Topical Bible: Bondservant

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Topical Encyclopedia

In biblical times, the term "bondservant" referred to an individual who was bound to serve a master for a specified period, often as a result of debt or poverty. The concept of a bondservant is deeply rooted in the socio-economic and cultural contexts of the ancient Near East and is addressed in various passages throughout the Bible.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word often translated as "servant" or "slave" is "ebed." The Mosaic Law provided specific regulations regarding the treatment and rights of bondservants. For instance, Exodus 21:2-6 outlines the conditions under which a Hebrew servant might serve for six years and be released in the seventh year. If the servant chose to remain with his master, a ritual involving the piercing of the ear was performed, signifying a lifelong commitment (Exodus 21:5-6).

Leviticus 25:39-43 further emphasizes the humane treatment of bondservants, instructing that they should not be treated harshly and should be released during the Year of Jubilee. This reflects the underlying principle that the Israelites themselves were once slaves in Egypt and should therefore treat their servants with compassion and justice.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the Greek word "doulos" is commonly translated as "servant" or "bondservant." The term is used both literally and metaphorically to describe a person's relationship to Christ. The Apostle Paul frequently refers to himself as a "bondservant of Christ" (Romans 1:1), indicating total devotion and submission to the will of God.

The New Testament also addresses the relationship between masters and bondservants. Ephesians 6:5-9 and Colossians 3:22-4:1 instruct bondservants to obey their earthly masters with sincerity, as they would obey Christ. Masters, in turn, are reminded to treat their servants with fairness and respect, recognizing that they too have a Master in heaven.

Theological Significance

The concept of a bondservant in the Bible carries profound theological implications. It serves as a metaphor for the believer's relationship with God, characterized by obedience, humility, and service. Jesus Himself is described as taking "the very nature of a servant" (Philippians 2:7), exemplifying the ultimate act of servitude through His life and sacrificial death.

The notion of being a bondservant to Christ underscores the Christian calling to live a life of selfless devotion and service, reflecting the love and grace of God in all aspects of life. This spiritual servitude is not one of compulsion but of willing submission to the Lordship of Christ, motivated by love and gratitude for His redemptive work.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

BONDSERVANT

bond'-sur-vant: Appears only once in the King James Version (Leviticus 25:39) where it translates `ebhedh, "a slave": "Thou shalt not cause him to render the service of a bondservant" or slave. the Revised Version (British and American) frequently uses bondservant (doulos) instead of the word "servant" of the King James Version (John 8:34, 35 1 Corinthians 7:21 Galatians 4:7).

See SLAVERY.

Strong's Hebrew

5656. abodah -- labor, service
... 1), work (18), workers (1). act, bondage, bondservant, effect, labor,
ministering, office, service, tillage,. Or mabowdah {ab-o-daw ...
/hebrew/5656.htm - 6k

5650. ebed -- slave, servant
... bondage, bondman, bondservant, manservant. From abad; a servant -- X bondage, bondman,
(bond-)servant, (man-)servant. see HEBREW abad. 5649, 5650. ebed. 5651 ...
/hebrew/5650.htm - 6k

Library

Are You Willing to be a Servant?
... He was in the form of God, He counted it not a prize to be on an equality with God,
but emptied Himself and took upon Him the form of a bondservant" (Phil.2:6,7 ...
//christianbookshelf.org/hession/the calvary road/chapter 8 are you willing.htm

Jesus Rejected in Jerusalem.
... Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth
sin is the bondservant of sin. And the bondservant ...
/.../xix jesus rejected in jerusalem.htm

The Freedom of the Soul.
... Jesus answered them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth
sin is the bondservant of sin. And the bondservant ...
//christianbookshelf.org/barton/his life/the freedom of the soul.htm

Book xii. At Length, with the Holy Ghost Speeding Our Way...
... But since He is subjected not of His own will, He must needs be also a bondservant;
moreover since He is a bondservant He must needs also be dwelling in a ...
/.../the life and writings of st hilary of poitiers/book xii at length with.htm

Messianic Claims Met by Attempt to Stone Jesus.
... 34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that
committeth sin is the bondservant of sin. [Jesus here shows ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/lxxx messianic claims met by.htm

