Are You Being Kind to Yourself?

ARE you being kind to yourself? The answer to that question is not so simple as it seems. Thus American Associated Press writer H. Boyle once wrote: “Man has one talent that separates him from the other animals—the art of making himself miserable. He is the only animal that will turn his back on joy and make himself deliberately unhappy. He is the only animal that invents his own troubles, manufactures unnecessary woes, and makes an industry out of feeling sorry for himself. He is the only animal for whom too much is never enough. . . . One of the things he yearns for most—prosperity—is the thing he seems the least able to stand.”—Easton, Pennsylvania, Express, March 3, 1959.

Of course, there are some who, due to religious superstition, do not even believe in being kind to themselves. Among such are the sadhus or holy men of the Orient and the ascetics of Christendom. Their course, however, finds justification in neither the Bible nor reason, for they neither please God nor best serve their fellow man by following such a course. God’s Word implies that we should be kind to ourselves, for we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. More than that, it condemns “a severe treatment of the body.”—Mark 12:29-31; Col. 2:20-23.

Others fail to be kind to themselves because of ignorance. For decades many smoked cigarettes inveterately, not knowing the relationship between cigarette smoking and a host of physical ills. Now, however, this relationship has been so firmly established that such leading specialists as Dr. Ochsner of the Tulane University Medical School and Dr. Sara Jordan of the famed Lahey Clinic will not treat patients with stomach ills who refuse to quit smoking cigarettes, while the American Medical Association rejects all tobacco advertising for its professional journals. Since the cigarette industry is doing a thriving business in spite of all this evidence, it follows that many are still being unkind to themselves because of either stubbornness or selfishness.

In fact, it is in yielding to selfishness, in big things or little ones, that most persons manifest that in certain ways they are not kind to themselves. The man who makes crime his career, who lives in continual fear of being apprehended, killed by the police or murdered by his criminal associates, is not being kind to himself. Neither are the women who make vice their career. They are a most pitiable lot, living in fear of detection, without hope and often contemplating suicide. By choosing vice as the easy way to earn high wages they are not at all kind to themselves.

But our selfishness need not be regarding gross sins to convict us of not being kind to ourselves. If we carry around considerable excess weight or suffer any one of a multitude of physical ills that are caused by self-indulgence in food, drink or other physical pleasures, we are not being kind to ourselves. If we cannot turn off the television set when we ought to be going to bed, if we cannot break away from a party in time to get a decent night’s rest, and as a result suffer a miserable morrow just for that hour or two of additional pleasure, we are not being kind to ourselves. Neither are sedentary workers kind to themselves if they love ease so much as to wholly neglect exercise, thereby not only inviting heart trouble but also lowering their resistance to disease in general.

If we would be kind to ourselves, we must also be able to say No to our neighbor when he suggests an unwise course of action. Often because of mistaken kindness on his part he will urge us to self-indulgence. Or he may do it because it flatters his vanity to influence us in a course of folly. Or it may even be that he has an ulterior motive in coaxing us, against which we are warned at Proverbs 23:6, 7. So do not be unkind to yourself just to be thought a good fellow. Stop when you have had enough. Stick to what you know is right and best, regardless of what others may think or say.

Even our best friends may be mistaken. Thus the Scriptures tell that on one occasion Jesus warned his disciples as to what lay in store for him: persecution and death and a resurrection. “At this Peter took him aside and commenced raising strong objections to him, saying: ‘Be kind to yourself, Master; you will not have this destiny at all’ But, turning his back, he said to Peter: ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumblingblock to me, because you think, not God’s thoughts, but those of men.’” Peter meant well, but Jesus knew better.—Matt. 16:22, 23.

Being kind to ourselves means not only being able to say No to both ourselves and others, but it also means saying Yes when duty calls. Why be miserable struggling with a guilty conscience when with a great deal less effort we can have peace of mind and even joy by doing what we are supposed to do. Wisely, therefore, God’s Word urges us to “hold a good conscience.”—1 Pet. 3:16.

Being kind to yourself also involves the matter of contentment. Is the man who drives himself and others ruthlessly to satisfy his selfish ambition kind to himself? The Bible answers: “However, those who are determined to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many senseless and hurtful desires which plunge men into destruction and ruin. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things, and by reaching out for this love some have been led astray from the faith and have stabbed themselves all over with many pains.” Clearly one who ‘stabs himself all over with many pains’ is not being kind to himself!—1 Tim. 6:9, 10.

If we would be kind to ourselves we must cultivate “godly devotion along with self-sufficiency,” or contentment, for these truly are great gain. Having brought nothing into this world we can take nothing out, so having food, clothing and shelter, let us be content, the apostle further counsels.—1 Tim. 6:6-8.

God the Creator expects us to be kind to ourselves, for he wants us to be happy. A long-range view of things will help us to exercise moderation and be content, remembering that “the blessing of Jehovah—that is what makes rich, and he adds no pain with it.”—Prov. 10:22

The Festival of Freedom

What was the Passover? How was it observed? Why do not Christian celebrate it?

THE deliverance of more than two million people from slavery is not something to be forgotten. Especially is this so when the deliverance comes by the hand of God in a miraculous manner. It was just such a deliverance that was experienced by the descendants of the patriarch Israel in the sixteenth century before the Christian era. At the instigation of a tyrannical ruler the Egyptians enslaved the people of Israel. Their oppressions increased with the passing of the years. There was no government on earth they could look to for help or even for a note of protest. Only a miracle could bring them freedom.

The miracle came by the hand of God through a series of plagues that was climaxed by the death of Egypt’s first-born. On that very night the Hebrews were freed from bondage and urged by the Egyptians to get out of the country as quickly as possible. That remarkable deliverance by the hand of God was commemorated thereafter by a yearly festival called the Passover. The manner in which it was to be observed was established by God the first day of the month of their deliverance.

It was at the time of the new moon nearest the spring equinox of the year 1513 B.C. that God said to Moses and Aaron: “This month will be the start of the months for you. It will be the first of the months of the year for you.” (Ex. 12:2) The time for the deliverance of the people of Israel was divinely set for the fourteenth day of this first month, which at that time was called Abib. Centuries later when the Jews returned from captivity to Babylon the name was changed to Nisan.

