Faith on the March

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Faith on the March A.H. Macmillan Copyright 1957

CHAPTER 10
INTERPRETATIONS BELONG TO GOD
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YOU MAY HAVE heard someone say that Jehovah's witnesses interpret the Bible to suit themselves. Now most people who try to please themselves look out for their own interests and make things easy. Yet the interpretation of the Bible Jehovah's witnesses adhere to has not been an easy one to follow. Actually we do not interpret the Bible either privately or as an organization. Remember, Jesus said concerning those who would be watching,¹ "The master ... will gird himself and have them sit at table, and he will come and serve them." (Italics mine.)
That means the entire Society or family are seated at the Lord's spiritual table and all are fed together from God's Word at the hand of their Master, Jesus Christ. Although they study individually also, it is not a private matter with each one, because of their group study. In this way, since all receive individual instruction, they all become individually qualified for their ministry. Yet since they spiritually eat together at the one source, their understanding is uniform. They are

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not divided by conflicting private interpretations. Then how does the interpretation come?

FINDING THE HARMONY OF THE BIBLE

Not too long ago I got into a discussion with a man who had been a sincere Catholic all of his life. Our conversation on the Bible led us to a consideration of the doctrine of the trinity, and this point of interpretation came up. "Now I'll admit," my friend said, "that the word 'trinity' does not appear in the Bible, and the Bible does not say specifically that there are three distinct personalities in the Godhead. But we Catholics believe that the Church has the authority to pronounce dogma in order to express clearly those doctrines that are not distinctly taught in the Bible." "But how can the Catholic Church have authority to teach something that is not taught by the Bible, or that is contrary to what the Bible states?" I asked. "Well, I don't think she teaches anything contrary to the Bible," he replied. "But if the doctrine of the trinity for example is not clearly expressed in the Scriptures, then why shouldn't the Church add her voice for the benefit of her children? " "But that is rather dangerous, don't you think?" "Why is it?" "Well, assume for a moment that the Church does have that right. That doesn't leave much need for the Bible itself does it? Take this doctrine of a trinity. Of what value are all of the texts that might give light on the subject if, in the final analysis, we rely on an authority aside from the Bible for the understanding? " "Well, I believe the Church can interpret correctly." "Yes, because you are a Catholic. But do you think the

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average Protestant would accept an interpretation just on that basis?"
"All churches claim the right to interpret the Bible. Why shouldn't the Catholic Church?"

"I don't think any organization has that right. If a group cannot demonstrate solely from the Bible that its teachings should be accepted, what basis do they have for convincing anyone outside of their own organization? It would be just one man's opinion against another's. The Watchtower doesn't claim to interpret the Bible. Thee believe that God had the Bible recorded so that in his due time a proper harmony of the Scriptures on a certain point will reveal God's own mind on the matter. That is the only correct interpretation."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, let me demonstrate it. We have just admitted that the Bible does not discuss the trinity as a doctrine. Now what is the truth in regard to the relationship of the Father and the Son? Certainly, God knows. And we have every reason to believe that the writers of the Bible must have known, too. They were inspired. Therefore their conception of the true relationship of the Father and the Son would certainly appear in their expressions when they are discussing that relationship. So we should make an effort to determine the view they had by the things they actually said, not by some interpretation that we would like to put on their words."

"Do you think that can be relied on for something as important as one of the central doctrines of the Christian church?"

"How else can we determine if it really is one of the central doctrines? You see, I still believe the Bible is sufficient. Paul wrote to Timothy,² 'All scripture, inspired of God, is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in justice, That the man of God may be perfect, furnished to every good work.' That text says the Bible will completely equip

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us with doctrine and instruction and makes no suggestion that we need tradition outside of the Bible to complete it."
"How can you determine what any writer meant on a subject if he is not directly discussing that subject? That's where the interpretation comes in."

"Not at all. That is where most Bible students make their mistake, and why we have so many differing interpretations."