Abba, Father!
... I-7. 'But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a
bondservant, though he is lord of all; but is under guardians and stewards ...
//christianbookshelf.org/macdonald/unspoken sermons/abba father.htm

Secret Study of the Holy Scriptures.
... was the sequel of His own action of will in that eternal state [ii.7.]. It was a
novel and voluntary assumption of the condition of the Bondservant, the [Greek ...
/.../moule/to my younger brethren/chapter iii secret study of.htm

Post-Nicene Mothers
... The rigor of slavery was somewhat softened; yet if a man beat his bondservant to
death, he was considered to be acting within his right, providing that he ...
/.../brittain/women of early christianity/v post-nicene mothers.htm

Freedom.
... authorized version gives, 'Whosoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin; 'the
revised version gives, 'Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin ...
//christianbookshelf.org/macdonald/unspoken sermons/freedom.htm

Worthy-Not Worthy
... He does not use the rough word which implies a bondservant, and which is employed
throughout the whole of the rest of the narrative, but a much gentler one ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/worthy-not worthy.htm

Thesaurus

Bondservant (34 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia BONDSERVANT. bond'-sur-vant ... SLAVERY.
Multi-Version Concordance Bondservant (34 Occurrences). Matthew 6 ...
/b/bondservant.htm - 16k

Bond-servant (14 Occurrences)
Bond-servant. Bondservant, Bond-servant. Bondservants . ... Or am I seeking to please
men? If I were still a man-pleaser, I should not be Christ's bondservant. ...
/b/bond-servant.htm - 10k

Oh (164 Occurrences)
... But he exclaimed, "Oh, do not do that. I am a fellow bondservant of yours and a
fellow bondservant of your brethren who have borne testimony to Jesus. ...
/o/oh.htm - 34k

Wishes (37 Occurrences)
... be your servant. (See NAS). Matthew 20:27 Whoever desires to be first among
you shall be your bondservant, (See NAS). Mark 8:34 He ...
/w/wishes.htm - 16k

Christ's (64 Occurrences)
... 1 Corinthians 7:22 For he who was called in the Lord being a bondservant is the
Lord's free man. Likewise he who was called being free is Christ's bondservant. ...
/c/christ's.htm - 24k

Underlies (1 Occurrence)
... But he exclaimed, "Oh, do not do that. I am a fellow bondservant of yours and a
fellow bondservant of your brethren who have borne testimony to Jesus. ...
/u/underlies.htm - 6k

Freedman (1 Occurrence)
... 1 Corinthians 7:22 For he that was called in the Lord being a bondservant, is the
Lord's freedman: likewise he that was called being free, is Christ's ...
/f/freedman.htm - 7k

Teachings (34 Occurrences)
... I am a fellow bondservant of yours, and a fellow bondservant of your brethren the
Prophets and of those who are mindful of the teachings of this book. ...
/t/teachings.htm - 15k

Desires (151 Occurrences)
... (WEB WEY). Matthew 20:27 Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your
bondservant, (WEB WEY). Matthew 27:43 He trusts in God. ...
/d/desires.htm - 36k

Mindful (39 Occurrences)
... I am a fellow bondservant of yours, and a fellow bondservant of your brethren the
Prophets and of those who are mindful of the teachings of this book. ...
/m/mindful.htm - 17k

Resources

What is a bondservant / bond-servant? | GotQuestions.org

Miscellaneous Bible Questions (All) | GotQuestions.org

What does it mean to be a servant of Christ? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Bondservant (34 Occurrences)

Matthew 6:24
"No man can be the bondservant of two masters; for either he will dislike one and like the other, or he will attach himself to one and think slightingly of the other. You cannot be the bondservants both of God and of gold.
(WEY)

Matthew 20:27
Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant,
(WEB WEY)

Mark 10:44
Whoever of you wants to become first among you, shall be bondservant of all.
(WEB WEY)

John 8:34
Jesus answered them, "Most certainly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is the bondservant of sin.
(WEB ASV)

John 8:35
A bondservant doesn't live in the house forever. A son remains forever.
(WEB ASV)

