The Jewish Messiah?

by AlmostAtheist 33 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Deputy Dog

  Nark

  Thanks for your thoughts. I guess, I'm mainly concerned with who's heel are we talking about.

  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

  It doesn't seem to matter if it is mankind's heel or Jesus. In Romans 16:20 Paul seems to credit the "God of peace". Then, a few verses later, in verse 25 he talks about "...the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began"

  Now couple that with Paul's understanding of who Messiah is, in Galatians 4:4.

  But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

  I believe its not such a stretch see the "God of peace" as "... his Son, made of a woman, made under (orin subjection to) the law,

  Verse 3 of Galatians 4, seems to align it with your comment

  IOW: Genesis 2--3 tells us how things came to be what they are, which is just a narrative answer to the more abstract question why are things what they are?

  Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements [or, basic teachings] of the world:

  D Dog
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  AlmostAtheist

  Even Paul knew the problems of Jesus lineage and told his followers to skip it.

  It sounds like you're referring to the 'foolish questionings over geneologies' or something to that effect (Titus 3:9, he actually said to 'shun' such questionings!). What a very interesting point you make! I always assumed (maybe the WTBTS suggested it?) that this referred to people claiming special status due to being in Aaron's line, or David's line. But your answer is interesting because you can imagine some 1st century Christians getting a little antsy if the line from David to Jesus looked murky. They bring it up, chat about it, then Paul uses the loaded term "foolish" to try to shut them up. I like it!

  If we had access to all the written works known to 1st centurty followers of Jesus, I think we would have our many questions answered. Unfortunately, anything which contradicted the established church canon was destroyed.

  Golly, you mean people actually changed what was written to reflect their current views? I just can't imagine. That would be like the Watchtower printing one thing in a magazine, then printing something different in the bound volume, or on the CD! Surely you jest! <wink, wink>

  Thanks for your response!

  Dave
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  googlemagoogle

  That would be like the Watchtower
  
  one of the things the watchtower and other churches want to make us believe, is that first century christendom was united. it was not. there were just about as many different groups as there are now. if not more.
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  moshe

  I think everyone should read the gospel of Thomas- part of the Nag Hammadi found in Egypt. The only known sayings Gospel, I believe. It it probably very true to the early 1st century Christian knowledge base- before all the Gospel story filler was added by no-name authors .

  Jews have looked for a Messiah , too.- 17th century Jews turned to a mystical philosophy called Kabbalah to help them make sense of the Messiah . Would anyone like an abbreviated explanation of the Kabbalah?

  shalom,

  Moshe