Servant (Bible)

Occurrences in Scripture

The servant as an institution. Exodus 21:1-11 provides that a Hebrew servant is to serve for six years and in the seventh year go out free without paying anything. If he chose to remain with his master, his ear was pierced with an awl and he became a servant for life (Exodus 21:5-6). Deuteronomy 15:12-18 commands that a released servant not be sent away empty-handed and gives the reason: "thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt." Leviticus 25:39-46 directs that a fellow Israelite not be made to serve as a bondservant but be treated as a hired servant and released in the Jubilee, while foreign servants could be held as a possession for generations. Anyone who kidnapped and sold another person was to be put to death (Exodus 21:16), and the law also forbade returning a runaway servant to his master (Deuteronomy 23:15-16).

The servant as a religious term. The Old Testament calls Moses, David, and the prophets "the servant of the LORD." Isaiah 40-55 contains the so-called songs of the Suffering Servant. In the New Testament, Paul introduces himself as "a servant of Jesus Christ" (Romans 1:1). Conversely, bondage to sin is described as being "the servant of sin" (John 8:34-36; Romans 6:16-22).

Background

The Hebrew word ebed covers a broad range of meanings, from a slave to a royal official. The Greek word doulos denotes a slave owned by a master. In ancient Israel, servitude often resulted from people selling themselves because they could not repay a debt. In the Roman society of New Testament times, slaves are known to have made up a substantial portion of the population. Korean Bibles generally render these terms as jong ("servant"), though some argue that they should be translated noye ("slave") to convey the reality of slavery.

Significance in the Whole of Scripture

Israel remembered the Exodus as its deliverance "out of the house of bondage" (Exodus 20:2), and this memory became the basis for the laws governing the treatment of servants. The New Testament applies the term to Christ. Jesus "took upon him the form of a servant" (Philippians 2:7) and said that he came to serve (Matthew 20:28), and he taught his disciples to become servants of one another as well. Paul wrote that in Christ there is "neither bond nor free" (Galatians 3:28). At the same time, he gave separate exhortations on the duties of masters and servants (Ephesians 6:5-9; Colossians 3:22-4:1). In Philemon, he asks that the runaway servant Onesimus be received as a "brother" (Philemon and Onesimus).

Interpretation and Debate

• The Bible and slavery. That the Bible does not directly command the abolition of slavery has long been a matter of debate. In nineteenth-century America, both defenders and opponents of slavery appealed to Scripture, and the issue caused several denominations to split into northern and southern bodies. Leaders of the abolitionist movement such as William Wilberforce grounded their position in the teaching on the image of God and brotherly love.
• Ancient servitude compared with modern slavery. Some argue that debt servitude in ancient Israel differed in character from modern race-based slavery. Others counter that overemphasizing the difference obscures the troubling parts of the text.
• 1 Corinthians 7:21. Some read this verse as urging the servant to take advantage of an opportunity to gain freedom; others read it as urging the servant rather to make use of his present condition as a servant.

In the Korean Church

In the Korean church, the word jong ("servant") is frequently used as a self-humbling expression, as in the phrase "this unworthy servant" in prayers offered on behalf of the congregation. The custom of calling pastors "servants of the Lord" is also widespread. Some criticize the title for elevating pastors above the laity, contrary to the principle of the priesthood of all believers. Others regard it as an expression of respect for an office entrusted with service. The Greek word diakonia (diakonia), meaning service, is used to refer to the church's ministry of service and relief.