Can only the GB partake now?
They might as well make it that way. They elevate themselves to such a lofty pedestal and show such disdain for everything and everyone else.
They might as well.
They Came To The Door!
by NotFormer 37 Replies latest jw friends
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Sea Breeze
My understanding was that the FDS was a class, identical with the 144,000.
Not identical. WT theology says that the GB make up the "remnant" of the 144K. But as Riley so eloquently stated, its all reallly about 8 men. They are the rightful rulers of the world. It is just sick when free agents such as we are, choose to worship men as the sole mouhtpiece of God on earth.
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Earnest
Hi NotFormer, it seems I may have confused things in my post on another thread.
Revelation 14:1 says that the 144,000 are standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion. This is understood to be in heaven. The spirit-anointed Christians on earth (referred to as "the anointed") are those who have a heavenly hope that when they die and are resurrected they will become part of the 144,000 in heaven.
Between 1927 and 2012 the FDS was believed to consist of the entire body of the anointed on earth. Now it is believed it only consists of the GB collectively.
So the FDS is not identical with the 144,000. The FDS is on earth and the 144,000 are in heaven.
You are right that it is only the anointed who partake of the Lord's Evening Meal. This is because they are part of the covenant for a kingdom (Luke 22:29) to rule as kings with Christ (Revelation 5:10)
The change in identity of the FDS does not affect whether or not someone is spirit-anointed or their heavenly hope. It does not affect whether they will rule as kings with Christ. In fact, for the overwhelming majority it doesn't affect them at all.
As a group the anointed are also referred to as "the remnant", the remaining ones on earth. Contrary to what Sea Breeze wrote, "the remnant" consists of all the anointed, not just the GB.
To be a member of the Governing Body you must be (or claim to be) spirit-anointed. So they will continue to partake along with all the other anointed at the Lords Evening Meal.
As mentioned in the post I referred to, when the group work together as the Governing Body, they act as 'the faithful and discreet slave'. Whether "working together as the Governing Body" means it only occurs in a properly convened meeting is not stated. But as I hope it is now clear, partaking has nothing to do with whether or not someone is part of the FDS.
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NotFormer
Okay, thanks for clearing that up, everybody!
What is the figure now for partakers? I'm guessing that very few of them were alive and baptised before 1935 (is that the cut off year?) Is there now some special dispensation or new understanding about who can partake. I seem to remember something about those who are convinced that they are part of the 144,000 being allowed to partake. How does that work?
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a watcher
2023 Memorial Partakers Worldwide: 22,312.
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Phizzy
" when the group work together as the Governing Body, they act as 'the faithful and discreet slave'. "
I suppose that is so that they can say anything they like as individual members of the G.B, however wacky, and if it comes back to bite them on the bum, the body of the G.B can distance themselves from it.
But 8 Mill. J.W's will say " The Governing Body said ......."
More subtle, but deniable, Control.
At least we won't have these deluded people coming to our door anymore, D to D is a thing of the Past, except for a Memorial Invitation or similar .... perhaps.
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NotFormer
a watcher: "2023 Memorial Partakers Worldwide: 22,312"
It was around 10,000 two decades ago. Anyone baptised before 1935* would probably be more than a hundred years old. There can't be 22,000 of 'em still alive. What's the criteria these days?
*I think. I know it's 1930 something...
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Earnest
A Question from Readers in the May 1, 2007 Watchtower addresses the question "When does the calling of Christians to a heavenly hope cease?"
It explains that between 1933 and 1966 it was understood that the "calling to a heavenly hope" ended in 1931 with a few exceptions to replace any who had become unfaithful. After 1966 it was believed this "call" ended in 1935. However, the article then says "it appears that we cannot set a specific date for when the calling of Christians to the heavenly hope ends.".
Since then the number who believe they have been spirit-anointed has gradually risen as you note.
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TonusOH
"it appears that we cannot set a specific date for when the calling of Christians to the heavenly hope ends."
I have to admit, that kind of wording makes my hair stand on end. It's a fancy way of admitting that they were wrong and that they have no idea when such a 'calling' will end. I think they have gotten too used to doing this. Everytime they need to face up to a problem with their predictions or explanations, they try to weasel out of it with deceptive wording.
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Earnest
Out of interest, the reason it was thought the "calling to a heavenly hope" ended in 1931 is discussed in the November 15, 1933 Watchtower, in the article Laborer's Wages (pp.339-345) about the parable of the penny/denarius (Matthew 20), and particularly the discussion on Pay Day (p.342). There it says (para.17) :
The facts in fulfilment of the prophetic parable show that “early in the morning” corresponds to the year A.D. 1919, which was the beginning of the Elisha work after the coming of the King to the temple. Counting the hour for a year, as shown by the facts foregoing, and which is supported by the Scriptures, the “even” or close of the twelfth hour (Matt. 20: 8), the period of time mentioned in the parable, came to a close with the year A.D. 1931.
However, the January 15, 1967 Watchtower had an article on The Modern Fulfillment of the Penny (pp.50-56) which had a different understanding of the parable, and so after that there was not any scriptural basis for saying when the heavenly calling ended. It was assumed it ended in 1935 because that was when the "great crowd" was identified, but there was nothing in scripture to point to that year.