WT for March 15, 2015: “Consider the context”

by Doug Mason 11 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Doug Mason

  My Study on The Watchtower magazine for March 15, 2015 is available at:

  http://www.jwstudies.com/The_Watchtower_and_the_Contexts_of_Jesus__Stories.pdf

  This Watchtower presents Jesus’ stories at Matthew 25: The Ten Virgins; The Talents; and The Final Judgment (“Sheep and Goats”). With each story, the magazine says that the context has to be understood. However, it does not give contexts in terms of Matthew’s Gospel but in terms of the Watchtower Society and its organisation. Its self-obsession and its self-importance suffocate and distort the Biblical message of each story. The truths are swamped by the wet blanket of the WTS’s soteriology and its eschatological framework.

  Doug
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  Harold Mourning

  Great read! I've heard many reference Matt 25 with regard to the ministry. Saying what we offer is lasting (idea of ever lasting life) vs actually feeding, clothing, and visiting (temporary needs) Interesting rebuttle is considering that not a single action mention by Jesus in this separation was lasting in the first place. 
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  smiddy

  I am going to have to come back to this when I have more time to digest it .

  Thanks Marvin I am sure it will be a great read .

  smiddy
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  Phizzy

  When I was a callow youth, around 24 or 5, I had an argument with a Circuit Overseer about putting Scriptures in context, as he from the Platform had urged us to do.

  My argument was that if you did that too firmly, you would end up saying that the Scriptures only applied to the people they were written to, in time and place. (Something I believe now to be actually the case.)

  He agreed in the end, that it was possible to do that, but said his aim was to get the Bros to at least consider the surrounding verses etc, not just pick out a verse or phrase. I don't think he succeeded in even that small step.

  Context is not a concept JW's use.

  I shall be interested to read your Study later Doug, thanks again for your work.
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  jwleaks

  Doug, on page 11 you state "there are probably about 15,000 JWs who consider themselves Spirit-Anointed."
  
  Just a change suggestion:
  
  According to the latest figures published in the 2015 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses there are 14,121 JWs who consider themselves Spirit-Anointed."
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  Doug Mason

  jwleaks,

  OK, will do. Give me a few minutes.

  Thanks,

  Doug
  
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  southwest

  So I was reading the Questions from Readers ("In the past, our publications often mentioned types and antitypes, but in recent years they have seldom done so. Why is that?") in this issue on pages 17 and 18.

  P. 18. Paragraph 3 states:

  If such interpretations seem far-fetched, you can understand the dilemma. Humans cannot know which Bible accounts are shadows of things to come and which are not. The clearest course is this: Where the Scriptures teach that an individual, an event, or an object is typical of something else, we accept it as such. Otherwise, we ought to be reluctant to assign an antitypical application to a certain person or account if there is no specific Scriptural basis for doing so.

  If humans cannot know which Bible accounts are shadows of things to come and which are not, how do the GB work out the meaning of the parable of the faithful and discreet slave class? Daniels prophecy? Revelation? I can't believe the contradiction.
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  Doug Mason

  southwest,

  I absolutely agree with you.

  The prophecy at Daniel 4 was fulfilled in Nebuchadnezzar. It was a dream by a heathen king, not of a prophet from God.

  The WTS reckons that the fulfillment was itself a prophecy! They say that this heathen king of Babylon was the symbol of God's kingdom and that his seven times experience was itself a prophecy. Pure speculation. And this is meant to pass as the foundation stone.

  The GB knows that the parable of the FDS refers to it because they are the FDS. Well, at least they are the FDS since 2013, Prior to then all of the Spirit-Anointed were the FDS. They know this is all true because they know that they were appointed in 1919 (not that the year-day interpretation of prophecy is invoked with that fulfillment).
  

  Doug
  
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  pixel

  It should be: "Consider OUR context".
  
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  southwest

  Exactly pixel. Thanks for your reply Doug, never thought about the dream being by a heathen king! And how about this Doug?:

  Page 10, first few lines:

  Jehovah has helped “the faithful and discreet slave” to become steadily more discreet. Discretion has led to greater caution when it comes to calling a Bible account a prophe[cy]..
  

  May as well read:

  Jehovah has helped “the faithful and discreet slave” to become steadily more discreet. Discretion has led to greater caution when it comes to launching an online TV channel starring themselves!