Servant
In Mark 10, two of the disciples had just asked Jesus to sit on his right hand and left hand in glory at which the other disciples became agitated with the two. Jesus’ response is to call the disciples together and explain the unique nature of Kingdom leadership. Jesus proclaims, “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant. The picture of a servant is much more than an illustration; Jesus is communicating a powerful principle regarding the kingdom of God. The implications of this servant principle are profound. Today, when we think of the term “servant”, certain stereotypes come to mind. We may think of a butler or a maid from Downton Abbey, or perhaps a “server” in a restaurant. However, the depth and meaning of our calling is much deeper than that. It is imperative for believers today to have a biblical understanding of what Jesus has called us to in regards to servanthood.
It is important to define a few key elements at the outset of this study. First, the scope of this study will be limited to the Protestant Canon; that is, the Old and New Testament. As we trace through the Canon of scripture this will gives us a wide breadth of God’s Word to gain context and development of theme through the writings of many authors over a wide span of time. A second important clarifying question in regards to this study revolves around terminology. We will limit our study to a few key terms, “servant of the Lord” and “servant of God”. There are hundreds of times where the term “servant” is used throughout scripture. I am limiting my focus to the more specific terms in hopes to find greater understanding and application. The specific terms I have chosen are often used as titles. In Hebrew, we will primarily look at passages with יְהוִה עֶבֶד (servant of Yahweh). In Greek, we will focus in on the terms παίς, δοῦλος, and διάκονος for servant. I believe this will give clarity as we pursue our own desire to live the life of a servant as Jesus illustrated.
The
It is important to define a few key elements at the outset of this study. First, the scope of this study will be limited to the Protestant Canon; that is, the Old and New Testament. As we trace through the Canon of scripture this will gives us a wide breadth of God’s Word to gain context and development of theme through the writings of many authors over a wide span of time. A second important clarifying question in regards to this study revolves around terminology. We will limit our study to a few key terms, “servant of the Lord” and “servant of God”. There are hundreds of times where the term “servant” is used throughout scripture. I am limiting my focus to the more specific terms in hopes to find greater understanding and application. The specific terms I have chosen are often used as titles. In Hebrew, we will primarily look at passages with יְהוִה עֶבֶד (servant of Yahweh). In Greek, we will focus in on the terms παίς, δοῦλος, and διάκονος for servant. I believe this will give clarity as we pursue our own desire to live the life of a servant as Jesus illustrated.
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