PMJ
in response to your question on the apostles making mistakes, that is a flawed argument. (some of this has already been covered but here goes) Individuals make mistakes, but not those whilst being directed by holy spirit.
That is a normal WTS counter argument used to dismiss false predictions and mistakes.
In Reasoning from the Scriptures p. 136 it says”
“Like the apostles of Jesus Christ, they have at times had some wrong expectations.—Luke 19:11; Acts 1:6”.
Is this a fitting comparison? It is true that the Apostles had some wrong expectations. However it is interesting to look at the background to each of these. Luke 19:11 says that:
“While they were listening to these things he spoke in addition an illustration, because he was near Jerusalem and they were imagining that the kingdom of God was going to display itself instantly”.
This scripture was describing a time when Jesus was still on earth, before the outpouring of Holy Spirit. This is also before these brothers were part of the Governing Body. There are other occurrences where the Apostles were wrong. In Acts 1:6 it shows that the disciples were lacking in understanding whilst Jesus was still on earth, before they received the Holy Spirit, in fact it was foretold that the Holy Spirit was to come to give them power.
(Acts 1:6) “When, now, they had assembled, they went asking him: “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” 7 He said to them: “It does not belong to YOU to get knowledge of the times or seasons which the Father , has placed in his own jurisdiction; 8 but YOU will receive power when the Holy Spirit arrives upon YOU.””
The final occurrence was after Jesus spoke to Peter as recorded at John 21:22, 23:
“If it is my will for him to remain until I come, of what concern is that to you? You continue following me.” 23 In consequence, this saying went out among the brothers, that that disciple would not die. However, Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but: “If it is my will for him to remain until I come, of what concern is that to you?”
Once again the saying went out before the outpouring of Holy Spirit. It may or may not have continued amongst the individual brothers, but we see John, one of the Governing Body correcting that view. It was a totally different matter when the disciples were part of the Governing Body. When under the guidance of Holy Spirit these brothers did not make interpretative mistakes and because the understanding was infallible their decisions are contained in the bible.
It is true that individual apostles made mistakes. Every person is a sinner and can not be expected to say and do the right thing all the time. Peter erred repeatedly and treated the Gentile Christians in a wrongful manner. But in none of his bible writings did he push this incorrect teaching or any other incorrect teaching for us to believe today. Nowhere were incorrect teachings promoted in one New Testament bible book that later required correction by another writer.
It is the same if we look to the Israelites. The individuals were frequently sinning, as individual Witnesses do today. Moses even sinned with some of his verbal statements. But when Holy Spirit directed Moses to write his 600 commandments for the organisation of Israelites, they all were from God, they all were correct, and to this day are held up as an example of biblical inspiration.
