“Your Leader Is One, the Christ”

“Do not . . . be called ‘leaders,’ for your Leader is one, the Christ.”​—MATT. 23:9, 10.

1. Whom do Jehovah’s Witnesses recognize as Leader, and why?

CHRISTENDOM’S churches have human leaders, such as the pope of Rome, the patriarchs and metropolitans of the Eastern Orthodox churches, and the heads of other religions. Jehovah’s Witnesses recognize no human as their leader. They are not disciples or followers of any man. This is in line with Jehovah’s prophetic utterance concerning his Son: “Look! As a witness to the national groups I have given him, as a leader and commander to the national groups.” (Isa. 55:4) The international congregation of anointed Christians and their “other sheep” companions want no leader other than the one Jehovah has given them. (John 10:16) They subscribe to Jesus’ statement: “Your Leader is one, the Christ.”​—Matt. 23:10.

Spiritual Prince of Israel

2, 3. What active role did God’s Son play in Israel?

² Centuries before the founding of the Christian congregation, Jehovah had an angelic leader over his people Israel. After bringing the Israelites out of Egypt, Jehovah told them: “Here I am sending an angel ahead of you to keep you on the road and to bring you into the place that I have prepared. Watch yourself because of him and obey his voice. Do not behave rebelliously against him, for he will not pardon your transgression; because my name is within him.” (Ex. 23:20, 21) It is reasonable to believe that this angel, who had ‘Jehovah’s name within him,’ was God’s firstborn Son.

³ Prior to his birth as a human, God’s Son apparently had the name Michael. In the book of Daniel, Michael is called “the prince of [Daniel’s] people,” Israel. (Dan. 10:21) The disciple Jude indicates that Michael was involved in the affairs of Israel long before Daniel’s day. After Moses’ death, Satan apparently intended to use the corpse to further his own interests in some way, possibly by inciting Israel to commit idolatry. Michael stepped in to prevent this. Jude relates: “When Michael the archangel had a difference with the Devil and was disputing about Moses’ body, he did not dare to bring a judgment against him in abusive terms, but said: ‘May Jehovah rebuke you.’” (Jude 9) A little later, before the siege of Jericho, it was doubtless Michael, the “prince of the army of Jehovah,” who appeared to Joshua to reassure him of divine backing. (Read Joshua 5:13-15.) When a demon prince tried to prevent an angel from delivering an important message to the prophet Daniel, the archangel Michael came to that angel’s assistance.​—Dan. 10:5-7, 12-14.

The Foretold Leader Comes

4. What prophecy was given concerning the coming of the Messiah?

⁴ Previous to this incident, Jehovah had sent his angel Gabriel to the prophet Daniel to convey to him a prophecy concerning the coming of “Messiah the Leader.” (Dan. 9:21-25)a Exactly on time, in the fall of 29 C.E., Jesus was baptized by John. Holy spirit was poured out upon Jesus, making him the Anointed One​—Christ, the Messiah. (Matt. 3:13-17; John 1:29-34; Gal. 4:4) As such, he was to become an incomparable Leader.

5. How did Christ act as Leader during his earthly ministry?

⁵ From the beginning of his ministry on earth, Jesus proved himself to be “Messiah the Leader.” Within a few days, he began gathering disciples, and he performed his first miracle. (John 1:35–2:11) His disciples followed him as he traveled the length and breadth of the land, preaching the good news of the Kingdom. (Luke 8:1) He trained them in the preaching work and took the lead in preaching and teaching, setting a fine example. (Luke 9:1-6) Christian elders today do well to imitate him in this respect.

6. In what way did Christ prove to be a Shepherd and Leader?

⁶ Jesus pointed to another aspect of his leadership by comparing himself to a loving shepherd. Oriental shepherds literally lead their flocks. In The Land and the Book, W. M. Thomson wrote: “The shepherd goes before, not merely to point out the way, but to see that it is practicable and safe. . . . With [his] staff he rules and guides the flock to their green pastures, and defends them from their enemies.” Showing that he is a true Shepherd and Leader, Jesus declared: “I am the fine shepherd; the fine shepherd surrenders his soul in behalf of the sheep. My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:11, 27) True to his word, Jesus died a sacrificial death in behalf of his sheep, but Jehovah “raised him up to be leader and Saviour.”​—Acts 5:31, New Jerusalem Bible; Heb. 13:20.

