After meeting with a Jehovah’s Witness regularly, a person is bound to hear about “the faithful and discreet slave.” Believers may experience confusion as to why a Jehovah’s Witness refers to the Governing Body of their organization in this way, but there is a reason for doing so.
Using specific terminology from the Bible, the Watchtower Society has specifically identified members of the Governing Body with the servant mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 24:45.
They use this verse to support the idea that the Governing Body alone should control and oversee the biblical teaching of others.
Also connected to this concept is the Jehovah’s Witnesses' belief that the Watchtower Society is God’s chosen organization through which He works and speaks to His people today.
Jehovah’s Witnesses and ‘the Faithful and Discreet Slave’
The Watchtower Society teaches that the “faithful and discreet slave” mentioned in Matthew 24:45 refers to members of the Governing Body of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, which consists of a small group of men.
In their article about their view, the Watchtower specifically mentions that the Governing Body feeds Jehovah’s Witnesses spiritual food through their publications and events, thus fulfilling Jesus’ words in the verse.
In addition, the Watchtower Society upholds the view of having a small group of men as the Governing Body because of Mark’s specification that Peter, James, John, and Andrew were with Jesus on the Mount of Olives (Mark 13:3).
Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that the organization is following the example of the early Christians, where the apostles and elders led the church (Acts 15:2).
Although this doctrine might seem to come from a few standalone verses, the Watchtower Society also points to the overall passage in Matthew 24 and Mark 13 to connect “the faithful and discreet slave” with their End-Time teachings.
According to Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jesus returned invisibly and secretly in 1914 and then entrusted a group of men in 1919 with the job of providing spiritual food.
Jehovah’s Witnesses use Malachi 3:1-4 in support of these dates and views, even though none of what they are teaching is present in the text of Scripture.
Before diving into what the Bible actually teaches in these various passages, we need to remember that the Jehovah’s Witnesses have changed their view of “the faithful and discreet slave” over time.
Their current view relating to the Governing Body became the official teaching in 2013. Earlier, the Jehovah’s Witnesses taught that “the faithful and discreet slave” was the 144,000 mentioned in Revelation 7:4. Like many other areas of Watchtower doctrine, their views regularly change.
Biblical Context and Interpretation of Matthew 24:45
Directly before Jesus gives the Olivet Discourse, the disciples comment about the beauty of the temple, and Jesus tells them that it will be destroyed (Matthew 24:1-2).
On the Mount of Olives, the disciples ask the Lord, “When will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3).
In answer to the disciples’ questions, Jesus gives in-depth teaching about the End Times, the Tribulation, and His Second Coming.
He also tells them that they can discern that His return is near when the things He described occur (Matthew 24:32-33). In context, Matthew and Mark focus mainly on the second question, while Luke focuses on the first question.
Although people will be able to tell when Jesus’ return is near, they will not know the exact day or hour (Matthew 24:36).
Jesus’ coming and judgment will happen suddenly and unexpectantly, like how the flood came during Noah’s day and swept the people away (Matthew 24:38-41). Thus, Jesus told the disciples to keep watch and be ready (Matthew 24:42-44).
To illustrate His instruction about watching and being ready, Jesus used the example of a master of a house who went away and left His servant in charge (Matthew 24:45).
A good servant who is faithful and wise will properly care for and feed the other servants of the house instead of neglecting their duties (Matthew 24:45-47).
Such a servant is faithfully watching and wisely getting ready for their master’s return. A servant who is not ready will be unprepared for their master’s return and experience His judgment and punishment when He catches the servant acting unjustly and immorally (Matthew 24:48-51).
Directly after this illustration, Jesus gives the parable of the 10 virgins and the parable of the talents that further illustrates his point about the need to watch and be ready (Matthew 25:1-30).
We can also look to the wider context of Scripture to better understand what Jesus is teaching. In Luke 12:37, Jesus says, “It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table, and will come and wait on them.”
Jesus specifically says “servants,” indicating His faithful and wise followers, not an organization.
In examining these passages, we need to remember that Jesus is using an illustration to present a spiritual truth. The image of servants faithfully waiting for their master and wisely serving him reflects the attitude believers should have as they wait for Jesus’ coming.
