“Truly I say to you, among those born of women, there has not been raised up anyone greater than John the Baptist, but a lesser person in the Kingdom of the heavens is greater than he is.” (Mt 11:11)
Now, various scholars have attempted to explain what Jesus was referring to, but the purpose of this post is not to join in that attempt. My concern is only to determine whether the Organization's interpretation is scripturally valid. One doesn't need to know what he meant to know what he didn't mean. If an interpretation of this verse can be shown to conflict with other scriptural passages, then we can eliminate that interpretation as false.
Here is the Organization's interpretation of Matthew 11:11:
w08 1/15 p. 21 par. 5, 7 Counted Worthy to Receive a Kingdom
5 Interestingly, immediately before speaking of those who would ‘seize’ the Kingdom of the heavens, Jesus said: “Truly I say to you people, Among those born of women there has not been raised up a greater than John the Baptist; but a person that is a lesser one in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he is.” (Matt. 11:11) Why was that? Because the hope of being part of the Kingdom arrangement was not fully opened up to faithful ones until holy spirit was poured out at Pentecost 33 C.E. By that time, John the Baptist had died.—Acts 2:1-4.
7 Regarding Abraham’s faith, God’s Word states: “[Abraham] put faith in Jehovah; and he proceeded to count it to him as righteousness.” (Gen. 15:5, 6) True, no human is absolutely righteous. (Jas. 3:2) Nevertheless, because of Abraham’s outstanding faith, Jehovah dealt with him as if he were righteous and even called him his friend. (Isa. 41:8) Those who make up the spiritual seed of Abraham along with Jesus have also been declared righteous, and this brings them even greater blessings than Abraham received.
In summary, the Governing Body teaches us that anyone, no matter how faithful, who died before Jesus died could not become one of the anointed who will share with Christ in the kingdom of the heavens. In other words, they will not be numbered among those who will become both kings and priests. (Re 5:10) I was brought up believing that men like Job, Moses, Abraham, Daniel, and John the Baptist would enjoy an earthly resurrection as part of the other sheep. But they would not be part of the 144,000. They would be restored to life, still in their imperfect state as sinners, but have the opportunity to work toward perfection at the end of the thousand year reign of Christ.
This entire doctrine is based on the Organization's interpretation of Matthew 11:11 and the belief that the ransom cannot be applied retroactively so that those faithful men and women of old might also enjoy the spirit adoption as children of God. Is this premise valid? Is it scriptural?
Not according to what God's word says, and unwittingly, the Organization acknowledges this. This is yet more evidence of their apparent inability to think things through and mess with established JW dogma.
I give you The Watchtower of October 15, 2014, which says:
w14 10/15 p. 15 par. 9 You Will Become “a Kingdom of Priests"
These anointed ones would become “joint heirs with Christ” and have the opportunity of becoming “a kingdom of priests.” This was a privilege that the nation of Israel under the Law could have had. Concerning the “joint heirs with Christ,” the apostle Peter stated: “You are ‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for special possession..."
The article is quoting from Exodus where God told Moses to tell the Israelites:
“Now if you will strictly obey my voice and keep my covenant, you will certainly become my special property out of all peoples, for the whole earth belongs to me. You will become to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.”” (Ex 19:5, 6)
The 2014 Watchtower article admits that the Israelites could have had this privilege! What privilege? That of becoming "anointed ones" who "would become 'joint heirs with Christ' and have the opportunity of becoming 'a kingdom of priests'". For that to be so, the opportunity could not have depended on dying only after Jesus died? Those words were spoken—that promise of God was given—to people who lived and died some 1,500 years before Christ, yet God cannot lie.
Either the Israelites were in the covenant for a kingdom or they were not. Exodus clearly shows there were, and the fact that they didn't hold up their end of the bargain as a nation doesn't preclude God from holding to his promise for those few who remained faithful and kept their part of the covenant. And what if the nation as a whole had kept their end of the bargain? One could try to dismiss this as hypothetical, but was God's promise hypothetical? Was Jehovah saying, "I can't really keep this promise because all these people will die before my Son pays the ransom; but no matter, they're not going to keep it anyway, so I'm off the hook"?
Jehovah made a promise he was fully committed to keeping should they have held up their end of the agreement. That means—and the 2014 Watchtower admits this hypothetical scenario—that it would have been possible for God to include the pre-Christian servants in the Kingdom of God along with anointed Christians who died after Jesus paid the ransom. So the Organization's teaching that faithful pre-Christian servants could not be part of the Kingdom of the heavens is unscriptural and the 2014 article unwittingly admits to that fact.
