Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 09-29-2013 WT Study (GB = FDS)

This is a little late but this has been discussed ever since the WTS posted the July 15, 2013, magazine on www.jw.org, the official website of the Watchtower organization. Reader impressions depend on many things, 1) were they ever a jw 2) when a jw became a member with an adult viewpoint and memory 3) how diligent a student they were, prestudying and participating in the meetings and informal discussions with family and friends 4) knowing people from the early jw history, in my case my grandparents from the 1920’s and their contemporaries, my parents from the 40’s and 50’s, myself from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s till today.

To really understand today’s article, requires understanding the past. That involves a little effort on our part to delve into the past we did not live through or sleep through.

If the FDS is yet future what does that mean to jws who say they are anointed and where does the 1970’s incarnation of the WT governing body fit in, especially since the term “governing body” never occurs in the bible and had a different incarnation prior to that: WT Body of Directors = governing body. Why are no mentions made of Knorr, Suiter, Fred Franz, being on the governing body prior to the 1970’s? There was a time when only anointed brothers could be “elders” which meant the 500 voters of the board of directors would have been anointed….after 1935 eventually there were few anointed men.

*** w50 1/1 pp. 10-11 par. 2 Reviewing the Past Year’s Work World-wide ***

The Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, the governing body of Jehovah’s witnesses, has pointed out through its publications that the kingdom of heaven was established in 1914, and it has shown in its writings how the signs of the present day are fulfilling prophecy in proof of the establishment of that kingdom.

*** w50 8/1 p. 232 par. 4 Servant’s Care of the Master’s Goods ***

Yes, these “goods” have been placed under the jurisdiction of the anointed remnant with its legal governing body operating through the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society. No one else in the whole world has been given or made responsible for these possessions, nor given the authority to direct and handle such interests. To some readers this may seem a hard statement; but it is the truth, and is made for the protection of the Lord’s “other sheep”, that they may recognize this “faithful and wise servant” and know the “master” has confidence in his discharging faithfully what has been entrusted.

*** w66 9/15 p. 558 par. 15 Jehovah’s Witnesses Endure for His Sovereign Godship ***

The modern Elihu seems well to comprise the spiritual governing body of the anointed remnant of Christ’s body always closely associated with the directors of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.

*** w71 2/1 p. 81 par. 26 Proclaiming Good News World Wide ***

Today the organization that God has raised up for preaching the good news of the Kingdom also has a governing body. It represents the “faithful and discreet slave” class of anointed Christians that Jesus spoke about in an illustration at Matthew 24:45 to 47. These fulfill their responsibility to provide spiritual food “at the proper time,” doing so through the governing body. This governing body is closely associated with the board of anointed directors of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.

The change….

Why does the WTS use small letters before “governing body” when referring to the 1 st century but “Governing Body” when referring to their GB today since 1971? Do you know why there is no section in the Insight book under “governing body”?

*** w71 12/15 pp. 755-756 A Governing Body as Different from a Legal Corporation ***

ON Friday morning, October 1, 1971, the legal corporation known as Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania held its annual corporation meeting, this time in the Assembly Hall of Jehovah’s witnesses at Buckingham, Pennsylvania. All seven members of the Board of Directors of said Society attended and had a part in the program presented. The membership of this Society is limited to five hundred at the most, there being at present four hundred and fifty such members throughout the earth. Many of these members attended this annual corporation meeting in person, still more by means of proxy. All together, 2,076 attended this corporation meeting, doubtless all of them being interested Christian witnesses of Jehovah.

At this meeting a question came up and was discussed from the platform. It was as to what the relationship is between the Board of Directors of the Society as a legal corporation and the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses. Are they the same, identical, or are they different? Such questions were due to the fact that it has been published in print that the Governing Body of Jehovah’s witnesses at headquarters is associated with the Board of Directors of the said Society. How did this come about, and does this make the Board of Directors the same as the Governing Body of Jehovah’s witnesses all the earth around?

The official magazine of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses is The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. In the year 1944 the Watchtower magazine began to speak about the governing body of the Christian congregation. The true Christian congregation was established on the festival day of Pentecost of the year 33 C.E. at Jerusalem in the Roman province of Judea. On that notable day this congregation of dedicated Christians, consisting then of about 120 members, was anointed with holy spirit, which Jehovah God poured out upon them through the glorified Jesus Christ. This anointed body of dedicated, baptized Christians was then given a special assignment of service. According to the prophetic words of Jesus Christ at Matthew 24:45-47, it was given the appointment as the “faithful and discreet slave.” The now heavenly Jesus Christ was the Master and Lord of this anointed “slave” class.

