Doug Mason

Joined

• started 457 topics
• posted 2,351 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by Doug Mason

• 
  7

  Funeral talk

  by dothemath in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i was recently present at a witness funeral (by zoom) and the brother did do a nice talk about this sister who passed away.

  her and her husband had pioneered for many years, but she succumbed to cancer.. in his closing remarks, of course he talked about the resurrection, and remarked how the husband (still alive) would soon be back together with his wife.. certainly fine thoughts, but imagine if this guy ended up getting remarried?

  isn’t that putting a lot of pressure on someone, when it isn’t even mentioned in the bible at all?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Doug Mason

  The Hebrews inherited the idea of resurrection from the Persians (following the defeat of Babylon). The idea did not really take off until the Jews (as they had now become known as) inherited the idea of a "soul" and "Consciousness in death" from the Greeks.

  Hence the only place in their Scriptures where resurrection is mentioned is in Daniel. That Book, of course, was prepared the the 2nd century BCE, following the absorption of those ideas from Persia and Greece.

  All of this took place in a much larger context, in which the Jews took on the idea of "Last Days"; "War in heaven"; Evil Leader of fallen angels, and so forth.

  All these features might not appear strange for some today, but they were extremely novel at the time.

  The Saddusees only ever accepted the Torah, and since it does not speak of a resurrection, so neither did the Sadducees. They were true to the Scriptures, whereas the Pharisees were more generous and accepted other writings as authoritative.

  Doug

  An Afterthought: Is this idea of resurrection part of a denial of Death?
• 
  4

  Second Temple Period: Messiahs (Draft)

  by Doug Mason in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i have been researching the second temple period (2tp) for a little while and there is more i have yet to do.. i am preparing a series of 5 studies (plus a separate list of resources) and the first study has reached its draft stage.. normally, i do not make a draft publicly available, but for several reasons i decided to do so this time.

  this study deals with the messiahs prior to and during the 2tp.. as this is a draft, i will appreciate – even encourage – any feedback, especially criticisms and corrections.. messiahs (draft): https://jwstudies.com/2tp_messiahs.pdf.

  resources (draft): https://jwstudies.com/2tp_resources.pdf.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Doug Mason

  I have been researching the Second Temple Period (2TP) for a little while and there is more I have yet to do.

  I am preparing a series of 5 Studies (plus a separate list of resources) and the first Study has reached its Draft stage.

  Normally, I do not make a Draft publicly available, but for several reasons I decided to do so this time. This Study deals with the Messiahs prior to and during the 2TP.

  As this is a Draft, I will appreciate – even encourage – any feedback, especially criticisms and corrections.

  Messiahs (Draft): https://jwstudies.com/2TP_Messiahs.pdf

  Resources (Draft): https://jwstudies.com/2TP_Resources.pdf

  Doug
• 
  2

  Comments on a range of topics

  by Doug Mason in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  hi,.

  while focusing on completing my studies on the second temple period, occasionally i receive questions which help keep the creative juices flowing, and which help me shape my studies.. my responses are thrown off the top without any time spent in serious research.. https://jwstudies.com/my_responses_up_to_4_december_2020.pdf.

  doug.

  1. 
  2. 
• 

  Doug Mason

  Hi,

  While focusing on completing my Studies on the Second Temple Period, occasionally I receive questions which help keep the creative juices flowing, and which help me shape my Studies.

  My responses are thrown off the top without any time spent in serious research.

  https://jwstudies.com/My_responses_up_to_4_December_2020.pdf

  Doug
• 
  10

  Second-Temple Period Messiahs

  by Doug Mason in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  writing is a lonely discipline that is constantly beset with self-doubt and constant self-criticism.

  that is the way it needs to be.. there are times when i need to reach out for help in the form of criticism from others.

  this is particularly the situation with this material.. https://jwstudies.com/second-temple_period_messiahs.pdf .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Doug Mason

  Thanks for your thoughts Phizzy.

  The key word in Hebrews appears to be "better". I will keep Hebrews in mind if it makes a clear contribution.

