THE SIGN 5: “THE FAITHFUL AND DISCREET SLAVE” Matthew 24:45

THE CLAIMS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING BODY

During the 21st century, the members of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses have given themselves unlimited power, and they function as a government for Jehovah’s Witnesses. Their basis of power are the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:45-47:

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? ⁴⁶ Happy is that slave if his master on arriving finds him doing so. ⁴⁷ Truly I say to YOU, He will appoint him over all his belongings.

What are the claims of the members of the Governing Body about this passage?

 Claim 1: The account of the faithful and discreet slave is a prophecy that is a part of the sign of the presence of Jesus. I quote The Watchtower of July 15, 2013, page 20:

² The fact that we receive spiritual food just when we need it proves that Jesus, the Head of the congregation, is keeping his promise to feed us. Whom is Jesus using to feed us? When Jesus told his disciples what the sign of his presence would be, he said that he would use “the faithful and discreet slave” to give “food at the proper time” to his “domestics.”(See endnote.) (Read Matthew 24:45-47.) In this time of the end, Jesus is feeding his true followers through that faithful slave. It is extremely important that we know who the faithful slave is. Our friendship with God depends on receiving spiritual food through this faithful slave.​—Matthew 4:4; John 17:3.

Claim 2: The faithful and discreet slave is identical to the nine members of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I quote The Watchtower of July 15, 2013, page 22:

⁹ Do all anointed ones on earth make up the faithful slave? No. The reality is that not all anointed ones have a role in dispensing spiritual food to fellow believers worldwide. Among the wheat are anointed brothers who may serve as ministerial servants or elders in their local congregation. They teach from house to house and in their congregation, and they loyally support the direction from headquarters. But they do not have a part in dispensing spiritual food to the worldwide brotherhood. Also among the anointed are humble sisters, who would never try to assume the role of teachers in the congregation.​—1 Cor. 11:3; 14:34.

¹⁰ Who, then, is the faithful and discreet slave? In keeping with Jesus’ pattern of feeding many through the hands of a few, 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.

Since before World War II, the account of the faithful and discreet slave was said to be a part of the sign of the presence of Jesus. Until the year 2013, it was believed that the faithful and discreet slave consisted of all anointed Christians, including brothers and sisters. But from the year 2013, the members of the Governing Body are said to be the faithful and discreet slave. So, the view is that Jesus made a prophecy that is fulfilled by the following nine men:

Kenneth Cook Jr.

Gage Fleegle

Samuel Herd

Geoffrey Jackson

Stephen Lett

Gerrit Lösch

Mark Sanderson

Davis Splane

Jeffrey Winder

Most people who believe in the Bible understand that when the claim is made that nine named men living today are prophesied about in the Bible, something is very wrong!

THE WORDS ABOUT THE SLAVE IS NOT A PART OF THE SIGN OF THE PRESENCE OF JESUS

I refer to my article “The sign 3: The setting and timeline of the great prophecy of Jesus.”  I showed that Matthew 24:2-22 presents the sign of the presence of Jesus that got a small fulfillment in the first century CE until the year 70 when Jerusalem was destroyed, and it will get a complete fulfillment during the presence of Jesus between the year 1914 and the great tribulation.

Further, I showed that 24:23-28 refers to the time between 70 and 1914, and 24:29-51 refers exclusively to the great tribulation at the end of the presence of Jesus.

In order to put the words about the faithful and discreet slave in 24:45-47 in its right setting, I copy the relevant part from the mentioned article.

Table 1.1 The real outline of Matthew Chapter 24

Verses 24:5-22	Years 33-70
Verses 24:23-28	Years 33-1914
Verses 24:5-22	1914-the great tribulation
Verses 24:29-25:30	The great tribulation

THE FOCUS ON THE GREAT TRIBULATION AND ON BEING ON THE WATCH

The great tribulation is the most important part of the great prophecy given by Jesus because it will remove the world governed by Satan the Devil and pave the way for the new system of things with peace. Therefore, it is logical that Jesus paid close attention to it and described situations connected with it.

THE GREAT TRIBULATION IS THE FOCUS

The following quotations show that the focus of 24:29-51 is on the great tribulation:

Verse 30

And they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Verse 31

And he will send forth his angels with a great trumpet sound, and they will gather his chosen ones together from the four winds, from one extremity of the heavens to their other extremity

Verse 36

Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father.

Verse 39

And they took no note until the flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be. 

Verse 40

Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken along and the other be abandoned. 

Verse 41

Two women will be grinding at the hand mill: one will be taken along and the other be abandoned.

Verse 42

Keep on the watch, therefore, because YOU do not know on what day YOUR Lord is coming.

Verse 44

At an hour that YOU do not think to be it, the Son of man is coming.

Verse 46

Happy is that slave if his master on arriving finds him doing so. 

Verse 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. 

