[this post was contributed by Alex Rover]
Since January 1st, 2009, within the congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, the term presiding overseer” has been discontinued and replaced with Coordinator of the Body of Elders.
The reason provided in the letter to the Body of Elders was that the term “presiding” may convey the thought that one overseer holds more authority than the rest do.
“Hence, no elder is above the others in the body, and none of them should try to dominate the others.” – BOE letter
The definition of presiding is, after all “being in a position of authority in a meeting or gathering”. Most elders welcomed this change, but in some cases the true feelings cannot be hidden.
Recently I observed how the wife of a certain elder became very upset once they stripped her husband from the privilege of being coordinator. She stopped talking to the wife of the new coordinator and the family soon after left the congregation.
Should the governing body apply their own counsel, they would strip themselves from their title as well (Compare Matthew 7:3-5). Synonyms of governing include “ruling” and “presiding over”. The fact they are understanding this term is scripturally wrong for others but continue to apply it to themselves is revealing a fondness of pre-eminence.
We are taken back in time to the third letter of John, and examine the account of Diotrephes:
But the one who is fond of being the pre-eminent one among them, Diotrephes, is not accepting us. On this account, if I should come, I shall bring to remembrance his works which he has been constantly doing [A], prating against us with pernicious words [B], and not being content with these things, neither does he himself accept the brethren [C]; and those who after mature consideration desire to do so, he prevents [D], and out of the assembly he throws them [E]. – 3 Jo 1:9-10 WUEST
[a] I shall bring to remembrance his works
I have myself wondered about this in the past, when we find condemning articles about the governing body on this site, if this was something appropriate for Christians to do. For an example, see Qualifications to Become God’s Channel of Communication by Apollos.
Here we find the apostle John bringing to attention the works of Diotrephes. When faced with brothers who are fond of being the pre-eminent, the apostle John responded by demonstrating the facts surrounding them.
The truth is that we don’t hate. We simply bring to attention their works, so that we may free others from bondage of man and enter the freedom that is in Christ. So let’s examine some works of Diotrephes and see if there are any parallels with the works of the Governing Body today.
[b] Prating against us with pernicious words
In what context did Diotrephes speak foolishly of John the apostle, a true brother of Christ?
A list of synonyms for pernicious reveals how the governing body, after elevating themselves over the association, have spoken of those who bring to remembrance their works: harmful, damaging, destructive, injurious, hurtful, dangerous, adverse, unhealthy, bad, evil, wicked, poisonous, corrupting.
Christ’s faithful brothers were not impressed or shaken by Diotrephes’ foolish talk. Neither should we be shaken when we are name called and insulted on the sole ground of bringing to remembrance the works of the governing body.
If one thing is very clear from the links in the list above, is that in just the last decade, the governing body has been especially hard at work to fill nearly every synonym I could find in the dictionary and apply it to those who challenge them with Scripture.
[c] Neither does he himself accept the brethren
Those who disassociate themselves from the organization are to be shunned just as much as someone disfellowshipped for morally unclean conduct. Often, members disassociate themselves because they are unwilling to pledge obedience and loyalty to the modern governing body.
We do well to remind ourselves that that many of these disassociated ones simply chose to follow Scripture rather than man to have a clean conscience before the Father!
It is abundantly clear that the governing body, as did Diotrephes, do not accept these brothers.
[d] He prevents
Not content with personally avoiding contact with those who disagree, the governing body does everything in their power to prevent others to associate with the brothers.
Loyalty to the modern day governing body is equated with loyalty to Jehovah himself! “Such loyalty makes Jehovah’s heart glad.” – WT 11 2/15 p17. We would do well to examine paragraphs 15-18 in this 2011 Watchtower, for it clearly deals with disassociated ones.
In the May 1st, 2000 watchtower under the article “Firmly Uphold Godly Teaching”, we find the following sentence: “The apostle John directed Christians not to accept apostates in their homes.” And further in paragraph 10 it’s stated: “Avoiding all contact with these opponents will protect us from their corrupt thinking. Exposing ourselves to apostate teachings through the various means of modern communication is just as harmful as receiving the apostate himself into our homes. Never should we allow curiosity to lure us into such a calamitous course!”
