As a young child while attending the religious meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses, my parents would sometimes task me with an elementary form of note taking. How it worked was on a sheet of paper they would make several boxes, each having a label like “Jehovah”, “Jesus”, or “Bible”. Then when the speaker mentioned one of those words I would make a mark in the corresponding box, keeping a running tally. The goal of this exercise was to help me to pay attention even if I could not fully grasp what was being taught.
It would be interesting to play this game at the upcoming May 3 Watchtower study with an interesting twist. On the child’s paper alongside “Jehovah” and “Jesus” one might also write the phrase, “Trust the Faithful and Discreet Slave”. The study article is “They Keep Following The Lamb”; and despite the title, the thrust of the article is not on following Jesus, but rather following a group of men that the Witnesses refer to as “The Faithful and Discreet Slave” or “The Faithful Steward”.
The phrases “faithful and discreet slave” comes from Matthew 24:44–47, where Jesus says:
“Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time? Happy is that slave if his master on arriving finds him doing so. Truly I say to YOU, He will appoint him over all his belongings. — Matthew 24:44–47, NWT
As the Watchtower teaches, the faithful and discreet slave of Matthew 24 is a group of “spirit anointed” Jehovah’s Witnesses, who are tasked with preparing spiritual “food” in the form of printed publications and arranging religious meetings in the individual Kingdom Halls. The Witnesses believe that this “slave class” was found faithful in the early 1900’s and was subsequently appointed over Jesus’ “belongings” which now includes millions of rank-and-file Jehovah’s Witnesses, Kingdom Halls, and numerous administration and printing facilities.
The Watchtower’s authority structure is hung upon this scripture and, as commonly used, the term “Faithful Slave” is jargon for the twelve member Governing Body ruling at the top of the Watchtower hierarchy. This particular study article has repeated calls that the individual Witness “completely trust” and obey this Governing Body. The Watchtower reasons that both Jehovah God and Jesus Christ completely trust “the Slave” and thus commands those within the religion to do the same. As the article is about trusting a group of men, curiously absent are two applicable scriptures.
“Do not put YOUR trust in nobles, Nor in the son of earthling man, to whom no salvation belongs” — Psalm 146:3, NWT
“Cursed is the able-bodied man who puts his trust in earthling man and actually makes flesh his arm, and whose heart turns away from Jehovah himself.” On the other hand, “blessed is the able-bodied man who puts his trust in Jehovah, and whose confidence Jehovah has become.” — Jeremiah 17:5–7, NWT
In His written word, Almighty God points out the folly of putting our trust in men. Before I comment on the extreme dangers of this course of action, for the sake of my JW readership I would like to first let the Watchtower speak. In the May 15, 1979 article “Is Your Trust in God … or In Man?” the Watchtower cites the dangerous example of forsaking Christ’s leadership for men.
A man very much in the news late in 1978 who had such claimed charisma was James Warren Jones. A retired Roman Catholic priest who served with Jones on the San Francisco Human Rights Commission said: “He had a strange power over people, and that kind of power tends to go to the head.” Thousands flocked to him as he preached at the People’s Temple in San Francisco and hundreds followed him to the commune that he established in Guyana and that he called “Jonestown.” Not only did they follow him to that place but in the end many committed suicide at his behest. With the encouragement of his armed guards, he himself then committed suicide after he had gotten some 909 others to do the same. It was a tragedy that shocked the world.
What a striking, terrible example of what can happen when people, instead of putting their trust in God and following his appointed Leader Jesus Christ, put their trust in a human leader, an unprincipled demagogue! How the following contrasts illustrate the folly of doing so!
While the Jonestown massacre highlights an extreme peril of misplaced trust; there is another often overlooked danger. Notice what Jesus said to the religious authorities of his day:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you traverse sea and dry land to make one proselyte, and when he becomes one you make him a subject for Gehenna twice as much so as yourselves.”—Matthew 23:15.
While millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses are not being put in the position to drink literal poison their “Faithful Slave” is serving up equally dangerous “Kool-Aid” in the form of false teachings that draw attention away from the pure, unspoiled living waters offered from Jesus Christ. While it is not my place to judge an individual’s salvation I do believe that Jesus’ words show that following false authorities can lead to eternal judgment. Therefore, this is not something to take lightly. My encouragement to all, not just those within the Jehovah’s Witness religion, is to make sure your trust is in God and Christ Jesus alone. If so you will not be disappointed; but keeping your trust in the religious leaders and demagogues of this world can lead us down a bitter and dangerous path.
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Excellent article,brother. Looks like the organization is afraid of losing its authority.
I hope the JWs entangled in the web of watchtower understand this bro. Their trust in the GB is purely idolatory against God. Great write-up and I loved how you based everything on the word of God
Comments of excellence! Well written, profoundly true!
I have come to believe, for many years now, that the WT organization and, by association, individual JW’s, have created their own “Baal”, in keeping with the sad example set by the ancient Israelites. The worship of this false god led to Jehovah’s anger being raised against the unfaithful nation of Israel and they experiencing the dire consequences of their actions.
Similarly, today’s modern-day Jehovah’s Witnesses, following the leadership of their so-called ‘theocratic’ organization, have usurped the rightful place belonging to our King, Christ Jesus, and, in Christ’s place, have falsely accepted the humanistic authority figurehead known as the Governing Body, it having bestowed on itself (read: self-appointed) the title of “faithful and discreet” slave (class).
Thus the modern-day “Baal” flourishes, in the form of the Governing Body, receiving the adulation, yes, worship, of all “faithful” JW’s, who without question or thinking (unlike the ancient Beroeans as recorded in Acts 17:11) swallow whole the ever-changing WT teachings, gulping down the proverbial “KoolAid” thus rendering their own sensibilities “dull and insensitive” to the false paths they are required to follow. The “blind leading the blind”.…
My faith in the “faithful and discreet slave” spokesman, i.e. the Governing Body has completely eroded, thanks in part to unbiased and kind blogs such as yours. I have been suspect of the “organization” for quite some time now. The subtle guilt methods they impose upon their lamb-like followers through the hierarchy is plain to detect if we only dare to examine what we suspect. Most Witnesses are afraid of being caught if they so much as even read any outside information. The organization has a spell-binding affect on them, and they will turn on anyone who disagrees with a J.W. doctrine, etc. It only shows how this group of men completely control the thinking and decision-making rights of J.W.‘s. Crisis of Conscience by Brother Raymond Franz opened my eyes to what the Governing Body is really about. I always thought that they were a holy group of men whose every decision was blessed by God, and their only motive was to shepherd the trusting men, women, and children in their hands.
Thanks Anthony.
“Faltering witness”
Thank for stopping by and commenting.
It was amazing to me when I started paying attention to just how much attention the so-called “faithful and discreet slave” receives and how much this is encouraged. How many times did I sing that “Loyal Submission” song without recognizing I was singing about the FDS? I remember the last convention I went to when an elderly farmer said from the stage, “If the Faithful and Discreet Slave told us to plant turnips upside down we do it!” This got sustained, enthusiastic applause. Or how about how they apply a scripture in Isaiah about foreigners coming up and bowing down and worshiping those of Israel to how the “other sheep” view the FDS?
I think much of what Jesus said to the religious leaders of his day is quite applicable to the Witness leadership.
This is an extremely timely topic, not only for persons that associate with the WT but for anyone seeking to worship the Father in spirit and truth, since it illustrates just how easily persons fall under the spell of self proclaimed “shepherds”.
It’s worth the time to Google “Jonestown” and look at the pictures of their Guyana community. These were nice people like anyone else, with families and hopes for the future — just like JWs. They were not weirdos but people from all walks of life looking for a hope – a hope that was filled by Jim Jones with false promises. The bizarre events that took place were the result of the typical “herd mentality” where persons fall under the spell of some overriding cult mantra, and become unable to think for themselves. Imagine: Parents lining up their kids to drink the purple kool-aid, and then taking it themselves.