These ten quotations show explicitly that what is described in Matthew 24:29-51 is the great tribulation, and none of the events mentioned in these verses represent the sign of the presence of Jesus; this sign is exclusively found in 24:5-22.

No event described in Matthew 24:29-51 refers to the sign of the presence of Jesus that is being fulfilled between the year 1914 and the great tribulation. All descriptions relate to the great tribulation.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ON THE WATCH

Why would Matthew use so much (43%) of his discussion to focus on the great tribulation? The great tribulation was the most important part of his discussion because it would remove the present wicked system of things governed by Satan. One important reason for his long discussion is seen in his final words of Luke 21:34-36:

³⁴ “But pay attention to yourselves that YOUR hearts never become weighed down with overeating and heavy drinking and anxieties of life, and suddenly that day be instantly upon YOU ³⁵ as a snare. For it will come in upon all those dwelling upon the face of all the earth. ³⁶ Keep awake, then, all the time making supplication that YOU may succeed in escaping all these things that are destined to occur, and in standing before the Son of man.”

So, the important point was whether his followers would be awake and on the watch when the great tribulation would come. This is clearly seen in the words of Luke that are quoted above. But this idea is also seen in the illustrations in the account of Matthew 24:29-51:

• The illustration of the flood (verses 37-39) shows the contrast between living normal lives and being indifferent to the signs of the times versus being on the watch.
• The words about those being taken along and being abandoned (verses 40, 41) stress the importance of having a good relationship with God at any time and keeping on the watch (verse 42).
• The illustration of the householder who does not know when the thief is coming (verses 43, 44), stresses the point that the followers of Jesus must be ready.
• The illustration of the faithful and discreet slave stresses the point of being faithful in their work for God just as a faithful slave (verses 45-47). That is required to get the reward.
• The illustration of the slave who is not on the watch but believes that his master is delaying, and therefore beats his fellow slaves (verses 48-51) shows the bad effect of not being on the watch.
• The illustration of the five wise and five foolish virgins were only the wise ones, and only the wise virgins that were ready went in with him to the marriage feast;and the door was shut (25:13).
• The faithful slaves who had done business with the talents entered into the joy of his master (25:21) and the unfaithful slaves were thrown out into the darkness outside (25:30)

Jesus loved his disciples, and he loved all those who in the future would be his disciples (John 17:20) Therefore he described the great tribulation and he used so many words to exhort them to be on the watch.

As we see above, the words about the faithful and discreet slave in 24:45-47 is not a prophecy that is a part of the sign of the presence of Jesus. But the words represent an illustration indicating that the followers of Jesus must be faithful in their Christian work and be awake and ready when Jesus comes as the judge in the great tribulation.

 

THE ILLUSTRATIONS IN MATTHEW 24:32 TO MATTHEW 25:30

Jesus had a close relationship with his disciples, and all the time he spoke with them and taught them. One important side of his teaching was his use of illustrations, and we read in Matthew 13:34:

³⁴ All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds by illustrations (parabolē). Indeed, without an illustration (parabolē) he would not speak to them; ³⁵ that there might be fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet who said: “I will open my mouth with illustrations (parabolē)., I will publish things hidden since the founding.”

How shall the illustrations of Jesus be understood? The Watchtower of March 15, 2015, presented the members of the Governing Body’s new view of the interpretation of prophetic types and antitypes. I quote from pages 10 and 11:

¹⁰ As we might expect, over the years Jehovah has helped “the faithful and discreet slave” to become steadily more discreet. Discretion has led to greater caution when it comes to calling a Bible account a prophetic drama unless there is a clear Scriptural basis for doing so. Additionally, it has been found that some of the older explanations about types and antitypes are unduly difficult for many to grasp. The details of such teachings​—who pictures whom and why—​can be hard to keep straight, to remember, and to apply. Of even greater concern, though, is that the moral and practical lessons of the Bible accounts under examination may be obscured or lost in all the scrutiny of possible antitypical fulfillments. Thus, we find that our literature today focuses more on the simple, practical lessons about faith, endurance, godly devotion, and other vital qualities that we learn about from Bible accounts.

¹² Should we conclude that Bible narratives have only a practical application and no other meaning? No. Today our publications are more likely to teach that one thing reminds us of or serves to illustrate another. They are less likely to present many Bible accounts in a rigid framework of prophetic types and antitypes.

The Watchtower of March 15, 2015 also presented å new view of how the illustrations of Jesus should be understood. We read on pages 11, 13:

¹⁵ In our next article, we will examine another of Jesus’ parables​—that of the ten virgins. How did Jesus intend his followers in the last days to understand that powerful word picture? As a detailed prophetic allegory, with a symbolic meaning applied to every person, object, and event? Or, rather, did he mean for his followers to use it as a practical lesson to guide them during the last days? Let us see.

