Publication date
6/1/05
Volume
26
Number
11
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1905/11/1905-11-1.html
 
 
MAY 
15, 
1905 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(159--163) 
cussing 
their 
own 
safety 
and 
also 
the 
reports 
of 
Mary 
and 
the 
other 
women 
at 
the 
sepulcher 
when 
Jesus 
appeared 
sud­ 
denly 
in 
their 
midst. 
They 
were 
astounded 
and 
fearful. 
How 
could 
any 
being 
get 
into 
their 
midst 
whIle 
the 
doors 
were 
fast? 
Surely 
the 
being 
betore 
them 
must 
be 
a 
spirit. 
They 
were 
in 
fear 
and 
trepidation, 
but 
the 
Master's 
words, 
"l'eace," 
stilled 
their 
fears. 
He 
showed 
them 
his 
hands 
and 
his 
side, 
and 
he 
ate 
before 
them 
and 
said, 
"Handle 
me 
and 
see 
that 
it 
is 
I: 
a 
spirit 
[pneuma] 
hath 
not 
flesh 
and 
bones, 
as 
ye 
see 
me 
have." 
Then 
were 
they 
glad 
as 
they 
realized 
the 
truth, 
and 
so 
are 
all 
glad 
who 
realize 
this 
great 
fact 
of 
our 
Lord's 
resur­ 
~ection 
from 
the 
dead 
and 
who 
have 
any 
conception 
whatever 
its 
weighty 
importance 
as 
connected 
with 
the 
divine 
plan 
"1' 
our 
salvation. 
WHY 
THE 
DIFFERENT 
FORMS? 
We 
may 
be 
sure 
that 
there 
was 
some 
good 
and 
wise 
pur­ 
pose 
served 
by 
the 
Lord's 
course-by 
his 
appearing 
in 
various 
torms 
and 
later 
on 
vanishmg 
from 
sight. 
Nothing, 
we 
may 
be 
sure, 
was 
done 
in 
vam; 
everything 
had 
a 
purpose, 
espe­ 
cially 
at 
sueh 
a 
time. 
It 
is 
for 
us 
to 
reverently 
examine 
the 
matter 
and 
note 
the 
purpose, 
the 
object, 
of 
such 
manifesta­ 
tions. 
We 
accept 
them 
as 
follows: 
( 
1 
) 
Our 
Lord 
would 
convince 
them 
that 
he 
was 
not 
any 
longer 
the 
fleshly 
Jesus 
whom 
they 
had 
known 
for 
several 
years; 
he 
would 
convince 
them 
that 
although 
put 
to 
death 
in 
the 
flesh 
he 
was 
quick­ 
ened 
in 
the 
spirit, 
that 
henceforth 
he 
was 
a 
spirit 
being. 
They 
knew 
about 
angels-Mary 
herself 
had 
seen 
two 
in 
the 
sepulcher; 
they 
knew 
that 
angels 
could 
appear 
and 
disap­ 
pear; 
they 
knew 
that 
angels 
could 
assume 
human 
form 
and 
flesh; 
they 
knew 
from 
the 
record 
that 
angels 
had 
appeared 
to 
Abraham 
and 
had 
eaten 
dinner 
with 
him, 
and 
that 
Abra­ 
ham 
knew 
not 
that 
they 
were 
angels 
until 
subsequently. 
Our 
Lord 
would 
show 
his 
disciples 
that 
not 
only 
was 
he 
not 
dead, 
but 
that 
now 
he 
could 
go 
and 
come 
like 
the 
angels, 
he 
could 
appear 
and 
disappear, 
he 
could 
manifest 
himself 
in 
the 
flesh 
or 
be 
present 
without 
flesh, 
he 
could 
create 
clothing 
as 
easily 
as 
the 
flesh 
for 
these 
appearances 
and 
did 
so, 
yet 
none 
of 
the 
clothing 
and 
none 
of 
the 
flesh 
were 
the 
same 
that 
they 
had 
previously 
been 
in 
contact 
with. 
The 
clothing 
waS 
with 
the 
soldiers 
still-the 
flesh, 
we 
know 
not 
where 
it 
is; 
we 
simply 
know 
that 
Jesus 
was 
not 
raised 
in 
the 
flesh, 
and 
we 
know 
also 
that 
the 
elements 
of 
the 
fleshly 
body 
are 
not 
at 
all 
necessary 
to 
God 
for 
the 
creation 
of 
a 
spirit 
body. 
Our 
Lord 
illustrated 
in 
his 
own 
person 
the 
very 
lesson 
he 
had 
given 
them 
on 
the 
occasion 
of 
the 
visit 
of 
Nicodemus. 
