- Bible verses quoted from the New World Translation except where noted
The spiritual authority among Jehovah's Witnesses is vested in the Faithful and Discreet Slave, which is a term used to refer to the remaining (living) portion of the group of 144,000 people with a heavenly hope.[1] They teach that these 144,000 will eventually rule over the earth from heaven, along with Jesus, as kings and priests.[2] As of August 2005, Jehovahs Witnesses have a reported membership of more than 6. ...
The history of Jehovahs Witnesses dates from about 1870 when Charles Taze Russell began to lead a Bible study group in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ...
Jehovahs Witnesses are organized into a hierarchy. ...
The Governing Body of Jehovahs Witnesses is a body of elders that oversees all the activities of Jehovahs Witnesses. ...
A number of corporations are in use by Jehovahs Witnesses. ...
Jehovahs Witnesses face legal or governmental opposition in many countries. ...
The following reflects the current beliefs and practices of Jehovahs Witnesses. ...
The eschatology of Jehovahs Witnesses is central to their religious beliefs. ...
It has been suggested that Jehovahs Witnesses: Controversial Issues be merged into this article or section. ...
To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...
Throughout the history of Jehovahs Witnesses, their history, their beliefs, doctrines and practices have met controversy and opposition from the local governments, communities, or religious groups. ...
Jehovahs Witnesses have beliefs and practices that are commonly regarded as controversial; by governments for the Witnesses complete refusal to participate in patriotic activities, by some scientists for their belief in creation and by members of Christendom for their doctrines that differ from mainstream Christianity, and by the Christian...
William Miller William Miller (1782 - 1849) was an American Baptist preacher, whose followers have been termed Millerites. ...
Nelson Homer Barbour, (1824-1905) a Millerite Adventist born in Toupsville, New York USA, is best known for his association with Charles Taze Russell from 1876 through 1881. ...
Elder Jonas Wendell (December 25, 1815 - August 14, 1873) of Edenboro, Pennsylvania, was a zealous Adventist preacher following in the spirit of William Miller. ...
A range of participation is represented by these individuals, from full activity to disaffiliation. ...
Charles Russell in 1911 Charles Taze Russell (February 16, 1852 – October 31, 1916), known as Pastor Russell, was an American evangelist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who founded what is known as the Bible Student movement. ...
Milton George Henschel (August 9, 1920 - March 22, 2003) was the person who succeded Frederick W. Franz as the president of Watchtower Society. ...
Joseph F. Rutherford Joseph Franklin Rutherford 8 November 1869—8 January 1942, is best known as the second president of the Watch Tower Society, the legal organization used by Jehovahs Witnesses. ...
Frederick William Franz - (12 September 1893–22 December 1992) served as President of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, the legal organization used to direct the work of Jehovahs Witnesses. ...
Don A. Adams is the current president of the Watch Tower Society, the most important of the Legal instruments of Jehovahs Witnesses. ...
Nathan Homer Knorr (April 23, 1905 - June 8, 1977) was the third president of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society doing so on January 13, 1942, replacing Joseph Franklin Rutherford, who had served in the position since 1916. ...
Raymond Franz, circa 1980 Raymond Franz was a member of the Governing Body of Jehovahs Witnesses from 1971 until 1980, and served at the organizations world headquarters for fifteen years, from 1965 until 1980. ...
Doctor Edmund Charles Gruss (c. ...
This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library of Congress. ...
The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT) is a modern-language translation of the Bible published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. ...
144,000 is a positive whole integer between 100,000 and 200,000. ...
Current Doctrine
Jehovah's Witnesses believe only 144,000 humans and Jesus Christ are ever going to be rewarded with immortal heavenly life as spirit creatures. The rest of the faithful will be rewarded with eternal life on a paradise earth. They teach that Jesus was the first to be rewarded with heavenly immortality, but that Revelation 7:4 and Revelation 14:1, 3 refer to a literal number (144,000) of additional people who will become "self-sustaining," that is, not needing anything outside themselves (food, sunlight, etc.) to maintain their own life.[3] For the Celine Dion song, see Immortality (Celine Dion song). ...
Visions of John of Patmos, as depicted in the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry. ...
Collectively, these 144,000 are believed to be the "little flock" of Luke 12:32. They are also identified as the "twenty-four elders" in Revelation[4] as well as the "Israel of God"[5] by Paul (Revelation 4:4; 14:3; Galatians 6:16) The Gospel of Luke is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels of the New Testament, which tell the story of Jesus life, death, and resurrection. ...
The Epistle to Galatians is a book of the New Testament. ...