³ We noted in the preceding article that over recent decades, the faithful slave has gradually come to explain the Scriptures with less emphasis on symbolic prophetic pictures and more on practical application. In the past, our literature at times assigned specific symbolic meanings even to small details of Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins, including the lamps, the oil, the flasks, and so forth. Is it possible, though, that we were allowing the spotlight to shift from the parable’s simple, urgent message? As we will see, the answer is of vital importance.

The following three important rules are presented:

• A Bible account should only be viewed as a prophetic drama when there is a clear Scriptural basis for doing so.
• Regarding illustrations, a prophetic meaning should not be applied to every part of an illustration.
• The purpose of an illustration is to draw attention to a simple, urgent message.

The members of the Governing Body violate their own rules, as we see in the quotation below from page 13:

⁴ Let us take a look at Jesus’ basic message in this parable. First, consider the main characters. Who is the bridegroom of the parable? Clearly, Jesus was talking about himself. Why, on a different occasion, he even referred to himself as the bridegroom! (Luke 5:34, 35) What about the virgins? In the parable, Jesus says that the virgins have the responsibility to be ready with their lamps lit when the bridegroom arrives.

Each illustration of Jesus expresses a simple urgent message, and do not have prophetic meaning. There is one exception though, when Jesus explicitly shows that an illustration also is a prophecy, and the parts of it have prophetic meaning. This is the case in the illustration about the wheat and the weeds (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43) and the illustration about the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:31-46).

There is nothing in the context showing there is a clear Scriptural basis for taking the illustration of the five foolish and five wise virgins as a prophecy. (Violation of point 1.) The parts of the illustration are given prophetic meaning. (Violation of point 2.) The only purpose of the illustration is to present a simple, urgent message. (Violation of point 3.)

Below I will show in detail that all six illustrations in Matthew 24:32 to 25:30, including the illustration of the foolish and wise virgins, have no prophetic meaning but express the same simple, urgent message: Be on the watch because we do not know when the Son of man will be coming.

By applying prophetic meaning to the illustrations of the five foolish and five wise virgins and to half of the illustration of the faithful and discreet slave and the wicked slave, the members of the Governing Body violate their own rules regarding the understanding of illustrations and possible prophetic texts.

THE ILLUSTRATION OF THE FIG TREE

This illustration is found in Matthew 24:32-36:

³² “Now learn from the fig tree as an illustration this point: Just as soon as its young branch grows tender and it puts forth leaves, YOU know that summer is near. ³³ Likewise also YOU, when YOU see all these things, know that he is near at the doors. ³⁴ Truly I say to YOU that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur. ³⁵ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away. ³⁶ “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father.

In the article “The sign 3: The setting and timeline of the great prophecy of Jesus” I demonstrate that “all these things” refer to all the different events of the sign that Jesus is present.

The basic message of the illustration: The followers of Jesus should understand the sign showing that Jesus was present. But they would not know the day and hour of the great tribulation.

THE ILLUSTRATION OF THE FLOOD IN THE DAYS OF NOAH

Contrary to the view of the members of the Governing Body, the flood in the days of Noah is a prophetic picture of the great tribulation, and I quote Matthew 24:37-42:

³⁷ For just as the days of Noah were, so the presence (parousia) of the Son of man will be. ³⁸ For as they were in those days before the flood, eating and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark; ³⁹ and they took no note until the flood came (erkhomai) and swept them all away, so the presence (parousia) of the Son of man will be.  ⁴⁰ Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken along and the other be abandoned; ⁴¹ two women will be grinding at the hand mill: one will be taken along and the other be abandoned. ⁴² Keep on the watch, therefore, because YOU do not know on what day YOUR Lord is coming (erkhomai).

Before the flood, people lived normal lives and they took no note of the situation that was coming. Therefore, they were swept away by the flood. The days (plural) of Noah before the flood parallel the presence of Jesus, and the coming of the flood parallels the coming of Jesus in the great tribulation.

The result of the flood was that many lost their lives but some was “taken along” in the ark. This is an illustration of the situation in the great tribulation when some will be taken along and others will be abandoned.

The basic message of the illustration: Take notice of the sign of the presence of Jesus and be on the watch. Because you do not know on which day your Lord is coming.

THE ILLUSTRATION OF THE HOUSEHOLDER AND THE THIEF

The illustration of the thief and the householder who did not know when the thief was coming express the same ideas as the two previous illustrations. I quote Matthew 24:43, 44:

⁴³ “But know one thing, that if the householder had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have kept awake and not allowed his house to be broken into.  ⁴⁴ On this account YOU too prove yourselves ready, because at an hour that YOU do not think to be it, the Son of man is coming (erkhomai).

It is not likely that Jesus spoke all the illustrations in Matthew chapters 24 and 25 at the same time. But Matthew evidently quoted different illustrations spoken by Jesus with the same theme under the influence of the holy spirit. This illustration stresses the same basic message that the  illustration of the fig tree does, that we do not know the day and hour for the coming of the Son of man.

The basic message of the illustration: Be on the watch because you do not know when the Son of man is coming.

