Perhaps Jesus was thinking something like this, "I'm going to tell these people a story so that they get the point, and the two people in the story also apply to something that's going to happen in about 2000 years." Seems kind of silly to me.
Who really is the FDS?!?!?!?!?
by LDH 99 Replies latest jw friends
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larc
The theory of the faithful and descrete slave and the evil slave is just that. It's a theory and it's a theory with no support. For all the writing on the subject, I have to say. There's less there than meets the eye.
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larc
RR,
You said that Charles Taze Russell was "that faithful and wise slave" and then you added "nuff said." Well, it's not nearly nuff for me. I would like you to elaborate on your statement. Please provide some clear reasoning for such a unusual conclusion.
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larc
I liked the way that Venice put it early on.
"The FDS was simply an illustration that Jesus was giving about how they needed to keep awake just like all the other illustrations in the chapter. It was not given as a basis of authority. There is no such thing as an FDS class. anyone can be faithful and discreet."
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thinker
(This is Thinkers Wife)
I always questioned why only a select few of the annoited were chosen to teach whereas the rest were basically ignored until the Memorial. It just didn't add up. If the F&DS was the entire annoited class then why were only a few actively teaching the domestics?
Path, I know personally a black C.O.
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larc
Thinker,
There is no FDS. It's just another lie they told you.
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Pathofthorns
I wasn't saying there were no black men in positions of responsiblity. I was just saying, at least from my perspective here, that living in a very multi-cultural city, the show is still run mainly by white brothers and the cultural diversity of the brotherhood is not apparent as one moves up the JW ladder.
Path
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larc
The thing about white people at the top is because it was started by white people, and they lived for long time there a Bethel.
But, did you know regarding the subject of blacks, that the Kingdom Halls were segregated in the South until thing's were changed by the government. With all their outcry for Christian justice, that was a cause that they never took on.
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MDS
In our quest to identify the FDS as mentioned in Matt. 24th chapter, we can do well by noticing another key Bible account. One that is very similar, but providing a very different, very unique clue to help us understand what Jesus was actually pointing forward to.
The Bible account is Luke 12:42 which says:
"And the Lord said: Who really is the faithful steward, the discreet one, whom his master will appoint over his body of attendants [Greek: therapias] to keep giving them their measure of food supplies at the proper time?"
Vines Expository of New Testament Words has this to say about the special word:
"Therapeia primarily denotes care, attention, Luke 12:42; then, medical service healing {Eng. therapy), Luke 9:11; Rev. 22:2, of the effects of the leaves of the tree of life, perhaps here with the meaning "health."
Also, we notice that this "special" Greek word is closely related to:
"Therapeuo Eng., therapeutics, etc., denotes primarily to serve; then, to heal, restore to health, to cure, it is usually translated "to heal," but "cure" in Matt. 17:16, 18; Luke 7:21; 9:1; John 5:10, Acts 28:9,."
Thus, when rendering this particular Greek word at Luke 12:42, in the New World Kingdom Interlinear Translation, a word for word transliteration of the Greek, the WTS decided to render it as a "Curing Staff", literally. A "Curing Staff," or staff or "body of attendants," like "nurses," who bring about a "cure" or healing to someone else in critical need...the ones they are "attending" upon.
Thus, the "Faithful Steward," works harmoniously with another body of christians of our time, the "Curing Staff." These are other christians who are designated by God, to perform a very special "curing", healing work upon "Israel." This is necessary because, by this time, God will "acted" upon spiritual "Israel" of our day. The "42 months" of trampling will be past. (Rev. 12:6, 14; 13:5)
Mystery "Israel," will have been struck completely down by God Almighty for her many "disobedient acts." Thus after receiving of God's discipline and admitted "bad treatment" from His Own Hand, they will happily and willingly, become the recipients of "therapy" and spiritual "healing," from the "Faithful Steward" and God's prearranged, "Curing" or Healing Staff, some 200 million strong. -- See Isa. 30:26; Micah 4:6,7; Isa. 44:1-5; Romans 11:25; Rev. 9:16
MDS
Edited by - MDS on 4 January 2001 18:56:2
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RR
Larc
You said that Charles Taze Russell was "that faithful and wise slave" and then you added "nuff said." Well, it's not nearly nuff for me. I would like you to elaborate on your statement. Please provide some clear reasoning for such a unusual conclusion.
Well, I could take up a lot of space on this topic so I'll be brief.
Regarding our Lord's Great Prophecy of Matthew 24, it might be debated that the term, "faithful and wise servant" (vs. 45), could be applied to the Lord's people as a whole class. On the other hand, it may be applied to any individual who would serve others the Truth, "meat in due season" ["food at teh proper time" - NWT] when Jesus returns. In this passage, as well as the parallel account in Luke 12, it appears clear that "those servants [plural]" (vs. 37) who should be alert and watching refer to all the Lord's faithful people.
Another suggestion might be that the Watchtower Society itself would fill the role as "a faithful and wise servant." However, on close examination, within the same context in Luke 12, is a clear distinction between one who serves and those who are served:
"Blessed are those servants [plural], whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching. . . Who then is that faithful and wise steward [singular] whom the Lord would make ruler over his household to give them [plural] . . .meat in due season." (Vss. 37, 42) Although all should be watching, one servant would be a steward over the rest of the servants for dispensing the truth due at the end of the age.
This responsibility would not imply lordship, apostolic inspiration or even origination of truths. Although Brother Russell rarely discussed these texts, when pressed to identify himself as fulfilling this role, he did not deny it. As his friends would say, "A servant is known by his service" (R4483:2). If the content of his message and impact of his work are recognized as uniquely significant at the end of this age, then the conclusion that the Lord selected Charles Taze Russell as "that servant" is obvious.
The position carried risks; the office, specific temptations. One temptation described in Matthew 24 was that once having proclaimed the presence of the Lord, the "servant" might with the passage of time be tempted to reconsider and say the Lord after all had not come yet. The other temptation might be to become abusive in his peculiar position and "smite his fellowservants" (Matthew 24:48-51). No legitimate accusation of either of these sins could be laid at Brother Russell's feet. (Ironically, the Jehovah's Witnesses, which postponed Jesus' coming to later dates and have historically oppressively ruled over people, have accused Bible students faithful to the original writings of Pastor Russell as the "evil slave class.")
Still it might be asserted out that Br. Russell "did not originate" all the doctrines he taught and that he "made mistakes." But he disclaimed divine inspiration though he obviously possessed divine guidance in his writings. A "servant" might be allowed to make mistakes whereas the apostles' words in Scripture would allow no room for mistakes. Brother Russell, as a willing candidate for this role, merely organized the assorted beliefs of the "cleansed sanctuary" class of the nineteenth century— which had freed itself from the doctrines of the Dark Ages. He was not an originator; he was an organizer and a dispenser. He was not a lord over others; he was a servant—a faithful servant.
"People in glass houses, shouldn't throw stones"
Edited by - RR on 4 January 2001 20:56:22