In response to Englishman, the "parallel" passage to Matthew 24 is found in Luke 12.
Quoting from the NWT and setting the context, Jesus is asked to settle a dispute about inheritance
13 Then a certain one of the crowd said to him: ?Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.?
20 But God said to him, ?Unreasonable one, this night they are demanding your soul from you. Who, then, is to have the things you stored up?? 21 So it goes with the man that lays up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God.
Jesus then elaborates on this parable and summing up, refers to the disciples as a "little flock":
Luke 12:22 Then he said to his disciples: ........32 ?Have no fear, little flock, because YOUR Father has approved of giving YOU the kingdom.
And Jesus tells them - the little flock - what they should do
33 Sell the things belonging to YOU and give gifts of mercy [make donations to the poor]. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, a never-failing treasure in the heavens, where a thief does not get near nor moth consumes. 34 For where YOUR treasure is, there YOUR hearts will be also.
He warns the disciples to keep ready - and why does Jesus warn them (the "little flock") to keep ready?
Jesus tells us the reason
40 "it is because at an hour that YOU ["little flock"] do not think likely the Son of man is coming.?
At this point Peter asks Jesus whether this is relevant only to them (the "little flock") or to "all".
41 Then Peter said: ?Lord, are you saying this illustration [parable] to us or also to all??
Jesus precedes the answer with further illustration
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.
This raises a few questions about the organisational views of the "little flock", the identity of the "faithful and discreet slave" and the "144,000".
And who is represented by the slave "that did not understand"?
Watchtower 1 October 1981 ?Who Really Is the Faithful Steward, the Discreet One??
16 How, though, can we confirm that this has been the proper time for the remnant of the ?steward? class to be appointed over the enlarged ?belongings,? or interests, of the Master?
If the "steward class" numbers 144,000 and those Jehovah's Witnesses who considered themselves to be of the anointed numbered (Watchtower 15 August 1996 Questions From Readers ) 52,465 in 1935, would "remnant" be an accurate description of 36.4% of the total number who will reign as kings and priests with Christ?
And out of interest, does anyone know how many of these partakers happened to be found in the USA?
Thanks