Does anyone know what WT issues claimed that Jesus was the mediator only for the 144,000?
I need to be able to prove it to someone who is certain that the WTS never stated that.
Jesus as the mediator for the 144,000 only
by marsal 15 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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the_classicist
Here's what Quotes has:
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blondie
Insight Book Volume 2 p. 362 Mediator (1988)
Those
for Whom Christ Is Mediator. The apostle Paul declares that there is "one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all"?for both Jews and Gentiles. (1Ti 2:5, 6) He mediates the new covenant between God and those taken into the new covenant, the congregation of spiritual Israel. (Heb 8:10-13; 12:24; Eph 5:25-27) Christ became Mediator in order that the ones called "might receive the promise of the everlasting inheritance" (Heb 9:15); he assists, not the angels, but "Abraham?s seed." (Heb 2:16) He assists those who are to be brought into the new covenant to be ?adopted? into Jehovah?s household of spiritual sons; these eventually will be in heaven as Christ?s brothers, becoming a part with him of the seed of Abraham. (Ro 8:15-17, 23-25; Ga 3:29) He has transmitted to them the promised holy spirit, with which spirit they are sealed and are given a token of what is to come, their heavenly inheritance. (2Co 5:5; Eph 1:13, 14) The total number of those who are finally and permanently sealed is revealed in Revelation 7:4-8 as 144,000.***
dx86-01 Mediator ***MEDIATOR
(See also Covenants; Jesus Christ; Prayer; Ransom)
death required for covenant validation (Heb 9:16): w91 2/15 17; it-2 360-1
discussion: it-2 360-3
Greek word: w89 8/15 30
Jesus Christ: w00 11/15 11; w89 12/15 30; it-2 362-3; w86 2/15 14-15; ws 10, 101, 106
for anointed only: w89 8/15 30-1; it-2 362
new covenant: w91 2/15 17-18
proof against Trinity: ti 16
similarity to Moses: it-2 362
Moses: it-2 361-2, 437, 683
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w89 8/15 pp. 30-31 Questions From Readers· Is Jesus the Mediator only for spirit-anointed Christians or for all mankind, since 1 Timothy 2:5, 6 speaks of him as the "mediator" who "gave himself a corresponding ransom for all"?
The Bible contains both basic teachings and deep truths, which are solid food for study. One such study involves Jesus Christ?s role as Mediator. The apostle Paul wrote: "There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all?this is what is to be witnessed to at its own particular times."?1 Timothy 2:5, 6.
To grasp what Paul is saying, we must first appreciate that the Bible sets out two destinies for faithful humans: (1) perfect life on a restored earthly paradise and (2) life in heaven for Christ?s "little flock," numbering 144,000. (Luke 12:32; Revelation 5:10; 14:1-3) Christendom teaches that all good people go to heaven, which unscriptural position has colored the general view, so that Jesus is considered a go-between for all such people. What, though, does the Bible indicate?
The Greek word me·si´tes, used for "mediator," means ?one who finds himself between two bodies or parties.? It was a ?many-sided technical term of Hellenistic legal language.? Professor Albrecht Oepke (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament) says that me·si´tes was "one of the most varied technical terms in the vocabulary of Hellen[istic] law."
But why does the Bible use a legal term for Jesus? mediatory role? As background, consider what Paul wrote about God?s Law given to Israel assembled before Mount Sinai: "It was transmitted through angels by the hand of a mediator." (Galatians 3:19, 20) That mediator was Moses. He was the intermediary agent between Jehovah and the fleshly nation of Israel. An agent for what? For establishing a covenant, or legal contract, between God and the nation.
Does this mean that there is a specific legal sense involved in Jesus? role as Mediator? Yes. Note Paul?s comment at Hebrews 8:6. After speaking about the tabernacle and other typical representations under the Law covenant, he wrote: "Jesus has obtained a more excellent public service, so that he is also the mediator of a correspondingly better covenant, which has been legally established upon better promises." The "better covenant" was the new covenant, which replaced the covenant mediated by Moses. (Hebrews 8:7-13) The new covenant was "legally established." It laid the basis for some of Christ?s followers, beginning with the apostles, to gain "entry into the holy place," heaven itself.?Hebrews 9:24; 10:16-19.