But it goes one step further than that. Many of our readers have used their mature powers of reason and determined after much consideration that we are also brothers of Christ. They cannot see how the pernicious words used against us are true.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are not just told they should be aware of independent thinking and independent Bible reading. They are not just told they should shun those who voice concern over the pre-eminent ones. They are in fact, prevented from association! How so?
[e] Out of the assembly he throws them
The manual for Elders “Shepherd the Flock”, chapter 10, point 6 (page 116) handles the matter of undue association with disfellowshipped or disassociated relatives not part of the household. Judicial action is warranted by elders against the offender in case there is persistent spiritual association or open criticism of the disfellowshipping decision.
To be clear, we accept there is a place for personal shunning in the Scriptures with those who are persistent wrongdoers. There is a place for personal shunning of those who reject Christ or display by their actions and moral conduct that they are unworthy of our association.
There is every reason to be cautious in our association. But what we are dealing with here, is involuntary disassociation or throwing out of the assembly on the basis of rejecting human authority above that of the Christ.
That this practice is wrong, is something every honest-hearted brother can agree with. Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites. Is it hypocritical you discontinue the term “presiding overseer” for elders, but continue to elevate yourself as “presiding” or “governing” over the body of Christ?
Dear members of the governing body, you cannot call yourself a body apart from the body of Christ. In Christ’s body there is only one head and that is Christ himself. Call yourself slaves of Christ. Stop calling yourself Faithful and let the Master declare you faithful. (Compare also Matthew 28:19-20, Matthew 23:8-10, 1 Peter 2:5, Hebrews 3:1, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11,Genesis 12:10-20)
Conclusion
When we meditate over the parable of the king and forgiveness of debt in Matthew 18:21-35, it becomes clear that those who don’t appreciate the Lords forgiveness and mistreat their fellow slaves will have their share taken from them.
There is no place for Diotrephes in the kingdom of heaven, and neither is there place in the body of Christ for the spirit of pre-eminence.
And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent. – Col 1:18 ESV
We do not repay evil with evil. It should be sufficient that our sister or brother confesses Christ and produces fruits of the spirit. Truly, by our works we judge ourselves publically.
Let’s follow John’s example and not tremble in fear before man, courageously speaking truth while keeping our hearts full of love knowing that Christ died for all man.
Archived Comments
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Comment by BeenMislead on 2014-10-15 13:24:52
Thanks for this Alex.
You give good advice to the GB:
“Stop calling yourself Faithful and let the Master declare you faithful.”
You are right. They have made the decision for Jesus and have already declared themselves faithful as seen from the following quote from a recent Watchtower magazine:
“In view of the foregoing, what can we conclude? When Jesus comes for judgment during the great tribulation, he will find that the faithful slave has been loyally dispensing timely spiritual food to the domestics. Jesus will then delight in making the second appointment—over all his belongings. Those who make up the faithful slave will get this appointment when they receive their heavenly reward, becoming corulers with Christ.” - (Watchtower 2013, 7/15, Pg. 25, Par. 18, “Who Really Is the Faithful and Discreet Slave?”)
I think the following scripture might apply because they are in effect “commending themselves”:
2 Corinthians 10:12 (New International Version)
“We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.”
2 Corinthians 10:12 (New Living Translation)
“Oh, don't worry; we wouldn't dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!”
2 Corinthians 10:12 (English Standard Version)
“Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.”
Comment by anderestimme on 2014-10-15 14:12:13
The reference WT 11 2/15 p17 should be:
WT 11 2/15 p.32, par. 17
The above article references the w81 9/15 article "Disfellowshipping - How to View It", which makes it plain that disassociation is, to the organization, "when a person repudiates his being a Christian". From the organization's standpoint, you can't persecute a disassociated Christian because there is no such thing.
In support of shunning, they cite the example of the Jewish system of Jesus' day:
"An effect of this severe punishment was that other Jews would shun or avoid the expelled person. It is said that others would not even have commercial transactions with him beyond selling him the necessities of life.—John 9:22; 12:42; 16:2."
If you look up the scripture references, the first is the account of the parents of man born blind, and their fear at being expelled; the second refers to the rulers who put faith in Jesus but were afraid to publicly confess their faith "in order not to be expelled from the Synagogue" and the final reference is to Jesus' warning to his disciples that they would be expelled from the Synagogues in persecution for their faith in him. And yet the Jewish practice of expulsion is held up as a model for Christians to follow!
