Hello Waiting,
As I have promised, here we do start, and please don’t take any notice about the supposed ‘Bible based ‘ evidence of the existence of a “christian governing body”, already in the 1 st century, because for that ,
I’ve already written a specific topic.
So, I’m using the following quotes, only with the aim, to give … the – WTBS Inc’s own definition of …’ a governing body’
As a comparaison let’s see the WTBS Inc’s view of the
Jewish Sánhedrin at Jerusalem , existing in the 1 st century C.E.:
I) ***
w50 11/15 pp. 444-445 Subjection to the Higher Powers ***
20
Jesus’ apostles took this position. In their day the Jewish Sánhedrin at Jerusalem was charged with certain judicial and legal functions by Caesar’s government. But it was not for this reason part of the “superior authorities” among Jesus’ followers. Jesus had separated his disciples from the natural Israelites and had formed them into a spiritual Israel, “the Israel of God.” (Gal. 6:16) So the Jewish Sánhedrin was no longer a governing body among God’s true people, but was an alien governmental body now. Its being a religious body of priests and clergymen added nothing to its power over Jewish Christians.
Then some quotes about ‘ the modern days…governing body’ :
II) ***
w71 12/15 pp. 755-756 A Governing Body
as Different from a Legal Corporation ***
At this meeting a question came up and was discussed from the platform. It was as to what the relationship is between the Board of Directors of the Society as a legal corporation and the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses. Are they the same, identical, or are they different? Such questions were due to the fact that it has been published in print that the Governing Body of Jehovah’s witnesses at headquarters is associated with the Board of Directors of the said Society. How did this come about, and does this make the Board of Directors the same as the Governing Body of Jehovah’s witnesses all the earth around?
The official magazine of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses is The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. In the year 1944 the Watchtower magazine began to speak about the governing body of the Christian congregation. The true Christian congregation was established on the festival day of Pentecost of the year 33 C.E. at Jerusalem in the Roman province of Judea. On that notable day this congregation of dedicated Christians, consisting then of about 120 members, was anointed with holy spirit, which Jehovah God poured out upon them through the glorified Jesus Christ. This anointed body of dedicated, baptized Christians was then given a special assignment of service. According to the prophetic words of Jesus Christ at Matthew 24:45-47, it was given the appointment as the “faithful and discreet slave.” The now heavenly Jesus Christ was the Master and Lord of this anointed “slave” class.
The Bible book, Acts of Apostles, discloses that this anointed Christian congregation as a “slave” class had a visible, earthly governing body. On that day of Pentecost it was composed of twelve men, namely, the twelve apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. Years later, about the year 49 C.E., this governing body was reported to include the then surviving apostles of Christ and the spiritual elders of the Jerusalem congregation. (Acts, chapter 15) This Christian governing body did not use as an administrative agency any legal corporation recognized, authorized and chartered by Caesar or any province of the Roman Empire. The decree issued was written up and carried by personal messengers to the Christian congregations that were concerned because of the non-Jewish or Gentile converts among them. The Christian apostle John, who wrote the last books of the Holy Bible toward the close of the first century C.E., was apparently the last surviving member of the original governing body appointed by Jesus Christ.
III)
***
w71 12/15 p. 757 A Governing Body as
Different from a Legal Corporation ***
GOVERNING
BODY
According to the apostolic example
of the first century C.E., these dedicated, baptized Christians known today as Jehovah’s witnesses have a governing body, as specifically noted from the year 1944 onward. This governing body has through the years been associated with the publishers of the Watch Tower magazine and the Board of Directors of the legal religious corporation now known as Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.
IV)
***
w71 12/15 pp. 757-758 A Governing Body
as
Different from a Legal Corporation ***
Are the directors of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania the same
as the governing body of Jehovah’s witnesses, who are an unincorporated body of dedicated, baptized Christians and who worship Jehovah as their God?
Also, at the annual corporation meeting of the Watch Tower Society such as that at Buckingham, Pennsylvania, do the members of the Society automatically elect the members of the governing body of Jehovah’s witnesses by electing the members of the Society’s Board of Directors? Such questions interested those attending the meeting.
V)
***
w71 12/15 p. 758 A Governing Body as
Different from a- Legal Corporation ***
Let us keep in mind that the
governing body must be made up of dedicated, baptized Christians who are anointed with God’s spirit and begotten by Him to be his spiritual children, and who are to be united with the glorified Jesus Christ in the heavenly kingdom.
This must be so because, as in the case of the twelve apostles of Christ
, the governing body is part of the “faithful and discreet slave” class and presides over it as spiritual shepherds and overseers.
This “slave” class is made up of the spirit-begotten, spirit-anointed followers of Jesus Christ,
and these
followers make up his congregation on earth and unitedly serve as a composite “slave”
of God under the Head of the Christian congregation, Jesus Christ
VI)
***
w71 12/15 p. 758 A Governing Body as
Different from a Legal Corporation ***
Not just because they are not anointed heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ, but because the governing body of the “slave” class is not appointed by any man. It is appointed by the same one who appointed the twelve apostles in the first century C.E., namely, Jesus Christ the Head of the true Christian congregation and the Lord and Master of the “faithful and discreet slave” class.—John 15:16, 19.
VII)
***
w90 1/15 p. 26 Godly Devotion—Beneficial
for All Things ***
The Friday afternoon program started with the talk “‘The Faithful Slave’ and Its Governing Body.” Confident of the loyalty of his faithful creatures, Jehovah delegates authority. So does his Son. From among his anointed followers, “the faithful and discreet slave,” he has chosen a few to serve as a visible governing body. (Matthew 24:45) In the first century, this group was composed of the apostles and several other older men in Jerusalem.
In modern times the Governing Body has been closely identified with the editorial staff of the Watch Tower Society and its board of directors.
But the Governing Body differs from that legal corporation, as the speaker pointed out: “Since the corporation’s existence is purely legal, with a fixed geographic headquarters, it can be dissolved by Caesar, the State.” Not so the Governing Body, which is not a legal instrument but the members of which “are appointed through the holy spirit under the direction of Jehovah and Christ.” Thus, the Governing Body continues to function and to receive the unqualified support of Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide.
I do hope that this material can give you a better idea of what the mighty
WTBS Inc. menas when they write about ‘ a governing body’.
As I’ve already written in another post it was Rutherford who mentioned
in a very negative way ‘ the governing body ‘ of the Catholic Church…
and few years later…in 1944…here it comes:
“ . In the year 1944 the Watchtower magazine began to speak about the governing body of the Christian congregation.”
(
w71 12/15 pp. 755-756 A Governing Bod as Different from a Legal Corporation “)
Greetings, J.C.MacHislopp
