Colossians 3.24b-Slaves in the Colossian Christian Community Must Continue Serving the Lord Christ
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Sunday March 26, 2017
Colossians: Colossians 3:24b-Slaves in the Colossian Christian Community Must Continue Serving the Lord Christ
Lesson # 100
Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. (NASB95)
“You serve” is the verb douleuō (δουλεύω), which means “to act or conduct oneself as one in total service to another” or “to perform the duties of a slave” and expresses the idea of these slaves conducting themselves as those in total service to the Lord Christ.
The form of this verb is ambiguous since it could be interpreted as being not only in the imperative form but it could be an indicative.
The NET Bible explains, they write, “The form of the term δουλεύετε (douleuete) is ambiguous; it can be read as either indicative or imperative. In favor of the indicative: (1) it seems to explain better the first part of v. 24, esp. “from the Lord” which would then read as: “because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as a reward for it is the Lord you are serving.” The “for” is supplied to make the relation explicit (it is actually added in many MSS—D1 Ψ 075 𝔐—but the best ms evidence is against its inclusion). (2) With the imperative, one might expect ὡς τῷ κυρίῳ (hōs tō kuriō), as for example in Eph 6:7. In favor of the imperative: (1) an imperative resumes the ἐργάζεσθε (ergazesthe) in v. 23a and forms a chiasm with it; (2) an imperative makes more sense of the γάρ (gar) in v. 25a; (3) an imperative relates equally well to the preceding statement; (4) a parallel can be found in Rom 12:11 which uses an imperatival participle δουλεύοντες (douleuontes) with the dative τῷ κυρίῳ.
I’m in agreement with the NET that Paul as employing the imperative form of this verb douleuō rather than the indicative form of this word.
The present imperative form of the verb douleuō is a customary present imperative which has the idea that these slaves in the Colossian Christian community must continue to exist in the state of serving the Lord Christ.
This interpretation of the present imperative is supported by Paul’s teaching in Colossians 1:3-5 and 2:5 which affirm the Colossians were already obeying the commands in this epistle.
“The Lord Christ” is composed of the following: (1) noun kurios (κύριος), “the Lord” (2) proper name Christos (Χριστός), “Christ.”
The noun kurios is a reference to Jesus Christ and functions as a dative direct object meaning that the word is receiving the action of the verb douleuō.
This would indicate that Paul wants the Lord Jesus Christ to receive the action of being served by these slaves in the Colossian Christian community while they are rendering service to their human slave maters.
Paul puts this word in the dative case rather than the accusative case because he wants to emphasize with these slaves their personal responsibility to obey their masters because the Lord Jesus Christ has placed them in authority over them.
They ultimately serve Him and will give an account to Him for this service.
Thus, the dative of this word is expressing that these slaves in the Colossian Christian community have a slave/master relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
The proper name Christos functions as a dative of simple apposition meaning that the word stands in apposition to the substantive use of the dative form of the noun kurios, “Lord,” which indicates that both words have the same referent.
Thus, Christos is giving a different description of Lord.
Thus, this word Christos is clarifying for the recipients of this letter who this Lord is in relation to Paul, Timothy and the slaves in the Colossian Christian community since there were many lords in the first century.
There were many lords including their slave masters whom these slaves were accountable to or were under the authority of such as the emperor of Rome, and his government officials as well as their slave masters.
Therefore, the noun Christos functions as a dative in simple apposition specifying for these slaves from which lord they would receive their reward which is their inheritance as a result of obeying Paul’s command in Colossians 3:23.
Colossians 3:23 Whenever any of you, at any time, should do something, each of you from your entire being, for your own benefit, must continue making it your habit of working hard as for your one and only true Lord, indeed, never for people 24 The reason for this command is that each of you know without a doubt that each of you will certainly receive for your own benefit your reward, which is your inheritance. Each of you continue making it your habit of serving the Lord, who is the Christ. (My translation)
The Lord Jesus Christ set the example for these slaves in the Christian community in that He, the Son of God became a human being who assumed the position of a servant in order to redeem sinful mankind from enslavement to sin and Satan (Is. 53; Mark 10:45; Phil. 2:7).
