Chapter 5 - the Ransom, God’s Greatest Gift
The book says:
"The ransom is Jehovah’s means to deliver, or save, humankind from sin and death"
We have to return to Genesis to understand this. God made Adam in "His image" i.e. with his qualities. Adam had free will. He chose to disobey God, so all his offspring were condemned to death, but God came to our rescue, providing a ransom.
This would require a perfect human life, a sacrifice, but not just any life. God chose his own son. That is why Jesus came to the earth to live a human life and die for us. "He was whipped and nailed to the torture stake, suffering an agonising death….. Jesus proved that a perfect man possessing free will could keep perfect integrity to God no matter what the Devil did".
We enjoy blessings because of the ransom paid by Jesus. We can gain forgiveness for our sins but we must be truly repentant.
We can have a good conscience before God and the hope of everlasting life on a paradise earth, but we need to show our appreciation of the ransom.
"To begin with, get to know the great giver, Jehovah. A study of the Bible with the aid of this publication will help you to do that".
We need to "exercise faith in the Son…. Such faith is not shown by words alone. Works are necessary.
We should "attend the annual observance of the Lord’s evening meal" on Nisan 14 which is for all "true Christians".
"This priceless gift (the ransom) can benefit even those who have died".
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Yes, Adam had free will, but when he exercised it, he was punished for disobedience. Is that free will?
My response:
God choosing his own child as a sacrifice is considered by many Christians to be the ultimate expression of love, but when Canaanites did the same, God helped "his people" to massacre them, according to the OT.
The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ is one of the great subjects of Western Art. Make a Google Search for intense, poignant and even beautiful images rendered by the great artists, of this climactic event. Now look at p.52 (in the English language edition) of the book. Here we have an example of Watchtower realist art, reminiscent of Communist propaganda pictures. You will notice it is very different from all of the great crucifixion scenes.
The bearded, male figure is hanging on an upright pole. He has one large nail through his wrists which are directly above his head. The figure is not shown below the knees. There are some scratches on his torso, presumably from whiplashes on his back and a little blood on his head and arms. He is clothed in a loincloth.
If you have done your research, you will know that most criminals were crucified naked, but we can let that go, for the sake of American puritanical modesty (the Watchtower is indeed an American religion, despite their worldwide network).
As for the single nail through the wrists, this is contrary to what the Bible says and, let’s remember, this is the book which the Watchtower calls "God’s Word". Jehovah’s Witnesses are not alone here; some Christian groups say that Christ was nailed through his wrists because the weight of a man cannot be supported through nailed hands without tearing them. That may be so, but the Romans had other ingenious ways of inflicting maximum suffering on their victims. It is quite probable that the arms of the victim were tied to the cross, as well as nailed. Also, the feet were sometimes supported on a small ledge, so the full bodyweight would not be on the hands.
Be wary of any religious group which adds to the Bible or claims to have "special knowledge" about such things. After Jesus was resurrected, one the disciples did not believe it. He wanted to see the risen Christ and examine his body for evidence. Look at John 20:24-29 and you will see that he saw the evidence of nails (plural) in Christ’s hands and a wound in his side.
You, the student, should ask yourself why the Witnesses want to deny this evidence which indicates that Jesus was actually hung on a cross.
There is another important point of Watchtower argument which must be addressed; the "torture stake". There is no doubt that the Greek word "stauros" is used in all the references to Jesus’ crucifixion and the fact is, a "stauros" is a pole. But does this mean that there was no cross? No; the "stauros" is probably the horizontal beam to which the hands were nailed. This beam was then attached to the upright pole or tree trunk situated in a permanent location, in this case, outside the city walls, at Golgotha.
In a later chapter, you will see that the Watchtower criticises respect for the cross. They say the cross is "pagan". Its veneration originated with worship of the god Tammuz. But you know what? The Romans were pagans!
In any case, notice what the apostle Paul has to say about the cross in 1 Corinthians 1:18-25. For Christians, the cross is a sign of victory over death and not a foolish thing. That is why many Christians wear crosses as jewellery.
Again, you, the student are encouraged to keep up the Bible study with Jehovah’s Witnesses "to show appreciation for the ransom".
Works are necessary also, they say, which makes salvation conditional. This again, is contrary to scripture. The NT clearly teaches that we are saved by grace ("undeserved kindness"). That means that salvation is given by God to those who have faith in the Son. It is a free gift which we could never possibly earn by good works.
As for the Memorial, commemorated every Nisan 14 (a Jewish calendar date close to the Christian Easter date) by Jehovah’s Witnesses, consider the following.
In the Christian church, people take communion (bread and wine) regularly, sometimes daily or weekly, because Jesus told us to do it often. In most denominations, all in attendance are invited to do so. This act of worship reminds us of Christ’s last meal and his death and resurrection.
The Witnesses go to great pains to get everything "just right" on the night. The Kingdom Hall is specially cleaned and usually decorated with Spring flowers. They have very special bread which is unleavened and very special wine which is pure, unfortified and red. These are passed around for everyone present, but nearly everyone passes on the plate and glass without taking the bread or wine. Why? Because the Watchtower teaches that only a very select few may partake of "the emblems".
A Christian friend once said to me, "I cannot think of a better way to tell Jesus, "You’re not good enough for me". So, what do you, the student think? Is that showing appreciation for Christ’s body and blood?
If you are determined to continue your study with Jehovah’s Witnesses, you will find out shortly that in the Watchtower religion, there is a two class system for salvation. Worldwide, there are only a few thousand Witnesses who will go to heaven, so they take the bread and wine. Therefore, it is unlikely that in your congregation, you will ever see "the emblems" being taken. Indeed, people are actually told not to do so, unless they are "absolutely certain" that they have "the heavenly calling". However, as you keep studying the Bible, not the Watchtower, you will find that this destiny is available to everyone who follows Jesus.
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