The Hebrews were commanded to begin making preparations on the tenth day of the month for the Passover meal. God told Moses: “On the tenth day of this month they are to take for themselves each one a sheep for the ancestral house, a sheep to a house. And it must continue under safeguard by you until the fourteenth day of this month, and the whole congregation of the assembly of Israel must slaughter it between the two evenings.”—Ex. 12:3, 6.

The animal was to be sound and one year old. It could be chosen either from the male lambs or from the goats. There was to be one animal for each household, but if a household was too small to consume a whole lamb, the closest neighboring household was to join with them in eating it.

WHEN OBSERVED

The Hebrews measured their day from sundown to sundown instead of from midnight to midnight as we do. After the sun had dipped below the horizon on the evening of the thirteenth day of Abib the anticipated fourteenth day began. They killed their animals between the time when the sun went down and when the afterglow gave way to darkness. The killing, therefore, was done “between the two evenings,” as God had commanded, and on the fourteenth day of Abib. The lamb was prepared and eaten before midnight.

The blood of the animals was splashed upon the two doorposts and on the upper part of the doorway of each Israelite home where a group had gathered to eat the passover. This splashing was done with a bunch of hyssop. The animals were roasted whole with no bones being broken. If any meat was left over from the meal, it was burned. None was to be kept until the next day. Unfermented cakes and bitter greens were eaten with the meat. The Hebrews were prepared to leave Egypt on a moment’s notice. “In this way you should eat it, with your hips girded, sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand, and you must eat it in haste. It is Jehovah’s passover.”—Ex. 12:11.

The Passover lamb foreshadowed Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who would deliver God’s people from the bondage of sin and death. The sprinkling of the animal’s blood on the outside of the doors pictured that we have faith in Christ’s blood and publicly confess its ransoming power. As the lamb’s blood did not mean deliverance and life to those unbelievers outside the Israelite homes, so Christ’s blood does not mean deliverance to unbelievers outside God’s organization. For the Egyptians the blood on the doorposts betokened God’s vengeance. So, too, does Christ’s blood for this unbelieving world. The bitter herbs typify how the followers of Christ would suffer the bitterness of persecution and reproach from this wicked world because they are a people for Jehovah’s name and follow Christ’s example in declaring his name.

According to God’s command, not a bone of the lamb was broken. This foretold how Christ, the Lamb of God, would not have a bone broken. Psalm 34:20 also foretold it: “He is guarding all the bones of that one; not one of them at all has been broken.”

By eating the passover while being fully equipped to leave Egypt at once the Israelites pictured those today who are Jehovah’s worshipers and who are not part of this corrupt world. Shortly they are due to enter God’s new world of freedom.

When God’s angel of destruction went through Egypt that night and killed the first-born of man and beast he passed over every home that had blood from the Passover victim splashed upon the doorposts. Inside the houses the Hebrews waited for their freedom. None suffered the loss of a first-born. The destruction of Egypt’s firstborn was a picture of how the chief ones in Satan’s visible organization would become dead in God’s sight and as respects his witnesses in these last days.

The preservation of the Israelites during the angelic killing of Egypt’s first-born and then their deliverance from slavery was a marvelous demonstration of God’s power in their behalf. It was an event that was not to be forgotten, especially since it was a vindicating of Jehovah’s great name. God commanded them to remember it: “This day must serve as a memorial for you, and you must celebrate it as a festival to Jehovah throughout your generations.” (Ex. 12:14) More than forty years later when the Hebrews were about to enter the Promised Land Moses reminded them: “Let there be an observing of the month of Abib, and you must celebrate the passover to Jehovah your God, because in the month of Abib Jehovah your God brought you out of Egypt by night.”—Deut. 16:1.

From what Exodus 13:5 says it appears that the observing of this festival of freedom was to take place when the Israelites had reached the land God had promised them. The only record of its being observed while they were in the wilderness is at Numbers 9:1-5. This was in their second year out of Egypt while they were still in the wilderness of Sinai. There is no record that it was observed again until Joshua and the sons of those who had left Egypt had crossed the Jordan and were in Gilgal. After being circumcised they then began observing the Passover.—Josh. 5:2-10.

CHANGES MADE

The manner in which the Passover was observed in later years was a bit different from the way it was eaten in Egypt. In the first Passover the animal victim was either a male lamb or a young goat, but after the return from Babylonian captivity the animal was limited to a lamb. Instead of eating the passover while standing with staff in hand and with sandals on, as was done in Egypt, the Hebrews in the Promised Land ate it in a relaxed position. Those celebrants who lived in the first century ate it while lying on their left side with the left elbow placed on the table and the head resting on the left hand. This position explains why the apostle John was able to lean upon Jesus’ breast when he asked a question. “There was reclining in front of Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, and Jesus loved him. So the latter leaned back upon the breast of Jesus and said to him: ‘Master, who is it?’” (John 13:23, 25) There was sufficient room between them for Jesus to have free movement of his right hand when eating.

Instead of each household eating the passover in its own house, as was done in Egypt, each gathered at Jerusalem. It was the place God had chosen. Some lodged with the residents of the city and others camped outside the walls.

Wine was not used in the Passover meal in Egypt, and its use was not commanded by God. However, it was an essential part of the celebration in the days of Jesus. According to the Jerusalem Talmud, it was supposed to indicate Israel’s joy during this festival of freedom. Only red wine was used after being diluted with water. Four cups in all were served. “These correspond to the four expressions of redemption,” states the Babylonian Talmud. These were found in Exodus 6:6, 7. A blessing was pronounced over each cup. It might be mentioned, however, that the wine was not necessarily restricted to four cups. After the first cup of wine each person in the gathering washed his hands. It seems reasonable to conclude that it was at this point in the Passover celebration that Jesus washed the feet of his disciples.—John 13:1-11.

The bitter greens were dipped in a mixture of vinegar and salt water and sometimes in a mixture of dates, raisins and vinegar. This latter mixture was called haróseth. The one who was the head of the group took some herbs, dipped them in this mixture and ate them. He then handed some to the others. This was followed by the father asking his son about the meaning of the Passover.

