The Memorial of Christ’s Death - Why Do Jehovah's Witnesses Observe it Annually?

Jehovah's Witnesses observe the Memorial of Christ’s death (also called “the Lord’s Evening Meal” - 1 Corinthians 11:20) because Christians are commanded to.

Jesus said to "Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” (1 Cor. 11:24) But how often?

The Memorial of Jesus’ death is truly a memorial, and memorials are usually observed annually. Additionally, when Jesus was on Earth, Jesus celebrated the Passover with his apostles, and then instituted the Lord’s Evening Meal. Because this meal replaced the Jewish Passover it is appropriate to observe it just once a year.

Does Paul's use of the word "often" mean that the Lord’s Evening Meal should be celebrated more often than once a year?

Referring to the institution of the Memorial of Jesus’ death, Paul wrote: “As often as you eat this loaf and drink this cup, you keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he arrives.” (1 Corinthians 11:25, 26)

So what did Paul mean here? Did he really mean for Christ's death to be commemorated frequently - more often than once a year?

Notice this excerpt from the w03 1/1 p. 31; Questions From Readers; par. 2:

"In the context of 1 Corinthians 11:25, 26, Paul was discussing, not how often, but how the Memorial should be observed. In the original Greek, he did not use the word pol·la′kis, which means “often” or “frequently.” Rather, he used the word ho·sa′kis, which means “as often as,” an idiom meaning “whenever,” “every time that.” Paul was saying: ‘Every time that you do this, you keep proclaiming the death of the Lord.’" -
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2003007

Jehovah's Witnesses Memorial Invitation - March 26th 2013 (Video 2:43)

Memorial of Jesus’ Death

You are warmly invited to meet with us to observe the anniversary of Jesus’ death. Find a meeting location near you.

                      
                     
                          *FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU*

“One Man Died for All”

*Who is this man?

*How does his death help us?

*Why is it important that we remember him?

You are invited to consider answers from the Bible on 

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Jesus Christ is widely recognized as the greatest man who ever lived. Yet, he surrendered his life for us 1,980 years ago. Concerning his death, the apostle Paul wrote: “One man died for all.” The apostle John observed: “The blood of Jesus . . . cleanses us from all sin.” (2 Corinthians 5:14; 1 John 1:7) Exactly what do those statements mean? Why do we need cleansing? How can the death of one man so long ago be of any benefit to us today?

The anniversary of Jesus’ death falls on Tuesday, March 26, 2013, after sundown. Jehovah’s Witnesses invite you to meet with them on that date to examine what makes Jesus—and his sacrifice—so vitally important.

SOURCE FOR TEXT ONLY: Memorial of Jesus’ Death (JW.ORG)

Why did Jesus have to sacrifice his life? - What is the Ransom?

To understand, it is first beneficial to know why we die. The Bible says: “Through one man [Adam] sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned.” (Romans 5:12) We inherited sin and death through our first parents, Adam and Eve.

Because God's Law to ancient Israel required "soul for soul [or, life for life]" (Exodus 21:23), the divine principle that could cover mankind's transgressions would have to equal what the first perfect man (Adam) had lost. Therefore, only the death of another perfect man could pay the wages of sin.

That perfect man was "Christ Jesus, who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all." (1 Tim. 2:5, 6)

Jesus was originally in heaven, "but he emptied himself and took a slave’s form and came to be in the likeness of men." (Phil. 2:7) God did this when He transferred the life of His Son Jesus to the womb of Mary. By means of God’s holy spirit, Jesus was born as a perfect human and was not under the penalty of sin. - Luke 1:35

By sacrificing, or giving up, his perfect life in flawless obedience to God, Jesus paid the price for Adam’s sin. Jesus thus brought hope to Adam’s offspring. - Romans 5:19; 1 Corinthians 15:21, 22

By means of Jesus’ ransom sacrifice, we can receive “the forgiveness of our sins.” (Colossians 1:13, 14) We also have the hope of everlasting life on a paradise earth: “The wages sin pays is death, but the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23)

For more, see:

Ransom - Links to Information (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)

The Ransom—God’s Greatest Gift (JW.ORG)

How Jesus’ Death Can Save You (JW.ORG)

Why Was It Necessary for Jesus to Suffer and Die? - “No One Has Love Greater Than This” (Pastor Russell)

Christ Jesus’ Role as Ransomer (Pastor Russell)

The Ransom and YOU (Pastor Russell)

Do Jehovah's Witnesses deny the Ransom? (Pastor Russell)

Why Don't Jehovah's Witnesses Celebrate St. Patrick's Day?

