Bond-Servant

"Have this mind among yourselves,

which is yours in Christ Jesus,

who, though he was in the form of God,

did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,

being born in the likeness of men.

And being found in human form,

he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,

even death on a cross. 

Therefore God has highly exalted him

and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father." 

Philippians 2:5-11 ESV

I know we are all very familiar with this passage as I have been working with it for days. However, there are still some "unfolding" to be done this time around. The word "servant" (which is underlined in the passage) is actually the term for "bond-servant." Most of our modern English texts simply use the word "servant" or "slave" to describe this placement.  However, neither of those words bring the correct understand to our minds for what our Lord actually did. 

In the Old Testament the term for "bond-servant" is used often. The passage I refer you to is Deuteronomy 15:12-18. Those verses, in summary, tell us that a bond-servant was a person who had actually been set free, but choose, out of love for the Master and the Master's care, to give their lives, voluntarily in service to the Master. In other words, it was not a "have-to," but a "want-to." 

Our ideas of being a servant or a slave do not carry with them the voluntary aspect - the person would have chosen to be a servant. This is what our Lord did to become as we are - it was His choice. Out of deep, indescribable, incomprehensible love - He chose to become a bond-servant to the Father so we could also be sons of God. This is willing submission to the will of another. This is the core understanding of this passage and that is what our lives are all about in the Kingdom - willing submission to the will of another. That "other" is our God and Father through Christ our Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit. 

This drawing shows the proper understanding of our lives and work in the Kingdom. Our Lord Jesus did all for us, so He could fully support and supply what was and is needed in our lives. He is our Savior, our Healer, our Intercessor, our Provision, our life, our all. As such, He is the corner stone and total support for our lives. As we live in Him, we learn to serve and begin to be a part of that supply to His people. As a result, we go down the sides of the triangle and begin to minister to others in Him. So it is always a coming-under in order to support, serve and bless. What looks like elevation in the Kingdom is actually an appointment to come down further, as a bond-servant. I refer you to John 13:1-11.

Thank you Lord for living this out so vividly for us and then turning and inviting us to join you in this service of Kingship as you appoint and empower us to uphold and serve.