1919 Doctrine no longer exists? (Today's Watchtower Study)

by FusionTheism 22 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  FusionTheism

  Quote from today's Watchtower Study Article that's being studied at the Halls (March 15, 2015, Page 24):

  "Understanding the Illustration of the Talents"

  "When the Master Rewards the Slaves."

  "Former explanation: In 1919, Jesus rewarded his anointed slaves on earth by entrusting them with increased responsibility."

  "Adjusted explanation: When Christ comes in the future, he will reward his faithful anointed slaves by raising them to heaven. The Wicked and Sluggish Slave."

  "Former explanation: The wicked and sluggish slave refers to anointed ones in the 1914 era who refused to share in the preaching work."

  "Adjusted explanation: Jesus was not foretelling that a group of his anointed followers would make up a wicked slave class. Rather, he was warning his followers about what would happen if they thought and acted in a way that would cause him to view them as wicked and sluggish."

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  So they have erased their doctrine about 1919?
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  Phizzy

  I don't think they have changed their claim that J.C appointed a FDS in 1919. It is more about when the Rapture of those claiming to be anointed will be, all 14,000 plus of them.
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  Zoos

  "Adjusted explanation: Jesus was not foretelling that a group of his anointed followers would make up a wicked slave class. Rather, he was warning his followers about what would happen if they thought and acted in a way that would cause him to view them as wicked and sluggish."

  
  

  
  Every time God gave the new nation of Israel a warning of consequences associated with breaking His laws, the Israelites ended up breaking those laws and reaping the consequences.

  "If you do THIS, I will do THIS."

  These were not shoot-from-the-hip warnings over abstract concepts of future possibilities. GOD KNEW what those punks were like and what they were GOING TO DO. So, he gave them a heads up.

  There is no scriptural basis for the GB to make the assertion that a warning was given about something that would never happen. The record speaks volumes to the contrary.
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  FusionTheism

  The 2014 Watchtower book entitled "God's Kingdom Rules!", on page 47, says this:

  "After the appointment of the faithful slave in 1919, Jehovah helped his people to discern the work he had assigned them to do."
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  Splash

  So if the reward is now definitely future, do they still believe that some are already in heaven, assisting with communicating the truth?
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  New day

  I can't remember if I read it on another thread here or elsewhere but somebody mentioned that in this and similar parables the entrusting of responsibility to the slaves begins when the Master leaves, which in Jesus' case was in the first century. If the inspection is still future then 1919 has no part to play at all.
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  Finkelstein

  This sounds like Bullshit the JWS are not studying the March 15 issue of the Watchtower today ???
  
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  Caminante

  @Splash: While some of the anointed have already received their heavenly reward as of 1918 and onward (per JW doctrine), it would make sense that the understanding that they would 'communicate the truth' to the ones on Earth has been dropped completely when they revised the definition of the "faithful and discreet slave." A study article in 2009 titled The Faithful Steward and Its Governing Body had already paved the path to the current understanding. The article made it crystal clear rank and file anointed have no special status in the congregation and must submit themselves to appointed elders from among the "other sheep." In recent years there hasn't been any consideration of the role the anointed play before receiving their authority during the great tribulation and the Millenial kingdom.

  So 1919 does keep its significance in Watchtower eschatology as the year when Jesus supposedly appointed the 'faithful slave' composed of J. F. Rutherford and his team on the top of the Watch Tower Society. This way, the Governing Body ejected, so to speak, Charles Taze Russell of out of the equation of being part of the "slave," thus distancing the current organization further away from its Bible Student roots or loosening the importance of these roots theologically speaking.
  
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  FusionTheism

  So, they're saying that the Faithful Slave was APPOINTED in 1919, but that's NOT the year they received expanded authority?

  I thought the Watchtower always taught before that Jesus came and inspected the Faithful Slave in 1918-1919, then He rewarded them. Today's Watchtower article says that this "reward" did not occur in 1919 but instead occurs during the Great Tribulation.

  Or are they now eliminating 1919 as having any Scriptural significance, and they're merely saying "history shows that since 1919 the Society did such and such..."?

  Also, if the Faithful Slave wasn't appointed until 1919, this means that Charles Taze Russell and his followers were totally wrong on saying that the Faithful Slave Class existed in their day?
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  richgirl

  FusionTheism, I would recommend you read the July 15th 2013 Watchtower to get the current understanding of the FDS. Make sure you have paracetemol on stand-by!!