Jehovah's Witnesses only formally celebrate the one event that Jesus commanded his followers. The memorial of his death (1 Cor. 11:23-26). They also celebrate other events which are referred to favorably in the Scriptures such as marriages, anniversaries, the birth of a baby, graduations and many other happy occasions.

But why don't Jehovah's Witnesses celebrate St. Patrick's Day? Jehovah's Witnesses take their worship very seriously and insist upon keeping their worship of God undefiled (James 1:27) They know that God does not approve of certain customs if they come from false religion or are against Bible teachings. (Matthew 15:6) If a holiday or custom is being deliberately used in worship by a Christian, it must have absolutely no known pagan religion associations or unscriptural teachings. (2 Cor. 6:16, 17; 1 Thess. 1:9)

There are two main reasons why Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate St. Patrick's Day:


1.) The origin and conception of the primary teaching that St. Patrick promoted (the Trinity Doctrine) is "entirely pagan" and unscriptural.

2.) The Bible makes it clear that there is to be no veneration or adoration of Saints as intercessors with God. Our approach to the Father can only be through Jesus. (John 14:6, 14; 1 Tim. 2:5)


Notice what the following source tells us about St. Patrick's Day:

"The doctrine of Three Gods in One, each separate and distinct, yet each totally God, is claimed by Christians to be a mystery and is accepted on faith. In trying to teach his converts about the Trinity, St. Patrick held up a shamrock explaining that the three leaves represented the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, while the stem was the Godhead itself from which they proceeded. This is said to be the origin of the use of the shamrock which is customarily worn on St. Patrick's Day.

"Scholars have discovered that the shamrock, or trefoil, was initially used in ancient Celtic fertility rites. It represented a triad of goddesses..." - pp. 79-80, Celebrations - The Complete Book of American Holidays, Robert J. Myers, Doubleday; Co., 1972.

Not only does Biblical and historical evidence clearly not support the Trinity, but Historian Will Durant said that

"Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it. . . . From Egypt came the ideas of a divine trinity."

And Arthur Weigall stated that

"Nowhere in the New Testament does the word `trinity' appear. The idea was only adopted by the Church three hundred years after the death of our Lord; and the origin of the conception is entirely pagan." - The Paganism in our Christianity, pp. 197, 198.

(For more, see Why Don't Jehovah's Witnesses Believe in the Trinity?)
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Should we venerate "saints" as intercessors with God?

Notice what Peter's response was to a certain situation in the account of Acts 10:25, 26, JB:

"As Peter reached the house Cornelius went out to meet him, knelt at his feet and prostrated himself. But Peter helped him up. `Stand up,' he said `I am only a man after all!'"

Peter did not approve of such adoration when he was personally present. He understood what Jesus clearly stated in John 14:6, 14 that our approach to the Father can be only through Jesus and that our requests are to be made in Jesus' name:

"Jesus said: `I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you ask for anything in my name, I will do it.'" (JB)

1 Tim. 2:5: "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (NASB)

Note what Martin Luther wrote concerning the reverence of Roman Catholic Saints:

"The pity is that we are so blind that we do not leave the devil alone to play his tricks in his own way; rather, we support him and multiply them. I wish people would leave the saints in peace, and not mislead humble folk. What spirit was it that gave the pope authority to canonize saints? Who tells him whether they are holy or not? .... God is just in judging us with His wrath and in allowing the devil to lead us hither and thither, to institute pilgrimages, ... to set about canonizing saints and other foolish things." - p. 458, Martin Luther, Selections From His Writings, Dr. John Dillenberger, Anchor Books, Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1961.

For more, see:

Holidays and Jehovah's Witnesses - Links to Information (Defend Jehovah's Witnesses)

Beware of Customs That Displease God (w05 1/1 pp. 27-30; Watchtower Online Library)

Can a Pagan Holiday Be Made Christian? (w07 12/15 pp. 8-9; Watchtower Online Library)

What Should a Christian Look For When Deciding Whether to Partake or Not Partake in a Holiday or Celebration? (Search For Bible Truths)

Why is it Important Whether a Holiday Has Pagan Religious Associations? (Search For Bible Truths)

Research: Are Celebrating Holidays Acceptable to God? (Search For Bible Truths)

St. Patrick, The Shamrock and The Trinity

The following quote shows how the great symbol of St. Patrick and St. Patrick's Day (the shamrock or clover) was used to explain the Trinity:

"The doctrine of Three Gods in One, each separate and distinct, yet each totally God, is claimed by Christians to be a mystery and is accepted on faith. In trying to teach his converts about the trinity, St. Patrick held up a shamrock explaining that the three leaves represented the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, while the stem was the Godhead itself from which they proceeded. This is said to be the origin of the use of the shamrock which is customarily worn on St. Patrick's Day.

