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Other “Sayings” of JesusThe Watchtower—1959 | July 1
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then by one other than the apostle John. Since these fragments have so many parallel expressions found in John’s account, it strongly indicates that the writer was using John’s writing as a basis. Therefore John’s record must have keen written long before A.D. 150 to be found circulating in Egypt where these fragments were written about that same time. So these fragments, supported by the discovery in 1935 of the fragment of John’s Gospel (Papyrus Rylands Gk 457) also dated at the middle of the second century and found in Egypt, confirm the date of the writing of John’s account to be the generally accepted date A.D. 96.
[References]
a Light from the Ancient Past, 1946, by J. Finegan, pp. 322, 323.
b Fragments of an Unknown Gospel, 1935, by H. I. Bell and T. C. Skeat, p. 65, Plate I.
c Nomina Sacra, by Traube, III, i, p. 32.
d Fragments of an Unknown Gospel, by Bell and Skeat, p. 2.
e The Bible and Archaeology, 1940, by Sir Frederic Kenyon, pp. 216, 217.
g John 10:25.
h Matt. 22:17.
i Matt. 9:4.
j Luke 6:46.
k Matt. 15:7-9.
l John 5:39.
m John 5:45.
n John 9:29.
o John 8:59; 10:31.
p John 7:30.
q Luke 4:30.
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Giving Warning of God’s Unusual WorkThe Watchtower—1959 | July 1
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Giving Warning of God’s Unusual Work
IN THE days of King David Jehovah performed two strange deeds and unusual works. He gave two stinging rebukes to David’s Philistine enemies. Testifying to their prophetic import, Isaiah says: “For Jehovah will rise up just as at Mount Perazim, he will be agitated just as in the low plain near Gibeon, that he may do his deed—his deed is strange—and that he may work his work—his work is unusual. And now do not show yourselves scoffers.”—Isa. 28:21, 22.a
Today Christendom manifests a Philistinelike malicious opposition to the Greater David, Jesus Christ, whom Jehovah has set upon His throne. It has filled itself with the symbolic wine of the spirit of this world, a wine of independence of God’s kingdom, even as did the drunkards of Ephraim. Intoxicated, its priests and prophets have become dull of hearing and feelingless toward the dangers confronting them and toward the interests of God’s kingdom.—Isa. 28:1-4.
This wine has excited them to compromise with the world and to delight in what this world offers them. Ignoring the warning given them by Jehovah’s witnesses, they have taken refuge in political lies, chief of which is the United Nations as man’s only hope. Because our Scripturally plain message is not couched in the phrase of creedal sectarianism, higher criticism and worldly-wise philosophy, they scoff and mock and belittle it. They consider it as just so much baby talk or as the talk of the foreigner.—Isa. 28:9, 10.
What is important is not how much worldly wisdom we may have but whether we have been taught of Jehovah or not. Confident that we have been taught of God, we know we have the truth and that our message is of the greatest importance. We therefore refuse to let them silence us, whether by threats or by mockery and ridicule.—Isa. 54:13.
So let us warn the bragging, scoffing and spiritually drunk leaders of Christendom that God will not forever tolerate their drunken mockery and their God-dishonoring course. By a strong and vigorous One, his Son, Jesus Christ, Jehovah will make an end to all such scoffers. Like a storm of hail Christ will sweep away their refuge of a lie. Their covenant with Death and the vision they have effected with Sheol will prove vain. At the same time, let us point all men of good will to the only place of rest and security, God’s kingdom.—Isa. 28:17, 18.
By sounding this warning we will be proving ourselves Christians and Jehovah himself will be for us a crown of decoration and a garland of beauty. Not in our own strength but in the strength of God let us do this work, for he has promised to be “as mightiness to those turning away the battle from the gate.” When Armageddon strikes, Jehovah will not only prove our words to have been true but will also bring us safely into his new world. Until then let us make use of every opportunity to give the warning of God’s unusual work.—Isa. 28:5, 6.
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