Exodus 14:31 Servant of the Lord
The highest title of tribute you could give a person in the Old Testament was to call him "the servant of Yahweh" ('ebed YHVH).
The Hebrew word for servant, eber, denotes "God given authority as the accredited messengers of the Lord." The servant of the LORD was one who was chosen by Yahweh. The origin implies the position of a slave.
Servant of the Lord in the Old Testament
Abraham is the "servant" of the Lord (Ps. 105:42). Moses is called "the servant of the LORD," and "Moses My servant" more often than anyone else in the Old Testament (Ex. 14:31; Num. 12:7; Deut. 34:5; Josh. 1:1, 15; 8:21, 23; 18:7; 1 Chron. 6:49; 2 Chron. 1:3; 24:6; Neh. 1:7; 10:29). "Moses the servant of Yahweh" is almost the official title of Moses (Deuteronomy 34:5; cf. Numbers 12:7-8). The author of Hebrews describes Moses as a servant in God's house when he writes, "Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant" (Hebrews 13:5). Joshua, Moses "servant," who led Israel into the Promised Land was also called "the servant of the LORD" at the end of his life (Joshua 24:9; Jud. 2:8). Caleb (Num. 12:24), and King David are called the servant of the Lord (2 Sam. 7:5-8; 1 Kings 8:66; 11:36; 2 Kings 19:34; 2 Chron. 17:4).
The LORD speaks of His prophets saying, "I have sent you all My servants the prophets" (Jeremiah 7:25; 2 Kings 21:10; Amos 3:7). Isaiah is called the servant of the Lord (Isa. 20:3; 49:5), Elijah (2 Kings 10:10), and Job (1:8; 42:7). Even Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon is called "My servant" (25:9; cf. 27:6). The old Babylonian king thought he was king of the hill, but in reality, he was only an instrument in the hands of God. The redeemed are His servants, as we would expect according to Psalm 34:22. "The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned."
The nation of Israel was even called the servant of the Lord (Isa. 41:8). It is from this servant nation that God sent His Suffering Servant. God called out a people for Himself so that He could provide a redeemer for the world.
All of God's servants, the prophets, speak of the coming of Jesus Christ the true Servant of the LORD.
The angel of the LORD called the coming Messiah a "Servant." "Now listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who are sitting in front of you, indeed they are men who are a symbol, for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the Branch" (Zechariah 3:8). The LORD declares to Isaiah the coming of this same person when he says: "Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations" (Isaiah 42:1).
The last of the four Servant poems of Isaiah presents the exaltation, humiliation, substitutionary sacrifice and extreme exaltation of the Servant (Isa. 52:13-53:12).
The Suffering Servant of the LORD is perhaps the highest title in the Old Testament for God's Anointed One.
Jesus is the Servant of Yahweh
As God's servant Jesus did what Israel could not do. Matthew quotes Isaiah 42:1-4 and says the prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus, the Servant of Yahweh, who does the will of His Father perfectly. He is in perfect harmony with the Father's intent and will. His first recorded words reveal His divine Sonship and His mission in life. Even as a youth He said, "I must be about My Father's business" (Luke 2:49). Again He said, "I came to do the will of Him that sent Me" (John 6:38). The climax of His servanthood is declared in His own words: "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). The Suffering Servant of Yahweh dominated Jesus' whole thought. Jesus Christ is the Suffering Servant of Yahweh.
The apostle Paul referred to the humble attitude of Jesus saying: "although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:6-8). Jesus Christ is the very essence of God, and in His incarnation was perfect humanity. In the person of Jesus Christ God became a humble house hold servant. Remember Jesus bowed down and washed the feet of Judas. What exalted humility! "Not My will, Thy will be done!" It was by His own choice that He became obedient and died as our substitute on the cross.
Charles Hodge said, "When Isaiah predicts that the 'servant of the Lord' would suffer, triumph and be the source of blessings to all people, the servant is to be understood to be the Messiah . . ." We know this to be true because of "subsequent explanatory declarations of the Scriptures," and "the fulfilment of the predictions."
The promise of redemption is repeated and amplified from time to time until the Redeemer actually came. The nature of this redemption was set forth with ever increasing clearness with many specific promises.
Jesus is the Suffering Servant of Yahweh.
We have every reason to take the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 as the picture of Jesus Christ.
In praise to Jesus the early church called Him, "Thy holy servant Jesus" (Acts 4:27, 30; 3:13). We are immediately reminded of the title "Servant of Yahweh" in Isaiah (42:1; 49:6-7; 52:13; 53:11). Only Jesus Christ can be the Suffering Servant of Yahweh. Isaiah 53:11 is fulfilled in the death of Jesus on the Cross bearing our sins and iniquities.
"As a result of the anguish of His soul,
He will see it and be satisfied;
By His knowledge the Righteous One,
My Servant, will justify the many,
As He will bear their iniquities."
The prophet Isaiah had a true personal Servant in view. The great fact of Isaiah 53 is vicarious suffering. The fulfilment is in Christ on the Cross. Franz Delitzsch said, "Every word is as it were written under the cross at Golgotha." Compare the following Scriptures: Matthew 8:14-17; with Isaiah 53:4; Matt. 12:14-21 with Isa. 42:1-4; Luke 23:37 with Isa. 52:12; 2 Corinthians 5:21 with Isa. 53:6, 9; 1 Peter 1:19 with Isa. 53:7; 1 Pet. 2:22-25 with Isa. 53:6, 7. The picture the apostle Peter presents in his epistles and preaching in Acts is based on the Servant in Isaiah 53 which stresses the sacrificial quality of the Servant's sufferings (Isa. 53:4-6, 8, 10-12).
Adam plunged the whole human race into sin. We are all guilty of failing to be what God wants us to be. We fall short of bringing glory to God. However, the perfect Servant of Yahweh suffered and died bearing our iniquities on the cross. He is the Righteous One of Isaiah fifty-three. The LORD saw the anguish of His soul and was satisfied. Therefore, the believing sinner is "justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus" (Romans 3:24-26). The LORD God applied the substitutionary death of Jesus to believing sinners and declared us justified by faith. The Suffering Servant of God accomplished our salvation. He has declared us right with God.
Four times in Acts Jesus is called the "Servant" in the preaching of the apostle Peter (3:13, 26; 4:27, 30). In these four passages Jesus is being called the Servant of God, not child of God. The Greek word pais can be translated "child," "son" as in the KJV or "servant" (NASB, RSV, ASV, Phillips, NEB, and most others). In these passages "Servant" is the best meaning because of the identification of the "servant of God" with the Messiah (Isa. 53 et al). All of the best scholars are in agreement that "Servant" is the best translation.
Exaltation of the Servant of Yahweh
Jesus said that if we are to enter into the kingdom of God we must humble ourselves and become like helpless children. We enter God's kingdom by faith. We come to Him helpless, unable to save ourselves, totally dependent on the mercy and grace of God. The Righteous Servant declares the unrighteous sinner just in God's sight.
