Posts by scholar

221

Watchtower Comments THE GENERATION CHANGE Featuring LEOLAIA

by V in

scholar

OOMPA

What you fail to understand and appreciate is the simple fact that the entire Olivet Discourse is a exegetical nightmare for scholars and theologians and so there are sound reasons why FDS has had to revise its understanding of matters including that much vexed phrase 'this generation' in Matthew 24:34. The only thorough academic study on this phrase in English that I have sighted is by Ernest Lovestam published as a Monograph in a Series edited by J. Lambrecht, 1980, republished in 1995 under the title Jesus and 'this Generation'.

So there is a paucity of exegesis on this phrase but abundant exegesis of the entire Olivet narrative all with much confusion with past and present scholarship. Therefore, by paying close attention to the text, its context and with Holy Spirit we how have certainty of interpretation and all of us can be ever so grateful and humble. May the Lord be praised!

scholar JW

221

Watchtower Comments THE GENERATION CHANGE Featuring LEOLAIA

by V in

scholar

Justitia Themis

You inquire about whether I should be posting on this board as a loyal and active Witness because such a board is offlimits to such ones according to the directives of the Society. From time to time this matter has been raised with me and I reply as follows; This board is a public form which has has as its purpose a discussion of Jehovah's Witnesses. My conscience and sense of Duty compels and permits me from time to time wjereupon it is necessary to defend and uphold the teachings and beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses. My life is dedicated to Him and to cooperate with his Orgabization or Church and Obey his Sacred Word. I post infrequently made necessary when an issue arises that seeks to diminish our sacred biblical teachings and the faith of various readers is challenged. My sole purpose in posting is simply to defend our beliefs and not to convert anyone for all of us must make choices in our lives and be responsible for such choices.

It may well be that in the future I may rethink my position and cease posting on this board becaus one's conscience, moral sense and spirituality is ever evolving. For the moment my sense of duty, moral integrity and conscience impels me to give a defence in accord with 1 Peter 3:15.

scholar JW

221

Watchtower Comments THE GENERATION CHANGE Featuring LEOLAIA

by V in

scholar

truthseeker

Post 1568

Yes, no doubt Leolaia should make her own defence and she has already begun but you have read her piece, you have embraced it so why can't you defend it if you have truly understood it? Or are you gullible?

Leolaia is a very intelligent, articulate and well qualified academic and no doubt is far superior to me for I am simply a nobody, a simple Jehovah's Witness but I have some intellectual ability inferior to most and I use my abilities whatever these are to defend Jehovah, His Word and His Organization with all my power and strength because that is what I have dedicated my life. Integrity, Endurance, Courage, Mateship Sacrifice were qualities that marked the ANZACS and these self same qualities are very much characteristic of the Early Christians and Modern Day Christians known as Jehovah's Witnesses.

However, in this instance Leolaia has let the side down and has not served her loyal devotees well by producing a piece of articulate, poorly researched, biased nonsense.

scholar JW

221

Watchtower Comments THE GENERATION CHANGE Featuring LEOLAIA

by V in

scholar

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

I disagree that this current Watchtower is amateurish and un-scholarly for it it replete with references to other sources and as a major scholarly journal it is well suited in embracing the whole international community of scholars. Its contents can easily be presented in a suitable academic format for publishing in any leading academic journal if required. However, the Watchtower as a international scholarly journal is primarily designed in its current fromat as a Study Edition for congregations of Witnesses.

Such material is readily available for deeper research if required and that is the responsibility of the reader and not the Society. Your argument should be with Leolaia for producing a gullible opinionand not the Society because their purpose is to explain and teach the Bible to all people of good-will. By the way the Society does not protect pedohiles for that is simply apostate-evil propaganda.

scholar JW

221

Watchtower Comments THE GENERATION CHANGE Featuring LEOLAIA

by V in

scholar

LEX TALIONIS

Your remarks about my personal life are cowardly and repulsive. You hide behind a pseudonym boasting that you know more about me than I know about you. For the record get your facts right.

My marriage is fine. I am a tradesman/artisan/crafsman whatever you like and proud of it. I am a regular researcher at the largest Theological Library in Australia. I have a very large, personal Theological Library. I am a geat devotee of Bible Commentaries especially those technical rather than Devotional which are from Catholic, Protestsant-Evangelical and Jewish backgrounds. I am a great devotee of scholarly Journals. I am in contact with leading international scholars if that is necessary. I am proud and honoured to be a Jehovah's Witness.