The Bible book, Acts of Apostles, discloses that this anointed Christian congregation as a “slave” class had a visible, earthly governing body. On that day of Pentecost it was composed of twelve men, namely, the twelve apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. Years later, about the year 49 C.E., this governing body was reported to include the then surviving apostles of Christ and the spiritual elders of the Jerusalem congregation. (Acts, chapter 15) This Christian governing body did not use as an administrative agency any legal corporation recognized, authorized and chartered by Caesar or any province of the Roman Empire. The decree issued was written up and carried by personal messengers to the Christian congregations that were concerned because of the non-Jewish or Gentile converts among them. The Christian apostle John, who wrote the last books of the Holy Bible toward the close of the first century C.E., was apparently the last surviving member of the original governing body appointed by Jesus Christ.

*** w71 12/15 pp. 758-759 A Governing Body as Different from a Legal Corporation ***

Hence the question arises, Can this majority of voters who are made up of such “other sheep,” by voting in the directors of the Watch Tower Society, at the same time be voting in the members of the anointed governing body of the “faithful and discreet slave” class? Scripturally, they could not do so. Not just because they are not anointed heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ, but because the governing body of the “slave” class is not appointed by any man. It is appointed by the same one who appointed the twelve apostles in the first century C.E., namely, Jesus Christ the Head of the true Christian congregation and the Lord and Master of the “faithful and discreet slave” class.—John 15:16, 19.

Another thing to keep in mind is this: The directors of the Society now have their terms of office expire after three years, and each year there are directors whose term expires and who need to be replaced or be reelected to office by the members of the Society at its annual corporation meeting. Each year also the terms of the three officers of the Society expire, namely, those of the president, vice-president and secretary-treasurer (and now also of his assistant). But is this the case with the members of the governing body of the “faithful and discreet slave” class? No! The members of the governing body are not elected annually, but are in their positions of responsibility permanently as long as they live and continue faithful as disciples of Jesus Christ. That was the case with the twelve apostles and with the fellow elders of the Jerusalem congregation.

The governing body does not have officers such as the Society’s Board of Directors has, namely, president, vice-president, secretary-treasurer and assistant secretary-treasurer. It has merely a chairman, such as the governing body of the first century had. Apparently, the apostle Peter was the chairman of the governing body on the festival day of Pentecost of 33 C.E., and the disciple James, the half brother of Jesus Christ, was the chairman at a later date, according to the account in Acts of Apostles. From this, and from what historical evidence there is available, the chairmanship of the governing body rotated, just the same as the chairmanship of the presbytery or “body of elders” of each Christian congregation rotated among the coequal elders.—1 Tim. 4:14….

START OF ARTICLE

1, 2. Through what channel is Jesus feeding us today, and

why is it vital that we recognize that channel?

“BROTHERS, I cannot begin to count the times you

have put into my hands articles that contained just

what I needed when I needed it most.” That is how

one sister expressed her appreciation in a letter to

the brothers who work at our world headquarters.

Can you identify with her? Many of us can. Should

that surprise us? Not really.

Comments

Did the early Christians receive material that explained the Bible? Were they inspired, are the WT publications inspired?

2 The timely spiritual food we receive is proof that

Jesus, the Head of the congregation, is keeping his

promise to feed us. Through whom is he doing so?

When giving the sign of his presence, Jesus said that

he would use “the faithful and discreet slave” to give

“food at the proper time” to his domestics.[1] (Read

Matthew 24:45-47.) That faithful slave is the channel

through which Jesus is feeding his true followers in

this time of the end. It is vital that we recognize the

faithful slave. Our spiritual health and our relationship

with God depend on this channel.—Matt. 4:4;

John 17:3.

COMMENTS

First, has the WTS proved that this food is from Jesus? Would Jesus teach before 1929 that the “superior authorities” in Romans 13 were secular governments, from 1929 to 1962 that they were Jesus and God, and then in 1962 return to the teaching that they again were the secular authorities?

How did Jesus feed the early Christians, was there a FDS then? Who was the FDS in 1879 till 1919? When did the FDS come to be?

3. What have our publications stated about the illustration of

the faithful slave?

3 How, then, are we to understand Jesus’ illustration

about the faithful slave? In the past, our publications

have said the following: At Pentecost 33 C.E.,

Jesus appointed the faithful slave over his domestics.

The slave represents all anointed Christians on

earth as a group at any one time since then. The domestics

refer to the same anointed ones as individuals.

In 1919, Jesus appointed the faithful slave “over

all his belongings”—all his earthly Kingdom interests.

However, further careful study and prayerful meditation

indicate that our understanding of Jesus’ words

about the faithful and discreet slave needs to be clarified.

(Prov. 4:18) Let us examine the illustration and

how it involves us, whether we have the

heavenly or the earthly hope.

COMMENTS

Get ready to make a big change as the WTS says “in the past, our publications have said.”

1) FDS appointed at Pentecost 33 C.E.

2) Composite FDS all anointed Christians (Bible Students from 1879 to 1931 when became jws)

3) Domestics anointed as individuals

4) 1919 Jesus appoints slave over his belongings although the slave still uses the cross, celebrates birthdays and Christmas, and uses pyramids to determine bible chronology

WHEN IS THE ILLUSTRATION FULFILLED?

4-6. Why may we conclude that Jesus’ illustration

of the faithful slave began to be fulfilled

only after 1914?

