I was always understanding that the scriptures clearly say[rev ch 7] the 144,000 are virgin males [in fact are[rev 14] ] and chosen, from the 12 tribes and already sealed. past tense.
how one can take a type or anti type approach [those two still confuse me] to a simple statement in the bible I have no idea. where is any indication that we are to assume that one part of a single scripture is to be literal and the other symbolic? and symbolic of what?
oh, its a literal[ number, even though it was not seen but only heard,] and yet its not literal that they were only males?
How anyone can assume they are chosen to be 'anointed' over the next person sitting next to them, is beyond my comprehension. where is the humility? you can be as pure as the snow all your life as a jw and not be 'chosen' yet some person comes in from 'the world', and claims they were given such a privilege? hmm.
according to the wt logic, women then can apparently be made heavenly creatures, and judges, but NOT qualified to teach in 'this' world? lol
Blondie you said:
'It may be new light but not with the jws. Anointed are male and female just as Christians were in the first century. Remember the holy spirit at Pentecost fell on all there, male and female.'
well read those chapters again
there are three completely separate events, that the watchtower has blended together for their own doctrinal teaching.
there were only the 12 apostles in the upper chamber that received the holy spirit, Jesus told them that back in ch 1.
I have never in my whole 45 years as a jw understood these events happening as the watchtower says it did. its simply not there.
[at no point in that society would it be acceptable for women to be lodging with men in some upper room, or drinking at that time of the morning. also the scripture says
the approximately] 120, were for the purpose of choosing a replacement for Judas.
it starts out by saying 'in those days' so this is simply an account, and is not the same time period at all.
[15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16 and said, “Brothers and sisters,[d] the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.”]
in chapter one, Jesus here is eating and tells his apostles to stay in Jerusalem
acts 1
4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit.”
he was only speaking to those with him.
also
6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”the only ones claimed to be witnesses of Jesus were those present.
[no mention of witnesses of jehovah there]
they asked if the kingdom was going to be restored to Israel.
this is the whole story of the bible. Israel and its kingdom . there is nothing there for we gentile nations. lol
in that society women were never given such a privilege, let alone be given a position such as that of an anointed judge.
what so many fail to realize is that when Jesus was eating and drinking with them after he had risen, it seems perfectly logical to me, that he had completed and brought to end his statement to them about 'do this as often as you do this, until I arrive...
well he arrived there in ch 1 of acts ate and drank with them for the 40 days. no more ''memorial for THEM to think about. it said as often as you drink of the cup, not meaning once a year.
[3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: ] surely he was also drinking with them.
I don't see why any ''memorial was done after that. the other celebrations were not the same thing.
he always gave instructions to his 12. never to any other groups in my understanding of scriptures.
its funny, jesus never spoke of the 144,000 did he?