He 
then 
said 
that 
those 
born 
of 
the 
spirit 
could 
go 
and 
come 
like 
the 
wmd, 
and 
that 
none 
would 
know 
whence 
they 
came 
nor 
whither 
they 
went. 
How 
appropriate 
that 
he 
should 
illus­ 
trate 
this 
and 
thus 
give 
them 
their 
first 
lessons 
in 
spiritual 
things, 
which, 
however, 
they 
would 
not 
be 
fully 
able 
to 
ap­ 
preciate 
until 
after 
Pentecost, 
when 
the 
holy 
Spirit 
would 
be 
poured 
out. 
"A 
SPIRIT 
HATH 
NOT 
FLESH" 
But 
some, 
perhaps, 
may 
say, 
DId 
not 
Jesus 
contradict 
the 
thonght 
that 
he 
was 
a 
spirit 
when 
he 
used 
the 
words, 
A 
spirit 
hath 
not 
flesh 
and 
bones 
as 
yc 
see 
me 
have? 
The 
two 
thoughts 
are 
quite 
in 
harmony: 
they 
were 
not 
seeing 
the 
spirit 
Jesus, 
they 
were 
merely 
seeing 
the 
flesh 
and 
bones 
which 
the 
spirit 
Jesus 
assumed 
for 
the 
purpose 
of 
conversing 
with 
them, 
just 
as 
the 
angels 
assumed 
flesh-and-bone 
bodies 
when 
they 
made 
certain 
communications 
as 
recorded 
in 
the 
Old 
Testament 
Scriptures. 
He 
did 
not 
say, 
"A 
spirit 
hath 
Dot 
flesh 
and 
bones 
as 
ye 
see 
I 
am," 
but 
"as 
ye 
see 
me 
have." 
The 
spirit 
Jesus 
manifested 
himself 
through 
the 
flesh 
and 
bones 
and 
clothing. 
He 
saw 
that, 
if 
they 
could 
but 
realize 
that 
they 
were 
looking 
at 
flesh 
and 
bones 
their 
fear 
would 
depart, 
and 
as 
they 
would 
be 
thus 
calmed, 
Jesus 
would 
be 
the 
better 
able 
to 
explain 
to 
them 
the 
fact 
of 
his 
resurrec­ 
tion 
and 
to 
give 
them 
the 
initiatory 
lessons 
connected 
with 
their 
future 
work 
as 
his 
representatives 
in 
the 
world 
when 
he 
should 
be 
gone. 
This 
was 
the 
object 
of 
his 
various 
mani­ 
festations 
during 
those 
forty 
days, 
about 
eleven 
in 
all, 
and 
very 
brief 
in 
every 
case. 
The 
appearing 
in 
the 
flesh 
would 
remove 
their 
fear 
and 
enable 
them 
to 
hear 
the 
better 
what 
he 
had 
to 
say 
to 
them. 
Their 
seeing 
him 
on 
two 
occasions 
in 
a 
body 
of 
flesh 
resembling 
the 
one 
he 
had 
been 
crucified 
in, 
and 
perhaps 
in 
clothing 
resembling 
that 
the 
soldIers 
had 
divided 
among 
themselves, 
assisted 
them 
also 
to 
grasp 
the 
thought 
of 
the 
resurrection, 
that 
he 
was 
no 
longer 
dead; 
and 
his 
appearing 
in 
different 
forms 
proved 
to 
them 
conclu­ 
sively 
that 
none 
of 
these 
forms 
was 
his 
own 
proper 
one, 
but 
that 
they 
were 
merely 
so 
many 
appearances 
through 
which 
he 
communicated 
with 
them. 
Doubtless 
it 
was 
for 
this 
same 
reason 
that 
he 
remained 
forty 
days, 
manifesting 
himself 
occasionally, 
yet 
invisible 
to 
them 
all 
the 
remainder 
of 
that 
pel'1od. 
He 
would 
have 
them 
learn 
gradually 
not 
to 
expect 
him 
again 
in 
the 
flesh, 
but 
to 
realize, 
nevertheless, 
his 
prcsence 
with 
them 
and 
cal 
e 
over 
them, 
so 
that 
they 
might 
the 
better 
understand, 
when 
he 
should 
leave 
them, 
how 
he 
could 
still 
maintain 
his 
pres­ 
ence 
with 
them 
and 
his 
guardianship 
of 
all 
theIr 
interest5. 
He 
was 
sending 
them 
forth 
as 
his 
special 
r("preselltatiYe~ 
III 
the 
world 
as 
his 
words 
indicatcd, 
"Peace 
be 
unto 
you. 
