Servant of the LORD

Paul summoned believers to adopt the same mind Jesus had when he poured his life out unto death for others – Philippians 2:5-11.

Jesus fulfilled the role of the ‘Suffering Servant of the LORD’ described in the Book of Isaiah. Unlike Adam, he did not attempt to grasp the “likeness of God.” Instead, he humbled himself and submitted to a shameful death on the Roman cross. For this reason, God exalted him and made him “Lord” over all things. His exaltation did not precede his death; his enthronement followed and resulted from it.

His example of self-denial becomes the pattern we must emulate if we wish to be his disciples. In the relevant passage in Philippians, the Apostle Paul’s concern was not with metaphysical speculation about the nature of Jesus, but how he “poured himself out” in death for others, including his “enemies.” The passage explains Christ’s Death and Exaltation and summons his followers to incorporate the same mindset into their daily lives.

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Paul presents Jesus as the supreme example of how we must conduct ourselves. In “lowliness of mind,” Christ counted others “better than himself, not looking to his things, but to the things of others,” thus deferring his needs, his “rights,” and his desires to those of others:

• (Philippians 2:5-11) - “Be thinking this among you, that even in Christ Jesus. Who, commencing in the form of God, considered being like God something not to be seized, but he poured himself out, taking the form of a slave, having come to be in the likeness of men; and having been found in fashion as man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even death on the cross. Therefore also, God highly exalted him and granted him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of beings heavenly and earthly and under the earth, and every tongue should confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father, even God.”

Paul contrasted Jesus with Adam by using language from the latter’s disobedience described in the Book of Genesis and from the “Servant of Yahweh” portrayed in the Book of Isaiah.

Jesus did not attempt to seize God’s “likeness,” Unlike Adam. Instead, he submitted to an unjust and shameful death. Adam was created in the image of God but grasped at the Divine “likeness” through his transgression. In contrast, Jesus embraced the will of God and suffered the consequences.

The Nazarene “did not consider being like God something to be seized.” This alludes to the story of the “Serpent” that beguiled Eve and overcame Adam - “For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will become like God, knowing good and evil” - (Genesis 3:5).

Adam chose disobedience and self-will. The Greek noun translated as “seize” means “plunder, booty.” It refers to something taken by force. In contrast, Jesus chose not to seize God’s “likeness.”

OBEDIENT UNTO DEATH

Instead of exalting and pleasing himself, Jesus became the “Servant of the LORD” by “pouring himself out and taking the form of a slave… he humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even death on a cross.” The passage includes several allusions to the ‘Servant Song’ recorded in Isaiah. For example:

• (Isaiah 53:7) - “Hard-pressed, yet he humbled himself, nor opened his mouth, as a lamb to the slaughter is led.”

• (Isaiah 53:12) - “Therefore will I give him a portion in the great and the strong shall he apportion as plunder because he poured out to death his own soul, and with transgressors let himself be numbered, Yea, he the sin of many bare, and for transgressors interceded.”

• (Isaiah 52:13) - “Behold, my Servant prospers, he rises and is lifted up and becomes very high.”

Jesus fulfilled his Messianic role by “pouring out his soul” to death for others, and we are called to adopt this same attitude - To seek nothing from self-interest or for “empty glory.”

We imitate him by not promoting ourselves, and by submitting to the will of God. We must conduct ourselves in “humility” by serving others, just as the ‘Servant of the LORD’ did. To be the Messiah or one of his disciples means serving others, not lording it over them.

Self-denial does not mean losing our individuality. Jesus did not cast off his personality, but he certainly did choose to forego his rights and privileges to meet the needs of others.

We are called to defer to the needs of others rather than insist on satisfying our wants and privileges. To “become great in the Kingdom of God” we must first become the servants and “slaves of others,” just as Jesus did when he “gave his life as a ransom for many” and died on the Cross to reconcile men and women to their Creator.

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SEE ALSO:

• Way of the Cross - (To follow Jesus wherever he goes requires a life of self-denial and mercy and sacrificial service to help others – Matthew 20:20-28)

• Rend the Heavens! - (Satan offered Jesus unlimited political power to achieve his messianic mission if only he acknowledged the Devil as his overlord)

• Revealed on the Cross - (Unrecognized as the Savior of the World and Messiah of Israel, Jesus was rejected by all but the unlikeliest of men)