"How would you do it?"

"By comparing his words with another's, or with his own when expressed in different words or from a different viewpoint."

JESUS QUOTED SCRIPTURE AS AUTHORITY

"But that is one objection that I have always had to Jehovah's witnesses. You take Scriptures from all over the Bible and put them together like a jigsaw puzzle. You can prove anything that way."
"Not unless you take the Scriptures out of their proper context. Jesus constantly quoted the words of writers of the 'Old Testament,' or Hebrew Scriptures, to establish a thought. So did Paul and Peter. They did not rely on their own interpretation. That is the proper way to determine what a writer meant. Why, in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus actually made twenty-one different quotations from eight different books of the Hebrew Scriptures³ to establish the authority for his doctrine. Surely you don't think he was misusing the Scriptures do you?"

"He was God. That makes a difference."

"Well, he certainly had the mind of God. And that is what we should try to get. But we can't if we insist on attaching meanings to his words that he never intended. Let me illustrate it by a few texts that discuss the relationship of the Father and the Son. Take the text at John 10:30 (Douay).

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It says, 'I and the Father are one.' Now, what does that mean to you?" "Just what it says. The Father and the Son are one. That means they are one God." "Well, taking the Scripture by itself it might seem that way, although it doesn't actually say they are one God, does it? In the first place, he isn't talking about the identity of the Father or his own identity. He says in verse 25: 'The works that I do in the name of my Father, they give testimony of me.' So he's talking about their relationship in their work, not in a 'Godhead.' But before we jump to any final conclusions and read into the text something Jesus may never have meant, suppose we turn to another place where he is also discussing his relationship to his Father. Notice here he is comparing their own relationship with that of those who would become members of his 'body.' It is at John 17:20-22, Douay translation. 'And not for them only do I pray, but for them also who through their word shall believe in me; That they all may be one, as thou, Father, in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou hast given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, as we also are one.' Now, you couldn't very well say he was discussing their relationship as part of the Godhead, could you? Because then there would be more than just three in one." "That's obvious, I believe." "Then why do we say in the other text we just read that he was viewing his relation to his Father in that mystical ways He was talking about his works there, too, wasn't he? "

ONENESS OF JESUS WITH GOD IN THEIR WORK'S

"What about the text that says, 'If you have seen me you have seen the Father.' That's plain enough, isn't it?"

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"What is he talking about when he makes the statement? Notice the entire reference at John 14:8-10 (Douay). Here again, as in both of the other instances, Jesus is talking about the works he has done and the words he has spoken, as he says: 'The words that I speak to you, I speak not of myself. But the Father who abideth in me, he doth the works.'"
"But don't you see? He says right there that the Father abides in him."

"Let me caution you again, now. What right do we have to say he meant anything different than when he very clearly prayed to his Father and said about his disciples: 'that they all may be one, as thou, Father, in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us.' If we attach a certain meaning to his words without just cause, then we are truly wresting the Scriptures and making them subject to private interpretation."

"What do you think he meant?"

"Jesus said he did nothing without authority from the Father. This shows oneness of purpose. Besides, the one delegating authority is superior to the one receiving it, so Jesus is not equal with the Father as the doctrine of the trinity teaches.⁴ In fact Jesus said,⁵ 'The Father is greater than I.'

"In this point of oneness," I concluded, "I can think of no statement in the Bible which would more clearly infer that two persons could still be only one, than the description of a man and woman who marry. Jesus said:⁶ I 'For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be in one flesh.' Now Jesus actually says these two become just one, yet no one would interpret his words to mean they enter into a mystical oneness similar to the 'three persons, yet one God' of the trinity. Why not? Because it is obvious he really didn't mean that. Why, then, in the face of so many statements to the contrary should we attribute such an obscure meaning to references to the oneness of the Father and the Son? Besides, none of these statements even mention a third 'person' like the 'holy ghost,' so at best it

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could only establish a 'duality,' and not a 'trinity.' That is why Jehovah's witnesses refuse to interpret the Bible themselves. The true meaning of any text can be determined only when it lS harmonized with the rest of the Bible and in keeping with their contexts. That way, the interpretation is God's, not man's."