There are other indications too of the legal nature of Jesus? role as Mediator of the "new covenant." Commenting on God?s promise at Psalm 110:4, Paul wrote: "To that extent also Jesus has become the one given in pledge [en´gy·os] of a better covenant." (Hebrews 7:22) This is the only Biblical use of the word en´gy·os. The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology says: "The engyos guaranteed that a legal obligation would be carried out." So Jesus as Mediator of the new covenant serves as a legal pledge that "a better hope" would be realized.?Hebrews 7:19.
Elsewhere Paul uses yet another word having a legal sense, ar·ra·bon´, translated "token." The same dictionary says: "The Gk. word arrabon . . . is a legal concept from the language of business and trade." Note how Paul used this legal term: "He who has anointed us is God. He has also put his seal upon us and has given us the token of what is to come, that is, the spirit, in our hearts." (2 Corinthians 1:21, 22) Both other occurrences of ar·ra·bon´ also deal with God?s anointing of Christians with spirit, bringing them an ?everlasting reward or inheritance in the heavens? as spirit sons of God.?2 Corinthians 5:1, 5; Ephesians 1:13, 14; see Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures.
Clearly, then, the new covenant is not a loose arrangement open to all mankind. It is a carefully arranged legal provision involving God and anointed Christians.
This should help us to understand 1 Timothy 2:5, 6. Here the reference to "mediator" was made after the five other occurrences of the word in letters written earlier. Hence, Timothy would have understood Jesus? mediatorship to be His legal role connected with the new covenant. The Pastoral Epistles, by Dibelius and Conzelmann, acknowledges that at 1 Timothy 2:5 ?the term "mediator" has a legal significance,? and "although in this passage, in contrast to Heb 8:6, the [covenant] is not mentioned, one must nevertheless presuppose the meaning ?mediator of the covenant,? as the context shows." Professor Oepke observes that 1 Timothy 2:5 presents Jesus as "the attorney and negotiator."
A modern-day illustration may help to clarify this, especially if you are not a spirit-anointed Christian. Think of a legal case in which an attorney is involved. His role may be not so much that of a lawyer arguing for justice as that of one who is mediating or bringing about a legal contract acceptable to and beneficial to two parties. Of course, you are not in that legal case, so in that sense he is not serving as your attorney. Yet he may be your very close friend who in other ways gives you valuable help.
Sometimes an attorney?s work produces results that benefit many others. So it is with Jesus? legal accomplishments as Mediator of the new covenant. It produces what the Law covenant did not, a heavenly "kingdom of priests." (Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:9) Thereafter anointed Christians in the Kingdom will work with Jesus from heaven to bring a blessing to "all nations of the earth."?Genesis 22:18.
The people of all nations who have the hope of everlasting life on earth benefit even now from Jesus? services. Though he is not their legal Mediator, for they are not in the new covenant, he is their means of approaching Jehovah. Christ said: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) All who will gain life on earth must direct their prayers to Jehovah through Jesus. (John 14:13, 23, 24) Jesus also serves as a compassionate High Priest who is able to apply in their behalf the benefits of his sacrifice, allowing them to gain forgiveness and eventual salvation.?Acts 4:12; Hebrews 4:15.
Consequently, 1 Timothy 2:5, 6 is not using "mediator" in the broad sense common in many languages. It is not saying that Jesus is a mediator between God and all mankind. Rather, it refers to Christ as legal Mediator (or, "attorney") of the new covenant, this being the restricted way in which the Bible uses the term. Jesus is also a corresponding ransom for all in that covenant, both Jews and Gentiles, who will receive immortal life in heaven. The apostle John referred to these at 1 John 2:2. But he indicated that others too will receive the benefit of Christ?s sacrifice: "He is a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, yet not for ours only but also for the whole world?s."
Those of ?the whole world? are all who will gain eternal life in a restored earthly paradise. Millions of such approved servants of God now have that earthly hope. They view Jesus as their High Priest and King through whom they can daily gain approach to Jehovah. They rely on Jesus? ransom, which is available to them, just as it will be to men such as Abraham, David, and John the Baptizer when these are resurrected. (Matthew 20:28) Thus, Christ?s sacrifice will lead to everlasting life for all obedient mankind.
