I should not have, stopped at this word, had the general sense of it been the object I had in view to have noticed. Every one is perfectly at home in his apprehension of the term servant, throughout the same time it may be remarked, that perhaps there are but few, even in the common acceptation of the word servant, who are aware how very general, in the extensive sense of the term, it is, as observed in the circumstances among men. In relation to the character of servant, as it refers to the service the whole creation owetheLord, we may take up the language of the Psalmist, and say, all things continue, according to JEHOVAH’S ordinance: for all things serve thee. (Ps. cix. 91.) "The deceiver and the deceived are his." (Job x2: 26.) Wicked men, and devils, as well as the faithful servants of JEHOVAH, may be said to minister to the Lord’s will and pleasure; and though not by their intentions, yet by the overruling and sovereign power of God, do carry on his administrations in his almighty government. This doctrine, if it were capable of beingopened and explained if all the multiform instances of it, would unfold such a display of wisdom, and of glory, as would call up the everlasting and increasing admiration, love, and praise, of all the intelligent creatures of God to all eternity.
And in relation to the word servant, in the mutual services men owe, and are in fact exercising, of receipt towards one another; here also, the subject is almost boundless. No state, no condition of rank in life, is altogether exempt from it. The King and the beggar have both their respective provinces in life; and as Solomon saith, the profit of the earth is for all the King himself is served by the field." (Eccles. 5:9.)
But I should not have introduced the word servant in my Poor Man’s Concordance, had it been merely to have noticed these things. I have another, and as I hope, a higher object for its introduction; I mean in relation to the person, work, and offices of the Lord Jesus Christ, as JEHOVAH’S servant, and the servant of his people, as set forth in these unequalled words of humility and tenderness, and which are Jesus own, when he said. "The son of man came not to be ministered, unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransomfor many. (Matt. xx. 28.)
This view of the Lord Jesus, as JEHOVAH’S Servant, in the great work of redemption, and the servant of his people, opens to our contemplation, one of the most endearing and most affectionate in all the office - characters of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hence we find God the Father speaking of him as such, when calling him by this name. "Behold my Servant, whom I uphold: mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth!" Observe here the Father is speaking to the church of him, and bids the church to accept him, and receive him in thissweet character. And immediately after he speaks to him - - "I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a Covenant of the people? (Isaiah xl2: 1 - 8.)
In a following chapter, (Isaiah xlix. 1 - 6.) we find the Lord Jesus calling to the church, in consequence of this covenant and commission, to accept and receive him in this character. "Listen O isles unto me; and harken ye people from far! the Lord hath called me, from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name; and said unto me, Thou art my Servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified? Such then being plainly and evidently the case, that the Lord Jesus Christ is JEHOVAH’S Servant, it will be highly proper andimportant that every follower of the Lord Jesus Christ should have a just and right conception of the sense in which this is meant in Scripture.
Now it is plain, that as God, and God alone, unconnected with the manhood, the sense of Servant cannot be meant. For he is "one with the Father over all, God blessed for ever." In this equality of nature and of essence, he is not JEHOVAH’S Servant, for he is JEHOVAH’S Fellow. (Zech. 13. 7.) But when in the council of peace, before all worlds, in that covenant transaction which took place for the redemption of our nature between the glorious persons of the GODHEAD, the Son of God undertook to become man, that he might bethe Surety and Sponsor of his church and people; here by this infinite condescension, we discover how Christ, as God and man united in one person, might, as he really and truly did, become the servant of
The word generally signifies a slave. For formerly among the Hebrews, and the neighbouring nations, the greater part of servants were slaves, that is to say, they belonged absolutely to their masters, who had a right to dispose of their persons, their bodies, goods, and even of their lives, in some cases. The Hebrews had two sorts of servants or slaves, Lev 25:44-45, &c. Some were strangers, either bought, or taken in the wars. The others were Hebrew slaves, who, being poor, sold themselves, or were sold to pay their debts; or were delivered up for slaves by their parents, in cases of necessity. This sort of Hebrew slaves continued in slavery but to the year of jubilee; then they might return to liberty again, and their masters could not retain them against their wills. If they would continue voluntarily with their masters, they were brought before the judges; there they made a declaration, that for this time they disclaimed the privilege of the law, had their ears bored with an awl, by applying them to the doorposts of their master, Exo 21:2; Exo 21:5-7, &c; and after that they had no longer any power of recovering their liberty, except at the next year of jubilee. Servant is also taken for a man that dedicates himself to the service of another, by the choice of his own will and inclination. Thus Joshua was the servant of Moses, Elisha of Elijah, Gehazi of Elisha; St. Peter, St. Andrew, St. Philip, and the rest, were servants of Jesus Christ.
