Servanthood in life of believers

Servants of God in the OT

Abraham

Genesis 18:5 LEB

5 And let me bring a piece of bread, then refresh yourselves. Afterward you can pass on, once you have passed by with your servant.” Then they said, “Do so as you have said.”

See also Ge 26:24; Dt 9:27; Ps 105:6; Ps 105:42

Moses

Exodus 14:31 LEB

31 And Israel saw the great hand that Yahweh displayed against Egypt, and the people feared Yahweh, and they believed in Yahweh and in Moses his servant.

See also Nu 12:7–8; Dt 34:5; Jos 1:1–2; Jos 1:7; Jos 1:13; Jos 1:15; Jos 8:31; Jos 8:33; Jos 11:15; Jos 22:2; Jos 22:4–5; 2 Ki 18:12; 2 Ch 1:3; Heb 3:5; Re 15:3

Joshua

Judges 2:8 LEB

8 And Joshua son of Nun, servant of Yahweh, died at the age of one hundred and ten years.

See also Jos 24:29

David

2 Samuel 3:18 LEB

18 So then, bring it about, because Yahweh had said to David, “Through the hand of David my servant I am about to save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.”

See also 2 Sa 7:5; 2 Sa 7:8; 2 Sa 7:18–20; 2 Sa 7:25; 1 Ch 21:8; Ps 78:70; Ps 89:3; Ps 89:20; Ps 132:10; Eze 34:23–24; Lk 1:69; Ac 4:25–26

Jesus Christ and servanthood

Jesus Christ’s teaching on servanthood

Matthew 6:24 LEB

24 “No one is able to serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You are not able to serve God and money.

See also Mt 25:31–46; Jn 12:26; Jn 13:13–17; Jn 15:15; Jn 15:20

Parables on servanthood

Mt 20:1–16; Mt 24:45–51; Mt 25:14–30; Lk 12:35–40; Lk 17:7–10

Servants of God in the NT

Acts 16:17 LEB

17 She followed Paul and us and was crying out, saying, “These men are slaves of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!”

See also Ac 2:18; Ac 4:29; 2 Pe 1:1; Jud 1

Paul as a servant

A servant of God

Romans 15:17 LEB

17 Therefore I have a reason for boasting in Christ Jesus regarding the things concerning God.

See also Ro 1:9; 2 Co 6:4; 2 Ti 1:3

A servant of Jesus Christ

Romans 1:1 LEB

1 Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,

See also Ga 1:10; Php 1:1

A servant of the gospel

Ephesians 3:7 LEB

7 of which I became a servant, according to the gift of God’s grace given to me, according to the working of his power.

See also Col 1:23

A servant of the church

2 Corinthians 4:5 LEB

5 For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for the sake of Jesus.

See also 2 Co 13:4; Col 1:24–25

Christian servanthood

Gifts of service

1 Peter 4:10 LEB

10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it for serving one another, as good stewards of the varied grace of God.

See also Ro 12:7; 1 Co 12:5; Eph 4:12; 1 Pe 2:16

Examples of service

Romans 12:11 LEB

11 not lagging in diligence, being enthusiastic in spirit, serving the Lord,

See also 2 Co 9:12–13; Eph 6:6–7; Col 3:22–24; Re 2:19

Christian leadership entails service

1 Peter 5:2 LEB

2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not by compulsion but willingly, in accordance with God, and not greedily but eagerly,

See also Ac 6:2–4

The office of deacon was seen as a serving role:

1 Ti 3:10; 1 Ti 3:12–13