The “faithful and discreet slave” mantra that one regularly hears and reads in recent years at the KH these days is truly alarming – especially in that no one even notices what is really being said, to put blind trust in men, since these men represent God himself. Stunning. Even the brother’s prayers are filled with mention of the “F&DS” — and even for God himself to bless them. Jesus and the Holy Spirit — when mentioned – are mentioned only in a rote or token manner.
Ask: How was it that the Israelites under Jeroboam were persuaded to support the setting up of the two golden calves at Bethel? Not to mention support the setting up of a non-Aaronic priesthood? And with Bethel only eleven miles from Jerusalem and the real arrangement of worship that YHWH setup? What one sees at the KH these days is how that happened, in increments, with plausible sounding yet false reasonings using a form of subtle authoritarian “trust us” intimidation. The stunning thing about ancient Israel is they had the lessons of the first golden calf at Mt. Sinai from five hundred years prior. This example was burned into the national consciousness, yet still, they fell for it again and this time not one but two calves.
We really need to keep our sense of reason and reality here folks, and see the deception at the WT for what it really is: another Jonestown in the making.
v r
well this is what you call being or becoming an apostate, brother !
By your weak reasoning,Jehovah’s servants should not have put their trust in Moses, Abraham, Joshua, Nehemiah, Samuel, King David, etc.. You sound like Korah and his cronies.
You quoted: ““Cursed is the able-bodied man who puts his trust in earthling man and actually makes flesh his arm, and whose heart turns away from Jehovah himself.” On the other hand, “blessed is the able-bodied man who puts his trust in Jehovah, and whose confidence Jehovah has become.”” – Jeremiah 17:5–7, NWT
Also, all of the Israelites, according to how you used this scripture out of context, were accursed, yet Jehovah blessed them.
Sir do you not sound like Korah who twisted the minds and scriptures to lead astray the weak and uninformed? On so doing he brought death upon those who listened to and followed his lies. I’m sure his cronies said; “ you go brother”, like a poster said to support you, but in their arrogant lust for admiration and power they were annihilated by Jehovah.
Numbers 16:1–3 And Ko´rah the son of Iz´har, the son of Ko´hath, the son of Le´vi, proceeded to get up, together with Da´than and A·bi´ram the sons of E·li´ab, and On the son of Pe´leth, the sons of Reu´ben. 2 And they proceeded to rise up before Moses, they and two hundred and fifty men of the sons of Israel, chieftains of the assembly, summoned ones of the meeting, men of fame. 3 So they congregated themselves against Moses and Aaron and said to them: “That is enough of YOU, because the whole assembly are all of them holy and Jehovah is in their midst. Why, then, should YOU lift yourselves up above the congregation of Jehovah?
Jehovah’s response to this charlatan and his followers:
Numbers 16:20,21: Jehovah now spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: “Separate yourselves from the midst of this assembly, that I may exterminate them in an instant.”
And the resulting calamity brought upon this mouth and his followers:
Numbers 16: 32–35 And the earth proceeded to open its mouth and to swallow up them and their households and all humankind that belonged to Ko´rah and all the goods. 33 So down they went, and all who belonged to them, alive into She´ol, and the earth went covering them over, so that they perished from the midst of the congregation. 34 And all the Israelites who were round about them fled at the screaming of them, for they began to say: “We are afraid that the earth may swallow us up!” 35 And a fire came out from Jehovah and proceeded to consume the two hundred and fifty men offering the incense.
Which brings up scripture that is such a reflection of your wickedness:
Matt 7:21–23 “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will. 22 Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’ 23 And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew YOU! Get away from me, YOU workers of lawlessness.
And Matt 15: 6–11
…YOU have made the word of God invalid because of YOUR tradition. 7 YOU hypocrites, Isaiah aptly prophesied about YOU, when he said, 8 ‘This people honors me with their lips, yet their heart is far removed from me. 9 It is in vain that they keep worshiping me, because they teach commands of men as doctrines.’” 10 With that he called the crowd near and said to them: “Listen and get the sense of it: 11 Not what enters into [his] mouth defiles a man; but it is what proceeds out of [his] mouth that defiles a man.”
