Faithful and Discreet Slave

[The Librarian]

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The faithful and discreet slave is the term used by Jehovah's Witnesses to describe the religion's Governing Body in its role of directing doctrines and teachings. The group is described as a "class" of "anointed" Christians that operates under the direct control of Jesus Christ[1] to exercise teaching authority in all matters pertaining to doctrine and articles of faith.[2][3]
The concept is a central doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses' system of belief[4] and is based on their interpretation of the Parable of the Faithful Servant in Matthew 24:45–47, Mark 13:34-37 and Luke 12:35-48.
The doctrine has undergone several major changes since it was formulated in 1881 by Charles Taze Russell, founder of the Bible Student movement. Russell initially applied it to the "church"—the "little flock" of 144,000 who would go to heaven—but five years later explained that it was an individual who would act as a sole channel or agent for Christ, dispensing "food", or new truths, for God's "household". Bible Students consequently regarded Russell as the "faithful and wise servant" of the parable.[5][6] In 1927 the Watch Tower Society announced that the "servant" was not in fact an individual, but was made up of the entire body of faithful spirit-anointed Christians; by 2010 that group numbered about 11,000 Witnesses from around the world.[7] In 2012 the society announced an "adjustment" of the doctrine, explaining that the slave was now understood to be synonymous with the Governing Body, a small group of anointed elders serving at the religion's world headquarters. The announcement also marked a change in belief about the timing of the slave class's appointment by Christ: it was said to have taken place in 1919 rather than in apostolic times, as previously believed.[8]
The current teaching is that the governing body is synonymous with the Faithful & Discreet Slave Class. There was no governing body in Russell's day. A Board of Directors was selected after Russell's death to take the lead of the Society's affairs. The Watchtower considers this to be the first "governing body" and also the first "faithful slave".
 

Role

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Watch Tower Society publications teach that Jesus uses the faithful and discreet slave "to publish information on the fulfillment of Bible prophecies and to give timely direction on the application of Bible principles in daily life"[9][10] as the only means of communicating God's messages to humans. It is referred to as God's "prophet"[11] and "channel",[12] and claims to provide "divine" direction and guidance. Jehovah's Witnesses are told their survival of Armageddon depends in part on their obedience to the slave class.[13] Governing Body members are said to act in the role of the faithful and discreet slave class when arriving at decisions on doctrines, activities and oversight of Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide, including making appointments to positions of responsibility.[14][15][16]

Origin and history

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The parable on which Jehovah's Witnesses base their doctrine of the "faithful and discreet slave", as rendered in the King James Version, reads: "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods."
Watch Tower publications state that Christ, the "master" in the parable, returned in Kingdom power in 1914 and at that date identified those associated with the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society as the only group still faithfully feeding his followers.[17][18][19] (Earlier publications apply different dates to this event. The date of Christ's inspection has previously been identified as 1919,[20] though publications have also suggested Russell's group passed God's test of fitness 40 years earlier, using The Watchtower as his principal method of spreading Bible truth from 1879. Publications had claimed the slave class began using the Watch Tower Society as its legal instrument in 1884.)[21][22] Christ, in fulfillment of the parable, subsequently appointed anointed Christians associated with the Watch Tower Society "over all his belongings". The "belongings" are said to today include Jehovah's Witnesses' Brooklyn headquarters, branch offices, Kingdom Halls and Assembly Halls worldwide as well as the "great crowd" of Jehovah's Witnesses.[17]