Jesus' glory is closely associated with His death. After Judas left the upper room Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him; if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately" (John 13:31-32). God the Father was glorified in the death of His Son.
This lowly Servant was exalted and given a name above every name (cf. Phil. 2:6-8). The word "glorify" is used frequently in John's Gospel (John 7:39; 11:4; 12:16, 23, 28; 13:31-32; 14:13; 15:8; 16:14; 17:1, 4-5, 10). Jesus is exalted and glorified by God the Father because He humbled Himself by becoming a servant and died for the ungodly (Acts 2:33; Phil. 2:9; Heb. 1:3-4, 8). "He shall see of the fruit of the travail of His soul and be satisfied" (Isaiah 53:11).
What will He do with us if we humble ourselves in His sight? It is the only attitude God will use. He despises the arrogant. Let's come before Him with a contrite heart, humble and ready to serve Him.
Jesus Christ is the perfect fulfilment of the Servant of the Lord. The Servant Songs of Isaiah imply the equation of the Davidic Messiah and the Suffering Servant.
Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt,” (Isaiah 53:10a)
Isaiah 53 is about a central figure known as the Servant of the Lord. In Isaiah 52:13, the Lord says, “Behold, my servant shall act wisely.” He also calls this figure a Servant a second time in 53:11. The Lord God says, “by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.” The word “servant” comes directly from the text of the passage, and both times we learn that He belongs to the Lord. The word servant could also be translated as “slave of the Lord.” So, this central figure belongs to the Lord, obeys the Lord, and does the Lord’s will.
The tension in Isaiah 53 has been building through the first twelve verses. The Servant is oppressed, afflicted, and crushed. One might be asking where the Lord is while all of this is going on? Why doesn’t the Lord stop this? Why does the Lord allow His Servant to suffer so that His “appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind.” (Isaiah 52:1) The answer is as shocking as what happened to the Servant. The Lord has not been absent or ignorant of His affliction or death.
In fact, we learn in verse ten that it was the Lord Himself who willed all of this to happen. The Lord was not surprised but in fact planned the suffering of the Servant. Yes, it was evildoers who were the instruments to inflict such suffering, but it was ultimately the Lord behind it all. The Lord crushed His own Servant. The Lord put Him to grief. The Lord made His soul an offering for guilt. The Lord is not only observant of the suffering, but He is also the planner and the executor of this suffering.
The Apostles recognized this truth, God crushing His own Servant, that Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost, “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.” (Acts 2:22-23) The Jews didn’t kill Jesus. The Romans didn’t kill Jesus. It was God who purposed, planned, and used their evil desires to accomplish His divine will.
When Peter and John were released from prison, after healing the lame man at Beautiful Gate, they gathered with the church and prayed. Their prayer also brings out the truths of Isaiah 53:10a. They prayed, “in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.” (Acts 4:27-28) They saw the death of Jesus as being the plan and will of God. They knew that there was nothing that happened to Jesus that God did not want to happen.
It was the will of the Lord to crush Him. However, the word behind “will” is even more meaningful than the English indicates. MacArthur writes, “The Hebrew word translated ‘will’ in verse 10 by the English Standard Version literally means, ‘to delight in,’ or ‘to take pleasure in.’ The New American Standard Bible translates the phrase more literally: ‘The LORD was pleased to crush Him.’”[1]
It’s one thing for the Lord to plan the suffering of His Servant, but He also delighted in this suffering? Why? It’s because of what this suffering accomplished. Paul wrote to the Romans of Jesus, “whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance He had passed over former sins.” (Romans 3:25) It pleased God to crush His Son so that His Divine wrath would be satisfied.
Jonathan Edwards once wrote, “God dealt with Him as if He had been exceedingly angry with Him, and as though He had been the object of His dreadful wrath. This made all the sufferings of Christ the more terrible to Him, because they were from the hand of His Father, whom He infinitely loved… It was an effect of God’s wrath, that He forsook Christ. This caused Christ to cry out once and again, ‘My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?’”[2]
The Lord is pleased because His “soul makes an offering for guilt.” The Servant doesn’t bring a sacrifice; He himself is the sacrifice. Gary Smith explains, “This verse indicates that when the Servant gave up His life, He functioned as a compensation or restitution (similar to the reparation or guilt offering in Lev 5:14–6:7) to God for the damages done against Him by those who sinned against Him. The rebellious deeds and iniquities of others (53:5a, 6b, 8b) led to the crushing of the Servant to pay the restitution for the guilt incurred by these sins.”[3]
Louis Berkhoff expounds on the nature of penal substitution, “The sufferings of Christ, which have already been described, did not come upon Him accidentally, nor as the result of purely natural circumstances. They were judicially laid upon Him as our representative and were therefore really penal sufferings. The redemptive value of these sufferings results from the following facts: They were borne by a divine person who, only in virtue of His deity, could bear the penalty through to the end and thus obtain freedom from it. In view of the infinite value of the person who undertook to pay the price and to bear the curse, they satisfied the justice of God essentially and intensively. They were strictly moral sufferings, because Christ took them upon Himself voluntarily, and was perfectly innocent and holy in bearing them.”[4]
Jesus is the crushed Servant of the Lord!
A Servant Is Humble
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:3-8)
Just before his death, Jesus decided to give his followers a clear picture of the attitude they should have. He took off his outer garments, got a basin, and washed their feet.
The 12 pairs of feet Jesus washed belonged to hairy men who walked rough roads shared with all manner of livestock, in a time before regular road cleaning or daily showers. Cleaning them would be the job of a servant, and a lowly one at that. The disciples resisted the idea that their master and teacher should stoop to such a thankless task, but Jesus persisted.
You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. (John 13:13-17)
If Jesus humbled himself in this way—and even further in his death—then we also should be humble in all we do for him and others.
A Servant Prepares
Rather, train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come … Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. (1 Timothy 4:7b-8; 15)
When you’re hiring someone to make important repairs or improvements to your house or car, you want someone who’s spent hours learning and perfecting their craft, and is respected in their field. You wouldn’t take on someone with no experience.
However, that is exactly what Jesus does. He is taking on complete novices with no real experience in the work of God whatsoever. Provisionally, through Scripture, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the ministry of the Church, God offers on-the-job training.
Jesus completed the work of salvation for us on the cross, brings us into it, gives us the Holy Spirit as our counselor, and sets us about his business. He has finished the work of our salvation, but he still calls us to work for his kingdom. Therefore, with gratitude and love, we train to be the most effective servants possible.
A Servant Perseveres
Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes … If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! (Luke 12:35-37a; 38)
The work we’ve been given is long and tiring, receives little thanks or recognition, and may seem to count for little while it’s being done. Continuing in such work is a challenge none of us is up to on our own.