John 8: 42–47 Jesus said to them: “If God were YOUR Father, YOU would love me, for from God I came forth and am here. Neither have I come of my own initiative at all, but that One sent me forth. 43 Why is it YOU do not know what I am speaking? Because YOU cannot listen to my word. 44 YOU are from YOUR father the Devil, and YOU wish to do the desires of YOUR father. That one was a manslayer when he began, and he did not stand fast in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks according to his own disposition, because he is a liar and the father of [the lie]. 45 Because I, on the other hand, tell the truth, YOU do not believe me. 46 Who of YOU convicts me of sin? If I speak truth, why is it YOU do not believe me? 47 He that is from God listens to the sayings of God. This is why YOU do not listen, because YOU are not from God.”
Deut 32:5 They have acted ruinously on their own part;
They are not his children, the defect is their own.
A generation crooked and twisted!
The times I have read the apostate diatribes of your ilk I have seen the same pattern, repeated over and over. Outright lies, half-truths, and scripture pulled out of context. It is always the same. Since you resort to these tactics it is obvious you don’t even believe your own filth but somehow it must serve your selfish worldly goals.
Matt 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Anyone who has read this, please heed know the following:
John 6:44–45 No man can come to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws him; and I will resurrect him in the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by Jehovah.’ Everyone that has heard from the Father and has learned comes to me.
p.s. I live in California. I am not an elder or ministerial servant. I’m not anyone of consequence as your ilk would consider important. I say this so those who are on this forum reading your effluent will know that all Jehovah’s Witnesses believe as I. We love Jesus Christ and our heavenly father Jehovah and all speak with one voice not under compulsion but love and gratitude.
Further, the “faithful slave” which you have attacked as Korah attacked Moses and Aaron, has never resorted to the scripture bending, lies and hustle as in this article and others. They don’t need to use these tactics because they, and therefore we, speak the truth.
Daniel 12:4 “And as for you, O Daniel, make secret the words and seal up the book, until the time of [the] end. Many will rove about, and the [true] knowledge will become abundant.”
The above and the following scripture attest as to why scores of new congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses are started every day world wide:
Isaiah 2: 2–4 And it must occur in the final part of the days [that] the mountain of the house of Jehovah will become firmly established above the top of the mountains, and it will certainly be lifted up above the hills; and to it all the nations must stream. 3 And many peoples will certainly go and say: “Come, YOU people, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will instruct us about his ways, and we will walk in his paths.”.…..
Do the following with truth seeking in your heart:
Zephaniah 3:2 Seek Jehovah, all YOU meek ones of the earth, who have practiced His own judicial decision. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. Probably YOU may be concealed in the day of Jehovah’s anger.
Praise Jehovah all you people.
The Watchtower make much reference to the Faithful and Discreet Slave.
Who really is the faithful and discreet slave? Is it the Governing Body of the Watchtower? Or is it the ones who partake of the emblems at the memorial?
Many have always been under the impression the Governing Body of the Watchtower is the corporation directors responsible to the Superior authorities administering a non-profit organization.
The spiritual faithful and discreet slave is made up of all those partakers at the memorial. The problem with this understanding is .…how much spiritual food are they allowed to prepare for the Watchtower magazine? Are they consulted?
At conventions Elders have meetings, even ministerial servants have meetings.
Do these anointed ones have meetings where they can contribute some spiritual food at the right time? If not why not.
They are Christ’s brothers and sisters are they not!
Jesus said those who do things to the least of his brothers they do it to him.
To ignore the contribution of one of the least of Christ’s brothers and sisters means Jesus is being ignored.
The governing body seems to take on the roll of the faithful and discreet slave
without consulting all the others.
The scriptures say in the multitude of counselors there is accomplishment. Proverbs 15:22.These anointed ones are appointed by Jehovah, Jesus Father are they not!