Development of doctrine

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In 1881, an article in Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence by the magazine's editor Charles Taze Russell identified the "faithful and wise servant" as "that 'little flock' of consecrated servants who are faithfully carrying out their consecration vows—the body of Christ ... the whole body individually and collectively, giving the meat in due season to the household of faith—the great company of believers."[23][9][24]
In 1895, Russell's wife Maria claimed that Russell himself was the figure referred to in the parable at Matthew 24:45-47, though Russell initially declined to accept the personal application of the title, suggesting that it should apply to the Watch Tower rather than its editor.[25][26] In 1897 Russell agreed that Christ would have made a "choice of one channel for dispensing the meat in due season [emphasis in the original]" and while he did not refer to that "one channel" as an individual, Russell did apply to it the personal pronoun "he" (for example: "if unfaithful he will be deposed entirely"), and noted "whoever the Lord will so use, as a truth-distributing agent, will be very humble and unassuming" and "he would not think of claiming authorship or ownership of the truth."[27]
In 1909, in an unsigned article, the Watch Tower mentioned that the "application to us of Matthew 24:45" had come "some fourteen years ago", or about 1895. The article went on to say "the Society's literature was the channel through which the Lord sent them practically all that they know about the Bible and the Divine purposes." [emphasis added][28]
The prevailing view among Bible Students that Russell was "the faithful and wise servant" of Jesus' parable,[29] was reiterated in the Watch Tower a few weeks after Russell's death in 1916:
Thousands of the readers of Pastor Russell's writings believe that he filled the office of "that faithful and wise servant," and that his great work was giving to the Household of Faith meat in due season. His modesty and humility precluded him from openly claiming this title, but he admitted as much in private conversation.[30]
The Watch Tower Society's official history of Jehovah's Witnesses states that Russell "did not personally promote the idea, but he did acknowledge the apparent reasonableness of the arguments of those who favored it."[31]
In 1917, the publisher's preface to the book, The Finished Mystery, issued as a posthumous publication of Russell's writings, identified him as the "faithful and wise servant" appointed by Christ;[32] as late as 1923, the Watch Tower repeated the same belief about his role, declaring: "We believe that all who are now rejoicing in present truth will concede that Brother Russell faithfully filled the office of special servant of the Lord; and that he was made ruler over all the Lord's goods ... Brother Russell occupied the office of that 'faithful and wise servant'."[33]
In 1927, Watch Tower Society president Joseph Rutherford reverted to Russell's original viewpoint, announcing that the "servant" was not an individual, but was made up of the entire body of faithful spirit-anointed Christians.[34]
A 1950 issue of The Watchtower appeared to assign to the "mother organization"—in reference to the Watch Tower Society—the task of feeding Christians "meat in due season";[35] in 1951 the magazine defined the "faithful and discreet slave" as a class of people whose teachings were imparted through a theocratic organization.[36]
1981 - Who Is The Faithful Steward, The Discreet One? - Talk by Frederick W. Franz then President of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
From 2000 the Governing Body was increasingly described as the representative[37][38] and "spokesman" for God's "faithful and discreet slave class".
Watch Tower Society publications had taught that the "faithful and discreet slave" class had had a continuous uninterrupted existence since being appointed by Christ at the time of Pentecost AD 33,[20] when the first 120 people upon whom holy spirit was poured out began "feeding" Jews with spiritual food. As new disciples came in, they filled the role of "domestics" and joined in feeding others. The Apostles and other early Christian disciples who wrote the books of the New Testament were also part of the "slave" class providing spiritual food to Christians.[39]
The Watchtower claimed members of the "slave" class were a close-knit body of Christians rather than isolated, independent individuals, and that one generation of the "slave" class fed the succeeding generation to maintain the unbroken line for more than 1900 years,[39][40] providing the same spiritual food to Christians worldwide.[20] Watch Tower publications did not identify the groups filling the role of the "slave" class between the close of the Apostolic Age and the early 20th century, suggesting it disappeared from "clear view",[40] but they implied they might have included the Lollards and the Waldensians (the latter movement described by The Watchtower as "faithful witnesses of Jehovah ... who sought to revive true worship of Christianity").[41][42][43]
A series of talks at the 128th annual meeting of the Watch Tower Society in New Jersey on 6 October 2012 made further changes to the doctrine about the identity of the "slave". The society's report on the meeting said that "the faithful and discreet slave was appointed over Jesus' domestics in 1919. That slave is the small, composite group of anointed brothers serving at world headquarters during Christ's presence who are directly involved in preparing and dispensing spiritual food. When this group work together as the Governing Body, they act as 'the faithful and discreet slave.'" The report said the slave "logically" must have appeared after Christ's presence began in 1914.[8]
The doctrinal change also redefined the "domestics" of the parable—previously identified as individual "anointed" Witnesses[44]—as all Jehovah's Witnesses.[8]

See also

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Watchtower (Study edition) - July 15, 2013
144,000
David H Splane: The Slave Is Not 1900 Years Old - Matt 24v45 

 

