We Understand the Identity of the “Faithful and Discreet Slave”

 

“Who really is the faithful and wise slave whom his master has appointed over his servants to give them food at the right time?” - Matthew 24:45

In the article entitled "Who is the faithful and discreet slave" ( link https://Attentionallaprofezia.blogspot.com/2017/06/ce-gia-uno-schiavo-fedele-e-discreto.html ) some fundamental passages were analyzed of the articles of the Watchtower of July 15, 2013 and it was shown how these had been "guided" not only to indicate themselves as "wheat class", a word in place of "faithful and discreet slave" because by now it is evident that such a slave , would have been appointed "faithful and discreet" only upon the arrival of the Lord and that is during His real enthronement and the end of the satanic system was approaching - Revelation 11:15-17 (the review however makes it clear that the appointment would take place "at his arrival as executioner").

On the one hand, this magazine "discards" this title (and therefore, according to what is evident, today there is no "faithful and discreet slave" ) and on the other it continues to consider itself as such.

At least one should ask why, if such articles have revised the time period of such an appointment, Jehovah's Witnesses in referring to the "governing body" continue to refer to it as "the faithful and discreet slave."

One should also ask why all the articles after 2013 including the very recent ones as well as various official videos continue to refer to "the faithful and discreet slave" and so on.

However, this blog article ended with a series of hypotheses including "peaceful change" or "split" but having now understood who will really restore true worship these hypotheses no longer exist.

We have seen in various previous articles that it is the 144,000 elect, all alive on the Sabbath day, who restore true worship.

This means that all members of all religious organizations around the world will have the opportunity to accept or reject the preaching of the elect before the false prophet appears by eliminating or absorbing them en masse.

No organization will be “reformed” but in the time of restoration of true worship but sincere individuals will have the opportunity to leave their respective religious organizations and become part of the “holy firstfruits,” the true and only people of God.

This article aims to answer the question "who is the faithful and discreet slave" and that is what the Lord really meant when he pronounced those words.

Rivers of words have been wasted on this subject, creating a gap between the fervent supporters of this figure as a "governing body" and those who assert that the Lord meant quite the opposite. For some there would be no "faithful and discreet slave" at least not as a "governing body", not as has been taught, because all Christians are supposed to be "faithful and discreet".

Just as we did with the article dedicated to hellfire, we will objectively examine the theses and objections of both sides, trying to speak only the Bible.

The reader is invited to meditate carefully on the material presented, without prejudice, evaluating only the Scriptures and their context.

Is the “faithful and discreet slave” a governing body?

Let's begin by saying that the concept of "governing body" or "governor" is well expressed, and many times, in the Scriptures.

Hebrews 13:7 for example says "Remember those who take the lead among you , who spoke the word of God to you, and as you contemplate how [their] conduct turns out, imitate [their] faith" - see also Hebrews 1:17 PM, 24

Other translations report "conductors", "those who guide you" and even "chiefs".

Now, regardless of which translation is more “digestible” for each of us, is it not evident that in the early congregation there were those who took the lead?

So all those who have so far disputed the term “governing body” saying it “doesn't appear in the Bible,” perhaps should focus more on the meaning of the words rather than sticking to the comma.

We can still see Acts 15:22 as well as the times it was necessary to meet to make some decisions, such as the one relating to circumcision and more.

In these cases, but in general throughout the history of early Christianity, it is clearly seen that there is a governing body that makes the important decisions and a series of brothers appointed and with authority at various levels - 1 Corinthians 4:14-17

It is not intended to argue whether today's method of naming is faithful to that of the first century; this is not the subject of the article.

The Bible confirms the existence of a governing body which is also the most logical thing in the world – compare Proverbs 11:14; 8:18 pm

Any organization must have capable leaders, someone to fall back on in case of trouble or changing circumstances – compare Exodus 18:14-27; Matthew 12:25

Some argue that Jesus was talking about this when he spoke the words recorded in Matthew 24:45-47

Not only.