Wrong information printed by the Watchtower perhaps could have been avoided. The wrong information has made many question how faithful and discreet they have been to the Masters instructions.
James,
You bring up some points here about the incongruities with what has been taught in the literature regarding the indentity of the FDS versus the actual application of this teaching within the religion.
When I was going through the judicial process in the congregation a big topic that the elders wanted to confront me on was whether or not I “believed in the Slave.” When I pointed out that it is taught that all the “anointed” are the FDS the elder held up a bound volume and said, “they don’t give us the literature do they?”
Probably unbenowst to this elder, and Jehovah’s Witnesses in general, the writing department is made up of several who don’t claim to be “anointed”.
Another misconception is that all the “anointed” world wide somehow contribute to development of new teachings. I had a close relative once describe it as that throughout the earth the “anointed” have some insight and they write to the Governing Body. The Governing Body then agrees that this is something that they feel as well and after receiving numerous letters from other “anointed ones”, this new understanding is from Jehovah and should be printed.
I believe the June 15, 2009 is an important Watchtower in that it seeks to clarify these misimpressions and further draw a distinct line in the sand between the “anointed” and the “faithful and discreet slave”. The Watchtower pointedly makes the following statement:
“were all spirit-anointed Christians involved in overseeing the preaching work and in preparing spiritual food? No.”
Further, while it doesn’t develop the thought fully it leans toward the idea that the Governing Body is more properly indentified as the “faithful and discreet slave”, drawing correlations between them and the 12 apostles and the authorship of Watchtower publications with the writing of Bible books.
Looking at the current trends it would not surprise if the down the road the “Faithful and Discreet Slave” becomes indentified as the Governing Body, the “domestics” become “spirit-anointed” Christians, and the “belongings” to the “other sheep”.
But getting back to the thought of my original article, Jesus warns against those that will arise and claim to be “the Christ”, (“the anointed one”, in Greek.) He instructs us not to go after them. So just because someone claims to be “anointed”, or the “faithful slave” or anything else we should be careful about placing our trust in them lest they lead us into destruction.
“Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” — (Matthew 15:14)
” were all spirit-anointed Christians involved in overseeing the preaching work
and in preparing spiritual food? No.”
The Watchtower presumes to much! How would they know who prepared the spiritual food back in early Christian times.
When the Christians met together for fellowship they encouraged each other.
Also were not silent at these meetings but contributed to the meeting. They had no printing presses in those days. The spiritual food was the word of GOD. The words of GOD’S Son our Lord Jesus Christ.
They recalled Jesus example.
He stayed within his Fathers instructions.
Christians are commanded to stay within Jesus instructions.
Reading Watchtower publications old and new,the Watchtower go’s outside those instructions and presumes to know.
Their publications show they have been wrong many times. A witness who does not tell the truth all the time. How reliable and dependable are his statements. The Watchtower has printed apostate ideas alongside truth.
Trust is built up by speaking the truth all the time, allowing people to question statements. Jesus welcomed the questions. And spoke truthful answers. Never did he presume and step outside his Fathers instructions. The Watchtower has habitually presumed to know, and they have been found out to be wrong.
Beaker wrote that your reasoning was week. What he totally ignores is that Moses and the others he mentioned were anointed by Yahweh’s prophets. The F&DS class are appointed by whom?
When I was growing up back ine 50s & 60s as a JW boy, I was told that I could not be an ‘anointed class’ as I was far to young. Even my dear Mum and Dad who were Pioneers to the end, were not even ‘anointed’ and yet recently 2 men were appointed to the GB who are younger than me. This seems to be changing the goalposts.
Beaker quotes Matthew 7 and that was the very chapter that made me realise what the F&DS really are. They judge everyone else, just like Beaker does. He needs to read Hebrews 12 where the writer mentions any ‘bitter root; and if you have it, you will be judged accordingly.
I am so thankful that the Lord has delivered me and my entire family from serving the X men of the tower.