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Growing in Accurate Knowledge of the TruthJehovah’s Witnesses—Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom
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The Means by Which Jehovah’s Servants Are Taught
Jesus Christ foretold that after his return to heaven, he would send his disciples the holy spirit. This would serve as a helper, guiding them “into all the truth.” (John 14:26; 16:7, 13) Jesus also said that as the Lord or Master of true Christians, he would have a “faithful and discreet slave,” a “faithful steward,” that would give spiritual “food at the proper time” to the domestics, the workers in the household of faith. (Matt. 24:45-47; Luke 12:42) Who is this faithful and discreet slave?
The very first issue of the Watch Tower alluded to Matthew 24:45-47 when it stated that the aim of the publishers of that magazine was to be alert to events in connection with Christ’s presence and to give spiritual “meat in due season” to the household of faith. But the editor of the magazine was not himself claiming to be the faithful and discreet slave, or the “faithful and wise servant” (according to the rendering of the King James Version).
Thus, in the October-November 1881 issue of the magazine, C. T. Russell stated: “We believe that every member of this body of Christ is engaged in the blessed work, either directly or indirectly, of giving meat in due season to the household of faith. ‘Who then is that faithful and wise servant whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household,’ to give them meat in due season? Is it not that ‘little flock’ of consecrated servants who are faithfully carrying out their consecration vows—the body of Christ—and is not the whole body individually and collectively, giving the meat in due [s]eason to the household of faith—the great company of believers? Blessed is that servant (the whole body of Christ) whom his Lord when he has come (Gr. elthon) shall find so doing. ‘Verily, I say unto you, that he shall make him ruler over all his goods.’”
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Growing in Accurate Knowledge of the TruthJehovah’s Witnesses—Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom
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The understanding expressed by Brother Russell in 1881 that the faithful and wise servant was in reality a collective servant, made up of all the members of the spirit-anointed body of Christ on earth, was reaffirmed in The Watch Tower of February 15, 1927.—Compare Isaiah 43:10.
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