The Old and New Testaments do not have a negative assessment of servanthood as did the Graeco-Roman culture.
The title of “servant” did reflect a position of inferiority, however at the same time it was seen as a title of honor.
In fact, the following is a list of Old Testament characters who were identified as servants of God: (1) Moses (Deut. 34:5; Josh. 8:31). (2) Joshua (Josh. 24:29). (3) David (Ps. 18:1; 36:1). (4) Abel (Heb. 11:4). (5) Enoch (Heb. 11:5). (6) Noah (Heb. 11:7). (7) Abraham (Heb. 11:8). (8) Sarah (Heb. 11:11). (9) Isaac (Heb. 11:20). (10) Jacob (Heb. 11:21). (11) Joseph (Heb. 11:22). (12) Rahab (Heb. 11:31).
The Lord Jesus Christ is called the Servant of the Lord in the Old Testament as attested to by the Servant Songs in Isaiah 42-53.
He is the perfect example of servanthood that we are to imitate when serving God and each other.
All precedence for Christian service during the church age is derived from the dispensation of the hypostatic union when our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ died on the cross in order to serve both God and man (Jn. 13:1-7).
The Lord Jesus Christ served both God and mankind with His voluntary substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths on the cross (John 13:1-7).
He serves both God and man through His three-fold offices: (1) Prophet: The Lord Jesus Christ served both God and man by revealing God and His will to man (Deut. 18:18; Isa. 42:11; Mt. 24:3-35; Acts 3:22-23). (2) Priest: The Lord Jesus Christ served both God and man by offering Himself as a sacrifice for sin and does so now by praying and interceding for believers at the right hand of the Father (Heb. 3:1-2; 4:15; 7:26; 9:13-14). (3) King: The Lord Jesus Christ serves both God and man by ruling justly over all creation (Mt 22:43-45; Jn 18:36-37; 1 Tim. 6:15-16; Rev. 19:11-16).
The believer is to imitate the servanthood of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 20:20-28; 23:10-12; Ephesians 4:29-5:2).
Service Directed Toward God:
Deuteronomy 10:12 “Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” (NASB95)
Joshua 22:5 “Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (NASB95)
Luke 4:8 Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’” (NASB95)
Hebrews 9:11 But when Christ appeared {as} a high priest of the good things to come, {He entered} through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (NASB95)
Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; 29 for our God is a consuming fire. (NASB95)
Service Directed Toward Men:
Galatians 5:13 For all of you were elected to freedom, brothers, only do not exploit this freedom for indulging the sin nature, but rather through divine-love be serving one another. (NASB95)
Matthew 23:10 “Neither be addressed leaders because Christ is your one Leader. 11 In fact, the greatest among you shall be your servant 12 and whoever will promote himself shall be humbled.” (Author’s translation)
The believer must never perform any work of service for human beings but rather they must perform their service to human beings as unto the Lord (Ephesians 6:5-7; Colossians 3:17, 22-24).
The humble believer will imitate the Lord Jesus Christ’s servant mentality and as a result perform acts of service for both God and man (Proverbs 11:2; 15:33; 18:12; Matthew 23:10-12; Ephesians 4:1-2; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 3:12-13; James 1:9-10; 4:6, 10; 1 Peter 3:8-9; 5:5-6).
The Lord Jesus Christ taught His disciples to be profitable rather than unprofitable servants of God.
A profitable servant is obedient whereas the unprofitable servant is disobedient (cf. Matthew 24:47-51; 25:14-30).
Every believer will have to give an account of himself to the Lord at the Bema Seat Evaluation of the church (1 Cor. 3:11-15).
It is at this time that it will be determined by the Lord if the believer was an unprofitable or profitable servant during their life after justification.