References

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1. The Watchtower, March 15, 2002 pp. 13-14 paragraph 4
2. Watchtower August 1, 2001 p. 14 paragraph 8, "A mature Christian ... does not advocate or insist on personal opinions or harbor private ideas when it comes to Bible understanding. Rather, he has complete confidence in the truth as it is revealed by Jehovah God through his Son, Jesus Christ, and 'the faithful and discreet slave.'"
3. "Jehovah, the God of Progressive Revelation", Watchtower, June 15, 1964, page 365, "The abundance of spiritual food and the amazing details of Jehovah's purposes that have been revealed to Jehovah's anointed witnesses are clear evidence that they are the ones mentioned by Jesus when he foretold a 'faithful and discreet slave' class that would be used to dispense God's progressive revelations in these last days ... How thankful we should be for the provision God has made of this slave class, the modern spiritual remnant, as they faithfully dispense the revealed truths of Jehovah! ... Jehovah's faithful witnesses have been progressively brought to an understanding of Jehovah's purposes, which are clearer now than ever before in history."
4. Penton, M. James (1997). Apocalypse Delayed. University of Toronto Press. p. 160. ISBN 0-8020-7973-3.
5. Penton, M. James (1997). Apocalypse Delayed. University of Toronto Press. p. 33. ISBN 0-8020-7973-3.
6. The Watchtower, February 15, 1927, page 55, paragraph 38.
7. Watch Tower, 1927, as referenced by Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watchtower Society, 1993, page 626.
8. Report of Annual Meeting, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, October 6, 2012.
9. Hoekema, Anthony A. (1963), The Four Major Cults, Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans, pp. 246–247, ISBN 0-8028-3117-6
10. Organized to Do Jehovah's Will, Watch Tower Society, 2005, p. 16.
11. The Watchtower April 1, 1972, p. 197.
12. The Watchtower August 1, 2002, p. 13 paragraph 17.
13. "Do You Discern the Evidence of God's Guidance?", The Watchtower, April 15, 2011, pages 3-5.
14. "Do You Discern the Evidence of God’s Guidance?", The Watchtower, April 15, 2011, "Jesus Christ is the assigned Leader of the congregation. He has delegated some authority to a faithful slave class, made up of faithful spirit-anointed Christians. That slave class, in turn, appoints overseers in the Christian congregation."
15. "Do You Take the Lead in Showing Honor?", The Watchtower, October 15, 2008, page 23, "It is Scriptural for “the faithful and discreet slave” through its Governing Body to appoint men to positions of responsibility, and some men are appointed to exercise authority over other appointed men."
16. Overseers and Ministerial Servants Theocratically Appointed", The Watchtower, January 15, 2001, page 15, "The Governing Body appoints qualified brothers at the branches to represent it in making appointments of elders and ministerial servants. Care is taken that those acting representatively on behalf of the Governing Body clearly understand and follow the Scriptural guidelines for making such appointments. Hence, it is under the direction of the Governing Body that qualified men are appointed to serve in the congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide."
17. Organized To Do God's Will, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 2005, page 16.
18. Hoekema, Anthony A. (1963), The Four Major Cults, Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans, pp. 300–301, ISBN 0-8028-3117-6
19. Beckford, James A. (1975), The Trumpet of Prophecy: A Sociological Study of Jehovah's Witnesses, Oxford: Basil Blackwell, p. 109, ISBN 0-631-16310-7
20. One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism”, The Watchtower, September 15, 1983, page 19, paragraph 19.
21. Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1959, page 22, "... in many ways the evidence was beginning to accumulate that, of all the early voices heard, Jehovah had chosen the publication we now call The Watchtower to be used as a channel through which to bring to the world of mankind a revelation of the divine will and, through the words revealed in its columns, to begin a division of the world's population into those who would do the divine will and those who would not. For this reason 1879 was a turning point in the work. This little group, headed by C.T. Russell, had now been tested and had been found fit to undertake the great preliminary campaign leading up to the climax expected in 1914."
22. "Willingly Expand Your Ministry", The Watchtower, June 1, 1963, page 338.
23. Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, October/November 1881.
24. Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1993, page 142.
25. Watch Tower, July 15, 1906, Watch Tower Reprints, page 3811, As Retrieved 2009-09-23, page 215.
26. Penton, M. James (1997). Apocalypse Delayed. University of Toronto Press. pp. 33–37. ISBN 0-8020-7973-3.
27. The Battle of Armageddon (Part IV, "Studies in the Scriptures") by C. T. Russell, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1897, page 613.
28. Watch Tower, October 1, 1909, Watch Tower Reprints, page 4482, As Retrieved 2009-09-23, page 292
29. "Testing and Sifting From Within", Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watchtower Society, 1993, page 626, "According to Brother Russell, his wife, who later left him, was the first one to apply Matthew 24:45-47 to him. See the Watch Tower issues of July 15, 1906, page 215; March 1, 1896, page 47; and June 15, 1896, pages 139-40."
30. Watch Tower, December 1, 1916, Watch Tower Reprints, page 5998, As Retrieved 2009-09-23, page 357
31. "Testing and Sifting From Within", Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, page 626, "Many ... clung to the view that a single individual, Charles Taze Russell, was the "faithful and wise servant" ... Particularly following his death, The Watch Tower itself set forth this view for a number of years. In view of the prominent role that Brother Russell had played, it appeared to the Bible Students of that time that this was the case. He did not personally promote the idea, but he did acknowledge the apparent reasonableness of the arguments of those who favored it."
32. Publisher's Preface, Studies in the Scriptures, Series VII: The Finished Mystery, Peoples Pulpit Association, Brooklyn, NY, 1917.
33. Watch Tower, March 1, 1923, pages 68 and 71, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, Commentary Press, 2007, page 63.
34. Watch Tower, 1927, as referenced by Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watchtower Society, 1993, page 626.
35. The Watchtower, September 15, 1950 p. 326|"The Father is the great Provider of spiritual food, and he delegates to his organization the duty of preparing and serving this life-sustaining 'meat in due season'. The table is the Lord’s, he sits at the head, and the children seated at the table are waited on and served and helped by the mother organization."
36. "Release Under Way to the Ends of the Earth", The Watchtower December 15, 1951, page 749, paragraph 4|"Christ Jesus approved of his remnant as a 'faithful and discreet slave' and set this "slave" class over all his earthly belongings. Then by the theocratic organization Jehovah led them from one truth to another, opening the eyes of their hearts and the ears of their understanding to see and hear these truths."
37. The Watchtower, May 15, 2008, page 29
38. "Seek God's guidance in all things", The Watchtower, April 15, 2008, page 11.
39. "How Are Christians Spiritually Fed?", The Watchtower, January 15, 1975.
40. "Do You Appreciate the “Faithful and Discreet Slave”?", The Watchtower, March 1, 1981, page 24.
41. Theocratic Aid to Kingdom Publishers, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1945, page 307.
42. Franz, Raymond (2007). In Search of Christian Freedom. Commentary Press. pp. 128, 129. ISBN 0-914675-17-6.
43. Penton, M. James (1997). Apocalypse Delayed. University of Toronto Press. pp. 179–183. ISBN 0-8020-7973-3.
44. Insight In The Scriptures volume 1, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1988, p. 805-806.

