Memorial of Jesus’ Death

On the night before Jesus died, he told his followers to commemorate his death. He said:

“Keep doing this in remembrance of me.”—Luke 22:19.

This year, the annual observance of the death of Jesus Christ will be held on Saturday, March 27. We invite you to join us for this special occasion.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert: Because of the pandemic, this event will be held virtually. To learn how to connect to this event, ask me or follow the link JW.Org so that can find a location near you)))

natasha levchenko said:

On the night before Jesus died, he told his followers to commemorate his death. He said:

“Keep doing this in remembrance of me.”—Luke 22:19.

This year, the annual observance of the death of Jesus Christ will be held on Saturday, March 27. We invite you to join us for this special occasion.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert: Because of the pandemic, this event will be held virtually. To learn how to connect to this event, ask me or follow the link JW.Org so that can find a location near you)))

Click to expand...

Hello and thank you for the invitation.

I do not know much about JW. Would you say that the following is an accurate summary on this topic?


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Christians maintain there is no scriptural evidence to equate Michael the archangel with the prehuman Christ. The Watchtower Society’s assertion that they are the same person is based on their incorrect assumptions about Christ’s creation and misinterpretations of Daniel 10 and 12, Jude 9, and 1 Thessalonians 4:16, none of which identify Michael as Christ. Also, Christians contend that Christ was not merely a created being, but eternally preexistent as God the Son with the Father. He was indeed the Creator, with the Father and the Spirit, of all things (see John 1:1-14; Phil. 2:5-11; Col. 1:15-20; Rev. 3:14).

...

The Watchtower Society denies the deity and eternal preexistence of Jesus Christ. This contrasts sharply with historic Christian beliefs that Jesus was God the Son, the second member of the eternal Trinity.

The Watchtower Society’s position is similar to the fourth century Arian heresy, universally rejected by Christian churches at the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325. The Watchtower Society has made a number of interpretative errors and translation changes to conform Scripture to their presuppositions. For example, the Watchtower Society’s Bible, The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT), translates John 1:1: “In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.”
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Jehovah's Witnesses View of Christ - Apologetics

natasha levchenko said:

On the night before Jesus died, he told his followers to commemorate his death. He said:

“Keep doing this in remembrance of me.”—Luke 22:19.

This year, the annual observance of the death of Jesus Christ will be held on Saturday, March 27. We invite you to join us for this special occasion.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert: Because of the pandemic, this event will be held virtually. To learn how to connect to this event, ask me or follow the link JW.Org so that can find a location near you)))

Click to expand...

But "keep doing this in remembrance of me" is an invitation to commemorate the "this" he was referring to. Which was not his death but the sharing of bread and wine as his body and blood.

exchemist said:

But "keep doing this is remembrance of me" is an invitation to commemorate the "this" he was referring to. Which was not his death but the sharing of bread and wine as his body and blood.

Click to expand...

One of the few times it is Catholics who take the literal interpretation and others who do not. Curious.

natasha levchenko said:

On the night before Jesus died, he told his followers to commemorate his death. He said:

“Keep doing this in remembrance of me.”—Luke 22:19.

This year, the annual observance of the death of Jesus Christ will be held on Saturday, March 27. We invite you to join us for this special occasion.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert: Because of the pandemic, this event will be held virtually. To learn how to connect to this event, ask me or follow the link JW.Org so that can find a location near you)))

Click to expand...

I am curious if this is an ecumenical olive leaf, so I will take a look. Thanks.

natasha levchenko said:

On the night before Jesus died, he told his followers to commemorate his death. He said:

“Keep doing this in remembrance of me.”—Luke 22:19.

This year, the annual observance of the death of Jesus Christ will be held on Saturday, March 27. We invite you to join us for this special occasion.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert: Because of the pandemic, this event will be held virtually. To learn how to connect to this event, ask me or follow the link JW.Org so that can find a location near you)))

Click to expand...

I have a question. Why do the JWs not commemorate Christ's death on Good Friday (this year Friday 2nd April) , like the rest of the Western churches? The Orthodox are later, this year their Easter is on 2nd May, so it's obviously not that.

natasha levchenko said:

On the night before Jesus died, he told his followers to commemorate his death. He said:

“Keep doing this in remembrance of me.”—Luke 22:19.

