In Witness theology, the only way that the Atonement could work was if Christ became solely human – not also Divine or even angelic. Thus their view of the first advent entails a denial of the orthodox doctrine of the incarnation and its claim of a hypostatic union. They hold to this position for the following two reasons, among others. First, they claim that God’s strict justice demands this exact equivalence. Second, they believe Christ’s mere humanity in the Atonement is indicated by Scripture’s description of him as a corresponding ransom.[1]
Given their claim of an exact equivalence between Adam and Christ it is unsurprising that they should claim that the Atonement results in exactly a restoration of what Adam lost: that is, in solely what was lost. They further define what Adam had and subsequently lost as the prospect of eternal life on a paradise earth, which they describe as God’s original purpose for mankind.[2] So, in the Witness theological system it seems that this is all that they can claim followed from the Atonement: redeemed mankind will enjoy everlasting life on a paradise earth.
However, Witnesses attribute more to the Atonement than the mere restoration of the Adamic heritage of perfect human life on a paradise earth. They claim that the Anointed are formed as a result of Christ’s atoning death.[3] This is problematic given their other claims, because the Anointed are a group of 144,000 persons with whom only Christ made the New Covenant. They are the only group that will reign with Christ in heaven as super-human, angel-like spirit creatures. They possess a hope mutually incompatible with the earthly hope afforded to the vast majority of faithful mankind, whom Witnesses refer to as the Great Crowd. According to Witness theology, therefore, their hope is both different than and greater than that which was given to Adam.
So, the Witness system is contradictory. They say that the merely human Adam lost only the prospect of perfect human life on a paradise earth. For several reasons they assert that for mankind to be redeemed, their Savior has to give himself as a ransom sacrifice that exactly corresponds to Adam (a perfect man), or put somewhat differently, the value of what was lost (perfect human life). He does this to restore exactly what Adam forfeit. And, given their claims about the value of Christ’s sacrifice (that its value was merely that of a perfect human life) it seems they can have it no other way: Christ can only restore the prospect of endless human life that Adam lost. However, they further posit the Anointed class as a direct result of Christ's ransom sacrifice. Their hope is distinctly greater than that afforded to the Great Crowd, who only share in the restored paradise earth. You cannot consistently maintain all of these claims, since a conjunction of some of them would produce the negation of the remaining claim.
Any possible resolution to this contradictory view of the Atonement would involve significant revision to their theology. It is highly unlikely that the doctrinal authorities of the Witnesses, whom they call the Governing Body or the Faithful and Discreet Slave, will make such revisions. Such a revision is unlikely not only because it would prove to be highly embarrassing after decades of espousing the system described above, but also because any such revisions are highly problematic and come with their own pitfalls. For instance, if they revise their theology on this point along certain lines they remove one of their arguments against the hypostatic union. But exploring possible Witness objections to my claim that their system is contradictory as well the implication of any possible revisions will be saved for a future essay.
[1] NWT Study Edition: Note on 1 Timothy 2:6; Insight on the Scriptures Vol. I, p. 212; Ibid. Vol. II, p. 735; Draw Close to Jehovah, p. 142; January 2024 Watchtower, p. 10; February 2017 Watchtower, p. 6; July 15, 1997 Watchtower, p. 7; January 15, 1992 Watchtower, p. 21; April 15, 1976 Watchtower, p. 239; August 1, 1973 Watchtower, p. 465
[2] Should You Believe in the Trinity?, p. 15; November 2023 Watchtower, p. 7; January 2024 Watchtower, p. 10;5 2019 Watchtower Public Edition No. 1, p. 11; February 2017 Watchtower, p. 6;6 January 15, 1992 Watchtower, p. 21;8 July 15, 1990 Watchtower, p. 5; May 1, 1976 Watchtower, p. 264; February 1, 1954 Watchtower, p. 84
[3] Insight on the Scriptures Vol. II, p. 736; Revelation – Its Grand Climax at Hand, p. 19; April 1, 1973 Watchtower, p. 198; July 1, 1978 Watchtower, p. 24; June 1, 1959 Watchtower, p. 333
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