I am inclined to agree, Weana, however this is based not on one person's notes but several, which all pretty much say the same thing. It is still possible that the Society may further alter/refine their understanding between now and official publication, so of course we must wait until it is in print to be definitive.
Annual meeting. Greek scholars please help!
by DATA-DOG 42 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
-
Bobcat
Even tho there might be some possible change in the published WT position from what was reported, I like the fact that alot of info and discussion about the parable itself was gathered into one place. As the saying goes, 'to be forewarned is to be forearmed.'
Additionally, the reports are not just from a single source, and they seem to agree on the major points. I also like the fact that possible weak points and falacious reasoning have been identified. It often takes some multi-person brainstorming to do that.
Also, I don't agree that lack of 'scholarly' status is a bar to discussion of the language aspects of this. That view is not too different from the one that 'the powers that were' used to hold concerning common folk having access to the Bible itself. In fact, many of the 'non-scholarly' comments came from or were learned from 'scholarly' language references that are available to us 'non-scholars.' Information available to common people is the great counterweight to the power that 'scholars' and religious leaders would otherwise have.
-
DATA-DOG
Bumping and updating.
From JW.ORG:
"Who Really Is the Faithful and Discreet Slave?"
Jesus was referring, not to an individual, but to a composite "slave"-a group working together as one body. Jesus said that the slave (1) is appointed to a supervisory role "over [the master's] domestics" and (2) gives the domestics spiritual "food at the proper time."
From 1919 on, there has always been a small group of anointed Christians at the world headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses. They have supervised our worldwide preaching work and have been directly involved in preparing and dispensing spiritual food. In recent years, that group has been closely identified with the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses.
The evidence points to the following conclusion: "The faithful and discreet slave" was appointed over Jesus' domestics in 1919. That slave is the small, composite group of anointed brothers serving at world headquarters during Christ's presence who are directly involved in preparing and dispensing spiritual food. When this group work together as the Governing Body, they act as "the faithful and discreet slave."
1 com·pos·ite
adjective \käm-'pä-z?t, k?m-',especially British 'käm-p?-zit\
Definition of COMPOSITE
1: made up of distinct parts: asa capitalized : relating to or being a modification of the Corinthian order combining angular Ionic volutes with the acanthus-circled bell of the Corinthianb : of or relating to a very large family (Compositae syn. Asteraceae) of dicotyledonous herbs, shrubs, and trees often considered to be the most highly evolved plants and characterized by florets arranged in dense heads that resemble single flowersc : factorable into two or more prime factors other than 1 and itself <8 is a positive composite integer>2: combining the typical or essential characteristics of individuals making up a group <the composite man called the Poet - Richard Poirier>3of a statistical hypothesis : specifying a range of values for one or more statistical parameters - compare simple 10- com·pos·ite·ly adverb
SYNONYM: AMALGAM
amal·gam·ate
transitive verb \-g?-?mat\amal·gam·at·edamal·gam·at·ing
Definition of AMALGAMATE
: to unitein or as if in an amalgam; especially : to merge into a single body- amal·gam·ator noun
Examples of AMALGAMATE
- amalgamating different styles of music
- They amalgamated the hospital and the university.
According to the GB the FDS is a composite, not an individual. Are not individuals required to form a composite group? The Christian congregation is a composite group made of individual Christians. The individual does not cease to be a Christian if isolated from the group. The annual meeting new light is simply GB double-speak. They are giving a meaning to Jesus' parable to suit their ends. Their goal is for individual JW's to automatically equate FDS with GB. Jesus' parable is about individuals. If he choses more than one individual then that would form a composite group, of individuals. The core issue is that the GB want total control. They want to say,"WE ARE THE BOSS OF YOU!" They will do this by any means necessary.
-
Londo111
marked
-
Bobcat
DATA-DOG:
Notice also the standard "assertion" phraseology:
"The evidence points to the following conclusion"
Of course, no evidence is offered. 'All we know is that, whatever it is, it points to what we say it does'
-
DATA-DOG
Bobcat, EXACTLY! They chose the individuals that form the composite, even though they are violating their own nu-lite by doing so. It's okay as long as they get to make up the rules as they go along. They are like the spoiled child who won't play with you if you don't follow his rules, his game..
-
Vidqun
Recently, the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses has claimed the title “faithful and discreet slave” for themselves. This is a serious matter. When Jesus, as the master, returns and finds his slave to be faithful, he will appoint him over all his belongings. But when he arrives, and finds him beating his fellow slaves while imbibing with confirmed drunkards, he will be severely punished (Matt. 24:45-51; Luk. 12:41-48; cf. Rev. 18:3). In fact, he will be sentenced to death (Rev. 13:16 , 17; 14:9-12; 15:2; 16:2; 17:8; cf. 14:1, 4, 5).
