The Faithful Slave and the Last Days

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.” 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.

COMMENTARY

Let’s break down the Watchtower’s comment.

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.”

This is a true statement. Except, it is not proper to call him “the faithful slave” at this point in time. That is why Jesus expressed it in the form of a question: “Who really is the faithful and discreet slave?” The reason Jesus put it as a question is because it will not be manifest who is faithful until the master arrives for the judgment. At that time some will be found to be unfaithful.

Although a couple of years ago the Watchtower dropped the untenable notion that Jesus has already appointed the faithful slave over all of his belongings, thus inadvertently acknowledging a future judgment of the house of God, nevertheless, the Governing Body continue to declare themselves to be faithful and discreet.

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.

“A small group”? No doubt. “During his presence”? – Absolutely false.

The coming of Christ initiates the parousia and effectively ends the domestic feeding program. Jesus’ presence is when he will inspect the house. That Christ’s coming to judge the slaves of his household is what the parousia is all about is evident from the 12th chapter of Luke. There, Jesus exhorted his slaves to be ready and watching for the return of the master, because he is coming at a time they do not expect. However, for those found ready Jesus will come alongside and minister to them. The word “parousia” literally means coming alongside.

The Watchtower’s invisible presence hoax ensures that the master’s coming will be an unanticipated development.

Throughout the last days, the anointed brothers who make up the faithful slave have served together at headquarters.

The last days have not begun. When they do begin the organization will be shattered and the sheep scattered.

For example, the letter of James is written to the 12 tribes of Christian Israel. James has some very straightforward and hard-hitting counsel for those living during the last days. At James 5:1-4 we read: “Come, now, you rich men, weep, howling over your miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted, and your outer garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are rusted away, and their rust will be as a witness against you and will eat your fleshy parts. Something like fire is what you have stored up in the last days. Look! The wages due the workers who harvested your fields but which are held up by you, keep crying out, and the calls for help on the part of the reapers have entered into the ears of Jehovah of armies.”

Obviously there has not occurred the sort of epic global financial collapse that is betokened by the symbolism of fire devouring stored riches. That is what is to occur in the last days though.

Although James used the metaphor of rust and fire and rot, the same as Jesus when he exhorted us to store up riches in heaven where moth and rust do not consume, the inevitable crash of the monetary system will have the same effect as if money were literally burned up in a ball of fire.

Who are the “rich men” whose wealth has rotted, who have stored up scorching fire against themselves? Again, keeping in mind the letter is written to brothers and not men of the world – Those “rich men”  are Christians. They are those who rule as kings – exactly like the Governing Body and anointed brothers at headquarters. Since rot and rust and flame cannot touch the spiritual riches stored in Heaven’s vault, the riches must be physical. 

The Governing Body are like the high-minded Corinthians, of whom Paul asked: “Are you already satisfied? Are you already rich? Have you begun ruling as kings without us? I really wish that you had begun ruling as kings, so that we also might rule with you as kings.”

Those today who declare themselves faithful and discreet live like kings in palatial splendor, at least compared to the many lowly publishers and pioneers who harvest their “fields,” build their temples and offices and provide for their every need.

When the master comes and the last days begin, the wealth of the world —including those of the anointed brothers at headquarters —will be incinerated. The faithful slave will then find himself out on the street. Ironically, although they will then have been appointed over all the master’s belongings, the brothers of Christ will have to endure a brief period during the last days when they are knocked about – homeless, hungry, naked, and sick. 

Because of the false prophetic expectations, the Watchtower has indoctrinated Jehovah’s Witnesses with, their “wage” will also rust away in the last days because it will appear as though the promised wage of everlasting life on earth is being “held up.” The “calls for help on the part of the reapers” is what is forecast in Joel.