THE ILLUSTRATION OF THE FAITHFUL AND DISCREET SLAVE AND THE WICKED SLAVE

The illustration includes a faithful slave and a wicked slave. Because this illustration is the focus of this article, I will discuss it in detail after I have discussed the illustrations of the virgins and the illustration of the talents.

THE ILLUSTRATION OF THE FIVE WISE AND FIVE FOOLISH VIRGINS

The Watchtower of March 15, 2015, presents a completely new interpretation of the illustration of the five wise and five foolish virgins in Matthew 25:1-13. I will now discuss this illustration and show where the members of the Governing Body err.

I will return to the important point that we need to find the basic message of each illustration instead of giving each detail a prophetic meaning. I quote from the mentioned Watchtower, page 13:

³ We noted in the preceding article that over recent decades, the faithful slave has gradually come to explain the Scriptures with less emphasis on symbolic prophetic pictures and more on practical application. In the past, our literature at times assigned specific symbolic meanings even to small details of Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins, including the lamps, the oil, the flasks, and so forth. Is it possible, though, that we were allowing the spotlight to shift from the parable’s simple, urgent message? As we will see, the answer is of vital importance.

The points in the quotation are excellent. As I have shown, many of the illustrations include a great number of parts. But these parts have no prophetic meaning but only the one “simple urgent message” is important.

But sad to say, in connection with the illustration of the five wise and five foolish virgins, the members of the Governing Body do not  follow their own words in the quotation.

I quote Matthew 25:1-13

¹ “Then the kingdom of the heavens will become like ten virgins that took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish, and five were discreet. ³ For the foolish took their lamps but took no oil with them, ⁴ whereas the discreet took oil in their receptacles with their lamps. ⁵ While the bridegroom was delaying, they all nodded and went to sleep. ⁶ Right in the middle of the night there arose a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Be on YOUR way out to meet him.’ ⁷ Then all those virgins rose and put their lamps in order. ⁸ The foolish said to the discreet, ‘Give us some of YOUR oil, because our lamps are about to go out.’ ⁹ The discreet answered with the words, ‘Perhaps there may not be quite enough for us and YOU. Be on YOUR way, instead, to those who sell it and buy for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ While they were going off to buy, the bridegroom arrived, and the virgins that were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut. ¹¹ Afterwards the rest of the virgins also came, saying, ‘Sir, sir, open to us!’ ¹² In answer he said, ‘I tell YOU the truth, I do not know YOU.’

¹³ “Keep on the watch, therefore, because YOU know neither the day nor the hour.

The parts of the illustration are:

• Five foolish virgins.
• Five discreet virgins.
• Their receptacles.
• Their lamps.
• The oil.
• The bridegroom.
• The arrival of the bridegroom.
• The marriage feast.
• The door was shut.

THE INTERPRETATION OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING BODY

The members of the Governing Body take the last part of the illustration as a prophecy but not the first part. I quote from page 15:

¹⁰ Perhaps the most puzzling part of the parable comes near the end, in the verbal exchange between the foolish and the discreet virgins. (Read Matthew 25:8, 9.) That exchange raises this question: “When in the history of God’s people would faithful ones refuse help to some who asked for it?” The solution to the puzzle presents itself when we again consider the time frame. Recall our clarified understanding that Jesus, the Bridegroom, comes to render judgment near the end of the great tribulation. Is it not likely, then, that this part of the parable focuses on what happens just prior to that climactic judgment? It would seem so, for by that time the anointed will have received their final sealing.

¹¹ So, then, before the great tribulation starts, all the faithful anointed on earth will have received their final sealing. (Rev. 7:1-4) From then on, their calling is sure. But think about the years before the tribulation begins. What would happen to anointed ones who failed to remain watchful, who lost their integrity? They would lose their heavenly reward. Obviously, they would receive no final sealing prior to the start of the tribulation. By that time, other faithful ones would be anointed. When the tribulation starts, the foolish ones might be shocked to see the destruction of Babylon the Great. It may be only at that point that they realize that they are not ready for the arrival of the Bridegroom. At that late hour, if they in desperation ask for help, what would happen? Jesus’ parable gives us the grim answer. The discreet virgins refused to give up their oil for the sake of the foolish, telling them to go instead to the sellers of oil. Remember, though, it was “in the middle of the night.” Would they be able to find sellers of oil at that hour? No. It would simply be too late.

¹² Likewise, during the great tribulation, faithful anointed ones cannot help any who had turned unfaithful. There will be no help available. It will simply be too late. What end, then, will such ones face? Jesus explains what happened when the foolish virgins went off on their futile errand: “The bridegroom came. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.” When Christ comes in his glory near the end of the tribulation, he will gather his faithful anointed ones to heaven. (Matt. 24:31;25:10; John 14:1-3; 1 Thess. 4:17) The door will, indeed, be shut to the unfaithful ones, who prove to be like the foolish virgins. They may, in effect, cry out: “Sir, Sir, open to us!” But they receive an answer like the one that so many goatlike ones receive in that hour of judgment: “I tell you the truth, I do not know you.” How sad!​—Matt. 7:21-23; 25:11, 12.