As 
the 
Father 
hath 
sent 
me 
even 
so 
send 
I 
you." 
.Je;;us 
Christ 
was 
the 
Father's 
representative; 
we 
are 
the 
special 
repre 
.. 
enta­ 
tives 
of 
our 
Lord 
and 
Head, 
though 
of 
cour,J/} 
through 
han 
and 
in 
him 
representatives 
also 
of 
the 
Father. 
"RECEIVE 
YE 
THE 
HOLY 
SPIRIT" 
The 
disciples 
had 
not 
yet 
received 
the 
holy 
tipirit. 
Only 
Jesus 
had 
ever 
received 
it 
in 
the 
sense 
of 
a 
l)l~geitiag, 
J.l 
though 
the 
prophets 
had 
received 
it 
in 
a 
me.:hanlca 
I 
Sl'nse 
to 
work 
in 
them 
and 
through 
them. 
'111is 
is 
in 
hUllllony 
with 
the 
statement 
elsewhere 
made, 
that 
"the 
holy 
Spirit 
was 
not 
yet 
given 
because 
Jesus 
was 
not 
'yet 
glorified." 
In 
other 
words, 
God 
could 
not 
communicate 
his 
spuit 
to 
any 
until 
after 
the 
merit 
of 
Christ's 
sacrifice 
had 
been 
appropriated 
to 
them. 
This 
was 
done 
after 
the 
Lord 
had 
ascended 
up 
on 
high, 
there 
to 
appear 
in 
the 
presence 
of 
God 
on 
our 
behalf. 
Forthwith 
the 
holy 
Spirit, 
in 
Pentecostal 
power 
and 
bless­ 
ing, 
was 
shed 
forth. 
The 
Lord 
would 
have 
the 
dIsciples 
anticipate 
the 
blessing 
that 
was 
to 
come 
to 
them; 
he 
would 
have 
them 
understand 
that 
the 
holy 
Spirit 
he 
would 
send 
would 
not 
be 
a 
person, 
but 
the 
Father's 
spirit 
and 
his 
own 
spirlt--the 
breath 
or 
spirit 
of 
God, 
the 
breath 
or 
spirit 
of 
Jesus, 
the 
spirit 
of 
truth, 
the 
spirit 
of 
holiness, 
the 
spIrit 
of 
a 
sound 
mind. 
• 
'WHOSESOEVER 
SINS 
YE 
REMIT" 
Our 
Lord's 
declaration 
that 
his 
disciples 
might 
or 
might 
not 
remit 
sins 
is 
not 
to 
be 
understood 
after 
the 
manner 
in 
vogue 
amongst 
Roman 
Catholics, 
Greek 
Catholics, 
etc.-that 
a 
priest 
by 
VIrtue 
of 
the 
sacrifice 
of 
the 
IlLc'lSS 
or 
otherwise, 
is 
able 
to 
remit 
sins. 
The 
thought 
rather 
is 
that 
these 
twelve 
apostles 
in 
particular, 
and 
less 
particmarly 
all 
the 
Lord's 
true 
mcmbers 
while 
in 
the 
world, 
would 
be 
under 
the 
influence 
and 
guidance 
and 
instruction 
of 
his 
holy 
Spir'it 
to 
such 
an 
extent 
that 
they 
would 
know 
the 
terms 
and 
conditions 
on 
which 
it 
would 
be 
possible 
to 
forgive 
sins, 
and 
that 
they 
might 
thus 
know 
so 
certainly 
as 
to 
be 
able 
to 
tell 
their 
hearers 
whether 
or 
not 
their 
SillS 
were 
forgiven 
by 
the 
Lord. 
We 
have 
this 
privilege 
still, 
and 
every 
true 
child 
of 
God 
should 
know 
how 
to 
exercise 
it, 
so 
that 
if 
brought 
into 
con­ 
tact 
with 
penitent 
sinners 
he 
could 
render 
them 
the 
necessary 
assistance 
and 
indicate 
to 
them 
upon 
what 
particular 
terms 
they 
might 
know 
that 
their 
sins 
were 
forgiven 
of 
the 
Lord. 
