The Wt. leaders were trying to model their heirarchy after the Levite Priests and the Israelites.
Faithful and Discreet Slave parable through the three gospels
by pixel 26 Replies latest watchtower bible
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FingersCrossed
JW = A religion started based on Jesus' parables.
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cyberguy
Hi Pixel,
In Matt 24:42-51, there is only one “slave” mentioned, not two as most JW’s would explain it if asked. Interestingly, the “Thousand Year…” book explains it this way too, but then concludes that there are two “slave classes” that somehow come out of the one “slave”. Of course, this is nuts and the latest GB change, even crazier! Anyway, there’s only one “slave” with two potential outcomes in illustration.
Cyber
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QueenWitch
I agree with Apognophos. It's a parable not a prophecy. FDS is like a straw boss. He only has power because the owner gave it to him. The Matthew account seems to suggest that FDS was given a little bit of responsibility and then when master came back and saw that things were in order, he was given more responsibility. Mark's account suggests that more than one slave was appointed over various things, like having a cook, gardener, maid, etc. The doorkeeper or butler was told to keep watch. Maybe he was in charge of the rest? Luke seems to support Mark with there being multiple slaves; the butler, maid, cook, and gardener all help keep watch, perhaps on a rotating schedule that the butler set up.
Great idea putting them all together! I agree with Londo111 as well. Parables are supposed to make one think about some issue, like the Good Samaritan.
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DATA-DOG
Parable+Prophecy= Parablophecy. The WTBTS is a master of parablophetical interpretations. They have built an empire.
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sd-7
It's a question, not a statement. Therein lies the problem with the Society's interpretation of those verses. It doesn't say "there will be a faithful and discreet slave", it says "Who really is?" Proving oneself to be faithful and discreet does not of itself grant one authority, especially not at the 'beginning of the end', as you haven't really proven anything at that point. The context clearly shows the suddenness of the actual end, and the need to be ready for that, not for the 'start of the last days' or something.
But if these verses were never written, anyone wanting to gain power would just find a different set to justify it. There you have it.
--sd-7
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Larsinger58
When Christ arrives, he takes up the body of an imperfect man, a man who lived the life of the prodigal son, so the messiah is often referred to as being dead (i.e. "Where the CARCASS is, there the eagles will be gathered together"). The "sign of the son of man" which is an image in the clouds that appears before the elect is that of a dead, black child, representing the messiah who appears in the body of the "Ethipian eunuch" at the second coming. So the idea that this chosen messiah ends up leaving God's own house for a while before coming to his senses characterizes the messiah chosen to be the messiah in the flesh at the second coming. Christ doesn't have to be born perfect again since that was "once for all time" as a sacrifice. He does need to become the "son of man" again and thus must become flesh again through one of Adam's chlidren. So he simply inhabits one of his chosen followers who gives up his personal life to allow the Christ to use his identity.
But having noted that, it turns out the GB becomes unfaithful, but he becomes faithful in the end, and so he ends up inheriting all of God's belongings! Thus the true "faithful and discreet slave" is none other than Jesus Christ at the second coming himself.
In the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, you see first Lazarus is outside the gate of the Rich Man who represents the GB. His being outside the gate means he is disfellowshipped for immorality. But in the end, Lazarus goes to the bosom position of Abraham, meaning he becomes the chosen messiah in the flesh. In the meantime, the rich man is cast out and is now in torment, being in spiritual darkness. But Lazarus has all the spiritual light. The rich man wants just a drop of insight on his tongue to cool all of his false teachings! But that is not possible; he is cast out.
So in reality, the WTS' claim that they are really the FDS is an arogant presumption and is also false. They, instead, fulfill the prophecy of the evil slave who beats on his fellow servants as the WTS does. If you dare challenge them, you are marked or disfellowshipped! Even if your questions are legitimate!
So the true fulfillment is: The FDS is really Jesus Christ returned in the flesh at the 2nd coming, and the GB of JWs is the "evil slave" and the "man of lawlessness." This is evident by their many, now exposed false teachings! The light is now with Lazarus, who is Jesus Christ in the flesh.
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Bobcat
This seemed to be a good place to add some musings about the new F&DS doctrine and part of what Jesus said in Luke 12:42-48 where the longer version of the parable exists.
The WT now admits that the section about the slave turning evil applies, hypothetically, to the F&DS. Taking that as a premise, consider the implications of what Jesus says is a 'hypothetical' possibility:
(Luke 12:45-48 NWT) . . .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.. . .
Notice especially the latter part, verses 47 & 48:
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.. . .
Taking the new WT application at its word, this implies, according to verse 48, that it is "hypothetically" possible that the F&DS 'does not understand [the will of his master].'
It's late here. So I'll leave that thought for any to comment on.
Take Care
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Este
"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,
Compare "happy is that slave" to "if that evil slave". So do you have the faithful and discreet slave as well as the evil slave, or is the verse saying that the faithful slave will be evil? It does not read "the evil slave".......is the true meaning lost in translation or is the faithful slave and evil slave one in the same person? Who is the master of the evil slave?
Estephan