Faithful and Discreet Slave parable through the three gospels

by pixel 26 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  pixel

  This is the parable of the Faithful and Discreet Slave, put up from the three gospels, so you can see their differences (3 gospels out of 4 relate this):

  Matthew 24:42-51: (Prefered by the GB/FDS/GB)

  42 Keep on the watch, therefore, because ? YOU ? do not know on what day ? YOUR ? Lord is coming. 43 “But know one thing, that if the householder had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have kept awake and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 On this account ? YOU ? too prove yourselves ready, because at an hour that ? YOU ? do not think to be it, the Son of man is coming. 45 “Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time?46 Happy is that slave if his master on arriving finds him doing so. 47 Truly I say to ? YOU , He will appoint him over all his belongings. 48 “But if ever that evil slave should say in his heart, ‘My master is delaying, 49 and should start to beat his fellow slaves and should eat and drink with the confirmed drunkards, 50 the master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect and in an hour that he does not know, 51 and will punish him with the greatest severity and will assign him his part with the hypocrites. There is where [his] weeping and the gnashing of [his] teeth will be.

  Questions:

  On verse 49 it says: "His fellow slaves". Who are they? If they are fellows, they mean they are at the same level.

  Mark 13:34-37

  34 It is like a man traveling abroad that left his house and gave the authority to his slaves, to each one his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to keep on the watch. 35 Therefore keep on the watch, for ? YOU ? do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether late in the day or at midnight or at cockcrowing or early in the morning; 36 in order that when he arrives suddenly, he does not find ? YOU ? sleeping. 37 But what I say to ? YOU ? I say to all, Keep on the watch.”

  Questions:

  On verse 34, Jesus starts with: "It's like a man..." from this, you can say he will talk using an example or parable. He speaks about more than one slave. Mark omits the "feeding". The important part here is "keep on the watch".

  Luke 12:35-48:

  35 “Let ? YOUR ? loins be girded and ? YOUR ? lamps be burning, 36 and ? YOU ? yourselves be like men waiting for their master when he returns from the marriage, so that at his arriving and knocking they may at once open to him. 37 Happy are those slaves whom the master on arriving finds watching! Truly I say to ? YOU , He will gird himself and make them recline at the table and will come alongside and minister to them. 38 And if he arrives in the second watch, even if in the third, and finds them thus, happy are they! 39 But know this, that if the householder had known at what hour the thief would come, he would have kept watching and not have let his house be broken into. 40 Y OU ? also, keep ready, because at an hour that ? YOU ? do not think likely the Son of man is coming.”

  41 Then Peter said: “Lord, are you saying this illustration to us or also to all?” 42 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 measure of food supplies at the proper time? 43 Happy is that slave, if his master on arriving finds him doing so! 44 I tell ? YOU ? truthfully, He will appoint him over all his belongings. 45 But if ever that slave should say in his heart, ‘My master delays coming,’ and should start to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that slave will come on a day that he is not expecting [him] and in an hour that he does not know, and he will punish him with the greatest severity and assign him a part with the unfaithful ones. 47 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. 48 But the one that did not understand and so did things deserving of strokes will be beaten with few. Indeed, everyone to whom much was given, much will be demanded of him; and the one whom people put in charge of much, they will demand more than usual of him.

  Questions:

  On verse 38, Jesus speaks about more than one slave. Here on verse 45, Jesus introduces male and female servants. Who are they?
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  Londo111

  It's a very simple parable: A Christian can either be a faithful slave or an unfaithful one. Jesus asked the question, “Who is the faithful slave?” so that each Christian can search themselves: “Am I being faithful and discreet?”
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  pixel

  Yes @ Londo111
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  wannabefree

  Thanks pixel, interesting seeing the three accounts side by side. Imagine if they tried to make their teaching fit with the context of all of these ... which is what should be expected right? What a nightmare!
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  Bobcat

  Pixel:

  I'll help a little with sorting these out -

  The account in Luke is the earliest. That is, it was given earliest in Jesus' ministry. Possibly six months or so before the Olivet discourse which is the setting for Matthew 24 and Mark 13.

  And you will notice that it (the Lukan version) is the the most detailed, replete with the basic principle upon which the whole parable is based:

  "Indeed, everyone to whom much was given, much will be demanded of him; and the one whom people put in charge of much, they will demand more than usual of him." (Luke 12:48b)

  In English it is not as easy to tell, but 48b actually ties back to Peter's question which prompted Jesus to give this parable. In v.41 Peter asks, "Lord, are you saying this illustration to us (pros hemas) or also to all (pros pantas)? Peter is referring to the illustration in vv. 35-40.

  After giving the parable of the FDS, Jesus includes the principle from v. 48, "Indeed" (which is the NWT rendition of de, literally "but), "everyone" (panti - a form of panta), which Peter used in his question, meaning "all," but in v. 48 rendered "everyone."