[Footnotes]
A discussion of covenants appears in The Watchtower of February 1, 1989, pages 10-20.
[Picture
on page 31]Here at Mount Sinai, Moses served as mediator of the Law covenant
[Credit
Line]Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.
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NeonMadman
Here's one example:
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w79 11/15 pp. 24-27 Benefiting from "One Mediator Between God and Men" ***"MEDIATOR"
TO HOW MANY?11
However, was God making the new covenant with the natural, fleshly "house of Israel" and the natural, fleshly "house of Judah"? How could that be possible, inasmuch as the natural Jews of those two houses had violently rejected the prospective Mediator of that new covenant and were, as a nation, celebrating the Pentecostal festival on the appointed day at the temple in Jerusalem? God could not do so. He had in mind to conclude the new covenant with the newly born Christian Israel, the spiritual Israel, it having its birth on that very Pentecostal day when the "holy spirit fell upon" the baptized disciples of Jesus Christ, about 120 of them. (Acts 11:15) These had waited, not at the temple, but in an upper room in Jerusalem. There those disciples, already immersed in water, were begotten by God?s spirit to become his spiritual children, "the Israel of God." As such they were introduced into the new covenant through the heavenly Mediator, Jesus Christ, the Prophet greater than Moses.?Acts 2:1-36; Joel 2:28, 29; John 3:3, 5; Gal. 6:16.
12
So Jesus Christ in heaven is the Mediator between God and the spiritual Israelites, while these are still in the flesh as men and women. Even within the membership limits of this small "holy nation" the mediatorship of Jesus Christ has expanded, for God has followed a certain order in admitting classes of persons into the new covenant. Thus, for about a year from Pentecost of 33 C.E., Jesus was the Mediator of only those spiritual Israelites who had been fleshly Jews or circumcised Jewish proselytes. About 3,000 of these were added to spiritual Israel on that day of Pentecost, 33 C.E. (Acts 2:10, 37-41) Then, likely in the following year (34 C.E.) as a side effect of the persecution by Saul of Tarsus, the "good news" about the Christ was preached in Samaria and the holy spirit ?fell upon? the baptized believers there. (Acts 8:15-17) From then on the mediatorship of Jesus was widened out to benefit spiritual Israelites who had been men and women of Samaria, Samaritans.
13
Two years now pass. Finally, in the autumn of 36 C.E., or three and a half years after Jesus? death and resurrection, he begins to be mediator to a third class of spiritual Israelites, those taken out from the uncircumcised Gentiles, beginning with the Italian centurion, Cornelius. After the apostle Peter reported on this surprising turn of events to the Christianized Jews at Jerusalem, they said: "Well, then, God has granted repentance for the purpose of life to people of the [uncircumcised] nations also."?Acts 8:1 through 11:18.
14
More than 20 years after that, Paul was acting still as an apostle to the nations and was finishing his third missionary tour. On his way back to Jerusalem he stopped at Miletus and talked to elders of the congregation at Ephesus, Asia Minor. He told them how he had worked, saying: "I thoroughly bore witness both to Jews and to Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus. And now, look! bound in the spirit, I am journeying to Jerusalem." (Acts 20:21, 22) He was no longer serving as a Pharisee in the interest of the old Mosaic Law covenant. Rather, as he writes in 2 Corinthians 3:5, 6, "our being adequately qualified issues from God, who has indeed adequately qualified us to be ministers of a new covenant, not of a written code, but of spirit; for the written code condemns to death, but the spirit makes alive."
15
Whom did the apostle mean here by the pronoun "us"? In the introduction to his letter he identifies for us who are included in "us," by saying: "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through God?s will, and Timothy our brother to the congregation of God that is in Corinth." (2 Cor. 1:1) So, both Paul and Timothy were "ministers of a new covenant, . . . of spirit." Paul did not mean by this expression that he and Timothy were a Mediation Board, sharing mediatorship with Jesus. No, for they themselves were mere spiritual Israelites in behalf of whom Jesus served as God?s Mediator. Jesus alone is the "mediator of a new covenant."?Heb. 12:24.