How could men who are "God's channel of communication" and the "Slave" the Jesus is using to direct his people have missed that fact for decades and still do to this day? Would that not reflect very badly on Jehovah God, the Great Communicator? (w01 7/1 p. 9 par. 9)
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Comment by Phelps on 2018-10-18 08:02:47
Soy yo otra vez hermano Eric...de Colombia ;me alegra saludarlos a todos.hasta ahora pude comprar teléfono después de un robo que me hicieron.sin embargo no he dejado de leer tus artículos...gracias por tanto estimulo.quisiera saber si por Colombia ya ha habido quien despierte del sueño profundo para reynirnos.hermano Eric me gustaría hacerte una petición
Comment by Yehorakam on 2018-10-05 20:31:23
Well said Eric. The way I see it, in heaven among the family of God there are levels of authority. Even a holy, perfect spirit with the least authority in God's family is greater than the most righteous of imperfect humans. I believe that explanation is what Jesus intended, so as to show how great the reward of what seeking FIRST the kingdom of the heavens would be... the goal that all should put before themselves. Of course, the Witnesses ignore such statements as:
Matt 8:11: "But I tell YOU that many from eastern parts and western parts will come and recline at the table (Jesus' table) with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of the HEAVENS."
Luke 13:28: "There is where your weeping and the gnashing of your teeth will be, when YOU see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the KINGDOM OF GOD."
Hebrews 11:13-16: "In faith all these died, although they did not get the fulfillment of the promises, but they saw them afar off and welcomed them and publicly declared that they were strangers and temporary residents in the EARTH. For those who say such things give evidence that they are earnestly seeking a place of their own. And yet, if they had indeed kept remembering that place from which they had gone forth, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they are reaching out for a better place, that is, one belonging to HEAVEN. Hence God is not ashamed of them, to be called upon as their God, for he has made a city ready for them."...(that city being a heavenly city, the New Jerusalem)
Rev 11:15-18: "And the seventh angel blew his trumpet. And loud voices occurred in heaven....and the twenty-four elders worshipped God saying: the appointed time has arrived for the dead to be judged, and to give their reward to your slaves the prophets and to the holy ones and to those fearing your name, the small and the great."
So, the pre-Christian prophets receive their reward at the sounding of the 7th trumpet.
According to Witnesses, the reward Abraham and the prophets receive is being resurrected back into imperfect bodies to be judged for a 1000 years with the possibility of dying! What a contrast to what our Lord Jesus said in Luke 13. Pre-Christian servants of God had the exact same invitation as those after Christ's visit. Paul said in Romans 4:23-25: "That “it was counted to him as righteousness” to Abraham was written, not for his sake only, but also for the sake of us to whom it is destined to be counted, because we believe on him who raised Jesus our Lord up from the dead. He was delivered up for the sake of our trespasses and was raised up for the sake of declaring us righteous."
Just as Christians are declared righteous for life for their faith in Christ, in the same way and for the same reasons pre-Christian examples of faith have also been declared righteous for life....life in the kingdom of the heavens as Christ said. They are of the same group and have the same standing before God as Paul said in Roman's 4. Makes you wonder how the members of the governing body claim to be anointed, and yet the Holy Spirit has hidden that from them? Funny that our Lord Jesus Christ who directs the "congregation" would allow them to teach false doctrines that contradict what he himself said? Surely the master would intervene if his slave went out and taught something contrary to his will?...unless they are NOT his slaves and therefore he has no obligation to correct them.
Perhaps another beautiful thing is that prior to Christ's arrival, the invitation to become children of God in the kingdom of the heavens was not only open to the Israelites. For think, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob themselves were not Israelites, nor anyone prior to them. Neither were Job, Rahab or Elijah Israelites...and yet they were called and declared righteous by their faith as Hebrews 11 mentions (not by "works" before the law was given, nor by "works of the law" after it was given).
So, here's what the GB would have you believe: Despite all the superlative pre-Christian examples of faith, hope and love...Christ called no one for 4000 years until after his death...and then gave that invitation to every self-serving individual that attended meetings in the first century...and then invited "no one that we know of" for 1800 years...then started calling again starting with Russell...continued calling until Rutherford said he stopped in 1935...then "maybe" started calling again when a Wt in 2003(?) said he "apparently" is still calling. What a disgusting picture the organization paints of our Lord Jesus Christ and our Father and their view of those with faith. They've made them look like someone who doesn't know what they are doing...with their finger on a toggle switch, turning the invitation on and off, and on and off...all through the ages. What's more disgusting is it is the GB who has had their hand on that toggle switch!...playing with the invitation. Sorry for the strong words, but I say disgusting many times because that is just what it is.
