Who really is the FDS?
Upon a careful reading of the text, and an examination of the words that Christ used, it is clear that this cannot apply to a group of people who were alive in the year 1919. In addition, the Watchtowers teaching on this subject is very contradictive, since it is both claimed that Christ appointed them the ?faithful and discreet slave? in some issues, and in other places it is claimed that the ?slave? has been around since the first century, although we have yet to see any evidence of any groups historically that the Watchtower can claim succession to. However, the focus of this writing is concerning the fact that Christ does not appoint the ?slave? until after his ?coming? (in greek, erxomia) which the Watchtower claims is a future event, (since they see the ?parousias? and he ?erxomia? as two separate events, the former of Christ ?presence,? beginning in 1914, the latter his ?coming? at Armageddon)
The application of Matthew 24:45-47, to the years 1914-1919, the so-called beginning of Christ ?parousias? is not a possible interpretation since Christ tells us in verse 46, that, ?upon his coming? (although, interestingly, the NWT does not translate ?erxomia? as ?coming? but as ?arriving?) he would
?appoint him over all his belongings.?
This is very interesting, since the Watchtower loyalist are ever more then zealous to point out that the word used by Christ disciples in Matthew 24:3 is ?parousias? and not ?erxomia?!!! However, there silence to see and note the grammar of verse 46, is reveling, to say the least. For if the appointing does not happen until after the ?erxomia,? as the bible clearly states, the Watchtowers many claims of a Divine appointment are false, and would make them bearing false witnesses against God.
This appointment, we are told by the Watchtower, took place in 1919 by Christ. However, since this appointment, according
to Christ, takes place AFTER his ?coming,? (Greek. ?elthon?, a form of ?erxomia?) how can the Watchtower truthfully say that they have already been ?appointed? as his ?faithful and discreet slave?, since they teach that the ?coming? (erxomia?) takes place in the future?
And yet you can add to this the confusion that the Watchtower continues to teach that somehow, Matthew 24:45-47 is a past fulfillment, resulting in their ?divine appointment? as Christ ?slave,? and yet, the ?sheep and the goats? parable that illustrates the good and bad slaves separation, is a future event. Christ continues his Olivet discourse in Matt 25:19-21, and states concerning the ?faithful slave? as recorded?
*** Rbi8 Matthew 25:19-21 ***
19 ?After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20 So the one that had received five talents came forward and brought five additional talents, saying, ?Master, you committed five talents to me; see, I gained five talents more.? 21 His master said to him, ?Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things. I will appoint you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.?
And, again, we have Christ ?erxomia? (master of those slaves came) which occurs in the future! Note, also that both Matt 24:45-47 and 25:19-21 are talking about the some events.
1. Christ coming (erxomia)
2. slave found faithful
3. slave appointed over many things
Or perhaps we can ask, how can Matthew 24:45-47, as well as Matt 25:19-21, be a prophetic application of a divine appointment to a specific group of persons that has already occurred in the year 1919, before the very ?coming of Christ? that by Christ own words has to happen BEFORE he ?appoints them over many things,? since the Watchtower teaches that the ?erxomia? has yet to happen?
As stated earlier, this even gets more contradictory when you read on in Matthew 25, to the illustration of the ?separation of the Sheep and the Goats,? which not only is integrated into the illustration of the ?slaves appointment,? but of which the Watchtower also has recently acknowledged to be a future event. (Although for decades its start was taught to be a past event)
In Matthew 25, we find that Matthew 25:19-30, the good and bad slave, is tied together with Matthew 25:31-46, the separation of the Sheep and the Goat. (See Appendix) Since the Watchtower currently teaches that the ?sheep and the goats? illustration is a future fulfillment, applicable when Christ comes at Armageddon, and since the 2 illustrations are again talking about the same event, is it not obvious to Christians that the appointing takes place when Christ?s ?erxomia? happens in the future, when the christian who proves to be a ?faithful slave? is told by Christ, ?Enter into the joy of your Master,? and in like manor, the sleeplike Christian at Christ right hand is told, ?Come, YOU who have been blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for YOU from the founding of the world??
Just something to think about.
Your Brother
Free in the Christ
Daniel
Appendix.
