being merciful, helped me thwart Satan’s attacks. From then on I learned the lesson—never, never quit.

Anything I say about Bethel falls short of what I feel for it in my heart. Year by year my appreciation for it increases, and day after day I thank Jehovah for tolerating me all these years. Bethel to me is the center of Jehovah’s visible organization in operation. The thought that I am employed at the headquarters of this visible organization fills my heart with joy and gratitude. In Bethel I associate with brothers and sisters who have been and still are an example to me in their devotion and dedication to Jehovah. Over these long years I have seen young brothers who did not know much when they first came, but after seven or eight years of faithful service they were made overseers and later were used as circuit and district servants. If it were in my power, I would cry out in a loud voice to all young brothers, Come to Bethel and taste Jehovah’s loving-kindness and goodness! With all the experience I have gained over the thirty-eight years of my service in Bethel, I can truthfully say that it is the best place on earth for enhancing the capabilities of ministers to Jehovah’s praise.

Here at Bethel I also learned to speak Spanish. When I saw that the territory in which I was assigned to preach was mostly Spanish, I got a grammar book, and with the help of our literature and by listening to the way the Spanish people pronounced words, I learned Spanish! Many are the studies I have held in the homes of these humble people.

From boyhood I had an inferiority complex. I could not face people and talk with them. But what a difference now! By Jehovah’s help I can stand before large audiences and talk an hour. This change was effected by a study of the Scriptures and with the help of God’s spirit.

God’s goodness, which helped me to change my former bad personality, impels me now wherever I am to divulge the knowledge He gave me, that others, too, might see that Jehovah is good. God’s Word contains sayings of everlasting life. (John 6:68) I love life and I want my brothers also to gain life. I consider, along with the apostle Paul, that all other things are “loss on account of the excelling value of the knowledge of Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:8) Yes, all other things will soon be shaken to their destruction, with the exception of the kingdom of God and its interests.—Heb. 12:27, 28.

When I look back over these forty-five years that I have served Jehovah by his undeserved kindness, I fully agree with Moses’ words to Israel: “Jehovah your God is a merciful God.” (Deut. 4:31) And also with the words of the inspired psalmist: “You, O Jehovah, are good and ready to forgive.” (Ps. 86:5) Yes, Jehovah has been good and merciful to me.

Questions From Readers

● Isaiah 52:14, a prophecy regarding the Messiah, seems to indicate that Jesus Christ was a disfigured person. How is this to be understood?—J. B., U.S.A.

Jehovah God inspired the prophet Isaiah to write prophetically respecting the Messiah: “Look! My servant will act with insight. He will be in high station and will certainly be elevated and exalted very much. To the extent that many have stared at him in amazement—so much was the disfigurement as respects his appearance more than that of any other man and as respects his stately form more than that of the sons of mankind—he will likewise startle many nations. At him kings will shut their mouth, because what had not been recounted to them they will actually see, and to what they had not heard they must turn their consideration.”—Isa. 52:13-15.

These words of Isaiah apply to Jesus Christ. But what is said in Isaiah 52:14 should not cause us to conclude that Jesus was a person who was physically disfigured. Though the Bible does not describe Christ’s facial appearance or physical form, the oldest archaeological evidence is not to the effect that Jesus had an unpleasant visage or grotesque features. For example, in considering early paintings in which Christ is depicted, American scholar Jack Finegan wrote: “The almost destroyed painting of Christ in the Catacomb of Priscilla at Rome [the Resurrection of Lazarus] probably belongs, as we have seen, to the middle of the second century. The painting at Dura [the Healing of the Paralytic] is dated even more definitely in the first part of the third century. In both pictures Christ is shown as a young and beardless man with short hair and wearing the ordinary costume of the day. These and similar portrayals are the earliest type of Christ as far as is now known in early Christian art.” (Light from the Ancient Past, 1946 edition, page 408) Hence, the oldest extant paintings depicting Jesus Christ do not indicate that he was disfigured in any way.

What, then, is meant at Isaiah 52:14? Evidently these words have reference to the humiliation Jesus Christ experienced. Many viewed him as a sinner and reviled him. (1 Pet. 2:22, 23) As a man on earth Jesus did righteous works that others could not do, but he was hated without cause despite the good things that he did. Nonetheless, he bore such reproach, proving his integrity to God. For this Jesus was exalted.—John 15:17-25.

Jesus was a staunch advocate of truth and righteousness. He boldly exposed religious leaders of his day as being hypocrites, even liars and murderers. (Matt. 23:1-39; John 8:44) To such exposed ones, understandably, Jesus had no pleasant appearance. They hated him. To the hypocritical religious leaders of his day Jesus’ message was repulsive and the bearer of that message had no desirable appearance.

While the Scriptures do not provide an actual description of Christ’s facial or physical appearance, we do well to remember that Jesus was a perfect man. (Heb. 7:26) God prepared a body for him. (Heb. 10:5) Undoubtedly, therefore, Jesus had a very pleasing physical form and countenance.

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