The interpretation of the members of the Governing Body is:

• The discreet virgins = faithful anointed ones.
• The foolish virgins = unfaithful anointed ones.
• The bridegroom = Jesus Christ.
• The arrival of the bridegroom = The great tribulation.

ERRORS IN THE INTERPRETATION OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING BODY

There is one thing in this interpretation that does not add up with the words of the illustration: The interpretation is that the bridegroom comes in the great tribulation. The discreet virgins will get their reward when the bridegroom comes. But according to the members of the Governing Body, the anointed ones will get their reward before the great tribulation when they are sealed.

The point that does not add up to the text is not the reason why we must reject this interpretation. But the basic reason for rejecting the interpretation of the Governing Body is that a part of the illustration is treated as a prophecy. But there is nothing in the context suggesting that any part of the illustration is a prophecy.

To the contrary, the pattern of the illustration of the fig tree, the illustration of the flood in the days of Noah, the illustration of the householder and the thief — and as I later will show — the illustration of the faithful and discreet slave and the wicked slave are all illustrations with no prophetic elements.

As the quotation at the beginning of this section indicate: We should not assign specific symbolic meanings to the details of Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins, only stress the parable’s simple, urgent message.

The members of the Governing Body violate their own words about the interpretation of illustrations by applying a prophetic meaning to a part of the illustration.

The urgent message of the illustration is expressed in 25:13: “Keep on the watch, therefore, because YOU know neither the day nor the hour.” As mentioned, there is nothing in the text of the illustration or in the context showing that any part of the illustration has a prophetic meaning, as the members of the Governing Body claim.

The basic message of the illustration: Be on the watch because you do not know when the Son of man is coming.

THE ILLUSTRATION OF THE TALENTS

This illustration speaks about a man who traveled abroad and gave his slaves talents by which they should do business until he returned. This illustration has some resemblance with the illustration of the faithful and discreet slave that I will discuss below. I quote Matthew 25:14-30:

¹⁴ “For it is just as when a man, about to travel abroad, summoned slaves of his and committed to them his belongings. ¹⁵ And to one he gave five talents, to another two, to still another one, to each one according to his own ability, and he went abroad. ¹⁶ Immediately the one that received the five talents went his way and did business with them and gained five more. ¹⁷ In the same way the one that received the two gained two more. ¹⁸ But the one that received just one went off, and dug in the ground and hid the silver money of his master.

¹⁹ “After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ So the one that had received five talents came forward and brought five additional talents, saying, ‘Master, you committed five talents to me; see, I gained five talents more.’ ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things. I will appoint you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ ²² Next the one that had received the two talents came forward and said, ‘Master, you committed to me two talents; see, I gained two talents more.’ ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things. I will appoint you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’

²⁴ “Finally the one that had received the one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be an exacting man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not winnow. ²⁵ So I grew afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ ²⁶ In reply his master said to him, ‘Wicked and sluggish slave, you knew, did you, that I reaped where I did not sow and gathered where I did not winnow? ²⁷ Well, then, you ought to have deposited my silver monies with the bankers, and on my arrival I would be receiving what is mine with interest.

²⁸ “‘Therefore TAKE away the talent from him and give it to him that has the ten talents. ²⁹ For to everyone that has, more will be given and he will have abundance; but as for him that does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. ³⁰ And throw the good-for-nothing slave out into the darkness outside. There is where [his] weeping and the gnashing of [his] teeth will be.’

The parts of the illustration are:

• The master who traveled abroad.
• The slave who received five talents.
• The slave who received two talents.
• The slave who received one talent.
• The master returned and settled the accounts.
• The slave who got five talents received his reward.
• The slave who got two talents received his reward.
• The talent was taken away from the slave who received one talent and given to the one who had ten talents.
• The slave who got one talent was thrown into the darkness outside.

THE INTERPRETATION OF THE GOVERNING BODY

In The Watchtower of March 15, 2015, there is an interpretation of this illustration. Again, the members of the Governing Body take part of the illustration as prophecies without any support in the text or in the context.

• The master = Jesus who travels to heaven. (§ 4)
• The talents = The commission to make disciples. (§ 7)
• Doing business with the talents = This started in the year 1919. (§ 9)
• The slaves who got five and two talents = Hardworking anointed Christians. (§13)
• The accounts will be settled = At the end of the great tribulation. (§ 11)
• The sluggish slave = Unfaithful anointed Christians (§24)

THE ERRORS IN THE INTERPRETATION OF THE GOVERNING BODY

The setting given by the members of the Governing Body is completely wrong. We read in the Watchtower of March 15, 2015, page 19:

² Jesus gave the parable of the talents as part of the answer to his disciples’ question about “the sign of [his] presence and of the conclusion of the system of things.” (Matt. 24:3) Thus, the parable finds its fulfillment in our time and is part of the sign that Jesus is present and ruling as King.