4 The context of the illustration of the

faithful and discreet slave shows that

it began to be fulfilled, not at Pentecost

33 C.E., but in this time of the end.

Let us see how the Scriptures lead us to

this conclusion.

COMMENTS

So how did the WTS manage not see the context?

*** km 12/05 p. 7 par. 4 A School That Helps Us Make Practical Application ***

He should make sure that any application of the Biblical example is in harmony with the context, with the Bible as a whole, and with what has been published by “the faithful and discreet slave.”—Matt. 24:45.

FDS does not appear until the “time of the end.” The beginning or the end?

5 The illustration of the faithful slave

is part of Jesus’ prophecy about “the sign

of [his] presence and of the conclusion

of the system of things.” (Matt. 24:3) The

first portion of the prophecy, recorded

at Matthew 24:4-22, has two fulfillments

—first, in the years from 33 C.E. through

70 C.E., and second, in a more far-reaching

way in our day. Does this mean

that Jesus’ words about the faithful slave

would also have two fulfillments? No.

COMMENTS

Sign of his presence (1874 or 1914 depending on the year)

Dual fulfillments: 33 C.E. to 70 C.E. and 1874 to 1914 or 1914 to 1925 or 1914 to 1975 or 1914 to “fill in the blank”

But the WTS did teach 2 fulfillments of the FDS: 33 C.E. to 100 C.E. then a disappearance to reappear in 1879 to be validated in 1919.

6 Starting with the words recorded at

Matthew 24:29, Jesus focused primarily

on events that would happen in our day.

(Read Matthew 24:30, 42, 44.) Speaking

about what will happen during the great

tribulation, he said that people “will see

the Son of man coming on the clouds of

heaven.” Then, in words meant for those

living during the last days, he urged

vigilance, saying: “You do not know on

what day your Lord is coming” and, “At

an hour that you do not think to be it,

the Son of man is coming.”[2] In this context—

when speaking about events that

would take place in the last days—Jesus

related the illustration of the faithful

slave. Therefore, we may conclude that

his words about that faithful slave began

to be fulfilled only after the last days began

in 1914. Such a conclusion makes

sense. Why is that?

COMMENTS

Great tribulation once started in 1914 and was temporarily interrupted in 1918; this teaching was eliminated in 1970.

If the WTS believes “you do not know on what day your Lord is coming” and, “At an hour that you do not think to be it, the Son of man is coming” why did they teach that the end would come in 1914, 1925, and 1975?

7. What vital question arose as the harvest season

began, and why?

7 Think, for a moment, about the

question: “Who really is the faithful

and discreet slave?” In the first century,

there was hardly a reason to ask such a

question. As we saw in the preceding article,

the apostles could perform miracles

and even transmit miraculous gifts

as proof of divine backing. (Acts 5:12)

So why would anyone need to ask who

really was appointed by Christ to take

the lead? In 1914, however, the situation

was much different. The harvest season

began in that year. The time had finally

arrived to separate the weeds from

the wheat. (Matt. 13:36-43) As the harvest

season began, a vital question thus

arose: With many imitation Christians

claiming to be Jesus’ true followers,

how could the wheat—anointed Christians—

be identified? The illustration

of the faithful slave provided an answer.

Christ’s anointed followers would be the

ones who were well-fed spiritually.

COMMENTS

So why did the early Christians need miracles as proof and people today do not?

WHO IS THE FAITHFUL

AND DISCREET SLAVE?

8. Why is it fitting that the faithful slave be

made up of anointed Christians?

8 The faithful slave must be made up

of anointed Christians on earth. Such

ones are called “a royal priesthood” and

have been commissioned to “ ‘declare

abroad the excellencies’ of the one that

called [them] out of darkness into his

wonderful light.” (1 Pet. 2:9) It is only fitting

that members of that “royal priesthood”

have a direct share in teaching fellow

believers the truth.—Mal. 2:7; Rev.

12:17.

COMMENTS

Anointed Christians or only anointed Bible Students and later jws?

From 1879 to 1935, Bible Students/jws were all anointed thus it was fitting for all of them to have a direct share in teaching fellow believers.

9. Do all anointed Christians make up the

faithful slave? Explain.

9 Do all anointed ones on earth make

up the faithful slave? No. The reality is

that not all anointed ones have a role

in dispensing spiritual food to fellow

believers worldwide. Among the wheat

are anointed brothers who may serve as

ministerial servants or elders in their local

congregation. They teach from house

to house and in their congregation, and

they loyally support the direction from

headquarters. But they do not have a

part in dispensing spiritual food to the

worldwide brotherhood. Also among

the anointed are humble sisters, who

would never try to assume the role of

teachers in the congregation.—1 Cor.

11:3; 14:34.

COMMENTS

New point: The teaching that elders, COs, DOs, do, teaching people in the ministry, from the platform in the congregation is not dispensing spiritual food. I always felt that….it is garbage.

