Jehovah's purpose is the kingdom"
"the Bible is about God's name"
"everything points to the kingdom government"
"the master worker"
"we don't focus on Jesus, we focus on Jehovah's purpose"
"I haven't been shown that"
Doctrines They're Pushing
Counter-Arguments (Recommended Order)
1. Isaiah Saw Jesus' Glory
John 12:41 / Isaiah 6
2. Jesus' Eternality
Psalm 102 → Hebrews 1
3. Who Appeared to Abraham?
If no one has seen the Father, the OT appearances were Christ
4. When Was Jehovah Pierced?
Zechariah 12:10 / John 19:37 / Revelation 1:7
5. From the Days of Eternity
Micah 5:2
6. Call Upon the Name of the Lord Jesus
The OT worship phrase applied to Jesus
7. El Gibbor — The Mighty God
Isaiah 9:6 / Isaiah 10:21
8. Jesus as Alpha and Omega
Revelation 22:12–16
9. Jehovah Created Alone — So Jesus Must Be Jehovah
Isaiah 44:24
10. Daniel 9 — Messianic Timeline
The 490-year countdown to the Messiah