Watchtower "shut off the Kingdom of Heaven" for 72 years

by truthseeker 18 Replies latest jw friends

  • Narkissos
    Narkissos

    Once again, our JW doctrinal background gives an unsuspected (yet powerful) ring to a NT passage, which was not prioritarily about heaven as a destination (and certainly not as compared to another destination, i.e. earth).

    The Lukan version of the saying which substitutes "knowledge" (gnôsis) to "the kingdom" is particularly interesting in view of the parallels in the Gospel of Thomas (logia 39 and 102): notice the comical Greek topos about the dog in the cattle's manger.

    http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/thomas/gospelthomas39.html
    http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/thomas/gospelthomas102.html

  • truthseeker
    truthseeker

    Hi Narkissos,

    Thanks for the info...I guess there is a big difference between heaven and knowledge.

    BLATZ

    (39) Jesus said: The Pharisees and the scribes have taken the keys of knowledge (and) have hidden them. They did not go in, and those who wished to go in they did not allow. But you, be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

    LAYTON

    (39) Jesus said, "The Pharisees and the Scribes have taken the keys to acquaintance and hidden them. They have neither entered nor let those who want to enter enter. You (plur.), then, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves."

    DORESSE

    44 [39]. Jesus says: "The Pharisees and the scribes have taken the keys of knowledge and hidden them: they have not entered, and neither have they permitted <entry> to those who wished to enter. But you, be prudent as serpents and simple as doves!"

  • uninformed
    uninformed

    Truth seeker,

    What a great topic.

    No joke, I am truly humbled by how damn smart and tuned in some of you folks are.

    Great Scripture, and makes absolute sense.

    When I was young, 20 and 21, I was in prison for the draft. I studied over 2000 hours in one year out of the JW library that had accumulated at the prison for several decades.

    I was truly on a spiritual 'high', and sometimes at night I would wonder whether or not I should partake of the emblems. The WT was clear that the door was shut in 1935, but I felt like an adopted son of God. But I gave in. For years I would nearly cry inside at Memorials as I felt like I should partake, but I didn't. They shut the heavens up to me.

    Now, I realize that the WT never had a link to God or Heaven and I should have partaken back then. I partake now, not in recognition that I am going to heaven or part of a special class of people, but because I have accepted Christ as my SAVIOR. Where I spend eternity is not mine to take.

    But---I sure enjoyed your post and your reasoning.

    Brant

  • Gregor
    Gregor

    It's always nice to have the official blessing of AGuest. We are a bunch of fucky luckers.

  • AGuest
    AGuest

    May you have peace!

    My sincerest apologies if I offended - that truly was not my intent. I just felt a bit... ummmm... rejoiceful... that some are now understanding the significance of what the WTBTS has done. So MANY of their followers wish to know the Christ (which is part of the “gnosis” that Thomas wrote about and Narkissos mentioned here), but these don't allow it. They have "divided" the Christ... to the detriment of millions. If even ONE "gets it," however, how can I not rejoice? If even ONE can see the result (if not the very purpose) of the WTBTS' lying propaganda on this particular issue, how can I not acknowledge that? I could not stay silent, I am sorry.

    It is true that "gnosis" (knowledge) is the "key" to that part of the spirit realm/heaven where the Most Holy One of Israel resides. The problem lies in the truth regarding what that "knowledge" is/consists of. Some believe that it is knowledge itself, so that they conclude that knowledge is what was being withheld from Adam/Eve by means of a restriction from the Tree... of Knowledge. This is an error, because it was not knowledge that we being withheld; indeed, nothing was being "withheld" other than death. The Tree was of the knowledge... of good... AND bad. Life... AND death. Adam and Eve "knew" good... life; they did not know bad... death. Nor did God want them to "know" death... for obvious reasons.

    By his statement that, if they ate they would "become like God, knowing good AND bad...," however, our Adversary exploited Adam's desire to be able to know death... and yet live. Like God. He LIED to Adam, however, by telling him (Adam) that although he (Adam) would indeed know death... he would not be BOUND by it ("you will NOT die"). The TRUTH was that Adam not only came to know death - i.e., know the experience and result of death - but once he came into its grips, he could not release himself so as to live again. Only the Most Holy One of Israel, JAH of Armies, had, at that time... the "keys"... to death.