  As you say, by the time Hebrews was written, a High Christology had developed, as is evidenced by the Fourth Gospel, which was written by people who had been kicked out of the synagogue for that reason. ("Anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue" John 9:22, NRSV).

  Yesterday I received the book, "The One Who is to Come" by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J. (which stands for "Society of Jesus", in other words a Jesuit priest).

  When I scanned quickly through the book I was dismayed to see so many words written in Hebrew (I can decipher Greek letters ok but with Hebrew I am a disgrace). However, on closer inspection, I saw that Fitzmyer provides the English translation --- not in every case but it soon became easy to identify the Hebrew letters for the word "Messiah".

  A good book. A really good book.

  Doug
  
• 
  10

  Second-Temple Period Messiahs

  by Doug Mason in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  writing is a lonely discipline that is constantly beset with self-doubt and constant self-criticism.

  that is the way it needs to be.. there are times when i need to reach out for help in the form of criticism from others.

  this is particularly the situation with this material.. https://jwstudies.com/second-temple_period_messiahs.pdf .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Doug Mason

  Hi,

  I have now had the time to carefully consider your excellent feedback, which I do appreciate. Writing is a very lonely process and I need to receive help.

  "Messiah" is a Hebrew word, it is not English. Secondly, it is rendered as "Christ" in Greek, although some see a relationship with the Greek Chrest. Beyond my pay scale, sorry to say.

  A person was not anointed as a Messiah. The OT does not use the term "the messiah". They were anointed to a position, whether it be as a king, priest or in one case as a prophet. Even Cyrus was treated as "Anointed" although it is unlikely that oil was actually applied.

  An eschatological Messiah developed in the latter part of the Second Temple Period (3rd and 2nd centuries BCE).

  The Scriptures covered a long period and the situation in many regards, including Messiah, was fluid. Further, the Scriptures were subjected to constant editing and amendments. When you look at my more recent post on "Ezra and Nehemiah", you will see the unravelling that is required to be applied to the text, of which Ezra/Nehemiah/Chronicles is but one example.

  The changes introduced by the Watchtower Society for its translation of the Scriptures continues a process that started as soon as the ink dried on the first scroll.

  The post-exilic Second Temple Period is the Biblical period. They rendered stories about the past. That includes the Torah (Genesis to Numbers). The Book of Daniel was among the very last, hence included in the Writings, and was one of several apocalyptic writings at that time which included (parts of) 1 Enoch, the Book of Jubilees, and so on. Daniel was the only such 2nd century BCE writing that was canonised, although the other literature remained significant for the New Testament writers.

  Your thoughts?

  Doug
• 
  1

  Ezra and Nehemiah

  by Doug Mason in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  in the course of my research into the second temple period, i gathered material on ezra, nehemiah, and the chronicler.. this file reproduces "peake's commentary on the bible".

  the font size in the book can only be about 3 points with no space between the paragraphs.

  i have provided two versions, one contains highlights that i made for myself, the other file has no highlights.. https://jwstudies.com/peake_s_ezra_nehemiah_commentary__with_highlights_.pdf .

  1. 
• 

  Doug Mason

  In the course of my research into the Second Temple Period, I gathered material on Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Chronicler.

  This file reproduces "Peake's Commentary on the Bible". The font size in the book can only be about 3 points with no space between the paragraphs. I have provided two versions, one contains highlights that I made for myself, the other file has no highlights.

  https://jwstudies.com/Peake_s_Ezra_Nehemiah_commentary__with_highlights_.pdf

  https://jwstudies.com/Peake_s_Ezra_Nehemiah_commentary.pdf

  In addition, I created a file from material at the site of The Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies. In accordance with their Copyright statement, I have not amended their content and I have acknowledged the sources. My only additions are the Contents listing (based solely on information in their pages) and I numbered the pages of my document.

  https://jwstudies.com/Persia_and_Creation_of_Judaism.pdf

  Doug
• 
  5

  "Great Crowd" important detail glossed over

  by neat blue dog in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the latest study wt gives another glowing report from rutherford's time:.

  in his talk, brother rutherford identified those whowould make up the “great multitude” (king james ver-sion), or “great crowd,” mentioned at revelation 7:9. un-til then, this group was thought to be a secondary heav-enly class that was less faithful.

  brother rutherford usedthe scriptures to explain that the great crowd are notchosen to live in heaven, but they are christ’s othersheep who will survive “the great tribulation”.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Doug Mason

  For Rutherford, only the 144,000 were "Jehovah's witnesses". The term was not extended to the others until after his death. He used terms such as "Jonadabs" for the others. He had to find a way to cope with the fact that he now had more than 144,00 followers.

