Is the governing body now saying they are APOSTLES?

by yesidid 24 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  trueblue

  I remember at this Watchtower study it said that the elders had the ablity to perseive what is beyond normal, and I know this elder who can not remember anything, first I was affended that he never did anything he told me he would do, I finally fugured out that he has a bad memory.

  Jesus sent in the disciples ahead of himself to Jerusalem, there was complaints made to Jesus about the people coming in telling them that he was coming and Jesus replied that if they did not do it then the rocks would cry out.

  I recken if Jehovah could make the rocks cry out he could make a zomby cry out.
• 

  Narkissos

  Imo it is sufficient for the GB to claim collective, apostolic-like authority (as they have been doing for a long time in practice) without claiming the title of "apostles". I don't think individual GB members will ever be called "apostles"; not only that wouldn't fare well in the JW mindset, but that would be threatening to the corporate nature of the system.

  Practically all kinds of church authority derive from the notion of "apostleship" when you come to think of it. Whether it is apostolic succession in the sense of a(n alleged) living line of bishops as in the ancient, Catholic or Eastern churches, or through the mediation of scripture which warrants the authority of Protestant teachers interpreting apostolic material. The neo-apostolic trend in some recent charismatic churches combines the "living" and "scriptural" forms of apostolic succession, although without the "historical" line. JWs are just making their own adaptation of the same pattern with their Governing Body.

  How they can technically argue it is another matter, which brings me to the broader question of NT typology which perhaps deserves another thread.
• 

  compound complex

  bttt
• 

  neverendingjourney

  While the WT may not directly equte the GB with the 12 apostles, I always felt it was implicit in its teachings. They have, however, directly linked the GB with the "apostles and older men" of the 1st century Jerusalem congregation. Making the connection from the 12 apostles to the GB is not much of a stretch for a believer as a result.

  This is especially true because for a long time, the GB consisted of 12 men. The number would decrease when memebers died off, but they were quickly replaced to get the number back up to 12. The GB has consisted of 9 members for a few years now, but it was always right around 12 when I was a believer, which helped further solidify the apostles/GB connection in my own mind.
• 

  Narkissos

  I tried to explain what I had in mind about "NT typology" here: http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/178183/1/WT-typology-and-the-NT