During the celebration the “Egyptian” Hallel was sung. The first part of it was sung when the celebrants were drinking the second cup of wine. It consisted of Psalms 113 and 114. The second part consisted of Psalms 115-118 and was sung with the last cup of wine. It is thought that this was the song that Jesus and his apostles sang at the conclusion of the Memorial that he introduced after the Passover A.D. 33. That song customarily concluded the Passover.—Matt. 26:30.

OBSERVED BY EVERY MALE

Every male Israelite was required to come to Jerusalem to observe the Passover. Failure to observe it resulted in one’s being cut off from the people. The only exception was when an Israelite was away on a journey or was ceremonially unclean. In such cases he was required to observe the Passover on the same day one month later. “But when the man was clean or did not happen to be off on a journey and neglected to prepare the passover sacrifice, then that soul must be cut off from his people.” (Num. 9:13) Women were not obligated to be present, but they generally were.

When a pilgrim was on his way to Jerusalem there was danger of his becoming unclean by unwittingly touching the grave of someone who had died in the open field. It was the practice that whenever anyone died in the open fields he was to be buried where he was found instead of being brought to the cemetery of the nearest town. These graves were whitened one month before the Passover in order to protect people from becoming unclean by touching them. It may have been these whitened graves that Jesus had in mind when he told the scribes and Pharisees: “You resemble whitewashed graves, which outwardly indeed appear beautiful but inside are full of dead men’s bones and of every kind of uncleanness.”—Matt. 23:27.

All leaven in the homes of the people was searched out and burned before the Passover began. From the fourteenth day of Nisan, or Abib, until the twenty-first day no leaven was eaten; only unfermented cakes were used. The day following the Passover, Nisan 15, was considered the beginning of the seven-day festival of unfermented cakes.

The fact that the bread was without leaven commemorated the afflictions of the people while in Egyptian slavery and also their hasty departure, during which time they ate unfermented cakes. (Deut. 16:3) Leaven here symbolizes sin and human corruption. The apostle Paul used it in that sense when he said: “Clear away the old yeast, that you may be a new lump, according as you are free from ferment. For, indeed, Christ our passover has been sacrificed. Consequently, let us keep the feast, not with old yeast, neither with yeast of injuriousness and wickedness, but with unfermented cakes of purity and truth.” (1 Cor. 5:7, 8) It was with good reason that God forbade the eating of leavened bread during the Passover or of having leaven anywhere in an Israelite home.

The Passover was a joyous festival that commemorated a great event, but at the same time it pointed forward to something that was to be still greater, and that was the sacrifice of the perfect Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. His ransom sacrifice brings release for Jehovah’s obedient worshipers from captivity to sin and death. This is a far greater victory to his name than the release of the Israelites from Egyptian captivity. It brings a much greater freedom than they received.

This remarkable release has already been experienced by many of Christ’s followers who became spiritual Israelites and were anointed by holy spirit to be spiritual brothers of Christ. Although these died, they are resurrected as spirit creatures to immortal life in the heavens. The multitudes of mankind who have eternal-life prospects on earth will receive their release from sin and death at God’s appointed time. There are a large number of people living today who will not die before that time arrives.

Christ’s death fulfilled the significance of the Passover and brought its observance to an end. Now it is his death that God’s people are to observe as a memorial. It eclipses the old festival of freedom by being a reminder of the much greater freedoms that Christ made possible for all mankind.

Setting the Time of Jesus’ Ministry

AMONG religious teachers there is no uniformity of view as to the duration of Jesus’ great ministry on this earth. Some of them say his ministry was merely one year long,¹ others say two or two and a half years, while still others, including Jehovah’s witnesses, claim it to be three and a half years long.² Consequently, in Christendom there is no uniform year accepted for the historic event of Jesus’ impalement, the dates varying all the way from 28 to 33 (A.D.).³ What grounds do Jehovah’s witnesses have for being so confident that not only was Jesus’ ministry three and a half years long but also that it commenced in the fall of 29 (A.D.) and continued to its culmination in Jesus’ impalement Friday, April 1 (or April 3, Julian Calendar), A.D. 33?

From the one commonly accepted key text, Luke 3:1, 2, dates have been determined varying from 25 to 29 (A.D.) for the year of the springtime beginning of John the Baptist’s ministry and that of Jesus’ ministry six months later in the autumn. For special attention we have capitalized the names of the seven rulers whom the careful historian Luke uses to date his account accurately in this text. “In the fifteenth year of the reign of TIBERIUS CAESAR, when PONTIUS PILATE was governor of Judea, and HEROD was district ruler of Galilee, but PHILIP his brother was district ruler of the country of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and LYSANIAS was district ruler of Abilene, in the days of chief priest ANNAS and of CAIAPHAS, God’s declaration came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.”

Let us consider them in reverse order. Historian Josephus records that CAIAPHAS served as high priest at Jerusalem from about 18 to 36 (A.D.), having been appointed to that office by Valerius Gratus, Roman governor of Judea.⁴ ANNAS, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, had been elevated to the high priesthood A.D. 7 by Quirinius, superior Roman governor of Syria, and served as such until A.D. 15 when he was deposed by Valerius Gratus.⁵ Even after being unseated as high priest, Annas exercised great power as the dominant member of the Jewish hierarchy and was still active at the time of Jesus’ trial in Jerusalem and later when Peter and John were brought before the Sanhedrin.—John 18:13; Acts 4:6.

Little is known of LYSANIAS the district ruler of Abilene. However, an inscription has been found at the city of Abila near Damascus of the time of Tiberius Caesar establishing historically that Lysanias ruled there as tetrarch.⁶ The non-Biblical historian Josephus further confirms that both PHILIP and HEROD (Antipas) were made Roman rulers over the territories indicated by Luke.⁷ Both men started their rulerships shortly after the birth of Jesus. Philip ruled until A.D. 34 and Herod Antipas until A.D. 40.⁸

Josephus is likewise the authority establishing the length and time of the rulership of PONTIUS PILATE. “Vitellius, a man that had been consul, and who was now president of Syria, . . . accused Pilate of the murder of those that were killed. So Vitellius sent Marcellus, a friend of his, to take care of the affairs of Judea, and ordered Pilate to go to Rome, to answer before the emperor to the accusations of the Jews. So Pilate, when he had tarried ten years in Judea, made haste to Rome. . . . but before he could get to Rome Tiberius was dead.”⁹ Tiberius Caesar died March 16, A.D. 37.¹⁰ This, then, definitely dates Pilate’s ten-year rulership from A.D. 27 to 37. Since John the Baptist and Jesus started their ministries during Pilate’s well-established rule, A.D. 28 is the earliest that could be considered to meet Luke’s reference. So the years A.D. 25, 26 and 27 are eliminated as possible starting years for Jesus’ ministry.

