The Watchtower of May 2024 puts a smokescreen over the resurrection. The two articles “Trust in the Merciful ‘Judge of All the Earth’!” and “What Do We Know About Jehovah’s Future Judgments?” were evidently written to counter the criticism of the Governing Body’s standpoint on the resurrection in my book The Atonement Between God and Man and criticisms from other sources.
The smokescreen is seen by the overarching theme: “We do not know…” and “It is possible that…” It seems that the members of the Governing Body believe that when they claim a lack of knowledge of who will get a resurrection, there is nothing to criticize. This viewpoint is wrong! The members of the Governing Body can be criticized for saying that we do not know when the Bible clearly shows who will get a resurrection.
| The reason for the clouding of the resurrection is that the members of the Governing Body have rejected the most basic side of the ransom sacrifice, that Jesus died for all Adam’s descendants and bought all of them. |
What we know about the resurrection on the basis of what the Bible says was discussed in the following 12 articles published in the Watchtower in the year 1965:
“Worship the God of Resurrection.”; “Death and Hades to Give Up the Dead.”, “Part II.”; “The Dead Who Are in Line for Resurrection.”, “Part II.”; “For Whom There Are Resurrection Hopes.”, “Part II.”; “Who Will be Resurrected from the Dead?”, “Part II.”; “Who Will be Resurrected—Why?”; “Our Own Twentieth-Century Generation and the Resurrection.”; Earthly Opportunity Opened Up by Resurrection.” in The Watchtower of January 1, January 15, February 1, February 15, March 1, and March 15, 1965.
These articles are based on a thorough study of the original text of the Bible, and they represent an analytical and interactive Bible study at its very best. The present members of the Governing Body have rejected most of the Biblical information that is presented in these excellent articles. In this short article, I will show that the members of the Governing Body do not accept what The Bible says about the resurrection.
THE MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING BODY HAVE REJECTED AN IMPORTANT SIDE OF THE RANSOM SACRIFICE
As a background for the discussion of what Jesus said, I present two fundamental truths:
- Jesus died for all Adam’s descendants and bought them all.
- The members of the Governing Body only believe that Jesus died for all sorts of people; he only died for those who will be saved.
- Regarding forgiveness of sins, Jesus said: “For this reason I say to you, every sort of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven…not in this system of things nor in that to come.” (Matthew 12:31, 32)
This means that all Adam’s descendants, except the few that have sinned against the holy spirit will get a resurrection on the thousand-year long Judgment Day and get a personal chance to accept or reject the ransom sacrifice. Let us see how Jesus confirms this.
THE RESURRECTION OF THE NINIVITES AND OF THE “WICKED AND ADULTEROUS GENERATION”
I take the following quotation from “Trust in the Merciful ‘Judge of All the Earth’!”, page 5, paragraph 13, as a point of departure:
Later, Jesus used that example to teach about Jehovah’s justice and mercy. Jesus said that the repentant Ninevites would “rise up in the judgment.”—Matt. 12:41.
This comment is true. But Jesus said that other people would get a resurrection as well. We read Matthew 12:38-42:
38 Then as an answer to him, some of the scribes and the Pharisees said: “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” 39 In reply he said to them: “A wicked and adulterous generation keeps on seeking a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Joʹnah the prophet. 40 For just as Joʹnah was in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.41 Men of Ninʹe·veh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, because they repented at what Joʹnah preached. But look! something more than Joʹnah is here. 42 The queen of the south will be raised up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solʹo·mon. But look! Something more than Solʹo·mon is here.
Please note that Jesus did not say, “Some persons from Nineveh will be raised up” and “Some persons from this wicked and adulterous generation will be raised up.” But he said: “Men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation.” If we believe the words of Jesus, we must conclude that all the inhabitants of Nineveh and all members of this wicked and adulterous generation will be raised up, except those who have sinned against the holy spirit. Jesus bought all these when he died, and they will get the chance on Judgment Day to accept or reject the ransom sacrifice.