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jehovah began choosing these 144,000 at Pentecost in 33 CE when Holy Spirit anointed disciples gathered in Jerusalem. (Acts 2:1-4) Jehovah's Witnesses teach that the sum total of all those anointed by Holy Spirit, from Pentecost 33 CE until present day, does not exceed 144,000 individuals.[6] They believe the majority of these have died already. The Witnesses teach that in the Spring of 1918 Jesus resurrected all those of the 144,000 who had died to heavenly life as spirit creatures. They also teach that those of the 144,000 who die since 1918 are instantaneously resurrected to heavenly life at the time of their death. Pentecost (symbolically related to the Jewish festival of Shavuot) is a feast on the Christian liturgical calendar that commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, and the followers (men and women) of Jesus, fifty days (seven weeks) after Easter, and ten days after Ascension Thursday. ...
For other uses, see 33 (disambiguation). ...
In various religions, most notably Trinitarian Christianity, the Holy Spirit (in Hebrew רוח הקודש Ruah haqodesh; also called the Holy Ghost) is the third consubstantial Person of the Holy Trinity. ...
In Christianity, the disciples were the students of Jesus during his ministry. ...
Hebrew יְרוּשָ××œÖ·×™Ö´× (Yerushalayim) (Standard) Yerushalayim or Yerushalaim Arabic commonly القـÙدْس (Al-Quds); officially in Israel أورشليم القدس (Urshalim-Al-Quds) Name Meaning Hebrew: (see below), Arabic: The Holiness Government City District Jerusalem Population 724,000 (2006) Jurisdiction 123,000 dunams (123 km²) Mayor Uri Lupolianski Web Address www. ...
The Acts of the Apostles (Greek Praxeis Apostolon) is a book of the Bible, which now stands fifth in the New Testament. ...
According to Jehovah's Witnesses, the "faithful and discreet slave" of Matthew 24:45 ("a faithful and wise servant" KJV) is a distinct class of people comprising the remaining ones of the 144,000, or "the remnant". They believe that "Christ uses this body to publish information on the fulfillment of Bible prophecies and to give timely direction on the application of Bible principles in daily life."[7] Hence, they are refered to as the "remnant,"[8] the "anointed,"[9] God's "prophet"[10], and God's "channel"[11]. The Gospel of Matthew (literally, according to Matthew; Greek, Κατά Μαθθαίον or Κατά Ματθαίον) is one of the four Gospel accounts of the New Testament. ...
H:For other uses of King James Version, see King James Version (disambiguation). ...
History of Teaching Authority Matthew 24:45 depicts a "faithful and discreet slave" who is "appointed over" others to "give them their food at the proper time." The belief that the "food," or "meat," is symbolic food referring to spiritual nourishment has never left the interpretation applied by Jehovah's Witnesses. However, the doctrine regarding identity of the Faithful and Discreet Slave has experienced major revision.
In the early history of Jehovah's Witnesses, before they took that name, Charles Taze Russell (Pastor Russell) initially taught the "faithful and wise servant" was the entire body of true Christians. After about 1896, Russell began to see himself as fulfilling the role of "that servant." He explains his change of views in the 1 March 1896 Watch Tower: "In our examination of this text we seem to have treated the term ‘that servant’ as though the Spirit had erred in saying ‘that servant’ when it meant servants (plural), and we applied it to all true servants of God. Since then we have been met from various quarters with objections to so general an application, and the suggestion that it would be wrong to allow modesty or any other consideration, good or bad, to warp our judgment in the exposition of the inspired Word; to which proposition we agree." (Reprints, p. 1946) Later in the 15 April 1904 Watch Tower, Russell explained that the "servant" was an individual and not a group: "but since the servant mentioned is to dispense food to the other members of the body, his fellow-servants, the term seems to be limited to some particular individual." (Reprints, p. 3356) He generally was cautious not to claim the title boldly, but he allowed others to identify him as such. For example, Russell as editor of the Watch Tower published letters from readers referring to him as the "faithful servant." (15 November 1915 Watch Tower, p. 351; Reprints, p. 5804) At his death in 1916, the Watch Tower reported that in private conversations Russell admitted that he was the "faithful and wise servant."[12] (Matthew 24:45 KJV) This view of C.T. Russell being "that slave" was taught up until 1927 in The Watchtower and Herald of Christ's Presence: "No one in present truth for a moment doubts that Brother Russell filled the office of the 'faithful and wise servant', whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season'."[13] Charles Russell in 1911 Charles Taze Russell (February 16, 1852 – October 31, 1916), known as Pastor Russell, was an American evangelist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who founded what is known as the Bible Student movement. ...
H:For other uses of King James Version, see King James Version (disambiguation). ...
In 1927 Russell's successor, Joseph Franklin Rutherford, published an article in The Watchtower to the effect that the "faithful servant" was a class of people, not an individual. Jehovah’s Witnesses--Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom concludes that "...the idea that Russell himself was the faithful and wise servant...came to be generally held by the Bible Students for some thirty years." (1896-1927)[14] Joseph F. Rutherford Joseph Franklin Rutherford 8 November 1869—8 January 1942, is best known as the second president of the Watch Tower Society, the legal organization used by Jehovahs Witnesses. ...
