I'm sure this has been touched on before, but I just thought about it tonight. I was thinking about the appointment of Ministerial Servants (Deacons) and Elders (Bishops) in the Kingdom Hall. The Watchtower Society runs down the list of requirements in Acts, that they must be good examples, pure, etc. They apply all of these requirements, except one: marriage. Single elders are quite rare, and I'm not sure if it's even possible to have a single elder nowadays, but you see unmarried ministerial servants all the time. In fact, for a lot of witness females, it's a pre-requisite for marriage. Has anyone ever asked their elders about this? How does the borg justify this blatant violation of scripture?
Single Ministerial Servants and Elders...
by B_Deserter 17 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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metaspy
In the 3 congregations I was in over the course of being in the Borg.
each of them had at least 1, sometimes 2 single elders.
Perhaps it is just in your experience, or maybe I am the one who has the odd experience. -
Bring_the_Light
Which scriptures in Acts? (yeah I didn't do my homework like a good boy)
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B_Deserter
"This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil." (1 Timothy 3:1-7)
"Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 3:8-13)
It's not Acts, sorry, but same principle applies here. All those qualifications apply for ministerial servants and elders, except "husband of one wife." -
David_R
Hello
Well, I believe you are asking why there are single elders, MS in light of these verses about 'being husband to one wife'.
If I am wrong about your question let me know.
The Society interprets these scriptures as meaning 'not more than one wife'. The do not believe you need to be married but, if you are, then you can only have one wife.
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daniel-p
I ran across some commentary about this a while back and they interpret it as differntiating between polygamy and monogamy, since polygamy was more common in those days.
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VoidEater
The scripture is read as "husband of [no more than] one wife".
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Bring_the_Light
"This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil." (1 Timothy 3:1-7)
"Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 3:8-13)
It's not Acts, sorry, but same principle applies here. All those qualifications apply for ministerial servants and elders, except "husband of one wife."Thanks Dude!
I'm now in the odd circumstance of thinking JW's aren't wrong on this point, while simultaneously wondering why Catholics only give gay men (no offense to gays intended, honestly) and child molesters the job? The bible "seems" pretty clear that the leaders of the church can partake in wholesome vaginal-type nookie when they're off the clock, hmm? If I was a Catholic Priest, I think these scriptures would "stumble me" a bit. What do you MEAN, I must be celibate? But, But, BUt argh -
IP_SEC
By definition scripture is open to flexible interpretation.
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chickpea
the kh i attended had an widowed, childless PO and another elder who was well into his 40s and single.... he had been at bethel for nearly 2 decades and had to come back to the area to help take care of his aging and ill parents..... i HATED having to listen to his advice on marriage