Servant [SLAVE]
This word sometimes denotes a man who voluntarily dedicates himself to the service of another. Thus Joshua was the servant of Moses; Elisha of Elijah; and Peter, Andrew, Philip, and Paul were servants of Jesus Christ. The servants of Pharaoh, of Saul, and of David, were their subjects in general, and their court officers and counselors in particular. The Philistines, Syrians, and other nation were servants of David, that is, they obeyed and paid him tribute. The servants of God are those who are devoted to his service and obey his holy word.\par In its primary sense, the word usually means in the Bible either a hired servant, or one whose service was the property of his master for a limited time and under various restrictions. Joseph is the first whom we read of as sold into bondage, Gen 37:27,28 . The households of some of the early patriarchs contained many servants, who were apparently treated with kindness and justice; the highest trusts were sometimes confided to them, and they might inherit their master’s estate, Gen 14:11-16 15:2-4 24:1-10. They shared the religious privileges of the household, Gen 17:9-13,27 18:19, and were not transferred to other masters.\par At the establishment of the Hebrew commonwealth, involuntary servitude was everywhere prevalent; and so far as it existed among the Jews, Moses sought to bring it under the restrictions demanded by religion and humanity. The mildest form of bond-service was that of a Hebrew in the house of another Hebrew. He might become bound to this service in various ways, chiefly through poverty, Exo 21:7 Lev 25:39-47 ; to acquit himself of a debt he could not otherwise pay, 2Ki 4:1 ; to make restitution for a theft, Exo 22:3 ; or to earn the price of his ransom for captivity among heathen. This form of service could not continue more than six or seven years; unless, when the Sabbatical year came round, the servant chose to remain permanently or until the Jubilee with his master, in token of which he suffered his ear to be bored before witnesses, Exo 21:2,6 25:40. The Hebrews servant was not to be made to serve with rigor, nor transferred to any harder bondage; he had an appeal to the tribunals, a right to all religious privileges, the power of demanding release on providing a pecuniary equivalent, and a donation from his master at his release, Lev 25:47-55 Deu 15:12-18 . Compare also 2Ch 28:10,11 Neh 5:1-13 Jer 34:8-22 . The law likewise provided for the deliverance of a Hebrew, who was in bondage to a resident foreigner, Lev 25:47-54 .\par From the heathen around and among them, especially from their captive enemies and the remains of the Canaanites, the Hebrew obtained many servants. These were protected by law, Deu 1:16,17 27:19, and might become proselytes, attend the festivals, enjoy religious instruction and privileges, Exo 12:44 Deu 12:18 29:10-13 31:10-13. The servant who was mutilated by his master was to be set free, Exo 21:26,27 ; the refugee from foreign oppression was to be welcomed, Deu 23:15,16 ; and kidnapping or man stealing was forbidden on pain of death, Exo 21:16 Deu 24:7 1Ti 1:10 .\par Roman slavery, as it existed in the time of Christ, was comparatively unknown to the Jews. The Romans held in bondage captives taken in war, had purchased slaves. Their bondage was perpetual, and the master held unquestioned control of the person and life of his slaves. Yet large numbers were set free, and in many instances Roman freedmen rose to the highest honors.\par The allusion of the Bible to involuntary servitude, imply that it is an evil and undesirable condition of life; yet the bondman who cannot obtain his freedom is divinely exhorted to contentment, 1Co 7:20-24 . Meanwhile the Bible give directions as to the mutual duties of masters and servants, Zep 6:5-9 Col 3:22 4:1 Tit 2:9 Phm 1:1-25 1Pe 2:18 ; and proclaims the great truths of the common origin of all men, the immorality of every human soul, and its right to the Bible and to all necessary means of knowing and serving the Saviorthe application of which to all the relations of master and servant, superior and inferior, employer and employed, would prevent all oppression, which God abhors, Deu 24:14 Psa 103:6 Isa 10:1-3 1Sa 4:1 Mal 3:5 Jas 5:4 .\par
Servant. See Slave.
