Memorial 2014: Wrong date?

by AnnOMaly 53 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • Quarterback
    Quarterback

    Even if it is accidental.....it's still matches the Jews calculation, and both are found to agree, this time.

    Stay tuned for the argument in 2015.

  • AnnOMaly
    AnnOMaly

    JWs may have arrived at the same date in the Gregorian calendar but they think it corresponds to Nisan 14, whereas the Jews think it corresponds to Nisan 15. Both think it corresponds to the date of the Passover.

    As far as Jewish practice goes, JWs are associating Passover with the wrong date (the 14th rather than 15th) and they have miscalculated the sighting of the new crescent to start the month (should be March 31 rather than April 1). So it's not really an agreement in calculations but a coincidence that JWs and Jews have arrived at the same Gregorian date this year.

  • Phizzy
    Phizzy

    Have the WT ever tried to reconcile the contradictions between the Synoptics and John's Gospel on this ?

    There is a considerable difference in the timing of events between them. One account makes Jesus' use of the bread and wine apparently post Passover meal, the other account makes it happen before Passover day.

    I have seen some really complicated and convoluted arguments on-line by Bible Inerrantists to try to reconcile the two versions, but I simply wondered what the WT says on this disparity , if anything.

    If the problem is left unresolved by the WT, surely they cannot be dogmatic about when to "celebrate" ?

  • Quarterback
    Quarterback

    This date is disputed by various religions aside from the WT society. I do not know exactly who is right, and why they agree some occasions with the Jews. But as soon as I finish my work on establishing world peace, I'll concentrate my efforts to this matter.

  • TD
    TD

    Quarterback,

    Jehovah's Witnesses (And kindred groups) have a theological "Need" for Jesus to be executed on the exact same calendar date as the passover lamb. (Nisan 14)

    The problem here is that an undetermined length of time elapsed between Jesus' arrest and his execution. He was questioned by Jewish religious leaders; he got sent to Pilate; he got sent to Herod; he got sent back to Pilate. Finally he was condemned and sent out to be executed.

    How long did that take? Personally I think it probably took several days. Pilate and Herod were important men who likely didn't drop everything everytime a criminal case needed to be heard.

    But even if you take the JW (And kindred groups) idea that it only took several hours, you still have to cram all the details of the passover celebration into an insanely short length of time right after the 14th has technically begun. And the reason this has to happen is because the next daylight period following the passover, when Jesus ostensibly goes before Pilate and Herod must still be the 14th. (Instead of the 15th as Numbers 33:3 plainly states.)

    In some ways this bears a passing resemblance to the 607 debate except that the calendar is only being rolled back one day instead of 19/20 years.

  • Phizzy
    Phizzy

    The disparity between the Gospels, which you can count in hours, but amounts to a different calendar day, is surely no small thing to a nit-picking group like the W.T.

    I still wonder if they just ignore it, or have made some lame attempt to explain it ?

  • dozy
    dozy

    It is just the WTBTS being pedantic and deliberately trying to be different , like they are in a lot of other areas. They are like a rebellious gothic teenager trying to annoy their parents and express their own individuality , but end up looking pretty silly.

    Cults like the JWs who regard themselves as the only true religion and all others to be Satanic have got to try to form some semblance of difference between themselves & other religions. USPs , as it were. So they define themselves as "having the truth" because they don't celebrate birthdays , throw confetti , or allow people with beards to become elders.

    What the society have done is decided in a lot of little petty Pharisaical ways that all other religions are wrong. Even when it becomes pretty obvious to everyone that they have got it wrong ( eg 607 ) , they have no choice but to grimly defend it.

  • Nathan Natas
    Nathan Natas

    So they've picked the wrong day for their meaningless ritual of rejection. ...again.

    Who's gonna be upset by that: the Universal Sovreign Yod-He-Vah-He, or The Flying Spaghetti Monster, Yod-He-Haw-He-Haw?

    The destiny of our immortal souls is at stake!

    The WORLD MIGHT END without you - and THEN what would you do? huh?

    No, this is REALLY IMPORTANT SHIT AND STUFF! REALLY!!

  • Quarterback
    Quarterback

    TD, I appreciate what you are saying about the timing of all the events. i.e being tried by Pilatte, and Herod. Recently I read in a WT study article that there was pressure on both parties to conclude this matter before the next day. I don't remember specifically what the rationale was. I'll look into it for tomorrow.

  • Make Lemonade
    Make Lemonade

    Just wanted to thank you your contributions to this forum. I would say I cannot understand half of what you are talking about, but really it might be a much larger percentage than that. LOL

    Point is you have opened up to me a world of information that I previously had no idea existed.

    Thanks

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit