Jehovahs Witnesses - Proclaimers of Gods Kingdom (1993)
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JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES PROCLAIMERS OF GOD'S KINGDOM
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES PROCLAIMERS OF GOD'S KINGDOM
© 1993
WATCH TOWER
BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA
All rights reserved
Publishers
WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF NEW YORK, INC.
INTERNATIONAL BIBLE STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.
First Printing in English: 500,000 Copies
Unless otherwise indicated,
Scripture quotations are from the modern-language
New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References, 1984 Edition
Jebovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom
English (Jv-E)
Made in the United States of America FOREWORD
Jebovah's Witnesses are a people widely known. Their
preaching and way of worship have penetrated national and racial groups worldwide and have been embraced by people young and old, at every economic and educational level. Their zeal as proclaimers of God's Kingdom has impressed even their critics. Their love toward one another makes some non-Witnesses wish that more people acted that way.
Yet, many still wonder, 'Who really are Jehovah's Wit-
nesses?' Others have written about them, not always impartially. Probably they were not aware of all the facts. Certainly, no one knows their modern-day history better than they themselves do. The editors of this volume have endeavored to be objective and to present a candid history. To all who are aware of what the Bible foretells for the last days, this history of a people who intensely believe and preach what the Bible says will be especially enlightening.
The Publishers CONTENTS
SECTION 1
"You Are My Witnesses," Says Jehovah
CHAPTER 1 WHY SHOULD JEHOVAH HAVE WITNESSES? 10
2 JESUS CHRIST, THE FAITHFUL WITNESS 19
3 CHRISTIAN WITNESSES OF JEHOVAH IN THE FIRST CENTURY 26
4 THE GREAT APOSTASY DEVELOPS 33
5 PROCLAIMING THE LORD'S RETURN (1870-1914) 42
6 A TIME OF TESTING (1914-1918) 61
7 ADVERTISE THE KING AND THE KINGDOM! (1919-1941) 72
8 DECLARING THE GOOD NEWS WITHOUT LETUP (1942-1975) 90
9 JEHOVAH'S WORD KEEPS MOVING SPEEDILY (1976-1992) 108
SECTION 2
Gaining Accurate Knowledge of God's Word and Applying It
CHAPTER 10 GROWING IN ACCURATE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH 120
11 HOW WE CAME TO BE KNOWN AS JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES 149
12 THE GREAT CROWD—TO LIVE IN HEAVEN? OR ON EARTH? 159
13 RECOGNIZED BY OUR CONDUCT 172
14 “THEY ARE NO PART OF THE WORLD” 188
SECTION 3
An Association of Brothers
CHAPTER 15 DEVELOPMENT OF THE ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE 204
16 MEETINGS—FOR WORSHIP, INSTRUCTION, AND ENCOURAGEMENT 236
17 CONVENTIONS—PROOF OF OUR BROTHERHOOD 254
18 “SEEKING FIRST THE KINGDOM” 283
19 GROWING TOGETHER IN LOVE 304
20 BUILDING TOGETHER ON A GLOBAL SCALE 318
21 HOW IS IT ALL FINANCED? 340 SECTION 4
Proclaiming the Good News in All the Inhabited Earth
CHAPTER 22 WITNESSES TO THE MOST DISTANT PART OF THE EARTH 404
23 MISSIONARIES PUSH WORLDWIDE EXPANSION 521
24 BY HUMAN POWER? OR BY GOD'S SPIRIT? 547
SECTION 5
Kingdom Preaching Furthered by Production of Bible Literature
CHAPTER 25 PREACHING PUBLICLY AND FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE 556
26 PRODUCING BIBLE LITERATURE FOR USE IN THE MINISTRY 575
27 PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTING GOD'S OWN SACRED WORD 603
SECTION 6
Exposed to Reproaches and Tribulations
CHAPTER 28 TESTING AND SIFTING FROM WITHIN 618
29 “OBJECTS OF HATRED BY ALL THE NATIONS” 642
30 ‘DEFENDING AND LEGALLY ESTABLISHING THE GOOD NEWS’ 678
SECTION 7
A People Distinctively His Own, Zealous for Fine Works
CHAPTER 31 HOW CHOSEN AND LED BY GOD 704
32 “BY THIS ALL WILL KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES” 710
33 CONTINUING TO KEEP ON THE WATCH 713
WORLD HEADQUARTERS
AND PRINCIPAL OFFICES OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES—IN PICTURES 352
NOTEWORTHY EVENTS
IN THE MODERN-DAY HISTORY OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES 718
"You Are My Witnesses," Says Jehovah
SECTION 1
Why would Jebovah have witnesses? Who are they? This section (Chapters 1 to 9) provides a concise review of Jebovah's use of witnesses from ancient times right down to our day. Each succeeding section contains an in-depth discussion on a specific aspect of that history.
WHY SHOULD JEHOVAH HAVE WITNESSES?
The events in Eden raised important issues: Is Jehovah's sovereignty righteous? Will his creatures be faithful to him?
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES are known worldwide for their persistence in talking to people everywhere about Jehovah God and his Kingdom. They also have the reputation of being a people who hold to their beliefs despite all manner of opposition, even death.
"The principal victims of religious persecution in the United States in the twentieth century were the Jehovah's Witnesses," says the book The Court and the Constitution, by Archibald Cox (1987). "Jehovah's Witnesses . . . have been harassed and persecuted by governments the world over," states Tony Hodges. "In Nazi Germany they were rounded up and sent to concentration camps. During the Second World War, the [Watch Tower]
Society was banned in Australia and Canada. . . Now [in the 1970's] the Jehovah's Witnesses are being hounded in Africa."—Jehovah's Witnesses in Africa, 1985 Edition.
Why the persecution? What is the objective of the preaching? Have Jehovah's Witnesses really been commissioned by God? Why would Jehovah have witnesses anyway—and imperfect human witnesses at that? The answers have to do with issues being tried in a universal court case—by far the most crucial case ever to be argued. We must examine these issues in order to understand why Jehovah has witnesses and why these witnesses are willing to endure even the most intense opposition.
Jehovah's Sovereignty Challenged
These vital issues involve the rightfulness of the sovereignty, or supreme rulership, of Jehovah God. He is the Universal Sovereign by reason of his Creatorship, his Godship, and his Almightiness. (Gen. 17:1; Ex. 6:3; Rev. 4:11) He thus has rightful domination over everything in heaven and on earth.
(1 Chron. 29:12, ftn.) But he always administers his sovereignty in love. (Compare Jeremiah 9:24.) What, then, does he ask in return from his intelligent creatures? That they love him and show appreciation for his sovereignty. (Ps. 84:10) Yet, thousands of years ago a challenge was hurled against Jehovah's rightful sovereignty. How? By whom? Genesis, the first book of the Bible, sheds light on the matter.
It reports that God created the first human pair, Adam and Eve, and gave them a beautiful garden home. He also laid this command upon them: "From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die." (Gen. 2:16, 17) What was "the tree of the knowledge of good and bad," and what would eating of its fruit signify?
It was a literal tree, but God employed it for a symbolic purpose. Because he called it "the tree of the knowledge of good and bad" and because he commanded that the first human pair not eat from it, the tree fittingly symbolized God's right to determine for humans what is "good" (pleasing to God) and what is "bad" (displeasing to God). The presence of this tree thus tested man's respect for God's sovereignty. Sadly, the first human pair disobeyed God and ate of the forbidden fruit. They failed this simple yet profound test of obedience and appreciation.—Gen. 3:1-6.
This seemingly small act constituted rebellion against Jehovah's sovereignty. How so? Understanding the way we humans are made is a key to understanding the significance of what Adam and Eve did. When Jehovah created the first human pair, he gave them a remarkable gift—free will. Complementing this gift, Jehovah gave them mental abilities that included the powers of perception, reason, and judgment. (Heb. 5:14) They were not like mindless robots; nor were they like animals, which act mainly on instinct. Their freedom, though, was relative, subject to the rule of God's laws. (Compare Jeremiah 10:23, 24.) Adam and Eve chose to eat of the forbidden fruit. They thus abused their freedom. What led them to this course?
The Bible explains that a spirit creature of God had taken a willful course of opposition and resistance to God. This one, who later came to be known as Satan, spoke through a serpent in Eden and led Eve and, through her, Adam away from subjection to God's sovereignty. (Rev. 12:9) By eating of the tree, Adam and Eve placed their judgment above God's, indicating that they wanted to judge for themselves what is good and what is bad. —Gen. 3:22.
The issue thus raised was, Does Jehovah have the right to rule humankind, and does he exercise his sovereignty in the best interests of his subjects?
This issue was clearly implied by the Serpent's words to Eve: "Is it really so that God said you must not eat from every tree of the garden?" The implication was that God was wrongfully withholding something good from the woman and her husband.—Gen. 3:1.
The rebellion in Eden raised another issue: Can humans under test be faithful to God? This related issue was put in clear focus 24 centuries later in connection with faithful Job. Satan, the 'voice' behind the serpent, challenged Jehovah to His face, saying: "Is it for nothing that Job has feared God?" Satan charged: "Have not you yourself put up a hedge about him and about his house and about everything that he has all around? The work of his hands you have blessed, and his livestock itself has spread abroad in the earth." Satan thus intimated that Job's uprightness was motivated by self-interest. He further charged: "Skin in behalf of skin, and everything that a man has he will give in behalf of his soul." Since, as Jehovah had noted, 'there was no one like Job in the earth,' Satan was really claiming that he could turn any servant of God away from Him. (Job 1:8-11; 2:4) All of God's servants were thus indirectly challenged regarding their integrity and loyalty to His sovereignty.
Once raised, the issues had to be settled. The passage of time—about 6,000 years now—and the miserable failure of human governments clearly demonstrate that humans need God's sovereignty. But do they want it? Are there humans who will manifest heartfelt recognition of Jehovah's righteous sovereignty? Yes! Jehovah has his witnesses! But before we consider their testimony, let us first examine what is involved in being a witness.
The original-language words translated "witness" provide insight into what it means to be a witness for Jehovah. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the noun rendered "witness" ('edh) is derived from a verb ('udh) meaning "return" or "repeat, do again." Regarding the noun ('edh), the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament says: "A witness is one, who by reiteration, emphatically affirms his testimony. The word ['edh] is at home in the language of the court." A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language for Readers of English adds: "The orig[inal] meaning [of the verb 'udh] prob[ably] was 'he said repeatedly and forcefully.'"
In the Christian Scriptures, the Greek words rendered "witness" (mar'tys) and "bear witness" (marty-re'o) also had a legal connotation, although in time they took on a broader meaning. According to the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, "the concept of witness [is used] both in the sense of witness to ascertainable facts and also in that of witness to truths, i.e., the making known and confessing of convictions." So a witness relates facts from direct personal knowledge, or he proclaims views or truths of which he is convinced.*
The faithful course of first-century Christians carried the meaning of "witness" a step farther. Many of those early Christians witnessed under persecution and in the face of death. (Acts 22:20; Rev. 2:13) As a result, by about the second century C.E., the Greek word for witness (martys, from which is also derived the word "martyr") acquired the meaning that applied to persons who were willing to "seal the seriousness of their witness or confession by death." They were not called witnesses because they died; they died because they were loyal witnesses.
Who, then, were the early witnesses of Jehovah? Who were willing to proclaim "repeatedly and forcefully"—in words and by the way they lived—that Jehovah is the rightful, worthy Sovereign? Who were willing to maintain integrity to God, even to death?
The apostle Paul says: "We have so great a cloud [Gr., ne'phos, denoting a cloud mass] of witnesses surrounding us." (Heb. 12:1) This 'cloud mass' of witnesses began forming shortly after rebellion against God's sovereignty in Eden.
At Hebrews 11:4, Paul identifies Abel as the first witness of Jehovah, saying: "By faith Abel offered God a sacrifice of greater worth than Cain, through which faith he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness respecting his gifts; and through it he, although he died, yet speaks." In what way did Abel serve as a witness for Jehovah? The answer centers around why Abel's sacrifice was of "greater worth" than Cain's.
Put simply, Abel made the right offering with the right motive and backed it up by right works. As his gift, he gave a blood sacrifice representing the life of the firstlings of his flock—whereas Cain offered lifeless produce. (Gen. 4:3, 4) Cain's sacrifice lacked the motivation of faith that made Abel's offering acceptable. Cain needed to modify his worship. Instead, he manifested his bad heart attitude by rejecting God's counsel and warning and by murdering faithful Abel.—Gen. 4:6-8; 1 John 3:11, 12.
Abel displayed the faith that his parents lacked. By his faithful course, he made known his conviction that Jehovah's sovereignty is righteous and worthy. During the century or so that he lived, Abel demonstrated that a man can be faithful to God to the point of sealing his testimony by death. And Abel's blood continues to 'speak,' for the inspired record of his martyrdom was preserved in the Bible for future generations!
About five centuries after Abel's death, Enoch began 'walking with God,' pursuing a course in harmony with Jehovah's standards of good and bad. (Gen. 5:24) By then, rejection of God's sovereignty had led to a proliferation of ungodly practices among humankind. Enoch was convinced that the Supreme Sovereign would act against ungodly persons, and God's spirit moved him to proclaim their future destruction. (Jude 14, 15) Enoch remained a faithful witness even to death, for Jehovah "took him," apparently sparing him a violent death at the hands of his enemies. (Heb. 11:5) Enoch's name could thus be added to the growing list of the 'great cloud of witnesses' of pre-Christian times.
A spirit of ungodliness continued to pervade human affairs. During the lifetime of Noah, who was born about 70 years after Enoch's death, angelic sons of God came to the earth, evidently materializing in human form, and cohabited with attractive women. The offspring they produced were known as Nephilim; they were giants among men. (Gen. 6:1-4) What was the result of this unnatural union of spirit creatures with humans and of the hybrid race thus produced? The inspired record answers: "Consequently Jehovah saw that the badness of man was abundant in the earth and every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only bad all the time. So God saw the earth and, look! it was ruined, because all flesh had ruined its way on the earth." (Gen. 6:5, 12) How sad that the earth, God's footstool, was "full of violence."—Gen. 6:13; Isa. 66:1.
In contrast, "Noah was a righteous man," one who "proved himself faultless among his contemporaries." (Gen. 6:9) He demonstrated his submission to God's sovereignty by doing 'just as God commanded.' (Gen. 6:22) Acting in faith, he "constructed an ark for the saving of his household." (Heb. 11:7) But Noah was more than a builder; as "a preacher [or herald] of righteousness," he warned of the coming destruction. (2 Pet. 2:5) Despite Noah's bold witnessing, however, that wicked generation "took no note until the flood came and swept them all away."—Matt. 24:37-39.
Following Noah's day, Jehovah had witnesses among the post-Flood patriarchs. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph are mentioned as an early part of the cloud of pre-Christian witnesses. (Heb. 11:8-22; 12:1) They demonstrated their support of Jehovah's sovereignty, doing so by keeping integrity. (Gen. 18:18, 19) They thus contributed to the sanctification of Jehovah's name. Rather than seek security in some earthly kingdom, they "publicly declared that they were strangers and temporary residents in the land," in faith "awaiting the city having real foundations, the builder and maker of which city is God." (Heb. 11:10, 13) They accepted Jehovah as their Ruler, anchoring their hope in the promised heavenly Kingdom as an expression of his rightful sovereignty.
In the 16th century B.C.E., Abraham's descendants were slaves needing deliverance from Egyptian bondage. It was then that Moses and his brother Aaron became key figures in a 'battle of the gods.' They appeared before Pharaoh and delivered Jehovah's ultimatum: "Send my people away." But proud Pharaoh hardened his heart; he did not want to lose a great nation of slave workers. "Who is Jehovah," he replied, "so that I should obey his voice to send Israel away? I do not know Jehovah at all and, what is more, I am not going to send Israel away." (Ex. 5:1, 2) By that disdainful response, Pharaoh, who was believed to be a living god himself, refused to recognize Jehovah's Godship.
The issue of godship having been raised, Jehovah now proceeded to prove that he is the true God. Pharaoh, through his magic-practicing
Noah was a preacher of righteousness before God destroyed the world by means of a deluge
Moses and Aaron testified forcefully to Pharaoh about Jehovah's Godship
priests, summoned the combined power of the gods of Egypt in defiance of Jehovah's power. But Jehovah sent ten plagues, each announced by Moses and Aaron, to demonstrate his dominion over earth's elements and creatures as well as his supremacy over Egypt's gods. (Ex. 9:13-16; 12:12) Following the tenth plague, Jehovah brought Israel out of Egypt by "a strong hand."—Ex. 13:9.
It took much courage and faith for Moses, the 'meekest of all men,' to appear before Pharaoh, not once, but many times. (Num. 12:3) Moses, however, never watered down the message that Jehovah commanded him to deliver to Pharaoh. Not even the threat of death could silence his testimony! (Ex. 10:28, 29; Heb. 11:27) Moses was a witness in the true sense of the word; he testified "repeatedly and forcefully" to the Godship of Jehovah.
Following that deliverance from Egypt in 1513 B.C.E., Moses wrote the book of Genesis. Thus began a new era—the era of Bible writing. Since
Moses evidently wrote the book of Job, he had some discernment of the issue between God and Satan. But as Bible writing progressed, the issues involving God's sovereignty and man's integrity would be put clearly on the record; thus all concerned could gain full knowledge of the great issues involved. Meanwhile, in 1513 B.C.E., Jehovah laid the groundwork for producing a nation of witnesses.
In the third month after their leaving Egypt, Jehovah brought the Israelites into an exclusive covenant relationship with him, making them his "special property." (Ex. 19:5, 6) Through Moses, he now dealt with them as a nation, giving them a theocratic government founded on the Law covenant as their national constitution. (Isa. 33:22) They were Jehovah's chosen people, organized to represent him as their Sovereign Lord.
However, in the centuries that followed, the nation did not always acknowledge Jehovah's sovereignty. After becoming settled in the Promised Land, Israel at times fell away to worshiping the demonistic gods of the nations. Because of their failure to obey him as rightful Sovereign, Jehovah allowed them to be plundered, and thus it appeared that the gods of the nations were stronger than Jehovah. (Isa. 42:18-25) But in the eighth century B.C.E., Jehovah openly challenged the gods of the nations in order to clear up that misimpression and settle the question, Who is the true God?
Through the prophet Isaiah, Jehovah issued the challenge: "Who is there among them [the gods of the nations] that can tell this [prophesy accurately]? Or can they cause us to hear even the first things [that is, things in advance]? Let them [as gods] furnish their witnesses, that they may be declared righteous, or let them [the peoples of the nations] hear and say, 'It is the truth!' " (Isa. 43:9) Yes, let the gods of the nations furnish witnesses who could testify regarding the prophecy of their gods, "It is the truth!"
But none of such gods could produce true witnesses to their godship!
Jehovah made clear to Israel their responsibility in settling the question, Who is the true God? He said: "You are my witnesses, . . . even my servant whom I have chosen, in order that you may know and have faith in me, and that you may understand that I am the same One. Before me there was no God formed, and after me there continued to be none. I—I am Jehovah, and besides me there is no savior. I myself have told forth and have saved and have caused it to be heard, when there was among you no strange god. So you are my witnesses, . . . and I am God."—Isa. 43:10-12.
So Jehovah's people Israel constituted a nation of witnesses. They could emphatically affirm Jehovah's rightful, worthy sovereignty. On the basis of their past experiences, they could proclaim with conviction that Jehovah is the Great Deliverer of his people and the God of true prophecy.
Witnessing Concerning the Messiah
Despite the abundant testimony of that 'cloud mass' of pre-Christian witnesses, God's side of the issues was not completely settled. Why not? Because at God's own appointed time, after it has been clearly demonstrated that humans need Jehovah's rulership and that they cannot rule successfully on their own, Jehovah must execute judgment upon all who refuse to respect his rightful authority. Furthermore, the issues raised reach far beyond the human sphere. Since an angel had rebelled in Eden, the question of integrity to God's sovereignty reached up to and involved God's heavenly creatures. Hence, Jehovah purposed for a spirit son to come to the earth, where Satan would have full opportunity to put him to the test. That spirit son would be given the opportunity to settle, in a perfect way, the question. Will anyone be faithful to God under whatever trial may be brought against him? Having thus proved his loyalty, this son of God would be empowered as Jehovah's great vindicator, who would destroy the wicked and fully accomplish God's original purpose regarding the earth.
But how would this one be identified? In Eden, Jehovah had promised a "seed" that would bruise the serpentlike Adversary in the head and vindicate God's sovereignty. (Gen. 3:15) Through the Hebrew prophets, Jehovah provided many details about that Messianic "seed"—his background and activities, even the time he would appear.—Gen. 12:1-3; 22:15-18; 49:10; 2 Sam. 7:12-16; Isa. 7:14; Dan. 9:24-27; Mic. 5:2.
By the middle of the fifth century B.C.E., with the completion of the Hebrew Scriptures, the prophecies were in place, waiting for the arrival of the Messiah to fulfill them. The testimony of this witness—in fact, God's greatest witness—will be considered in the following chapter.
JESUS CHRIST THE FAITHFUL WITNESS
FOR some 4,000 years, a long line of pre-Christian witnesses had offered their testimony. But the issues involving God's sovereignty and the integrity of his servants were far from settled. The time now arrived for the promised royal "seed," the Messiah, to appear on earth.—Gen. 3:15.
Out of all of his millions of spirit sons, whom did Jehovah select for this assignment? All of them had witnessed what happened in Eden and were no doubt aware of the universal issues raised. But who was the most anxious to serve in clearing Jehovah's name and vindicating his sovereignty? Who could provide the most conclusive answer to Satan's challenge that no one would maintain integrity to God's sovereignty under test? The one Jehovah selected was his Firstborn, his only-begotten Son, Jesus. —John 3:16; Col. 1:15.
Jesus eagerly and humbly accepted this assignment, although it meant leaving the heavenly home he had shared with his Father longer than anyone else. (John 8:23, 58; Phil. 2:5-8) His motive? Deep love for Jehovah and a zealous desire to see His name cleared of all reproach. (John 14:31) Jesus also acted out of love for humankind. (Prov. 8:30, 31; compare John 15:13.) His birth on earth, in early autumn of the year 2 B.C.E., was made possible by holy spirit—by means of which Jehovah transferred Jesus' life from heaven to the womb of the Jewish virgin Mary. (Matt. 1:18; Luke 1:26-38) Jesus was thus born into the nation of Israel.—Gal. 4:4.
More than any other Israelite, Jesus knew that he had to be a witness of Jehovah. Why? He was a member of the nation to which Jehovah by the prophet Isaiah had said: "You are my witnesses." (Isa. 43:10) In addition to that, at Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River in 29 C.E., Jehovah anointed him with holy spirit. (Matt. 3:16) Thus Jesus was empowered, as he later testified, to "proclaim the year of goodwill on the part of Jehovah." —Isa. 61:1, 2; Luke 4:16-19.
Jesus faithfully carried out his assignment and became Jehovah's greatest witness ever on earth. With every right, then, the apostle John, who stood near Jesus at the time of his death, calls Jesus "the Faithful Witness." (Rev. 1:5) And at Revelation 3:14, the glorified Jesus calls himself "the Amen" and "the faithful and true witness."
What testimony did this "Faithful Witness" offer?
'Bearing Witness to the Truth'
When on trial before Roman governor Pilate, Jesus stated: "For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone that is on the side of the truth listens to my voice." (John 18:37) To what truth did Jesus bear witness? It was God's truth, the revelation of Jehovah's eternal purposes.—John 18:33-36.
How, though, did Jesus bear witness to this truth? The Greek verb for "bear witness to" also means "declare, confirm, testify favorably, speak well (of), approve (of)." In ancient Greek papyri, the common occurrence of another form of the verb (marty-ro') was after a signature, such as in business transactions. By his ministry, then, Jesus had to confirm God's truth. This certainly required that he declare, or preach, that truth to others. However, much more than talking was needed.
"Iam . . . the truth," Jesus said. (John 14:6) Yes, he lived in such a way as to fulfill God's truth. God's purpose in connection with the Kingdom and its Messianic Ruler had been spelled out in prophecy. Jesus, by his entire earthly life course, which culminated in his sacrificial death, fulfilled all the things prophesied about him. He thus confirmed and guaranteed the truth of Jehovah's prophetic word. For this reason the apostle Paul could say: "No matter how many the promises of God are, they have become Yes by means of him. Therefore also through him is the 'Amen' [meaning, "so be it," or "surely"] said to God for glory through us." (2 Cor. 1:20) Yes, Jesus is the one in whom God's promises find fulfillment.—Rev. 3:14.
Bearing Witness to God's Name
Jesus taught his followers to pray: "Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified [or, "be held sacred; be treated as holy"]." (Matt. 6:9, ftn.) On the final night of his earthly life, in prayer to his heavenly Father, Jesus also said: "I have made your name manifest to the men you gave me out of the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have observed your word. And I have made your name known to them and will make it known, in order that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in union with them." (John 17:6, 26) This, in fact, was Jesus' primary purpose in coming to earth. What was involved in his making God's name known?
Jesus' followers already knew and used God's name. They saw and read it in the Hebrew Bible scrolls available in their synagogues. They also saw and read it in the Septuagint—a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, which they used in teaching and writing.
If they knew the divine name, in what sense did Jesus make it manifest, or known, to them?
In Bible times, names were not mere labels. Says A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, by J. H. Thayer: "The name of God in the N[ew] T[estament] is used for all those qualities which to his worshippers are summed up in that name, and by which God makes himself known to men." Jesus made known God's name not just by using it but by revealing the Person behind the name—his purposes, activities, and qualities. As the one 'who had been in the bosom position with the Father,' Jesus could explain the Father in a way that no one else could. (John 1:18) Moreover, so perfectly did Jesus reflect his Father that Jesus' disciples could 'see' the Father in the Son. (John 14:9) By what he said and did, Jesus bore witness to God's name.