Overseer of the Christian Congregation

7. By means of what does Jesus oversee the Christian congregation?

⁷ Shortly before ascending to heaven, the resurrected Jesus told his disciples: “All authority has been given me in heaven and on the earth.” (Matt. 28:18) Jehovah had Jesus pass on holy spirit to strengthen his disciples in Christian truth. (John 15:26) Jesus poured out this spirit upon the early Christians at Pentecost 33 C.E. (Acts 2:33) That outpouring of the holy spirit marked the founding of the Christian congregation. Jehovah invested his Son with the heavenly leadership of the congregation on earth. (Read Ephesians 1:22; Colossians 1:13, 18.) Jesus guides the Christian congregation by means of Jehovah’s holy spirit, and he has at his service angels who were “made subject to him.”​—1 Pet. 3:22.

8. What earthly instrument did Christ use in the first century to lead his disciples, and whom is he using today?

⁸ Also by means of holy spirit, Christ gave “gifts in men,” some “as shepherds and teachers” in the congregation. (Eph. 4:8, 11) The apostle Paul urged Christian overseers: “Pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the holy spirit has appointed you overseers, to shepherd the congregation of God.” (Acts 20:28) When the Christian congregation began, all these overseers were spirit-anointed men. The apostles and the elders of the Jerusalem congregation acted as a governing body. Christ used this instrument to lead the entire group of his anointed “brothers” on earth. (Heb. 2:11; Acts 16:4, 5) In this time of the end, Christ has committed “all his belongings”​—all the earthly interests of the Kingdom—​to his “faithful and discreet slave” and its representative Governing Body, a group of anointed Christian men. (Matt. 24:45-47) The anointed and their other sheep companions recognize that by following the lead of the modern-day Governing Body, they are in fact following their Leader, Christ.

Christ Initiates the Preaching Work

9, 10. How did Christ direct matters with regard to spreading the good news of the Kingdom?

⁹ Right from the start, Jesus personally directed the worldwide preaching and teaching activity. He established the order in which the good news of the Kingdom was to be transmitted to the inhabitants of the earth. During his ministry, he instructed his apostles: “Do not go off into the road of the nations, and do not enter into a Samaritan city; but, instead, go continually to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.’” (Matt. 10:5-7) They did this zealously among Jews and proselytes, especially after Pentecost 33 C.E.​—Acts 2:4, 5, 10, 11; 5:42; 6:7.

¹⁰ Later, by means of holy spirit, Jesus extended the Kingdom-preaching work to the Samaritans and then to other non-Jews. (Acts 8:5, 6, 14-17; 10:19-22, 44, 45) With a view to promoting the spread of the good news among the nations, Jesus acted personally to move Saul of Tarsus to become a Christian. Jesus instructed his disciple Ananias: “Rise, go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man named Saul, from Tarsus. . . . Be on your way, because this man is a chosen vessel to me to bear my name to the nations as well as to kings and the sons of Israel.” (Acts 9:3-6, 10, 11, 15) “This man” became the apostle Paul.​—1 Tim. 2:7.

11. How did Christ by means of holy spirit expand the preaching work?

¹¹ When the time came to expand the work of Kingdom preaching among the non-Jewish nations, heaven directed Paul on missionary journeys in Asia Minor and on into Europe. Luke’s account in Acts states: “As they [Christian prophets and teachers in the congregation in Syrian Antioch] were publicly ministering to Jehovah and fasting, the holy spirit said: ‘Of all persons set Barnabas and Saul apart for me for the work to which I have called them.’ Then they fasted and prayed and laid their hands upon them and let them go.” (Acts 13:2, 3) Jesus had personally called Saul of Tarsus to be His “chosen vessel” to bear His name to the nations; hence, this new impetus to the witnessing work came from Christ, the Leader of the congregation. Jesus’ use of the holy spirit to direct the work became unmistakably clear during Paul’s second missionary trip. The account states that “the spirit of Jesus,” that is, Jesus by means of holy spirit, guided Paul and his traveling companions in the choice of their itinerary, and a vision led them to move on into Europe.​—Read Acts 16:6-10.

Jesus’ Leadership Over His Congregation

12, 13. How does the book of Revelation show that Christ follows closely what goes on in each congregation?

¹² Jesus followed closely what was going on within the congregations of his anointed followers in the first century C.E. He had intimate knowledge of the spiritual condition of each congregation. This becomes apparent when we read Revelation chapters 2 and 3. He names seven congregations, all located in Asia Minor. (Rev. 1:11) We have every reason to believe that he was just as familiar with the spiritual condition of the other congregations of his followers on earth at that time.​—Read Revelation 2:23.