16
In writing to Timothy directly, Paul leads up to a mention of the mediatorship of Jesus as he goes on to say: "Hymenaeus and Alexander belong to these, and I have handed them over to Satan that they may be taught by discipline not to blaspheme. I therefore exhort, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, offerings of thanks, be made concerning all sorts of men [but not including Hymenaeus and Alexander the blasphemers], concerning kings and all those who are in high station; in order that we may go on leading a calm and quiet life with full godly devotion and seriousness.
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"This is fine and acceptable in the sight of our Savior, God, whose will is that all sorts of men should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all [or, for all kinds of people, margin]?this is what is to be witnessed to at its own particular times. For the purpose of this witness I was appointed a preacher and an apostle?I am telling the truth, I am not lying?a teacher of [uncircumcised] nations in the matter of faith and truth."?1 Tim. 1:20 through 2:7.
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Thus Paul exhorted that "supplications, prayers, intercessions" should be made "concerning kings and all those who are in high station." But he was not exhorting Timothy to act as a mediator between God and those public officials. The converting of such public officials to Christianity was not to be the motive behind those "supplications, prayers, intercessions." Who, really, were the ones to benefit from such pleas directed to God? The purpose behind such representations to God was what? "That we [Christians like Paul and Timothy] may go on leading a calm and quiet life with full godly devotion and seriousness."?1 Tim. 2:2.
19
Leading such a calm, godly, serious life would work for the salvation of Christians who offered these petitions concerning political rulers. Salvation of such inoffensive Christians was "fine and acceptable in the sight of our Savior, God." Why so? Because it is God?s will "that all sorts of men should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth." In harmony with this the one here called "our Savior" is, not Jesus Christ, but "God."
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What, then, is Christ?s role in this program of salvation? Paul proceeds to say: "There is one God, and one mediator between God and men [not, all men], a man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all."?1 Tim. 2:5, 6.
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Paul was writing according to the facts of the first century of Christianity, during which the new covenant had been put into operation. Into it "men" of all nationalities, Jews, Samaritans, uncircumcised Gentiles, had already been brought after being made a part of spiritual Israel. Christ Jesus was the mediator of that new covenant. Paul?s letter to Timothy regarding this was a case of one ?minister of the new covenant? writing to another ?minister of the new covenant.? That new covenant between "our Savior, God," and spiritual Israel continues as long as there are spiritual Israelites still in the flesh as "men" here on earth. So the covenant is in force today. Jesus? "corresponding ransom for all" lays the basis for men and women of all sorts to become spiritual Israelites and be brought into the new covenant of which Christ Jesus is the "one mediator."
22
There are still more than 9,000 who profess to be spiritual Israelites in the new covenant. Like Paul and Timothy, these are "ministers of a new covenant." (2 Cor. 3:6; 1:1) Evidently the new covenant is nearing the end of its operation for the purpose of producing 144,000 spiritual Israelites who meet God?s approval for being associated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly kingdom, the ideal government for mankind. When the last of these approved spiritual Israelites cease to be "men" because of earthly death and a resurrection to a share in the heavenly kingdom, then the mediatorship of Jesus Christ will cease also. Their inherited sinful condition in the flesh, which called for a mediator to act between them and the God of holiness, will be left behind. Like the holy angels of heaven, these glorified spiritual Israelites will need no mediator between them and Jehovah God. (Rev. 22:3, 4) Under Jesus Christ they will serve as kings, priests and associated judges over all the world of mankind.?Rev. 7:4-8; 14:1-3; 20:4, 6; Luke 22:28-30.
A
"GREAT CROWD" OF EARTHLY BENEFICIARIES23
Today, according to authentic records, there is a "great crowd" of dedicated, baptized Christians who actively collaborate with the small remnant of spiritual Israelites. Ever since the spring of 1938 they have been invited to attend the annual memorial celebration of Christ?s death, not to partake of the memorial emblems, the unleavened bread and the red wine, but as respectful observers. They recognize Jesus Christ as their heavenly King since the Gentile Times ended in 1914. They zealously join the remnant of spiritual Israelites in preaching "this good news of the kingdom" in all the inhabited earth for a "witness to all the nations" before this system of things ends in the coming "great tribulation." (Matt. 24:14, 21) They recognize that they are not spiritual Israelites in the new covenant mediated by Jesus Christ, nor part of the "chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation."?1 Pet. 2:9.
