Part 8 - Defending the WT 1956 August 15th Page 504

TO BE COMPLETED LATER

Continuing in the Defense of the Watchtower

Part 8 - Defending the WT 1956 August 15th Page 504

*** w56 8/15 p. 504 Early Church Fathers and the Trinity ***

QUOTE 3: “...If thou wilt be initiated [become a Christian], then shalt thou join in the dance around the uncreated and imperishable and only true God, the Word of God hymning with us...”

Is it an accurate quotation?

Lets see!

GREEK TEXT: 12.120.2 τῷ πατρὶ τὸν πεπιστευκότα αἰῶσι τηρούμενον. Ταῦτα τῶν ἐμῶν μυστηρίων τὰ βακχεύματα· εἰ βούλει, καὶ σὺ μυοῦ, καὶ χορεύσεις μετ' ἀγγέλων ἀμφὶ τὸν ἀγέννητον καὶ ἀνώ λεθρον καὶ μόνον ὄντως θεόν, συνυμνοῦντος ἡμῖν τοῦ θεοῦ λόγου. Ἀίδιος οὗτος Ἰησοῦς, εἷς ὁ μέγας ἀρχιερεὺς θεοῦ τε ἑνὸς τοῦ αὐτοῦ καὶ πατρός, ὑπὲρ ἀνθρώπων εὔχεται καὶ ἀνθρώποις ἐγκελεύεται "κέκλυτε, μυρία φῦλα", μᾶλλον δὲ ὅσοι τῶν ἀνθρώπων λογικοί, καὶ βάρβαροι καὶ Ἕλληνες· τὸ πᾶν ἀνθρώπων γένος καλῶ, ὧν ἐγὼ δημιουργὸς θελήματι (Exhortation to the Heathen Chap 12)

CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA ( c 155 - 220 c.e.): "...O truly sacred mysteries! O pure light! In the blaze of the torches I have a vision of heaven and of God. I become holy by initiation. The Lord reveals the mysteries; he marks the worshipper with his seal, gives light to guide his way, and commends him, when he has believed, to the Father’s care, where he is guarded for ages to come. These are the revels of my mysteries! If you will, be initiated too, and you shall dance with angels around the unbegotten and imperishable and only true God, the Logos of God joining with us in our hymn of praise.” - (Clement of Alexandria’s Prot. 12. 93, trans. Butterworth)

CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA ( c 155 - 220 c.e.): “...If it is thy wish, be thou also initiated; and thou shall join the choir along with angels around the unbegotten and indestructible and the only true God, the Word of God raising the hymn with us. This Jesus, who is eternal, the one great High Priest of the one God, and of His Father, prays for and exhorts men: ‘ … I call on the whole race of men, whose Creator I am, by the will of the Father. Come to Me, that you may be put in your due rank under the one God and the one Word of God….’” - (Exhortation to the Heathen, Chapter 12 Roberts & Donaldsons ANF)