Teaching With Authority
*** Rbi8 Matthew 7:28-29 ***
28 Now when Jesus finished these sayings, the effect was that the crowds were astounded at his way of teaching; 29 for he was teaching them as a person having authority, and not as their scribes.
[Jesus' teaching stood as different for a number of reasons but the effect of it was that people were 'astounded'. Note one particular reason, that is really 'close to home' for the WTS!]
*** w90 10/1 24-5 Be Doers of the Word, Not Hearers Only ***
17 No scribe ever spoke on his own authority, as this historical record shows: "The scribes borrowed credit to their doctrine from traditions, and the fathers of them: and no sermon of any scribe had any authority or value, without [citing] . . . The Rabbins have a tradition, or . . . The wise men say; or some traditional oracle of that nature. Hillel the Great taught truly, and as the tradition was concerning a certain thing; ……..(A Commentary on the New Testament 18 The scribes quoted dead men as authorities; Jesus spoke with authority from the living God. (John 12:49, 50; 14:10) Rabbis drew stale water from closed cisterns; Jesus brought up springs of fresh water that slaked an inner thirst. He prayed and pondered through the night, and when he spoke, he touched depths in people they had never been aware of before. He spoke with a power they could feel, an authority that even scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees eventually feared to challenge. (Matthew 22:46; Mark 12:34; Luke 20:40) Never had another man spoken like this! At the sermon's conclusion, the crowds were left astounded!
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So is the WTS any different? Does a brother giving a talk have the confidence to say the bible says this and such ? Not at all. He has to say the Watchtower of ……. explained it this way and go on to recite the article. He then has the confidence that he will not be taken to one side after the talk and asked 'Where did you get that from?' And not reprimanded for independent thinking.
So the WTS follows in the footsteps of the Pharisees who never 'spoke on his own authority' on what Gods word was saying to him. The talk would have no value if it did not quote the relevant Watchtower articles that dealt with the understanding of the scripture which in effect is quoting 'dead men as authorities' , drawing 'stale water from closed cisterns'. Sometimes it actually quotes from 'dead men' to give an otherwise bland statement great 'authority'.
Here's a 'dead men' quote…………….
*** w97 9/1 10 Let Us Hold Fast to Our Precious Faith! ***
13 How do you view God's promises? In the way the remnant of anointed Christians do? In 1991, Frederick Franz, then president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, who had pursued the full-time ministry for over 75 years, summed up the feelings of those who hope to reign with Christ: "We are holding fast down to this very hour, and we are going to hold fast until God has actually proved that he is true to his 'precious and very grand promises.'" Brother Franz remained confident in God's promise of a heavenly resurrection, and he held fast to the faith until his death at age 99.
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Over time the effect of this 'teaching' becomes evident. The congregations are no longer 'astounded' but bewildered by the array of 'clarifications' which means even more WT research for speakers to get it right. Ironically it is now the real truth seekers that talk and teach with authority. This truth is really 'astounding' to the R+F.
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