It is clear that the sign of the presence of Jesus is expressed in Matthew 24:5-22, and that the verses 24:36 to 25:30 exclusively refer to the great tribulation.

There are a few things that do not add up with the text of the illustration, as seen on pages 23 and 24:

¹³ Those represented by the first two slaves​—his hardworking anointed disciples—​will already have received their final sealing before the great tribulation breaks out. (Rev. 7:1-3)

¹⁵ One of the master’s three slaves hid his talent, so was Jesus here indicating that one third of his anointed followers would prove to be wicked and sluggish? No. Consider the context. In the illustration of the faithful and discreet slave, Jesus spoke of an evil slave who beat his fellow slaves. Jesus was not there foretelling that an evil slave class would arise. Rather, he was warning the faithful slave not to display the traits of an evil slave. Similarly, in the illustration of the ten virgins, Jesus was not indicating that half of his anointed followers would be like the five foolish virgins. Instead, he was warning his spiritual brothers about what would happen if they lost their sense of vigilance and did not prove to be prepared.  In this context, it seems reasonable to conclude that in the illustration of the talents, Jesus was not saying that a large number of his anointed brothers during the last days would be wicked and sluggish. Rather, Jesus was warning his anointed followers of the need to remain diligent​—to ‘do business’ with their talent​—and avoid the attitudes and actions of a wicked slave.​—Matt. 25:16.

There is one thing in this interpretation that does not add up with the words of the illustration: The master comes in the great tribulation, and the accounts would be settled when the master returned. But according to the members of the Governing Body, anointed ones will get their reward before the great tribulation when they are sealed.

The number of the slaves, two faithful and one sluggish, and the five discreet virgins and the five foolish ones, would count in a prophetic application. But these numbers are ignored, as the quotation above shows.

The conclusion is that all the parts of the account of the master and his slaves are illustrations, and they have no prophetic meaning.

The basic message of the illustration: Serve your master faithfully, so you can get your reward when he comes.

I have now discussed all the illustrations in Matthew 24:32 to 25:30, excepte the one about the faithful and discreet slave, and all of them express the same basic message, as we see in Table 1.2:

Table 1.2 The basic message of the illustrations

The illustration of the fig tree.	The followers of Jesus should understand the sign showing that Jesus was present. But they would not know the day and hour of the great tribulation.
The illustration of the flood.	Take notice of the sign of the presence of Jesus and be on the watch. Because you do not know on which day your Lord is coming.
The illustration of the householder and the thief.	Be on the watch because you do not know when the Son of man is coming.
The illustration of the discreet and foolish virgins.	Be on the watch because you do not know when the Son of man is coming.
The illustration of the talents.	Serve your master faithfully, so you can get your reward when he comes.

All the five illustrations have about the same basic message: Continue to serve God, be awake, and keep on the watch because you do not know when the Son of man is coming. In the next section I will show that the illustration about the faithful and discreet slave and the wicked slave has the same basic message.

THE ILLUSTRATION OF THE FAITHFUL AND DISCREET SLAVE AND THE WICKED SLAVE

The members of the Governing Body have admitted that the words about the faithful and discreet slave in Matthew 24:45-47 are an illustration. An endnote in the article of The Watchtower of July 15, 20:13, where it for the first time is claimed that the members of the Governing Body are the faithful and discreet slave, an endnote says:

Paragraph 2: On an earlier occasion, Jesus related a similar illustration in which he referred to the “slave” as a “steward” and to the “domestics” as “his body of attendants.”​—Luke 12:42-44.

The words “a similar illustration” shows that the words of Matthew 24:45-47 are an illustration, and that the words in Luke 12:35-47 about the faithful and wise manager, which directly is said to be an illustration, express the same ideas as Matthew 24:45-47. In my book My Beloved Religion — And The Governing Body, chapter 2, there is a detailed comparison of the Greek text in the two illustrations, showing that the illustrations are similar.

The following points show that the two illustrations deal with the same situation.

• The reference is to the coming of the Son of man. (Luke 12:40, Matthew 24:44)
• The faithful and discreet slave and the faithful steward, the discreet one give the slaves food at the proper time. (Luke 12:42, Matthew 24:45)
• The illustration of the owner of the house who does not know when the thief comes. (Luke 12:39, Matthew 24:43)
• The wicked servant who is beating his fellow slaves. (Luke 12:45, Matthew 24:49).

The parallel between the account of the faithful and discreet slave and the faithful steward, the discreet one is indisputable. Peter says directly, according to Luke 12:41, that the account of the faithful steward, the wise one is a parable (illustration). Thus, the account of the faithful and discreet slave must be a parable as well.