But we are not on our own. The Master gives us others to work beside, a glorious future to work toward, and a promise that our work is not in vain. Most importantly, he give us himself, working in us and through us, so that we may be truly ready for whenever he comes.
A Servant Serves Where Needed
For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them…I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. (1 Corinthians 9:19; 22b-23)
Jesus walked hundreds of miles. He likely often slept on the ground. He was pawed at by people. He got dirty. He had to deal with the bickering of his coworkers. He washed his follower’s grimy, smelly feet.
He did what was needed to advance the gospel. While pursuing that end, there was no task beneath him.
Likewise, Christ’s followers should have no limits to their willingness to serve; whether that means going abroad or going into the not-so-nice part of town; giving to missions or giving up free time; changing a tire or changing a diaper.
A Servant Serves (or Not) As God Directs
David wanted to serve and honor God by building God a wonderful and permanent house. He drew up building schematics, made plans for all the details of the Temple, and even talked to the priests and Levites to make sure everyone was on the same page. Even with all the preparation he had done, and all the other ways he had served God, 1 Chronicles 28 shows that the Lord did not allow David to build the temple. It was for Solomon, David’s son, to build it. David, as God’s obedient servant, accepted this and made as much ready for Solomon as he could.
Sometimes the Lord says no to our plans to serve. Maybe there’s someone more qualified, or we are already serving in other places. Maybe we don’t know why. But we trust and obey God, knowing that “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
A Servant Expects to Suffer
A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. (Matthew 10:24-25)
As Jesus’s light shines through us, people who love darkness (John 3:19) will become convicted and uncomfortable in the light of his glory, and will hate and ridicule us. If we truly seek to serve Jesus, it’s only a matter of time before we must share in a portion of his suffering.
But we take heart that someday Jesus will stand in victory, and we who acknowledged him before men will stand with him.
A Servant Is Not Ashamed
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)
The work we do we do is for Jesus, by the Father’s command, through the power of his Holy Spirit. We have the privilege to carry the gospel—that Jesus died to pardon sins and rose to conquer death—to the world.
It is a joyous work we’ve been given, and we look to the day when our Master returns and says to each of us, “‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:23).
Not Quarrel, But Instruct Gently: The Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth…. (2 Tim. 2:24-25)
Humbly Plant and Water: What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe–as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. (1 Cor. 3:5-6)
Use His/Her Gift: Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. (1 Pet. 4:10)
Serve Wholeheartedly for Her/His Reward: Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. (Eph. 6:7-8)
Stand to His/Her Own Master: Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. (Rom. 14:4)
Prove Faithful: So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful (1 Cor. 4:1-2).
Stand Firm in Freedom: It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Gal. 5:1)
This sampling of passages has application to all of life. This morning I’m thinking about these things as it relates to blogging, especially 2 Tim. 2:24-25. How might they apply for you today?
yone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth.” (2 Timothy 2:24-25)
In this passage of Scripture, Paul lists four qualities of a servant of the Lord: a servant of the Lord must not quarrel, they must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and a servant of the Lord must be patient with difficult people. Do you see those qualities in yourself? Do you consider yourself a servant of the Lord?
“And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 7:22)
“‘Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.’” (John 12:26)
“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.” (Galatians 5:13)
As followers of Jesus, as Christians, we are certainly called to be servants. As a servant of the Lord, do you find yourself quarreling with others? How often do you have arguments or fights in your life? How often do you quarrel on social media? If you are fighting with others, especially others who have opposite views from you, can you say that you are kind to everyone? Are you kind to the person who cut you off in traffic? Are you kind to the people who call you ugly names and judge you by your skin color? Are you able to teach? Can you explain your faith and teach others about it? Do you practice this skill? Are you patient with difficult people? Those people who always want to fight, who constantly needle you, looking for a reaction—are you patient with them?
“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave…” (Philippians 2:5-7a)
These are all qualities Paul said would be found in a servant of the Lord because they are found in the Lord Himself. Jesus modeled a servant-style of living and, as His followers, we must have the same humble, servant attitude that Jesus had. If you feel you are lacking in one or more of these areas, study how Jesus handled difficult people, how He avoided quarrels, how He taught, and study the ways in which He was kind to everyone. Jesus is our ultimate example, the One we follow and strive toward. Work on building up these characteristics in your life as a servant of the Lord.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased.
Upon him I have put my spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations.
He will not cry out, nor shout,
nor make his voice heard in the street.
A bruised reed he will not break,
and a dimly burning wick he will not quench.
He will faithfully bring forth justice.
He will not grow dim or be bruised
until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.
Reflection
It is the voice of God we hear proudly introducing “my servant… with whom I am well pleased.” The painful destiny of this Servant isn’t mentioned in this brief song. Instead, like a soldier outfitted for battle or an explorer prepared for the mission, the Servant is extolled for who he is and for the courage, patience, gentleness, and fidelity that will distinguish his service. Often, brave individuals volunteer for difficult missions, but God’s Servant was chosen. The hand of God is upon him and God’s own Spirit hovers over him. This Servant will not be an individualistic maverick getting the job done “his way.” He will be a gentle agent of God’s will, not shouting in the streets as was typical of prophets, but moving quietly and humbly among the people, distinguishing the weak from the strong, never breaking even a “bruised reed” because God’s Spirit sent him to heal and strengthen the weak, to mend and restore the hearts of all who are losing hope or have been cast aside by the rich and the mighty.
The text offers even an image of those who are too weak to raise their heads and burn with the light of faith. Because they cling too close to the wax, dimly burning wicks offer little light and the slightest breeze will extinguish them. Yet even these the Servant will not quench. He comes not to condemn the weak of heart and slow of faith but to invite them into the kingdom of God’s justice. Through the Servant’s ministry, the “bruised reed” will be strengthened and the “dimly burning wick” will be enflamed. The Servant himself will never wane or weaken; he will faithfully accomplish the will of the Lord and establish justice in the land.
Lent comes around each year to invite those of us who have grown weak or dim to hear afresh God’s promise and receive anew the Servant’s healing touch. The ends of the earth await his teaching and they will not be disappointed. And neither will the recesses of our hearts that await the warmth of his healing and reconciling love.
Questions for Reflection
In what ways have you experienced in your life the gentle, patient love of God?
What parts of you are “bruised” or “dimly burning?” Do these areas distance you from God or do they open you all the more to his merciful grace?
In what ways do you see the justice of God enfleshed on the earth? Where is it sorely lacking—both in your life and within society?
How might you share in the ministry of God’s Servant of healing and strengthening the weak and oppressed?
