Apparently they made leather tents for the Roman army. I had searched this site but I couldn’t find that this topic had been discussed yet.
Did the apostle Paul, Priscilla and Aquila sell their tents to the Roman army?
by hoser 11 Replies latest watchtower bible
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hoser
Thanks Atlantis!
I guess apostles and their friends got special privileges as well as the governing body.
I thought supporting the war effort was a disfellowshipping offence.
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Atlantis
hoser:
Welcome!
Atlantis!
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neat blue dog
No special privileges or permissions needed, as the fact is there was never a conflict of interest with serving in the military and being a Christian. Just ask baptized officer Cornelius! In the words of Peter, "Can anyone ... prevent these from being baptized who have received the holy spirit just as we have?"
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FFGhost
The WTS tends to just kind of gloss over this point - just who were Paul and Priscilla and Aquila selling those tents to?
It's not like there were guys getting 2 weeks paid vacation and taking the family on a camping trip to a national park. A subsistence farmer or fisherman of workman would have no need for, let alone could afford, a tent.
Pretty much the only market for tents would be the military.
Today, of course, if you work for a defense contractor supplying material to the military, you are expected to quit your job, under the threat of being disfellowshipped / self-disassociated or "non-neutral activity".
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truth_b_known
Could catch, Hoser. I never gave it thought, but it makes sense.
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Diogenesister
Watchtower will probably claim the tents where for worship gatherings! For example tents for Jewish temples in the deserts and now Christian meeting places. Or for travelling merchants. Anything but the army, of course, the most obvious market!
I too used to ponder Cornelius being baptised, when I was a JW.
Neat Blue dog That scripture shows Watchtower doctrine really does not make sense - their demanding you pass their "test" before you can get baptised!
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Atlantis
Jesus took part in this Himself!
Doesn't the Watchtower know that Jesus was well aware of what the "servant" of the centurion would do if He healed the servant?
The "healed servant" would continue to aid the centurion in preparing for "Military Duties"! ( No matter what job the servant had, anything he did for the centurion was going to aid the centurion. Whether the servant cooked his meals, shined his boots, cleaned his weapons, or whatever, he was still going to be in service to aid the centurion in one way or the other.)
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know what the servant of the centurion was going to do "after" Jesus healed him. He was going to do what he always did.
Help the centurion in completing military duties. Doesn't the Watchtower know how to read?
Luke 7: 1-10
Jesus Heals a Centurion's Servant
7 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 Now a centurion had a servant[a] who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. 3 When the centurion[b] heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” 6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.
Cookie thief!
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Sea Breeze
Makes perfect sense. The locals didn't need tents in general. Soldiers did.
Thanks!