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The Authority of the Watchtower

Is the Watchtower Leadership the "Faithful and Discreet Slave"?

 

The Watchtower says that no one can understand the Bible without submitting to the teaching of the organization.  If this is true, then no one can understand the Bible verses that are used to prove the necessity of submitting to the organization's teachings.

We end up in a circular argument:

    1.  God's Organization (the Watchtower) says you need

         God's Organization to understand the Bible because

    2.     the Bible says you do, and the only reason you know the Bible says

          this is because

    3.  God's Organization says that that's what is says.

To be consistent with this understanding a Jehovah's Witness should not show anything from the Bible to an unbeliever, but should just urge the unbeliever to submit to the Watchtower organization.

The Watchtower claims that Matthew 24:45-47 teaches that no one can understand the Bible apart from the "faithful and discreet slave..” The parable doesn't end with verse 47 but goes on in verses 48-51 to warn that slave of what is to happen if he is not faithful but evil.  The point of the parable is that Christian leaders must be faithful in their service. If they are, they will be rewarded, if they are not, they will be punished. This is even clearer when you look at the parallel passage of this parable in Luke 12:41-48.  This is not about an organization or group, but is about individuals being faithful to the appointed task of feeding God's people.

This parable is directed to those who consider themselves to be Christ's "slave", not to those who are "fed" by the slave.

The rewards or punishments are given to the slaves for their faithfulness, or lack of it, not to the domestics for their compliance in eating everything the slaves fed them.

Another problem with the teaching that no one can understand God's Word correctly without submitting to the "faithful and discreet slave" is the belief that God did not intend for people to understand the Bible for almost nineteen centuries until Pastor Russell came along. This has to be true because if God did have an organization on earth in the late 19th century there would have been no need for Russell and his associates to separate from "Christendom" and begin a modern work at all. They would simply have allied themselves with it.

 This is hard to believe when you consider what is written in Matthew 16:18; 28:20 and Jude 3.

Acts 8:30-31 response:

This passage does indicate the need for guidance or help in studying the Bible, but it does not prove that some organization exists whose pronouncements on biblical interpretation may not be challenged. In this passage we find one Christian preaching Christ directly from the Bible, and an individual who believes and is sent on his way rejoicing - with no organization to join.

2 Peter 1:20-21 response:

This passage is not about interpreting the Bible, but is about how the Bible came to be written originally. See Aid to Bible Understanding page 839.

John 6:68 response:

Whom shall we go away to? Read all of verses 68 and 69 - To Jesus, the one who has words of eternal life!

 

Written by Warren Bosma

www.soundwitness.org

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