-
QC
Note the activity topology of spiritually “gifted” faithful religiously pure network of individual Christians sustaining the therapeia ( qerapeiaV household of spiritual cure) Lu 12:42 under the leadership of Jesus in heaven. All accomplished by autonomous ecclesia without a central control from Jerusalem. This is the antecedent to today’s class of individual “faithful discreet” slaves. Mat 24:45-51; Lu 12:41-47
No Jerusalem GB c. AD34-AD37
Paul's conversion came via Ananias "laid hands" on him followed by baptism to become apostle to the Gentiles. After this Paul c.AD 37 says, "After three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas (Peter) and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother." Ga 1:18-19No Jerusalem GB c AD 48
It was Paul who reproved Peter for being aloof to Gentiles, rather it was Paul. When Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned...he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? Ga 2:11-14No Jerusalem GB c. AD 49
It was apostles, elders and pillars from Antioch and Judea because Judea is ground zero for Judaizer (Pharisee converts) proponents for circumcision. Ac 15:1-30No Jerusalem GB
The Ephesus autonomous ecclesia is where Luke wrote AD 58-63 the books of Acts and Luke. As well, Ephesus is where John wrote AD 68-100 letters bearing his name 1John, 2John, 3John ; then pens the Gospel John and book of Revelation calling out seven ecclesia-Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea-while he is in exile on the isle of Patmos. A depiction warning all Christians to remain faithful and ready themselves for the cataclysm at Jesus' second coming. Rv 1-3 And, at Ephesus INDIVIDUALS Priscilla and Aquila informs prominent eloquent evangelist Apollos with a better understanding of God. Ac 18:24-26No Jerusalem GB AD 46-58
Antioch autonomous ecclesia is hub for three of the four missionary journeys of Paul-covering regions of Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Macedonia and Italy. Then, it was Antioch where the prophet Agabus foretold a famine during the reign of Tiberius Claudius Caesar; elders of Antioch instruct Paul and Barnabas to deliver relief to Judea. And, Antioch is first to coin the name "Christian" by divine intuition.There is no evidence of Christian Greek writings are funneled to a Jerusalem "Governing Body." From Rome Peter pens his two books. 1Pe,2Pe As well, from Rome Paul pens fourteen books, 2Tm, He, Php, Eph, Phm, Col ; plus eight from other cities: one from Antioch Ga ; two from Ephesus, 1Co, 2Co ; three from Corinth Ro, 1Th, 2Th and two from Nicopolis. Tit, 1Tm Jesus ratified those writings via the holy spirit from heaven.
This illustrates that the WT terms "Jehovah's organization" and "governing body" are myths, unsupported by the NT topology chronicle along Jerusalem to Rome Mediterranean rim.
-
QC
Note the activity topology of spiritually “gifted” faithful religiously pure network of individual Christians sustaining the therapeia ( qerapeiaV household for spiritual cure) Lu 12:42 under the leadership of Jesus in heaven. All accomplished by autonomous ecclesia without central control from Jerusalem. This is the antecedent to today’s class of individual “faithful discreet” slaves. Mat 24:45-51;Lu 12:41-47
No Jerusalem GB c. AD34-AD37
Paul's conversion came via Ananias "laid hands" on him followed by baptism to become the apostle to the Gentiles. After this Paul c.AD 37 says, "After three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas (Peter) and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother." Ga 1:18-19No Jerusalem GB c AD 48
It was Paul who reproved Peter for being aloof to Gentiles. "When Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned...he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?" Ga 2:11-14 Peter accept Paul's counsel. Peter, Paul and James lead in resolving the circumcision dispute.No Jerusalem GB c. AD 49
It was apostles, elders and pillars from Antioch and Judea that assembled ONCE in Jerusalem in order to resolve the circumcision dispute, because Judea is ground zero for Judaizer (Pharisee converts) proponents for circumcision. Ac 15:1-30No Jerusalem GB
The Ephesus autonomous ecclesia is where Luke wrote AD 58-63 the books of Acts and Luke. As well, Ephesus is where John wrote AD 68-10 0 letters bearing his name 1John, 2John, 3John ; then pens the Gospel John and book of Revelation calling out seven ecclesia—Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea—while he is in exile on the isle of Patmos; a depiction warning all Christians to remain faithful and ready themselves for the cataclysm at Jesus' second coming. Rv 1-3 And, at Ephesus INDIVIDUALS Priscilla and Aquila informs prominent eloquent evangelist Apollos with a better understanding of God. Ac 18:24-26No Jerusalem GB AD 46-58
Antioch autonomous ecclesia is hub for three of the four missionary journeys of Paul—covering regions of Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Macedonia and Italy. And, it was Antioch where the prophet Agabus foretold a famine during the reign of Tiberius Claudius Caesar; elders of Antioch instruct Paul and Barnabas to deliver relief to Judea. Also, Antioch is first to coin the name "Christian" by divine intuition.There is no evidence Christian Greek writings are funneled to a Jerusalem "Governing Body." From Rome Peter pens his two books. 1Pe,2Pe As well, from Rome Paul pens six of his fourteen books, 2Tm, He, Php, Eph, Phm, Col ; plus eight from other cities: one from Antioch Ga ; two from Ephesus, 1Co, 2Co ; three from Corinth Ro, 1Th, 2T h and two from Nicopolis. Tit, 1Tm Jesus ratified those writings via the holy spirit from heaven.
This illustrates that the Society's terms, "Jehovah's organization" and "governing body," are myths unsupported by the NT topology chronicle along the Mediterranean rim from Jerusalem to Rome.
-
JakeM2012
Followed BobCats references, Thanks. Bumping this discussion, particularly Leolaia's contributions.
Leolaia, what a wonderful mind. Thanks:)