  So, if you see the linguistic connection, Jesus answers Peter's question by saying, in effect, 'Yes, I'm saying this to all,' but he adds the qualification, 'all that have been given much or entrusted with much.' And, of course, in this setting, the things 'given' or 'entrusted' are in connection with being a disciple of Jesus.

  Jesus doesn't elaborate further because the parable is designed to cause each individual disciple to contemplate whether that describes himself/herself and to act accordingly.

  The Markan version is the briefest and parallels Luke 12 :35-40. But Mark, rather than quote the FDS parable simply says, "But what I say to you I say to all, keep on the watch."

  So you can see Mark keeps the idea that Jesus was trying to get across without quoting the FDS parable at all.

  Matthew's account is of the same setting as Mark, the discourse on the Mt of Olives. Most scholars are of the opinion that Matthew's gospel was written later than Mark's. And this is a good example why. Matthew's version expands on the briefer Markan account. Had Matthew written his first, there would have been little need for Mark to give his briefer version.

  At any rate, Matthew has more of what Luke has, but not as much as the Lukan account. It is a trimmed down, retold version. Vv. 42-44 parallel Luke 12:35-40. Peter's question in Luke 12:41 is omitted, because Jesus is retelling the material here (about six months after the disciples heard it the first time). Thus, the parable of the FDS follows directly after in vv. 45-48.

  If you want more details about various aspects of the parable, I can look up links to material I posted on it in other threads. But I'm not sure if you are looking for any more. So I'll wait and see what you say. And, of course, many others have posted on this subject also.

  Hope this helps some

  Take care
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  pixel

  wannabefree

  Bobcat, thanks a lot for your insights! I don't have the time to look at your links now, but if you will, feel free to drop them here. Would like to read them. Thanks!
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  Rattigan350

  To faithful jws, the FDS GB is the new Moses.
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  Bobcat

  Previous research on the F&DS parable:

  Meaning of "discreet" and irony of GB being part of - see here (my post 306)

  Jesus belongings - see here (my post 559)

  "Who really is" - see here (my post 343) The whole thread is very informative.

  Several here

  Jesus' "belongings (my post 560 - also see above post 559)

  'evil slave' (my post 561)

  punishment on return (my post 563)

  Master's leaving - see here (my post 320)

  Take Care
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  Apognophos

  Honestly, I'm not seeing how this is problematical for the WT's FDS interpretation. Granted, as Londo111 said, this was a parable and has no prophetic fulfillment, but...

  Matthew 24:42-51: (Prefered by the GB/FDS/GB)

  [...]

  Questions:

  On verse 49 it says: "His fellow slaves". Who are they? If they are fellows, they mean they are at the same level.

  They were at the same level, until the master appointed one servant over the other domestics. Similarly, the modern-day F&DS are supposed to be just like the rest of us initially, 'fellow workers in the Lord', until their specific attributes and service to God earns them the promotion over the other domestics. The new light on the F&DS interpretation actually takes us closer to a logical explanation rather than further away in this one respect: that all those in the organization who are not preparing the "spiritual food" (whichever "hope" they have) are the domestics.

  Mark 13:34-37

  [...]

  Questions:

  On verse 34, Jesus starts with: "It's like a man..." from this, you can say he will talk using an example or parable. He speaks about more than one slave. Mark omits the "feeding". The important part here is "keep on the watch".

  Yes, there is more than one slave, however that doesn't conflict with the other parables where extra authority is given to one especially 'faithful and wise servant'. Put another way, the WT can simply say that we are all slaves, but only one (composite) person is the 'faithful and discreet' slave.

  Luke 12:35-48:

  [...]

  Questions:

  On verse 38, Jesus speaks about more than one slave. Here on verse 45, Jesus introduces male and female servants. Who are they?

  See my answer to question 1.
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  *lost*

  Slaves are workers. If you think of the master as the rich plantation owner (equally applicable to the corporation model) (factory) , the workers are the overseers (in charge of running plantation and house and caring for the other workers like, foremen, labours, hose staff etc etc... (domestics (wild animals, domestic farm animals). It is still a structure of organisation, positions or roles of power and responsibilty, down the rung to the bottom, the lower class workers.

  So if the slaves (workers) in higher positions of responsibility don't take proper care of things and abuse said positions over the other workers ... when the master, boss, returns unexpectantly he finds out what is going on. They are not doing what they are supposed to/say to be doing. They will receive the greater punishment ... there are in the worst position and they know they are in serious trouble now they have been caught out. whereas the other slaves, workers diligently get on with the work and get it done (faithful and discreet)

  Corruption. It got corrupted. poisoned. dark. wicked. evil slave.