¹³ Jesus commended some of the congregations for their endurance, faithfulness under trial, loyalty to his word, and rejection of apostates. (Rev. 2:2, 9, 13, 19; 3:8) On the other hand, he gave firm counsel to several congregations because their love for him had cooled off, they countenanced idolatry and fornication, and they tolerated sectarianism. (Rev. 2:4, 14, 15, 20; 3:15, 16) As a loving spiritual overseer​—even to those to whom he gave strong admonition—​Jesus stated: “All those for whom I have affection I reprove and discipline. Therefore be zealous and repent.” (Rev. 3:19) Although in heaven, Jesus was leading the congregations of his disciples on earth by means of holy spirit. At the end of the messages to those congregations, he declared: “Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations.”​—Rev. 3:22.

14-16. (a) How has Jesus proved to be a courageous Leader of Jehovah’s people on earth? (b) What has resulted from Jesus’ being “with” his disciples “all the days until the conclusion of the system of things”? (c) What will we consider in the following article?

¹⁴ We have seen that Michael (Jesus) proved to be a valiant angelic Leader of Israel. Later, Jesus was a courageous Leader and a loving Shepherd of his early disciples. During his earthly ministry, he took the lead in the preaching work. And after his resurrection, he exercised close oversight of the spreading of the Kingdom good news.

¹⁵ By means of holy spirit, Jesus would eventually extend the witnessing work to the ends of the earth. Before ascending to heaven, Jesus told his disciples: “You will receive power when the holy spirit arrives upon you, and you will be witnesses of me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the most distant part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8; read 1 Peter 1:12.) Under Christ’s direction, a tremendous witness was given in the first century.​—Col. 1:23.

¹⁶ But Jesus himself indicated that this work would continue into the time of the end. After commissioning his followers to preach and to make disciples among all the nations, Jesus promised them: “I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.” (Matt. 28:19, 20) Since being invested with kingly power in 1914, Christ is more than ever “with” his disciples and active as their Leader. His intense activity since 1914 will be examined in the following article.

[Footnote]

Our Active Leader Today

“He went forth conquering and to complete his conquest.”​—REV. 6:2.

1, 2. (a) How is Christ’s kingly activity since 1914 depicted in the Bible? (b) What actions has Christ undertaken since his enthronement?

CHRIST was enthroned as King of Jehovah’s Messianic Kingdom in 1914. How do we imagine him now in our mind’s eye? As a contemplative king sitting on his throne, glancing down to earth from time to time to see how his congregation is faring? If so, we should revise our opinion. The Psalms and the book of Revelation depict him as an energetic king on horseback, riding forth “conquering and to complete his conquest,” continuing to ultimate “success.”​—Rev. 6:2; Ps. 2:6-9; 45:1-4.

² Christ’s first kingly action after his enthronement was his victory over “the dragon and its angels.” As the archangel Michael in command of his angels, Christ hurled Satan and his demons out of the holy heavens and confined them to the vicinity of the earth. (Rev. 12:7-9) Then, in his role as Jehovah’s “messenger of the covenant,” Jesus came with his Father to carry out an inspection of the spiritual temple. (Mal. 3:1) He judged Christendom, the most reprehensible part of “Babylon the Great,” finding her guilty of bloodshed and of spiritual adultery with the political system of this world.​—Rev. 18:2, 3, 24.

Cleansing His Earthly Slave

3, 4. (a) What work did Christ accomplish as Jehovah’s “messenger”? (b) The temple inspection revealed what, and as Head of the congregation, what appointment did Jesus make?

³ The inspection by Jehovah and his “messenger” also revealed in the earthly courtyard of that spiritual temple the presence of a group of true Christians, who were not part of Christendom’s churches. However, even these anointed Christians, or “sons of Levi,” needed to undergo cleansing. It was as the prophet Malachi had foretold: “He [Jehovah] must sit as a refiner and cleanser of silver and must cleanse the sons of Levi; and he must clarify them like gold and like silver, and they will certainly become to Jehovah people presenting a gift offering in righteousness.” (Mal. 3:3) Jehovah used his “messenger of the covenant,” Christ Jesus, to cleanse these spiritual Israelites.

⁴ Still, Christ found these same faithful anointed Christians doing their utmost to provide timely spiritual food for the household of faith. From 1879 onward, through thick and thin, they had been publishing Biblical truths about God’s Kingdom in the pages of this magazine. Jesus had prophesied that “on arriving” to inspect his domestics during “the conclusion of the system of things,” he would find a slave providing them “food at the proper time.” He would pronounce that slave happy and would “appoint him over all his belongings” on earth. (Matt. 24:3, 45-47) As Head of the Christian congregation, Christ has used this “faithful and discreet slave” to administer His Kingdom interests on earth. He has provided direction for the anointed “domestics” and their “other sheep” companions by means of a Governing Body.​—John 10:16.