He Witnessed About God's Kingdom
As "the Faithful Witness," Jesus was outstandingly a proclaimer of God's Kingdom. He emphatically said: "I must declare the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this I was sent forth." (Luke 4:43) He proclaimed that heavenly Kingdom throughout Palestine, covering hundreds of miles on foot. He preached wherever there were people who would listen: at lakeshores, on hillsides, in cities and villages, in synagogues and the temple, in the marketplaces, and at the people's homes. But Jesus knew that there was a limit to the area he could cover and the number of people to whom he could witness. (Compare John 14:12.) So with a view to covering the world field, Jesus trained and sent out his disciples to be proclaimers of the Kingdom.—Matt. 10:5-7; 13:38; Luke 10:1, 8, 9.
Jesus was a hardworking, zealous witness, and he did not allow himself to be sidetracked. Although he showed personal concern for the needs of the people, he did not get so wrapped up in doing things that would bring short-term relief that he neglected his God-given assignment of pointing people to the lasting solution to their problems—God's Kingdom. On one occasion, after he miraculously fed about 5,000 men (perhaps well over 10,000 people counting also women and children), a group of Jews wanted to seize him and make him an earthly king. What did Jesus do? He "withdrew again into the mountain all alone." (John 6:1-15; compare Luke 19:11, 12; Acts 1:6-9.) Although he performed many miracles of healing, Jesus was not primarily known as the Miracle Worker, but, rather, he was recognized by both believers and unbelievers as "Teacher."—Matt. 8:19; 9:11; 12:38; 19:16; 22:16, 24, 36; John 3:2.
Clearly, bearing witness to God's Kingdom was the most important work that Jesus could do. It is Jehovah's will that everyone know what His Kingdom is and how it will fulfill His purposes.
It is very dear to His heart, for it is the means by which He will sanctify His name, clearing it of all reproach. Jesus knew that, and so he made that Kingdom the theme of his preaching. (Matt. 4:17) By sharing wholeheartedly in proclaiming it, Jesus upheld Jehovah's rightful sovereignty.
A Witness Faithful Even to Death
No one could love Jehovah and His sovereignty more than Jesus does. As "the firstborn of all creation," Jesus 'fully knew' the Father from his intimate association with him as a spirit creature in the heavens. (Col. 1:15; Matt. 11:27) He had willingly subjected himself to God's sovereignty during countless ages of time prior to the creation of the first man and woman. (Compare John 8:29, 58.) How deeply hurt he must have felt when Adam and Eve turned their backs on God's sovereignty! Yet, he patiently waited in the heavens for some 4,000 years, and then, at last, the time arrived for him to serve as Jehovah's greatest witness ever on earth!
Jesus was fully aware that the universal issues directly involved him. It might have appeared that Jehovah had put a hedge about him. (Compare Job 1:9-11.) True, he had demonstrated his faithfulness and devotion in the heavens, but would he maintain integrity as a human on earth under any type of test? Could he resist Satan in a setting in which his enemy apparently had the upper hand?
The serpentlike Adversary wasted no time. Shortly after Jesus' baptism and anointing, Satan tempted him to display selfishness, to elevate himself, and, finally, to reject his Father's sovereignty. But Jesus' unequivocal statement to Satan, "It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service," showed where he stood on the issues. How unlike Adam!—Matt. 4:1-10.
The course appointed for Jesus meant suffering and death, and Jesus well knew this. (Luke 12:50; Heb. 5:7-9) Nevertheless, "when he found himself in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient as far as death, yes, death on a torture桩." (Phil. 2:7, 8) Jesus thereby proved Satan a monstrous liar, completely settling the question, Will anyone maintain integrity to God's sovereignty if Satan is allowed to put him to the test? But Jesus' death accomplished much more.
By his death on the torture stake, Jesus also gave "his soul a ransom in exchange for many." (Matt. 20:28; Mark 10:45) His perfect human life had sacrificial value. Jesus' sacrificing his life not only makes it possible for us to receive forgiveness of sins but also opens to us the opportunity for eternal life on a paradise earth, in harmony with God's original purpose. —Luke 23:43; Acts 13:38, 39; Heb. 9:13, 14; Rev. 21:3, 4.
Jehovah proved his love for and approval of Jesus as "the Faithful
Witness" by raising him from the dead on the third day. This confirmed that the witness Jesus had given pertaining to the Kingdom was true. (Acts 2:31-36; 4:10; 10:36-43; 17:31) After remaining in the vicinity of the earth for 40 days, during which time he appeared to his apostles on numerous occasions, Jesus ascended to heaven.—Acts 1:1-3, 9.
Jesus had indicated that the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom of God would be in the far distant future. (Luke 19:11-27) That event would also mark the start of Jesus' "presence and of the conclusion of the system of things." (Matt. 24:3) But how could his followers on earth discern when these things would occur? Jesus gave them a "sign"
—a composite sign made up of many evidences, including wars, earthquakes, food shortages, pestilences, and an increasing of lawlessness. A significant part of that sign would also be that the good news of the Kingdom would be preached throughout the inhabited earth as a witness to all nations. All the features of that remarkable sign can be observed in our day, indicating that we are living in the time of Jesus' presence as heavenly King and of the conclusion of the system of things.* —Matt. 24:3-14.
What, though, about Jesus' followers? During this time of Jesus' presence, individuals adhering to many different churches claim to follow Christ. (Matt. 7:22) Yet, the Bible says there is but "one faith." (Eph. 4:5) So how can you identify the true Christian congregation, the one that has God's approval and direction? You can do so by examining what the Scriptures say about the first-century Christian congregation and then seeing who today follow that same pattern.
CHRISTIAN WITNESSES OF JEHOVAH IN THE FIRST CENTURY
New disciples were to be, not mere passive believers, but obedient followers
"YOU will be witnesses of me . . . to the most distant part of the earth." (Acts 1:8) With those parting words, Jesus commissioned his disciples to be witnesses. But witnesses of whom? "Witnesses of me," said Jesus. Do these words mean that they were not to be witnesses of Jehovah? Far from it!
Actually, Jesus' disciples were given an unprecedented privilege—that of being witnesses of both Jehovah and Jesus. As faithful Jews, Jesus' early disciples were already witnesses of Jehovah. (Isa. 43:10-12) But now they were to witness also concerning Jesus' vital role in sanctifying Jehovah's name by means of His Messianic Kingdom. Their thus bearing witness to Jesus was with Jehovah's glory in view. (Rom. 16:25-27; Phil. 2:9-11) They testified that Jehovah had not lied, that after more than 4,000 years he had at last raised up the long-promised Messiah, or Christ!
Christian witnesses of Jehovah in the first century were also given a unique responsibility—one that rests upon genuine Christians to this day.