The final determining factor is that of the start of the rulership of Emperor TIBERIUS CAESAR. All reliable histories give A.D. 14 as the commencement of his emperorship. Tiberius was the stepson and designated successor of Caesar Augustus, who died August 19, A.D. 14.¹¹ Hence his rulership started in August, A.D. 14. Yet in spite of these plain historic facts those who contend for earlier dates of Jesus’ ministry rely upon the conjecture that Luke meant A.D. 11 or possibly A.D. 12 as the date for the beginning of Tiberius’ reign because he was said to have been coregent with his stepfather shortly before the death of Augustus. Here again historian Josephus supports A.D. 14 as being the unquestionable date referred to by Luke. “Caesar [Augustus], the second emperor of the Romans, the duration of whose reign was fifty-seven years, besides six months and two days (of which time Antonius ruled together with him fourteen years; but the duration of his [Augustus’] life was seventy-seven years); upon whose death Tiberius Nero, his wife Julia’s son, succeeded. He was now the third emperor.”¹² Thus in Luke’s time Tiberius was considered to have started his reign at the death of Augustus in 14 (A.D.) and not when he was a possible coregent. Likewise note that Josephus mentions another, one Antonius, as having assisted Augustus in the conducting of his emperorship.

August 19, A.D. 14, the date of the death of Augustus, is then the absolute date for the start of Tiberius’ reign upon which Luke bases his reference. Luke mentions that John began preaching in Tiberius Caesar’s fifteenth year. This is an ordinal number, which means we must count fourteen full years plus some months toward another year, just as this is said to be the twentieth century, meaning nineteen full centuries have passed and we are now over fifty-eight years into the next century. Fourteen full years from August 19, A.D. 14, would be summertime, August 19, A.D. 28. Since John the Baptist began to preach in the springtime when he reached thirty years of age, this would have to be the following spring or about March-April A.D. 29, still within Tiberius’ fifteenth year. Jesus being six months younger than John, Jesus would reach his thirty years of age in the autumn of 29 (A.D). (Luke 3:21-23) So autumn A.D. 29 is the clearly proved time for the beginning of Jesus’ spectacular ministry.

THREE AND ONE HALF YEARS

Now as to Jesus’ ministry’s being three and a half years long. It is true that from the accounts of Jesus’ ministry in Matthew, Mark and Luke the full three and a half years are not so clearly indicated. But John, who wrote his record about A.D. 98, long after the other three accounts had been written and circulating, filled in the missing proofs. John gives evidence of Jesus attending four Passovers in Jerusalem after the start of his ministry in the autumn of 29. John 2:13 refers to Passover A.D. 30; John 5:1 to Passover A.D. 31; John 6:4 to Passover A.D. 32; and, finally, John 13:1 to Passover A.D. 33, the last just before Jesus’ death. Thus by John’s record of four Passovers during Jesus’ ministry the three-and-a-half-year duration is proved. Many besides Jehovah’s witnesses support this sound view.²

A second proof of the three-and-a-half-year duration comes from Bible prophecy. Daniel 9:27 speaks of Jesus as the Messiah, the prince, making firm the Abrahamic covenant with many of the Jewish remnant for a period of one week of seven years. This indicates that at the start of Jesus’ ministry in the autumn, A.D. 29, the exclusive opportunity to become part of the seed of Abraham according to the Abrahamic promise made by Jehovah fell to the Jews alone. Such singular opportunity expired seven years later, A.D. 36, when the calling was extended to the Gentiles, inviting them also to become part of this Kingdom seed of 144,001. (Gal. 3:28, 29) Then, significantly, Daniel goes on to say that in the “midst of the week” or in the middle of this seven years, hence after three and a half years, Jesus would cause the Law sacrifices to cease officially. At Colossians 2:14 the apostle Paul shows that God used Jesus’ death to take away or legally cancel the Law covenant with its sacrifices “by nailing it to the torture stake.” This obviously occurred in the spring A.D. 33. Here rests another complete proof.

JESUS DIED A.D. 33

Finally, all the surrounding evidence points to Nisan 14, A.D. 33, as the only likely date for Jesus’ impalement. All the other dates advocated by others, such as A.D. 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 and 34, fail to meet the facts.

Almost all religious teachers as well as Jehovah’s witnesses are agreed that the Scriptures indicate that it was on a Friday afternoon that Jesus expired. For this reason Catholics and Protestants refer to this day as “Good Friday.” John 19:31 proves that Jesus must have died on a Friday. How so? Because it mentions that the sabbath that began three hours after Jesus’ death (he died at about 3 p.m.) was not just an ordinary weekly sabbath that begins Friday 6 p.m. and extends to Saturday 6 p.m. Remember, too, that Biblical days begin at 6 p.m., not at midnight as we now reckon days. John says “the day of that sabbath was a great one.” In other words, two legal sabbath days fell together during the same twenty-four-hour period, hence a double sabbath. According to the Law of Moses Nisan 15 every year must be a sabbath day regardless of what day in the week it falls. (Lev. 23:6, 7) The situation is like that of a national Gentile holiday. If such a holiday should fall due on a Sunday, then the populace have two holidays falling together on the one twenty-four-hour day, and this happens only once every so many years. So it was A.D. 33 that Nisan 15 coincided with the weekly sabbath. This proves that Nisan 14 must have begun on a Thursday evening at 6 p.m. and extended to Friday at 6 p.m. to make it possible for Jesus’ death Friday afternoon. This Friday situation for Nisan 14 seldom happens one year after the other but occurs only once every several years. Now we shall see how the year A.D. 33 produces all the required factors that fit the Scriptural record for the day of Christ’s death.

