On the subject of the anointed...

by leaving_quietly 12 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  leaving_quietly

  I moved this comment from another thread to here as I felt it deserved its own thread.

  One thing I've noticed is that the letters from Paul often include the phrase "all the holy ones", such as at Eph 1:15. Some translations render this "all the saints". It seems to be differentiating two groups. Those who are "holy ones" and those who are not. For example, at Colossians 1:1,2: "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through God’s will, and Timothy [our] brother 2 to the holy ones and faithful brothers in union with Christ at Co·los′sae"

  WTS, of course, views these "holy ones" as the anointed. The use of the word "and" seems to support two groups. I have not spent much time researching this, but wanted to put it out here to see what your thoughts are.
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  ThisFellowCheap

  But the Watchtower said EVERYONE back then was anointed!
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  Bobcat

  Leaving:

  The Greek text reads, hagiois kai pistois adelphois en Christo, or "holy and faithful brothers in Christ." (NIV) The NWT rendering, "the holy ones and faithful brothers in union with Christ," is also possible.

  Concerning this phrase, the NAC-Colossians commentary (Richard R. Melick, Jr, p.189) in a footnote says, "Grammatically, the Granville Sharp rule joins these two adjectives ["holy" and "faithful"] so that both refer to the same persons. The adjectives are used to modify the term "brethren."

  On the subject of "holy ones" as an appropriate term for anointed Christians, see here (my post 474, about halfway down in the post).

  Take care
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  leaving_quietly

  Ok. This should become a dead thread rather quickly. The Society actually agrees with scholars on this one. Scholars say that "the holy ones and faithful brothers" is simply naming two characteristics, holy and faithful. WT does not say differently. In fact, w83 1/1/ p. 28 says: "Paul’s letter was directed to “the holy ones and faithful brothers in union with Christ,” that is, to Jesus’ anointed followers at Colossae."

  Some translations render this:

  NIV: "To God's holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father."

  NLT: "We are writing to God's holy people in the city of Colosse, who are faithful brothers and sisters in Christ. May God our Father give you grace and peace."

  ISV: "To: The holy and faithful brothers in Colossae who are in union with the Messiah. May grace and peace from God our Father be yours!"

  NET: "to the saints, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ, at Colossae. Grace and peace to you from God our Father!"

  ...and so on.
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  leaving_quietly

  Thanks, Bobcat! I was hoping you would comment on this, and it appears we agree.
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  prologos

  The WT BtS inc mis-named the 144 000 as "anointed" because:

  the only place in scripture where that group and the total of spiritual Israelites is mentioned

  TOGETHER, IDENTIFIED SEPARATELY, is Rev. 7 and there the so-called "anointed" are called

  "SEALED" OUT off the general Israel of God population.

  All Christians are Christians. 144 000 are SEALED to die as martyrs "with the Ax", like christs sacrificial, un natural death.

  A death that had its original explanation base of the talking snake.
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  blondie

  Both men and women were anointed BUT only men could be "faithful brothers"
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  Bobcat

  Leaving:

  Thanks, Bobcat! I was hoping you would comment on this, and it appears we agree.

  How does Barney(?) from "How I met your mother" do that with the two fingers pointing at his own eyes, then at the eyes of the one talking?

  We're thinking on the same wavelength. The Society can be rational when their position/power is not at stake. (Compare John 11:48)

  Take Care
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  The Searcher

  Similarly, (IMHO) the wording that the apostle Peter used at 1 Peter 2:9 is describing various characteristics of the same group of people - not separate groups!

  "However, you are a chosen race, a royal Priesthood, a Holy Nation, a people who were specially selected to announce the virtues of the One who called you out of darkness and into His wonderful light. 10 So, although you once weren't a nation (gr. laos or people), you're now a nation of God."
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  Bobcat

  Searcher, good point.

  The NAC-Peter, Jude commentary (Thomas R. Schreiner, pp.114-115) comments on 1 Peter 2:9 -

  The privilege of belonging to God's people is conveyed by Peter with a number of OT allusions. Peter drew on Exod. 19:6, using the exact words found there in identifying the church as a "royal priesthood" ["kingdom of priests," NWT]. In Exodus the title applies to Israel [the whole nation, not the Aaronic or Levitical priesthood], with whom God enacts his covenant at Sinai. Israel's priesthood was such that they were to mirror to the nations the glory of Yahweh, so that all the nations would see that no god rivals the Lord (cf. also Isa. 61:6). . . Now God's kingdom of priests consists of the church of Jesus Christ. It too is to mediate God's blessings to the nations, as it proclaims the gospel. We should note the comparison and contrast here. Both Israel as a whole and the church of Jesus Christ are identified as a "royal priesthood." There is no suggestion that only a portion of Israel served as priests in Exodus 19. The difference is not the extent of the priesthood but its identity, for now the royal priesthood is the church of Jesus Christ (cf. Rev 1:6). As noted above, the priesthood here is corporate in nature, and yet this does not rule out the truth that individuals serve priestly functions. . . "Christians exercise priestly functions but always as members of a group who all exercise the same function."

  [End of quote]

  Compare that with 2 Cor 5:18-20. The priesthood of the Christian congregation on earth is ministering the good news to the nations. Those who serve as priests in heaven with Christ are only pictured as ministering to God's people, "the twelve tribes" of Matthew 19:28. Resurrected people become part of those "twelve tribes" by being resurrected, which, as Jesus said, makes them "children of God." (Compare Luke 20:36) Whether they remain such depends on how they act from there.

  And there is the parallel with the nation of Israel under the Law. The nation had a 'priesthood' towards the Gentiles, while there was a priesthood within the nation that ministered internally.

  The Christian congregation serves as a 'royal priesthood' towards the nations (compare the great crowd serving in the naos of Rev 7:15), while the 144,000 serve as priests internally during the 1000 years, when there will not be any outside nations.

  The "anointing," 'preaching of the good news,' being "priests of Jehovah" and "ministers of our God" among the nations in Isaiah 61 must refer to the whole congregation, not just the 144,000, since the context of Isaiah 61 is of ministering among the nations.

  The 'sealing' of the 144,000 in Revelation 7 must be something above and beyond the "promised spirit" that Christians receive as a result of their faith in Jesus. (Gal 3:14)