Isaiah 49:1-26 The author of the Book of Isaiah announces the calling of the LORD’s servant, who will bring the people of Israel and Judah back to the LORD: "Before I was born, the LORD called me to serve him... He told me, 'Israel, you are my servant. I will show my glory through you." (Isaiah 49:1-3)
Isaiah 50:1-11 In contrast to Israel’s evil ways, Isaiah says the LORD’s servant is obedient to God. "The Lord GOD helps me learn, and I have not turned against him nor stopped following him." (Isaiah 50:5)
Isaiah 51:1-23 God’s people will receive everlasting salvation (see Isaiah 51:8). “The people the LORD has freed will return and enter Jerusalem with joy. Their happiness will last for ever.” (Isaiah 51:11)
“The people the LORD has freed will return and enter Jerusalem." (Isaiah 51:11) (EdoM)
And God’s wrath will be removed forever: "The punishment I gave you is like a cup of wine. You drank it and could not walk straight. But I am taking that cup of my anger away from you, and you will never be punished by my anger again." (Isaiah 51:22)
Isaiah 52:1-12 Jerusalem will be a place of splendour once again. “How beautiful is the person who comes over the mountains to bring good news, who announces peace and brings good news, who announces salvation and says to Jerusalem, 'Your God is King'." (Isaiah 52:7)
Isaiah 52:13-15 But this will only be achieved by the suffering of God’s servant. “Many people were shocked when they saw him. His appearance was so changed that he did not look like a man... they could barely tell he was human. But now he will surprise many nations. Kings will be amazed and shut their mouths. They will see things they had not been told about him, and they will understand things they had not heard.” (Isaiah 52:14-15)
The Suffering Servant
In Isaiah Chapter 53, the author describes God’s ‘suffering servant’ - the man who would bear on himself the suffering of all mankind:
The LORD’s servant would be meek. He would grow up like a tender shoot taking root in dry ground. “He had no special beauty or form to make us notice him; there was nothing in his appearance to make us desire him.” (Isaiah 53:2)
He would suffer. “He was hated and rejected by people. He had much pain and suffering.” (Isaiah 53:3) “But he took our suffering on him and felt our pain for us.” (Isaiah 53:4)
He would be punished because of the wrongdoing of others. “But he was wounded for the wrong we did; he was crushed for the evil we did. The punishment, which made us well, was given to him, and we are healed because of his wounds” (Isaiah 53:5)
He would bear the punishment for mankind’s sin. “We all have wandered away like sheep; each of us has gone his own way. But the LORD has put on him the punishment for all the evil we have done.” (Isaiah 53:6)
"The LORD has put on him the punishment for all the evil we have done.” (Isaiah 53:6)
He would be killed because of the sinful nature of mankind. “He was like a lamb being led to be killed”, but “He was quiet, as a sheep is quiet while its wool is being cut; he never opened his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7) “Men took him away roughly and unfairly... He was put to death; he was punished for the sins of my people.” (Isaiah 53:8)
He would be buried among the rich and the evil. “He was buried with wicked men, and he died with the rich. He had done nothing wrong, and he had never lied.” (Isaiah 53:9)
His death would be like a sacrificial offering. "But it was the LORD who decided to crush him and make him suffer. The LORD made his life a penalty offering." (Isaiah 53:10)
He would achieve the forgiveness of mankind. “My good servant will make many people right with God; he will carry away their sins... He willingly gave his life and was treated like a criminal.But he carried away the sins of many people and asked forgiveness for those who sinned.” (Isaiah 53:11-12)
In the New Testament, the gospel writers proclaim that the role of the ‘suffering servant’ foretold in the Book of Isaiah was fulfilled by Jesus Christ, who suffered a brutal and sacrificial death to secure God’s forgiveness for the wrongdoings of many others (see Matthew 16:21, Luke 18:31-33, 24:25-27 & John 1:29).
Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord…” Psalm 134:1a
Servants of the Lord have one goal, and that is to serve at the pleasure of their Master Jesus Christ. It is an honor to represent the vision, mission and values of heaven. Servants of God are quick to praise Him. They show respect by blessing His name, and loathe the thought of disrespect in cursing His name. Followers of Jesus think well and speak well of Him. He is the object of their affection, the adoration of their worship.
Servants of the Lord bless the one from whom all blessings flow. They speak well of their Master. Wise servants understand that the purpose of serving God is not just accomplishing the work, but representing Him in their work. Therefore, toil in trust and do not give up for Christ’s sake. You are a servant of the Most High, so hold your head high and your heart low. He keeps His covenant of love for those who long for Him.
“He said: “LORD, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way” (2 Chronicles 6:14).
Servants of the Lord also serve those their Master loves and accepts. There is alignment around the Almighty’s interest in people and their needs. He feeds and clothes the poor, so you feed and clothe the poor. He forgives and frees those who sin against Him, so you forgive and free those who sin against you. He seeks and saves the lost with the glory of the gospel, so you seek and save the lost with the glory of the gospel.
Unrecognized service seems insignificant, but it is the most significant. What others don’t see, God does, and He rewards accordingly. The Lord blesses those who bless others on His behalf. Servants of the Lord are significant Kingdom builders, so stay put in your service on His behalf. The best service leads others to understand the way to be saved.
May others see you in this same way, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved” (Acts 16:17b).
How can I serve the Lord with gladness, and bless Him and others in the process?
The Servant Songs. Duhm’s commentary on Isaiah (1892) distinguished four passages which modern criticism has generally agreed to treat as the “Servant Songs.” They are Isaiah 42:1-4; 49:1-6; 50:4-9; 52:13-53:12. The limits of the individual “Songs” are not clear; many would add 42:5-7; 49:7; 50:10, 11, others yet more, and some would see a fifth Servant Song in 61:1ff.
The principle underlying the selection of these Songs is that all portray a single distinctive figure: “the Servant of the Lord.” Some scholars have carried this line of argument to the extent of postulating a separate author and period of origin for these passages (esp. S. Mowinckel). The general tendency today, however, is to interpret them in relation to their context in Isaiah, as an integral part of the prophet’s message.
II. Interpretation of the Servant.
A. Is there a Servant-figure? Some modern scholars (e.g., M. D. Hooker) dispute that these passages are intended to portray a Servant-figure. The term “servant” is one frequently used in the OT for those who are obedient to God, and is therefore applied to Israel as she fulfills her vocation.
Certainly other figures in the OT are described as “servants of God,” esp. the prophets, the patriarchs, and other individuals such as Moses and David (each of these frequently; see e.g. Gen 26:24; Exod 14:31; Deut 34:5; 2 Sam 7:5; Isa 20:3; Amos 3:7). To refer to someone as “servant of the Lord” was no novelty.
In Isaiah the term “servant” is used as frequently outside the Servant Songs as within. Note these passages in the vicinity of the Songs: 41:8, 9; 43:10; 44:1, 2, 21; 45:4; 48:20. All of these are applied to Israel, sometimes in terms similar to the language of the Songs.
B. Who is the Servant?Interpretations may be divided into three basic classes, the collective, the individual, and the cultic. The various interpretations advanced are usefully set out by C. R. North (The Suffering Servant in Deutero-Isaiah, 6-116) and H. H. Rowley (The Servant of the Lord, 4-48).
