by UnDisfellowshipped 28 Replies latest watchtower bible
The Watchtower Society teaches that Jesus Christ is the Mediator ONLY for the "Anointed" JW's and that the "Anointed" JW's are the "Mediators" for all of the "Other Sheep".
The Bible says Jesus is the ONE Mediator for all MEN:
1st Timothy 2:5: For there is One God, and One Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus
No, Jesus is their moderator - supposedly.
No, but Thee Christ is!
caveman
When I was "in" I had always thought Jesus mediated between mankind and Jehovah, but since coming here, I learned that was not the case. Here was an interesting thread, started by Mary on 7/12/2002:
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.aspx?id=31986&site=3
Nikita
As is their practice, the WT Society followed 2 steps in reaching this doctrine:
(1) Develop a conclusion or a teaching
(2) Find argumentation and possibly scriptures that may support only that view
Their "argumentation" here is that Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant. That is Biblically supportable. But then comes the non sequitor: Therefore, only the anointed ones in the New Covenant have Jesus as their mediator!! What a leap....
The Apostate New World Translation version of 1 Timothy 2:5 should read thusly: There is one God, and two mediators between men and God, a man Christ Jesus, and a group of men, the anointed of the Watchtower Society. Verse 6 would read: The first mediator gave himself a corresponding ransom for all, and the second mediator takes his place in the last days.
Good Post UD. This is one of the biggest problems that I have with JW theology!
In response to 1Tim 2:5, here is the WTS official position:
"The people of all nation who have the hope of everlasting life on earth benefit even now from Jesus' services. Though he is not their legal Mediator, for they are not in the new covenant, he is their means of approaching Jehovah." WT August 15, 1989 p 31
Although the WTS doesn't go so far as to say that the "anointed" are the mediators for the "great crowd", there is really no other conclusion to draw from their doctrine. Because, if Jesus is ONLY a mediator to God for the "anointed", then by extension, the "great crowd" must go through the "anointed" to Jesus who then acts as mediator to God.
Ironically, in this same article the WTS parallel the Law Covenant with the New Covenant to support their doctrine. However, when we analyze the Law Covenant we notice the following:
1. The Law Covenant was mediated by a priestly group (Levites).
2. ALL of Israel was under the Law Covenant NOT just the priestly class.
3. The Law Covenant was the ONLY arrangement that God provided for those who wanted to have his approval.
This then begs the questions:
1. "If the New Covenant replaced the Law Covenant who is the new mediator"
Answer: Jesus (1 Tim 2:5)
2. "If all of Israel was under the Law Covenant then why would ONLY a so-called priestly class (144K) be under the New Covenant?" and...
3. "If the New Covenant is the ONLY means that God has provided for our salvation and the "Great Crowd" are not "in" this Covenant, what OTHER arrangement (according to the scriptures) has God provided for them?
Answer: There is no other arrangement. We are either "in" the New Covenant or not.
Ask a JW question 3 and watch them squirm! I recently asked my brother (a devout dub) this question and he wasn't even aware that the WTS taught that Jesus is not their mediator! This is a very sad doctrine!!
Artful
Edited by - artful on 9 January 2003 13:15:1
UnDisfellowshipped
It gets even more pathetic! The Society teaches that "anointed" worshipers are "declared righteous," resulting in being viewed as "sinless" before they're taken into the New Covenant, which Christ is mediator. However, one purpose of his mediator-position is to represent "sinful" mankind on the one side and the perfect God on the other. So why the need for a mediator? Really, the real question is why aren't all Christians taken into the New Covenant? The Society's explanation is a complete sham, a fabrication!
Edited by - cyberguy on 9 January 2003 13:18:19
UnDis,
1st Timothy 2:5: For there is One God, and One Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus
And how many times, when you bring this subject up, do they side-step the matter in hand by saying: "See, Jesus was only a MAN!"
They would rather be dishonest than face the reality that their teachings are unscriptural.
Spanner
Actually, it's not the 144000 who mediate for the dub masses, though this is stated by wt mags. Dub masses, in reality, have a contract w the wt society. The society can change or cancel the contracts w individual dubs at any time. Dubs, on the other hand have no recourse.
SS
Edited by - saintsatan on 9 January 2003 13:31:7
Exactly a year ago, today, I posed this question to the two elders who came around after my Disassociation. They were flumoxed, but then happy with the new interpretation, since that was the current teaching.
They were both long serving elders, but both (and I, too, until I saw it on this site) had missed this article and it's ramifications.
Can lead a horse to water...
