by problemaddict 3 Replies latest watchtower bible
Hey Terry. I was just looking for more elaboration on your quote froma rather old link to a story about your friend who seems to be on your mind recently. :) So to keep away from blood in this context you believe refers to murder? It doesn't seem like the natural reading to me.
I then proceeded to explain to him that "keep away from things strangled" meant don't eat meat that has not been bled. But, the "keep away from things strangled and from blood" meant bloodshed. Murder.
An animal that has been strangled can't be bled. Nothing to do with murder.
Briefly:
In the book of Acts, every mention of "blood," has reference to blood guilt or in some way connected to the shedding of blood, not the eating/consuming of it.
These are the occurrances of "blood" in Acts: 1:19; 2:19; 2:20; 5:28;15:20, 29; 18:6; 20:26, 28; 21:25; 22:20
As follows:
15:20, 29; 21:25 - The letter/directive from Jerusalem
1:19 - Judas' field of blood (from Judas' bloody death)
2:19, 20 - figurative, but drawing on the color of blood
5:28; 18:6; 20:26; - blood guilt
20:28 - Jesus' shed blood, thus related to murder
22:20 - Stephan's shed blood, thus related to murder
(in Acts 15) : "abstain from ... things strangled," which is an obvious reference to eating/consuming blood. If "abstain ... from blood" also refers to consuming, then, you have an overlapping redundancy of commands.
This doesn't make sense given the fact that the writers were trying to minimize the number of difficult and confusing stipulations for Gentiles.
The point being what? this: If "from blood" meant consumption, then, "from things strangled" would become an unnecessary repetition.
Augustine of Hippo in the 4th century, in Contra Faustum 32.13 noted:
"The observance of pouring out the blood which was enjoined in ancient times upon Noah himself after the deluge is thought by many to be what is meant in the Acts of the Apostles, where we read that the Gentiles were required to abstain from fornication, and from things sacrificed, and from blood, that is, from flesh of which the blood has not been poured out. Others give a different meaning to the words, and think that to abstain from blood means not to be polluted with the crime of murder ." (see #3 above)
With the words of Augustine firmly in mind we now ask this important question:
The Jerusalem Council failed to prohibt murder? (bloodshed). Wouldn't "abstain from blood" cover that very important prohibition?
*From Wiki:
The Noahide Laws are regarded as the way through which non-Jews can have a direct and meaningful relationship with God or at least comply with the minimal requisites of civilization and of divine law.
A non-Jew who keeps the Noahide Law in all its details is said to attain the same spiritual and moral level as Israel's own (high priest) (Talmud, Bava Kamma 38a). Maimonides states that a Gentile who is precise in the observance of these Seven Noahide commandments is considered to be a Righteous Gentile and has earned a place in the world to come.
Jehovah's Witnesses want to interpret the words of the Jerusalem Council in a way that doesn't exactly fit the CONTEXT!
English Standard Version (ESV)
19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. 21 For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”
CONSIDER THE CONTEXT of purpose!
The Law preserves and improves life. Abstaining from Blood(shed) preserves Life! Abstaining from Blood(transfusion) has resulted in the DEATHs of
observers of this prohibition.
WHAT GOOD ARE DEAD KEEPERS OF A LAW to God or the world of mankind?
What is better a Living or a Dead worshipper?
The Watchtowers "famous" scholars have yet to publish any instances of the Laws of the sons of Noah that I am aware of. If this is correct, we have to ask ourselves WHY a theological education should overlook this important piece of bible history!
Wiki:
Some Christian writers[2], particularly those affiliated with Primitive Apostolic Christianity see the verses in Acts 15:19-21 as a directive from the first Council of Jerusalem to observe the basic understanding of the Noahide Laws in order to be considered righteous Gentiles, and not be required to live completely as Jews.