1. Collective interpretations. The Servant is explicitly addressed as “Israel” in 49:3. This fact, and the close correspondence between the language of the Songs and that applied to Israel as God’s Servant in surrounding chs., have led many to see in the Servant-figure a projection of the prophet’s ideal for the nation. It is the nation as a whole which is to undergo redemptive suffering. Others restrict the reference to a pious remnant within the nation, thus making allowance for the fact that the Servant has a mission to Israel (49:5, 6; cf. 42:6) and suffers for the people (53:4-6, 8, 11, 12). A further candidate for the title is the Davidic dynasty.
2. Individual interpretations. The Songs refer to the Servant in the singular and describe the life and experience of an individual (His birth, obedience, suffering, death, and triumph). That this is not a mere poetical personification of the nation is shown by His mission to Israel, as mentioned above. Interpreters have therefore taken the Servant as either a specific historical figure known to the author (e.g., Moses, Jeremiah, Cyrus, Zerubbabel, the prophet himself, or some unknown contemporary), or an ideal figure of the future—the Messiah. The latter was the predominant Christian interpretation until the end of the last cent.
3. Cultic interpretations. These interpretations, largely from Scandinavian scholars, see the background to the Servant-figure in a cultic ceremony, involving the symbolic death and rising again of the king, deriving from the Babylonian myth of the dying and rising god, Tammuz, and its liturgy. The Servant would, in this view, be neither a historical figure, past, present, or future, nor a collective personification of the nation, but a mythological symbol. The existence of such a mythology and ritual within Israel is highly controversial, and such interpretations have received little support outside Scandinavia.
4. Synthetic interpretations. Few scholars today hold to an exclusively collective or an exclusively individual interpretation. Some would see a progression of thought from the collective figure of the earlier Servant Songs to a more fully individualized figure in the fourth. The ideal for Israel was summed up in an ideal individual—the Messiah. “What began as a personification (has) become a person” (Rowley). Such an understanding of the Servant is best able to do justice to the apparently conflicting evidence of the text, as mentioned above. (See esp. the close juxtaposition of 49:3, where the Servant was addressed as “Israel,” and 49:5, 6, where He had a mission to Israel.) It is reinforced by the growing recognition that the Israelite distinguished less sharply between the individual and the community than does the modern Western mind. The notion of “corporate personality” (associated particularly with the name of H. W. Robinson) makes it possible for the Messiah not only to act forIsrael, but also to sum up Israel in Himself. The Servant, therefore, isIsrael—the ideal Israel, who is capable of fulfilling the destiny of which the empirical Israel fell short. As such He can suffer and die to redeem the people of God, as their Representative as well as their Substitute.
The subtlety of the prophet’s thought defies systematic analysis. It is in some such synthetic interpretation that the Biblical data will be most fully satisfied.
To describe the Servant as a messianic figure, in the sense of an individual who is central to the eschatological fulfillment of God’s purposes for His people, is therefore a correct, though not an exhaustive, description; and a messianic application of the Servant passages, and esp. of the passage where the individual terminology is clearest (52:13-53:12), will be in accordance with the intention of the prophet.
III. The character and mission of the Servant. Working from the traditionally delimited Servant Songs (though the limitations of this approach have been indicated above), the following picture emerges:
A. Character. The Servant was chosen by the Lord (42:1; 49:1) and endued with the Spirit (42:1); He was taught by the Lord (50:4), and found His strength in Him (49:2, 5). It was the Lord’s will that He should suffer (53:10); He was weak, unimpressive, and scorned by men (52:14; 53:1-3, 7-9), meek (42:2), gentle (42:3), and uncomplaining (50:6; 53:7). Despite His innocence (53:9), He was subjected to constant suffering (50:6; 53:3, 8-10), so as to be reduced to near despair (49:4). But His trust was in the Lord (49:4; 50:7-9); He obeyed Him (50:4-5), and persevered (50:7) until He was victorious (42:4; 50:8, 9).
B. Mission. His mission to Israel was to bring the rebellious nation back to God (49:5), but His work extended further: He was a light to the nations, bringing judgment and salvation to the end of the earth (42:1, 3, 4; 49:6). This mission was to be accomplished only through His suffering, in which He took the place of the people of the Lord, and bore the penalty that should be theirs (53:4-6, 8), interceding for them (53:12); His suffering ended in death (53:8, 9; 53:12), as a sin offering on their behalf (53:10), thus accomplishing their acquittal (53:11). His mission accomplished, He was exalted to glory and world-wide influence (52:13, 15; 53:12).
IV. The Servant in later Judaism. Possible echoes of the Servant-figure have been detected in the OT itself, particularly in Zechariah 9-14; a meek and suffering figure occurs in 9:9, 10; 11:4-17; 12:10-14; 13:7-9. It is the character of the figure portrayed, rather than any verbal echo, which might suggest the influence of the Servant in Isaiah.
In later Hel. Judaism there is little evidence of a messianic understanding of these passages, except what is implicit in the LXX tr. of Isaiah 52:13-53:12. (See Zimmerli and Jeremias, The Servant of God, 42-44, 53-55.)
In Palestinian Judaism, on the other hand, a persistent messianic exegesis exists side by side with an embarrassment at the idea of a suffering Messiah. Thus the Targ. of Jonathan on 52:13-53:12 explicitly identifies the Servant as the Messiah, but systematically manipulates the text to transfer every idea of suffering from the Servant to Israel, the Gentiles, or the wicked. Several other indications of a messianic exegesis in Palestinian Judaism are listed by Jeremias (Zimmerli and Jeremias, op. ct., 59-79). While some are disputed, their overall significance far outweighs the few isolated indications of an interpretation of the Servant as either the nation or a historical individual. This is the more surprising in view of the apologetic use made of these passages by Christians. The rabbis generally preferred rather to ignore the Servant-idea than to interpret it as other than messianic. The evidence, therefore, suggests that in Palestinian Judaism of the time of Christ and afterward a messianic exegesis of the Servant was so firmly established that even the demands of the anti-Christian polemic could not unseat it.
V. The Servant in the NT. The NT writers are unanimous in stating both that the Servant is a messianic figure, and that Jesus is the Servant. What is in dispute is the extent of the influence of this figure in the NT. Some recent writers have argued that it was of minor importance, and that Jesus’ predictions of His suffering were based not on the Servant-idea, but on the “Son of Man” of Daniel 7(esp. M. D. Hooker).
A. In the teaching of Jesus. The only explicit quotation is Luke 22:37. The Servant is also clearly alluded to in Mark 10:45; 14:24, and possibly 9:12. In each of these cases the reference is to the suffering and death of Jesus, as the fulfillment of that predicted for the Servant. In Mark 10:45 and 14:24stress is laid on the redemptive purpose of that suffering, and its vicarious nature. There are also numerous predictions by Jesus that He must suffer, several of which base this necessity on Scripture (Matt 26:54; Mark 9:12; 14:21, 49; Luke 18:31). The most probable source of these predictions is the Servant-idea in Isaiah, the clearest indication of a suffering Messiah in the OT, and an idea which Jesus elsewhere applied explicitly to His own suffering, rather than Daniel 7, a passage where the idea of suffering is not clearly applied to the central figure, and which Jesus applied only to His exaltation and power.