They assert that this nomination (with some temporary about-face, as we saw in the introduction), i.e. the nomination of "faithful and discreet" (or "faithful and wise") has already taken place so that not only would there be today "a single channel ” arranged for it, but to go against this channel would actually be to go against God.

In fact those who openly stood against Moses, who was appointed by God, put themselves in a very bad situation – compare Jude 11

A consequence of the fact that today there would be only one channel appointed by God, all other channels automatically become demonic.

Despite the beating about the bush, on balance who would be the representatives of this "faithful and discreet slave" we must accept him at his word.

Are we all to be “faithful and discreet slaves”?

The other "side", if we want to call it that, claims that this interpretation, taken as a whole, is completely wrong and misleading.

To tell the truth, it must be said that to demonstrate the groundlessness of this interpretation, the blunders and inconsistencies of the organization(s) that claim to be led by the same are often cited.

For example, the numerous errors of a certain organization will be cited by asking the question whether the servants of God of the past, those mentioned in the Bible (that is, those who undoubtedly constituted God's channel) needed more than 100 years to understand how things were , given the continuous "growing light" that often upsets the previous one.

It will be argued, and rightly so, that the past “governing body” was indeed appointed by God or His Son, directly, so that there could be no doubt – see Exodus 3:1-10; Luke 6:12, 13

It will also be said, and always rightly, that if the restoration of true worship had occurred in 1918 or 1919, there should no longer be any talk of "progressive light" and there should be no more "new understandings" because the Truth should by now be clear , not to mention that a possible "progressive light" could at most modify a previous understanding, not upset it.

If a new understanding upsets the old one, at least one of the two (if not both) cannot be defined as "light".

The author absolutely agrees with these objections but we must not fall into the error of reducing the question to “which organization would be more right than the other” because only the Bible is right .

We are interested in understanding only what the Word of God says, not saving this or that other organization.

What scriptures are typically used to show that the understanding thus presented concerning the faithful slave is incorrect ?

Revelation 19:10 shows that all servants of God are likened to slaves, even angels.

The mention of the faithful and discreet slave is located immediately after the parable of the virgins and that of the talents and the message that emerges is clear: the need to show oneself faithful and wise, characteristics that are obviously in contrast with infidelity and foolishness - Matthew 25:2, 21,26

Perhaps 1 Peter 4:10-11 will also be quoted which says "In proportion as each one has received a gift, use it, servingone anotheras excellentstewardsof God'sundeserved kindnessspeak you speak as if they were the sacred oracles of God"and therefore the reasoning is clear.

All would be economical , all would be elected , all would dispense food.

Everyone can become lazy and wicked.

The same concept, that all should serve one another, is expressed by Paul in 1 Corinthians 12 – see also John 13:1-8

Who is the faithful and discreet slave today?

Now, regardless of our idea, did the Lord really mention the "faithful and discreet slave" to indicate all his followers?

Some interesting questions arise.

Does the fact that Christians were supposed to serve one another show that there would not have been a leadership, or someone “appointed over” the domestics?

Yes because, let us not forget, Jesus does not speak generically of a faithful and discreet slave but says that he was " appointed over the domestics" to give them food in due course.

This part of Scripture is often skipped or belittled.

Do we really want to assert that they are all alternately both slaves and domestics and that they all alternately distribute and receive food?

Is this really the image that comes to mind from the Lord's words or rather it seems to glimpse a gentleman who leaves abroad and entrusts the whole house, with various tasks and responsibilities, to a particular person or group of people ?

Or, since they would all be thrifty (and therefore serve one another) does it prove that there really isn't someone "constituted above"?

The Lord also "came to serve" yet it cannot be denied that He was the Head of the congregation - Matthew 20:28

In this case we are not really talking about "chiefs" but about managers, fellow slaves, who in any case received an assignment - compare Matthew 24:48-51

Isn't that what one would expect from a wealthy landlord forced to leave abroad for some time?

