Whenever challenged on the false dates set by the Governing Body (representing the “faithful and discreet slave” class) such as 1914, 1918, 1925 and 1975, a Jehovah’s Witness will likely fall back on the official Watch Tower Society defence, and it will probably go something like this;
“Well, the apostles had false expectations about Christ’s return. Just read Acts 1! They had a wrong expectation!”
What’s being referred to is the following (from the New World Translation);
Acts 1: When, now, they had assembled, they went asking him: “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?”
A straightforward reading of this account shows that apostles had a very simple question, rather than holding to a “wrong expectation”.
"I think the Lord will return in.....75!"
Yes, they expected Jesus to return with full Kingdom glory to restore the nation of Israel to a position outwith Roman bondage. But here we see them asking Jesus if this restoration was to come at that time (33AD).
Jesus doesn’t leave them wondering;
Acts 1: He said to them: “It does not belong to YOU to get knowledge of the times or seasons which the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction
Very quickly Jesus puts to rest their “wrong expectation”.
So, the link is tenuous at best between the apostles’ “wrong expectation” and the Watch Tower Society’s predicting and preaching false dates.
However, if the apostles had been like the Governing Body, we could have expected this:
The apostles clubbed together and bought the world's first printing press
1. apostles have some “wrong expectations” about when Christ would return (let’s say they thought he’d return, or it would be “fitting” for him to return, in the year 75)
2. Christ offers correction and states that it does not belong to man to know such things (which would be a little unfair of Jesus, considering the Watch Tower Society maintains that such information is hidden – esoterically – within the pages of the Bible and that they, and they alone, have such knowledge of Christ’s return)
3. apostles choose to ignore Jesus discipline
4. apostles pay for mass reproduction of scrolls containing the details of their “wrong expectations”
5. apostles organise themselves to make sure that said scrolls are distributed around all of the 1st century Christian churches (that met in private homes)
6. apostles organise groups of older men to make sure that all of the Christians in the known earth hold to, believe and do not publicly question their “wrong expectations”
7. apostles, subsequent to the year 75 passing without incident, revise their “wrong expectations” and repeat steps 4-6
But’s not what happened.
Instead, the apostles devoted themselves to the preaching of Christ, and became “his witnesses” to the most distant parts of the earth.
A wrong expectation based on a sincere hope is a very different concept from actually setting dates and claiming they’re from the Bible or were revealed by an “angel”.
Why are Jehovah’s Witnesses confused about the “wrong expectations” of the apostles and the preaching and teaching of false dates (prefixed with the words “it would be fitting if”) such as 1975?
And if a teaching is proven to be false, does that mean Jehovah’s Witnesses still have “the truth“?
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
This blog is a classic. You might have added another step:
8. After repeating steps 4-6, the “older men” commend themselves and pat each other on the back for a job well done in having such an expectation. After all, overeagerness is more preferable than sluggishness. And what better way to be overeager than to proclaim soon-to-be-fulfilled dates in God’s name?
This is really very good. Thank you, I always look forward to these emails.
When Standfirm asked: “Mistakes and Errors – What of it?” http://stayawake-standfirm.blogspot.com/2011/09/mistakes-and-errors-what-of-it.html (where he plays down serial false predictions) I found he and the self-styled ‘aservantofjehovah’ kept relying on the fact that the WTBTS never said they were infallible. This destroyed their argument. I asked them to name me one Biblical prophet genuinely from Jehovah that was was fallible. Now he’s gone silent on me.
Ha. Good point. If they’re fallible, yet they claim to speak for God, who is infallible, where does the breakdown occur? And does that mean the world should continue ignoring them?
Very good reasoning. As an active witness I thouroughly enjoyed your logic to refute those that are blind. Nice, simple and powerful. Good show.
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