It is relevant, too, that the heavenly voice at the baptism of Jesus (Mark 1:11), which is generally agreed to allude to Isaiah 42:1, must have influenced His subsequent view of His mission.
Thus the Servant-idea appears as a major factor in Jesus’ understanding of His own mission as one of redemption through a vicarious suffering and death.
B. In the rest of the NT. The Servant-idea, though not as prominent as one might expect, is attested in most of the major strata of the NT. That Jesus was at an early stage given the title of παῖς Θεοῦ is seen by its use in Acts 3:13, 26 (Peter’s speech) and 4:27, 30 (the prayer of the church). The title does not occur again, but explicit quotations from the Servant passages, with reference to Jesus and His Gospel, occur in Matthew 8:17; 12:18-21; John 12:38; Acts 8:32, 33; and Romans 10:16; 15:21. The emphasis in these quotations is not, however, as in Jesus’ use of the passages, on the necessity of His redemptive suffering. This use of the Servant-idea is seen in some allusions in the theological writing esp. of Peter and Paul. Its influence has been traced esp. in 1 Peter 2:21-25; 3:18; 1 Corinthians 15:3; and Philippians 2:6-11. Further probable echoes are in Romans 4:25; 5:19; 2 Corinthians 5:21, and in John’s use of the term “Lamb of God” (John 1:29, 36; cf. Isa 53:7).
Our previous article was about the Hebrew verb “abad” which has the general meaning of to work, to process, to perform, to labor, to serve (as a servant or slave). We saw that “abad” also has a special meaning and theological use: to serve, worship, honor (the Lord God).
The aforementioned meanings and special use also occur with the word “ébed” (pronunciation: ‘éved’, Hebrew עבד)[1], which is derived from “abad”. The word “ébed” means: slave, assistant, servant. In addition to these basic meanings, this word “ébed” can also be translated as: official, officer, envoy, subject.
The word “ébed”/servant occurs 800 times in the Hebrew Bible. In addition to the basic meaning (slave/servant), the specific meaning of the word is determined by the context, word combination and purpose of a particular Bible text.
The term “ébed”
This word can be defined as a person who is subject to someone else. That submission is expressed and concretized in various ways: being a slave, assistant, servant, confidant. In many cases, this also involves a certain relationship of master-“ébed”. The meaning and content of the term “ébed”/servant depends on the relationship of trust between the parties involved and/or the position that the “ébed” occupies. When there is only submission, it differs fundamentally from a situation of submission accompanied by a certain relationship between master-“ébed”.
General use of “ébed”
This word may indicate a slave owned by a master (Deuteronomy 15:17). Israel was “ébed”/slave in Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:15; 6:21; 13:5; cf.Exodus 1:13; 5:18; 6:5).[2] In the history that took place between Abraham, Sarah and Abimelech, the word “ébed” occurs in the plural meaning “subject” (Genesis 20:8). A king could also send his “ébed”/slave/servant to let him work elsewhere (1 Kings 9:27; 2 Chronicles 8:18; 9:10).
An “ébed”/servant of the king could have a special status and be sent as such as his representative or envoy (2 Samuel 10:2; 1 Kings 5:1).[3]
Position and task of “ébed”
Israel as a people was “ébed” of the Lord, He says: “For it is to Me that the people of Israel are servants. They are My servants […] I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 25:55).
Prophets are also referred to as “ébed”/servant of God. The Lord constantly called His people to return to Him and the Torah through the ministry of “My ‘ébed’/servants the prophets” (2 Kings 17:13). We also read this in Jeremiah 7:25; 26:5; Ezekiel 38:17. They were “ébed” of the Most High, but were not heard, but were rejected.
Unfortunately, that has always been the case, to date… God’s Word and call to repentance is despised by many and not heard. Yet an “ébed” of the Lord should remain loyal to the Master’s message! So did Joshua, the “ébed” of the Lord (Joshua 24:29). He had seen it that way in the life of his (earthly) master Moses, also “ébed” of God (Exodus 14:31).
“Ébed” in Psalm 119
It is striking that in this Psalm the word “ébed” occurs 14 times. This relates to someone who is in a relationship of trust with the Lord, serves Him and expects everything from Him in dependence. Under all circumstances, this “ébed” embraces God’s Word to draw courage, strength and guidance from it. It is instructive to learn this from this “ébed”!
He calls on God (Psalm 119:49) and calls himself God’s “ébed” who wants to keep his Word (Psalm 119:17). Under difficult circumstances he maintains God’s Word (Psalm 119:23). He confesses how God delivered his “ébed” according to his Word (Psalm 119:65).
We too may and can live as “ébed” of the Lord in this relationship with His Word!
The believer as “ébed”/servant of the Lord God
As the “ébed of God” we should serve, honor, worship Him. After all, we belong to Him! Moreover, in that position of submission to Him, we may be in a relationship of trust with Him, our Master, hidden in the shadow of the Almighty (read Psalm 91 and 96).
That exalted position also carries great responsibility. He expects from his “ébed”/servant an attitude of loving devotion to His service and a life to His glory. As “ébed”/servant of God, we are also an envoy of the King of kings … An exalted position in Him, which determines us in our great task as “ébed” of God.
That is a lot for us little people. But He makes us capable!
11) He that is greatest among you.—Literally, the greater of you. The words admit of a two-fold meaning. Either (1), as in Mark 9:35, they assert a law of retribution—the man who seeks to be greatest shall be the servant of all; or (2) they point out the other law, of which our Lord’s own life was the highest illustration—that he who is really greatest will show his greatness, not in asserting it, but in a life of ministration. The latter interpretation seems to give on the whole the best meaning.
Matthew 23:11-12. But he that is greatest among you, &c. — If any one among you would in reality be greater than another, let him be the more condescending, kind, and ready cheerfully to serve others in love. The words may either imply, 1st, a promise that such should be accounted greatest, and stand highest in the favour of God, who should be most humble, submissive, and serviceable: or, 2d, a precept enjoining the person who should be advanced to any place of dignity, trust, or honour in the church, to consider himself as peculiarly called thereby, not to be a lord, but a minister, and to serve others in love. Thus Paul, who knew his privilege as well as duty, though free from all, yet made himself servant of all, 1 Corinthians 9:19. And our Lord frequently pressed it upon his disciples to be humble and self-denying, mild and condescending, and to abound in all the offices of Christian love, though mean, and to the meanest; and of this he set a continual example. Whosoever shall exalt himself, shall be humbled, &c. — It is observable that no one sentence of our Lord’s is so often repeated as this: it occurs with scarcely any variation at least ten times in the evangelists.