Jesus as the Lamb of God died on Passover day, which, according to the Law of Moses, is Nisan 14. Nisan 14 always involves a full moon, since it is the fourteenth day following the new moon that is first visible in Egypt and Palestine. (Ex. 12:2, 6) Astronomy comes to our aid supplying the figures for the following chart.¹³

Year Passover Full Moon Julian Day Day of

Number Week

AD. Julian Gregorian

Calendar Calendar

28 Mar. 29 Mar. 27 1,731,373 Monday

29 Apr. 18 Apr. 16 1,731,758 Monday

30 Apr. 7 Apr. 5 1,732,112 Friday

31 Mar. 27 Mar. 25 1,732,466 Tuesday

32 Apr. 14 Apr. 12 1,732,850 Monday

33 Apr. 3 Apr. 1 1,733,204 Friday

34 Mar. 24 Mar. 22 1,733,559 Wednesday

All the possible date-years mentioned above must be eliminated except A.D. 30 and 33, as they do not have Nisan 14 falling on a Friday. Though A.D. 30 has Nisan 14 on a Friday, it too will have to be rejected because this would mean only a six months’ ministry for Jesus, which is too short to fit the Bible record. As we have already considered, the beginning of Jesus’ ministry was firmly set by Luke as being what we know to be in the autumn of 29 (A.D.). This leaves only A.D. 33 with Nisan 14 on a Friday that meets all the factors in connection with Jesus’ sacrificial death on the tree. In confirmation of the above in The Works of Flavius Josephus, by Whiston, a footnote on Antiquities of the Jews, Book 18, chapter 3, paragraph 3, appears giving April 3, A.D. 33 (Julian Calendar), as the date of Jesus’ impalement, also April 5 of that year as the date of his resurrection. So A.D. 33 wins out as the only probable year.

In conclusion we see that the position of Jehovah’s witnesses is strong for believing not only that Jesus’ ministry was three and a half years in duration but that it started in the autumn of 29 (A.D.) and concluded in the spring of 33 (A.D.).

REFERENCES CITED

¹ The Catholic Encyclopedia, 1908, Vol. III, p. 736.

² The International Standard Bible Encyclopædia, 1957, Vol. III, pp. 1628, 1629.

³ Biblical Cyclopædia, 1894, by M’Clintock and Strong, Vol. IV, pp. 874, 875, 877.

⁴ The International Standard Bible Encyclopædia, 1957, Vol. I, p. 538.

⁵ Ibid., Vol. I, p. 137.

⁶ Light from the Ancient Past, 1946, by Finegan, page 219.

⁷ Antiquities of the Jews, Josephus, XVII, viii, 1.

⁸ Webster’s Biographical Dictionary, 1943, pp. 701, 1178.

⁹ Antiquities of the Jews, Josephus, XVIII, iv, 2.

¹⁰ The International Standard Bible Encyclopædia, 1957, Vol. IV, p. 2396.

¹¹ Ibid., Vol. V, p. 2979.

¹² Antiquities of the Jews, Josephus, XVIII, ii, 2.

¹³ Babylonian Chronology 626 B.C. – A.D. 45, 1942, by Parker and Dubberstein, p. 46, also Canon der Mondfinsternisse, 1887, by Oppolzer, Vol. II, p. 344.

[Chart on page 489]

JESUS’ BAPTISM 3 1/2 YEARS JESUS DEATH

FALL, A.D. 29 NISAN 14, A.D. 33

Clergy and the United Nations

An editorial in the Houston (Texas) Chronicle was reprinted, because of its unusual nature, in the Graham (Texas) Leader of November 6, 1958, under the heading “Government No Affair of Church”: “In the constitution of the state of Maryland, there is a provision which reads: ‘No minister or preacher of the gospel or of any religious creed or denomination shall be eligible as senator or delegate.’ This was very wisely designed to preserve separation of church and state. Precedent for this attitude is to be found in the Bible itself where Christ is quoted as admonishing the Pharisees when they tried to trick him: ‘Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s.’ Those clergymen, members of the International Convention of Christian Churches, who met in St. Louis last week would have done well to keep these things in mind. While some at this convention voiced sturdy disagreement, the overwhelming majority passed a resolution proposing that Congress enact legislation to permit the individual taxpayer to give up to 2 percent of his income tax to the United Nations instead of paying it to the United States.”

Another Scripture that could have been quoted is James 4:4: “Do you not know that the friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is constituting himself an enemy of God.”

Be Ready Always to Make a Defense

“Always ready to make a defense before everyone that demands of you a reason for the hope in you, but doing do together with a mild temper and deep respect.”—1 Pet. 3:15.

1. To what are ministers of Jehovah God likened? In what sense must they be like that?

JEHOVAH’S witnesses have been likened to men versed in the highest law, teaching the law of God to men of good will. According to Webster’s Dictionary, a lawyer is “one versed in the laws, or a practitioner of law, counselor, barrister, etc.” Although not all Christians are “lawyers” practicing in earthly law courts, they must be versed, not in man-made laws, but in the law of Jehovah, the supreme Lawgiver. They must be practitioners and counselors of Jehovah’s law and they must be successful defenders of Jehovah’s law.

2. (a) What is law? (b) About what law do Jehovah’s witnesses counsel people, and why?

² People go to an earthly lawyer to ask for legal counsel to avoid harm or injury. Law is defined as a rule of action or conduct. A lawyer therefore counsels people how to act or conduct themselves in harmony with the law, and defends such lawful actions in court. While worldly lawyers find out what actions and conduct are in harmony with human laws, Jehovah’s witnesses are primarily interested in knowing what actions and conduct are in harmony with Jehovah’s supreme laws. They like to counsel people about God’s law and word. But not only does Jehovah’s law, like human laws, state rules of action and conduct, but it gives those versed in it Christian faith and sure hope. Thus by teaching God’s law to men of good will Jehovah’s witnesses are helping them, not only to bring their actions and conduct into harmony with God’s law, but also to become strong in Christian faith and hope, avoiding harm and injury or penalty from the supreme Judge, Jehovah.