See also:

 

[Jack Ryan]

Quote

Watchtower 1981 Mar 1 pp.24-26
"Witnesses of Jehovah understand that the "slave" is comprised of all anointed Christians as a group on earth at any given time during the 19 centuries since Pentecost. Accordingly, the "domestics" are these followers of Christ as individuals.
Some readers may feel that this is a rather sectarian view of matters. Or they may object to the idea that the "slave" and the "domestics" represent the same class, one as a composite body and the other as individuals. The objectors may argue that not all of Christ's anointed disciples have a share in preparing the spiritual food, so that perhaps the "slave" pictures only the leading ones, and the "domestics" those they serve in the congregation.
There is no point in trying to force an interpretation of the parable. Self-deception is of no benefit and is spiritually damaging. Therefore, we must look to the Scriptures for an understanding. In doing this, what do we find? [ ... ] Thus we see a clear Scriptural basis for saying that all anointed followers of Christ Jesus make up God's "servant," with Jesus as its Master."

recently changed to:

Quote

w16 Jan p.26 par.16
16 Not all who have the heavenly hope are part of “the faithful and discreet slave.” (Matt. 24:45-47) As in the first century, Jehovah and Jesus today are feeding many through the hands of a few. Only a few anointed Christians in the first century were used to write the Christian Greek Scriptures. Similarly today, only a few anointed Christians have been appointed to provide spiritual “food at the proper time.”

 

[Evacuated]

Rom. 12:3-8

Sometimes, we just don't think enough of ourselves as we should, don't you think?

[JW Insider]

1 hour ago, Eoin Joyce said:

Rom. 12:3-8

Eoin has included a great scriptural passage relevant to the verse. With the bolded emphasis on the third verse it might be a bit confusing, though.