We should not confuse the illustration of faithful and wise servants with a specific identity of an organization since this ignores the meaning of Jesus’ teaching.
Despite what Jehovah’s Witnesses claim, there is nothing in the context of Matthew 24:45 that indicates that the Lord is referring to a specific organization.
Instead, He is reminding us that no one knows the exact time of His return, and we should be ready for His coming. He uses the example of a master going away on a journey and of the servants needing to be ready for his return at any moment to provide an illustration.
He is not teaching that an organization is the faithful and wise servant. Rather, He is showing believers that they need to be like the faithful and wise servant, waiting expectantly and serving wisely until He returns.
Who Was with Jesus on the Mount of Olives?
The Watchtower Society’s interpretation of the faithful and discreet slave is based partly on the belief that only Peter, James, John, and Andrew were present to hear Jesus’ words.
If only four men were present, then the Jehovah’s Witnesses believe this supports the idea that the faithful and discreet slave refers to the small Governing Body of the Watchtower Society.
In Matthew’s gospel, he does not limit the audience to only four men. He wrote that “the disciples came to [Jesus] privately” (Matthew 24:3).
Instead of addressing the crowds, Jesus taught His disciples privately, as He often did. The emphasis on Jesus speaking personally to the disciples shows that He was talking to His followers.
Mark mentions Peter, James, John, and Andrew because they asked the questions (Mark 13:3-4). Nowhere in the text does Mark say that those disciples were the only ones present.
He merely showed that among all the disciples, these four men asked about Jesus’ words at the temple. Furthermore, the teachings of Jesus were not solely for a select few but for all His followers. As Mark 13:37 says, “What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”
For Jehovah’s Witnesses to claim that the Olivet Discourse has a limited focus that applies only to members of their Governing Body is to promote a false view of these passages.
A close look at the verses shows that Jesus is warning people that His return will be unexpected and unknown, which is why His followers must be ready and watching. These verses apply to believers today just as they will to the followers of Christ during the Tribulation.
Faithful and Discreet Slave and Jesus’ Coming
The Watchtower Society teaches that Jesus returned invisibly in 1914 and that in 1919, He appointed the Governing Body as the faithful and discreet slave.
However, what we see in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 12, is that the faithful and wise servants are watching and serving until the master comes back.
Likewise, disciples of Jesus should be ready and watchful for His coming. Since the Watchtower Society believes that Christ already returned, then their teaching of the servant does not logically align with Jesus’ words, for the servant’s job would be complete.
Furthermore, Jesus has not yet returned. An entire article could be written detailing the problems with the Watchtower Society’s belief that Jesus returned in 1914, but we will focus on two points.
First, Jesus’ return will be visible to everyone in the world (Zechariah 12:10; Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7). Also, when Jesus ascended, the angels told the disciples that Christ would come back in the same way He left (Acts 1:11).
Since He ascended from the Mount of Olives, He will return there, with His feet physically touching the ground. Old Testament prophecy about Jesus’s second coming also supports the fact that Jesus will return on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4).
None of this has occurred yet, so Christ’s return is still in the future, and believers should continue to watch and be ready.
What Does This Mean?
The idea that the Governing Body of the Jehovah’s Witnesses is the faithful and discreet slave is not found in the Bible. Instead of handling God’s Word rightly, the Watchtower Society has misinterpreted and misused Scripture to support its own agenda.
They have no biblical grounds to claim they are divinely ordained by God to control the teachings of the Bible.
If individuals truly want to follow Jesus’ words, they must first trust in His death and physical resurrection for salvation. Then, they can serve their Lord from a place of love as they wait for His return.
For further reading:
How Does the New World Translation Differ from the Bible? Part 1
How Does the New World Translation Differ from the Bible? Part 2
What Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Believe?
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/gutaper
Sophia Bricker is a freelance writer who enjoys researching and writing articles on biblical and theological topics. In addition to contributing articles about biblical questions as a contract writer, she has also written for Unlocked devotional. She holds a BA in Ministry, a MA in Ministry, and is currently pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing to develop her writing craft. As someone who is passionate about the Bible and faith in Jesus, her mission is to help others learn about Christ and glorify Him in her writing. When she isn’t busy studying or writing, Sophia enjoys spending time with family, reading, drawing, and gardening.
