Need Help!!!, Jonadab Class...

by drew sagan 29 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Gilberto

  This was one of the things that "proved" it was the truth for me. We had an elderley sister in the congregation. She travelled around the south of Britain on a bike as a colporteur. Her sister was anointed but she said that she didn't want to go to heaven, so was relieved when the announcement came at her assembly and she stood up as having the earthly hope.

  I believed her, she was the kindest and most loving of people, never married but spent her life completely devoted to Jehovah.

  I always wondered what it was that made her feel different to her sister. Now I know!
• 

  Leolaia

  Rutherford invented the "Jonadab" class because of an unexpected increase in new converts in the early 1930s (during the Great Depression). Prior to this, there had been a huge decrease due to the 1925 disappointment and Rutherford's hard-handed attempts to remove Russell's doctrinal system and control the local congregations, and Rutherford explained this decrease via his "Remnant" doctrine. An apparent reversal of this trend would otherwise indicate that his "Remnant" explanation was incorrect, but by positing a new class Rutherford was able to maintain his "Remnant" teaching as well as accommodate the new converts into the organization. The new Jonadab teaching was in place by 1931-1932, and since new converts were not expected to partake of the Memorial emblems (which were partaken by more mature Bible Students, along the lines of the older Russellite "character development" emphasis), this later became a sine qua non of Jonadab status. What then happened in 1935 was that Rutherford identified this group with the "great multitude" of Revelation who were earlier regarded as a secondary spiritual class of less mature Christians (the 144,000 being the elect Christians), thereby justifying a brand-new massive preaching work designed to bring together a "great multitude" of Jonadabs.
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  drew sagan

  Good point Leolaia.
  A number of factors that can help put forth this argument as more than just speculation would be direct quotes and comments straight from publications themselves.
  Did the Bible Students publish memeorial attendance and partakers in the magazines? Did the magazines state that it was not the place for newly associated ones to partake, or was it just an unwritten law? I was searching the old publications last night, but was coming up short on these things. Thanks for the scans Atlantis
• 

  drew sagan

  This was one of the things that "proved" it was the truth for me. We had an elderley sister in the congregation. She travelled around the south of Britain on a bike as a colporteur. Her sister was anointed but she said that she didn't want to go to heaven, so was relieved when the announcement came at her assembly and she stood up as having the earthly hope.

  
  The same exact situation is in the congregation I am connected with. Of course, this person is the youngest of the family so it is no suprise why they would believe the doctrine that was taught later.
• 

  AnnOMaly

  Drew, this is a subject close to my heart.

  Bottom line.

  There were 3 main classes by Rutherford's time:

  -The Jonadab class/other sheep who were not anointed, who were 'men of goodwill' - still part of Satan's organization or the church system, but didn't sympathize with it (sighing and groaning, etc.) and who would be blessed on the earth.

  -The secondary heavenly class, the great multitude - spirit-begotten, but somehow negligent in their faithfulness. Therefore they would be tested during the great tribulation, barred from being the 'royal class' but still serve in God's heavenly temple.

  -Those of the 'high calling,' the 'royal class,' the 'Christ/Anointed class' who would be joint heirs with Jesus as king/priests.

  What essentially happened was the Jonadabs/other sheep (who were NOT Jehovah's Witnesses, but companions or associates) got merged with the secondary heavenly class (great crowd) and became an earthly class in 1935. This was surprising since Rutherford was adamant only in 1932 (Vindication III, p.204) that the great crowd WAS a spiritual class.

  The two-classes of Christian doctrine is based on 1914 and the old view that the sheep and goats were being separated from the time Jesus sat on his judgment throne in 1918. The earthly class could not appear before 1918/19, according to Rutherford. It is well worth getting hold of the 2 articles in the August 1935 WTs that explains Rutherford's reasoning behind the whole deal. PM me if you can't find it elsewhere and I'll try to send you the scan (it's a large file).

  But if the prophetic significance of 1914 isn't true, and if mankind is not yet being separated (and JWs no longer believe this is the case), then the question is, WHERE IN THE BIBLE CAN WE FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF TWO CLASSES OF CHRISTIANS IN THE FIRST PLACE? Once the JW view of the end times alters, the two-class system can't be tied to it anymore. So where can we find reason to make a distinction between 2 groups of faithful Christians?

  Hope this helps a little.
• 

  AnnOMaly

  
  Additional thoughts.

  The new Jonadab/great multitude/earthly class weren't initially Jehovah's Witnesses because Isaiah's prophecy ("You are my witnesses") applied to modern day spiritual Israel made up exclusively of the 'anointed, spirit-begotten.' The earthly class were not of that group so they could not rightly be called 'Jehovah's witnesses.'

  Edited to add: Oops. I didn't read Atlantis' quotes properly
• 

  drew sagan

  But if the prophetic significance of 1914 isn't true, and if mankind is not yet being separated (and JWs no longer believe this is the case), then the question is, WHERE IN THE BIBLE CAN WE FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF TWO CLASSES OF CHRISTIANS IN THE FIRST PLACE?