If you understand that Christ's invitation has been open for the last 6000 years and to people of all nations, then you will understand his invitation to be children of God was not just to Israel, but to those who listen to his voice, and they are a little flock. 'Those being saved are few.' 'It is a narrow gate and few are the ones finding it.' With the help of this little flock, he intends to gather a much larger number of other sheep, so that they too will enjoy the glorious freedom of the children of God, becoming just that at the end of his 1000yr reign. When all are considered children of God and all have been 'made alive' by Christ, they will all be one family, one flock with one shepherd, Christ. That's what I believe anyway.
Much love,
Comment by Amitafal on 2018-10-06 03:01:15
How on earth did we not see through yet another lie?!
I would always quote Romans 6:7, which all translations effectively say, “when we die we are acquitted of our sins”. This never tied in with the thought that if any died before Jesus, they would be resurrected and have a thousand years to work towards perfection, and those of us alive now, if we died we also had to wait a thousand years to be perfect? I have to say some doctrines have been so deeply intrenched in me it is still hard to grasp that there may not be a Heavenly and an earthly hope. Thank you ’Meleti’ & ‘Tadua’, for your research and hard work.Reply by MarthaMartha on 2018-10-06 23:19:38
Hi Amitafal,
I feel the same way about grasping the idea of there maybe not being a heavenly and earthly hope. I really want to live forever on a perfect earth with a perfect body. It’s hard to give up that dream!
I guess we’re in the same boat, trusting that our Father and his Son will take us carefully to our destination and that it will be lovely.
At least our minds are free while we wait and see!
?
Martha
Comment by Bernardbooks on 2018-10-06 03:09:49
Thanks for this information.
I remember on several occasions before waking up trying to make the pieces fit with their interpretation on this especially if the nation as a majority had accepted Jesus as the Messiah but it never would quite fit together in my mind. But I always had figured it was just my problem for not being able to see it. Once I started to wake up though it became apparent that even one false interpretation creates a web of problems since the scriptures are so joined together.
Earlier this year I found this article that I think connects very well with the way they don’t think things through. After reading your article this evening I thought to myself, here is another connection from their own published material that exposes their shallow and forced fit way of explaining things that contradicts other explanations of theirs.
w14 8/15 p.18 para.8
“Jehovah has made it possible even for people who lived before the time of Christ to benefit from the ransom. From the moment Jehovah prophesied about a future Savior for mankind, the ransom was as good as paid from his viewpoint, for he knew that his purpose would not fail. (Gen. 3:15) Centuries later, the apostle Paul expressed gratitude to God for “the release by the ransom paid by Christ Jesus.” Paul added: “God in his forbearance was forgiving the sins that occurred in the past.” (Rom. 3:21-26)”
Just as a side note:
I found this article because I was curious about how they explained Romans 3:25b compared to their interpretation of Romans 6:7 but that’s a whole other strand of web.Reply by MarthaMartha on 2018-10-06 08:31:38
That’s a coincidence, BB, because when I started reading Meleti’s article I thought he was going to use the Watchtower article that you mention.
I remember that article and the comments on the ransom ‘being as good as paid’ to back up the idea of being declared righteous. If as Paul said, God was forgiving sins from the past, then we who put faith in God and Jesus in the past or in present are covered by the same guarantee, to the same degree, with the same reward.
It’s only human interpretation that confuses things to create a tier system of righteousness.
I love the way all our reading and meditating leads us to similar conclusions. Like jigsaw puzzles that have been lost ( or deliberately hidden) being found and put in the picture.
Thanks Eric and all of you.
MM
Comment by Justin Michesloff on 2018-10-06 13:59:32
This type of thinking, or thought process is what we have been indoctrinated with.
The Watchtower 6/1/1967 pg. 338 said:
"But in Jehovah’s organization it is not necessary to spend a lot of time and energy in research, for there are brothers in the organization who are assigned to do that very thing, to help you who do not have so much time for this, these preparing the good material in The Watchtower and other publications of the Society. But you do not study enough? Take this suggestion: Often the very best and most beneficial studying you do is that done when you read a new Watchtower or Awake! or a new book with the joy of getting the new truths..."
