I know the WTS loves to use the Matthew version but Luke's is far superior in my opinion (and I really prefer Matt to Luke!)
Let us 'discern'
In Matthew 24:45-51 we read: "" Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics. to give them 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. ""But if ever that evil slave should say in his heart, 'My master is delaying', and shoudl start to beat his fellow slaves and should eat and drink with confirmed drunkards, the master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect and in an hour that he does not know, and will punish him with the greatest of severity and will assign him his part with the hypocrites. There is where [his] weeping and the gnashing of [his] teeth will be.""
Luke 12:41-48 says: ""Then Peter said:"Lord, are you saying this illustration to us or to all? And the Lord said:"Who really is the faithful steward, the discreet one, whom his master will appoint over his body of attendants to keep giving them their measrue of food supplies at the proper time? Happy is that slave, if his master on arriving finds him doing so! I tell YOU truthfully, He will appoint him over all his belongings. But if ever that slave should say in his heart, 'My my master delays coming,' and should start to beat the menservants and the maidservents, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that slave will come on a day that he is no expecting [him] and in an h hour that he does not know, he will punish him with the greatest severtit and assign him a part with the unfaithful ones. Then that slave that understood the will of his master but did not get ready or do in line with his will will be beaten with many strokes. But the one that did not understand and do did things deserving of strokes will be beaten with few. Indeed, everyone to whom much is give, much will be demanded of him; and the one whom people put in charge of much, they will demand more the usual of him.
So why oh why would an allegeded prophetic point be in the middle of what else is considered a grouping of parables?
It also brings to question if those other denominations in Christendom had once been seen as FDS too? Are the domestics all Christian or only those professing "anointment'. Again does this then mean that some of Christendom's (prior to 1919) were anointed too in being of the FDS class.
If 1935 and the generations were wrong then so can't the application of Matt 24 be to the Organization in 1919? Can't the 'evil slave' or if ever that FDS slave should say in his heart' be applied to the WTS as it struggles with time continuing to march on despite previous claims, claims that held sever punishment if disagreed openly by the sheeple? Could this sever punishing be akin to 'beating' the men/maidsevants?
... In the end the parable is a warning against 'lording' over your fellow servants of Christ. Those who choose or whom people put in charge are to keep their motivations of service from being sullied by human tendencies to dominate their fellow believers.
