More Distancing from Christ

– posted by meleti
An eagle-eyed reader shared this little gem with us:

In Psalm 23 in the NWT, we see that verse 5 speaks about being anointed with oil.  David is one of the other sheep according to JW theology, so he can't be anointed.  Yet the old songbook song based on Psalm 23 overlooked this conflict with JW doctrine.

However, the powers that be have corrected that oversight in the new songbook by replacing that song with one that says nothing about being anointed with oil but does call Jehovah our friend and God.

It is hard to view this as anything but a deliberate and considered attempt to turn the attention of the other sheep away from the Christ and the hope open to them of becoming children of God.

 

 

 

 

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  • Comment by Bernardbooks on 2019-02-26 19:31:49

    Hello Eric.
    Thanks for sharing this insight from a fellow reader.



    I agree. It is getting more and more difficult for me to think that those who are truly leading this organization are not making these decisions deliberately.

    Another scripture in the Psalms along this topic that caught my attention some time ago is below.
    At that time I thought to myself
    why is the term “anointed” being guarded so closely by the governing body and their class when the scriptures use it of all the faithful.

    Psalm 105:6, 15 NWT
    “You offspring of Abraham his servant,
    You sons of Jacob, his chosen ones.
    Saying, “Do not touch my anointed ones,
    And to my prophets do nothing bad.”


    Galatians 3:7, 26, 6:10 NASB
    “Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.
     For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
    So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household (NWT changes this to “related”) of the faith.”

    • Reply by Kennedy Dafeakeh on 2019-02-27 00:39:16

      Wow! That rendering, is poignant on so many levels, not least of which is the emphasis it places on our actually being of one family. Which is a picture that the WBTC wants to distort in as many ways as possible.

  • Comment by jamesbrown on 2019-02-26 20:58:33

    Hi Eric,

    This is what I found Matthew Henry Comments (bible hub).

    Psalms 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
    Thou furnishest me with plenty and variety of provisions and comforts,

    mine enemies; seeing, and envying, and fretting at it, but not being able to hinder it.

    With oil; or, ointment, as the Syriac and Arabic interpreters render it; with aromatical ointments, which were then used at great feasts, Psalm 92:10 Amos 6:6 Matthew 6:17 Luke 7:38. The sense is, Thy comforts delight my soul: compare Psalm 45:7.

    My cup runneth over; thou hast given me a very plentiful portion, signified by the cup given to the guests by the master of the feast.

    Strong's Lexicon: You anoint

    Strong's Hebrew 1878: 1) to be fat, grow fat, become fat, become prosperous, anoint of prosperity, to fatten oneself (of Jehovah's sword)

    All the above shows a life of prosperity & well being and has nothing to do with being anointed as we know it. This is what I found, I could be wrong.

  • Comment by Truth-Seeker on 2019-02-27 05:03:16

    The GB are 'off their rocker' spiritually.

  • Comment by Leonardo Josephus on 2019-02-27 13:26:59

    It is almost an insult to say the song is based on Psalm 23, when so much is ignored, and things that are not there are added. I thought the reason the Org wants the "other sheep" to be friends of God is they could not come up with anything better without acknowledging the Christian Greek scriptures are written for all Christians.

  • Comment by jamesbrown on 2019-02-28 21:28:45

    Hi Eric

    I have just been reading some of your earlier writings, and especially "Where Else Can We Go?", you are someone truly special, I just want to tell you and other writers, and commentators, -since I began to be on this site, - that for the first time I began to examine the bible for what it truly is, as the word of God, and Gods spirit can operate on anyone who wants to do his well.

    Sometimes I go of the course, but having such a wonderful family who always gets me back on course , is a great thing.

    Eric, again I just want to tell you and all dont stop commenting, and if you like myself, get of course their will always be someone who will get you back on course and on the way to real life that is based on Gods word and not on mans.

    Love to all

    • Reply by Psalmbee on 2019-03-01 09:44:17

      Hey JB, I'm feelin what your saying. Other than Jesus Christ himself, I can't think of a better shepherd. (Jer 23:4)!

      Psalmbee

  • Comment by pquin7 on 2019-03-01 20:12:46

    Just to let the brothers know that strictly the new world translation is not wrong in changing or giving a different reading the word anointed is a different word in Hebrew it is mashach the word David uses here in ver 5 is a different word dishanta the root word is dashen which means to fatten or to saturate to grease. so strictly speaking to translated it as anoint is not wrong but nor is it wrong to use grease or saturate or moist is wrong either because the Hebrew used here is not the traditional word used for anoint.

  • Comment by Chet on 2019-04-22 00:34:57

    It amazes me, the degree to which the Org seems willing, even eager, to rewrite their literature, and even “massage” their translation of the Bible in order to bolster their cause. They came up with a clever explanation and for many years, I believed them. But they have continued to edge away from biblical teaching and towards their own spin on matters. When they can’t even use the word “anoint” in a song which paraphrases the Bible, they’ve taken a step against the direction of goodness.

    Do they think they have to correct God’s written word? Are they so obsessed with anointing that they can’t imagine the word not being applied to them?

    For perspective, 3rd gen Witness and active for nearly 35 years when I couldn’t follow them any further. It took a while, but I concluded that the whole idea of anointed and other sheep was mistaken. I believe that those who are serving Jehovah and Jesus at Armageddon will have the opportunity to be co-rulers with Christ, right here on earth, along with those whom died in the Christ and will be resurrected. The heavenly kingdom gains its authority from heaven itself, but I’m pretty certain that the seat of the government will be right here on terra firma. I hope I am counted worthy to be a part.

    • Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2019-04-22 09:49:51

      Hear, hear!

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