3. To whom did Peter write his first letter?

³ As good Christian teachers of law Jehovah’s witnesses must not only expound the law of God but must also defend the faith and hope based on this law. Like lawyers, they must not only counsel but also defend. This divine requirement is stated in 1 Peter 3:15: “Always ready to make a defense before everyone that demands of you a reason for the hope in you.” To whom does this rule apply? Whom did the apostle Peter expect to be always ready to make a defense? Did he expect it only of a special priestly class or did he expect it of all claiming to be Christians? Therefore, does this rule also apply to the person reading this issue of The Watchtower? From the opening verse we learn to whom Peter was addressing his letter, namely, “to the temporary residents scattered about in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, to the ones chosen.” These temporary residents were Christians living among non-Christian Jews and Gentiles in the Roman provinces in Asia Minor. Commenting on 1 Peter 1:1, the Roman Catholic Bible translator Rupert Storr says that the apostle Peter wrote his first letter to Christians and that chapters 1Pe 1:3 to 4:11 are a sermon addressed to newly baptized ones.

4. To whom do Peter’s words in 1 Peter 3:15 apply?

⁴ Of these Christians, and according to this Bible translator, even of newly baptized ones, Peter expected that they be always ready to make a defense and give good reasons for the hope in them. So 1 Peter 3:15 applies to Christians, and they must all fulfill the divine requirement of defending successfully their hope. Do you, reader of The Watchtower, count yourself to be a Christian? If so, then this rule always to be ready to make a defense for the hope in you also applies to you. Are you ready? If not, a minister of Jehovah’s witnesses will be glad to help you.

5, 6. (a) In what situation were the early Christians in Asia Minor? (b) What counsel does Peter give them to help maintain good conduct?

⁵ These early Christians in Asia Minor were not in a very comfortable situation. From the tenor of Peter’s letter it seems they were experiencing many trials, but more severe trials lay ahead. The fiery persecution to be launched against Christians by Emperor Nero had not yet begun. Like thousands of men of good will today, these newly converted Christians had abandoned their former religions, idols, cults and superstitions, their ‘fruitless form of conduct received by tradition from their forefathers.’ (1 Pet. 1:18) They were putting off their old personality and bringing their conduct into harmony with God’s law and word. Now they were no longer living “for the desires of men, but for God’s will.” Their former coreligionists could not understand this change and viewed it as apostasy to the popular religious, national and social life, just as today. It was a crime! These new Christians became the objects of hate and persecution because they “put away all moral badness and all deceitfulness and hypocrisy and envies and all kinds of backbiting.” “Because you do not continue running with them in this course to the same low sink of debauchery, they are puzzled and go on speaking abusively of you.” (1 Pet. 2:1; 4:4) Yes, the Devil himself gets enraged when people start to bring their actions and conduct of life, their faith and hope into harmony with Jehovah’s supreme and perfect law. “Your adversary, the Devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour someone.”—1 Pet. 5:8.

⁶ It is not easy to defend one’s hope in such a situation. In his letter Peter admonishes these Christians not yet experienced in trials and persecutions to rejoice, even if grieved by various trials. “Maintain your conduct right among the nations.” “Be sound in mind, therefore, and be vigilant with a view to prayers.” “Keep your senses, be watchful” among men who are proceeding “in deeds of loose conduct, lusts, excesses with wine, revelries, drinking matches, and idolatries that are without legal restraint.” (1 Pet. 2:12; 4:7; 5:8; 4:3) They should be closely united under theocratic rule and organization. “Love one another intensely from the heart.” “Above all things, have intense love for one another. . . . Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. In proportion as each one has received a gift, use it in ministering to one another.” (1 Pet. 1:22; 4:8-10) And “finally, all of you be like-minded, showing fellow feeling, exercising brotherly love, tenderly affectionate, humble in mind, not paying back injury for injury or reviling for reviling, but, to the contrary, bestowing a blessing, because you were called to this course, so that you might inherit a blessing.” (1 Pet. 3:8, 9) This counsel should keep these Christians closely united and protect them from falling back.

7. (a) How did they become Christians? (b) What should they now do too?

⁷ There was one more thing necessary to maintain the right course of conduct, namely, the declaring and defending of their hope. These Christians had been taught the right course of conduct by the preaching of the good news, through which they had received a living hope. Peter reminded them of this fact, writing: “To you, [the prophets] were ministering the things which have now been announced to you through those who have declared the good news to you with holy spirit sent forth from heaven.” And now, what should they also be doing? What does Peter expect from each and every one of them? Listen! “Hence brace up your minds for activity,” he commands. What kind of activity? Peter answers: “‘That you should declare abroad the excellencies’ of the one that called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” And when should they declare these excellencies? “Always ready to make a defense . . . for the hope in you.”—1 Pet. 1:12, 13; 2:9; 3:15.

8. In what situation are Christians today? And what results from the teaching of God’s law and word?

⁸ Today similar conditions exist as in Asia Minor nineteen hundred years ago. The same Devil is walking about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour, and the nations are doing the same will, proceeding “in deeds of loose conduct, lusts, excesses with wine, revelries, drinking matches, and idolatries that are without legal restraint.” So the same instructions apply today to Christians, if they wish to maintain their good conduct and be able to defend their faith and hope. The good news of God’s kingdom by Christ is now being preached to men of good will and the same brotherly love unites Christians closely together under theocratic organization. And because of the preaching of the good news people are coming out of darkness as they did nineteen hundred years ago; they quit ‘being fashioned according to the desires they formerly had in their ignorance,’ becoming true Christians, living now to do God’s will, having a living hope. Through this preaching activity over 70,000 left their former course last year and became true Christians. In the last ten years Jehovah’s witnesses have grown from 230,532 to 717,088 ministers.

DEFEND YOUR HOPE SUCCESSFULLY

9, 10. (a) Describe the Christian’s hope? (b) When will the realization of this hope be?

⁹ All these Christians have a magnificent and sure hope worth defending at all times and before all kinds of men. This hope is based on the sure foundation of God’s Word, the Bible. This Word assures them that Jehovah God created the earth to remain forever, to be populated with meek and righteous men, whereas all evildoers and wicked ones will be cut off. (Eccl. 1:4; Isa. 45:18; Ps. 37:9, 10, 29) No wars will then threaten and terrify earth’s inhabitants. Everlasting peace and happiness will be the result of knowing and obeying Jehovah’s law and word. (Mic. 4:3, 4; Isa. 11:9) Indeed a new world, a world without tears, mourning, outcry or pain, even without death. Men will have everlasting life in a paradise earth because of their knowledge about God, Jehovah, and his Son Christ Jesus. (Rev. 21:3, 4; John 17:3) Jehovah’s kingdom guarantees the realization of this divine hope.

