The evil servant

But, Lord, shall you come on the good servant in a day he looketh not for you, and in an hour he is not aware of? The world will not see these things, nor will the evil servant. And many in that day, said Christ, will find out when it is a little too late, when the harvest is ended, and the door is shut, and say “Lord, Lord, open to us.”

"Saying, my Lord delayeth his coming"--these servants shall have their portion in the time of trouble with the hypocrites and doubtless constitute a part of the great multitude referred to above.

The "evil servant" who says: My Lord delayeth his coming, and forgetting his consecration vows, begins to eat and drink with the drunken (partake of the spirit of the world) shall have no part with the faithful overcomer.

One party says he is present, another says he delayeth to come; and they who deny his presence, smite their fellow servants, because they declare his presence.

These are not hypocrites, but unfaithful servants, who thereby lose the reward to which the faithful attain; but through the Lord's mercy they may come up out of great tribulation by washing their robes (`Rev. 7:14`); and though not privileged to be the bride of Christ, to which high office they were called, they are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Such a one virtually says in his heart, "My Lord delayeth his coming"--the coming in the glory of his Kingdom, his personal presence being already recognized.

Those who were once anointed and therefore in the Servant class, and who, since 1918, have refused to participate in announcing the kingdom, and who engage in smiting their fellow servants, and fellowship with the world, constitute the evil servant class.

The evidence of his presence from 1874 until 1914 must be found and is found in other portions of the Scriptures. From 1914 to 1918 the Bridegroom seemed to tarry and the “evil servant” class became manifest and therefore unfaithful. The motive of the evil servant class was selfish, because they had been looking to the time when they might receive a reward for themselves.

In contrast therewith the Scriptures mention an “evil servant” class, which is made up of the ones disapproved by the Lord because they have not shown a proper appreciation of God’s kingdom.

However, as already noted, we are not to expect this evil slave to be a single individual but rather a group of individuals.

Both the religious clergy and those of the “evil slave” may publicize all manner of half-truths and outright falsehoods about Jehovah’s people, just as religious opposers did in the days of Jesus and his apostles.

Those who are steadfastly striving for maturity realize that digression was not a condition peculiar to the early Christian congregation only, because in recent years we have witnessed the deflection of the “evil slave” class, besides the many others individually who have gone back to the old world by reason of selfishness, reviling, unwillingness to undergo persecution, return to a course of adultery, idolatry and many other subtle schemes promulgated by Satan, the god of this world.—Matt. 24:48-51.

Another group claiming to be Christians that will receive the same sentence as the "man of lawlessness" is the group that Jesus called prophetically "that evil servant" or "that evil slave."

These are dedicated and baptized Christians who have been begotten by God's spirit to a heavenly hope and who have been associated with the faithful Christian congregation whom Jesus called "a faithful and wise servant" or "faithful and discreet slave."

When they failed, they fell away and became an "evil slave" class, opposing those who continued to show true love for God.

Meanwhile Jehovah had revealed to his people that the time of his temple judgment was here, and "lightnings and voices and thunders" proceeded from his heavenly temple, causing a purifying of his "sanctuary" class on earth. (Rev. 11:16-19) An "evil slave" class was eliminated from the ranks of the faithful Witnesses. (Matt. 24:48-51) Loyal men helped me to keep close to the organization of God's people.

As Jesus said in his prophecy in which he foretold that he would find such an "evil slave" class at his second coming: He "will punish him with the greatest severity and will assign him his part with the hypocrites. There is where his weeping and the gnashing of his teeth will be." (Matthew 24:48-51) No sect established by the "evil slave" class since 1918 C.E. is recognized as Scriptural.

Similarly, the figure of the unfaithful "evil slave" could apply to a collective group in the same way that the "antichrist" is shown to be a class made up of individual antichrists—1 John 2: 18; 2 John 7.

Individuals who were once members of the "faithful and discreet slave" class may break away for selfish reasons such as personal ambitions, power over others and self-indulgence.

If they should take up worldly practices, or should become lax in Kingdom-preaching, they could find themselves in the situation of an "evil slave."

Though Christ described the conduct that would characterize disloyal ones, he certainly did not foreordain them to be such. They take the course of disloyalty according to their own free will and desires.

This does not indicate that the 'faithful slave' becomes unfaithful, so that the "domestics" are without care. But there is the possibility that some individuals of that "slave" class would lose faith in the return of the Master. By saying in their hearts, "My master is delaying," they cease to be watchful and thereby open the way for abandoning the whole body of Christian truth.

Though not working together as one organized body, such individuals who fall away make up a class of unfaithful ones.

Today some disloyal ones manifest the traits of "that evil slave" by saying in their heart, "My master is delaying."

Since this brother kept up connections with a sect issuing from the “evil slave” class, it became necessary to avoid this person, but the typewriter was needed.

Those who have actually been part of the spirit-anointed remnant and entrusted with the Kingdom valuables, but who have quit making the effort to increase the interests of the returned Master, have been thrown out of the Master's royal service. (Matthew 24:48-51) No longer do we find the sluggish "evil slave" class preaching "this good news of the kingdom."

Two elders who presided over our congregation went with an opposition group and thus became members of the "evil slave" class.

The severest punishment is to be meted out to that slave for his failure to care for the responsibilities entrusted to him and for going even to the point of beating his fellow slaves.—Mt 24:48-51.