"Go . . . Make Disciples"
After Jesus' resurrection from the dead, he appeared to his disciples who had gathered at a mountain in Galilee. There, Jesus outlined their responsibility: "Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And, look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things." (Matt. 28:19, 20) Consider what was involved in this weighty commission.
"Go," said Jesus. But to whom? To "people of all the nations." This was a new command, especially challenging for Jewish believers. (Compare Acts 10:9-16, 28.) Prior to Jesus' day, Gentiles were welcomed when they came to Israel because of interest in true worship. (1 Ki. 8:41-43) Earlier in his ministry, Jesus had told the apostles to "go, preach," but only to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
(Matt. 10:1, 6, 7) Now they were commanded to go to people of all nations. For what purpose?
“Make disciples,” commanded Jesus. Yes, his disciples were commissioned to make disciples of others. What does this involve? A disciple is a learner, a taught one—not just a pupil, however, but an adherent. A disciple accepts Jesus' authority not just inwardly by believing in him but outwardly by obeying him. According to the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, the Greek word rendered “disciple” (ma-thetes’) “implies the existence of a personal attachment which shapes the whole life of the one described as [a disciple].”
"Teaching them," added Jesus, "to observe all the things I have commanded you." To develop a personal attachment to Jesus, a person must be taught to "observe all the things" Christ has commanded, including his command to preach the "good news of the kingdom." (Matt. 24:14) Only in this way can he become a disciple in the true sense of the word. And only those who accept the teaching and become genuine disciples get baptized.
"I am with you," Jesus assured them, "all the days until the conclusion of the system of things." Jesus' teaching is always relevant, never outmoded. On that basis, Christians to this very day are under obligation to make disciples of others.
A responsible commission was thus conferred upon Christ's followers,
namely, to do a disciples-making work among all nations. To make disciples of Christ, though, they had to witness concerning Jehovah's name and Kingdom, for that is what their Exemplar, Jesus, had done. (Luke 4:43; John 17:26) Those who accepted Christ's teaching and became disciples thus became Christian witnesses of Jehovah. Becoming a witness of Jehovah was a matter no longer of birth—into the Jewish nation—but of choice. Those who became witnesses did so because they loved Jehovah and sincerely wanted to submit to his sovereign rule.—1 John 5:3.
But did the Christian witnesses of Jehovah in the first century fulfill their commission to serve as witnesses of God and Christ and to 'make disciples of people of all nations'?
"To the Most Distant Part of the Earth"
Shortly after giving his disciples their commission, Jesus returned to the heavenly courts of his Father. (Acts 1:9-11) Ten days later, on the day of
Christianity Spread Through Zealous Preaching
Fired by a zeal that could not be quenched, the early Christian witnesses of Jehovah exercised the greatest vigor in giving the good news the widest possible proclamation. Edward Gibbon, in "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," notes that the "zeal of the Christians . . . diffused them through every province and almost every city of the [Roman] empire." Says Professor J. W. Thompson in "History of the Middle Ages": "Christianity had spread with remarkable rapidity over the Roman world. By the year 100 probably every province that bordered the Mediterranean had a Christian community within it."
Pentecost 33 C.E., the extensive disciple-making work got under way. Jesus poured out the promised holy spirit upon his waiting disciples. (Acts 2: 1-4; compare Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:4, 5.) This filled them with zeal to preach about the resurrected Christ and his future return with Kingdom power.
True to Jesus' instructions, those first-century disciples started their testifying about God and Christ right there in Jerusalem. (Acts 1:8) Taking the lead, at the Festival of Pentecost, the apostle Peter "bore thorough witness" to thousands of Jewish celebrators from many nations. (Acts 2:51-41) Soon the number of believing men alone was about 5,000. (Acts 4:4; 6:7) Later, to the Samaritans, Philip declared "the good news of the kingdom of God and of the name of Jesus Christ."—Acts 8:12.
But there was much more work to be done. Starting in 36 C.E., with the conversion of Cornelius, an uncircumcised Gentile, the good news began to spread to non-Jewish people of all nations. (Acts, chap. 10) In fact, so rapidly did it spread that by about 60 C.E., the apostle Paul could say that the good news had been "preached in all creation that is under heaven." (Col. 1:23) Thus, by the end of the first century, Jesus' faithful followers had made disciples throughout the Roman Empire—in Asia, Europe, and Africa!
Since the Christian witnesses of Jehovah in the first century accomplished so much in such a short time, the questions arise: Were they organized? If so, how?
Organization of the Christian Congregation
From the time of Moses onward, the Jewish nation was in a unique position—it served as the congregation of God. That congregation was highly organized by God under older men, heads, judges, and officers. (Josh. 23:1, 2) But the Jewish nation lost its privileged position because it rejected Jehovah's Son. (Matt. 21:42, 43; 23:37, 38; Acts 4:24-28) On Pentecost 33 C.E., the Christian congregation of God replaced the congregation of Israel.* How was this Christian congregation organized?
Already on the day of Pentecost, the disciples were "devoting themselves to the teaching of the apostles," indicating that they began with a unity based on teaching. From that first day, they met together "with one accord." (Acts 2:42, 46) As the discipline-making work spread, congregations of believers began to form, first in Jerusalem and then outside Jerusalem. (Acts 8:1; 9:31; 11:19-21; 14:21-23) It was their custom to assemble together in public places as well as in private homes.—Acts 19:8, 9; Rom. 16:3, 5; Col. 4:15.
What kept the expanding Christian congregation from becoming a loose association of independent local congregations? They were united under one Leader. From the beginning, Jesus Christ was the appointed Lord and Head of the congregation, and he was recognized as such by all the congregations. (Acts 2:34-36; Eph. 1:22) From the heavens, Christ actively directed the affairs of his congregation on earth. How? By means of holy spirit and angels, put at his disposal by Jehovah.—Acts 2:33; compare Acts 5:19, 20; 8:26; 1 Pet. 3:22.
Christ had something else at his disposal for maintaining the unity of the Christian congregation—a visible governing body. At first, the governing body was made up of the faithful apostles of Jesus. Later, it included other older men of the Jerusalem congregation as well as the apostle Paul, even though he did not reside in Jerusalem. Each congregation recognized the authority of this central body of older men and looked to it for direction when organizational or doctrinal issues arose. (Acts 2:42; 6:1-6; 8:14-17; 11:22; 15:1-31) With what result? "Therefore, indeed, the congregations continued to be made firm in the faith and to increase in number from day to day."—Acts 16:4, 5.
The governing body, under the direction of holy spirit, supervised the appointment of overseers and assistants, ministerial servants, to care for each congregation. These were men who met spiritual qualifications that applied in all the congregations, not merely standards set locally. (1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Pet. 5:1-3) Overseers were urged to follow the Scriptures and submit to the leading of holy spirit. (Acts 20:28; Titus 1:9) All in the congregation were encouraged to 'be obedient to those taking the lead.' (Heb. 13:17) In this way unity was maintained not only within each congregation but within the Christian congregation as a whole.