therapon (G2324) Servant
doulos (G1401) Slave
oiketes (G3610)
diakonos (G1249) Minister, Deacon
hyperetes (G5257) Officer
Heb_3:5 is the only passage in the New Testament where therapon is used: "And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant[hos therapon]. "This is clearly an allusion to Num_12:7, where the Septuagint has therapon for the Hebrew 'eber.The Septuagint, however, also uses doulos for 'eber, thus giving rise to its use in Rev_15:3 : "Moses, the servant [ho doulos] of God."
This does not imply that there is no difference between doulos and therapon or that there may not be occasions where one word would be more fitting than the other. It only implies that there are many occasions that do not require highlighting the difference between them.
There are genuine differences between doulos and therapon. The doulos, as opposed to the eleutheros, has despotes or (more commonly in the New Testament) kurios as its antithesis. The doulos was properly the "bond-man," one who was in a permanent relation of servitude to another, one whose will was completely subject to the will of the other. One was a doulos apart from any service he rendered at any given moment. The therapon, however, was one who served without regard to his state as a freeman or as a slave and without regard to whether he was bound by duty or impelled by love. Therefore the services of the therapon are implied to have been more tender, noble, and free than those of the doulos. Thus Achilles referred to Patroclus as his therapon, one whose service was not compelled but who ministered out of love. The verb therapeuein, as distinguished from douleuein, underscores even more strongly the noble and tender character of the service.
Therapeuein may be used of the physician's watchful tending of the sick or a person's service to God. It was beautifully applied by Xenophon to refer to the care that the gods have of men.
The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews called Moses a therapon in the house of God (Heb_3:5), implying that Moses occupied a more confidential position, offered a freer service, and possessed a higher dignity than a doulos. Moses' service more closely resembled the service of an oikonomos (G3623, overseer) in God's house. Num_12:6-8, which ascribes exceptional dignity to Moses and elevates him above other douloi of God, confirms this view. Similarly, only Moses is given the title "attendant [therapon] of the Lord" (Wisd. of Sol. 10:16) in a chapter of the Wisdom of Solomon that mentions other prominent people of the old covenant. It would have been helpful if our translators had discerned a way to indicate the exceptional and honorable title given to Moses (who "was faithful in all God's house"). using minister, perhaps as adequate a word as the English language affords.
The distinction between diakonos and doulos also should be maintained in English versions of the New Testament, but that is not difficult to do. Diakonos does not derive from dia and konisone who in haste runs through the dustbut probably comes from the same root that has given us dioko (G1377),"to hasten after" or "pursue," and indeed still means "a runner."
The difference between diakonos on the one hand and doulos and therapon on the other is that diakonos represents the servant in his activity for the work, not in his relation to a personeither as a slave (doulos) or as a freeman (therapon). Regardless of their condition as freemen or slaves, for example, the attendants at a feast were diakonoi.The importance of preserving the distinction between doulos and diakonos may be illustrated from the parable of the marriage supper (Mat_27:2-14). In the Authorized Version, the king's "servants" bring in the invited guests (Mat_27:3-4; Mat_27:8; Mat_27:10), and his "servants" are bidden to cast out that guest who was without a wedding garment (Mat_27:13). In Greek, the douloi bring in the guests, and the diakonoi fulfill the king's sentence. This distinction is a real one and essential to the parable. The douloi are men, the ambassadors of Christ who invite their fellow men into his kingdom now. The diakonoi are the angelswho execute the Lord's will in all the acts of judgment at the end of the world. The parable certainly does not turn on this distinction, but these words should not be confused any more than douloi and theristai (G2327, reapers) should be in Mat_13:27; Mat_13:30 (cf. Luk_19:24).
Oiketes is often used as a synonym for doulos. This is certainly the case in 1Pe_2:18 and in its three other New Testament occurrences (Luk_16:13; Act_10:7; Rom_14:4). Neither the Septuagint nor the Apocrypha distinguished these terms. At the same time, oiketes does not emphasize the servile relation as strongly as does doulos. Instead, the relation is viewed in a way that tends to mitigate its extreme severity. The oiketes was one of the household, one of the "family" in the older sense of this word, but not necessarily one born in the house. In its best uses, oiketes included the wife and children, as in Herodotus; in Sophocles only the children of Deianira are included as oiketai.