The Watchtower 1/15/1983 page 27 said:
"19 As we study the Bible we learn that Jehovah has always guided his servants in an organized way. And just as in the first century there was only one true Christian organization, so today Jehovah is using only one organization. (Ephesians 4:4, 5; Matthew 24:45-47) Yet there are some who point out that the organization has had to make adjustments before, and so they argue: “This shows that we have to make up our own mind on what to believe.” This is independent thinking. Why is it so dangerous?
20 Such thinking is an evidence of pride. And the Bible says: “Pride is before a crash, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.” (Proverbs 16:18) If we get to thinking that we know better than the organization, we should ask ourselves: “Where did we learn Bible truth in the first place? Would we know the way of the truth if it had not been for guidance from the organization? Really, can we get along without the direction of God’s organization?” No, we cannot!—Compare Acts 15:2, 28, 29; 16:4, 5."
I (we) have heard this and thoughts like this our whole lives. We weren't supposed to put 1+1 together and get a 2. We were simply told that unquestioning obedience will result in our eternal blessings, as long as we can make in past the 1000 year evolution to perfection and pass the final test. After all, look at all of the scriptures cited for us to compare, right???
To put the governing body and the Watchtower to the test (Acts 17:10-12) by verifying accuracy and continuity has become an act of APOSTASY!! Oddly enough, when most of us started to question, where did we go for answers? We went straight to them!!! Only when their answers to our questions and letters failed all tests of scriptural accuracy, logic and sense did we go back to where we should have started, in the Bible itself.
Painting the organization and its governing body with the same brush that they paint others is eye opening. It is my hope and prayer that many more would awaken to the JW.org show that continues to mislead and divide all who loyally follow. Psalm 146:3 reminds us that we shouldn't put our trust in these princes, self proclaimed
Guardians
Of
Doctrine
because their "elevated spot where we can go for refuge" (w94 4/1 pg.15 par.6) has become more like the High Places which are most often associated with pagan worship of false GODS. (Nu 33:52; 1Ki 3:2; Jer 19:5)Reply by MarthaMartha on 2018-10-06 23:04:18
Well said Justin, and great quotes.
I’m going to put them in my folder of quotes that continue to immunise me against any attempts to persuade me to return to the dulling of my senses.
Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2018-10-07 10:52:48
Well put, Justin!
Comment by Dawn Ann on 2018-10-07 08:43:21
It amazes me that the many WT articles are a tangled web of deceit with various contradictions. I wonder if this is just ignorance or blindness of the writers to logic and reasoning or just willful deceit.. I really do believe that the latter for the GB.
I’ve always struggled with the teaching that the faithful saints of old could not benefit from the ransom because they were pre Jesus. It just didn’t make sense to me and left me feeling that Jehovah was not a fair God. I’m so thankful for my awakening through Meleti and others who provide scriptural reasoning on this site. My prayer is that many more become awakened and leave the organization. I have not gone back to the KH In 6 weeks. It breaks my heart to see my husband still going despite how he’s been treated by the organization but he blindly follows. I just need to be bold but fear of being disfellowshipped and love for my husband keeps me incognito. It’s a tough decision.Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2018-10-07 10:07:18
We feel for you, Dawn Ann. It is hideous how the Organization exercises its control by threat of disfellowshipping. This is not of the Christ. It has another origin.
Reply by Yehorakam on 2018-10-07 12:53:57
Very sorry to hear that Dawn. It certainly creates a lot of internal turmoil. But, following Christ brings peace regardless of the surroundings circumstances that can often be painful. Rejoice in truth and do your best to imitate the love of Christ. No one can accurately find fault with that kind of ministry! And it may bring comfort to others including your husband.
As regards the GB, there certainly is a lot of debate as to their complicity. They could be just plain wicked, planning to deceive (less likely)...or just plain blind but thinking they see (possible) or mostly blind but seeing a little but not definitely not admitting it nor apologizing for their misleading statements (possible). Here's my take on it: I think it best to let Christ judge them. He sees motives, whereas we only see actions. But, do their actions show me something? That they are not guided by holy spirit and are not humble. Whether or not their motives are wicked no longer matters. What does matter is that I know they don't have holy spirit and therefore I should not look to them for any sort of guidance. 'ONE us our teacher. ONE is our leader.'...right from Christ's own mouth (Mat 23:8-10).
When you stop listening to them at the meetings and start listening to Christ in the gospels, things become much clearer.