Note the following verses of comparison between the 2 stories Jesus tells in Matthew 25. note how the parable of the ?slaves of the master? is referring to the same events as the illustration of the ?sheep and the goats.? The Watchtower, however, had finally conceited in the year 1995, that the ?sheep and the goats? illustration is a future application, no such admission, however, has occurred concerning the appointing of the ?slave.?
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The Slaves illustration 14-30
14 ?For it is just as when a man, about to travel abroad, summoned slaves of his and committed to them his belongings. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, to still another one, to each one according to his own ability, and he went abroad. 19 ?After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.
(Compare)
The separation of the Sheep and Goats 31-46
31 ?When the Son of man arrives in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne. 32 And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will put the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left.
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The Slaves illustration 14-30
21 His master said to him, ?Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things. I will appoint you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.? 22 Next the one that had received the two talents came forward and said, ?Master, you committed to me two talents; see, I gained two talents more.? 23 His master said to him, ?Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things. I will appoint you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.?
(Compare)
The separation of the Sheep and Goats 31-46
34 ?Then the king will say to those on his right, ?Come, YOU who have been blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for YOU from the founding of the world. 35 For I became hungry and YOU gave me something to eat; I got thirsty and YOU gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and YOU received me hospitably; 36 naked, and YOU clothed me. I fell sick and YOU looked after me. I was in prison and YOU came to me.? 37
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The Slaves illustration 14-30
24 ?Finally the one that had received the one talent came forward and said, ?Master, I knew you to be an exacting man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not winnow. 25 So I grew afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.? 26 In reply his master said to him, ?Wicked and sluggish slave, you knew, did you, that I reaped where I did not sow and gathered where I did not winnow? 27 Well, then, you ought to have deposited my silver monies with the bankers, and on my arrival I would be receiving what is mine with interest.
28 ??Therefore TAKE away the talent from him and give it to him that has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone that has, more will be given and he will have abundance; but as for him that does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 30 And throw the good-for-nothing slave out into the darkness outside. There is where [his] weeping and the gnashing of [his] teeth will be.?
(Compare)
The separation of the Sheep and Goats 31-46
41 ?Then he will say, in turn, to those on his left, ?Be on YOUR way from me, YOU who have been cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. 42 For I became hungry, but YOU gave me nothing to eat, and I got thirsty, but YOU gave me nothing to drink. 43 I was a stranger, but YOU did not receive me hospitably; naked, but YOU did not clothe me; sick and in prison, but YOU did not look after me.? 44 Then they also will answer with the words, ?Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to you?? 45 Then he will answer them with the words, ?Truly I say to YOU, To the extent that YOU did not do it to one of these least ones, YOU did not do it to me.? 46 And these will depart into everlasting cutting-off, but the righteous ones into everlasting life.?
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*** Rbi8 Matthew 24:42-48 ***
42 Keep on the watch, therefore, because YOU do not know on what day YOUR Lord is coming.
43 ?But know one thing, that if the householder had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have kept awake and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 On this account YOU too prove yourselves ready, because at an hour that YOU do not think to be it, the Son of man is coming.
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.
*** Rbi8 Matthew 25:19-21 ***
19 ?After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20 So the one that had received five talents came forward and brought five additional talents, saying, ?Master, you committed five talents to me; see, I gained five talents more.? 21 His master said to him, ?Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things. I will appoint you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.?
*** w90 3/15 pp. 12-13 ?The Faithful Slave? and Its Governing Body ***
14 After a long time?nearly 19 centuries?Christ was vested with kingly power in 1914, at the end of ?the appointed times of the nations.? (Luke 21:24) Shortly thereafter, he ?came and settled accounts? with his slaves, spirit-anointed Christians. (Matthew 25:19) What did Jesus expect of them individually and collectively? The steward?s assignment continued as it had been since the first century. Christ had entrusted talents to individuals??to each one according to his own ability.? Hence, Jesus expected proportionate results. (Matthew 25:15) Applicable here is the rule at 1 Corinthians 4:2, which states: ?What is looked for in stewards is for a man to be found faithful.? Putting the talents to work meant faithfully acting as ambassadors of God, making disciples and dispensing spiritual truths to them.?2 Corinthians 5:20.