10. Who is the faithful and discreet slave?

10 Who, then, is the faithful and discreet

slave? In keeping with Jesus’ pattern

of feeding many through the hands

of a few, that slave is made up of a

small group of anointed brothers who are

directly involved in preparing and dispensing

spiritual food during Christ’s presence.

Throughout the last days, the anointed

brothers who make up the faithful

slave have served together at headquarters.

In recent decades, that slave has

been closely identified with the Governing

Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Note,

however, that the word “slave” in Jesus’

illustration is singular, indicating that

this is a composite slave. The decisions of

the Governing Body are thus made collectively.

COMMENTS

1) SMALL group of anointed BROTHERS who are DIRECTLY INVOLVED (no women and anointed men not at WT headquarters

2) GB decisions made collectively (but only 2/3 majority required)

3) GB = FDS

WHO ARE THE DOMESTICS?

11, 12. (a) What two appointments does the

faithful and discreet slave receive? (b) When

did Jesus appoint the faithful slave over his domestics,

and whom did he select?

11 It is noteworthy that in Jesus’ illustration,

the faithful and discreet slave

receives two distinct appointments.

The first is over the domestics; the

second is over all the master’s belongings.

Since the illustration is fulfilled

only in this time of the end, both

appointments would have to come after

Jesus’ presence in kingly power began in

1914.

COMMENTS

Two appointments but not two fulfillments?

1) Change: Appointment over domestics after Jesus’ presence in 1914 (1874 until 1943)

*** w04 3/1 p. 13 par. 1 ‘The Faithful Slave’ Passes the Test! ***

AT Pentecost 33 C.E., Jesus appointed a “slave” to provide food at the proper time for his “domestics.”

2a) Over the domestics (both after 1914) previously Pentecost 33 C.E.

2b) Over master’s belongings (both after 1914)

12 When did Jesus appoint the faithful

slave over his domestics? To answer

that, we need to go back to 1914

—the beginning of the harvest season.

As we learned earlier, at that time many

groups claimed to be Christian. From

which group would Jesus select and

appoint the faithful slave? That question

was answered after he and his

Father came and inspected the temple,

or spiritual arrangement for worship,

from 1914 to the early part of

1919.[3] (Mal. 3:1) They were pleased

with a small band of loyal Bible Students

who showed that their heart was

with Jehovah and his Word. Of course,

they needed some cleansing, but they

humbly responded during a brief period

of testing and refining. (Mal. 3:

2-4) Those faithful Bible Students were

true Christian wheat. In 1919, a time of

spiritual revival, Jesus selected capable

anointed brothers from among them to

be the faithful and discreet slave and

appointed them over his domestics.

COMMENTS

1) Harvest season started in 1874

1,000 Years Approached ka chap. 11 pp. 186-187 par. 6 “Here Is the Bridegroom!” ***

In the following year (1877) Russell joined with one Nelson H. Barbour, of Rochester, New York, in publishing a book entitled “Three Worlds, and the Harvest of This World.” In this book it was set forth that the end of the Gentile Times in 1914 C.E. would be preceded by a period of forty years marked by the opening of a harvest of three and a half years, beginning in 1874 C.E. This harvest was understood to be under the invisible direction of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose presence or parousia began in the year 1874.

1889 "Remember that the forty years' Jewish Harvest ended October A.D. 69, and was followed by the complete overthrow of that nation; and that likewise the forty years of the Gospel age harvest will end October, 1914, and that likewise the overthrow of 'Christendom,' so-called, must be expected to immediately follow." (Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 2, p. 245)

2) Old teaching: Jesus and God inspected temple starting in 1918

*** w10 3/15 p. 23 par. 17 “The Righteous Ones Will Shine as Brightly as the Sun” ***

In modern times, this prophecy evidently started to be fulfilled in 1918 when Jehovah, along with “the messenger of the covenant,” Jesus Christ, inspected the spiritual temple.

*** w12 9/15 p. 25 par. 12 “You Know Neither the Day Nor the Hour” ***

But in 1919, there was a call to wake up! Jesus had come to God’s spiritual temple, and a time for inspection arrived

*** w04 3/1 p. 14 par. 8 ‘The Faithful Slave’ Passes the Test! ***

Just when things seemed darkest, there was a call to get active! In 1918, Jesus, “the messenger of the covenant,” had come to Jehovah’s spiritual temple to inspect and cleanse God’s congregation. (Malachi 3:1)

PICTURE: Whether our hope is heavenly or earthly, we are all domestics and need the same timely spiritual food

“The faithful and discreet slave”:

A small group of anointed

brothers who are

directly involved in preparing

and dispensing

spiritual food during

Christ’s presence.

Today, these anointed

brothers make up the

Governing Body

“His domestics”:

All who are fed, whether

they are of the anointed

or of the other sheep

“Appointed over

his domestics”:

In 1919, Jesus selected

capable anointed brothers

to be his faithful

and discreet slave

“He will appoint

him over all his

belongings”:

Those who make up the

composite slave will get

this appointment when

they receive their heavenly

reward. Along with

the rest of the 144,000,

they will share Christ’s

vast heavenly authority

*** w09 1/15 p. 31 par. 2 Highlights From the Book of Revelation—I ***

In 1919, Jesus placed “the key of the house of David” upon the shoulder of “the faithful and discreet slave” by appointing that slave class “over all his belongings.”—Isa. 22:22; Matt. 24:45, 47.