    Others (the WTBTS in particular) believe that it is “taking in knowledge of” and/or the “knowledge of” God and Christ that is the “key” to heaven. This, too, is an error. Even bad spirits know of God and Christ; yet, they are unable to enter. And a great many of earthling man (indeed, most, if not all) know of God and Christ; yet, most of these do not enter, either. Those who are said to be “shutting up the kingdom of the heavens before men” know of God and Christ; yet, “these do not enter; neither do they permit those on their way in to go in.”

    The TRUTH is that in order to enter into the MOST Holy, the place where the MOST Holy of Israel, JAH of Armies, resides/dwells… one has to KNOW… Christ. Not, “knowledge/gnosis” in general, not “know of”… not “take in knowledge of.” And not know… as in be familiar with. The word “know”… as in knowing the Christ… means being JOINED to… as in a man “knowing” a woman. “Having knowledge of” her… in a CARNAL way.

    The word “know” (“ginosko”) means:

    1) to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel
    a) to become known
    2) to know, understand, perceive, have knowledge of
    a) to understand
    b) to know
    3) Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse between a man and a woman
    4) to become acquainted with, to know

    It is the third definition that is correct and is meant in the following:

    “THIS… means everlasting life: that they might KNOW you… the only TRUE God… [by means of] the One you sent, JAHESHUA MISCHAJAH."
    Narkissos graciously gave us verses from various versions of Thomas’ account that mention “keys” to knowledge. The accounts, however, don’t mention what such “keys” are. But it is not difficult for us to know, because while the scribes and Pharisees “hid” them from (fleshly) Israel, they are not hidden from SPIRITUAL Israel. The “keys” are:

    1. FAITH
    2. LOVE
    3. MERCY
    4. FORGIVENESS
    5. JUSTICE

    The scribes and Pharisees “hid” these because they neither practiced them… nor allowed their followers to practice them (although they TAUGHT that they should: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the seat of Moses. Therefore, all the things that they TELL you, do and observe, but do NOT do according to THEIR deeds, for they SAY… but do not PERFORM.” Matthew 23:2)

    By means of these “keys”, however, one can access the DOOR… Christ (through whom ALL who wish to enter must go)… who, in turn, dispenses HOLY SPIRIT, the semen of God, by which we have a “union” with God… and the blood of God… by which we are able to transfigure so as to enter (we become flesh, with HIS blood, vs. flesh with ITS blood).

    Those who wish to enter into the Most Holy, therefore, must have such a KNOWING of (union with) Christ… and be known BY (joined to) him in this way, because… while many can enter into the spiritual realm by “climbing up some other way” (rendering such “thieves” and “plunderers” – having entered a “man’s house” without permission!)… NO ONE comes to the Father… except THROUGH the Son. Those who enter THROUGH Christ… the Door… can do so because they are IN UNION with him and so of ONE SPIRIT with him… in the same manner as a man in “is union” with and of “one flesh” with a woman he knows carnally. In this way, by means of this union with Christ, they are, by RELATION… in UNION… with God.

    They KNOW Him… and are known BY Him. (“Everyone who has been born from God does not carry on sin because His sperm remains in such one and he cannot practice sin because he has been born from God” - 1 John 3:9)

    Anyway, again, I apologize if you felt I was giving my personal sanction: again, that was not my intent. I was only voicing my happiness that folks are even interested. I bid you peace.

    Your servant and a slave of Christ,


    SA

  • ninja
    ninja

    hey truthy....I asked this very question last year....see this topic...http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/130995/1.ashx......as usual.....there was a bucketload of replies.....he he

  • ninja
    ninja

    p.s look at matthew 23 verse 15....(Matthew 23:15) . . .“Woe to YOU, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because YOU traverse sea and dry land to make one proselyte, and when he becomes one YOU make him a subject for Ge·hen'na twice as much so as yourselves.

    looks familiar eh?

  • V
    V

    Marked for reference

  • justhuman
    justhuman

    The WT has actually shut the Kingdom of Heaven ever since 1931. The limited number of the 144.000 hasn't changed at all so again those who supposed to inherit God's Kindom are an Elite Group.

    This is what I wrote in one of my recent posts:


    He also said woe to you scribes and pharisses because you shut the doors of the Kingdom in Heaven before men, beacause neither you can enter, and you do not allow others to enter...What modern class of Scribes and Pharisses are shutting the doors of heaven? We all know who they are: They are the Elit Club of the WT called Faithfull and Discreet Slave. All those years they shut before us the Kindom of Heavens, by keeping the 2 class Christians doctrine. Jesus said that if you do not eat my flesh in drink my blood you there is no life within you. Now we know why did the WT all those years kept away from us that privelege to be with Jesus, and condemn us to be apart from our Lord Jesus.

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