(Romans 12:3-8) 3 For through the undeserved kindness given to me, I tell everyone there among you not to think more of himself than it is necessary to think, but to think so as to have a sound mind, each one as God has given to him a measure of faith. 4 For just as we have in one body many members, but the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, although many, are one body in union with Christ, but individually we are members belonging to one another. 6 Since, then, we have gifts that differ according to the undeserved kindness given to us, if it is of prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or if it is a ministry, let us be at this ministry; or the one who teaches, let him be at his teaching; 8 or the one who encourages, let him give encouragement; the one who distributes, let him do it liberally; the one who presides, let him do it diligently; the one who shows mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

Highlighting verse 3 only might imply that the seven or so persons on the current GB have 'thought more of themselves as is necessary to think' in the sense that have changed the doctrine to apply only to themselves when it once applied to over 100,000 different persons. I don't think this is what he intended, although Eoin should certainly correct me if I am wrong.

A better support for the practice of accepting that only a few should become teachers (James 3:1) is found in verse 8. The expression "the one who presides" actually means the same in Greek as "the one who takes the lead." One could argue that this is true in every congregation, not at a global level. The type of ministry that we, as JWs, specialize in, however, is an international evangelizing and teaching work that apparently requires a higher level of taking the lead over the entire worldwide congregation. (At least it can produce much more consistency and efficiency.)  Also, the implementation of a "Governing Body" is apparently paralleled by the idea of the apostles staying together in Jerusalem to focus on prayer and teaching, while selected "ministerial servants" managed the food distribution. That group of apostles evidently "morphed" into a "council of elders" at Jerusalem which included more than just the apostles. Prior to that, Luke says that they began a process of the 11 apostles voting to replace Judas with a replacement to keep the number at 12. Although this was done, it doesn't mean it was the "right" thing to continue doing. Similarly with the "council of elders," we don't know if this was something that would be required for all time.

But even without those precedents from Jerusalem in the book of Acts, we have Paul's word in Romans about different members having different functions. I don't think one can make a strong argument against having 'leaders who take the lead' both at a local congregation level and at a overall congregational level.

 

 

[Evacuated]

You understood me right JW Insider. I certainly do not think current GB have 'thought more of themselves as is necessary to think' in order to make sense out of Jesus words at Matt 24:45-47.

But I also believe that it was necessary for the GB to not think less of themselves than it was necessary to think in order to correct what was (for me) the rather clumsy notion that the faithful and discreet slave could be over the domestics and be the domestics at the same time.

Anyway, I agree wholeheartedly with your statement:

1 hour ago, JW Insider said:

I don't think one can make a strong argument against having 'leaders who take the lead' both at a local congregation level and at a overall congregational level.

 

[The Librarian]

New Light:

Quote

So there is good reason for us to understand Matthew 24:46, 47 to mean that Jesus will arrive to appoint the faithful slave over all his belongings at that time in the future during the great tribulation.* (See endnote.) Jesus’ prophecy shows that all eight of these scriptures that mention his coming refer to the time of judgment during the great tribulation. - study articel 13 7/15 p 8

The article explains that the FDS gets two appointments. The first is over "the domestics" - everyone else other than the GB. This is understood to have happened 1919. The second appointment is over the belongings.

 

@JW Insider Notice we are sticking with the 1919 inspection of the temple. (just a side note to add) We may want to start a different thread for 1919)

[JW Insider]

On 5/21/2016 at 8:41 PM, The Librarian said:

Notice we are sticking with the 1919 inspection of the temple.

Technically, we are not "sticking with the inspection of the temple in 1919." In fact, we never before had a doctrine about an inspection in 1919. And technically, it's not exactly accurate, even now, to speak of an inspection that happened specifically in 1919. Here's why:

Up until a few months ago (2013), we taught that the inspection of the spiritual temple was an event that happened in the "Spring of 1918." That specific year and time was specially chosen for a reason (see July 15, 1960 Watchtower, p.436) because it referred to the time that Jehovah himself disfellowshipped those who were disloyal:

*** w60 7/15 p. 436 par. 20 The Awake “Faithful and Discreet Slave” ***

Previously, in the spring of 1918, Jehovah came to his temple of earthly Christian servants for inspection and cleansing. (Mal. 3:1-3) The many bad ones were disfellowshiped by Him and sent away. . . . See You May Survive Armageddon into God’s New World, pp. 303 to 305.

I think a detailed review of the legal events of those days could easily be the basis for the change. Many of the specifics details that we used to claim were significant for that period are no longer considered significant.

At any rate, we also do not claim an inspection specifically for 1919 because it is now considered to be an ongoing inspection that lasted from 1914 to 1919.

