by stuckinarut2 23 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
So can someone clarify this please?
The claim has been made that the GB is the faithful and discreet slave. Especially was this highlighted during the AGM (when the silver bible was released).
But are they now saying that this "appointment" isn't happening until the "great tribulation"?
If so, then what power or authority do they really hold over witnesses?
Where are you seeing that?
Yeah, they said the "faithful slave" won't be known until a future time.
(As for authority, slaves don't have any, they're property.)
It'll change back, imo. It seems to me some sort of legal ploy to get out of responsibility in the various lawsuits and trials.
WT 7/13
19 In review, what have we learned? In the beginning of this article, we raised three “when” questions. We first considered that the great tribulation did not begin in 1914 but will start when the United Nations attacks Babylon the Great. Then, we reviewed why Jesus’ judgment of the sheep and the goats did not begin in 1914 but will occur during the great tribulation. Finally, we examined why Jesus’ arrival to appoint the faithful slave over all his belongings did not occur in 1919 but will take place during the great tribulation. So, then, all three “whens” apply to the same future time period—the great tribulation. How does this adjusted view further affect our understanding of the illustration of the faithful slave? Also, how does it affect our understanding of other parables, or illustrations, of Jesus that are being fulfilled during this time of the end? These important questions will be considered in the following articles.
They say there are two appointments:
In 1919, they were appointed over the domestics, once believed to be the annointed, later included "the great crowd." Now it means all JWs.
During the great tribulation, they receive the second appointment over all the master's belongings and are declared the faithful and discreet slave.
So yes, they technically can't be considered faithful and discreet without "completing" their perceived job of looking after the domestics and getting the pat on the back from Jesus at the end, but they use the title anyway because they've been declaring theirselves as such for so long.
Anyway, regardless, it doesn't change much. The message is still the same: we are in charge.
Matthew 24: 45Who 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 coming 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 says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying,’+ 49 and he starts to beat his fellow slaves and to 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 he will punish him with the greatest severity and will assign him his place with the hypocrites. There is where his weeping and the gnashing of his teeth will be.+
Wait for It has given a good summary.
From the above scriptures, prior to 2013 the GB taught -
- the FDS was appointed by Jesus in the 1st Century to feed the domestics
- the domestics were the anointed
- in 1919 after an inspection of the temple the FDS were found faithful and appointed over all his belongings
- the belongings included all the material holdings of the Watchtower and the other sheep
- the FDS was made up of the anointed with the GB being the representative of the anointed
In 2013 the GB taught
- the FDS was appointed over the domestics in 1919
- the FDS is made up of the Governing Body members when they come together as a group
- the domestics now include the anointed and other sheep (as well as the Governing Body members) and the GB just loves this teaching because it elevates the position of the other sheep whilst at the same time downgrades the position of the anointed.
- the FDS has not yet been appointed over all Christ's belongings, that is during the GT
- all the anointed (not just the FDS which exists only since 1919) will be appointed over all Christ's belongings at the GT, it is a shared reward
- the FDS is currently faithful & discreet and will continue to be because the wicked slave is just a hypothetical. In so doing, they have spoken for Jesus in announcing this before his return where he is supposed to be making that judgement.
the funny thing is, they get the bigger appointment, not just over the domestics, but all the belongings, at the great tribulation, but at that time, it is already the moment to say "goodbye" to all, for they are going to die, raptured before Armageddon strikes. so, call that a short term appointment, zero shelf life.
Or are they switching at that moment to the cosmic scale, inheriting the universe? might as well dream big.Surely not, for all that "sovereingty" stuff, sinn, redemption happened here on this most important planet.
while I was 'in' the fds was all the workers at bethel/s who produced the printed material not just the (non)magnificent 7. I guess this is another flip=flop.
@Prologos, from listening to a talk from one of the GB members (I think it was Morris), they are going to help Jesus destroy "the wicked" and then rule over all the people who are left on earth. So I guess that's their understanding of the Master's "belongings."
They get the major appt at the start of the GT which is why I think they're going to pull the GT card some time in the not too distant future, as it'll allow them to exert more 'authority' over the flock. Hence the reason why they've been saying be ready to do whatever we tell you to do. It's like they not only bought themselves more time, they've bought themselves more power and control. And what that's probably going to mean is the message (ha) will change to a judgment warning. Which buys them even more time. This could easily be dragged on for another hundred years. It really depends on who's in charge at any given time and what's going on both in the organization (financially/politically) and in the world.
