Samael_Khan
Goosebender
I have been reading up on the topics "Mediator" and "New Covenant" in Insight into the Scriptures (sort of a biblical encyclopedia of the Jehovah's Witnesses). I have also read a past watchtower which discussed a Question from Readers article regarding 1 Timothy 2:6 which says:
"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus."
My understanding of what we have been told to believe is that Jesus is only the mediator between Jehovah and the anointed (The 144 000). The other sheep, witnesses who aren't of the anointed, have access to salvation through their faith. They have to be associated with Christ's representatives on earth who are the anointed. The implication of this is that only the anointed partake of the last supper re-enactment whereas the rest just pass the bread and wine around without partaking of it on the evening of the memorial of Christs death.
My problem with this is that the JW understanding seems contrary to 1 Timothy 2 which indicates that Jesus is the only mediator between God and men. But if he is only the mediator between Jehovah and the anointed, then who is the mediator of the rest of us witnesses? Are the anointed our mediators?
Their reasoning also seems to conflict with Romans 8. (They say Romans 8 only refers to the anointed.) Yet Romans 8 seems to say that one is either a joint heir with Christ (anointed) or one cannot please God (verse 8). The belief is that only the anointed are joint heirs with Christ, so does that mean that the faith of the rest of the true believers is pointless since they cannot please God? I have looked Romans 8 up on the Watchtower CD-rom and the JW library app looking for answers and what is suspicious is that there is no commentary dealing with Romans 8: 8-13 since 1975. And the last time verse 9 was discussed in 1975, verse 11 in 1974, verse 8 in 1964, verse 12 in 1960 and verses 10 and 13 were last discussed in 1938 which is innaccessible on the CD rom. The NWT makes references to other texts related to these scriptures but doesn't discuss them in context. These are the verses that don't seem to match their interpretation.
Points of reference:
Insight into the scriptures Vol 2, page 362 - Mediator
Insight into the scriptures Vol , page 524 - Covenant (New covenant)
Watchtower 1989 8/15, page 31 - Questions from readers
I am interested in what anyone has to say about this interpretation of who Jesus is Mediator for. If I am wrong in my understanding then feel free to correct me.
Would any other Christians agree with this interpretation of Romans and 1 Timothy as well?
Looking forward to your replies.
"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus."
My understanding of what we have been told to believe is that Jesus is only the mediator between Jehovah and the anointed (The 144 000). The other sheep, witnesses who aren't of the anointed, have access to salvation through their faith. They have to be associated with Christ's representatives on earth who are the anointed. The implication of this is that only the anointed partake of the last supper re-enactment whereas the rest just pass the bread and wine around without partaking of it on the evening of the memorial of Christs death.
My problem with this is that the JW understanding seems contrary to 1 Timothy 2 which indicates that Jesus is the only mediator between God and men. But if he is only the mediator between Jehovah and the anointed, then who is the mediator of the rest of us witnesses? Are the anointed our mediators?
Their reasoning also seems to conflict with Romans 8. (They say Romans 8 only refers to the anointed.) Yet Romans 8 seems to say that one is either a joint heir with Christ (anointed) or one cannot please God (verse 8). The belief is that only the anointed are joint heirs with Christ, so does that mean that the faith of the rest of the true believers is pointless since they cannot please God? I have looked Romans 8 up on the Watchtower CD-rom and the JW library app looking for answers and what is suspicious is that there is no commentary dealing with Romans 8: 8-13 since 1975. And the last time verse 9 was discussed in 1975, verse 11 in 1974, verse 8 in 1964, verse 12 in 1960 and verses 10 and 13 were last discussed in 1938 which is innaccessible on the CD rom. The NWT makes references to other texts related to these scriptures but doesn't discuss them in context. These are the verses that don't seem to match their interpretation.
Points of reference:
Insight into the scriptures Vol 2, page 362 - Mediator
Insight into the scriptures Vol , page 524 - Covenant (New covenant)
Watchtower 1989 8/15, page 31 - Questions from readers
I am interested in what anyone has to say about this interpretation of who Jesus is Mediator for. If I am wrong in my understanding then feel free to correct me.
Would any other Christians agree with this interpretation of Romans and 1 Timothy as well?
Looking forward to your replies.