The man with the writer's inkhorn
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Also known as Man with the writer's inkhorn · The man clothed with linen · The man in linen · The linen-clad man · The man with the secretary's inkhorn · The King's secretary · The seventh man · The man with the writing material · The man with the ink-horn · The man clothed in linen
In December 1916, the linen-clad man with the writer's inkhorn in Ezekiel 9 was identified personally with Charles Taze Russell, an interpretation repeated from 1917 through 1923. In 1931 this identification was explicitly rejected and replaced with the collective anointed servant class, understood to perform the symbolic marking work through preaching. This interpretation continued throughout subsequent decades. In 1966 the marking work was explained as involving more than imparting Bible knowledge, and in 1974 the symbolic mark was explicitly associated with the Christian personality. Publications in the 1980s further emphasized dedication, baptism, and Christian conduct. As late as 2008, the man was still identified with the anointed remnant, who were understood to be marking Christ's other sheep through preaching and disciple-making. In June 2016 the interpretation was fundamentally reversed: the man was identified as Jesus Christ himself, and the marking was assigned to his future judgment of the sheep during the great tribulation rather than the ongoing preaching work. The new identification was reaffirmed in 2017 and 2018. In 2018 the wider prophetic context was also adjusted: Christendom was no longer identified as the antitypical Jerusalem, although Ezekiel's vision continued to be understood as having a modern-day fulfillment.
- Ezek. 9:1-11
- Ezek. 10:1-7
Rutherford
Joseph F. Rutherford · 1917–1942
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The individual identification with Russell was explicitly rejected. The linen-clad man now represented all the anointed faithful servants of Jehovah on earth acting collectively as the servant class. Their assignment was to proclaim the Kingdom message and mark receptive people before the execution of judgment at Armageddon.
8 quotes
There are numerous scriptures proving that this one man pictures all of the anointed ones on earth, and which constitute the “servant” class, the remnant of the Lord.
The Watchtower, September 1, 1931 According to the Scriptures he pictures Jehovah's witnesses now on earth, the faithful and true followers of Christ Jesus who are anointed and commissioned to do a specific work in the name of Jehovah God.
The Final War, 1932 They picture God’s remnant people on the earth who are pictured by Ezekiel under the symbol of 'the man in linen with the writer’s inkhorn by his side’ who scatters fire over the city.
The Watchtower, September 1, 1933 In this prophecy of Ezekiel there appears one man with the writer’s inkhorn by his side, who goes through the city to mark those who sigh and cry, and which foreshadows the witness work being done by the remnant.
The Watchtower, March 1, 1935 The figure of one creature clothed with linen, and bearing an inkhorn at his side, pictures the entire remnant or servant class; that is, Jehovah’s witnesses are pictured.
Riches, 1936 Seeing that the slaying by the six begins with the clergymen, and none are spared, then surely the man with the writer’s inkhorn, that is, the “faithful servant” class, must not for pity or policy spare the clergy, when declaring the day of the vengeance of our God.
The Watchtower, December 1, 1937 There is not one scripture to support the conclusion that the man with the writer’s inkhorn by his side and clothed with linen pictures an individual.
The Watchtower, January 1, 1938 This one pictures Jehovah’s witnesses, the faithful followers of Christ Jesus who go to make up the remnant of the Lord now on the earth; while the six men with slaughter weapons picture the invisible forces of the Lord that will destroy “Christendom” at Armageddon.
Salvation, 1939
Governing Body
1992–
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The previous identification of the man with the anointed remnant was rejected and replaced with Jesus Christ. The symbolic marking was no longer understood as being performed by the anointed through present-day preaching. Instead, Jesus would mark the great crowd for survival when judging them as sheep during the great tribulation.
1 quote
In the modern-day fulfillment, the man with the secretary’s inkhorn represents Jesus Christ, the one behind the scenes who marks those who will survive.
The Watchtower (Study), June 2016
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