Thanks to Freefallin:
*** Watchtower 1991 February 15 pp.15-20 "You Were Bought With a Price" ***
8 Hence, the ransom sacrifice is fundamental to the new covenant, of which Jesus is the Mediator. Paul wrote: "There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all-this is what is to be witnessed to at its own particular times." (1 Timothy 2:5, 6) Those words especially apply to the 144,000, with whom the new covenant is made.
[...]
11 Nevertheless, in a preliminary way, the great crowd have already "washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Revelation 7:14) Christ does not act as Mediator of the new covenant toward them, yet they benefit from this covenant through the work of God's Kingdom. Christ still acts toward them, however, as High Priest, through whom Jehovah can and does apply the ransom to the extent of their now being declared righteous as God's friends. (Compare James 2:23.) During the Millennium, they will gradually "be set free from enslavement to corruption [until finally they] have the glorious freedom of the children of God."-Romans 8:21.
Go to quotes at the bottom of this page and check out Mediator, there's lots more stuff on it.
And from me, Dungbeetle:
Watchtower 4/1/87
As the Mediator between Jehovah God and those who have been taken into the new covenant, he has been serving indeed as a wonderful counselor for these past 19 centuries. Now, since 1935, "a great crowd" of his "other sheep" has been taking in his wonderful counsel and is getting the finest instruction and guidance
WT 4/1/81
Why is that true? It is because the Founder of the celebration set it up for observance by those with whom he made a covenant for the heavenly kingdom. Although dedicated and baptized, those of the "great crowd" recognize that they have not been taken into that covenant for the Kingdom. They are not spiritual Israelites, forasmuch as they have not been taken into the "new covenant," which is made with spiritual Israelites through the Mediator Jesus Christ
WT 4/1/79
The new covenant will terminate with the glorification of the remnant who are today in that covenant mediated by Christ. The "great crowd" of "other sheep" that is forming today is not in that new covenant
WT 4/1/73
As Mediator, Christ also helps those in the new covenant to fulfill its terms and to qualify to be kings and priests with him. However, not all attending this memorial observance are partakers of the emblems served. However.Jesus said: "I have other sheep, which are not of this fold [of the "little flock"]; those also I must bring, and they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock, one shepherd." (John 10:16) They would support the stand the anointed ones have taken and would cooperate in preaching the good news to others. But God has not held out the heavenly invitation to them,
The Watchtowers of 2/15/66 and 11/15/72 give the direct impression that Jesus is mediator for all.
So, it appears from the pages of the Watchtower the change took place ON paper in 1972/1973.
This is what it says in Crises of Conscience (1999 edition, pages 270-271)
<(November 16, 1979), the Societys president, Fred Franz, was presiding at the morning Bible text discussionhe stated that some were questioning the Societys position (set forth in a recent Watchtower) that Jesus Christ is the mediator only for the "anointed" ones and not for the other millions of Jehovahs Witnesses. He said of such ones: "They would merge everyone together and make Jesus Christ the mediator for every Tom, Dick, and Harry."
for me it was evident from Scripture that Jesus Christ did ofer his mediation to bring about reconciliation with God for every Tom, Dick, and Harry >
Thanks Ray Franz!!!!!!!
And one final thought thanks to Cassilines:
The Aid book definitely stated that Jesus is mediator for all. Aside from the fact that a major contributor to the Aid book was Ray Franz (an 'apostate' <gag> <choke>) the other reason for getting rid of that book and replacing it with the 'Insight on the Scriptures' was that the 'Insight' book now has the teaching of Jesus is mediator only for the 144,000.
I don't have an Aid book in the house; maybe someone can put up the page numbers for us.
Edited by - dungbeetle on 30 July 2002 5:33:39