For 
instance, 
we 
may 
assure 
anyone 
who 
gives 
evi· 
dence 
of 
contritIOn, 
of 
heart 
repentance, 
restitution 
to 
the 
extent 
of 
ability, 
faith 
in 
ChrIst 
and 
obedient 
desire 
to 
walk 
according 
to 
his 
ways--we 
may 
assure 
any 
such 
person 
that 
his 
sins 
are 
forgiven; 
not 
that 
we 
have 
the 
power 
to 
forgive 
them, 
but 
we, 
being' 
intimate 
with 
the 
Master 
and 
knowing 
his 
mind 
on 
the 
subject, 
can 
speak 
for 
him 
as 
his 
mouthpiece, 
to 
declare 
the 
terms 
of 
reC'onciliation. 
Whoever 
can 
know 
about 
his 
own 
sins, 
should 
know 
also 
how 
to 
direct 
and 
as­ 
sist 
others 
in 
knowing 
of 
the 
cancelation 
of 
their 
sins. 
VOL. 
XXVI 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA., 
JUNE 
1, 
1905 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
No. 
n 
[3565] 
RELIGIOUS 
LIBERTY 
IN 
RUSSIA 
The 
Czar 
has 
commemorated 
Easter 
by 
an 
edict 
granting 
religious 
freedom 
to 
all 
the 
religions 
of 
his 
empire 
except 
the 
Jewish. 
The 
principal 
newspapers 
of 
the 
world 
seem 
to 
con­ 
sider 
this 
one 
of 
the 
most 
momentous 
events 
in 
Russia's 
his­ 
tory. 
It 
is 
presumed 
to 
be 
granted 
with 
a 
view 
to 
the 
con­ 
ciliation 
of 
the 
various 
classes 
affected. 
IV-52 
The 
Greek 
Catholic 
church 
is 
still 
the 
"orthodox," 
the 
State 
Church, 
however, 
with 
advantages 
every 
way 
over 
all 
competi­ 
tors. 
For 
some 
time 
all 
religions 
have 
been 
tolerateo. 
in 
Russia. 
but 
hampered 
by 
various 
disabilities, 
and 
none 
were 
permitted 
to 
either 
publicly 
or 
privately 
proselyte. 
A 
man 
born 
a 
Mo­ 
hammedan, 
for 
in'ltance, 
might 
continue 
thus 
to 
worship, 
but 
if 
he 
ever 
became 
a 
Greek 
Catholic 
it 
would 
go 
hard 
with 
any 
May 15, 1905 cussing their own safety and also the reports of Mary and the other women at the sepulcher when Jesus appeared suddenly in their midst. They were astounded and fearful, How could any being get into their midst while the doors were fast? Surely the being betore them must be a spirit. They were in fear and trepidation, but the Master’s words, “Peace,” stilled their fears. He showed them his hands and his side, and he ate before them and said, “Handle me and see that it is I: a spirit [pneuma] hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” Then were they glad as they realized the truth, and so are all glad who realize this great fact of our Lord’s resurvection from the dead and who have any conception whatever its weighty importance as connected with the divine plan vr our salvation. WHY THE DIFFERENT FORMS? We may be sure that there was some good and wise purpose served by the Lord’s course—by his appearing in various torms and later on vanishing from sight. Nothing, we may be sure, was done in vain; everything had a purpose, especially at such a time. It is for us to reverently examine the matter and note the purpose, the object, of such manifestations. We accept them as follows: (1) Our Lord would convince them that he was not any longer the fleshly Jesus whom they had known for several years; he would convince them that although put to death in the flesh he was quickened in the spirit, that henceforth he was a spirit being. They knew about angels—Mary herself had seen two in the sepulcher; they knew that angels could appear and disappear; they knew that angels could assume human form and flesh; they knew from the record that angels had appeared to Abraham and had eaten dinner with him, and that Abraham knew not that they were angels until subsequently. Our Lord would show his disciples that not only was he not dead, but that now he could go and come like the angels, he could appear and disappear, he could manifest himself in the fiesh or be present without flesh, he could create clothing as easily as the fiesh for these appearances and did so, yet none of the clothing and none of the flesh were the same that they had previously been in contact with. The clothing was with the soldiers still—the flesh, we know not where it is; we simply know that Jesus was not raised in the fiesh, and we know also that the elements of the fleshly body are not at all necessary to God for the creation of a spirit body. Our Lord illustrated in his own person the very lesson he had given them on the occasion of the visit of Nicodemus, He then said that those born of the spirit could go and come like the wind, and that none would know whence they came nor whither they went. How appropriate that he should illustrate this and thus give them their first lessons in spiritual things, which, however, they would not be fully able to appreciate until after Pentecost, when the holy Spirit would be poured out. ‘“‘A SPIRIT HATH NOT FLESH’’ But some, perhaps, may say, Did not Jesus contradict the thought that he was a spirit when he used the words, A spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have? The two thoughts are quite in harmony: they were not seeing the spirit Jesus, they were merely seeing the flesh and bones which the spirit Jesus assumed for the purpose of conversing with them, just as the angels assumed flesh-and-bone bodies when they made certain communications as recorded in the Old Testament Scriptures. He did not say, “A spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see I am,” but “as ye see me have.” The spirit Jesus manifested himself through the flesh and bones and clothing. He saw that, if they could but