DID YOU GET THE POINT?

13. Who are included in the domestics, and

why?

13 Who, then, are the domestics? Put

simply, they are those who are fed. Early

in the last days, the domestics were

all anointed ones. Later, the domestics

came to include the great crowd of other

sheep.The other sheep now make

up the vast majority of the “one flock”

under Christ’s leadership. (John 10:16)

Both groups benefit from the same timely

spiritual food that is dispensed by the

faithful slave. What about the Governing

Body members who today make up

the faithful and discreet slave? Those

brothers also need to be fed spiritually.

Hence, they humbly recognize that as individuals

they are domestics just like all

the rest of Jesus’ genuine followers.

COMMENTS

So when “later” did the domestics become the other sheep too?

*** w09 2/15 p. 24 par. 3 They “Keep Following the Lamb” ***

3 Jesus has appointed the faithful and discreet slave “over his domestics,” that is, the individual members of the slave class, “to give them their food at the proper time.” He has also appointed the slave “over all his belongings.” (Matt. 24:45-47)

14. (a) The faithful slave is charged with what

responsibility, and what does this include?

(b) What warning did Jesus give to the faithful

and discreet slave? (See the box “If Ever That

Evil Slave . . .”)

14 Jesus placed a weighty responsibility

on the faithful and discreet slave.

In Bible times, a trusted slave, or steward,

was a house manager. (Luke 12:42)

The faithful and discreet slave is thus

charged with the responsibility to manage

the household of faith. That responsibility

includes overseeing material assets,

the preaching activity, assembly

and convention programs, and the production

of Bible literature for use in the

field ministry and in personal and congregation

study. The domestics depend

on all the spiritual provisions dispensed

by the composite slave.

COMMENTS

“Jesus placed…on the faithful and discreet slave” in the bible but it is yet future per the WTS

Household of faith = anointed? Or other sheep too?

Domestics = anointed and other sheep; CHANGE from domestics being the individual anointed only

Composite slave = not group of anointed on earth at any given time = only GB?

APPOINTED OVER ALL

THE MASTER’S BELONGINGS—WHEN?

15, 16. When does Jesus appoint the faithful

slave over all his belongings?

15 When does Jesus make the second

appointment—“over all his belongings”?

Jesus said: “Happy is that slave if his

master on arriving [literally, “having

come,” ftn.] finds him doing so. Truly I

say to you, He will appoint him over all

his belongings.” (Matt. 24:46, 47) Note

that Jesus makes the second appointment

after he arrives and finds that the

slave has been “doing so,” that is, faithfully

dispensing spiritual food. So there

would be an interval between the two

appointments. To understand how and

when Jesus appoints the slave over all

his belongings, we need to know two

things: when he arrives and what his belongings

include.

COMMENTS

1 st appointment?

Paragraph 11: It is noteworthy that in Jesus’ illustration,

the faithful and discreet slave

receives two distinct appointments.

The first is over the domestics; the

second is over all the master’s belongings.

Paragraph 12: Those faithful Bible Students were

true Christian wheat. In 1919, a time of

spiritual revival, Jesus selected capable

anointed brothers from among them to

be the faithful and discreet slave and

appointed them over his domestics.

*** w04 3/1 p. 13 par. 1 ‘The Faithful Slave’ Passes the Test! ***

AT Pentecost 33 C.E., Jesus appointed a “slave” to provide food at the proper time for his “domestics.”

2 nd appointment over his belongings (CHANGE: over belongings in 1919)

*** w09 1/15 p. 31 par. 2 Highlights From the Book of Revelation—I ***

In 1919, Jesus placed “the key of the house of David” upon the shoulder of “the faithful and discreet slave” by appointing that slave class “over all his belongings.”—Isa. 22:22; Matt. 24:45, 47.

16 When does Jesus arrive? The answer

is found in the context. Remember

that when the preceding verses speak

of Jesus as “coming,” the word refers to

the time when he comes to pronounce

and execute judgment at the end of this

system.[4] (Matt. 24:30, 42, 44) Hence, Jesus’

“arriving,” or “coming,” mentioned

in the illustration of the faithful slave

takes place during the great tribulation.

COMMENTS

Jesus ARRIVE not the same as COME

Great tribulation new idea?

*** w10 9/15 pp. 28-29 par. 15 Our Active Leader Today ***

Before completing his conquest, the Son of man comes in yet another way. He prophesied: “When the Son of man arrives in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will put the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left.” (Matt. 25:31-33) This refers to Christ’s coming as Judge to separate people of “all the nations” into two categories: “the sheep,” those who will have actively supported his spiritual brothers (anointed Christians on earth) and “the goats,” those “who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus.” (2 Thess. 1:7, 8) The sheep, described as “righteous ones,” will receive “everlasting life” on earth, but the goats “will depart into everlasting cutting-off,” or destruction.—Matt. 25:34, 40, 41, 45, 46.