  
  A very good point worth considering. My friend seemed quite convinced that even if 1914 where wrong, we are still in the last days because the Holy Spirit has gathered the anointed and brought about the existance of 'the great crowd'. Theses two doctrines cannot be pulled apart, even though my friend would like it to be so.
  Documentation on the changes from 1930-35 are documented quite well, even by the society. What they where teaching before that though, is a little harder to find. What I would really like to find in the publications is in relation to how new ones coming into the organization where told they where not anointed and thus did not partake. Since the reasoning of my friend seems to be that this happened by divine intervention, it must in reality have been from what the publications where teaching.
  So the big question on my mind is this. During this time peroid of 'confusion', during the mid to late 20's and early 30's, what where new ones being taught was their hope? What where the magazines saying? Why where all of these people (as mentioned in the eairler post of one I know personally) confused as to what their hope was and that they where not anointed.
  Some have touched on this in some detail allready, but further documentation will work much better with my JW friend than just talk and 'speculation' as he would see it. Remember JWs will take the Proclaimers book over anything you just say.
• 

  Johnny

  I have to put in my "Two cents" too.

  They rest their faith on many "strange things."

  I will give you my understanding, "in a nutshell." This issue goes back to the discourse given by Judge Rutherford, "The World Has Ended—Millions now living may never die." At that large convention a "new understanding" was suggested by Rutherford that the new hope for a Christian was not Heavenly but rather here on Earth. Towards the end of this discourse the "Judge" asked everyone who felt they were of this "earthly class" to stand, a great many stood. And he announced, "Behold, the great crowd!" Some time later, it was announced through the WT that this group, or "class", was prefigured by Jonadab of the OT. Thus you have, the "Jonadab class." Tah Duhhh!!!

  For more information look in their "Proclaimers...." book, if you have access to one.

  Hope this helps!

  John
• 

  Atlantis

  Drew requested: Did the magazines state that it was not the place for newly associated ones to partake, or was it just an unwritten law? I was searching the old publications last night, but was coming up short on these things. ***************************************************************************************** I hope this will help Drew! Watchtower-1938-March-1-p.-74 "Therefore it is only those who are in Christ and who share in his death that have a part in the kingdom. This excludes everyone but the spiritual and anointed ones, and these alone properly and worthily partake of the Memorial emblems." http://images.hostmypic.info/bf39142605.jpg Nevada-
• 

  AnnOMaly

  Good find, Atlantis!

  Here's some more background from Russell's day that I'm sure continued until Rutherford's 'refinements' in the 1930s. It's from the 'Question Book':

  BAPTISM--Not Certain of Consecration. ::Q36:3:: QUESTION (1916)--3--Take the case of a young brother who is not certain that a consecration symbolized sometime ago was complete, and is not certain whether he is spirit-begotten, or not. What would be your advice in such a case?
  
  ANSWER .--I advise you to make certain. If anyone is uncertain about a matter of that kind, I think the best thing to do is to make certain of it. This would be my advice on all such matters. In this case, I would make a full consecration of my whole soul, mind and strength to the Lord, and ask Him to graciously receive this through Christ, and I would believe that He would do so. If nothing be left out I know this to be exactly what God requires, and by faith I would lay hold upon that proposition and say, I am the Lord's and He is my Father. With respect to evidences of my having received the Holy Spirit, I would look for them in various ways: in a growing desire on my part to know the Lord, to be acquainted with Him, and therefore the study of His Word that I might become acquainted; and my desire to serve Him, and to seek opportunities in which I might serve Him; all of these would indicate that I had the same spirit that was in Christ Jesus, the same as prompted and moved Him, that led Him in doing the Father's will. I would expect that the eyes of my understanding would get clearer and clearer, so that I might be able to comprehend with all the saints the lengths and breadths, heights and depths of God's great love and plan, and I would go on in that way, and believe that in doing so I would obtain the prize.

  http://www.ctrussell.us/ctrussell/ctrussell.nsf/22284ee7f683acc9862566bd000b278c/0e719a42dfa210be06256451007b7318?OpenDocument

  CONSECRATION--Reward for Those Not Begotten. ::Q152:3:: QUESTION (1911)--3--If any consecrated now and failed to be begotten of the Holy Spirit, where would the Lord place them?
  
  ANSWER. --We would presume that if they were faithful, as the prophets of old were faithful, to the extent of laying down their lives in the service of righteousness and truth, that God would give them a share some way with the ancient worthies. In other words, that if such should pass into the time of trouble to a considerable degree, and there lose their lives because of faithfulness to the Lord, that he would do just the same for them that he will do for the ancient worthies--they will be counted in with the ancient worthy class.

  http://www.ctrussell.us/ctrussell/ctrussell.nsf/22284ee7f683acc9862566bd000b278c/2eae4622c8d8f80506256451007b977a?OpenDocument

  So there would always be some who felt less than worthy or couldn't be as devoted or holy as those in the 'begotten' classes and they would doubt they had that calling, but I guess the 'norm' would be that once somebody consecrated/dedicated themselves to the Lord, they would be part of the 'spirit-begotten' class - whether 'royal' or secondary 'great crowd.' If they didn't feel they were, they would share the same earthly reward as the 'ancient worthies' like Abraham etc.