realize that they were looking at flesh and bones their fear would depart, and as they would be thus calmed, Jesus would he the better able to explain to them the fact of his resurrection and to give them the initiatory lessons connected with their future work as his representatives in the world when he should be gone. This was the object of his various manifestations during those forty days, about eleven in all, and ZION’S WATCH TOWER (159--163) very brief in every case. The appearing in the flesh would remove their fear and enable them to hear the better what he had to say to them. Their seeing him on two occasions in a body of flesh resembling the one he had been crucified in, and perhaps in clothing resembling that the soldiers had divided among themselves, assisted them also to grasp the thought of the resurrection, that he was no longer dead; and his appearing in different forms proved to them conclusively that none of these forms was his own proper one, but that they were merely so many appearances through which he communicated with them. Doubtless it was for this same reason that he remained forty days, manifesting himself occasionally, yet invisible to them all the remainder of that period. He would have them learn gradually not to expect him again in the flesh, but to realize, nevertheless, his presence with them and caie over them, so that they might the better understand, when he should leave them, how he could still maintain his presence with them and his guardianship of all their interests. He was sending them forth as his special representatives in the world as his words indicated, “Peace be unto you. As the Father hath sent me even so send I you.” Jesus Christ was the Fathcr’s representative; we are the special representatives of our Lord and Head, though of course through him and in him representatives also of the Father. “RECEIVE YE THE HOLY SPIRIT’’ The disciples had not yet received the holy Spirit. Only Jesus had ever received it in the sense of a begettiag, al though the prophets had received it in a mechanical sense to work in them and through them. This is in haimony with the statement elsewhere made, that “the holy Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified.” In other words, God could not communicate his spirit to any until after the merit of Christ’s sacrifice had been appropriated to them. This was done after the Lord had ascended up on high, there to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Forthwith the holy Spirit, in Pentecostal power and blessing, was shed forth. The Lord would have the disciples anticipate the blessing that was to come to them; he would have them understand that the holy Spirit he would send would not be a person, but the Father’s spirit and his own spirit—the breath or spirit of God, the breath or spirit of Jesus, the spirit of truth, the spirit of holiness, the spirit of a sound mind. ‘‘WHOSESOEVER SINS YE REMIT’’ Our Lord’s declaration that his disciples might or might not remit sins is not to be understood after the manner in vogue amongst Roman Catholics, Greek Catholics, etc.—that a priest by virtue of the sacrifice of the mass or otherwise, is able to remit sins. The thought rather is that these twelve apostles in particular, and less particularly all the Lord’s true members while in the world, would be under the influence and guidance and instruction of his holy Spirit to such an extent that they would know the terms and conditions on which it would be possible to forgive sins, and that they might thus know so certainly as to be able to tell their hearers whether or not their sins were forgiven by the Lord. We have this privilege still, and every true child of God should know how to exercise it, so that if brought into contact with penitent sinners he could render them the necessary assistance and indicate to them upon what particular terms they might know that their sins were forgiven of the Lord. For instance, we may assure any one who gives evidence of contrition, of heart repentance, restitution to the extent of ability, faith in Christ and obedient desire to walk according to his ways—we may assure any such person that his sins are forgiven; not that we have the power to forgive them, but we, being intimate with the Master and knowing his mind on the subject, can speak for him as his mouthpiece, to declare the terms of reconciliation. Whoever can know about his own sins, should know also how to direct and assist others in knowing of the cancelation of their sins. Vou. XXVI ALLEGHENY, PA., JUNE 1, 1905 No. 11 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER RELIGIOUS LIBERTY IN RUSSIA The Czar has commemorated Easter by an edict granting religious freedom to all the religions of his empire except the Jewish. The principal newspapers of the world seem to consider this one of the most momentous events in Russia’s history. It is presumed to be granted with a view to the conciliation of the various classes affected. IvV—52 The Greek Catholie church is still the “orthodox,” the State Church, however, with advantages every way over all competitors. For some time all religions have been tolerated in Russia, but hampered by various disabilities, and none were permitted to either publicly or privately proselyte. A man born a Mohammedan, for instance, might continue thus to worship, but if he ever became a Greek Catholic it would go hard with any [3565]

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