Even though some men held positions of responsibility, there was no clergy-laity distinction among the first-century Christian witnesses of Jehovah. They were all brothers; there was but one Leader, the Christ. —Matt. 23:8, 10.
Identified by Holy Conduct and Love
The testimony of the first-century witnesses of Jehovah was not limited to "the fruit of lips." (Heb. 13:15) Discipleship shaped the entire life of a Christian witness. Hence, not only did those Christians proclaim their beliefs but their beliefs transformed their lives. They put away the old personality with its sinful practices and endeavored to clothe themselves with the new personality created according to God's will. (Col. 3:5-10) They were truthful and honest, as well as hardworking and dependable. (Eph. 4:25, 28) They were morally clean—sexual immorality was strictly prohibited. So were drunkenness and idolatry. (Gal. 5:19-21) For good reason, then, Christianity became known as "The Way," a way or manner of life that centered around faith in Jesus, following closely in his footsteps.
Acts 9:1, 2; 1 Pet. 2:21, 22.
One quality, though, stands out above all others—love. The early Christians demonstrated loving concern for the needs of fellow believers. (Rom. 15:26; Gal. 2:10) They loved one another not as themselves but more than themselves. (Compare Philippians 2:25-30.) They were willing even to die for one another. But this was not surprising. Was not Jesus willing to die for them? (John 15:13; compare Luke 6:40.) He could tell his disciples: "I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves." (John 13:34, 35) Christ commanded that his followers show such self-sacrificing love; and this command his first-century disciples closely observed.—Matt. 28:20.
"No Part of the World"
To fulfill their responsibility to make disciples and to be witnesses of God and Christ, first-century Christians could not allow themselves to be distracted by worldly affairs; they had to keep their commission in clear focus. Jesus certainly had done so. To Pilate he said: "My kingdom is no part of this world." (John 18:36) And to his disciples he plainly stated: "You are no part of the world." (John 15:19) Like Jesus, then, the early Christians kept separate from the world; they did not get involved in politics or wars. (Compare John 6:15.) Neither did they get caught up in the ways of the world—its eager pursuit of material things and its overindulgence in pleasure.—Luke 12:29-31; Rom. 12:2; 1 Pet. 4:3, 4.
Because they kept separate from the world, the first-century Christian witnesses were a distinctive people. Notes historian E. G. Hardy in his
'The Triumphs of Christianity'
Extra-Biblical sources confirm the fine conduct and love that characterized the early Christians. Historian John Lord stated: "The true triumphs of Christianity were seen in making good men of those who professed her doctrines. . . We have testimony to their blameless lives, to their irreproachable morals, to their good citizenship, and to their Christian graces."—"The Old Roman World."
book Christianity and the Roman Government: "The Christians were strangers and pilgrims in the world around them; their citizenship was in heaven; the kingdom to which they looked was not of this world. The consequent want of interest in public affairs came thus from the outset to be a noticeable feature in Christianity."
Persecuted for Righteousness' Sake
"A slave is not greater than his master," warned Jesus. "If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also." (John 15:20) Before his death on the torture stake, Jesus suffered severe persecution. (Matt. 26:67; 27:26-31, 38-44) And true to his warning,
his disciples soon experienced similar treatment. (Matt. 10:22, 23) But why?
It did not take long for the early Christians to be noticed by others. They were people with high principles of morality and integrity. They carried out a disciple-making work with outspokenness and zeal; as a result, literally thousands of persons abandoned false religious systems and became Christians. These refused to get involved in worldly affairs. They would not join in worship of the emperor. It is not surprising, then, that they quickly became the target of vicious persecution instigated by false religious leaders and misinformed political rulers. (Acts 12:1-5; 13:45, 50; 14:1-7; 16:19-24) These, though, were only the human agents of the real persecutor—"the original serpent," Satan. (Rev. 12:9; compare Revelation 12:12, 17.) His objective? The suppression of Christianity and its bold witnessing.
But no amount of persecution could shut the mouths of the first-century Christian witnesses of Jehovah! They had received their commission to preach from God through Christ, and they were determined to obey God rather than men. (Acts 4:19, 20, 29; 5:27-32) They relied on
A central governing body helped to provide direction for the congregations, but they all looked to Christ as their one Leader Jehovah's strength, confident that he would reward his loyal witnesses for their endurance.—Matt. 5:10; Rom. 8:35-39; 15:5.
Early Christians were the target of vicious persecution
History confirms that persecution by authorities of the Roman Empire failed to stamp out the early Christian witnesses of Jehovah. Says Josephus, a Jewish historian of the first century C.E.: "And the tribe of the Christians, so called after [Jesus], has still to this day [about 93 C.E.] not disappeared."—Jewish Antiquities, XVIII, 64 (iii, 3).
The record of the testimony of the Christian witnesses of Jehovah in the first century thus reveals several clearly identifiable characteristics: They boldly and zealously fulfilled their commission to witness concerning God and Christ and to do a disciple-making work; they had an organizational structure in which all were brothers, with no clergy-laity distinction; they held to high principles of morality and loved one another; they kept separate from worldly ways and affairs; and they were persecuted for righteousness' sake.
By the end of the first century, though, the one united Christian congregation was threatened by a grave and insidious danger.
THE GREAT APOSTASY DEVELOPS
"ONE Lord, one faith." (Eph. 4:5) When the apostle Paul under inspiration penned those words (about 60-61 C.E.), there was but one Christian faith. Yet, today we see a profusion of denominations, sects, and cults that claim to be Christian, though they teach conflicting doctrines and hold to different standards of conduct. What a far cry from the one united Christian congregation that started on Pentecost 33 C.E.! How did these divisions come about? For the answer, we must go back to the first century of our Common Era.
From the very beginning, the Adversary, Satan, tried to silence the testimony of the Christian witnesses of Jehovah by bringing upon them persecution from those outside the congregation. (1 Pet. 5:8) First it came from the Jews and then from the Gentile Roman Empire. The early Christians successfully endured all manner of opposition. (Compare Revelation 1:9; 2:3, 19.) But the Adversary did not give up. If he could not silence them by pressure from those on the outside, why not corrupt them from within? While the Christian congregation was still in its infancy, its very existence was threatened by an internal enemy—apostasy.*
Apostasy, however, did not creep into the congregation unannounced. As Head of the congregation, Christ saw to it that his followers were warned in advance.—Col. 1:18.