Who are included in this “wicked and adulterous generation”? The Greek word genea and the Hebrew word dor, which are translated as “generation,” refer to all people who are living at the same time. In Deuteronomy 1:35, for example, all the people who went out of Egypt are called “this evil generation (dor)”. This accords with Luke 11:29 where we learn that “crowds were massing together,” and Jesus calls them “a wicked generation.”
| The words “this wicked and adulterous generation” include all the inhabitants of the land of Israel in the days of Jesus. According to Jesus, all these will get a resurrection, except those who had sinned against the holy spirit. |
THE INHABITANTS OF SODOM, CHORAZIN, CAPERNAUM, AND BETHSAIDA WILL GET A RESURRECTION
Among those who were part of “this wicked and adulterous generation” were the inhabitants of Chorazin, Capernaum, and Bethsaida. Jesus preached in these cities and performed several miracles there. But the inhabitants refused to believe in him. Regarding these cities, we read in Matthew 11:20-24:
20 Then he began to reproach the cities in which most of his powerful works had taken place, for they did not repent: 21 “Woe to you, Cho·raʹzin! Woe to you, Beth·saʹi·da! because if the powerful works that took place in you had taken place in Tyre and Siʹdon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I say to you, it will be more endurable for Tyre and Siʹdon on Judgment Day than for you. 23 And you, Ca·perʹna·um, will you perhaps be exalted to heaven? Down to the Grave (hades) you will come; because if the powerful works that took place in you had taken place in Sodʹom, it would have remained until this very day. 24 But I say to you, it will be more endurable for the land of Sodʹom on Judgment Day than for you.”
Previously, the members of the Governing Body have not accepted these words of Jesus, but have claimed that they represented a hyperbole and could not be taken literally. This is seen in the study note of Luke 10:12 in the online NWT13:
It will be more endurable: Evidently used as a form of hyperbole that Jesus may not have intended to be taken literally. (Compare other graphic hyperboles that Jesus used, such as those at Mt 5:18; Lu 16:17; 21:33.) When Jesus said that it would be “more endurable for Sodom in that day,” that is, on Judgment Day (Mt 10:15; 11:22, 24; Lu 10:14), he was not saying that the inhabitants of Sodom must be present on that day. (Compare Jude 7.) He could simply have been emphasizing how unresponsive and culpable most people were in such cities as Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. (Lu 10:13-15) It is worth noting that what happened to ancient Sodom had become proverbial and was often mentioned in connection with God’s anger and judgment.—De 29:23; Isa 1:9: La 4:6. (the author’s bold font but my colors.)
This is a good example of how the text of the Bible is not accepted and put aside. There is nothing in the context indicating that the words of Jesus should not be taken at face value. We also note the claim that Jesus did not say that the inhabitants of Sodom should be present on Judgment Day. But this is exactly what Jesus said.
Now, the members of the Governing Body have made a partial reversal of their view expressed in the study note. We read in The Watchtower of May 2024, pages 5, 6, paragraph 15:
15 When speaking of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, Jesus said that they would fare better “on Judgment Day” than would the people who rejected him and his teachings. (Matt. 10: 14, 15; 11:23, 24; Luke 10:12) What did he mean? We might assume that Jesus was using hyperbole on this occasion. But that does not seem to be the case, any more than when he was speaking of the Ninevites. Rather, it seems that Jesus meant what he said. The “Judgment Day” he referred to in both instances was surely the same. Like the Ninevites, the people of Sodom and Gomorrah did bad things. But the Ninevites had an opportunity to repent. Further, remember what Jesus said about the “resurrection of judgment.” It will include “those who practiced vile things.” (John 5:29) So it seems that there may be some hope for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. It is possible that at least some of those people will be resurrected, and we may have the opportunity to teach them about Jehovah and Jesus Christ.
It is fine that the members of the Governing Body have left their view that we cannot take the words of Jesus at face value. But still, they do not fully accept what Jesus said. The Watchtower of May 2024 page 6, says:
Jesus did not say that everyone in Sodom and Gomorrah would be resurrected. Rather, he suggested that there was hope for at least some of them.
It is possible that at least some of those people [in Sodom and Gomorrah ] will be resurrected.
It is true that Jesus did not say “Everyone in Sodom and Gomorrah will be resurrected.” However, Jesus used the names of the cities as a collective representation of the inhabitants of the cities, not a collective representation of some of the inhabitants. We see this in Matthew 11:21 (above), and Luke 10:15 (below):
21 if the powerful works that took place in you had taken place in Tyre and Siʹdon, they would long ago have repented.
15 And you, Ca·perʹna·um, will you perhaps be exalted to heaven? Down to the Grave (hadēs) you will come!
The pronoun “they” in 11:21 refers to the cities Tyre and Sidon. It was not the cities but the inhabitants of the cities collectively speaking that would have repented. And it was not “some of the inhabitants of Capernaum” that would go down to hadēs, but the inhabitants collectively speaking. We have the same situation with Sodom and Gomorrah, as we see in Luke 10:12 (above), Matthew 10:15 (middle), Matthew 11:24 (below):
12 I tell YOU that it will be more endurable for Sodʹom in that day than for that city.
15 Truly I say to YOU, It will be more endurable for the land of Sodʹom and Go·morʹrah on Judgment Day than for that city.
