Thus the identity of the “faithful and discreet slave” class would not again become clear until the time for Christ Jesus to return.

At that time, Jesus’ faithful disciples would come into clear view. Their well-fed spiritual condition would harmonize with the prophecy of Daniel, which foretold that at the “time of the end” those having insight would shine like the stars, would enjoy increased Scriptural knowledge and understanding and would bring many to righteousness. (Dan. 12:3, 4, 9, 10) This indicates that the congregation of Christ’s anointed disciples, those having insight, would be watching for the Master’s return and be found faithfully providing spiritual food at the proper time when he returned.​—Matt. 24:43-46.

THE ‘FAITHFUL SLAVE’ IDENTIFIED BY ITS ACTIVITY

Though the “weeds” dominated the world’s religious scene through the centuries, some “wheat” was active and spiritual food was provided for the “domestics.” By the early 1870’s there was a group of sincere Bible students sufficiently well fed spiritually to be in expectation of the Lord’s return and to realize the need for thorough study of the Scriptures so as to be prepared. Their unsectarian search of the Bible produced an abundance of knowledge.

During those years, the churches of Christendom were bound by the traditions, dogmas and ceremonies stemming from the great apostasy. They clung to such false doctrines as the Trinity, immortality of the soul and a burning hell. Also, they were part of this world. Skepticism as to the Bible was infiltrating their theological seminaries. Darwin’s theory of evolution was being pitted against the Bible’s creation account, applied psychology was rejecting the teaching of inherent sin and the need for a ransom, and the whole field of higher criticism was attacking the divine authorship and infallibility of the Scriptures.

Amid all of this, the Bible Students (as Jehovah’s Witnesses then were known) were standing as strong advocates of Bible teaching. They held Scripturally that there is one Almighty God and Creator, Jehovah, and that Christ Jesus is his only-begotten Son and first creation, whom God sent to the earth to offer his life as a ransom for sinful humankind. They took up the fight to defend the entire Bible as God’s infallible, inspired Word and published the results of their Biblical study as “food at the proper time,” thus sharing this vital information with all desiring to be prepared for the Lord’s return. The Bible Students made known the true Christian teaching that the human soul is mortal and the hope for the dead is the resurrection. They pointed out that the purpose of Christ’s ransom is not only to pave the way for the 144,000 to be redeemed from the earth so as to be joint heirs with Christ in the heavens but also to give the rest of Adam’s offspring opportunity to gain everlasting life on earth during the 1,000-year Messianic Kingdom reign. Also, they proclaimed to the world that the end of “the appointed times of the nations” would come in 1914. (Luke 21:24) This faith-strengthening restoration of Bible truths and the urgings to wakefulness regarding the presence of Christ Jesus resulted in the gathering together and building up of a congregation of anointed disciples of Christ who displayed evidence of being well fed spiritually.

FOLLOWING the first world war (of 1914 to 1918), the churches of Christendom gave their support to the League of Nations and urged nominal Christians to support it. In contrast, the Bible Students never failed to direct attention to the Kingdom as mankind’s only hope and to expose the League of Nations as a human makeshift doomed to failure.