Bondservants
Philippians 1:1 - "Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, ..." NKJV This is as far as I can go until we examine the term "bondservant." There are only a few conservative translations that hold this term for the appropriate Greek word in this passage. Most of our versions have simply "servants" or "slaves." While those common terms are basically accurate, a very important concept is lost in the rendering.
The term "bondservant" is a term from their culture of the time and its understanding is given to us in Exodus 21:2-6 (also Deuteronomy 15:12-18) From Exodus, "If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing. If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master has given him a wife, and she has borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself. But if the servant plainly says, 'I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,' then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever."
The man who choose to serve out of love for his master was called a "bondservant." It was not a forced labor, nor one of obligation, but one freely given for life. So we see Paul and Timothy call themselves, "servants-of-love" in Christ. Their lives were given because of love.
So as we look at our lives, may His love for us so overwhelm us that we understand that call to true bondservant-hood -- not just "servant" or certainly not "slave," which we often think is a forced service. In Christ, nothing is forced, but all is invited. Oh thank you Lord Jesus! We receive your empowering to love as you love and to serve as you serve. This is our heritage as your co-heirs and as your bride.
The term "bondservant" is a term from their culture of the time and its understanding is given to us in Exodus 21:2-6 (also Deuteronomy 15:12-18) From Exodus, "If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing. If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master has given him a wife, and she has borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself. But if the servant plainly says, 'I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,' then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever."
The man who choose to serve out of love for his master was called a "bondservant." It was not a forced labor, nor one of obligation, but one freely given for life. So we see Paul and Timothy call themselves, "servants-of-love" in Christ. Their lives were given because of love.
So as we look at our lives, may His love for us so overwhelm us that we understand that call to true bondservant-hood -- not just "servant" or certainly not "slave," which we often think is a forced service. In Christ, nothing is forced, but all is invited. Oh thank you Lord Jesus! We receive your empowering to love as you love and to serve as you serve. This is our heritage as your co-heirs and as your bride.
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