The group is described as a "class" of "anointed" Christians that operates under the direct control of Jesus Christ[1] to exercise teaching authority in all matters pertaining to doctrine and articles of faith.
[9][10] Governing Body members are said to act in the role of the faithful and discreet slave class when arriving at decisions on doctrines, activities, and oversight of Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide, including making appointments to positions of responsibility.
The date of Christ's inspection has previously been identified as 1919,[17] though publications have also suggested Russell's group passed God's test of fitness 40 years earlier, using The Watchtower as his principal method of spreading Bible truth from 1879.
"[32] In 1927, Watch Tower Society president Joseph Rutherford reverted to Russell's original viewpoint, announcing that the "servant" was not an individual, but was made up of the entire body of faithful spirit-anointed Christians.
Watch Tower Society publications had taught that the "faithful and discreet slave" class had had a continuous uninterrupted existence since being appointed by Christ at the time of Pentecost AD 33,[17] when the first 120 people upon whom Holy Spirit was poured out began "feeding" Jews with spiritual food.
[17] Watch Tower publications did not identify the groups filling the role of the "slave" class between the close of the Apostolic Age and the early 20th century, suggesting it disappeared from "clear view",[40] but they implied they might have included the Lollards and the Waldensians (the latter movement described by The Watchtower as "faithful witnesses of Jehovah ... who sought to revive true worship of Christianity").
That slave is the small, composite group of anointed brothers serving at world headquarters during Christ's presence who are directly involved in preparing and dispensing spiritual food.
[33] In 2012 the society modified the doctrine, stating that the slave was now understood to be synonymous with the Governing Body, a small group of anointed elders serving at the denomination's world headquarters.
[47] Franz claimed the leadership employs its interpretation of the "faithful and discreet slave" parable primarily to support the concept of centralized administrative authority in order to exercise control over members of the group by demanding their loyalty and submission.
[48] He said the "anointed" remnant, which at that time was claimed to comprise the "slave" class, had negligible input into Watch Tower Society doctrine and direction, which were set by the Governing Body.