The Watchtower teaches that Jesus is not God but is a sort of secondary god who is inferior to God the Father. One of the passages they use to support this doctrine is John 14:28. Here is that passage in their own translation, the New World Translation (NWT):
You heard that I said to you, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I am. (NWT, 2013)
But, what does the word “greater” mean? “Greater” is a word speaking of position, not nature. Jesus emptied Himself of the use of His godly attributes according to Philippians 2:5-8. That passage also says Jesus became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. So, since Jesus made Himself submissive to God the Father, the Father is positionally higher than Jesus even though they are equal in nature. Look at Luke 7:28 in their translation:
“I tell you, among those born of women
there is no one greater than John, but a lesser person in the Kingdom of God is
greater than he is.” (NWT, 2013)
Jesus here is speaking of the man, John the Baptist, and of all other men. He asks which is greater. All men are equal in nature, but Jesus said John was the greatest among men. It’s the same thing with Jesus and the Father. They are equal in nature as are men. One, the Father, is superior in rank.
“Submissive” also doesn’t mean inferior in nature. Jesus was submissive to Joseph and Mary in Luke 2:51. Was Jesus inferior to Joseph and Mary? Of course not.
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