24 But I say to you, it will be more endurable for the land of Sodʹom on Judgment Day than for you.
It will not be more endurable for the city of Sodom and for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on Judgment Day. But the references are to the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah collectively speaking.
Because the members of the Governing Body do not believe that Jesus bought all Adam’s descendants and that all Adam’s descendants will get a personal chance to accept or reject the ransom sacrifice, they are diluting the words of Jesus, saying that the words possibly refer to at least some inhabitants. We should remember that Jesus said that “every sort of sin” will be forgiven, except sin against the holy spirit. The ransom sacrifice is a guarantee that every individual of Sodom and Gomorrah will get a resurrection, except those who had sinned against the holy spirit.
We should also remember that Jesus said that if the powerful works that he did, had taken place in Sodom, the people would have repented. (Matthew 11:23) In the same context, in Matthew 11:20-24, Jesus says that the inhabitants of Chorazin, Capernaum, and Bethsaida will be present on Judgment Day. They were more responsible than the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah because they heard the preaching of Jesus and saw his miracles, but they refused to believe in him. That these inhabitants will get a resurrection shows that they had not received a full chance to accept or reject the ransom sacrifice, and they had not sinned against the holy spirit.
Neither the inhabitants of Chorazin, Capernaum, and Bethsaida nor the “wicked and adulterous generation” are mentioned in the articles in The Watchtower of May 2024. In order to see how the members of the Governing Body treat the ransom sacrifice, it is important to know whether they accept the words of Jesus that the inhabitants of these three cities and the “wicked and adulterous generation” will get a resurrection.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
The members of the Governing Body do not understand one of the most fundamental sides of God’s purpose, that the everlasting destiny of humans is not decided in this wicked system of things. But it will be decided on Judgment Day. The exception are those who sin against the holy spirit.
The purpose of the preaching in the first century CE was not that people should be separated into two groups: those who would get everlasting life and those who would not get everlasting life. Only one group was separated from the people in general, that were those who would reign together with Jesus Christ.
The purpose of the preaching in the time of the end is not to separate all people into two groups: those who will get everlasting life and those who will not get everlasting life. But the purpose was firstly to gather the rest of the 144 000, and secondly to gather those who would be the great crowd, those who will survive the great tribulation and prepare the earth for the resurrection.
Revelation 20:12-15 gives us an overview of the purpose of God:
12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. But another scroll was opened; it is the scroll of life. And the dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up those dead in it, and death and Haʹdes gave up those dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds. 14 And death and Haʹdes were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire. 15 Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire.
The situation is simple. All the dead in the sea were resurrected, and this includes all those who died in the great flood in the days of Noah, and not “possibly some of them,” as The Watchtower says. All the dead in hadēs will get a resurrection. The Hebrew word corresponding to hadēs is sheōl. In the Hebrew Scriptures, a great number of nations, including enemies of God are said to be in sheōl, and will therefore get a resurrection.
| Contrary to what the members of the Governing Body say, John wrote that all who died in the sea, which includes all those who died in the great flood in Noah’s days, will get a resurrection. |
No person who lived before the common era had the chance to accept or reject the ransom sacrifice. So, all of them will get a resurrection, except those who sinned against the holy spirit. Most persons who lived in the first century CE did not have the chance — even the inhabitants of Chorazin, Capernaum, and Bethsaida did not have a full chance — so all these will get a resurrection. We can conclude that most persons who have lived on the earth have not had the full chance to accept or reject the ransom sacrifice, and therefore, they will get a resurrection on the thousand-year-long Judgment Day to get this chance.
If you read the 12 articles on the resurrection in The Watchtower of 1965, the smokescreen over the resurrection is removed. These articles show that most of the people who have lived will get a resurrection. But unfortunately, the members of the Governing Body have rejected most of this information from the Bible.
QUESTIONS FOR THE GOVERNING BODY
- Will all the inhabitants of Chorazin, Capernaum, and Bethsaida, except those who have sinned against the holy spirit, get a resurrection on Judgment Day?
- Will all the people who lived in Israel in the days of Jesus, except those who have sinned against the holy spirit, get a resurrection?
- Luke 10:14 says that the people of Capernaum will come to hadēs. The study note to Matthew 11:23 says that hadēs must be taken as a symbol. Should we not take hadēs literally, which would mean that it shows that its inhabitants would get a resurrection?
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE RANSOM SACRIFICE AND THE RESURRECTION IS FOUND IN MY BOOK, THE ATONEMENT BETWEEN GOD AND MAN.