THE FAITHFUL AND DISCREET SLAVE

The illustration in Matthew 24:45-47 has no context. But because Luke 12:35-47 gives a detailed context of the faithful steward, the wise one, this must be the context that is lacking in Matthew 24:45-47. I quote Luke 12:35-46:

³⁵ “Let YOUR loins be girded and YOUR lamps be burning, ³⁶ and YOU yourselves be like men waiting for their master when he returns from the marriage, so that at his arriving and knocking they may at once open to him. ³⁷ Happy are those slaves whom the master on arriving finds watching! Truly I say to YOU, He will gird himself and make them recline at the table and will come alongside and minister to them. ³⁸ And if he arrives in the second watch, even if in the third, and finds them thus, happy are they! ³⁹ But know this, that if the householder had known at what hour the thief would come, he would have kept watching and not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁰ YOU also, keep ready, because at an hour that YOU do not think likely the Son of man is coming.”

⁴¹ Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable (parabolē), to us, or to everyone?” (NJB)

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.

I will now look at some details regarding the “faithful steward, the discreet one” mentioned in Luke 12:42, who is identical with the “faithful and discreet slave” in Matthew 24:45.

In Luke 12:35–37, Jesus speaks about a master and his slaves. This is not a prophecy, but an illustration (parabolē), as verse 41 shows. The illustration is based on the actual relationship between a master and his slaves in Bible times. The slaves were given different tasks while their master was away, one keeping watch at the door (Mark 13:34; Luke 12:36), and one slave, the “steward” (oikonomos), would also be in charge of the master’s household and distribute food to the other slaves. (Luke 12:42; Matthew 24:45)

The main point of Jesus’ illustration is seen in verses 35, 36, 37, 40, 43, namely, that the slaves had to be on the watch when the master returned. This is the same basic message  as in the same five illustrations I have discussed above:

³⁷ Happy are those slaves whom the master on arriving finds watching! Truly I say to YOU, He will gird himself and make them recline at the table and will come alongside and minister to them.

⁴³ Happy is that slave, if his master on arriving finds him doing so!

Those who were on the watch would get the reward that the master would minister to them. On this background, Peter asked the question that we see in verse 41 (NJB):

⁴¹ ‘Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?’

Jesus did not answer Peter’s question. But instead, he posed another question, according to verse 42 (my translation):

⁴² 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?

The background of Jesus’ question was his illustration of the master and his slaves in 12:35-40. As already mentioned, one of the slaves of a master would be the oikonomos (“steward”), who was in charge of the master’s house. So, with reference to the illustration, Jesus, in effect, asks who will fill the role of this steward. We note the words “the faithful steward” (ho pistos oikonomos). The definite article “the” (ho) points back to Jesus’ illustration (12:35-40). Among the slaves, there would be one who was in charge of the master’s household. So, who would fill the role of this slave, the steward (oikonomos)? The adjective “faithful” (pistos) in Matthew 24:45 also refers back to the illustration Jesus told according to Luke 12:35-40. The steward would be faithful when he distributed literal food to the other slaves at the appointed time.

It is very important to realize that Jesus did not utter a prophecy about the faithful steward. But he asks who will fill the role of the faithful steward in his illustration about the master and his slaves.

Anyone could choose to fill this role. And those who behaved like the faithful steward would be on the watch when the master arrived, and they would get the reward.

Matthew 24:45 is a clear parallel to Luke 12:42, so I will discuss these scriptures (my translation):

⁴⁵ Who then will be (present) the faithful slave, even the wise one, whom the Lord will appoint (aorist) over his household of slaves in order to give their food at the appointed time?

⁴² And the Lord said: “Who then will be (present) the faithful steward, the wise one, whom his master will appoint (future) over his body of attendants to keep giving them their measure of food supplies at the proper time?

Greek present can refer to the present or to the future. Because the clauses in Matthew 24:45 and Luke 12:42 are questions, I use English future and not English present in the first verb of each clause, instead of English present that is used by the NWT84. The second verb in Luke 12:42 is Greek future, and I use English future instead of English present, that is used by the NWT84. The second verb in Matthew 24:45 is Greek aorist, which in most cases refers to the past. But it can also refer to the future, and because the corresponding verb in Luke 12:42 is Greek future I use English future rather than English simple past, that  is used by the NWT84.

There is no context in Matthew chapter 24 that can tell about the background for the question, “Who then will be the faithful slave, even the wise one?” But Luke 12:35–46 shows the context, which is Jesus’ illustration of the master and his slaves. Thus, the definite article the in the expression, “the faithful slave, even the wise one” in Matthew 24:45 refers to the steward in Jesus’ illustration, and the adjective “faithful” refers to the work of this steward of giving the other slaves food at the appointed time.

So again, Matthew 24:45 is not a prophecy about the coming of the “the faithful and discreet slave.” But Jesus asks who will fill the role of the faithful steward (slave) in his illustration about the master and his slaves.

Anyone could choose to be like this steward. And those who behaved like the faithful steward would be on the watch when the master arrived, and they would get the reward that is mentioned in verse 46.

