Shincheonji lesson 43: figurative oil

Where SCJ’s reading conflicts with the Bible

This lesson defines the olive tree as “Witness” and oil as “Word of Testimony from the Witness.” It plays two recorded preachers explaining the oil in the ten virgins as the Holy Spirit, and treats this as an example of poor discernment: “you cannot buy the Holy Spirit,” so the oil “they needed to receive was the testimony,” and the oil seller “is the witness, the one who has seen and heard.” It says “the master gave specific instructions on how, when, and where he will return,” and warns that “if you stop now, having heard only half of the parables,” you “will qualify as one who is foolish.” SCJ’s The Explanation of Parables (p. 71) names the witness: “The promised shepherd of today saw and heard the events of Revelation’s fulfillment at the location, and his testimony is the reality of the figurative olive oil,” and “no one is saved by the prophecies alone — they must receive, believe, and keep the testimony of the fulfillment … from the witness to be saved.” The lesson’s own key passage, Zechariah 4, explains the oil differently.

1. 1. Attending class: “those things will resolve themselves”

   The class opens: “My car may have broken down today. My job may have gotten on my nerves today. My child might have fallen sick. But … by making the decision to be here, those things will resolve themselves.”

   • Scripture makes no such promise about attending a class.
   • A sick child needs care. “if someone does not provide for his own, especially his own family, he has denied the faith” (1 Timothy 5:8). (See Lesson 27 and Lesson 30.)

2. 2. Testing spirits: Good advice, apply it fully

   The lesson rightly says to test spirits by Scripture (1 John 4:1), and even says, “I pray you’re not becoming comfortable merely listening to Instructor Paul and taking everything I say as true.” That’s good.

   • John gives the test right away: “Every spirit that confesses Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh is from God” (1 John 4:2).
   • The lesson says not to discern by human logic, citing Isaiah 55:8-9, where God says his plans are not like our plans. In context, God is talking about his mercy: the wicked “should return to the Lord, and he will show mercy” (55:7), and he will forgive generously. His plans are higher because he forgives generously.
   • Scripture does use reason: Paul “addressed them from the scriptures” (Acts 17:2), and Peter says to be ready “to give an answer” about your hope (1 Peter 3:15).

3. 3. Zechariah 4: The angel explains the oil, and it’s the Spirit

   The lesson uses Zechariah 4’s two olive trees and the lampstand to define oil as testimony. But Zechariah asks the angel what the vision means, and the angel answers:

   “This is the Lord’s message to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by strength and not by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” (Zechariah 4:6)

   • The lampstand fed by olive oil pictures God’s work being accomplished by his Spirit.
   • That matches how the rest of Scripture uses anointing oil: “God anointed [Jesus] with the Holy Spirit and with power” (Acts 10:38). “you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know” (1 John 2:20). God “anointed us, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment” (2 Corinthians 1:21-22).
   • The lesson itself admits, “The Bible uses oil many times to represent the Holy Spirit.” The two preachers it plays as examples of poor discernment were following Zechariah’s own explanation.

4. 4. Zechariah’s two anointed ones were Zerubbabel and Joshua

   The notes say the two olive trees at the first coming were “John the Baptist and Jesus.” The Explanation of Parables (p. 70) says they were “the shepherds who serve the Lord.”

   • In context, “the two anointed ones” (4:14) are Zerubbabel the governor, who would finish rebuilding the temple (4:9), and Joshua the high priest (3:1-8; 6:11-13). They were the two leaders of the restored community in Zechariah’s day.
   • SCJ’s own sources give different identities, and neither matches Zechariah’s context.

5. 5. Revelation 11: Two witnesses, who are killed, raised and taken to heaven

   The lesson connects the olive trees to the two witnesses of Revelation 11, and SCJ’s book says “The promised shepherd of today” gives the testimony that is the oil.

   • Revelation speaks of two witnesses who prophesy together for 1,260 days (11:3), with powers like Moses and Elijah: to close up the sky and turn the waters to blood (11:6).
   • When their testimony ends, the beast kills them; they lie in the street three and a half days; then “a breath of life from God entered them,” and they “went up to heaven in a cloud while their enemies stared at them” (11:7-12).
   • One living pastor isn’t two witnesses, and the account of the witnesses ends with them taken up to heaven. (See Lesson 28.)