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Yet they do benefit from the operation of the new covenant. They benefit from this just as, in ancient Israel, the "alien resident" benefited from residing in among the Israelites who were in the Law covenant.?Ex. 20:10; Lev. 19:10, 33, 34; Rev. 7:9-15.
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To keep in relationship with "our Savior, God," the "great crowd" needs to remain united with the remnant of spiritual Israelites. Why? Because these spiritual Israelites are the "holy nation" of which we read in Jeremiah 31:35, 36, right after God?s promise of the new covenant: "This is what Jehovah, the Giver of the sun for light by day, the statutes of the moon and the stars for light by night, the One stirring up the sea that its waves may become boisterous [against the Egyptians pursuing the Israelites], the One whose name is Jehovah of armies, has said: ?"If these regulations could be removed from before me," is the utterance of Jehovah, "those who are the seed of Israel could likewise cease from proving to be a nation before me always."?"
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Jehovah could no more let spiritual Israel pass out of existence from within his universal organization than he could let the heavenly luminaries that regulate light for our earth cease to be. In the heavens spiritual Israel will be the New Jerusalem in which Jesus Christ will reign as King over the surviving "great crowd" and all the human dead resurrected to life in a paradise earth.?Rev. 21:2-24.
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marsal
Thank you classicist, blondie and NeonMadman.
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blondie
A side point, while the WTS says Jesus is only the mediator for the 144,000, they then apply that scripture to approaching God in prayer through Jesus, applying to everyone...which is inconsistent with their elaborate explanation that Jesus is only mediator for the 144,000. If the mediation is meant only to be understood in regard to the new covenant, then why apply it to the issue of whom all Christians should pray through?
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w97 2/15 p. 28 Agreement Between "God?s Temple" and Idols in Greece? ***In his model prayer, Jesus taught that prayers are to be addressed to the Father only, since he directed his disciples: "You must pray, then, this way: ?Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified.?" (Matthew 6:9) Jesus further stated: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it." And the apostle Paul stated: "There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus."?John 14:6, 14; 1 Timothy 2:5.
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w80 6/1 p. 18 Praying to Jehovah so as to Be Heard ***PRAY
THROUGH, NOT TO, JESUS CHRIST11
How can we gain access to the great "Hearer of prayer"? He has appointed that this be through Jesus Christ alone. There is only one Mediator between God and men, and one High Priest, Jesus Christ. (1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 7:25, 26) Jesus himself put it very explicitly, saying: "No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) "Most truly I say to you, If you ask the Father for anything he will give it to you in my name. . . . Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be made full."?John 16:23, 24. -
garybuss
Here is the famous Jehovah the grandfather quote;
*** w95 8/1 p. 13 JehovahA God Who Teaches ***
19 They include others besides those who will rule in heaven with Christ. As noted earlier, Jesus said he had "other sheep"earthly subjects of the Kingdomin addition to the "little flock" of Kingdom heirs. (John 10:16; Luke 12:32) The "great crowd," who survive "the great tribulation," are of the other sheep class, and they enjoy an approved standing before Jehovah on the basis of their faith in Jesus' shed blood. (Revelation 7:9, 14) Even though the other sheep are not directly included among the "sons" spoken of at Isaiah 54:13, they are blessed with being taught by Jehovah. Therefore, they properly address God as "Father" because he will, in effect, be their Grandfather through the "Eternal Father," Jesus Christ.Matthew 6:9; Isaiah 9:6. -
marsal
Thank you Garybuss. That quote is priceless!!! I can't believe they put something like that in print.
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Bas
So there's only one mediator between God and man and that's Christ. Too bad the dude has been dead for nearly 2000 years. No mediation since, nope, I insistb
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FairMind
This is all very confusing! Even though I am not an annointed DUB I refuse to believe my salvation is through the organization and that Jesus is not my PERSONAL mediator between myself and God.