THE WICKED SLAVE

The words about the wicked slave confirm the conclusion that the words about the faithful and discreet slave is not a prophecy that will be fulfilled in the future. I quote Luke 12:45-46 (above) and Matthew 24:48-51 (below):

 ⁴⁵ But if ever that (ekeinos) 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

⁴⁸ “But if ever that (ekeinos) evil slave should say in his heart, ‘My master is delaying,’ ⁴⁹ and should start to beat his fellow slaves and should 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 hou that he does not know, ⁵¹ and will punish him with the greatest severity and will assign him his part with the hypocrites. There is where [his] weeping and the gnashing of [his] teeth will be.

NWT84  translates the first part of Matthew 24:48 this way: “But if ever that evil slave should say in his heart.” This is a hypothetical situation, and there is one word that helps us see the background of this situation, namely, the demonstrative pronoun ekeinos (“this,” “that”) in Luke 12:45 and Matthew 24:48, 49.

The demonstrative pronoun ekeinos needs an antecedent, and the only candidate for ekeinos in Luke 12:45 is the steward, who is implied in Jesus’ illustration about the master and his slaves in Luke 12:35–40. The point here is that a person who will fill the role of the steward in Jesus’ illustration may become wicked, and in that case, he will be punished. But if the one who will fill the role of the steward will be faithful, he will be rewarded. As mentioned, there is no context in Matthew 24:45–46. But Jesus’ illustration in Luke 12:35–40 must be the background for the wicked slave, as well.

Regarding the wicked slave, The Watchtower of July 15, 2013, page 25, says:

Jesus warned about an evil slave who concludes in his heart that the master is delaying and who starts to beat his fellow slaves. When the master arrives, said Jesus, he will punish that evil slave “with the greatest severity.”—Read Matthew 24:48–51.

Was Jesus foretelling that there would be an evil slave class in the last days? No. Granted, some individuals have manifested a spirit similar to that of the evil slave described by Jesus. We would call them apostates, whether they were of the anointed or of the “great crowd.” (Rev. 7:9) But such ones do not make up the evil slave class. Jesus did not say that he would appoint an evil slave. His words here are actually a warning directed to the faithful and discreet slave.

Notice that Jesus introduces the warning with the words, “if ever.” One scholar says that in the Greek text, this passage “for all practical purposes is a hypothetical condition.” In effect, Jesus was saying; ‘If the faithful and discreet slave were ever to mistreat his fellow slaves in these ways, this is what the master will do when he arrives.’ (See also Luke 12:45) However, the composite faithful and discreet slave has continued to keep on the watch and to provide nourishing spiritual food.

The observations of The Watchtower accord with the grammar. And the conclusion that Jesus did not appoint an evil slave can also be applied to “the faithful and discreet slave” (literally: “the faithful slave, even the wise one”): Jesus did not appoint the “faithful and discreet slave.” In connection with both slaves, there are questions, and this shows that both situations are hypothetical. So, the conclusion is that that there has never been “a faithful and discreet slave” in the sense used by the Governing Body.

But when Jesus comes as the judge in the great tribulation, there will be many individual faithful and discreet slaves who are doing their job, and who are on the watch. And similarly, there will be many individual wicked slaves who will be punished.

Regarding the wicked slave, the Governing Body adheres to their own principle that the parts of an illustration must not be interpreted as prophecies; but the basic message of the illustration must be stressed.  But they refuse to apply this principle to the faithful and discreet slave. This shows that the members of the Governing Body speak with forked tongues.

Jesus does not say that a “faithful and discreet slave” will come, just as he does not say that an “evil slave” will come. But he asks who will fill the role of the faithful slave when Jesus comes in the great tribulation.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The focus of this article has been on the meaning of the words about the faithful and discreet slave. The nine members of the Governing Body claim that the words about the faithful and discreet slave are  a prophecy about them.

There is nothing in the text itself or in the context showing that the words about the faithful and discreet slave is a prophecy. On the contrary, the words in Luke 12:35-46, which is a parallel to Matthew 24:45-47, show that the words are a part of a bigger illustration and have no prophetic meaning.

 That all the other five illustrations in Matthew 24:32 to 25:30 have one basic message, “Keep on the watch because you do not know when the Son of man is coming,” support the conclusion of this article that the illustration of the faithful and discreet slave and the wicked slave has the same basic message as well and is no prophecy.

When the members of the Governing Body treat the illustration of the faithful and discreet slave as a prophecy, they violate their own principle that the parts of illustrations have no prophetic meaning, only the basic message of an illustration is important.

 

A discussion of the words “to give them their food at the proper time” is found  in the article “Sign 6: The Governing Body and divine inspiration.”

A detailed analysis of the illstration of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25:31-46 is found in the article “The devaluation and restriction of the ransom sacfrifice IV An analysis of passages supposed to deal with everlasting annihilation.”