In subsequent years it became unclear whether the title was being applied to the Watch Tower Society or some other group. Some statements specifically applied the verse to the organization: "The Father is the great Provider of spiritual food, and he delegates to his organization the duty of preparing and serving this life-sustaining 'meat in due season'. The table is the Lord’s, he sits at the head, and the children seated at the table are waited on and served and helped by the mother organization.—Matt. 24:45; Ps. 23:5; Isa. 25:6"[15] A number of corporations are in use by Jehovahs Witnesses. ...
In the year 1951, for the first time, a clear division was drawn between the "faithful and discreet slave" as a class of people and the organization: "Christ Jesus approved of his remnant as a 'faithful and discreet slave' and set this slave class over all his earthly belongings. Then by the theocratic organization Jehovah led them from one truth to another, opening the eyes of their hearts and the ears of their understanding to see and hear these truths."
From that year forward, the teaching regarding the Faithful and Discreet Slave has been consistent. Jehovah's Witnesses believe this remnant to be over all Jesus' earthly belongings. This remnant is believed to exercise all teaching authority among Jehovah's Witnesses as it pertains to doctrine and articles of faith. None of Jehovah's Witnesses claim infallibility on any teaching. However, Jehovah's Witnesses are told: "a mature Christian...does not advocate or insist on personal opinions or harbor private ideas when it comes to Bible understanding. Rather, he has complete confidence in the truth as it is revealed by Jehovah God through his Son, Jesus Christ, and 'the faithful and discreet slave.'"[16] Publicly rejecting any teaching can result in disfellowshipping. Doctrine, from Latin doctrina, (compare doctor), means a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system. ...
Articles of faith are formal creeds, or lists of beliefs, sometimes numbered, and often beginning with We believe. ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Doctrines and practices of Jehovahs Witnesses. ...
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that after a period of examination by Jesus of all churches claiming to be Christian, this remnant was recognized by Jesus, in 1919, as the only true Christians. They further believe that Jesus uses this group exclusively as the only means of communicating God's messages to all the earth. This belief is the basis for calling this group God's Channel.
Effect of Current Doctrine on Teaching Authority Although the Faithful and Discreet Slave is believed to be the earthly source of doctrine for Jehovah's Witnesses, very few from this group have any decision making authority regarding institution of doctrine, changes to doctrine, or decisions relative to Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide. All decision making authority with regard to doctrine is vested entirely in the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses. Doctrine, from Latin doctrina, (compare doctor), means a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system. ...
Jehovahs Witnesses are organized into a hierarchy. ...
- "'The faithful and discreet slave' seeks to preserve unity and makes it possible organizationally for 'all things to take place decently and by arrangement.' (1 Cor. 14:40) To accomplish this in the first century, a group of anointed Christians from among the faithful and discreet slave class were chosen as its representatives. As such, they did not consult with all anointed elders in the world before making decisions. From their position in the Jerusalem congregation, they served as a governing body for the entire anointed Christian congregation."[17]
In contrast, new members of the Governing Body today are selected only by existing members of the Governing Body, and members of the Faithful and Discreet Slave class do not at all choose their representatives. Given this reality, the effect of current doctrine on teaching authority is that the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses are coming, not from the Faithful and Discreet Slave, but from the Governing Body. The Faithful and Discreet Slave is not listed in the Organizational structure of Jehovah's Witnesses and the Governing Body is in no way subject to this group. Individual members of the Faithful and Discreet Slave also risk disfellowshipping for publicly rejecting the teachings of the Governing Body. It is difficult for any outside observer to determine where the Faithful and Discreet Slave, as a class, has any authority or input at all. Jehovahs Witnesses are organized into a hierarchy. ...
Notes, References, Sources - ^ Watchtower July 1, 1995 p. 15 paragraph 6
- ^ Watchtower October 15, 2000 p. 20 paragraph 18
- ^ Insight on the Scriptures Vol. 1 p. 1196: "Incorruption"
- ^ Revelation—It's Grand Climax at Hand (1988) pp. 85-87 paragraph 14
- ^ Watchtower February 1, 2002 p. 18 paragraph 15
- ^ Watchtower February 1, 2002 p. 20 paragraph 6 (source for entire paragraph)
- ^ Organized to Do Jehovah's Will (2005) p. 16
- ^ Watchtower January 1, 2000 p. 11 paragraph 19
- ^ Watchtower March 15, 2002 pp. 13-14 paragraph 4
- ^ Watchtower April 1, 1972 p. 197
- ^ Watchtower August 1, 2002 p. 13 paragraph 17
- ^ Watchtower December 1, 1916 p. 356-357
- ^ Watchtower April 1, 1920, p. 104 paragraph 6 (TIF format scan)
- ^ Jehovah’s Witnesses--Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom (p. 143)
- ^ Watchtower September 15, 1950 p. 326
- ^ Watchtower August 1, 2001 p. 14 paragraph 8
- ^ Organized to Do Jehovah's Will (2005) p. 17
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