This year, the annual observance of the death of Jesus Christ will be held on Saturday, March 27. We invite you to join us for this special occasion.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert: Because of the pandemic, this event will be held virtually. To learn how to connect to this event, ask me or follow the link JW.Org so that can find a location near you)))

Click to expand...

But JWs do not do what the Lord said to do to commemorate His death and the beginning of the New Covenant. For JWs only a small number are in the New Covenant.
How are you a Christian and not part of the New Covenant.
I think I'll give it a miss but thanks anyway.

It is really good question)) how often?why not commemorate it on Good Friday?
The pattern established by Jesus helps determine not only the frequency but also the date and time of the Memorial. He introduced the observance after sundown on Nisan 14, 33 C.E., according to the Bible’s lunar calendar. (Matthew 26:18-20, 26) We continue to observe the Memorial on this date each year, following the practice of early Christians.

Although Nisan 14, 33 C.E. was a Friday, the anniversary of that date might fall on a different day of the week each year. We determine the date that Nisan 14 falls each year using the same method as was used in the time of Jesus, rather than applying the method used for the modern Jewish calendar.

exchemist said:

But "keep doing this in remembrance of me" is an invitation to commemorate the "this" he was referring to. Which was not his death but the sharing of bread and wine as his body and blood.

Click to expand...

Why not study this?1 Cor :11:20-26
When you come together in one place, it is not really to eat the Lord’s Evening Meal. 21 For when you eat it, each one takes his own evening meal beforehand, so that one is hungry but another is intoxicated. 22 Do you not have houses for eating and drinking? Or do you despise the congregation of God and make those who have nothing feel ashamed? What can I say to you? Should I commend you? In this I do not commend you. 23 For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night on which he was going to be betrayed took a loaf, 24 and after giving thanks, he broke it and said: “This means my body, which is in your behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” 25 He did the same with the cup also, after they had the evening meal, saying: “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood. Keep doing this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this loaf and drink this cup, you keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he comes.

So,the Memorial calls special attention to the significance of the death of Jesus Christ.
The Memorial is also a reminder that Jesus’ death served to vindicate God’s name.
It was necessary for the ransom to be provided so that we can have eternal life and reconcile with God.

Brian2 said:

But JWs do not do what the Lord said to do to commemorate His death and the beginning of the New Covenant. For JWs only a small number are in the New Covenant.
How are you a Christian and not part of the New Covenant.
I think I'll give it a miss but thanks anyway.

Click to expand...

When Jehovah’s Witnesses observe the Lord’s Evening Meal, only a small fraction of us partake of the bread and wine. Why is that so?

Jesus’ shed blood established “a new covenant” that replaced the covenant between Jehovah God and the ancient nation of Israel. (Hebrews 8:10-13) Those who are in that new covenant partake of the Memorial emblems. It includes, not all Christians, but only “those who have been called” in a special way by God. (Hebrews 9:15; Luke 22:20) These ones will rule in heaven with Christ, and the Bible says that just 144,000 people receive that privilege.—Luke 22:28-30; Revelation 5:9, 10; 14:1, 3.

In contrast to the “little flock” of those called to rule with Christ, the vast majority of us hope to be part of “a great crowd” who will gain everlasting life on earth. (Luke 12:32; Revelation 7:9, 10) While those of us with an earthly hope do not partake of the Memorial emblems, we do join in expressing thanks for the sacrifice that Jesus made in our behalf.—1 John 2:2.

natasha levchenko said:

Why not study this?1 Cor :11:20-26
When you come together in one place, it is not really to eat the Lord’s Evening Meal. 21 For when you eat it, each one takes his own evening meal beforehand, so that one is hungry but another is intoxicated. 22 Do you not have houses for eating and drinking? Or do you despise the congregation of God and make those who have nothing feel ashamed? What can I say to you? Should I commend you? In this I do not commend you. 23 For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night on which he was going to be betrayed took a loaf, 24 and after giving thanks, he broke it and said: “This means my body, which is in your behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” 25 He did the same with the cup also, after they had the evening meal, saying: “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood. Keep doing this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this loaf and drink this cup, you keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he comes.

So,the Memorial calls special attention to the significance of the death of Jesus Christ.
The Memorial is also a reminder that Jesus’ death served to vindicate God’s name.
It was necessary for the ransom to be provided so that we can have eternal life and reconcile with God.