PROPHECY UNFOLDS With ITS FULFILLMENT

Now I have tried, by relating this incident to you, to demonstrate an extremely important point in this matter of interpretation. Isaiah encourages us,⁷ "Come now, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." This makes it quite clear that we can and should reason upon such doctrines of the Bible as salvation, the trinity and other basic fundamental teachings. These foundations of Christian faith were argued by Paul and others of the early congregation, and most of these cardinal doctrines were restored early in C. T. Russell's study. Restoration was necessary because, as both Peter and Paul foretold, they would be lost.⁸ Such reasoning was not done by man's wisdom, but by a comparison of scriptures under the Lord's direction until complete harmony was found for all of them without successful contradiction.
Prophecy, however, is different. The apostle Peter said: "No prophecy of Scripture springs from any private release."⁹ That is, no one can "reason out" the fulfillment. We have to wait until it happens. As events occur we need only to be aware of them and be fully acquainted with the prophecies recorded. The fulfillment becomes quite clear, unless, of course, we are still not clear on the fundamentals of the Bible. As an illustration Paul wrote to the Hebrews¹⁰ that he had some deep things to say about Jesus, how certain promises made long beforehand were fulfilled in Christ. 'But,'

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Paul said, 'you still have to learn the basic teachings of Christianity again. How can you understand these deeper aspects of the prophecies about Christ,' he argued, 'if you still have to feed on the milk of God's Word?'
It was in this way that the fundamental purposes of God were revealed to that little group headed by Russell who were watching for Jesus' return. This channel the Lord has kept on using and it has grown in understanding. Points of prophecy have been obscure at times because events had not yet progressed sufficiently, but the light is getting brighter as those foretold events occur.¹¹ As the prophecies are fulfilled, they are studied along with the physical facts and thus they become "meat in due season" to all of those feeding at the table Jehovah, through Jesus Christ, has set for his channel, his "faithful and discreet slave."¹²

OUR VIEW OF THE NEW WORLD SOCIETY CLEARS UP

Development of our understanding of prophecies in relation to the New World society is an example of how the knowledge of God's purposes has unfolded. It was not until some years after 1919 that it was understood that there was a New World society being gathered and brought to maturity. This, we then realized, was to be carried through the battle of Armageddon as a nucleus of the new world arrangement to be set up during the thousand- year reign of Christ. We made an effort to understand it, and were able to get some important information that was helpful at the time; but the details could not be understood until God's time to fulfill the prophecy or until events were far enough advanced to see clearly the prophecies were being fulfilled.
Birth of the New World society brought changes in our thinking as well as in our activity. True, we knew that only a "little flock"¹³ had been promised the kingdom of heaven.

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But Revelation 7 spoke of a "great multitude" in addition to this limited number of 144,000 who compose the "little flock."¹⁴
Furthermore, in the seventh chapter of Revelation we have the picture of four angels holding back the four winds of the earth. This is the same condition Jesus described at Matthew 24:22 when he said: "For the elect's sake those days [of tribulation against Satan's wicked system] shall be shortened." Following the war in heaven that began in 1914, the angels of the Lord are not permitted to blow and wreck or destroy the things of this world's organizations until a certain work is done. Now what was that work? First it was the sealing of the 144,000 or completing the number of those who would make up the "little flock." Then, after that was done, John saw a great crowd or great multitude, standing before the throne, singing the praises of Jehovah and thanking him that they were delivered from the persecutions that were coming upon them. Now the question we had asked ourselves was Who are these? And what are we to do for them? These and similar questions had puzzled Bible scholars for years.