It would be more reasonable for this person to say, “Come on, be good. You all have the same authority and responsibility. No one rules over others” or “I mentioned this person. Obey him. He'll be accountable to me”? - compare Hebrews 13:17

Until recently the term "butler" from Lat was in use. maior domus or «(the servant) greater than the house»

Who was this?

A dictionary says "A person who, in courts and noble families, is responsible for the organization of servants and for the administration and care of the house".

Obviously, regardless of the fact that this term is much later than the time in which the Lord pronounced those words, his figure is very ancient and we can even find him in ancient Egypt.

Joseph, for example, became the "maior domus" first of Potiphar's house and then of Pharaoh's - Genesis 39:8, 9; 41:40

Despite this, the maior domus was in any case an employee or subordinate of the landlord, exactly as were the dishwashers and the scullion boys.

From this point of view there was really no difference: they were all "fellow slaves" to use a biblical term.

If upon returning from the trip the landlord had found "a disaster", with whom would he have blamed?

Would he perhaps go to the least of the dishwashers or would he take it out on the one who was in charge of the house? - compare James 3:1

We can start with Joseph, as already mentioned, as he was sold into slavery by his brothers.

Joseph's story is interesting because he, although sold into slavery, played a major role in keeping the children of Israel alive.

Joseph was truly constituted above all the possessions of the Lord because the survival of the nation depended exclusively on him.

Otherwise the great famine would have exterminated those who were to become the patriarchs.

Thanks to his faithfulness and discretion he had God's blessing and reached a position that allowed him to "distribute food in its season", in this case literal food - Genesis 41:25-43; 42:1, 2, 5-7

Without necessarily wanting to create a parallel with the time of the end (although reflecting on it can't hurt) in fact this story shows that from the beginning of Israel's history the Lord God put someone in charge of His people.

Of course, all of Joseph's brothers should have been faithful (which they did not do much of the time) but who, in this case, was "set up over"? - compare Genesis 37:5-11

So let's examine the history of Israel in general and see if we can find other evidence.

We know that most of the time the people were unfaithful and the main responsibility fell on the kings and priests – see for example Isaiah 28:7-13

This is just what the Lord illustrated in one of his parables, in Matthew 21:33-44.

God regularly sent prophets to bring those unrighteous cultivators to justice , but they mistreated and killed them, even killing the heir himself.

This is one of the few illustrations that the scribes and Pharisees understood very well.

The farmers were still slaves, employees of that lord.

Were they "faithful and discreet", that is, faithful to the assignment received, or wicked?

What would happen to these people?

The final words of the Lord were "The kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation producing its fruits".

Is it really so difficult to understand that those who would have produced the fruits would have taken the place of those unjust cultivators? Who was this illustration aimed at?

Did the Lord condemn every single Israelite or those who were supposed to teach the Truth? - compare Matthew 23:13-38 and contrast with Matthew 9:35-37

So who were the cultivators?

Who bore the main responsibility for having proved unfaithful or wicked?

We relate all of this to the Lord's words recorded in Matthew 24:45-47.

Shortly after the Lord's death, the nation of Israel would receive severe punishment, as He Himself warned - Matthew 23:37, 38

The vast majority of cultivators were wicked but the Lord, who is the fine sower, would have preserved his disciples who should have shown themselves very different from the rest of the rulers – Luke 22:24-27

They should have shown themselves faithful to the teaching and to the assignment received.

It goes without saying that every Christian has a responsibility to be faithful but the Lord was speaking of those who would be entrusted with the responsibility of teaching, exactly as priests of the past should have done.

In fact, in these words of his there is included the possibility that he (the slave in charge) becomes wicked as many others were in the past, beating the male and female servants, eating, drinking and getting drunk - compare Isaiah 5:11-13

In this regard , let's see in which contexts drunkenness appears.

