Paragraph 8:
- The quote from C. T. Russell, I searched my PDF copy of the 1904 WT (several times) and couldn't find it. Does anyone know where this quote comes from?
Paragraph 9:
- The Bible scholar is Albert Barnes, Notes on the Bible, under Luke 10:4. (See here.)
Paragraph 11:
- Tricky, clever wording used to describe what Paul said at 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2:
"Under inspiration, he encouraged his brothers in Corinth not to wait until the end of the week to see what was left over but, rather, to set aside funds at the start of the week in harmony with what they could do."
(1 Corinthians 16:1, 2 NWT) . . .Now concerning the collection that is for the holy ones, just as I gave orders to the congregations of Ga·la′ti·a, do that way also yourselves. 2 Every first day of the week let each of YOU at his own house set something aside in store as he may be prospering, so that when I arrive collections will not take place then. (By the way, compare the improved rendering of verse 2 in the rNWT here. No more "at his own house.")
The paragraph employs a false dilemma ('Should I donate at the end of the week or at the beginning - what does God want me to do?' [Note the, "under inspiration," just to make sure you know that this is God's will, not Paul's] But the implied question was, 'Before I take care of my other obligations or after.') What Paul said had nothing to do with deciding which end of the week to wait for. The beginning of the week was convenient because that was the day Christians normally met for worship. (See linked reference here.) So it wasn't a question of the beginning OR the end of the week. It was simply an instruction to do this when they were normally together.
Most common people back then would have been paid every day for their labors. They didn't receive monthly or weekly pay-checks. Moreover, what is the difference between the last day of the week and the first day of the week to someone who gets paid daily for their labors? The real question Paul wanted settled was, 'Should they collect the donation before Paul arrived OR after he arrived.' Paul wanted to avoid the latter. But the paragraph's wording gives a clever, not-so-honest modern twist to how WT readers would understand Paul's words.
Another bit of cleverness is in the words in the paragraph, "not to wait . . . to see what was left over." That is exactly what Paul wanted when he said, "as he may be prospering." (Compare these renderings of 1Cor 16:2, especially the International Standard Version.)
Another mis-application exists in the fact that the Corinthians had asked Paul to have a share in helping the brothers in Jerusalem (along with the Galatians) because the Chritians in Jerusalem were in want. It had nothing to do with normal operating and living expenses. Paul's position was that those who could do so were to support themselves. (Acts 20:34; 2 Thess 3:10)
Paragraph 16:
- Thread on changes to the PDF version of the magazine. (See here.)