Harvesting the Earth

5. What kingly activity did the apostle John see in vision?

⁵ The apostle John had a vision of something else that the Messianic King would do in “the Lord’s day,” after He was enthroned in 1914. John wrote: “I saw, and, look! a white cloud, and upon the cloud someone seated like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.” (Rev. 1:10; 14:14) John heard an angel from Jehovah tell this Harvester to thrust in his sickle because “the harvest of the earth is thoroughly ripe.”​—Rev. 14:15, 16.

6. What did Jesus say would develop over time?

⁶ This “harvest of the earth” reminds us of Jesus’ parable of the wheat and the weeds. Jesus likened himself to a man who sowed his field with wheat seed with a view to harvesting a full crop of fine wheat, representing “the sons of the kingdom,” true Christians anointed to be associated with him in his Kingdom. But under the cover of night, an enemy, “the Devil,” oversowed the field with weeds, “the sons of the wicked one.” The sower instructed his workers to let the wheat and the weeds grow together until harvesttime, at “the conclusion of the system of things.” At that time, he would send in his angels to separate the wheat from the weeds.​—Matt. 13:24-30, 36-41.

7. How is Christ carrying out “the harvest of the earth”?

⁷ In fulfillment of the vision given to John, Jesus has been conducting a worldwide harvest work. “The harvest of the earth” began with the gathering of the remaining ones of the 144,000 “sons of the kingdom,” “the wheat” of Jesus’ parable. The distinction between true and false Christians became ever more apparent after World War I, so much so that it has contributed to the second part of “the harvest of the earth”​—the ingathering of the other sheep. These are not “the sons of the kingdom” but, rather, “a great crowd” of willing subjects of that Kingdom. They are harvested from among all “peoples, national groups and languages.” They submit to the Messianic Kingdom, made up of Christ Jesus and the 144,000 “holy ones” who will be associated with him in that heavenly government.​—Rev. 7:9, 10; Dan. 7:13, 14, 18.

Leadership of the Congregations

8, 9. (a) What shows that Christ observes not only the conduct of the entire congregation but also the lifestyle of its individual members? (b) As depicted on page 26, what “deep things of Satan” should we avoid?

⁸ We saw in the preceding article how closely Christ observed the spiritual condition of individual congregations in the first century C.E. In our day, as reigning King invested with “all authority . . . in heaven and on the earth,” Christ our Leader exercises active headship over the congregations worldwide and their overseers. (Matt. 28:18; Col. 1:18) Jehovah has “made him head over all things to the congregation” of anointed ones. (Eph. 1:22) As such, nothing that occurs within the more than 100,000 individual congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses escapes his notice.

⁹ To the ancient congregation of Thyatira, Jesus sent this message: “These are the things that the Son of God says, he who has his eyes like a fiery flame, . . . ‘I know your deeds.’” (Rev. 2:18, 19) He rebuked members of that congregation for their immoral, self-indulgent lifestyle, telling them: “I am he who searches the kidneys and hearts, and I will give to you individually according to your deeds.” (Rev. 2:23) That statement indicates that Christ observes not only the collective conduct of each congregation but also the lifestyle of its individual members. Jesus commended Christians in Thyatira “who did not get to know the ‘deep things of Satan.’” (Rev. 2:24) Today, he likewise approves of those, young or old, who refrain from delving into the “deep things of Satan” by means of the Internet or violent video games or by indulging in permissive human reasonings. How happy he is to observe the efforts and the sacrifices of the many Christians today who do their utmost to follow his lead in all aspects of their lives!

10. How is Christ’s direction of congregation elders symbolized, but what arrangement needs to be recognized?

¹⁰ Christ provides loving oversight of his congregations on earth by means of appointed elders. (Eph. 4:8, 11, 12) In the first century, all the overseers were spirit-begotten. They were depicted in Revelation as stars in Christ’s right hand. (Rev. 1:16, 20) Today, most congregation elders are of the other sheep. They are appointed after prayer and under the guidance of the holy spirit, so they too can be regarded as under Christ’s direction, or guiding hand. (Acts 20:28) They recognize, however, that Christ is using a small group of anointed Christian men as a Governing Body to lead and direct his disciples on earth.​—Read Acts 15:6, 28-30.