"Scholars have discovered that the shamrock, or trefoil, was initially used in ancient Celtic fertility rites. It represented a triad of goddesses..." - pp. 79-80, Celebrations - The Complete Book of American Holidays, Robert J. Myers, Doubleday; Co., 1972.

Though it is clear that the shamrock was used as a symbol to explain the Trinity and represented a triad of pagan goddesses, this should in no way associate the clover itself as pagan. The history of the Trinity Doctrine certainly shows that the concept of the only true God being comprised of three persons is not a Bible teaching. It is not found in the Bible and developed gradually over several centuries after Christ.

The Trinity Has Pagan Origins

"The trinity was a major preoccupation of Egyptian theologians .... Three gods are combined and treated as a single being, addressed in the singular. In this way the spiritual force of Egyptian religion shows a direct link with Christian theology." - Egyptian Religion. (For much more, see Trinity And Pagan Influence.)

Historian Will Durant said that

"Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it. . . . From Egypt came the ideas of a divine trinity."

And Arthur Weigall stated that

"Nowhere in the New Testament does the word `trinity' appear. The idea was only adopted by the Church three hundred years after the death of our Lord; and the origin of the conception is entirely pagan." - The Paganism in our Christianity, pp. 197, 198.

How Does God View Paganism?

True Christians should avoid pagan associations and view them as serious because God views these things very seriously. (Lev. 19:2) God Himself said: "You must not have any other gods against my face. Because I Jehovah your God am a God exacting exclusive devotion." (Ex. 20:1-5) NWT

Notice how exclusive the worship of God must be: "Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips." - Exodus 23:13, NIVSB.

Should We Venerate "Saints" as Intercessors With God?

The Bible makes it clear that there is to be no veneration or adoration of Saints as intercessors with God. Our approach to the Father can only be through Jesus. (John 14:6, 14; 1 Tim. 2:5)

Concerning this, notice what Peter's response was to a certain situation in the account of Acts 10:25, 26, JB:

"As Peter reached the house Cornelius went out to meet him, knelt at his feet and prostrated himself. But Peter helped him up. `Stand up,' he said `I am only a man after all!'"

Peter did not approve of such adoration when he was personally present. He understood what Jesus clearly stated in John 14:6, 14 that our approach to the Father can be only through Jesus and that our requests are to be made in Jesus' name:

"Jesus said: `I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you ask for anything in my name, I will do it.'" (JB)

1 Tim. 2:5: "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (NASB)

Note what Martin Luther wrote concerning the reverence of Roman Catholic Saints:

"The pity is that we are so blind that we do not leave the devil alone to play his tricks in his own way; rather, we support him and multiply them. I wish people would leave the saints in peace, and not mislead humble folk. What spirit was it that gave the pope authority to canonize saints? Who tells him whether they are holy or not? .... God is just in judging us with His wrath and in allowing the devil to lead us hither and thither, to institute pilgrimages, ... to set about canonizing saints and other foolish things." - p. 458, Martin Luther, Selections From His Writings, Dr. John Dillenberger, Anchor Books, Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1961.

Additional Reading:

Should I Pray to Saints? (JW.ORG)

The Bible’s Viewpoint - Is It Appropriate to Pray to “Saints”? (AWAKE! NOVEMBER 2010; JW.ORG)

Saints (Search Results From the Watchtower Online Library)

Jehovah's Witnesses Memorial Invitation - March 26th 2013

Memorial of Jesus’ Death

You are warmly invited to meet with us to observe the anniversary of Jesus’ death. Find a meeting location near you.

*FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU*

“One Man Died for All”

*Who is this man?

*How does his death help us?

*Why is it important that we remember him?

You are invited to consider answers from the Bible on Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Jesus Christ is widely recognized as the greatest man who ever lived. Yet, he surrendered his life for us 1,980 years ago. Concerning his death, the apostle Paul wrote: “One man died for all.” The apostle John observed: “The blood of Jesus . . . cleanses us from all sin.” (2 Corinthians 5:14; 1 John 1:7) Exactly what do those statements mean? Why do we need cleansing? How can the death of one man so long ago be of any benefit to us today?

The anniversary of Jesus’ death falls on Tuesday, March 26, 2013, after sundown. Jehovah’s Witnesses invite you to meet with them on that date to examine what makes Jesus—and his sacrifice—so vitally important.

SOURCE FOR TEXT ONLY: Memorial of Jesus’ Death (JW.ORG)