The Suffering Servant

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

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

Christ’s example of self-denial becomes the pattern for his disciples. In the relevant passage in Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, the Apostle’s concern is not with metaphysical speculation about the nature of Jesus, but with how the Servant of Yahweh “poured himself out” in death for the sake of others, and its practical implications for members of the Church.

[Crucifix - Photo by Stefano Zocca (Bologna, Italy) on Unsplash]

Rather than explain his Christology, 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.” He set aside his needs, “rights,” and desires to meet the needs of his brethren:

• (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. 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.”

The Letter to the Hebrews expresses the same idea when describing Jesus as the Author of our faith who, “for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” The passage in Hebrews echoes Isaiah’s description of the ‘Servant of Yahweh’ who was “put to grief” for others - (Hebrews 12:2):

• “Yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him. He has put him to grief. When you make his soul an offering for sin, he will see his seed, he will prolong his days, and the pleasure of Yahweh will prosper in his hand” – (Isaiah 53:10).

In Philippians, Paul contrasts Jesus with Adam by using language from the latter’s disobedience as described in the Book of Genesis and from the Servant of Yahweh of the Book of Isaiah.

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

Christ “did not consider being like God something to be seized.” This evokes the story of the “Serpent” who 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).

The first Adam chose disobedience and self-will. The Greek noun translated as “seize” in Philippians means “plunder, booty,” something taken by force. In contrast, Jesus chose not to seize God’s likeness, and instead, he willingly embraced the path that would lead to his death.

HIS OBEDIENT DEATH

Instead of exalting and pleasing himself, Jesus became Yahweh’s “Servant” 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 in Philippians includes several allusions to the ‘Servant Song’ of the Book of Isaiah:

• (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 among the great and the strong shall he apportion as plunder because he poured out to death his soul, and with transgressors let himself be numbered, Yea, he the sin of many bare, and for transgressors interceded. Behold, my Servant prospers, he rises and is lifted up and becomes very high.”

Jesus fulfilled his Messianic role by pouring out his life for others, and we are called to adopt this same outlook - To seek nothing from self-interest or for vain glory.

This idea also echoes the teachings of Jesus when he explained to his disciples what it means to become “great” in his Kingdom:

• “You know that they who rule over the Gentiles dominate them, and their great ones tyrannize them. It will not be so among you. Whoever would become great among you will be your servant, and whoever would be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man also came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” – (Mark 10:42-45).

We reflect the example of Jesus, not when we promote our own desires and rights, but when we submit to the will of God as Christ did. We must live in humility by serving the men, women, and children around us. To be Christ’s disciple means serving others, not exercising power over them.

Self-denial does not mean losing individual identity. Jesus did not lose his personality, but he certainly did choose to forego his rights and privileges to meet the needs of others by surrendering to an undeserved and unjust death. Like Jesus, we are called to defer to the needs of others rather than insisting on satisfying our desires and privileges.

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SEE ALSO:

• The Way of the Cross - (To follow Jesus requires a lifetime of self-denial and sacrificial service for others and a willingness to lose everything for the Gospel)

• O Servo do Senhor - (Paulo convocou os crentes a adotarem a mesma mente que Jesus tinha quando derramou sua vida até a morte pelos outros - Filipenses 2:5-11)

• 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)

• Recognizing Jesus - (In Mark’s Gospel, no one recognizes who Jesus is except demons. Only in his death on a Roman cross was his identity understood by men)