Blood and the Memorial??

by johnathanseagull 10 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • johnathanseagull
    johnathanseagull

    Ummm has anybody else had this thought, the wine at the memorial symbolises the blood of Jesus, and yet the so called annoited drink it, quite contradictory to their blood doctrine, even if though it´s a symbolic gesture.

    JGull

  • blondie
    blondie

    Good question, Jgull.

    Consider how the WTS mentions the occasion where David refused to drink the water that was brought to him by his soldiers who had risked their lives for it, saying David considered it the same as drinking blood. Certainly Jesus knew of this passage when he instituted the "memorial."

    (2 Samuel 23:13-17) 13 And three of the thirty head ones proceeded to go down and come at [the] harvest, to David at the cave of A·dul´lam; and a tent village of the Phi·lis´tines was encamped in the low plain of the Reph´a·im. 14 And David was then in the place hard to approach; and an outpost of the Phi·lis´tines was then in Beth´le·hem. 15 After a while David expressed his craving and said: "O that I might have a drink of the water from the cistern of Beth´le·hem that is at the gate!" 16 At that the three mighty men forced their way into the camp of the Phi·lis´tines and drew water from the cistern of Beth´le·hem that is at the gate and came carrying and bringing it to David; and he did not consent to drink it, but poured it out to Jehovah. 17 And he went on to say: "It is unthinkable on my part, O Jehovah, that I should do this! [Shall I drink] the blood of the men going at the risk of their souls?" And he did not consent to drink it.. . .

    w86 9/1 p. 25 Godly Respect for Blood

    And in repeating his Law to Israel, he clearly stated: "Simply be firmly resolved not to eat the blood, because the blood is the soul and you must not eat the soul with the flesh. You must not eat it. You should pour it out upon the ground as water." (Deuteronomy 12:23, 24) No doubt David had this commandment in mind when three of his warriors risked their lives in order to bring him drinking water from the cistern in Bethlehem. He "poured it out to Jehovah" as representing their lifeblood. (2 Samuel 23:15-17) Not even in an emergency may the sacredness of blood be ignored.?See also 1 Samuel 14:31-34.

  • Brummie
    Brummie

    Good to see you around JS! Good post.

    Blondie:

    Consider how the WTS mentions the occasion where David refused to drink the water that was brought to him by his soldiers who had risked their lives for it, saying David considered it the same as drinking blood.

    I think this is a great point! I'd never thought of it before.

    Brummie

  • Nathan Natas
    Nathan Natas

    Jgull asked,

    "the wine at the memorial symbolises the blood of Jesus, and yet the so called annoited drink it, quite contradictory to their blood doctrine,

    No offense intended, JGull, but that question indicates that you are either unfamiliar with JW theology or intentionally overlooking it. This is fairly basic stuff, dude. Within the context of JW theology, there is absolutely NO contradiction.

  • Brummie
    Brummie

    Nathan there appears to be a contridiction if you see it in the context of the quote blondie makes, well at least an inconsistency in their line of thinking.

  • Nathan Natas
    Nathan Natas

    Brummie, I think that as far as Blondie goes, she is correct. I think things changed when "the messiah" showed up, since he himself started the whole "eat me" routine.

    Any copy of "Make Sure of All Things" provides the connect-the-dots pattern for the "blood ransom."

    None of which I personally believe or accept any more, hence the quotes.

  • johnathanseagull
    johnathanseagull

    Nathan, no offense taken....it's been a few years since I walked the boards doing mic duty lol, can you enlighten me?

    JGull

    Hi Brummie....yeah, good to back

  • johnathanseagull
    johnathanseagull

    ps....Blondie...although I dont get here much nowadays......I never miss your WT study posts, thanks for the effort you put into them, it's appreciated

    JGull

  • Brummie
    Brummie
    ....it's been a few years since I walked the boards doing mic duty lol

    haha

    I think you already touched on it when you said "even though its a symbolic gesture", even as symbolic it contradicts their thought that David even refusing to drink the symbolic blood of men emphasises the need to avoid blood at all cost! And yet they change their veiw every year at the memorial.

  • A Paduan
    A Paduan

    As with other things, their observance is literal

    "the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God"

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