by Albert Einstein 11 Replies latest jw friends
We opened a discussion with my wife today at brakfast about Jesus being a mediator for anointed only according WT, and not for the Other sheep, ... she said "no way, never heard about that..." we decided to discuss it more detailed in the evening.... I know some quotes, but do you have some as well???.... saying FDS is a mediator for the Other sheep instead of Jesus.....
Thanks
Albert
• Is Jesus the "mediator" only for anointed Christians?
The term "mediator" occurs just six times in the Christian Greek Scriptures and Scripturally is always used regarding a formal covenant.
Moses was the "mediator" of the Law covenant made between God and the nation of Israel. (Gal. 3:19, 20) Christ, though, is the "mediator of a new covenant" between Jehovah and spiritual Israel, the "Israel of God" that will serve as kings and priests in heaven with Jesus. (Heb. 8:6; 9:15; 12:24; Gal. 6:16) At a time when God was selecting those to be taken into that new covenant, the apostle Paul wrote that Christ was the "one mediator between God and men." (1 Tim. 2:5) Reasonably Paul was here using the word "mediator" in the same way he did the other five times, which occurred before the writing of 1 Timothy 2:5, referring to those then being taken into the new covenant for which Christ is "mediator." So in this strict Biblical sense Jesus is the "mediator" only for anointed Christians.
The new covenant will terminate with the glorification of the remnant who are today in that covenant mediated by Christ. The "great crowd" of "other sheep" that is forming today is not in that new covenant. However, by their associating with the "little flock" of those yet in that covenant they come under benefits that flow from that new covenant. During the millennium Jesus Christ will be their king, high priest and judge. For more detailed information, see Aid to Bible Understanding, pages 1129 and 1130 under "Mediator"; also God's "Eternal Purpose" Now Triumphing for Man's Good, page 160, paragraph 10; also The Watchtower issues of February 15, 1966, pages 105 through 123; November 15, 1972, pages 685 and 686, under the subheading "Leading the Way to a New Covenant"; and April 1, 1973, pages 198 and 199, under the subheading "The New Covenant."
Many of the discussions of this don't come right and and state that Jesus is not a mediator for other sheep, however, it is implied.
The most recent example of this might be the WT April 15, 2009, page 27
Cheers
Chris
WT 15 Sept 1989, page 30
Do You Remember?
Have you given careful thought to recent issues of The Watchtower? If so, you will probably be able to recall the following:
In what sense does Paul use the term “mediator” when referring to Jesus at 1 Timothy 2:5, 6?
In this text, Paul uses the Greek word me?si′tes for “mediator,” which term has a legal significance, so he is not using this word in the broad sense common in many languages. Hence, Paul is not saying that Jesus is Mediator between God and all mankind. Rather, he is referring to Christ as legal Mediator of the new covenant, which laid the basis for Christ’s anointed followers to share with him in his heavenly Kingdom. (2 Corinthians 5:1, 5; Ephesians 1:13, 14; Hebrews 8:7-13)—8/15, pages 30, 31.
These seem to be clearly stated:
*** w91 2/15 p. 18 par. 11 "You Were Bought With a Price" ***Nevertheless, in a preliminary way, the great crowd have already "washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Revelation 7:14) Christ does not act as Mediator of the new covenant toward them, yet they benefit from this covenant through the work of God’s Kingdom. Christ still acts toward them, however, as High Priest, through whom Jehovah can and does apply the ransom to the extent of their now being declared righteous as God’s friends. (Compare James 2:23.) During the Millennium, they will gradually "be set free from enslavement to corruption [until finally they] have the glorious freedom of the children of God."—Romans 8:21.
*** w89 8/15 p. 31 Questions From Readers ***The people of all nations who have the hope of everlasting life on earth benefit even now from Jesus’ services. Though he is not their legal Mediator, for they are not in the new covenant, he is their means of approaching Jehovah. Christ said: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) All who will gain life on earth must direct their prayers to Jehovah through Jesus. (John 14:13, 23, 24) Jesus also serves as a compassionate High Priest who is able to apply in their behalf the benefits of his sacrifice, allowing them to gain forgiveness and eventual salvation.—Acts 4:12; Hebrews 4:15.
Consequently, 1 Timothy 2:5, 6 is not using "mediator" in the broad sense common in many languages. It is not saying that Jesus is a mediator between God and all mankind. Rather, it refers to Christ as legal Mediator (or, "attorney") of the new covenant, this being the restricted way in which the Bible uses the term. Jesus is also a corresponding ransom for all in that covenant, both Jews and Gentiles, who will receive immortal life in heaven. The apostle John referred to these at 1 John 2:2. But he indicated that others too will receive the benefit of Christ’s sacrifice: "He is a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, yet not for ours only but also for the whole world’s."
***Worldwide Security
chap. 1 pp. 10-11 par. 16 The Desire for Peace and Security Worldwide ***
Was Moses the mediator between Jehovah God and mankind in general? No, he was the mediator between the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the nation of their fleshly descendants. Likewise, the Greater Moses, Jesus Christ, is not the Mediator between Jehovah God and all mankind. He is the Mediator between his heavenly Father, Jehovah God, and the nation of spiritual Israel, which is limited to only 144,000 members. This spiritual nation is like a little flock of Jehovah’s sheeplike ones.—Romans 9:6; Revelation 7:4.
Are you serious? Your wife must not be paying attention during The Memorial, because they go over this every year. How many times have we heard, ".....We can only gain salvation by being ASSOCIATED with Jehovah God's visable organization today on earth, namely, the FaithFul & Discreet Slave."
See the articles mentioned above and I'm also sure you'll have more by day's end on this subject. And when you show your wife this mountain of evidence, tell her not to feel bad, most JW's don't know about this little bait & switch either. My late mother, a JW for almost 25 years, never knew this until she discovered it, then told me about. It shock her to the core and opened her mind. She actually bought COC and ISOCF and leant them to me!!!!
- Wing Commander
Atlantis posted this sendspace link about a week ago of the April 2009 SE....
Boyzone, Blacksheep, Blondie... great job! Thanks a lot!
Wing: of course she does not pay attention at meetings, since the reason to go to meetings is to show off the new dress and to discuss all the other new dresses in the KH....
Albert
My guess is that the majority of witlesses don't pay attention at meetings.
LD