I completed a Masters Degree in Studies of Religion at the University of Sydney, 2003 and I completed a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Religious Studies and Philosophy at Deakin University in 2000.

I am also flattered that my reputation has spread to that far corner of the world Albania.

scholar JW

221

Watchtower Comments THE GENERATION CHANGE Featuring LEOLAIA

by V in

scholar

Leolaia

Post 11706

I am fully aware of the scholarly opinion of Markan priority over Matthew and Luke but this is simply a form of criticism without any sound evidence. For starters, the matter of dating the Gospels is to be preferred in my opinion over the meanderings of scholars on this subject. Matthew is the longest book and Mark is the shorter so it is difficult to see that an abbreviated Gospel could somehow be antecedent to a much longer Gospel, Matthew. Further, Matthew was written in first in Hebrew rather than Greek which was not the case with the other Synoptics. Evidenced indicates that Matthew was also written first in the year 41 CE in Palestine with Mark composed in 60-65 CE at Rome.

Therefore, there are at least 3 sound reasons for arguing against assumed Markan priority. I think you have lost yourself in the murky mire of higher criticsm.

scholar JW

221

Watchtower Comments THE GENERATION CHANGE Featuring LEOLAIA

by V in

scholar

Mary

Post 9247

A quality typical of apostates is 'gulliibility' and when someone writes a piece against WT doctrine even if it is dressed up as scholarship then it is instantly accepted by all without a moment of criticism. I have printed out her opinion and have carefully examined here facts, logic paragraph by paragraph and it is simply fraudently and I have already posted my reasons for saying this. Further, I invite her to defend her pretensions with me and I expect that we will be debating these matters soon. I may be many things and there are many things that I am not good at but one thing I am good at and that is spotting a fraud either in the long distance or close up and this nonsense is deceptive and fraudulent, So there1

So if you so smart and are convinced by this opinion of Leolaia then perhaps you could give me a simple reason why parousia means coming and not present in the context of Matthew 24. Come on and have a go.

scholar JW

221

Watchtower Comments THE GENERATION CHANGE Featuring LEOLAIA

by V in

scholar

AnnOmaly

Amateurish it is, scholarly it is not but is simply a diatribe dressed up as scholarship against the Lord's people. For starters, there is no evidence of wide reading or research, there is no use of Lexica, Commentaries or Journal articles support her opinion. Further, many of the areas that she touches on are the subject of much varied opinion within scholarship which she fails to mention to the reader. She creates the opinion that all matters are black and white or true and false such as we are wrong but I/she is right which is deceit at its very best. Leolaia from her earliest postings has always shown a preferenc efor extra-Biblical sources which is OK but not at the expense of careful hermeneutics of the Sacred Text.

Also, she implies that the use of Eisegesis is unwise or is misused but for the record I would contend that eisegesis is a sound hermeneutical practice and is most essential in understanding Bible prophecy and is necessary in the current interpretation of the Olivet Discourse,

scholar JW

35

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 4-20-08 WT Study (Presence)

by blondie in

jw
friends

"what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system things?"--matt.

q) 6 what does revelation chapter 12 help us to understand about christ's presence?

q) 8, 9. who would recognize the sign of christs presence and understand its meaning?.

scholar

Jeffro

Post 1739

If you cannot stand the heat then get out of the kitchen.

scholar JW

35

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 4-20-08 WT Study (Presence)

by blondie in

jw
friends

"what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system things?"--matt.

q) 6 what does revelation chapter 12 help us to understand about christ's presence?

q) 8, 9. who would recognize the sign of christs presence and understand its meaning?.

scholar

hilary_step

Post 8010

Certainly 'arrival' is far better than 'coming' as it approximates that locative aspect inherent in the word 'presence' Coming is simply momentary rather than the static sense conveted by 'being present'. However, all Greek Lexicons give 'presence' as a primary meaning and 'arrival' or 'coming' as secondary meanings for parousia. Theological dictionaries call attention to the Technical Meaing of parousia when applied to the arrival or coming of a royal personage on a visit which of course terms such as 'coming' or 'arrival' are usually applied. However, in the case of Jesus Christ the meaning of presence is the only choice for it is made necessary by the context, etymology, discernment by His disciples, worldwide location by the use of the 'lightning' metaphor and its invisibility because it is not easily recognizable and deceived by false prophets.

All of these exegetical facts prove that parousia means 'presence' and 'presence' alone.

scholar JW