Jesus' illustration of the Wheat & Weeds Ma...

wokeup

This question is addressed to those who still esteem and value Gods' Word. Those of us who were raised in the "trooth" we were taught that the "sons of the kingdom" pertained only to the "faithful slave". In Jesus' illustration of the End Time harvest period, the angels separate the Wheat from the Weeds , distinguishing TWO distinct parties. One being burned up and the other will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Never any mention of a 3rd party (Great Crowd).How did you rationalize the existence of the 'other sheep class" when you read this passage?..........Allen

Room 215

The answer, my friend is simple: the ``Great Crowd'' teaching is an invention of Rutherford, an ad-hoc response to the burgeoning number of Memorial partakers, which in the thirties gave all appearances of throwing the teaching of a literal 44,000 figure heaven-bound Christians out of whack.
Anyone who's attempted a defense by using the New Testament knows it's a ``hard fit.''

outnfree

wokeup, honey,

you seem to assume that "those who still esteem and value God's Word" actually still esteem and value the "other sheep" teaching. But as you have come to understand, the separation work in the time of the end spoken about in Matthew 13 divides good people from bad. The THINGS that cause stumbling and persons who are doing lawlessness get pitched into the fiery furnace. The sons of the kingdom shine IN the kingdom of their Father. In fact, a liberal interpretation might be that ALL good people will be gathered into the Master's storehouse. Nowhere does Jesus speak about a different eventuality among the good people. That is a figment of JF Rutherford's imagination. Let the Appointed Judge do the judging, in my opinion. I trust a man like Jesus to be fair and merciful if judgment there be at life's end.

outnfree

Par dessus toutes choses, soyez bons. La bonte est ce qui ressemble le plus a Dieu et ce qui desarme le plus les hommes -- Lacordaire

wokeup

Thank you outinfree and room215 for your responses,I feel the same way basically. I probably didn't make my question clear, I was asking an open question for those who were and are practicing JW, did this illustration raise any questions to you personally.The WBTS's two class teaching didn't fit in this simple illstration Jesus gave to his disciples and yet so many loyal to the Society seem to not have any problem with it.. ............Allen

normie67

This is an interesting thread for me, because I have thought long and hard on this very subject. While you present this interesting thought about the class distinction, anointed and the "Great Crowd". I always thought this illustration showed that the True religion would be "hidden" amongst the weeds and in the end that the True religion would be easily indentifiable. The explanation of the 2 class of those that were worthy is explained at John 10:16.

n67

normie67

Hey Wokeup
Still there!!

nm67

outnfree

normie67,

There are those [most of Christendom] who would argue that John 10:16's 'other sheep' are Gentiles. Remember, Jesus did not preach to the nations, that was something he told his disciples they were to do, but who would draw them? The Fine Shepherd. Afterhis glorification in heaven.

outnfree

Pubsinger

Normie67.

The illustration teaches that true CHRISTIANS would be in and amongst the weeds.

The true RELIGION doesn't exist. God doesn't deal with us organisationally or corporately. Only individually.

There aren't 2 classes. There is ONE flock. As Outnfree noted the "other sheep" are the Gentiles. John 10:16 was fulfilled with Cornelius' conversion and the Gentile fusion from then on.

"One hope, One faith, One baptism" A statement totally unreconcilable under JW interpretation. They teach "Two hopes , maybe one faith(?), Two baptisms"

Jesus' illustration of the Wheat & Weeds Ma...

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