Isaiah 28:1 says “Woe to the exalted crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the withered flower of its adornment of beauty which is on the head of the fertile valley of those who are overcome with wine!” and he goes on to say “And these also—because of the wine they have gone astray and because of strong drink they have gone astray. Priest and prophet — they have gone astray because of strong drink, they have become confused by wine, they have gone astray by strong drink; they have gone astray in their seeing, they have vacillated in decision” - Isaiah 28:7

Joel 1:2 says “Hear this, elders, and give ear, all you inhabitants of the land” and verse 5 adds “Wake up, you drunkards, and weep; and howl, all you drinkers of wine, because of sweet wine, for it has been cut off from your mouths” - see also Joel 1:9-14

So who are drunkards , in scripture?

Who bore the greatest responsibility for the condition of the people? Whom did the Lord call "seed of vipers" and "whitewashed sepulchres"?

Is it all the singles in the nation literally getting drunk?

Surely the wicked conduct of the one taking the lead adversely affects all the people, that goes without saying, but who specifically was Almighty God referring to in these scriptures?

Was he not referring to the priests and leading men of the nation?

Likewise if the wicked slave goes drinking with “the inveterate drunkards” the reference is to someone who would have been invested with a serious responsibility and who would have been judged more severely than the others .

Maybe someone who might even believe they have the authority to “beat” their fellow slaves.

We carefully evaluate a similar illustration.

The Lord tells the parable of the man of noble birth who goes abroad to secure royal power and gives his slaves ten minas with the task of making them profitable - Luke 19:11-27

On his return he reckons with his slaves and concludes with the words "have authority over ten cities" or "over five cities".

Let's stop for a moment.

If the good and faithful slave were "all Christians" over whom would they have had the authority?

Maybe on the wicked and lazy ones or on those who didn't want that king and who would be slaughtered ?

What cities are we talking about?

Would they have authority over rivers and lakes, stones and animals?

Isn't this parable absolutely simple if we don't let ourselves be guided by our preconceptions?

Those “good and faithful slaves” would have authority just like governors, that is, over other people as well as over a specific territory.

They would be constituted “upon that Lord's possessions”.

For the same reasoning that we have always made about those who go to heaven to govern, it is evident that they cannot all be rulers.

Those who believe that "all the good go to heaven" cannot conceive that there is a group of people on earth that could have authority over other people during the Millennial Kingdom.

What have we actually seen so far?

The Woman seen in Revelation chapter 12, who "flees into the desert" and is protected throughout the great tribulation, is precisely the one who will organize the courtyard, or rather "those who have the task of bearing witness to Jesus" until approaching war of Armageddon - Revelation 11:2; 12:6, 17

Will the Woman really be composed of those who will be named "faithful and discreet" and is therefore an earthly class?

Because of what is said of the "drunkards of Ephraim", for the moment we do not have the certainty whether the Slave will be named among the Jews (already part of the Woman) or among the seed of the Woman but if we go to see the parallel story reported in Daniel, Michael's rising refers to “those having insight (who) shall shine like the splendor of the expanse; and those who bring many to righteousness, as the stars to time indefinite, yea , forever” - Daniel 12:3

Prior to this event, others “having insight” are spoken of as being stumbled at Daniel 11:33 and we know that this was eventually fulfilled in the first century.

In fact, the first disciples of Christ, before Rome actually caused them to fall, imparted understanding to many and in the time of the end, likewise, there will be others imparting understanding to many that is, distributing spiritual food and they will be those who will now be appointed “faithful and discreet” right in the time of the end, just before the start of the great tribulation.

Exactly as we have seen with Babylon the Great, which represents not so much the individual Jews or the geographical territory as "who sits upon it" or the rulers and the main men, this Woman must take the place of the prostitute, therefore taking the lead on the real people of God.

Daniel also makes us understand when this slave was established (but not yet named "faithful and discreet") because conditioned by what many have been taught, it might seem strange that this group of people should be established in the time of the end and, always in the time of the end , he has already become tired (which would cause him to be named as evil).