Another reference is made in the same article to "excommunicated persons" in the early Church, citing a historian who said "every one shunned and avoided them in common conversation, partly to establish the church’s censures and proceedings against them".
The only thing more incredible than this line of reasoning is the fact that I was there when this article was studied and I didn't object.Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2014-10-17 08:47:17
Thank you for finding that, Anderestimme. It makes it clear that if and when asked if we wish to disassociate ourselves from the congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, we have to say that based on the definition for disassociation put out by the Governing Body, we must decline. Otherwise, we would be officially admitting that we are repudiating being a Christian.
Reply by kev c on 2014-10-20 16:18:32
Yes meleti thats right about the disassociation letter thats why i wouldnt do it . Infact the whole arrangement to my mind seems completely unscriptural and i find no basis for it in the NT . They are putting words in peoples mouth and trying to trap them in thier speech . As christians we dont want to disassociate ourselves from our brothers thats not the idea , just from false religion thats all . At least the way ive gone its them that have disassocitaed themselves from me for standing up for bible principles . Apologies to those who have fallen into thier trap though
Comment by The Way on 2014-10-15 16:06:07
We have a Governing Head. That is scriptural and logical. The Head is to govern the Body, not otherwise.
Listen to what the Governing Head says: "The kings of the nations play the owner with them, and those who govern them are called Benefactors; not so you." (Luke 22:25-26, Byington)
Not so you. The time to rule as kings is not here yet. But "you are all of you brothers." That makes all of you brothers of Christ, from the least one to the more prominent one. The brother of my brothers is my brother. Agreed?
"And do not be called spiritual directors either; for one, the Messiah, is your spiritual director." (Matthew 23:10, Byington) Ultimately it is the Anointed One, the Anointed Governing Head, who guides us on the Way of God. If men give us misdirection or are misdirected, who are we to follow?
Comment by Littlemissie on 2014-10-20 16:41:28
Greetings "Alex Rover," "Meleti Vivlon," and "Apollos of Alexandria":
Just thought you all might want a "headsup" for the latest on the scene, covering Matt. 24:34. There is talk of a new publication that has now been released among Jehovah's Witnesses from the Watchtower Society.
Apparently, this the newest release of this 2014 publication called: "God Kingdom Rules!" shows on pp. 11, 12 a most startling [graphic] picture of the "Overlapping Generation" Concept, being spelled out by picture [you know, "a picture is worth a 1,000 words" adage, in effect], which as we know is a unique to only Jehovah's Witnesses, explaining Matthew 24:34.
It is currently being discussed by many on the net ... just thought you guys might want to know this, if you haven't already heard about it.
Littlemissie42Reply by Alex Rover on 2014-10-20 17:09:14
Thanks Littlemissie, I'm aware of this. 2035 is slowly being cemented as the new 1975.
Comment by Katrina on 2014-10-21 20:12:25
Disassociation is the same as DF according to the GB, so when a persona DA are to be treated as an unrepentant wrong doer, child abusers are treated better than any that leave because they can no longer agree with the GB on teachings that are not in harmony with Gods word, or they cannot agree with the self elevation of the GB over yes even as they call other anointed brothers, this is why Christ condemned the Pharisees, for lording it over their brothers, making rules for their own agenda to keep the flock under their control, so in fact they were bringing others to follow them, apostasy is what comes to my mind with the GB.
Very hard to repent and come back to the congregation when leaving because one's conscience can no longer allow to be subject to men over being obedient to the Christ.
I see the GB as like the MOL that Paul talked about, as time goes by I believe that Jehovah is revealing to honest hearted ones in the congregation the truth about this GB of rulers, its being shown through their own publications, as so truthfully presented in this contribution here by Alex on the WT publications.
Comment by Norman Duncan on 2019-08-16 07:13:00
The part of 'the wife' mentioned early on this page made me smile, The influence of elders wives is given little airing, it makes the whole thing a mockery of the body of elders, the vanity and pride these women have is overbearing and far too influential in the congregations. But like all else another double standard is white washed over.