17. What do Jesus’ belongings include?

17 What do “all [Jesus’] belongings”

include? Jesus did not qualify the word

“all,” as if to limit his belongings to

earthly things. In fact, Jesus has vast

heavenly authority. “All authority has

been given me in heaven and on the

earth,” he said. (Matt. 28:18; Eph. 1:

20-23) His belongings now include the

Messianic Kingdom, which has belonged

to him since 1914 and which he

will share with his anointed followers.

—Rev. 11:15.

COMMENTS

Belongings: Messianic kingdom since 1914 or 1878?

*** jv chap. 28 p. 632 Testing and Sifting From Within ***

Based on the premise that events of the first century might find parallels in related events later, they also concluded that if Jesus’ baptism and anointing in the autumn of 29 C.E. paralleled the beginning of an invisible presence in 1874, then his riding into Jerusalem as King in the spring of 33 C.E. would point to the spring of 1878 as the time when he would assume his power as heavenly King. They also thought they would be given their heavenly reward at that time. When that did not occur, they concluded that since Jesus’ anointed followers were to share with him in the Kingdom, the resurrection to spirit life of those already sleeping in death began then. It was also reasoned that the end of God’s special favor to natural Israel down to 36 C.E. might point to 1881 as the time when the special opportunity to become part of spiritual Israel would close.

18. Why will Jesus delight in making the appointment

over all his belongings?

18 In view of the foregoing, what can

we conclude? When Jesus comes for

judgment during the great tribulation,

he will find that the faithful slave has

been loyally dispensing timely spiritual

food to the domestics. Jesus will then

delight in making the second appointment—

over all his belongings. Those

who make up the faithful slave will

get this appointment when they receive

their heavenly reward, becoming co-rulers

with Christ.

COMMENTS

The WTS once taught that the world was in a “judgment period” from 1914 to the start of the great tribulation. That people who did not become jws during that period that were not serving Jehovah could descend into Gehenna, never to be resurrected, just as the people who died during the flood and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Second appointment ONLY AFTER THE SLAVE/ANOINTED GO TO HEAVEN: no ruling on earth

Change from being appointed over Jesus’ belongings while they are on earth….

19. Does the faithful slave receive a greater reward

in heaven than the rest of the anointed?

Explain.

19 Does the faithful slave receive a

greater reward in heaven than the rest

of the anointed? No. A reward promised

to a small group in one setting may

ultimately be shared by others. For example,

consider what Jesus said to his

11 faithful apostles the night before he

died. (Read Luke 22:28-30.) Jesus promised

that small group of men that a fine

reward awaited them for their faithfulness.

They would share his throne of

kingly authority. But years later, he indicated

that all of the 144,000 will sit on

thrones and share his rulership. (Rev.

1:1; 3:21) Similarly, as stated at Matthew

24:47, he promised that a small group of

men—the anointed brothers who make

up the faithful slave—will be appointed

over all his belongings. In reality, all of

the 144,000 will share his vast heavenly

authority.—Rev. 20:4, 6

COMMENTS

But a greater reward than the other sheep.

*** w99 8/15 p. 27 Benefiting From “the Grain of Heaven” ***

The majority of those who benefit from Jesus’ ransom will enjoy everlasting life on a paradise earth. “A great crowd” of these—prefigured by the “vast mixed company” of aliens who joined the Israelites in their Exodus from Egypt—will survive the coming “great tribulation” that will rid the earth of all wickedness. (Revelation 7:9, 10, 14; Exodus 12:38) An even greater reward is enjoyed by those whom the Israelites themselves foreshadowed. The apostle Paul described these ones, numbering 144,000, as constituting the spiritual Israel of God. Their reward at death is a resurrection to life in heaven. (Galatians 6:16; Hebrews 3:1; Revelation 14:1) There Jesus will give them a special kind of manna.

And the apostles are regarded as the foundation of the “temple.”

(Ephesians 2:19, 20) . . .Certainly, therefore, YOU are no longer strangers and alien residents, but YOU are fellow citizens of the holy ones and are members of the household of God, 20 and YOU have been built up upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, while Christ Jesus himself is the foundation cornerstone.

20. Why did Jesus appoint the faithful slave,

and what is your determination?

20 By means of the faithful and discreet

slave, Jesus is following the pattern

he set in the first century—feeding many

through the hands of a few. Jesus appointed

that faithful slave to ensure that

his genuine followers—whether of the

anointed or of the other sheep—would

have a steady supply of timely spiritual

food throughout the last days. Let us be

determined to show our appreciation by

giving our loyal support to the anointed

brothers who make up that faithful and

discreet slave.—Heb. 13:7, 17.

COMMENTS

giving our loyal support =

(1 John 4:1) 4 Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired expression, but test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world.