¹⁰ This realization will come in our day. The great battle of Jehovah, called in Hebrew Har–Magedon, will wipe off this old wicked system of things. Jehovah’s witnesses have the sure hope that this great change from the old to the new system will take place within this generation. What a hope!—Rev. 16:16; Matt. 24:34.

11. How must this hope be preached, and what is necessary?

¹¹ This hope must now be declared to all kinds of men in all the inhabited earth. But this preaching and teaching must be done effectively and successfully. Of what good is it to use your whole strength preaching the good news about God’s kingdom in your territory if you cannot say the right things when you speak to the people at their doors or in their homes? Are you able to give good reasons for your hope? Willingness is not sufficient. When you are witnessing, do you want to be always walking from house to house, climbing stairs, knocking at doors, talking to people, and yet failing to convince? To the contrary, you want to walk, climb, knock, talk and convince. You want to be successful in bringing the thoughts of the people into harmony with Bible truths by being able to defeat false doctrines, showing trinity to be false, immortal soul pagan, purgatory nonexistent, being able to paint a glorious picture of the new world and to give hope and comfort. This implies that you must know your belief and that you can give strong reasons for your hope.

12. What fruit does correct instruction bear, as shown in the case of Apollos?

¹² An excellent example of this we have in Acts 18:24-26. Apollos was an eloquent man and well versed in the Scriptures. This man had some knowledge and “as he was aglow with the spirit, he went to speaking and teaching with some correctness the things about Jesus, but being acquainted with only the baptism of John. And this man started to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him into their company and expounded the way of God more correctly to him.” This correct instruction bore good fruit. Apollos, now able to accurately defend his faith and hope and eager to help others, continued his journey and “greatly helped those who had believed on account of God’s undeserved kindness; for with intensity he thoroughly proved the Jews to be wrong, while he demonstrated publicly by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.”—Acts 18:27, 28.

13. What must persons who just believe in God or have some knowledge receive today?

¹³ So, like Aquila and Priscilla, all Christian ministers should be able to teach the truth more correctly to persons who just believe in God or who have some knowledge of the Bible. For this, accurate knowledge is necessary to be a fruitful and productive minister, as the apostle Paul wishes all Christians to be, “that you may be filled with the accurate knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual discernment, in order to walk worthily of Jehovah to the end of fully pleasing him as you go on bearing fruit in every good work.”—Col. 1:9, 10.

14. When one is preaching, why are lots of words not the important thing?

¹⁴ To please Jehovah fully Christians must not only preach the good news but must bear fruit. There must be freeness of speech of the right kind, not just glib wordiness. It is not lots of words that are necessary, but words that give good reasons for your faith and hope. Do people understand your words? The apostle Paul says it is better to speak five words with understanding, that others might be instructed verbally, than ten thousand words in a tongue or words no one understands.—1 Cor. 14:19.

15. To whose satisfaction must a minister answer questions? Why? What is necessary?

¹⁵ Christians should heed Paul’s counsel and instruct others verbally with words of understanding. Their minds must be filled with accurate knowledge about Jehovah God, about his Son, Christ Jesus, his kingdom, his purposes regarding the universe and mankind, about his laws and principles. Only then will Christians be able to defend their belief and hope successfully. May we ask you: Have you absorbed this knowledge? Can you answer, not only to your own satisfaction, but to the questioner’s satisfaction? Have you applied your mind to the utmost in study so that you can handle the Word of God effectively, as a real artist, with no cause for shame at being unable to refute opposers? Paul admonishes Christians: “Do your utmost to present yourself approved to God, a workman with nothing to be ashamed of, handling the word of the truth aright.”—2 Tim. 2:15.

16. (a) What do parents expect from their children? (b) What does Jehovah expect from his servants?

¹⁶ In preaching and defending the good news and when called upon to give a reason for your hope, you should not always conveniently rely on others, thinking they can do it better. Jehovah expects you to be capable of establishing your hope on the basis of the Bible yourself. You certainly do not wish to belong to those who are “always learning and yet never able to come to an accurate knowledge of truth” and therefore unable to defend your hope yourself. (2 Tim. 3:7) Parents expect their children to grow up to be self-reliant. It may be a pleasure for a mother to take the hand of her little boy and lead him safely across the street. She would certainly be disappointed though if her twenty-year-old son would say: “Mamma, hold my hand and take me over.” A student of law too must stand alone in court one day and defend his case. So Jehovah too expects Christians to grow up, to be able to render account to everyone at all times regarding the foundation truths of his Word, the Bible.—1 Cor. 13:11.

17. Why is daily Bible study most important?

¹⁷ Daily study will be a requirement if you want to be such a productive Christian minister. You must thoroughly know what you want to defend toward all kinds of men. Therefore reserve time to study God’s Word. Do not think you are too young or too old. Do not think your worldly education is not good enough. Whether you are young or old, having a higher or a lower education, you can all learn to know your Bible. Use the Bible daily; daily read and meditate, even if it is only for fifteen or thirty minutes, then you will surely become a real artist in the use of God’s Word regardless of your age and education. What we do daily we eventually master. Daily study is one of the most important factors in developing the ability to effectively preach and defend the true faith and hope. Christians must learn it. “But let our people also learn to maintain right works so as to meet their pressing needs, that they may not be unproductive.” (Titus 3:14) Through study you prepare yourself “so as to know how you ought to give an answer to each one.”—Col. 4:6.

LET THE BIBLE DEFEND YOUR HOPE

18. Why should you use the Bible in preaching and defending your hope?

¹⁸ The most successful way to preach and defend your hope is by the use of the Bible. Your hope is from the Bible. Defend it with the Bible. Not you, but God’s Word, the Bible, must convince men of good will of the correctness of your hope. Not in your preaching alone, but in your efficient use of the Bible do you really defend your faith and give reasons for your hope. Use your Bible as much as possible. Let the Bible speak instead of yourself. How do you describe the new earth? Only by talking? This is a weak defense of your Kingdom hope. Do you back your preaching up with scriptures out of the Bible? Do you know at least ten scriptures by heart to paint a marvelous picture of the new earth? Then you will always be ready to give good reasons about your hope. Only by going to the Bible can people see that your hope is based on and in harmony with the Bible and therefore trustworthy. After leaving, people will have to say: “He showed it to me in the Bible!”