Hyperetes is a military term that originally referred to someone who rowed on a war galley, as distinguished from the soldiers on board. Later the term was used to refer to anyone who performed strong and hard labor and later still to subordinate officials who waited to carry out the orders of their superiors, as in the case of an orderly who attends a commander in war. Hyperetes also refers to the herald who carried solemn messages. Undoubtedly Prometheus intended a taunt when he characterized Hermes as Theon hyperetes, one who runs the errands of the other gods. Mark was the hyperetes of Paul and Barnabas (Act_13:5); he was an inferior minister who performed certain defined functions. Indeed, hyperetes is predominantly used in the New Testament in the official sense of the Latin lictor and apparitor. John's use of douloi and hyperetai together (18:18) indicates that he also observed a distinction between these terms. Thus the one who struck the Lord on the face (Joh_18:22) could not be the same person whose ear the Lord had just healed (Luk_22:51); the latter was a doulos, but the profane and petulant striker was a hyperetes of the high priest. The meanings of diakonos and hyperetes are closer, and there are innumerable occasions where the words might be used indiscriminately. They are distinguished by the more officialcharacter and functions of the hyperetes.
Servant. This word is frequently used in our version of both Testaments, when "slave" would have been much more fitting. Joshua was Moses’ attendant, Exo 24:13; Exo 33:11—clerk or secretary we might in modern language say—it being understood that the designation in the last-named passage does not define Joshua’s age. But the words ʾebed, implying "laborer" in Hebrew, and doulos in Greek, are spoken of slaves. It does not at all follow, because the Mosaic law and the Christian dispensation found slavery existing in the world, and made regulations for it, that God approved the system of one man’s holding another as his property. Laws have to deal with persons as they are, in order to make them what they ought to be. The kidnapping or unlawful stealing of men for slavery was branded as a capital crime. Exo 21:16; Deu 24:7; 1Ti 1:10. Slaves among the Hebrews were of two general classes: I. Hebrews; II. Non-Hebrews. I. Hebrews. There were three ways by which a Hebrew might become a slave: 1. Poverty. He might sell himself in default of payment of debt. Lev 25:39. 2. Theft. When he could not pay the amount required. Exo 22:1; Exo 22:3. According to Josephus, he could only be sold to a Hebrew. 3. Parents could sell their daughters as maid-servants, but they were ultimately to be their masters’ concubines. Exo 21:7. There were three ways by which the servitude might end: 1. When the debt or other obligation was met. 2. When the year of Jubilee had come. Lev 25:40. 3. At the conclusion of six years of service. Exo 21:2; Deu 15:12. Indeed no servitude could last longer than six years. The owner was expressly forbidden to "rule over him with rigor." Lev 25:43. Nor was he suffered to go away empty, but must be furnished liberally out of the flock, out of the floor, and out of the wine-press. Deu 15:14. A slave might even marry a daughter of his master. 1Ch 2:35. In the case of a female Hebrew slave, there was not the release at the end of six years: but if marriage with the owner or his son did not take place, she was not to be sold to a foreigner, but "he shall cause her to be redeemed," i.e., he should return her to her father or find her another Hebrew master, or else free her absolutely. Exo 21:7-11. When Hebrews became the slaves of non-Hebrews, they might be redeemed or redeem themselves, or else go free at the year of Jubilee. Jewish Hebrew slavery terminated at the captivity. II. Non-Hebrews. They were mostly captives made in war from the neighboring tribes, but besides were purchased of dealers. Lev 25:45; Gen 14:14; Ecc 2:7. This sort of slavery survived the captivity, but was opposed by the Pharisees. Thirty shekels seems to have been the average price of a slave. Exo 21:32. Slaves were protected against violence; for if they lost an eye or a tooth from rough handling they got their liberty. Exo 21:26-27. To kill one was murder. Lev 24:17; Lev 24:22. They had full religious privileges, since they were circumcised. Gen 17:12.
