by DarioKehl 43 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
"Jesus gave the reason for partaking as: ". . . in rememberence of me [Jesus]"
Paul put it this way: "For when you [partake] you keep proclaiming the death of the Lord . . ."
But in the Kingdom Hall, when you partake, you are proclaiming your 'hope,' that you are 'anointed and are going to heaven.
In the Bible, it is all about Jesus. In the KH it is all about the partaker."
Bobcat, I've never looked at it that way before. That makes sense!
careful
he might be fishing you
oz
Paul:
Here is another curious contrast:
Jesus' words, "Keep doing this . . ." are set in the context of partaking. He wasn't telling them to keep meeting or coming to the observance. He was telling them to partake of the emblems as a remembrance of him.
On the Memorial invitations the householder will be told to come to the Memorial because Jesus said "Keep doing this." But when he gets there the speaker will emphasize that he is not supposed to partake unless he is one of a small, dwindling few, most of whom are already passed on.
Imagine if a store passed out flyers for a big sale, but when the people got to the store they are told that the sale is not for them. A thing like that would be universally seen as false advertising.
Here is another interesting comparison since the Society makes a lot of comparisons of the Memorial with the Passover:
(Exodus 12:43-49 NWT) . . .And Jehovah went on to say to Moses and Aaron: “This is the statute of the passover: No foreigner may eat of it. 44 But where there is any slave man purchased with money, you must circumcise him. Then first he may share in eating it. 45 A settler and a hired laborer may not eat of it. 46 In one house it is to be eaten. You must not take any of the flesh out of the house to some place outside. And YOU must not break a bone in it. 47 All the assembly of Israel are to celebrate it. 48 And in case an alien resident resides as an alien with you and he will actually celebrate the passover to Jehovah, let there be a circumcising of every male of his. First then he may come near to celebrate it; and he must become like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised man may eat of it. 49 One law is to exist for the native and for the alien resident who is residing as an alien in YOUR midst.”
Above (Ex 12 quote) was the law concerning the Passover. Notice in verse 48, a person had to meet qualifications to eat of it before he could "come near to celebrate it." Back then, inviting a non-qualified person to simply observe would have been both non-sensical and possibly illegal, based on the way Ex 12 reads. Also note that celebrating it meant "eating it," not observing others eat it.
Take Care
Thanks Bobcat, your reasoning makes perfect sense.