19, 20. (a) Why must Christians be able to explain Bible truth so that it is easily understandable? (b) Give an example. (c) What should each Christian do?

¹⁹ Christians must also be able to explain Bible truth correctly and convincingly, in a manner to be easily understood. This means preparation. Can you, for example, explain the earthly resurrection? Catholics are taught in their “Apostles’ Creed” to believe “in the resurrection of the flesh,” the same flesh that was laid in the grave. Did you know that? No wonder many of them have such an odd conception of the resurrection and often smile when you mention it. They see before their mind’s eye, inspired by false religious teachings, the heavy gravestones being pushed aside in the cemetery and the same old bodies coming up out of the graves, with perhaps an arm or a leg missing.

²⁰ You know that the Bible does not teach such a thing. However, it does teach the resurrection of the same personality, naturally having a fleshly body, of “all those in the memorial tombs.” (John 5:28) How can you explain this wonderful and comforting Bible doctrine convincingly? How can you free people from the wrong and superstitious ideas of false religion? Only if you occupy your mind daily with God’s Word. Hunt for good Scripture texts and arguments to support your hope about the resurrection of dead persons and not fleshly bodies. Speak with other ministers of Jehovah’s witnesses. Listen to how they explain and defend the hope for the dead. Note the main arguments and Bible verses for later use. Here is an example. From where did Jehovah take the body for the first man Adam? Genesis 2:7 says: “Then Jehovah God proceeded to form the man out of dust from the ground,” and Genesis 3:19 tells us where the same body would go, when dying: “For dust you are and to dust you will return.” Facts prove this to be true. All bodies laid in graves return to dust, to the elements of the earth. These bodies cannot be resurrected, they return to dust. But as Jehovah provided Adam a body out of dust from the ground, so he will provide out of the dust of the ground a body for the resurrected person. And, as in the case of Adam, Jehovah will again ‘blow into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man will come to be a living soul.’ Look for more arguments. Resurrection is only one of the wonderful Bible doctrines. There are many others. Prepare a new one every week or every month and you will soon see how you become more efficient from week to week in effectively, simply and convincingly explaining Bible truth.

21, 22. (a) How should a minister view objections? Give examples of good refutations. (b) We are counseled to do what?

²¹ A successful defender of Christian faith and hope must certainly be able to refute objections. When preaching the Kingdom news Jehovah’s witnesses hear the same objections again and again. As a conscientious minister you will not ignore these objections. Make a list of them. Meditate upon them. Search again for pointed arguments and appropriate texts in the Bible to refute these objections in defense of your belief.

²² Often people object when you are describing the peaceful and righteous conditions of the new earth, saying that paradise is in heaven and there will never be such conditions here on earth. How can you convince such people that your hope for a paradise earth is sound Bible teaching? For instance, you can illustrate it with Isaiah 65:21, 22, where it states about the new earth that they will build houses and inhabit them, they will plant vineyards and eat the fruit thereof. Isaiah is surely not speaking here of a building and planting program in heaven; he is describing peaceful and righteous conditions here on earth. Furthermore, Isa 65 verse 25 says: “The wolf and the lamb themselves will feed as one, and the lion will eat straw just like the bull.” This prophecy can apply only to the earth. No one would want to maintain that one day lions will eat straw in heaven. Look for more such convincing arguments and give good reasons for your hope by handling the Word of God aright. If you make a thorough refutation of one objection each week, or even each month, then you will become more efficient in defending your faith and giving strong reasons for your hope to all kinds of men.

23. How does The Watchtower, along with other publications of the Society, help you to defend your hope? Give examples.

²³ As a successful defender, be on the alert to find good points in the Watchtower magazine and other publications of the Society that you can use well in explaining Bible teachings and in refuting objections. Try to find at least one good point in each Watchtower. Note it. Add it to your prepared answers and refutations. In this way you will keep alive, fresh and up to date.

24. Why must Christian hope be defended with tact?

²⁴ To defend your hope successfully, you must not only have knowledge about your hope, but also tact, as Peter said: “But doing so together with a mild temper and deep respect.” How would you, for instance, defend your faith tactfully if a Catholic person told you that there would never be peace on earth? You may show him in a Catholic translation of the Bible the prophecy the angels pronounced at Jesus’ birth as recorded in Luke 2:14: “ . . . and on earth peace to men of good will.” (Dy) He will agree that this prophecy has not been fulfilled yet. Hence, either the angels did not prophesy aright or peace must come to the earth at some time. Tell the person that Jehovah’s witnesses believe what is stated in this Catholic Bible translation, that they believe the angels’ prophecy to be true and that therefore peace will be established on earth but that only men of good will will enjoy this peace, and that you are looking for such people, to help them to learn more about this peaceful earth. In such a tactful and kindly manner you are drawing attention to God’s Word. When you defend tactfully your hope with God’s Word, then there will be no wrangling and you can hope that people of good will may become favorably impressed. “A slave of the Lord does not need to fight, but needs to be tactful toward all, qualified to teach, . . . instructing with mildness those not favorably disposed, as perhaps God may give them repentance leading to an accurate knowledge of truth.”—2 Tim. 2:24, 25.

25. What is the divine will for all Christians?

²⁵ Therefore Christian defenders of God’s Word and principles, young or old, ‘do your utmost, as workmen with nothing to be ashamed of, handling the word of truth aright’ by being ‘ready always to make a defense before everyone that demands a reason for the hope in you, but doing so together with a mild temper and deep respect.’ This is the divine will for you, and by thus accomplishing your Christian ministry you may be assured of attaining the fulfillment of your hope.

If, now, I am declaring the good news, it is no reason for me to boast, for necessity is laid upon me. Really, woe is me if I did not declare the good news! If I perform this willingly, I have a reward; but if I do it against my will, all the same I have a stewardship entrusted to me.—1 Cor. 9:16, 17.