1. The words ebed and
In the N.T. Paul sent back Onesimus, a runaway slave, to his master, who was a Christian, and did not demand his liberation: but he beautifully puts before Philemon that he should possess Onesimus no longer as a slave, but as a brother beloved. The effects of sin were in the world, and God did not introduce Christianity in order to set the world right; but, while shedding light upon everything, and proclaiming grace to all, God’s purpose was "to take out of the nations a people for his name." Christianity inculcated equal treatment of slaves, as we see in several of the epistles in which masters are addressed: ’men-stealers’ are condemned. 1Ti 1:10.
Christian bondservants are declared to be the Lord’s ’freemen,’ 1Co 7:22, and words of encouragement are addressed to them.
Paul, James, Peter, and Jude all call themselves ’bondmen of the Lord,’ and Christians generally are thus designated. The Lord Himself said, "I am among you as he that serveth," Luk 22:27; and now in heaven He serves His own as Intercessor and Advocate. He speaks also of a future day when He will gird Himself, make His servants sit down, and will come forth and serve them, thus being a minister to servants! Luk 12:37.
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SERVANT.—See artt. Service, Slave; and for ‘Servant of the Lord’ see Prophet, p. 432a.
See MASTER AND SERVANT:
SERVANT.—See next art. and Slave.
See Ministry, Slave.
Old and New Testaments alike use the one word ‘servant’ to translate a variety of words from the original languages. In many cases the word ‘servant’ is really ‘slave’.
In English ‘slaves’ and ‘servants’ suggest different classes of people, but this distinction is not so clear in the original languages. Often the words are used interchangeably. If there is a difference, it is usually one of suitability to context. ‘Slaves’ may be used of people in relation to their masters, but ‘servants’ in relation to their work. The former may be in a context of submission to a superior (e.g. Mat 6:24; Rom 6:16-18; Eph 6:6-7; see SLAVE), the latter in the context of service for others (e.g. Mat 20:28 : Luk 10:40; Rom 12:7; see MINISTER).
A special kind of service
Christians are slaves of God and servants of God (1Co 4:1; 1Co 7:22-23). They are not to be ashamed of these titles, as if God has denied them ordinary human dignity or reduced them to some low and humiliating status. The Bible uses many pictures to describe the relationship between Christ and his people, and each picture illustrates only one aspect of a many-sided relationship.
Therefore, although Christians are sometimes called Christ’s servants, other times they are called his friends and ambassadors. Service for him is a privilege (Joh 15:15; Joh 15:20; 2Co 5:20). Christ himself is an example of the sort of servant a Christian should be (Luk 22:27; Joh 13:12-15; see SERVANT OF THE LORD).
Service for God can take many forms. It may consist of giving practical aid to those who are poor, hungry, or otherwise in need (Rom 15:25; 1Ti 5:10; 2Ti 1:18; Heb 6:10). Some people serve God through ministries of spreading the gospel and caring for churches (Act 6:4; Act 20:24; 1Co 16:15; 2Co 3:6; Eph 3:7; Eph 4:11-12; Col 4:17); others serve him by praying for those engaged in such works (Rom 15:30-31; 2Co 1:11; Php 1:19). The title ‘deacon’, given to certain people who have various responsibilities in the church, means ‘servant’ (Php 1:1; 1Ti 3:8; see DEACON).
Motives and performance
Regardless of the special ministries entrusted to certain people, all Christians are in some sense God’s servants. They have unlimited possibilities of service, and should consider that everything they do is a way of serving their Lord (Eph 6:5-8; Col 3:23). The service does not have to be in a religious setting. Christ sees everyday acts of kindness as service for him, even though the doers of those acts may not be aware of it (Mat 25:35-40). On the other hand, people may give an appearance of serving God, but if their chief concern is self-interest, they are not serving God at all (Mat 6:24).
To serve Christ means to serve others (Mat 25:35-40), and those who serve others receive God’s rewards (Mat 20:25-28; Mat 23:11-12). This does not mean that Christians serve God solely for what they can get in return. On the contrary they realize that whatever service they do is merely their duty (Luk 17:10). Yet God graciously promises to reward those who serve him faithfully (Mat 25:21; Luk 19:17; Heb 6:10; Rev 2:19; Rev 2:26; see REWARD).