(By Former Circuit Overseer Ron Frye. circa 1986)
“Now that the long-expected Kingdom had become an established reality in heaven surely its growing interests would not be left in the hands of a novice organization of spiritual babes. And that proved to be true. It was the 1900-year-old ‘faithful and discreet slave,’ the old Christian congregation,that was entrusted with this precious Kingdom service.”
The Watchtower, July 15, 1960, p. 436
“Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that this parable pertains to the one true congregation of
Jesus Christ’s anointed followers. Beginning with Pentecost, 33 C.E., and continuing
through the 19 centuries since then, this slavelike congregation has been feeding its
members spiritually, doing so faithfully and discreetly.”
The Watchtower, March 1, 1981, p. 24
For the "good news" to be preached it is said that it must be done under leadership. Organized and done correctly. The devotion and loyalty JWs have towards this legal corporation, The Watchtower Society, is based on the belief that the WBTS is God’s channel of communication to men on earth—his visible, earthly organization. JWs believe that no one can be put right with God through Jesus Christ unless there is willing subjection to the WBTS. Those who refuse to accept their authority remain out of God’s favor—regardless of their profession of faith—and cannot be saved.
the WBTS uses the Bible to establish this God given authority. A phrase commonly used by JWs to identify the WBTS is “the
faithful and discreet slave.” This is drawn from Matthew 24:45-47 as it appears in the New World Translation.
“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 24:45-47 NWT
The WBTS teaches that this “slave” represents the Christian congregation from its
beginning in A.D. 33 until now: “Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that this parable pertains to the one true congregation of
Jesus Christ’s anointed followers. Beginning with Pentecost, 33 C.E., and continuing
through the 19 centuries since then, this slavelike congregation has been feeding its
members spiritually, doing so faithfully and discreetly.”
The Watchtower, March 1, 1981, p. 24
Note that the “one true congregation” is said to have continued, uninterrupted, “through
the 19 centuries” since its inception. During these many centuries it has been “feeding its
members...faithfully and discreetly.” As to how this feeding program has worked through the centuries the WT Society says:
“From Pentecost, A.D. 33, up to this very present hour this has been lovingly and carefully performed. Yes, and these ‘domestics’ have been fed on progressive spiritual food that keeps them abreast of the ‘bright light that is getting lighter and lighter until the day is firmly established.’”
The Watchtower, July 5, 1960, p. 435
Summarizing what has be presented so far, we note that the “slave,” according to WT doctrine, is the Christian congregation which (1) came into being in A.D. 33, (2) has had a continuous, uninterrupted existence since then and (3) had continually been “feeding” itself on “progressive spiritual food.” If true, this would mean that the well-nourished Christian congregation or “slave” was more than 1,800 years old by the time Charles T. Russell appeared on the scene in the mid 1870s.
The next factor to consider is the teaching that Christ returned (invisibly) in October 1914 and 3½ years later in 1918; they say, Jesus made a temple judgment which resulted in the rejection of all religions except their own:
“When Jesus came to God’s spiritual temple in 1918 for the purpose of judging men,
Christendom was rejected.”
The Watchtower, August 1, 1960, p. 462
According to their own judgment they, too, were spiritually unclean at this time:
“The scriptures describe them as having unclean garments because of their long
association with Christian apostasy. They had many practices, characteristics and beliefs
similar to the weedlike sects of Christendom.”
The Watchtower, July 15, 1960, p. 435, 6
WT tradition has it that their organization survived this period of judgement despite their
unclean condition and in spring, 1919 they were put in charge of all Christ’s “belongings,” that
is, all his earthly Kingdom interests. And what was the standard used by Jesus in reaching this
judgment? According to WT testimony, it all rested on how faithfully they had been serving the
proper spiritual food:
“The serving of food, the right sort of food, at the proper time, was the issue. It had to be
according to this that a decision must be rendered by the returned master.”
God’s Kingdom of a Thousand Years Has Approached, (1973), p. 350
As regards the quality of spiritual food being served by this little group under the
direction of Pastor Russell, they admit to having been feeding themselves contaminated food
tainted with “beliefs similar to the weedlike sects of Christendom.” But this is only the tip if the
iceberg, as the record shows. In addition to this they had been teaching and preaching that the
“Time of the End” began in 1799; that Christ returned (invisibly) in October, 1874; and that the
world would be destroyed in 1914.
JWs of today regard all of these serious errors as minor in importance despite what the Bible says about such things (Deut. 18:20-22). Russell calculated the “Time of the End” as a period of 115 years (1799-1914):
“The careful student will have observed that the period designated ‘The Time of the End’
is very appropriately named, since not only does the Gospel age close in it, but in it, also,
all prophesies relating to the close of this age terminate, reaching their fulfillments. The
same class of readers will have noticed, too, the special importance of the last 40 of these
115 years (1874-1914), called ‘The End’ or ‘Harvest.’”
Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 3, p. 121
In 1894 Zion’s Watch Tower presented the question: “CAN IT BE DELAYED UNTIL 1914?”