"There Will . . . Be False Teachers Among You"
"Be on the watch," cautioned Jesus, "for the false prophets that come to you in sheep's covering." (Matt. 7:15) Jesus knew that Satan would try to divide and corrupt His followers. So from early in his ministry, he warned them about false teachers.
From where would these false teachers come? "From among you yourselves," said the apostle Paul about 56 C.E., when speaking to overseers of Ephesus. Yes, from within the congregation, men would "rise and speak twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves."
(Acts 20: 29, 30) Such self-seeking apostates would not be content to make their own disciples; they would endeavor "to draw away the disciples," that is, Christ's disciples.
The apostle Peter (about 64 C.E.) also foretold internal corruption and even described the way such apostates would operate: "There will . . . be false teachers among you. These very ones will quietly bring in destructive sects . . . With covetousness they will exploit you with counterfeit words." (2 Pet. 2:1, 3) Like spies or traitors in an enemy's camp, the false teachers, though arising from within the congregation, would infiltrate their corrupting in a secret or camouflaged way.
These warnings of Jesus and his apostles were not in vain. Internal opposition had small beginnings, but it surfaced early in the Christian congregation.
"Already at Work"
Less than 20 years after Jesus' death, the apostle Paul indicated that efforts of Satan to cause division and turn men away from the true faith were "already at work." (2 Thess. 2:7) As early as about 49 C.E., in a letter sent out to the congregations, the governing body noted: "We have heard that some from among us have caused you trouble with speeches, trying to subvert your souls, although we did not give them any instructions." (Acts 15:24) So some within the congregation were vocal about their opposing viewpoint—in this case evidently over the issue of whether Gentile Christians needed to get circumcised and observe the Mosaic Law.—Acts 15:1, 5.
As the first century progressed, divisive thinking spread like gangrene. (Compare 2 Timothy 2:17.) By about 51 C.E., some in Thessalonica were wrongly predicting that "the presence" of the Lord Jesus was imminent. (2 Thess. 2:1, 2) By about 55 C.E., some in Corinth had rejected the clear Christian teaching regarding the resurrection of the dead. (1 Cor. 15:12) About 65 C.E., others said that the resurrection had already taken place, it being of a symbolic kind that living Christians experience.—2 Tim. 2:16-18.
There are no inspired records as to what took place within the Christian congregation during the next 30 years. But by the time the apostle John wrote his letters (about 98 C.E.), there were "many antichrists"—persons who denied that "Jesus is the Christ" and that Jesus is the Son of God who came "in the flesh."—1 John 2:18, 22; 4:2, 3.
For over 60 years, the apostles had 'acted as a restraint,' endeavoring to hold back the tide of apostasy. (2 Thess. 2:7; compare 2 John 9, 10.) But as the Christian congregation was about to enter the second century, the last surviving apostle, John, died, about 100 C.E.
The apostasy that had slowly begun to creep into the congregation was now ready to burst forth unrestrained, with devastating organizational and doctrinal repercussions.
Clergy and Laity
"All you are brothers," Jesus had said to his disciples. "Your Leader is one, the Christ." (Matt. 23:8, 10) So there was no clergy class within Christian congregations of the first century. As spirit-anointed brothers of Christ, all the early Christians had the prospect of being heavenly priests with Christ. (1 Pet. 1:3, 4; 2:5, 9) As to organization, each congregation was supervised by a body of overseers, or spiritual elders.* All the elders had equal authority, and not one of them was authorized to 'lord it over' the flock in their care. (Acts 20:17; Phil. 1:1; 1 Pet. 5:2, 3) However, as the apostasy unfolded, things began to change—quickly.
Among the earliest deviations was a separation between the terms "overseer" (Gr., epi'skopos) and "older man," or "elder" (Gr., presbyteros), so that they were no longer used to refer to the same position of responsibility. Just a decade or so after the death of the apostle John, Ignatius, "bishop" of Antioch, in his letter to the Smyrnaeans, wrote: "See that you all follow the bishop [overseer], as Jesus Christ follows the Father, and the presbytery [body of older men] as if it were the Apostles." Ignatius thus advocated that each congregation be supervised by one bishop,# or overseer, who was to be recognized as distinct from, and having greater authority than, the presbyters, or older men.
How, though, did this separation come about? Augustus Neander, in his book The History of the Christian Religion and Church, During the Three First Centuries, explains what happened: "In the second century . . . , the standing office of president of the presbyters must have been formed, to whom, inasmuch as he had especially the oversight of every thing, was the name of [epi'sko pos] given, and he was thereby distinguished from the rest of the presbyters."
The groundwork was thus laid for a clergy class gradually to emerge. About a century later, Cyprian, "bishop" of Carthage, North Africa, was a strong advocate of authority of the bishops—as a group separate from
Cypran, "bishop" of Carthage, saw the bishops as being a class separate from the presbyteries, the deacons, and the laity
the presbyters (later known as priests * ), the deacons, and the laity. But he did not favor the primacy of one bishop over the others. #
As bishops and presbyters ascended the hierarchical ladder, they left below it the rest of the believers in the congregation. This resulted in a separation between clergy (those taking the lead) and laity (the passive body of believers). Explains McClintock and Strong's Cyclopedia: "From the time of Cyprian [who died about 258 C.E.], the father of the hierarchical system, the distinction of clergy and laity became prominent, and very soon was universally admitted. Indeed, from the third century onward, the term clerus . . . was almost exclusively applied to the ministry to distinguish it from the laity. As the Roman hierarchy was developed, the clergy came to be not merely a distinct order . . . but also to be recognised as
Plato and "Christianity"
The Greek philosopher Plato (born about 428 B.C.E.) had no way of knowing that his teachings would eventually find their way into apostate Christianity. Plato's principal contributions to "Christianity" were in connection with the teachings of the Trinity and the immortality of the soul.
Plato's ideas about God and nature influenced Christendom's Trinity doctrine. Explains the "Nouveau Dictionnaire Universal": "The Platonic trinity, itself merely a rearrangement of older trinities dating back to earlier peoples, appears to be the rational philosophic trinity of attributes that gave birth to the three hypostases or divine persons taught by the Christian churches. . . . This Greek philosopher's conception of the divine trinity . . . can be found in all the ancient [pagan] religions." —Volume 2, page 1467.
Regarding the immortal-soul doctrine, the "New Catholic Encyclopedia" says: "The Christian concept of a spiritual soul created by God and infused into the body at conception to make man a living whole is the fruit of a long development in Christian philosophy. Only with Origen [died about 254 C.E.] in the East and St. Augustine [died 430 C.E.] in the West was the soul established as a spiritual substance and a philosophical concept formed of its nature. . . [Augustine's] doctrine . . . owed much (including some shortcomings) to Neoplatonism."—Volume XIII, pages 452, 454.
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