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Posted a new blog article on the book site.
jw.org has featured an article titled: You Are Going to Hear of Wars.
It is not a fresh article. They repost it whenever a new war fires up, in this case, another war in the Middle East. It should be pointed out, though, in their brevity, the writers at Bethel neglected to cite the context of Jesus’ remarks or even the entire verse. Context is important. Here is what Jesus said in full: “Look out that nobody misleads you, for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. You are going to hear of wars and reports of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for these things must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be food shortages and earthquakes in one place after another. All these things are a beginning of pangs of distress.” – Matt. 24:4-8
If we simply read what Jesus said without preconceived ideas, it should be apparent that the “hearings of wars,” as it is worded in the Kingdom Interlinear, precedes nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom. That is why Jesus cautioned his disciples not to be unduly alarmed by reports of wars because the worst is yet to come. The reports of wars are preliminary to a much worse catastrophe. And even the global wars, food shortages, and pandemics are only the beginning pangs of distress. That is because it will culminate in what Jesus described as a great tribulation, the likes of which the world has never experienced before and will never experience again. But the point is, the reports of wars must come first before the beginning of the pangs of distress.
Many years ago, the Watchtower understood this sequence. Now it is all muddled. For example, below is a quote from a Watchtower Magazine published in October 1958 (paragraph 37):
In the sidebar, the New World Translation notes that the Greek word “telos” is different from “syntelia.” Telos means complete end, whereas syntelia means a concluding period, or time of the end. But did Jesus use “telos” to mean the end of the world, again, as the King James translation translates it? At Matthew 24:14, Jesus used the word “telos” again when he said: “And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
If Jesus intended to say that Christians will be preaching the good news and making disciples up until the end of Satan’s world, that would mean the good news will be preached during the world’s greatest time of trouble. That is not likely. In fact, it is unrealistic and not remotely plausible. We witnessed how quickly the Watchtower shut down the public preaching during the phony pandemic, and are we to expect Christians to be out standing on street corners with information carts with hypersonic missiles streaking overhead? No. The end that will come is the end of the Christian era, the Christian system. This is what is portrayed in the prophecy of Joel — a prophecy that the Watchtower now claims has no future fulfillment. Besides, in Mark’s account, Jesus said, “In all the nations, the good news has to be preached first.”
First, before what? Simply read the next verse: “And when they are taking you to hand you over, do not be anxious beforehand about what to say; but whatever is given you in that hour, say this, for you are not the ones speaking, but the holy spirit is. Furthermore, brother will deliver brother over to death, and a father a child, and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all people on account of my name. But the one who has endured to the end will be saved.”
Have we seen brother delivering brother to death, and family members betraying one another even into death? No. Not yet. The good news has to be preached first. Obviously, those Christians who will be handed over and executed will not endure to the end of the world. Their “telos” will come when they are put to death during the conclusion.
It is apparent that there are wars erupting now, and we are hearing rumors of more war, and there are fears that World War III has either already begun or is imminent. These are realistic fears. The world is on a knife-edge. The Watchtower has assured Jehovah’s Witnesses that there cannot be another world war, food shortages, or pestilence that will fulfill Christ’s prophecy concerning the sign of the conclusion, because everything has already been fulfilled.
That brings us to Jesus’ stern warning: “Look out that nobody misleads you, for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.” Is it not true that the Watchtower speaks on the basis of Jesus’ name, claiming to be the sole voice of authority as if speaking for Christ? Although the millions of Kingdom publishers do not realize it, they have been misled by the very ones looked to as the faithful and discreet slave. It will become obvious when nations rise against nations and kingdoms against kingdoms. Then Jesus’ words will be fulfilled: “Then, too, many will be stumbled and will betray one another and will hate one another.”
jw.org has featured an article titled: You Are Going to Hear of Wars.
If we simply read what Jesus said without preconceived ideas, it should be apparent that the “hearings of wars,” as it is worded in the Kingdom Interlinear, precedes nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom. That is why Jesus cautioned his disciples not to be unduly alarmed by reports of wars because the worst is yet to come. The reports of wars are preliminary to a much worse catastrophe. And even the global wars, food shortages, and pandemics are only the beginning pangs of distress. That is because it will culminate in what Jesus described as a great tribulation, the likes of which the world has never experienced before and will never experience again. But the point is, the reports of wars must come first before the beginning of the pangs of distress.
Many years ago, the Watchtower understood this sequence. Now it is all muddled. For example, below is a quote from a Watchtower Magazine published in October 1958 (paragraph 37):
According to what is stated above, rumors of war have circulated for many hundreds of years — since the first century. This is, of course, false, but at least they had the good sense to realize that the false prophets and rumors of wars precede the beginning of sorrows, as the King James version puts it.
In the sidebar, the New World Translation notes that the Greek word “telos” is different from “syntelia.” Telos means complete end, whereas syntelia means a concluding period, or time of the end. But did Jesus use “telos” to mean the end of the world, again, as the King James translation translates it? At Matthew 24:14, Jesus used the word “telos” again when he said: “And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
If Jesus intended to say that Christians will be preaching the good news and making disciples up until the end of Satan’s world, that would mean the good news will be preached during the world’s greatest time of trouble. That is not likely. In fact, it is unrealistic and not remotely plausible. We witnessed how quickly the Watchtower shut down the public preaching during the phony pandemic, and are we to expect Christians to be out standing on street corners with information carts with hypersonic missiles streaking overhead? No. The end that will come is the end of the Christian era, the Christian system. This is what is portrayed in the prophecy of Joel — a prophecy that the Watchtower now claims has no future fulfillment. Besides, in Mark’s account, Jesus said, “In all the nations, the good news has to be preached first.”
First, before what? Simply read the next verse: “And when they are taking you to hand you over, do not be anxious beforehand about what to say; but whatever is given you in that hour, say this, for you are not the ones speaking, but the holy spirit is. Furthermore, brother will deliver brother over to death, and a father a child, and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all people on account of my name. But the one who has endured to the end will be saved.”
Have we seen brother delivering brother to death, and family members betraying one another even into death? No. Not yet. The good news has to be preached first. Obviously, those Christians who will be handed over and executed will not endure to the end of the world. Their “telos” will come when they are put to death during the conclusion.
It is apparent that there are wars erupting now, and we are hearing rumors of more war, and there are fears that World War III has either already begun or is imminent. These are realistic fears. The world is on a knife-edge. The Watchtower has assured Jehovah’s Witnesses that there cannot be another world war, food shortages, or pestilence that will fulfill Christ’s prophecy concerning the sign of the conclusion, because everything has already been fulfilled.
That brings us to Jesus’ stern warning: “Look out that nobody misleads you, for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.” Is it not true that the Watchtower speaks on the basis of Jesus’ name, claiming to be the sole voice of authority as if speaking for Christ? Although the millions of Kingdom publishers do not realize it, they have been misled by the very ones looked to as the faithful and discreet slave. It will become obvious when nations rise against nations and kingdoms against kingdoms. Then Jesus’ words will be fulfilled: “Then, too, many will be stumbled and will betray one another and will hate one another.”
