All Topics > Faithful Slave

Examining Matthew 24, Part 12: The Faithful and Discreet Slave

Jehovah’s Witnesses contend that the men (currently 8) making up their governing body constitute a fulfillment of what they consider to be the prophecy of the faithful and discreet slave referred to at Matthew 24:45-47. Is this accurate or merely a self-serving interpretation? If the latter, then what or who is the faithful and discreet slave, and what of the other three slaves that Jesus refers to in Luke’s parallel account?

This video will attempt to answer all these questions using Scriptural context and reasoning.

Morning Worship Part: The “Slave” Is not 1900 Years Old

The Governing Body is, by its own admission, the “highest ecclesiastical authority for the faith of Jehovah’s Witnesses” worldwide. (See point 7 of the Declaration of Gerrit Losch.[i]) Nevertheless, there is no foundation in Scripture for a governing authority made up...

They Asked for a King

[This post was contributed by Alex Rover] Some leaders are exceptional human beings, with a powerful presence, one inspiring of confidence. We are naturally drawn to exceptional people: tall, successful, well spoken, good looking. Recently, a visiting Jehovah’s...

Remember Those Who Instructed You

When we have doubts about some teaching in our publications, we have been encouraged to remember from whom we have learned all the wonderful truths from the Bible that have come to distinguish us.  For example, God’s name and purpose and the truth about death and the...

“Who Really Is the Faithful and Discreet Slave?”

[We now come to the final article in our four-part series.  The previous three were merely the build-up, laying the groundwork for this astonishingly presumptuous interpretation. - MV] This is what the contributing members of this forum believe is the scriptural...

Feeding Many Through the Hands of a Few

[First appearing on April 28 of this year, I've republished (with updates) this post because this is the week we actually study this particular Watchtower article. - MV] It appears that the sole purpose of this, the third study article in the July 15, 2013 The...

Tell Us, When Will These Things Be?

[This post was originally published on April 12, 2013, but given that this weekend we will be studying this first article of a series comprising one of our most controversial issues in some time, it seems appropriate to re-release it now. - Meleti Vivlon] The...

Identifying the Faithful Slave – Part 4

[Click here to view Part 3] “Who really is the faithful and discreet slave…?” (Mt. 24:45)  Imagine you are reading this verse for the first time. You come across it without prejudice, without bias, and without an agenda. You are curious, naturally. The slave Jesus...

Seven Shepherds, Eight Dukes—What They Mean for Us Today

The November Study Edition of The Watchtower just came out.  One of our alert readers drew our attention to page 20, paragraph 17 which reads in part, “When “the Assyrian” attacks…the life-saving direction that we receive from Jehovah’s organization may not appear...

Identifying the Faithful Slave – Part 3

[Click here to view Part 2] In Part 2 of this series, we established that there is no scriptural evidence for the existence of a first century governing body. This begs the question, Is there scriptural evidence for the existence of the current one? This is critical...

Identifying the Faithful Slave – Part 2

 [Click here to view Part 1 of this series] Our modern-day Governing Body takes as divine backing for its existence the teaching that the first century congregation was also ruled by a governing body comprised of the Apostles and older men in Jerusalem. Is this true? ...

Identifying the Faithful Slave – Part 1

[I had originally decided to write a post on this topic in response to a comment made by a sincere, but concerned, reader concerning the advisability of the public nature of our forum.  However, as I researched it, I became increasingly aware of how complex and...

Look! I Am With You All the Days – Addendum

This is a follow up to the post Look! I Am With You All the Days. In that post we made reference to the fact that memorial attendance declined dramatically from 1925 to 1928--something on the astonishing order of 80%.  This was due to the failure of Judge Rutherford's...

“Look! I Am With You All the Days”

This post is a review of the second study article in the July 15 issue of The Watchtower which explains our new understanding of Jesus’ parable of the wheat and weeds. Before continuing, please open the article to page 10 and take a good look at the illustration at...

Let Us Not Revile Nor Judge

(Jude 9) . . .But when Michael the archangel had a difference with the Devil and was disputing about Moses’ body, he did not dare to bring a judgment against him in abusive terms, but said: “May Jehovah rebuke you.” This Scripture has always fascinated me. If anyone...

"You Are a Trusted Steward"

This past week’s Watchtower study went to great lengths to show from Scripture that we, men and women both, are steward for the Lord. Par. 3 “…the Scriptures show that all who serve God have a stewardship.” Par. 6 “…the apostle Paul wrote that Christian overseers were...

Test the Inspired Expression

John speaking under inspiration says: (1 John 4:1) . . .Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired expression, but test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world. This isn't a...

Circuit Assembly Part – Oneness of Mind – Addendum

This week's bible reading caused me to think of a recent post.  From the outline for this circuit assembly part on maintaining "oneness of mind", we had this line of reasoning: “Meditate on the fact that all the truths that we have learned and that have united God’s...

Who was the Slave from 1919 on?

One of our commenters brought an interesting court case to our attention.  It involves a libel case brought against brother Rutherford  and the Watch Tower Society in 1940 by one Olin Moyle, former Bethelite and legal counsel to the Society.  Without taking sides, the...

Our Spiritual Mother

I don’t know how I missed this at our 2012 district convention, but a friend in Latin America—where they are now having their district conventions for the year—brought it to my attention.  The first part of the Saturday morning sessions showed us how to use the new...

Jehovah's Appointed Channel of Communication

“We need to guard against developing a spirit of independence. By word or action, may we never challenge the channel of communication that Jehovah is using today. “  (w09 11/15 p. 14 par. 5 Treasure Your Place in the Congregation) Sobering words, to be sure!  None of...

Circuit Assembly Part – Oneness of Mind

The circuit assembly for this service year includes a four-part symposium. The third part is entitled “Keep This Mental Attitude—Oneness of Mind”.  It explains what oneness of mind is in the Christian Congregation.  Under that second heading, “How Christ Displayed...

The Annual Meeting Report – Food at the Proper Time

Well, we finally have an official pronouncement in writing on the new position the organization has taken vis-à-vis the “faithful and discreet slave”, now available on www.jw.org. Since we’ve already dealt with this new understanding elsewhere in this forum, we won’t...

Annual Meeting 2012 – The Faithful Slave

A new understanding of Matthew 24:45-47 was released at this year’s annual meeting. It should be understood that what we discuss here is based on hearsay accounts of what was said by the various speakers at the meeting on the subject of “the faithful and discreet...

Who was the Faithful Steward

We had a visiting speaker from an overseas branch office give our public talk this past weekend.  He made a point I'd never heard before regarding Jesus' words, "Who really is the faithful and discreet slave..."  He asked the audience to consider whom Jesus was...

The Faithful Steward – in Summation

“Who really is the faithful and discreet slave?” (Mt. 24:45-47) In a previous post, several of the forum members provided valuable insights on this subject.  Before moving on to other subjects, it would seem beneficial to summarize the key elements of this discussion....

Who Is the Faithful and Discreet Slave?

Preface When I set this blog/forum up, it was for the intention of getting a group of like-minded individuals together to deepen our understanding of the Bible.  I had no intention to use it in any way that would disparage the official teachings of Jehovah’s...

Doctrinal Inertia

Inertia  n. - a physical characteristic of all matter to preserve its state of uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force. The more massive the body, the more force is required to make it change its direction.  This is true of physical bodies; it is true of...

Translation

Authors

Topics

Articles by Month

Categories