AGuest, 14 meetings?
Yep, dear NDrew (peace to you!). I kept agreeing for a couple/few reasons:
First, the PO really was trying to "save" me (he had reason to because he knew of the things I had written about to the WTBTS... one of which they later printed in the 10/95 WT), and so virtually pleaded with me not to give up, that "Jehovah, will make it all right"...
Secondly, I truly did think, early on, that "they" had the best intentions, but were only acting because the WTBTS hadn't received the "new light", yet... but would (yeah, I know - hit ME over the head with... well, anything you can get your hands on...);
After about 8 or 9meetings, I realized that my Lord kind of wouldn't let me stop... until I had told them ALL that he was giving me in order to respond to their... utterly ridiculous (I came to see) accusations/comments/position up to that point (all of which was related to false WTBTS teachings/doctrines/beliefs/practices)... and showed them where such conflicted with what's recorded in THEIR Bible.
I wondered how they had come to the conclusion they teach about him not being there, because the Bible doesn't say.
Actually, it DOES say, dear one, even in the NWT:
John 13:1-38 -
Now, because he knew before the festival of the passover that his hour had come for him to move out of this world to the Father, Jesus, having loved his own that were in the world, loved them to the end. So, while the evening meal was going on, the Devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Is·car´i·ot, the son of Simon, to betray him, he, knowing that the Father had given all things into [his] hands and that he came forth from God and was going to God, got up from the evening mealand laid aside his outer garments. And, taking a towel, he girded himself. After that he put water into a basin and started to wash the feet of the disciplesand to dry them off with the towel with which he was girded. And so he came to Simon Peter. He said to him: “Lord, are you washing my feet?” In answer Jesus said to him: “What I am doing you do not understand at present, but you will understand after these things.” Peter said to him: “You will certainly never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him: “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” Simon Peter said to him: “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.” [ Jesus] said to him: “He that has bathed does not need to have more than his feet washed, but is wholly clean. And YOU men are clean,but not all.”He knew, indeed, the man betraying him. This is why he said: “Not all of YOU are clean.”
When, now, he had washed their feet and had put his outer garments on and laid himself down at the table again, he said to them: “Do YOU know what I have done to YOU ? Y OU address me, ‘Teacher,’ and, ‘Lord,’ and YOU speak rightly, for I am such. Therefore, if I, although Lord and Teacher, washed YOUR feet, YOU also ought to wash the feet of one another. For I set the pattern for YOU, that, just as I did to YOU , YOU should do also. Most truly I say to YOU , A slave is not greater than his master, nor is one that is sent forth greater than the one that sent him. If YOU know these things, happy YOU are if YOU do them. I am not talking about all of YOU; I know the ones I have chosen. But it is in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, ‘He that used to feed on my bread has lifted up his heel against me.’ From this moment on I am telling YOU before it occurs, in order that when it does occur YOU may believe that I am [he]. Most truly I say to YOU , He that receives anyone I send receives me [also]. In turn he that receives me, receives [also] him that sent me.”
After saying these things, [Jesus] became troubled in spirit, and he bore witness and said: “Most truly I say to YOU , One of YOU will betray me.” The disciples began to look at one another, being at a loss as to which one he was saying [it] about. There was reclining in front of [Jesus’] bosom one of his disciples, and [Jesus] loved him. Therefore Simon Peter nodded to this one and said to him: “Tell who it is about whom he is saying [it].” So the latter leaned back upon the breast of [Jesus] and said to him: “Lord, who is it?” Therefore [Jesus] answered: “It is that one to whom I shall give the morsel that I dip.” And so, having dipped the morsel, he took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Is·car´i·ot. And after the morselthen Satan entered into the latter. [Jesus], therefore, said to him: “What you are doing get done more quickly.” However, none of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose he said this to him. Some, in fact, were imagining, since Judas was holding the money box, that Jesus was telling him: “Buy what things we need for the festival,” or that he should give something to the poor. Therefore,after he received the morsel,he went out immediately. And it was night."
Luke 22:14-23 -
"At length when the hour came, he reclined at the table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them: “I have greatly desired to eat this passover with YOU before I suffer; for I tell YOU , I will not eat it again until it becomes fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And, accepting a cup, he gave thanks and said: “Take this and pass it from one to the other among yourselves; for I tell YOU , From now on I will not drink again from the product of the vine until the kingdom of God arrives.”
Also, he took a loaf, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, saying: “This means my body which is to be given in YOUR behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” Also, the cup in the same way after they had the evening meal, he saying: “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood, which is to be poured out in YOUR behalf.
“But, look! the hand of my betrayer is with me at the table. Because the Son of man is going his way according to what is marked out; all the same, woe to that man through whom he is betrayed!” So they started to discuss among themselves the question of which of them would really be the one that was about to do this."
The WTBTS dismisses Judas' presence by stating (in the "Aid" and "Insight" books) that Luke was not written in chronological order. Luke himself denies this falsehood, however:
Luke 1:1-80
" Whereas many have undertaken to compile a statement of the facts that are given full credence among us, just as those who from [the] beginning became eyewitnesses and attendants of the message delivered these to us,I resolved also, because I have traced all things from the start with accuracy, to write them in logical order to you, most excellent The·oph´i·lus, that you may know fully the certainty of the things that you have been taught orally."
Bottom line... they're SO full of melarkey with their teaching on this one, dear one, and I hope what I've shared here helps YOU see what the truth of the matter REALLY is. If not, I offer: the "covenant"... ratified by the eating and drinking... was made with all TWELVE tribes of Israel. Had Judas not been present, it could have been made with only ELEVEN. One tribe would have had to be left out. That couldn't have occurred, however. So, my Lord ensured that the "covenant" ratified by JUDAS... could be broken - by giving him a "polluted" morsel (which is why it was dipped in the sop FIRST, unlike that for the others). Just as Judas was "unclean" (polluted, on the INSIDE)... the "bread" that represented Christ's "flesh"... was also "unclean" (thus, it did NOT represent HIS flesh). In this way, the covenant could be negated... which it was... and its symbolism (the "gate" which each Apostle represented) could be reassigned (which it later was... to Matthias).
Of course, this is only one of their plethora of false teachings... which they KNOW is false... but remain immovable because they don't want to admit their error and so have folks start looking into what ELSE they're wrong about.
I hope this helps and, again, peace to you!
YOUR servant and a slave of Christ,
SA
