Faithful & Discreet Slave?

by Balsam 4 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Balsam
    Balsam

    I was doing some research on just how we had understood the faithful discreet slave class when we were jw's. You'll notice it also speaks about the evil slave. I thought of drunkard Rutherford who was president and how he really started beating his fellow slaves. I realize this has been covered before but thought it might be helpful for those who might be new here. And I will keep it short.

    Matthew 24:45-51 from the NWT says:

    45

    "Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Happy is that slave if his master on arriving finds him doing so. 47 Truly I say to YOU, He will appoint him over all his belongings.

    48

    "But if ever that evil slave should say in his heart, ‘My master is delaying,’ 49 and should start to beat his fellow slaves and should eat and drink with the confirmed drunkards, 50 the master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect and in an hour that he does not know, 51 and will punish him with the greatest severity and will assign him his part with the hypocrites. There is where [his] weeping and the gnashing of [his] teeth will be.

    I looked at various other translations and read:

    The Message bible Matthew 24:

    45-47 "Who here qualifies for the job of overseeing the kitchen? A person the Master can depend on to feed the workers on time each day. Someone the Master can drop in on unannounced and always find him doing his job. A God-blessed man or woman, I tell you. It won't be long before the Master will put this person in charge of the whole operation.

    48-51 "But if that person only looks out for himself, and the minute the Master is away does what he pleases—abusing the help and throwing drunken parties for his friends—the Master is going to show up when he least expects it and make hash of him. He'll end up in the dump with the hypocrites, out in the cold shivering, teeth chattering."

    The NIV bible Matthew 24:

    45 "Suppose a master puts one of his servants in charge of the other servants in his house. The servant's job is to give them their food at the right time. The master wants a faithful and wise servant for this. 46 It will be good for the servant if the master finds him doing his job when the master returns. 47 What I'm about to tell you is true. The master will put that servant in charge of everything he owns.

    48 "But suppose that servant is evil. Suppose he says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time.' 49 Suppose he begins to beat the other servants. And suppose he eats and drinks with those who drink too much. 50 The master of that servant will come back on a day the servant doesn't expect him. He will return at an hour the servant does not know. 51 Then the master will cut him to pieces. He will send him to the place where pretenders go. There people will sob and grind their teeth.

    We know well that jw's never read past verse 47, if they did they would see that the so called slave who is taking charge is an evil slave. Sexual abuse of children is happening and the Elders and the society does nothing to disapline these people allowing them to stay in good standing instead of kicking them out. Then there is the disfellowshipping policy for people who question the organization, that the so called faithful discreet slave class endores which is utterly cruel to their families and friends and has no loving affects. Blood policy that is totally unscientific and full of ignorance of the body and medical friend yet still hung onto by the FDS who continue to let people die for a lie.

    This evil slave has much to be accountable for and the master will cut them to pieces and will send them to the place where pretenders go. Well at least this what I pray for.

  • YoursChelbie
    YoursChelbie

    According to the Watchtower teaching, 144,000 men and WOMEN (including the remaining ones on earth today) collectively make up this "faithful and discreet slave." In theory, they are all equal in status.

    In practice, however all the partakers at the memorial who are supposedly scattered in various KHs around the globe DO NOT dispense "spiritual food" at the proper time. They don't take EQUAL turns delivering special messages or writing articles of "new light" in the watchtower.

    This task of "preparing food" is only done by a select few and printed after the legal department --and others high up in their heirarchy--- puts their seal of approval on it. Ranking only occurs in Christendom.....NOT!