“Come, Lord Jesus”

11. Why are we eager to see our Leader come quickly?

¹¹ In the revelation given to the apostle John, several times Jesus said that he was coming quickly. (Rev. 2:16; 3:11; 22:7, 20) Doubtless, he was referring to his coming to execute judgment upon Babylon the Great and the rest of Satan’s wicked system of things. (2 Thess. 1:7, 8) Eager to see the fulfillment of all the wonderful events that were foretold, the aged apostle John exclaimed: “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.” We who are living at the time of the end of this wicked system of things also long to see our Leader and King come in Kingdom power to sanctify his Father’s name and vindicate His sovereignty.

12. What work will Christ complete before the winds of destruction are unleashed?

¹² Before Jesus comes against Satan’s visible organization, the last of the 144,000 members of spiritual Israel will receive the final sealing. The Bible states clearly that the winds of destruction upon Satan’s system will not be released before this sealing of the 144,000 is completed.​—Rev. 7:1-4.

13. How will Christ make his presence manifest during the first phase of the “great tribulation”?

¹³ Christ’s “presence” since 1914 has gone unnoticed by most of earth’s inhabitants. (2 Pet. 3:3, 4) Soon, however, he will make his presence manifest by executing Jehovah’s judgments on the various elements of Satan’s system of things. The destruction of “the man of lawlessness,” the clergy of Christendom, will be an unmistakable “manifestation of his presence.” (Read 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 8.) It will furnish concrete proof that Christ has moved into action as Jehovah’s appointed Judge. (Read 2 Timothy 4:1.) The annihilation of the most reprehensible part of Babylon the Great will serve as a prelude to the total destruction of that wicked world empire of false religion. Jehovah will put it into the hearts of political leaders to devastate this spiritual harlot. (Rev. 17:15-18) That will be the first part of the “great tribulation.”​—Matt. 24:21.

14. (a) Why will the first part of the great tribulation be cut short? (b) What will “the sign of the Son of man” mean for Jehovah’s people?

¹⁴ Jesus stated that the days of that tribulation would be cut short “on account of the chosen ones,” the remnant of anointed Christians still on earth. (Matt. 24:22) Jehovah will not allow this destructive attack on false religion to wipe out anointed Christians and their other sheep companions. Jesus added that “after the tribulation of those days,” there will be signs in sun, moon, and stars, “and then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven.” This will cause the nations of the earth to “beat themselves in lamentation.” Not so the anointed, who have a heavenly hope, and their companions, who have an earthly hope. They will ‘raise themselves erect and lift up their heads because their deliverance is getting near.’​—Matt. 24:29, 30; Luke 21:25-28.

15. What work will Christ do when he comes?

¹⁵ Before completing his conquest, the Son of man comes in yet another way. He prophesied: “When the Son of man arrives in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will put the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left.” (Matt. 25:31-33) This refers to Christ’s coming as Judge to separate people of “all the nations” into two categories: “the sheep,” those who will have actively supported his spiritual brothers (anointed Christians on earth) and “the goats,” those “who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus.” (2 Thess. 1:7, 8) The sheep, described as “righteous ones,” will receive “everlasting life” on earth, but the goats “will depart into everlasting cutting-off,” or destruction.​—Matt. 25:34, 40, 41, 45, 46.

Jesus Completes His Conquest

16. How will Christ our Leader complete his conquest?

¹⁶ With the total number of his king-priest associates sealed and the sheep identified and placed on his right hand for salvation, Christ can go on to “complete his conquest.” (Rev. 5:9, 10; 6:2) At the head of an army of powerful angels and, no doubt, his resurrected brothers, he will destroy Satan’s entire political, military, and commercial system on earth. (Rev. 2:26, 27; 19:11-21) Christ’s conquest will be complete when he destroys Satan’s wicked system. Then he will abyss Satan and the demons for a thousand years.​—Rev. 20:1-3.

17. To what will Christ lead his other sheep during the Thousand Year Reign, and what should be our determination?

¹⁷ Speaking of the “great crowd” of other sheep, who will survive the great tribulation, the apostle John prophesied that “the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will shepherd them, and will guide them to fountains of waters of life.” (Rev. 7:9, 17) Yes, throughout his Thousand Year Reign, Christ will continue to lead the other sheep, who truly listen to his voice, and guide them to everlasting life. (Read John 10:16, 26-28.) May we faithfully follow our royal Leader​—now and on into Jehovah’s promised new world!