John was told they were a group to come out of great tribulation. This and other features of the prophecy show a definite time element is involved. Therefore, an understanding of this text in Revelation 7 was not due until the time of this tribulation had begun and the time to deal with this "great multitude" had arrived. After the beginning of the period of tribulation on Satan's world which began in 1914 with the war in heaven, and after the birth of the New World society in 1919, this time had come. When these and other features of Bible prophecy began to clear up, an exhaustive study was made of all the texts and subject-matter relating to this prophecy in Revelation, and in view of conditions that had by this time developed in the organization we realized that the great crowd was composed of those who would be called by Jehovah and prepared for an everlasting home on earth in

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the new world. These must be gathered before Armageddon and be carried through that great battle. This understanding did not come until 1935.
Now it is clear to all in the New World society; and their hope is to be carried through the battle of Armageddon into the new world. If faithful to the principles of that new world, they will live on to everlasting life and be the "millions now living [that] will never die."

During the last ten or fifteen years, we have looked not so much for any new unfolding of doctrine, but a clearer appreciation of those prophecies already revealed. Now the light of truth is guiding us to know what to expect before Armageddon. That is something we never understood in the past. Events had not developed sufficiently. Now we know the New World society must be fully developed, and that is a world-wide work. Although some who oppose Jehovah's witnesses would like to make it appear otherwise, we do not claim, "Chronology shows the final end will come on such and such a date." The work will not end until it is completed. Matthew 24:14 says this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to the nations, and then the end will come.

This principle of interpretation was stated many centuries ago in Egypt. Joseph, a faithful worshiper of Jehovah, answered two officers of the Pharaoh when they were puzzled because no one could reveal to them the meaning of their dreams. He said,¹⁵ "Do not interpretations belong to God?" Then, under inspiration, he explained to them what the future held in store.

Even Daniel, the prophet, was made to realize that prophecy can be understood only in God's due time. He reports:¹⁶ "And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my lord, what shall be the issue of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall purify themselves, and make

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themselves white, and be refined; but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but they that are wise shall understand."

RESISTING GOD'S INTERPRETATION LEADS TO DISASTER

Development of understanding of God's purposes has been progressing since the days of the early congregation. Even the disciples of Jesus did not receive all their understanding during his presence with them. In fact, when the holy spirit was poured out on them at Pentecost they did not have it all. They had only one clear point at Pentecost, and that is that God would select a people for his name from among the nations-- first the Jews. And how difficult it was for them later to see that any Gentiles would be taken in. Why, some rebelled against it. "No Gentile can come in," they argued; "if he's going to be one of us he'll have to be circumcised and keep the law." The apostle Paul had quite a time straightening them out. It was such an important matter that they went to Jerusalem to the governing body of the entire church and thrashed it out for several days before they had it cleared up.¹⁷
It was even after this that Paul had to clear up a point for Peter while he was visiting in Antioch. Peter had been conducting himself as a Gentile in regard to the Law until certain Jewish Christians arrived. Then he began to keep certain features of the Law by separating himself from the Gentile Christians. Paul asked him:¹⁸ "If you, though you are a Jew, live as the nations do, and not as Jews do, how is it that you are compelling people of the nations to live according to Jewish practice?" Obviously Peter was not "infallible," even in this matter of faith and morals.

As the truth unfolded gradually to the early congregation, so the truth is gradually unfolding itself today. As some became offended and dropped out then,¹⁹ so do some today.

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They got themselves into a rut by saying, "Now this is as far as we'll go. Accepting these advanced ideas involves too much change." The "popular" religions of Christendom have done just that. They drew up a creed and said, "That creed will show that we have not slipped away and gotten into error." Instead the creed has kept them from going along in the increasing light of truth. The rut has become a chasm with its dead end at Armageddon.

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Chptr. 1

Chptr. 2

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Chptr. 4

Chptr. 5

Chptr. 6

Chptr. 7

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Photographs

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Reference

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