Much love,
Comment by Yehorakam on 2018-10-07 13:59:16
Hey. Just thinking...perhaps the GB has never considered Hebrews 2:6-9 and how it might contribute to a proper understanding of Jesus words at Matt 11:11:
"But a certain witness has given proof somewhere, saying: “What is man that you keep him in mind, or [the] son of man that you take care of him? You made him [Adam] a little lower than angels; with glory and honor you crowned him, and appointed him over the works of your hands. All things you subjected under his feet [as it says in Gen 1:26-28 & Ps 8:5,6].” For in that he subjected all things to him [God] left nothing that is not subject to him. Now, though, we do not yet see all things in subjection to him [Adam]; but we behold Jesus, who has been made a little lower than angels, crowned with glory and honor for having suffered death, that he by God’s undeserved kindness might taste death for every [man]."
Something for thought...that even a physically perfect human that has not been perfected spiritually is still a little lower than a holy spirit son of God...
Comment by Leonardo Josephus on 2018-10-08 05:26:14
Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive. (Walter Scott).
A internet E mailscam at the present time is for some to pretend to be your bank, telling you about dsome problem, and then persuading you to contact them on the phone number they have provided. What happens after that usually leads to a serious depletion of your bank balance. Many inexperienced elderly ones fall for it.
When we rely on the caller for answers we get fooled.
Those that weave the web, are not the ones we should expect to answer the questions. Of course, one problem is that few will realise that what they are looking at is part of a web and Mr Spider makes his web very attractive to the innocent, and even many experienced ones !
Comment by jamesbrown on 2018-10-09 01:43:05
Proverbs 14:15 The naive person believes every word, But the shrewd one ponders each step
Well done Eric I love it when you use scriptural reasoning.
Comment by dani on 2019-04-19 20:25:59
Hmmm, I appreciate your reasoning however I’m not sure I agree with the conclusions you’ve reached For various reasons. One such is that Rev.14:13 would appear to indicate otherwise.
those who have died in union with Christ “from this time forward” are pronounced happy.
Why does the angel state this if those from the past are also to be included in the heavenly calling. As for Israel, did they not prove to be a kingdom of earthly priests and kings, as Jehovah’s special property - I fail to understand how they could possibly be included in a heavenly covenant only established by Jesus in the future with his brothers and friends, which was only sealed by his blood.
Also I have noticed in the comments that Matt.8:11 and Luke.13:28 are being used to prove that Abraham and Isaac and Jacob have the heavenly calling, however you would then have to apply this same reasoning to the words of Jesus at Matt.26:29 and assume that Jesus is drinking wine in heaven, which I think has already been established that this is likely an earthly setting. The kingdom of the heavens and The kingdom of God...these expressions are not describing the physical location of said kingdom.Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2019-04-22 10:09:30
Good question, Dani. First, we need the correct rendering of Rev. 14:13 which means we must eliminate the "union with" phrase. That gives us: “Blessed are the dead—those who die in the Lord from this moment on.” (Re 14:13 BSB)
Now this isn't intended as an exclusion. For example, by the time this was written, possibly 96 C.E., all of the apostles save John had died, yet they also died in Christ. So while those dying in Christ from "that moment on" would be blessed, it doesn't exclude those who died in Christ from blessings. What about those who didn't die in Christ? Abraham died long before the Christ appeared. Again, I don't think we can exclude him from blessing based on time of death. The Bible actually says that he will eat with the Lord in the Kingdom of God. (Matthew 8:11; Luke 13:28)
The Bible says that Jesus died for all men. (Romans 5:18) This means that the value of his blood is applied retroactively back to the beginning of Mankind. So why cannot the reward of the Kingdom be likewise applied retroactively?
The argument of Matthew 26:29 being figurative applies only if we can prove that Jesus and the anointed live in heaven and never come to the earth to assume flesh. But is that a scripturally valid premise?
Revelation 5:10 says they will rule "on" the near, not "over" it. They are the New Jerusalem which descends from heaven. (Re 3:12) Jesus assigned a slave because he left for heaven. He has to return to take control of the earth. He always appeared to his disciples in the flesh so as to direct them and minister to them. (Consider his restoration of crestfallen Peter.)
I'm afraid that the Catholic and JW myth that all good people go to heaven (Okay, JWs limit it to 144,000) is not Scriptural. Will the anointed have access to heaven, to the presence of God? That would seem to be the case. (Mt 5:8) But they will rule on earth.
"and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Re 10:5 ESV