23:1-12 The scribes and Pharisees explained the law of Moses, and enforced obedience to it. They are charged with hypocrisy in religion. We can only judge according to outward appearance; but God searches the heart. They made phylacteries. These were scrolls of paper or parchment, wherein were written four paragraphs of the law, to be worn on their foreheads and left arms, Ex 13:2-10; 13:11-16; De 6:4-9; 11:13-21. They made these phylacteries broad, that they might be thought more zealous for the law than others. God appointed the Jews to make fringes upon their garments, Nu 15:38, to remind them of their being a peculiar people; but the Pharisees made them larger than common, as if they were thereby more religious than others. Pride was the darling, reigning sin of the Pharisees, the sin that most easily beset them, and which our Lord Jesus takes all occasions to speak against. For him that is taught in the word to give respect to him that teaches, is commendable; but for him that teaches, to demand it, to be puffed up with it, is sinful. How much is all this against the spirit of Christianity! The consistent disciple of Christ is pained by being put into chief places. But who that looks around on the visible church, would think this was the spirit required? It is plain that some measure of this antichristian spirit prevails in every religious society, and in every one of our hearts.
See the notes at Matthew 20:26.
He that shall humble himself ... - God will exalt or honor him that is humble, and that seeks a lowly place among people. That is true religion, and God will reward it.
11. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant—This plainly means, "shall show that he is so by becoming your servant"; as in Mt 20:27, compared with Mr 10:44.
See Poole on "Matthew 23:12".
But he that is greatest among you,.... Either who really is so, having more grace, and greater gifts bestowed upon him, than others; which doubtless was the case of some of the disciples, or who desired to be the greatest, was ambitious of, and affected a superiority over others, and to be in the highest post and place, as it is certain some of them did. This was what they were often contending about among themselves, who should be greatest: and Christ here seems to have regard to that vain spirit, which appeared among them; and his view is, to check and restrain it: "shall be your servant"; or "let him be your servant". Service is the way to honour; he that would be most esteemed ought to do the most work; and the man that has the most grace, and the greatest gifts, ought to employ them for the use and benefit of others; See Gill on Matthew 20:27.
Matthew 23:11 Reminds Us How to Be Great
So, Jesus, we pray, help us to live like this. We praise you all over again, for coming not to be served, but to serve, to give your life as a ransom for us, for the way you serve us with your mercy, and your grace, and your strength, and your peace, and everything we need, all day long as we look to you. And so, we pray that you would help us then in turn, to be a servant to others. God, help us to serve the people in our homes, our neighbors.
Help us to serve them well, and to love our neighbors as ourselves, just as we are focused on taking care of ourselves. God help us to be focused on taking care of people around us, on helping people around us, in our work that we’re doing, whether it’s in Zoom calls during these days, or just however we are working, help us to see ourselves as servants of others, help us to serve people with the gospel who don’t know it.
Living Like A Servant
So God, help us to lay down our lives, our pride, our reputation, to share the gospel with those who don’t know it. God, we pray that you’d help us to be servants of others. Give us this kind of heart, transform our hearts, our minds, our perspectives, we pray, that we might not think like the world thinks, and live like the world would encourage us to live. Help us to lay down our lives today as servants of people all around us. Jesus, we know this is your posture. This is Philippians 2, five through 11. So help us to have your attitude, your mind, your heart, the heart of a servant. We pray this in your name. Amen.
"But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest (meizōn) among you should be (ginomai) like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves." (Luke 22:26)
Jesus teaches that the one who is greater -- or who wishes to be greater -- should become like the youngest, that is, the least powerful and least assuming member of the community. The NIV word "be" in this sentence is Greek ginomai, but "be" doesn't bring out the particular sense of the verb: "to experience a change in nature and so indicate entry into a new condition, become something."1007 The word "rules" here is Greek hēgeomai, "to be in a supervisory capacity, lead, guide."1008
The particular characteristic of Christian leaders or rulers is to be serving, Greek diakoneō (from which we get our English word "deacon"), "generally, to render service in a variety of ways at someone's behest or voluntarily."1009
It's not that a spiritual leader does nothave authority, but that he exercises it in a different way. The authority is not established by virtue of office, but by virtue of service. The difference is profound. One can exercise authority in such a way as to advance himself and his own agenda, rather than to serve and to benefit those whom he is serving.
This morning in my devotions I read Paul's short Letter to Philemon. Certainly Paul is seeking to influence Philemon to set free his slave Onesimus, but Paul appeals not to apostolic authority, but the authority of his chains (verses 10, 13) and his service as a spiritual midwife to Philemon himself (verse 20). Service, not office, is what Christian leaders should seek.
I Am One Who Serves (Luke 22:27)
"For who is greater (meizōn), the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves." (Luke 22:27)
This is the third time in our passage that we see the word meizōn, "greater," the comparative of megas. The disciples had been arguing about who was considered "greater." So Jesus' response makes it doubly clear that in his Kingdom "greatness" consists in humility and in service. In contrast to "greater," Jesus uses the word diakoneō, "to serve," three times.
The Apostle John tells the rest of the story. In response to the disciples' bickering Jesus takes off his outer garment, takes a towel and a basin, kneels behind each of them, and begins to wash their feet. He not only talks about being a servant on this occasion, he acts it out before them as a living parable they will never forget (John 13:4-17).
Jesus is the great Servant.
"The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45; Matthew 20:28)
The Prophet Isaiah sees him from afar and describes him as a Suffering Servant.
"See, my servant will act wisely;
he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
Just as there were many who were appalled at him....
Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed....
After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities." (Isaiah 52:13-14; 53:4-5, 11)
Jesus does not use the word "servant" lightly or merely figuratively. He means it literally and to the fullest extent of one's life. He lives his life and breathes his last as the Father's servant though he is by nature God himself (Philippians 2:6).
As I write this lesson, I am listening to the song, "Seek Righteousness":
"Seek righteousness, seek humility,
That you may be sheltered on that Day."1010
So often in the history of Christianity, church leaders have sought anything but humility. If history teaches us anything, it is that human depravity can infect Christian leaders in the most foul way. We must not just be aware, but actively take steps to humble ourselves -- as Jesus did. Only in this way will we be sheltered on the Day of the Lord when every deed is examined in relation to the absolute holy standard of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
Standing by Him in His Trials (Luke 22:28)
In this awesome time of teaching at the Last Supper, Jesus warns his disciples solemnly about leadership wrongly used, and then extends a wonderful promise of leadership to those who are faithful.