  Yes, I deliberately used "witnesses", not "Witnesses".

  Of course, the verse in Isaiah is in the context of the Babylonian exile. Second Isaiah said their condition resulted from their disobedience (to God) even though they had witnessed his works. Hence they were being punished by God.

  Doug
• 
  10

  Second-Temple Period Messiahs

  by Doug Mason in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  writing is a lonely discipline that is constantly beset with self-doubt and constant self-criticism.

  that is the way it needs to be.. there are times when i need to reach out for help in the form of criticism from others.

  this is particularly the situation with this material.. https://jwstudies.com/second-temple_period_messiahs.pdf .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Doug Mason

  Yes, there should be little doubt that the "Old Testament"/Hebrew scriptures were formulated in the post-exilic period.

  Further to that, the Jews, as they began to be known as during the Second Temple Period, were heavily and deeply influenced by the Persian and Greek religious ideas. Today, these ideas have become so ingrained into Christianity that when people look back at that period, they do not sense the novelties of the ideas, such as: Satan (etc.), resurrection, eschatology, state of the dead, life after death, and so on.

  Doug
• 
  10

  Second-Temple Period Messiahs

  by Doug Mason in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  writing is a lonely discipline that is constantly beset with self-doubt and constant self-criticism.

  that is the way it needs to be.. there are times when i need to reach out for help in the form of criticism from others.

  this is particularly the situation with this material.. https://jwstudies.com/second-temple_period_messiahs.pdf .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Doug Mason

  Sorry Guys,

  I have not been back here for a few days. I apologise.

  I have taken note of your comments which I will refer to again when I reach the editing stage. As you will see with my next post, I am still forging ahead collecting and gathering, and I have a way to go yet.

  I think the latest version of Luke/Acts would be about 120CE (likely against Marcion) and 2 Peter probably 40 years later (written by a follower of Paul). The title "Acts of the Apostles" is a misnomer as it is a carefully balanced "Acts of Two Apostles: Peter then Paul". As I said, very carefully balanced, likely to counter Marcion.

  I don't know any date for Hebrews but likely it was addressing a priestly class. The Sadducees became impotent with 70 CE, so I don't know where to go with that.

  My intention is to provide a helicopter view, a broad panoramic view. Each subject under the banner of "Second Temple Period" has generated many books and articles containing an untold number of pages.

  Yes, know I can be accused of being "too deep", but I will wear that. Sometimes I wonder whether my consciousness of my heritage helps me because it means I cannot be accused of being an anti-Semite. I never knew my grandparents (gassed or shot).

  Doug
• 
  20

  1914 a doctrinal lie that created an entire religion the Jehovah's Witnesses

  by Finkelstein in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  when you think about it the jws was foundationaly created upon a single core doctrine which was created close to a 100 years ago, that is the doctrinal year of 1914 .. the leader(s) of the ibsa in 1919 proclaimed that jehovah had selectively chosen them or him as it were by j. rutherford, they also self identified themselves as the anointed class the faithful slave.. from all of these expressive endeavors a new religion sprung up eventually calling themselves the jehovah's witnesses.

  years and decades followed where more and more people were lured into the faith making themselves subservient devoted members as well, some also identifying themselves as the anointed class.

  the jws proclaimed through their leaders (gb) that they were true loyal witnesses to jehovah's will and purpose, but were they really ?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Doug Mason

  These might be of use:

  https://jwstudies.com/The_Watch_Tower_Society_Reveals_Itself.pdf

  https://jwstudies.com/Changed_MD_and_SS_words.pdf

  https://jwstudies.com/The_List_from_Hourglass.pdf

  Doug