*** w13 7/15 p. 11 par. 6 “Look! I Am With You All the Days” ***
To settle that question, Jesus began to inspect the spiritual temple in 1914. That inspection and cleansing work involved a period of time—from 1914 to the early part of 1919. . . .This is an adjustment in understanding. Previously, we thought that Jesus’ inspection took place in 1918.

*** w13 7/15 p. 23 par. 12 “Who Really Is the Faithful and Discreet 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. (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.

Hope that wasn't too pedantic, I just wanted it to be technically accurate.

 

 

[The Librarian]

@JW Insider thank you for the clarification. Interesting.

 

[Evacuated]

On 04/04/2018 at 11:08 PM, tromboneck said:

Why is that?

Definition of class:

a set or category of things having some property or attribute in common and differentiated from others by kind, type, or quality.

I won't over elaborating on the historical background to this avoid repeating other posts. 

Jesus illustration at Matthew 24:45, “Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time?" speaks of a"faithful and discreet slave" taking care of the feeding of his masters household ("domestics").

For a considerable time this was felt to apply to all anointed Christians with the hope of going to heaven to rule with Christ. The Bible of course speaks of another group of Christians, coexisting, yet having a hope of living on a cleansed paradise earth, referred to as "other sheep" at John 10:16.

In differentiating between these two groups of humans, united in worship but differing in destiny, the term class was attached to both designations for the purpose of clarity in discussing differing aspects. It would have been just as easy to use the word "group" or "type", both synonyms for the word "class". Perhaps "class" was felt to be a more suitable word? Just a style choice that stuck?

However there was always an uncomfortable aspect to the notion of the "faithful and discreet slave" being the anointed,  and the "domestics", who they feed, being the anointed as well. An odd picture with a confusion of roles always lurking in the background, people serving and eating at the same time, a "too many cooks" scenario in a way. 

Anyway, it was all cleared up nicely in the Watchtower 15 July 2013 p26 in the article "Who really Is the Faithful and Discreet Slave?"

A few points that stand out:

• The question only has relevance to the last days as there was no doubt who the Chiristian Congregation was in the 1st Century.
• Not all anointed ones have a teaching assignment inside the congregation.1Cor 11:3; 12:29, 1Tim 2:12.
• The task of preparing and distributing spiritual food is clearly carried out under the oversight of the Governing Body.
• The "domestics" are all those who are fed. This includes individual members of the Governing Body, the rest of the anointed, and all others who respond to the Christian message to gain evelasting life on earth.

So the illustration now makes perfect sense. The Governing Body are the faithful and discreet slave, with the responsibilty of providing spritual food for all anointed Christians, and anyone else who wishes to "take life's water free".

With such a simple definition now, it seems unecessary to refer to them as a class. In fact, it might even have a negative connotation in view of other associations with the word.We know who they are as individuals and, thanks to the JW Broadcast, we know what they look and sound like. Even with modern technolgy it would be difficult to have that same personal awareness of each one of the anointed.

[Witness]

On 4/7/2018 at 6:42 PM, Gone Away said:

The task of preparing and distributing spiritual food is clearly carried out under the oversight of the Governing Body.

One thing is missing, the role of the House (Eph 2:19) "Steward".  If this steward refuses to distribute all provisions from the entire anointed Body, he has wasted spiritual provisions in the form of gifts given to all anointed.  When this happens in practice - when anointed ones approach the GB about their wayward teachings, what happens?  They are "punished" - disfellowshipped. Luke 16:1-15  Administrators are an evident assignment in the Body, but they are not the only teachers.  1 Cor 12:4,7,8,10,11,14,15,20,21,25,27,28

Thus, the GB fulfills the role of the "wicked slave" who "beats" his fellow slaves.  Matt 24:48-51

And, they have smooth-talked every JW into believing their lie.  

 

[Jesus.defender]

First this "faithful and discreet slave" was russel himself.  ( The Watchtower, May 1, 1922, page 132. )

But then it was CHANGED to the watchtower organisation itself! ( Watch Tower, 1927, as referenced by Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watchtower Society, 1993, page 626.)

 

[Evacuated]

On 7/9/2018 at 2:36 AM, Jesus.defender said:

First this "faithful and discreet slave" was russel himself.  ( The Watchtower, May 1, 1922, page 132. )

But then it was CHANGED to the watchtower organisation itself! ( Watch Tower, 1927, as referenced by Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watchtower Society, 1993, page 626.)

So it was! And now, it's changed again!!! Yippee!!