"You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Luke 22:28-30)
First, he identifies his disciples as those who have stood by him in his trials. There is a sense in which the persecutions we face as his servants are not ours but his. Certainly, Paul viewed them in precisely this manner:
"Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church." (Colossians 1:24)
Conferring upon His Disciples a Kingdom (Luke 22:29)
Second, Jesus makes an amazing proclamation:
"And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me." (Luke 22:29)
The verb translated "confer" (NIV) or "appoint" (KJV) is Greek diatithēmi, "to make formal arrangements for something to be done or brought about, decree, ordain" ... "to make disposition of something, arrange something." The word is also used to arrange for disposition of property after one's death, "dispose of property by a will, make a will."1011 The Greek word for "covenant" or "will," diathēke, is formed from this verb. The specific meaning here is "to determine, to appoint."1012
Jesus' words, "And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me" (Luke 22:29) given before the crucifixion are similar to his words after the resurrection, "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you" (John 20:22). In both statements it is unmistakable that he is now involving his disciples in the actual operation of and administration of his Kingdom. They had been observers; now they are officers, participants with Christ in the Kingdom.
We read in the Old Testament about God's original desire for his people: "You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:6). Imagine that! An entire nation of those ministering to God himself -- and acting as intermediaries to others to bring God to them and them to God. In the New Testament, Peter writes, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9).
In the last book of the Bible, we see more about this role as administrators in the Kingdom:
"... And has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father." (Revelation 1:6)
"You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth." (Revelation 5:10)
"Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years." (Revelation 20:6)
To confer on his Twelve Disciples a kingdom means that they will serve as agents of this kingdom, as officers, as leaders. They will reign "on the earth," as well as in God's heavenly kingdom. When, how, and where we do not fully know. I believe that the Scriptures cited above indicate that this conferring a kingdom does not apply just to the Twelve but to you and to me, who seek to serve Jesus daily as his disciples, in troubles and trials and in great joy.
Eating and Drinking at my Table (Luke 22:30a)
"... So that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Luke 22:30)
Third, Jesus offers his disciples the privilege of sharing his own table. Both verbs "eat" and "drink" are in the present tense, indicating continuing action. This isn't just a single meal, but an ongoing provision. We see this privilege afforded to special honored individuals in David's time. David's dear, dear friend Jonathan had one surviving son Mephibosheth. (Say that five times fast!) When David found him, he said,
"Don't be afraid for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table." (2 Samuel 9:7)
Sitting at the King's own table meant that the King took on the responsibility of providing for your food -- free of any charge to you!
But more than an eternal ticket that entitles one to sit at the King's own table, the disciples are offered a seat at the most important Feast of all the ages: the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. This is the occasion when Jesus will be joined by the patriarchs of ancient times and will celebrate figuratively his marriage to his Bride, the church. We are now his Betrothed, but when he returns the marriage will be completed. See the New Testament glimpses of this great Meal:
"I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 8:11; also Luke 13:28)
"When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, 'Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.'" (Luke 14:15)
"For I tell you, I will not eat [this Passover meal] again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.' After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, 'Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.'" (Luke 22:16-18)
"Then the angel said to me, 'Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' And he added, 'These are the true words of God.'" (Revelation 19:9)
Judging the Twelve Tribes of Israel (Luke 22:30b)
"... So that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Luke 22:30)
Fourth, Jesus makes a promise to his disciples about their specific authority in his Kingdom -- to judge the twelve tribes of Israel (also Matthew 19:28b). They will sit on "thrones," Greek thronos, "chair, throne." In Classical Greek, "this word, related to seat and footstool, denotes a high stool with back, arms, and footstool. It is a seat for elders, teachers, etc., and is later reserved for kings and gods."1013 The throne is a symbol for the high office they hold.
Their role is judging. The present tense Greek verb is krinō, a common word that can have a wide range of meaning, from "judge" to "decide" to "engage in a judicial process." In this passage the word may have the broader sense of "rule."1014 Our Western mind turns to a courtroom where criminals are tried and convicted or acquitted. But I think the concept may go much farther back into Israel's history where men (Joshua, Gideon, Samuel, etc.) and a woman (Deborah) acted as judges or leaders under the kingship of Yahweh. Samuel made a circuit of cities where he would hear the cases of people in that town and render decisions.
Their subjects are the "twelve tribes of Israel." We see the twelve tribes mentioned also in James and Revelation:
"James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings." (James 1:1)
"Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000...." (Revelation 7:4-8)
"It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel." (Revelation 21:12)
The Literal Twelve Tribes
But is Jesus speaking of the twelve literal tribes? Many scholars think so. The twelve tribes, of course, were the descendants of the twelve sons of Jacob (Israel). When they settled in Canaan, Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin took southerly territories, while the other tribes settled either east of the Jordan or in the northern areas. After Solomon, the kingdom was divided into the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom, and in 722 BC the Assyrians conquered the Northern Kingdom, took many into exile, and resettled the area with deportees from another conquered territory. As a result, you hear of the "Ten Lost Tribes." I have little doubt that many people in Iraq are descended from these "lost tribes," but they have long since lost their distinct identity as Israelites. Certainly the Apostle Paul expected literal Israel to be saved (Romans 11).
When the Messiah comes he will "gather" back to the Land all those who were dispersed in the Exile. There are many promises to this effect, especially in Jeremiah and Ezekiel:
"Say, 'O Lord, save your people,
the remnant of Israel.'
See, I will bring them from the land of the north
and gather them from the ends of the earth.
Among them will be the blind and the lame,
expectant mothers and women in labor;
a great throng will return.
They will come with weeping;
they will pray as I bring them back.
I will lead them beside streams of water
on a level path where they will not stumble,
because I am Israel's father,
and Ephraim is my firstborn son." (Jeremiah 31:7-9)
This theme carries over into the New Testament, as well. Jesus told his disciples that when he returned, he would gather God's chosen ones:
"And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other." (Matthew 24:31)
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!" (Luke 13:34)
The Twelve Apostles represent the leaders of the new Twelve Tribes of Israel under the New Covenant, ruling and reigning with Christ.
Spiritual Israel
But I believe that the promise extends beyond literal Israel. Paul reckons the children of Abraham not as just natural children, but those who share Abraham's faith (Romans 9:6-8; Galatians 3:29; Ephesians 3:6). So it may be that when James writes "to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations," he is writing to this larger group of believers that now includes Gentiles. Paul, too, calls believers "the Israel of God" (Galatians 6:16).
So the fourth promise Jesus makes to his disciples in our passage is that they will have the great honor of ruling over the people of the Kingdom of God. What an awesome responsibility! What a tremendous privilege!
When will they begin to exercise this reign? I believe that they began on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit fell upon them. The Apostles, and the leaders they raised up, swept the world with the gospel and created communities of believers everywhere. The leaders of these communities served as rulers and judges for God's people. You today, if you are a leader in your church and are faithful to Christ are fulfilling this. But the Scriptures hint that we will continue to exercise rule on behalf of Christ after his return. What a joy! What a privilege!
My dear Christian brother and sister, as the Father sent Jesus, so Jesus sends you to continue his work. Receive the Kingdom and the Kingdom responsibilities that Jesus would confer upon you. Amen.
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