ClaimDoctrine changesverified1990sExplicit statement

Doctrine changes · Claim record

Before 2013 the organisation taught that all spirit-anointed Christians 'at any given time collectively make up' the faithful and discreet slave and that the 'domestics' were the same anointed ones individually.

Claim ID claim-doctrine-fds-pre-2013-all-anointedConcerns 15 March 1990Explicit statement

The claim and its evidence

Explicit statement · 15 March 1990 Verified

Before 2013 the organisation taught that all spirit-anointed Christians 'at any given time collectively make up' the faithful and discreet slave and that the 'domestics' were the same anointed ones individually. Source: The Watchtower, 15 March 1990Source: The Watchtower, 1 April 2007Source: The Watchtower (study edition), 15 July 2013

The organisation’s position or later explanation: w13 7/15 par. 3 summarises this former view in the organisation's own words before replacing it.

Show the evidence (3 sources)
Primary JW publication Verified

The Watchtower, “'The Faithful Slave' and Its Governing Body”

15 March 1990 · pp.10-14 · par. 3 (p. 10) · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

“the spirit-anointed members of God's household at any given time collectively make up “the faithful and discreet slave,” “steward,” or “house manager.” Individually, the members of Jehovah's household are termed “domestics” or “body of attendants.””

Pre-2013 definition; par. 7 says Christ chose 'a small number of men out of the slave class to serve as a visible governing body'.

Provenance and verification note for The Watchtower, 'The Faithful Slave' and Its Governing Body

Confidence note. Opened on wol.jw.org; wording, paragraph and page confirmed.

Corroborated by. src-w-2007-0401-loyal-faithful-slave, src-w-2013-0715-who-really-is-fds

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-w-1990-0315-faithful-slave-governing-body

Primary JW publication Verified

The Watchtower, “Loyal to Christ and His Faithful Slave”

1 April 2007 · pp.21-25 · par. 5 (p. 22) · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

“the composite sign that Jesus gave his disciples to enable them to recognize the time of his “presence and of the conclusion of the system of things” included the identification of a collective “slave.””

Describes the slave as a collective of the anointed remnant acknowledged by Christ in 1918-1919.

Provenance and verification note for The Watchtower, Loyal to Christ and His Faithful Slave

Confidence note. Opened on wol.jw.org; wording and page confirmed.

Corroborated by. src-w-1990-0315-faithful-slave-governing-body

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-w-2007-0401-loyal-faithful-slave

Primary JW publication Verified

The Watchtower (study edition), ““Who Really Is the Faithful and Discreet Slave?””

15 July 2013 · pp.20-25 · par. 3 (p. 20); par. 10 (p. 22); pars. 12-13 (p. 23) · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

“that slave is made up of a small group of anointed brothers who are directly involved in preparing and dispensing spiritual food during Christ's presence. … In 1919, a time of spiritual revival, Jesus selected capable anointed brothers from among them to be the faithful and discreet slave and appointed them over his domestics.”

Par. 3 states the former understanding: 'At Pentecost 33 C.E., Jesus appointed the faithful slave over his domestics. The slave represents all anointed Christians on earth as a group at any one time since then. The domestics refer to the same anointed ones as individuals.' Par. 13: 'Early in the last days, the domestics were all anointed ones. Later, the domestics came to include the great crowd of other sheep.'

Provenance and verification note for The Watchtower (study edition), “Who Really Is the Faithful and Discreet Slave?”

Confidence note. Opened on wol.jw.org; wording, paragraphs and pages confirmed.

Corroborated by. src-idx-beliefs-clarified, src-w-1990-0315-faithful-slave-governing-body

Notes. The 'Beliefs Clarified' index dates this change to 2013.

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-w-2013-0715-who-really-is-fds

Claim page

A direct link to this claim is https://jwtruth.org/evidence/claim-doctrine-fds-pre-2013-all-anointed/. Every source above opens the original document or the best available copy. If you believe the wording, date or context is wrong, report an error.