An earlier date when the "great multitude/crowd" was first named: "Jehovah's witnesses"

by Doug Mason 7 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Doug Mason

  Unlike “The Fonz”, I can and do get things wrong.

  In my recent Study, “The Great Crowd before 1935 and Since”, I incorrectly stated that the name “Jehovah’s witnesses” was first extended to the “other sheep” class in 1948.

  After trawling through more source material, I now believe this took place in 1946. I have amended my study accordingly. See pages 18 and 19 of the Study at:

  http://www.jwstudies.com/The_Great_Crowd_before_1935_and_since.pdf

  The amended text is provided below.

  Doug

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  Whenever the Watchtower Society says that the name “Jehovah’s witnesses” originated in 1931, it does not explicitly state that this referred exclusively to the Anointed, those of the “little flock”. Nor does it trumpet the particular moment when the name “Jehovah’s witnesses” was first extended to the great multitude (crowd).

  Without fanfare, the name “Jehovah’s witnesses” was first applied to the “other sheep” in The Watchtower magazine of January 15, 1946.

  "Not all the above-reported number of Jehovah’s witnesses are members of the remnant of Zion’s spiritual children. The vast majority of the number of active Jehovah’s witnesses reporting in 1945 was made up of consecrated persons of good-will, the Lord’s 'other sheep'”. (The Watchtower announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom, January 15, 1946, page 22)

  This was not followed up in immediately subsequent issues of The Watchtower, although it was explained that in 1931 only the “remnant” were given the name “Jehovah’s witnesses”.

  "… the summer of 1931. Then at the time … the remnant of the ‘‘little flock” declared themselves to the world as being 'Jehovah’s witnesses'”. (The Watchtower announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom, May 15, 1946, page 156)

  "It was the remnant of consecrated Christians who obeyed the word of the Greater Cyrus, Christ Jesus, and who are today known the world over as 'Jehovah’s witnesses'”. (The Watchtower announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom, July 15, 1946, page 214)

  The 1946 book Let God Be True ascribed the name “Jehovah’s witnesses” to the “great multitude”:

  "An unnumbered multitude of faithful persons now working as Jehovah’s witnesses." (Let God Be True, page 223 (1946). Page 231 of the 1952 edition amends “multitude” to “crowd”)

  "They do not expect to go to heaven. They have been promised life everlasting upon earth. … They, as Jehovah’s witnesses. …" (Let God Be True, page 223 (1946). Page 231 of the 1952 edition amends “life everlasting upon” to “everlasting life on”)

  "Jonadabs are Jehovah’s witnesses, even though they are not of the remnant of the 'body of Christ'”. (Let God Be True, page 223 (1946). For some reason, page 231 of the 1952 edition omits “Jehovah’s”.)

  "His “other sheep” or Jonadabs, too, are Jehovah’s witnesses." (Let God Be True, page 223 (1946). Page 232 of the 1952 edition.)
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  fukitol

  If Jehovah called all the ancient Israelite nation his 'witnesses', how can the great crowd be Jehovah's "Witnesses" when they're not a part of "spiritual Israel" (comprises the 144k only)?
  

  If you study obscure JW theology, you'll discover that the 'other sheep' basically have no Christian status at all.

  The Society actually teaches that the Bible was not technically written for the 'other sheep', that Jesus is not technically their mediator, and they are not technically even Christians.
  
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  Doug Mason

  When Isa 43:10 speaks of "you are my witnesses", it is saying to Judah and Israel that they had witnessed YHWH. They had seen him in action. The complete context shows that despite having witnessed him, Judah and Israel had gone against his will, and for that very reason, he was going to destroy them.
  

  I will not go into the detail here, as this motivates me to put finger to keyboard and eyeballs onto computer screen. Almost every single Bible scholar says that chapter 40 of Isaiah and on was written during the Babylonian Captivity, which gives the meaningful context to chapter 43. Read the whole chapter, forgetting the WTS's ridiculous idea that this is an eschatological prediction about them.

  In 1931, Rutherford said that the name "Jehovah's witnesses" was introduced to differentiate them from the other sects that also claimed allegiance to Russell.

  Doug
  
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  Terry

  I think the actual phrase, "Jehovah's witness. . ." appeared in Studies in the Scripture attached to the Great Pyramid ramblings.

  Something or other like. . ."The Great Pyramid is Jehovah's witness in stone. . ."

  But the application to the Great Crowd is equally wrong-headed as well. That's 0 for 2 for the WTS.
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  Crazyguy

  I thought I read somewhere on this forum that the term Jehovah's Witnesses wasn't even originally a Russell or Rutherford term and that another Christian writer made up the phrase.
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  Doug Mason

  I notice that the return of the Jews to Palestine consistently figured as a feature up until 1930. (See: Light (Book 1), page 140, published 1930).

  I also notice that in 1931, when Rutherford introduced his "Jehovah's witness" name to the "little flock", that at the very same time, he said that the Jews return to Palestine had nothing to do with God’s Word. (See: Vindication, Book One, page 206, published 1931)

  The following year, he said that all Biblical references to Israel and the Jews actually applied to “God’s anointed remnant” (See: Vindication, Book Two, page 113, 1932)

  Doug
  
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  Doug Mason

  A quick search shows me that Rutherford started to link "witnesses" and "God's name" with the January 1, 1925 Watchtower.

  Doug
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  CloseTheDoor

  Marked