Wednesday, May 12
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Be in subjection to the older men. . . . Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another,
because God opposes the haughty ones.—1 Pet. 5:5.
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Avoid being presumptuous. If we heed the direction we receive from trusted, responsible brothers, we will avoid problems. For example, in a land where the work is under ban, the responsible brothers had directed that the publishers not leave printed literature in the ministry.

Yet, a pioneer brother in that location felt that he knew better and distributed literature. What was the result? Shortly after he and some others finished a period of informal witnessing, they were questioned by the police. Apparently, officials had followed them and were able to retrieve the literature they had distributed.

What do we learn from this experience? We need to follow direction even if we feel that we know better. Jehovah always blesses us when we cooperate with the brothers whom he has appointed to take the lead among us.

—Heb. 13:7, 17.

w19.07 12 ¶17​

 

If we cherry picked from the commentary without the full context given by the bethel commentator.

We could end up with this.

Taken as a general statement this is pretty uncharacteristic Watchtower advice.

It would be unfair to imagine this is what the writer of the daily text meant generally.
It would be unjust to treat the Bethelite commentator as if this was his general attitude and sully what would otherwise be a pretty good daily text commentary.

We can also pay the apostle Peter, Jesus' close associate, the same respect we pay Bethel by including the qualifying context of his comments.

Before Peter asks the congregation to be 'subjects' of the older men in verse 5 he spends the immediate verses prior to the request, appealing for the qualifications of the older men.

5 Therefore, as a fellow elder, a witness of the sufferings of the Christ and a sharer of the glory that is to be revealed,+ I make this appeal* to the elders among you: 2 Shepherd the flock of God+ under your care, serving as overseers,* not under compulsion, but willingly before God;+ not for love of dishonest gain,+ but eagerly; 3 not lording it over those who are God’s inheritance,+ but becoming examples to the flock.+ 4 And when the chief shepherd+ has been made manifest, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.+ 5 In the same way, you younger men, be in subjection to the older men.*+ But all of you clothe* yourselves with humility* toward one another, because God opposes the haughty ones, but he gives undeserved kindness to the humble ones.+

When we say 'dishonest gain' generally we mean financial gain. It can also apply to other things such as labour, or favours or anything that might benefit a person including general adherence.

Peter does not ask for subjection to men without first laying out the conditions and groundwork which he does first and immediately prior.

In the animal kingdom the older animals will sometimes dominate, bully and even kill the younger animals of their own kind. An animalistic tendency for why Peter adds qualifiers. The apostle Timothy was younger than some of the men he taught and counseled, he was encouraged by Paul not to allow the attitudes of others in that regard to hold any relevant consideration. Counseled by Paul who may have been younger than Peter who at one time he had resisted and rebuked.

When Peter wrote his letter he may have been younger than men on the present so called governing body.

Although he isn't now.

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