In answer they said, in part:
“Now, in view of present labor troubles and threatened anarchy, our readers are writing to know if there may not be a mistake in the 1914 date. They say that they do not see how present conditions can hold out so long under the strain...They are, we believe, God’s dates, not ours. But bear in mind that the end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but the end of the time of trouble.”Zion’s Watch Tower, July 15, 1894, p.228 (reprint: p. 1677)
All of Russell’s predictions failed. All these errors were preached in Jesus’ name and were published in millions of pieces of literature as TRUTH. This was the “food” being served up by the WBTS. But this is not all. During the period 1914-1918 they added still more contaminated food to their spiritual diet. In 1917, following Russell’s death, they published a new book, The Finished Mystery. This book predicted the destruction of all churches and church-members in 1918; the rapture of Christ’s faithful followers in 1918; and the destruction of all governments in 1920:
“Also, in the year 1918, when God destroys the churches wholesale and the church members by millions, it shall be that any that escape shall come to the works of Pastor Russell to learn the meaning of the downfall of “Christianity.” The Finished Mystery, (1917) p.485 “Our proposition is that the glorification of the Little Flock in the Spring of 1918 A.D. will be halfway between the close of the Gentile Times and the close of the heavenly way,
A.D. 1921.” The Finished Mystery, (1917) p.64 “Even the republics will disappear in the fall of 1920. Every kingdom of earth will pass away, be swallowed up in anarchy.” The Finished Mystery, (1917) p.258 In the spring of 1919, Joseph F. Rutherford, the new president of the WT Society, was preaching, “Millions now living will never die.” The following year, 1920, this was published in booklet form under the same title. This booklet predicted that 1925 would see the resurrection of the ancient “worthies” and the start of earthly reconstruction under their princely rule. On
page 97 they summarized their prediction:
“Based on the argument heretofore set forth, then, that the old order of things, the old
world, is ending and is therefore passing away, and that the new order is coming in, and
that 1925 shall mark the resurrection of the faithful worthies of old and the beginning of
reconstruction, it is reasonable to conclude that millions of people now on the earth will
still be on the earth in 1925. Then, based upon the promises set forth in the divine Word,
we must reach the positive and indisputable conclusion that millions now living will
never die.”
Millions Now Living Will Never Die, (1920) p.97
By what stretch of the imagination could one conclude that such “food” was “the right sort
of food” served “at the proper time?” Additionally, in 1914 their organization was less than 40
years old. Russell had rejected all other groups and formed his own. Yet, regarding their so-called
“appointment” in 1919 they say:
“Now surely its growing interests would not be left in the hands of a novice organization of spiritual babes. And that proved to be true. It was the 1900-year-old ‘faithful and discreet slave,’ the old Christian congregation, that was entrusted with this precious Kingdom service.”
The Watchtower, July 15, 1960, p. 436
Russell was said to have “revived the great truths taught by Jesus and the apostles.” (See
Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, p.17). Such would not have been necessary had there been on earth a 1900-year-old “faithful and discreet slave” as they teach. This is another contradiction. The WT organization was a novice religion. This, too, contradicts their premise.
You might ask the next JW that calls on you the following questions: (1) Who makes up the “faithful and discreet slave” of Matthew 24:45-47? (2) When did this “slave” come into being? (3) Has it had a continuous existence for the past 19 centuries? (4) Where was this “slave” when Russell got his start? (5) How could he come to a knowledge of truth apart from this “slave?” (6) If the quality of the food being served was the basis for Christ’s approval, how would they describe the food being served by the WBTS from 1879 to 1919? (7) If there had been a 1900- year- old “slave” faithfully serving up progressive spiritual truths, why was it necessary for Russell to “revive” these truths?
HOW does the Society link intself to the first century christians? They make a quantum leap from the first century to now by saying: "Similarly, in God's organization today ... " The Society argues that there has been a divinely appointed "faithful and discreet slave" class of Christians on earth since A.D.33; and that this class has had a Governing Body of divinely appointed men in place all through the more than 19 hundred years since then.
By enforcing the consequences of the Society's argument in this matter we are forced to conclude that Russell and his little band of followers must have broken away from God's organization. If it is argued that a corrupted form of Christianity was what Russell broke away from does that not conflict with their position that one must be "content to wait on God to rectify wrongs?" If Russell and his followers realized that something was wrong in 'Christendom,' then, like David, they should have refrained from taking matters into their own hands by rebelling against it. Russell
should have waited on Jehovah! The Society tries to get around this inconsistency by saying that 'Christendom' never did represent true Christianity because it was always apostate. They say that when God's ancient nation was faithful it pictured them; but when it was unfaithful it pictured 'Christendom,' i.e., every religion other than their own. This is nonsense. The nation of Israel was always God's people whether
they were faithful or not. They did not change identity according to whether they were faithful or not. If your son, Johnny, is a good boy today and a bad boy tomorrow he is your son on either day. The Society's argument has no basis in fact but is fabricated to consolidate their authoritarian control over Jehovah's Witnesses.