6. 6. John is the one who saw and heard

   The lesson links the witness at the second coming to Revelation 22:8, “I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things,” and says his job is to deliver the testimony to the churches (22:16).

   • The verse names John himself. At the start, John says he “testified to everything that he saw concerning the word of God and the testimony about Jesus Christ” (1:2).
   • He saw the visions on the island of Patmos and was told, “Write in a book what you see and send it to the seven churches” (1:9-11).
   • Jesus says in 22:16: “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches.” The testimony comes from Jesus, delivered through the book John wrote.
   • SCJ’s book says the promised shepherd “saw and heard the events of Revelation’s fulfillment at the location.” Revelation says John saw and heard the vision, and wrote it down. (See Lesson 39; its new section isn’t live yet, so the link goes to the lesson page.)

7. 7. The ten virgins: Jesus says no one knows the day or hour

   The notes say “the master gave specific instructions on how, when, and where he will return,” and the one without enough testimony “will not know where, when, or how.”

   • Jesus ends the parable: “Therefore stay alert because you do not know the day or the hour” (Matthew 25:13).
   • All ten virgins fell asleep (25:5). The difference was readiness when the bridegroom came, not knowledge of timing or location.
   • The lesson’s claim about “specific instructions” contradicts the parable’s own conclusion.

8. 8. If the oil sellers are the witnesses, the parable sinks the claim

   The lesson says the oil seller “is the witness, the one who has seen and heard.”

   • In the parable, the foolish virgins went to the sellers to buy oil. “while they had gone to buy it, the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went inside with him to the wedding banquet. Then the door was shut” (25:10).
   • If the sellers were the witnesses whose testimony saves, then going to them is exactly what got the foolish shut out.
   • This shows why the parable’s details aren’t meant to be decoded one by one. Its point is readiness (25:13).

9. 9. The claim that “you cannot buy the Holy Spirit”

   The lesson argues the oil can’t be the Holy Spirit because the Spirit can’t be bought.

   • In Scripture, “buy” is often used for receiving God’s gifts given at no cost: “You who have no money, come! Buy and eat! Come! Buy wine and milk without money and without cost” (Isaiah 55:1). Jesus tells Laodicea to “buy” gold, white clothing and eye salve from him (Revelation 3:18).
   • Testimony can’t be bought with money either. The argument works equally against SCJ’s reading.

10. 10. The testimony that saves is God’s testimony about his Son

    The Explanation of Parables (p. 71) says “no one is saved by the prophecies alone,” but must “receive, believe, and keep the testimony of the fulfillment … from the witness.”

    John says what the saving testimony is:

    “If we accept the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater … And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. The one who has the Son has this eternal life” (1 John 5:9-12)

    • Jesus: “it is these same scriptures that testify about me” (John 5:39).
    • “the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10).

    The testimony that saves is God’s testimony about Jesus, not a modern witness’s account of events.

11. 11. Stopping halfway: “will qualify as one who is foolish”

    The lesson warns that “if you stop now, having heard only half of the parables,” you “will qualify as one who is foolish,” and when the late virgins are turned away, the teacher adds, “Terrifying, no?”

    • This uses fear of being shut out of the kingdom to keep students in the course.
    • Students are also told to keep a parables table of contents because the lessons “build on each other,” like a building raised “brick by brick, stone by stone.” The more a student invests, the harder it is to step back and test the foundation.
    • Jesus’ warning in the parable is about being ready for his return, not about finishing a course.

12. 12. The objection that “this person’s church is very small”

    The lesson pre-answers an objection: people will dismiss the witnesses, saying “this person’s church is very small.”

    • Size isn’t the test, and that’s fair. But the reason to question the claim isn’t size. It’s that Scripture explains the oil as God’s Spirit (Zechariah 4:6), names John as the one who saw and heard (Revelation 22:8) and says the saving testimony is about God’s Son (1 John 5:11-12).