PICTURE: All of the 144,000 will share Jesus’ vast

heavenly authority

(See paragraph 19)

ENDNOTES:

(To be read as footnotes with the corresponding

paragraphs.)

Paragraph 2: [1] On an earlier occasion,

Jesus related a similar illustration in which

he referred to the “slave” as a “steward”

and to the “domestics” as “his body of attendants.”—Luke 12:42-44.

Paragraph 6: [2] Christ’s “coming” (Greek,

er_kho·mai) is different from his “presence”

(pa·rou·si_a). His invisible presence

begins before his coming to execute judgment.

Paragraph 12: [3] See the article “Look! I

Am With You All the Days,” in this issue,

pages 10-12, paragraphs 5-8.

Paragraph 16: [4] See the article “Tell Us,

When Will These Things Be?” in this issue,

pages 7-8, paragraphs 14-18.

CONCLUDING COMMENTS

This all reminds me of the hoopla in 1994 about “to’te” and later in 1995 about the change in the meaning of “generation” taking out the 1914 generation so many jws had hoped meant the end would come by 1994 (1914 + 80 year generation). Most pretended to understand the change and the basis of it. Others went on for years still talking about the 1914 generation, dying without see it, having lived long past the older jws born in 1914. As approach 2014, 100 years, are there some jws still alive at that age wondering when the end will come, as their end comes.

Who is the faithful and discreet slave?

Not the 144,000; only a few anointed men on earth, the governing body.

Who are the domestics, and when did Jesus appoint the

faithful slave over them?

Domestics are not just the individual anointed on earth but also the other sheep.

Were they appointed over them in 33 C.E. or 1919 C.E. or after the great tribulation starts?

When will Christ appoint the faithful slave over all his belongings,

and what will they include?

No longer were they appointed over all his belongings in 1919 but only the domestics; the new second appointment comes after the GT starts and not until they are in heaven, not on earth.

NEXT WEEK, YOU HAVE BEEN SANCTIFIED….

Another OT article, jws are the best Israelites…but the WTS teaches that only the anointed are Israelites. The WTS says who is more holy, anointed or other sheep?

“IF EVER THAT EVIL SLAVE. . .”

Jesus has placed the weightiest

of responsibilities on the

faithful and discreet slave—namely,

overseeing the domestics

and giving out spiritual food at

the proper time. Jesus knew that

those with greater responsibility

have greater accountability. (Luke

12:48) Hence, he concluded his

illustration about the faithful and

discreet slave with a powerful

warning.

So has Jesus taken note of the 1874, 1878, 1881, 1914, 1915, 1925, 1940’s, 1975, wrong predictions of the end.

Jesus warned about an evil

slave who concludes in his heart

that the master is delaying and

who starts to beat his fellow

slaves. When the master arrives,

said Jesus, he will punish that evil

slave “with the greatest severity.”

—Read Matthew 24:48-51.

*** w04 3/1 p. 13 pars. 2-3 ‘The Faithful Slave’ Passes the Test! ***

The expression “that evil slave” draws our attention to Jesus’ preceding words about the faithful and discreet slave. Yes, the “evil slave” came from the ranks of the faithful slave. How?

3 Before 1914, many members of the faithful slave class had high hopes of meeting with the Bridegroom in heaven that year, but their hopes were not fulfilled. As a result of this and other developments, many were disappointed and a few became embittered. Some of these turned to ‘beating’ their former brothers verbally and consorting with “confirmed drunkards,” religious groups of Christendom.—Isaiah 28:1-3; 32:6.

CHANGE: Was Jesus foretelling that there

would be an evil slave class in the

last days? No. Granted, some individuals

have manifested a spirit

similar to that of the evil slave

described by Jesus. We would

call them apostates, whether they

were of the anointed or of the

“great crowd.” (Rev. 7:9) But such

ones do not make up an evil slave

class. Jesus did not say that he

would appoint an evil slave. His

words here are actually a warning

directed to the faithful and discreet

slave.

*** w94 7/1 p. 11 par. 10 At Which Table Are You Feeding? ***

Food on the table of demons is poisonous. Consider, for example, the food dispensed by the evil slave class and the apostates. It does not nourish or build up; it is not wholesome. It cannot be, for the apostates have stopped feeding at Jehovah’s table

Notice that Jesus introduces

the warning with the words “if

ever.” One scholar says that in the

Greek text, this passage “for all

practical purposes is a hypothetical

condition.” In effect, Jesus was

saying: ‘If the faithful and discreet

slave were ever to mistreat his

fellow slaves in these ways, this

is what the master will do when

he arrives.’ (See also Luke 12:45.)

However, the composite faithful

and discreet slave has continued

to keep on the watch and to provide

nourishing spiritual food.

The anointed brothers who together

serve as the faithful slave

recognize that they are accountable

to the Master for the way they

care for his domestics. The heartfelt

desire of these anointed brothers

is to fulfill their responsibility

loyally so that they might hear a

“well done” from the Master when

he finally arrives.