This channel was appointed by the Lord, or the fine sower, in the first century - Matthew 13:24

No one will object that the first disciples of Christ were indeed God's people who taught the Truth, were they not? - John 17:17

However, it is with those alive in the end-time that He reckons with His slaves, or "after a long time" - Matthew 25:19

If we agree that the Lord who goes abroad is Jesus Christ himself, then we understand that the parables of the rich man and the landlord are similar so how can it be argued that the slave would be appointed only in the time of the end ?

If anything, in the time of the end, that is, after a long time, He returns and reckons with them.

If the Lord sowed the fine seed he reasonably expects those who call themselves his disciples to uphold that teaching – compare Revelation 3:7, 8

What is the Lord saying after all?

" Happy that slave if his master, arriving, will find him doing so !" - Luke 12:43

After sowing the excellent seed or entrusting the mines to his slaves, upon his return he expects them to do a good job... but what will the Lord find when he returns?

Similar warnings were given to the seven congregations described in Revelation.

Did these congregations exist at the time John wrote that book and so if the warning is addressed to them why does He say “Repent… otherwise when I come …”? - Revelation 2:16

Each of those who, over the centuries, have had positions of responsibility and that is, have had to do with the flock of God, will have to answer on the Day of Judgment for their management, but in any case it will be in the time of the end that the Lord will count with who you will find engaged in doing well and who you will find engaged in doing badly. It goes without saying, however, that the Lord did not address himself to "everyone" but to his Jewish disciples, who were the only ones to have positions of responsibility over the congregation. The various Gentiles joined as "grafted branches" and it was not they who received "the sacred oracles of God" - compare Romans 3:1, 2 Christianity has nothing to do with it as it is absolutely self-referential (see article "


https://Attentionallaprofezia.blogspot.com/2019/03/il-ripristino-della-vera-adorazione.html ). The virgins, both those with the oil in their lamps and those without, are those who have received the sacred oracles, i.e. Jews. The stars of the seven congregations, they too are Jews (see the article "The seven congregations: a turning point" https://Attentionallaprofezia.blogspot.com/2019/05/le-sette-congregazioni-un-punto -di.html ).

We know what will happen to some of them (Matthew 24:9-11) but among them there will certainly be someone committed to "keeping the Word" who will be rewarded by the Lord - Revelation 3:10, 11

These people, who have willingly accepted the preaching of the elect, will be designated “faithful and discreet” just before the approach of the great tribulation (not before) and will have the wonderful opportunity to organize God's people both in the preaching work than in the final gathering to Israel - Revelation 16:12

In conclusion we can say, in the light of the Scriptures, that both sides have taken extremist positions.

There has been no appointment to “faithful and discreet” and there won't be until the approach of the great tribulation whereby all who call themselves such go against the scriptures and are self-referential.

Even when the slave is designated “faithful and discreet” these will be people who have already left their apostate religious organization, have listened to and adapted to the preaching of God's elect.

Every congregation today is invited to reflect seriously on its teaching and to ask itself if it is really doing all it can to keep the Word and therefore to understand that such a slave will be named among the components of Abraham's seed, not among self-animated and self-referential people - Deuteronomy 30:1-3 No member of Christendom will ever be called a "faithful and discreet slave" but each individual may leave his organization and join the "holy firstfruits" - Romans 11:1, 16

Nor is it true that "all Christians" would be the faithful and discreet slaves of the Lord's words because He spoke of people with positions of responsibility who, even more so, should show themselves attentive and vigilant.

This slave was appointed by the Lord in the first century but it will be the people alive in the time of the end who will be accountable for their management.

This awareness should prompt all those who have accepted positions of responsibility lightly over the years to do an honest self-examination.

All those who, at various levels of responsibility, have had dealings with the flock of God will realize this.

While the wicked slave will be punished with the utmost severity and will “weep and gnash his teeth,” the good and faithful slave will have the privilege of organizing and leading God's people into the promised land through the great tribulation.

May each of us, in our small way, regardless of the assignment received, be attentive to the Word of God and faithful to the end because it will reap its fruits - Psalm 145:16 Originally written on 11/17/2018

Posted 17th November 2018 by beware of the prophecy