    YC

  • avidbiblereader
    avidbiblereader

    Hello Balsalm good thread and I would like to add if I may, I always enjoyed the comparison in Luke the 12 Ch and compare this to the one in Matt 24:45-47

    First I would like to point that Luke in his introduction that Matt does not say nor does his canon support says this

    Luke 1:3a I resolved also, because I have traced all things from the start with accuracy, to write them in logical order to you,

    However turning to Luke ch 12 and I will use the Witness Bible Jesus speaks to a vast crowd in the thousands (verse 1-21) and he addresses them and continues to verse 22-40 where the Bible shows he is now addressing his disciples, THEN Peter makes the question in verse

    41 Then Peter said: “Lord, are you saying this illustration to us or also to all?”

    Turning again without REALLY adressing Peter he says in verse 42-48

    42 And the Lord said: “Who really is the faithful steward, the discreet one, whom his master will appoint over his body of attendants to keep giving them their measure of food supplies at the proper time? 43 Happy is that slave, if his master on arriving finds him doing so! 44 I tell YOU truthfully, He will appoint him over all his belongings. 45 But if ever that slave should say in his heart, ‘My master delays coming,’ and should start to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that slave will come on a day that he is not expecting [him] and in an hour that he does not know, and he will punish him with the greatest severity and assign him a part with the unfaithful ones. 47 Then that slave that understood the will of his master but did not get ready or do in line with his will will be beaten with many strokes. 48 But the one that did not understand and so did things deserving of strokes will be beaten with few. Indeed, everyone to whom much was given, much will be demanded of him; and the one whom people put in charge of much, they will demand more than usual of him.

    *****Now lets analyse this, Jesus said that the Little Flock would be selling and giving to the poor as gifts of mercy, in verse 33 just as he stated to the Rich Young Ruler in another passage, who was not a disciple. Selling material things that they have accomulated tnhis is not a sign of the Jehovah Witness Organiization, but rather they continually ask for money to support those who live off the contributions. Paul would shake his head in disgust and condemn them for their actions. This is what Paul warned about as later quoted at the bottom.

    ***** Verse 37 mentions "Slaves" as in plural form not slave, Further in verse 47&48 he again speaks of slaves not in the singular form but rather in the plural form.

    ******Christ would have never build up a slave class but rather was trying to build humility, a oneness of his followers, he condemn and spoke harshly to those that kept trying to set themselves up as better than others.

    *****There is no justification of a slave class ruling over 6+million men and women, being led like sheep to the slaughter and there is no other scriptural point that comes out and clearly gives 10-18 men sitting in Ny, complete authority over everyone without a say in what they believe.

    *****His other illustrations when leaving the earth always pointed that he was talking to multiple servants/slaves and not one, if it applies to only the FD Slave then we are off the hook anyways as having no accountability, only the slave would and this is not what the Bible teaches.

    *****When it came to very hard to understand information, or private matters, or information that Christ wanted just for his disciples, there is ample evidence that he took them away to a private place to discuss these matters, the context points to more than one slave, he was speaking as he said in Mark 13:37 37 But what I say to YOU I say to all, Keep on the watch.”

    Acts 20:29-30 29 I know that after my going away oppressive wolves will enter in among YOU and will not treat the flock with tenderness, 30 and from among YOU yourselves men will rise and speak twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves.

    abr

  • deaconbluez
    deaconbluez

    What's always been absurd to me is how the WTS tries to convince everybody that Jesus NEEDS a "slave class" on the earth to direct things and run things.

    Jesus needs nothing of the sort. These men have based their whole reign of terror over a single verse in Matthew 24 that was meant to be an illustration about individual followers of Christ. Its one of the biggest theological scams ever.

  • greendawn
    greendawn

    Originally the FDS was Russell himself as he would admit in private. Then Rutherford declares that the whole body of the JWs (then Bible Students) were the FDS, and later it was to be the so called anointed part of the JWs. Whatever the theoretical case in reality the FDS giving out spiritual meat was always the top ranking officials of the WTS the president/vice president and then the GB members plus perhaps a few of their very close associates. No one outside this tight inner circle was ever allowed to contribute anything or even make a five minute talk of his own inspiration at his local KH. No one is allowed to criticise the GB who so falsely claim to be the spokesman of the FDS. Let's not forget that Rutherford hijacked this org and centralised all its authority in his hands and turned it into the dictatorial structure that it has been since the 1920's, he profoundly corrupted its more benign original nature under Russell.

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