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

"The timely spiritual food we receive is proof that Jesus, the Head of the congregation, is keeping his promise to feed us.... That faithful slave is the channel through which Jesus is feeding his true followers in this time of the end."

That means that Jesus is the false prophet behind all the WT prophecies that have proven to be failures. What kind of food is that? It's just more authoritarian garbage that the GB is shoving down the throats of the sheeple. I'm so glad I don't have to sit through these "studies" anymore.

I hope things are going well for you Blondie!

JW GoneBad

Thank you Blondie. I throughly appreciate all you do. I just sat down with my favorite beverage to read your commentary. Looking forward to it.

jgnat

Thank you for your work on this; I really appreciate it.

LoisLane looking for Superman

Great job, as always.

Thank you Blondie

LoisLane

WTWizard

This whole article is another wasted afternoon. It was intentionally made confusing so that people would feel dependent on the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger to understand it. The little tiny changes are about the only excitement in the life of the witlesses, so they study for hours on end to find them. All in the technical details.

And they ask me to sacrifice and give money for this?

blondie

Thanks everyone. This topic has been flogged for months...hard to add anything new. It reminds me of the articles in 1994 and 1995 adjusting the generation teaching. Brighter light that few jws understood. The WTS chastised people for trying to set dates when they had done it 3 embarassing times, 1914, 1925, 1975. I remember one sister that it did not matter, that "Armageddon would still come on time." Few jws had their eyes opened then and not now. But it convinces us that have left, that we made the right decision.

AuntConnie

Blondie, have you seen the updates sent to the congregations on dealing with this magazine? Our circuit is in chaos over the New Light, the elders received packets from different watchtower scholars and some "Local Needs" parts are probably going to happen the C.O. said. Our C.O. has been on the tele getting blasted and questioned by all the friends asking "what does this newlight mean?"

One circuit overseer has confirmed we are going to have local needs parts when the elders can wrap their mind around the new-light. A mock demo was put together last week, when three elders were giving their viewpoint what the new-light means, each were in disagreement in minor areas but the fact is it's mass confusions here. Love your study, only one I pay attention to during the week.

blondie

AC, I knew of jws that talked about it privately and a few who expressed doubts in 1995. But they are all still going to the meetings and gooing door to door. They found a way to calm the dissonance or put it on the back burner. Too much to give up with family and friends and still hoping on everlasting life in paradise on earth. Waiting on God to make it right. I took me 8 years from the moment of truth to leave permanently...12 years now. There was a lot of upheaval when the end did not come in 1975, 2% a year left for 2 or 3 years, and then things began increasing again.

Some will try to reform things, get pressure put on them, and then back off. Some may leave or slow down. not going in the "ministry" or give the apperance of doing so, stop donating, in the case of men, stay away from MS or elder positions and resist any efforts to appoint them, withdraw and do things with jw family and share their beliefs. I was in one congregation that had more ex-elders than elders, ex-elders who had chosen to step down or refuse reappointment.

Give this some time and see how it plays out.

AuntConnie

There is a high level of ex-elders and ex-servants here, which none of them want anything to do in the congregation. Their desires to help are long gone! Some were burned so badly, how do they find it in themselves to continue attending after the brutal beatings and group lies spread about them.

The quality of the elders remaining are not very good, some of these guys are very dumb and lord their position over smarter elders who stepped down.

Inviduals today looked weird, I might be reading something into nothing but nobody has questioned why the NWT (The Best Translation we were told, those old green Bibles, now it's gonna be more colored towards their gray outlook) was in need of a tune up or changes. I started to tinker this was not the Truth back during the great attack on Babylon 1986 or 87 was it? The Magazines that were causing friends to have hoses turned on them, dogs sic'ed or yelling. Do you recall the great campaign to attack Christendom, the Ecumenical Movement, "The Year of Peace" all putting us in hot water while most of the Governing Body sat in their ivory towers enjoying the reports of persecution against the sheep they were suppose to protect.

The "Uneducated Class" is not going anywhere, they will listen to anything the Governing Body say's without any neurons firing away. I wonder what you and your husband would think about our Kingdom Hall and some of the elders who are so hot to trot with kicking out members, seldom checking up on the weak sheep, special events designed to promote the spiritual piousness over members not allowed at these functions. We are the real life Pharisees, when Jesus Christ said "Father I publically praise you because you hide the truth from the "arrogant know-it-all religious zealouts" and revealed it to the babes". Which babes could understand the Over-lapping Generation, the New Light 2013 July and events getting you and your husband second guessing what you were hearing. I heard the term "Baffle-Gab" on a talk show, I think the watchtower is using bagglegab to impress their sheep who are too lazy to try to understand that the watchtower's leaders are not saying anything, just lots of big empty concepts and if you question it, they will use the "Appeal to Authority" or Circular reasoning errors. I don't like going to meetings anymore, it's all for appearances anyways, my husband will never leave because he can't get the power and praise he so badly needs and craves, he would fade into irrelavance like other elders have and can't live with it.

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 09-29-2013 WT Study (GB = FDS)

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