Click to expand...

Well yes of course, but Christ's injunction, which St Paul is keen that the Corinthians should continue to follow, is to re-enact what Jesus did with bread and wine at the Last Supper.

He is being critical of the way they do it, going on, in verses 28 and 29, to say that people must re-enact this ceremony in a worthy manner, conscious that it is the body and blood of Christ.

The Jewish calendar was a lunar calendar. It followed the moon’s cycles. Ours is solar, though.
So every year, Nisan 14 falls on a different day of the solar calendar.

It is always the 1st full moon after the spring equinox. This year the full moon after the equinox falls on March 28, but since the Jewish day begins on the previous evening, we begin the celebration on the 27th, after sundown.

(Glad you’re back, my sister.)

Regiomontanus said:

Hello and thank you for the invitation.

I do not know much about JW. Would you say that the following is an accurate summary on this topic?


----
Christians maintain there is no scriptural evidence to equate Michael the archangel with the prehuman Christ. The Watchtower Society’s assertion that they are the same person is based on their incorrect assumptions about Christ’s creation and misinterpretations of Daniel 10 and 12, Jude 9, and 1 Thessalonians 4:16, none of which identify Michael as Christ. Also, Christians contend that Christ was not merely a created being, but eternally preexistent as God the Son with the Father. He was indeed the Creator, with the Father and the Spirit, of all things (see John 1:1-14; Phil. 2:5-11; Col. 1:15-20; Rev. 3:14).
...

The Watchtower Society denies the deity and eternal preexistence of Jesus Christ. This contrasts sharply with historic Christian beliefs that Jesus was God the Son, the second member of the eternal Trinity.

The Watchtower Society’s position is similar to the fourth century Arian heresy, universally rejected by Christian churches at the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325. The Watchtower Society has made a number of interpretative errors and translation changes to conform Scripture to their presuppositions. For example, the Watchtower Society’s Bible, The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT), translates John 1:1: “In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.”
----

Jehovah's Witnesses View of Christ - Apologetics

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In a word....NO! None of the above is accurate.

1) We have a belief that the pre-human Jesus is Michael the Archangel because only two personages are said to command the Angels...Michael and Jesus. In Daniel, Michael is called "the Great Prince" of God's people, and Jesus is identified as "the Prince of Peace" in Isaiah. A Prince is the son of a King. It is not a doctrine however because there is no clear statement about it. Regardless of whether that is the case or not, we do not believe that Jesus is Almighty God.

2) We believe that Jesus was what he called himself..."The Son of God".....there is no such person as "God the Son" ever mentioned in scripture. John 1:1 clearly states that the "Word" (Logos) was "with God" "in the beginning".......can God be "with" himself?
And seeing as how God had no "beginning", how could Jesus be in existence before the beginning, if he IS the beginning?

"Theos" (god) in Greek is not a term that is exclusive to the God of Abraham, but a term that describes any divine mighty ones. (The Greeks had a pantheon of them) God himself called his judges "gods" because of their divine authority. Jesus had divine authority too and no one can doubt that he used the power of God's spirit to perform miracles...but so did his apostles. He fits the description of "a god", but he is not Yahweh.

Jesus is called "the firstborn of all creation" and "the beginning of the creation by God".....that tells us clearly that Jesus is a creation of his God. (Colossians 1:15; Revelation 3:14)

3) JW's are not Arians just because they deny the trinity.....the Jews did not worship a trinity and the first Christians did not either because they were all Jews. All the Bible writers were Jews who would have seen the trinity as the ultimate blasphemy. Jesus never once identified himself as God, or ever placed himself as God's equal. He did not solicit worship, but directed all worship to his God. (Luke 4:5-8)

Even upon his return to heaven, Jesus still spoke of his Father as "my God". (Revelation 3:12) If he was God that would make no sense.
In John 1:18 it says that "no man has seen God at any time"....how many thousands saw Jesus? It also calls Jesus the "only begotten god" in that same verse....how is God "begotten"? In order to be "begotten, one needs a "begetter" who existed first.

There is no direct statement by either God or his son to suggest that they are equals in any way......there is way more support for Jesus NOT being God than there is inferred by the Bible verses used by Christendom. Why did it take over 300 years to become official church doctrine? If Jesus did not teach it, then it isn't true.