What Is The Fate Of Adam and Eve? And Will John the Baptist See Heaven?

by Cold Steel 9 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Cold Steel

  At one point, didn't the Society teach that Adam and Eve either would not be resurrected or, if so, they would not attain the Kingdom of Heaven? I remember that a number of years ago, a JW told me that John the Baptist also would not obtain Eternal Life in the Kingdom of Heaven. Their evidence was Matthew 11:11, where Jesus says, "Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."

  The reasoning is that there are two classes of resurrection. One is the immortal, earthly type and the heavenly class. So what Jesus was saying was that John, though great, was not as great as the least of the heavenly class. The traditional Christian view, however, is:

  By "the least" we prefer, then, with Chrysostom and other ancient Fathers, to understand Jesus himself. The literal meaning of the Greek μικρότερος is "the lesser," not "least" (in the Revised Version, in the text we find "he that is but little," but in the margin "lesser"). By "lesser" or "little" Chrysostom supposes that the Saviour refers to himself as less than John in age and according to the opinions of many. "Thus, then, among the sons of men no prophet greater than John the Baptist has arisen; yet there is one among you lesser in age and perhaps in public estimation, - in the kingdom of God, though, greater than he." Wordsworth strengthens the above interpretation by his comment on the words, "among those that are born of women." "No one among those born of human parents had appeared greater than this John the Baptist; but do not suppose that he is greater than I. I am not γεννητὸς γυναικῶν , but Θεοῦ , and though after him in the gospel because he is my precursor, yet I am greater than he." This great expositor, while on the whole preferring the usual interpretation, yet considers that the explanation which refers "he that is least" to Christ, is not lightly to be set aside. If this interpretation be adopted, the usual punctuation of the passage must be slightly altered thus: "He that is lesser, in the kingdom of God is greater than he."

  Another view, closely related, is that because Jesus took upon himself the sins of all mankind, then he has the least claim on the Kingdom of God. Either way, Jesus was referring to himself. He was the least in the Kingdom of Heaven, because Christ, being the greatest, is the servant of all, paying for our sins and removing our pains and scars.

  Yet the WTBTS has chosen its own unique way of interpreting scripture. Do they still hold to their views about Adam/Eve and John? And do the emblem takers really think they're better?
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  Honesty

  Read Ephesians 4:1-16.

  It totally destroys the Watchtower's doctrine of two classes of people, one to heaven and one in a nonexistent and unbiblical 'paradise earth' which false teachers arrived at by interpolating Isaiah 65:17-25 in order to support their belief that they were more favored by God and are above others in His eyes.
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  NAVYTOWN

  More absolute nonsense from the Watchtower. They will say and do anything to keep from living in the real world and helping to solve actual human problems like homelessness, poverty, famine, etc. Their only answer is to knock on more doors peddling their gloom & doom message.
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  Cold Steel

  The idea that you've got people at the various conferences taking the emblems (that were intended for the entire membership, by the way), each thinking he or she is greater than John the Baptist, is a very bold stance. That there are people in the Society who believe that the Governing Body is inspired in such interpretations is a fascinating aspect of the religion. As of now there appears to be no safeguards in place -- no balance of power -- that can call into question such doctrines.

  Granted, the two classes of those who gain salvation is pure nonsense; however, this heavenly class (right or wrong) did have the power to put the brakes on until comparitively recently, when it was stripped from them in a breathtaking consolidation of power at the top. It was, of course, inevitable that this would happen sooner or later, as power tends to condense rather than expand. But unless there's resistance from the people who lose power, the power keeps consolidating. Now that the power rests with the Governing Body, the next step will undoubtedly be towards a one-man rule. But in the body, alas, there may be some resistance.
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  Ocean1111

  I guess the Watchtower teaches Adam and Eve's "offspring" "inherit the earth":

  He will make sure that the Paradise earth will be fully inhabited with the offspring of Adam and Eve.

  WT 7/15/2012

  I guess "He" in the above is God, or maybe Satan "after the 1000 years has ended". At Bethel the Genesis 3 "curses" are actually a divine "blessing" I guess. "last Adam" is of no account at Watchtower land and their theology is not sacred to them, it is a source of confusion creation. Modern Bethel is its own form of Babel now, anything goes as long as it is blessed by the silver tongue CEOs with a nice compliment and soundtrack massaging it in, but altogether it is a quagmire of deep contradictions.

  That is a deviation from older WT teachings where mankind was restored in "last Adam" and "the bride". Thus it is strange, and yet not that surprising, such a blunder would pass the proofers. I guess the Adamic DNA can be fixed, lol. To old school JWs, all dead now, that statement would have an entirely different meaning.
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  Witness 007

  Im glad Adam will be in Paradise...I wanna see if he has a belly button.
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  OnTheWayOut

  And do the emblem takers really think they're better?

  YES!

  Of course, for quite awhile (and probably still), congregations have been viewing any relatively young (maybe under 50 or even 60) partakers as mentally unstable and Watchtower ignores such people anyway and says they must listen to the elders.
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  keyser soze

  Im glad Adam will be in Paradise...I wanna see if he has a belly button.

  I have it on good authority that he had an outie.
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  Cold Steel

  The way it should be rendered is, "Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that partaketh of the sacred emblems is greater than he."

  Do you know any elders who partake of the sacramental emblems? If so, ask them, "Do you think you're greater than John the Baptist? Chances are they'll be far too modest to say YES!
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  Heaven

  Will John the Baptist See Heaven?

  I doubt it. I'm an atheist.