JESUS AS SERVANT

In yesterday's post, I tried to show Luke's use of different Greek terms to describe Jesus Christ's progression from the womb, to being a new born, to being a young child, and to finally, at the age of twelve, being a family servant (belphos; paidion; pais); that was because "pais" is translated as "servant" more often than it is "child."  I had suggested that the Apostle Paul taught that a child was viewed as a family servant until his father decided he was of age to be considered a heir (Gal. 4:1-2). 

After I had posted it, I remembered other verses which support the "family servant" roll of Jesus.  In Luke, following his use of "pais" (2:43), he wrote, "And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but His mother kept all these sayings in her heart" (Lk. 2:51).  In this verse, the word "subject" is the Greek ὑποτάσσω (hypotassō), about which one source said, "This word was a Greek military term meaning "to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader". In non-military use, it was "a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden".  This same Greek word is translated "put under" 6 times, "be subject unto" 6 times, "be subject to" 5 times, "submit (one's) self unto" 5 times, "submit (one's) self to" 3 times, and " be in subjection unto" 2 times in the KJV.

One cannot help but think of the passage in Philippians that describes the thinking of Jesus while on earth.  Paul wrote, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Phil. 2:5-8).

Jesus described Himself as a "minister," in Mark 10:45; "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many."  The Greek word translated "minister" is διακονέω (diakoneō), meaning "to be a servant, attendant, domestic, to serve, wait upon," and it is the same work from which we get the word "deacon."  Contrary to the belief of most deacons, they are to see themselves as servants and not see themselves as authority figures.

The Creator was willing to humble Himself and die for us.

Our gratitude should result in serving others for Him!