Romans 1:1
Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an Apostle, set apart to proclaim God's Good News,
(WEY)

Romans 9:12
"The elder of them will be bondservant to the younger."
(WEY)

1 Corinthians 7:21
Were you called being a bondservant? Don't let that bother you, but if you get an opportunity to become free, use it.
(WEB ASV)

1 Corinthians 7:22
For he who was called in the Lord being a bondservant is the Lord's free man. Likewise he who was called being free is Christ's bondservant.
(WEB ASV)

Galatians 1:10
For is it man's favour or God's that I aspire to? Or am I seeking to please men? If I were still a man-pleaser, I should not be Christ's bondservant.
(WEY)

Galatians 4:1
But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a bondservant, though he is lord of all;
(WEB ASV)

Galatians 4:7
So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
(WEB ASV)

Philippians 2:7
Nay, He stripped Himself of His glory, and took on Him the nature of a bondservant by becoming a man like other men.
(WEY)

Colossians 3:11
where there can't be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.
(WEB)

Colossians 4:7
All my affairs will be made known to you by Tychicus, the beloved brother, faithful servant, and fellow bondservant in the Lord.
(WEB)

Colossians 4:12
Epaphras, who is one of yourselves, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, sends greetings to you, always wrestling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand firm--Christians of ripe character and of clear conviction as to everything which is God's will.
(WEY)

2 Timothy 2:24
and a bondservant of the Lord must not quarrel, but must be inoffensive towards all men, a skilful teacher, and patient under wrongs.
(WEY)

Titus 1:1
Paul, a bondservant of God and an Apostle of Jesus Christ for building up the faith of God's own people and spreading a full knowledge of the truths of religion,
(WEY)

James 1:1
James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ: to the twelve tribes who are scattered over the world. All good wishes.
(WEY)

2 Peter 1:1
Simon Peter, a bondservant and Apostle of Jesus Christ: To those to whom there has been allotted the same precious faith as that which is ours through the righteousness of our God and of our Saviour Jesus Christ.
(WEY)

Jude 1:1
Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James: To those who are in God the Father, enfolded in His love, and kept for Jesus Christ, and called.
(WEY)

Revelation 19:10
I fell down before his feet to worship him. He said to me, "Look! Don't do it! I am a fellow bondservant with you and with your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God, for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy."
(WEB WEY)

Revelation 22:9
He said to me, "See you don't do it! I am a fellow bondservant with you and with your brothers, the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God."
(WEB WEY)

Genesis 44:10
He said, "Now also let it be according to your words: he with whom it is found will be my bondservant; and you will be blameless."
(WEB)

Genesis 44:17
He said, "Far be it from me that I should do so. The man in whose hand the cup is found, he will be my bondservant; but as for you, go up in peace to your father."
(WEB)

Genesis 44:33
Now therefore, please let your servant stay instead of the boy, a bondservant to my lord; and let the boy go up with his brothers.
(WEB)

Leviticus 25:39
And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant:
(KJV JPS DBY)

Deuteronomy 15:15
You shall remember that you were a bondservant in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh your God redeemed you: therefore I command you this thing today.
(WEB)

Deuteronomy 16:12
You shall remember that you were a bondservant in Egypt: and you shall observe and do these statutes.
(WEB)

Deuteronomy 24:18
but you shall remember that you were a bondservant in Egypt, and Yahweh your God redeemed you there: therefore I command you to do this thing.
(WEB)

Deuteronomy 24:22
You shall remember that you were a bondservant in the land of Egypt: therefore I command you to do this thing.
(WEB)

Jeremiah 27:7
All the nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the time of his own land come: and then many nations and great kings shall make him their bondservant.
(WEB)

Jeremiah 30:8
It shall come to pass in that day, says Yahweh of Armies, that I will break his yoke from off your neck, and will burst your bonds; and strangers shall no more make him their bondservant;
(WEB)

Zechariah 13:5
but he will say,'I am no prophet, I am a tiller of the ground; for I have been made a bondservant from my youth.'
(WEB)

Subtopics

Bondservant

Related Terms

Bond-servant (14 Occurrences)

Oh (164 Occurrences)

Wishes (37 Occurrences)

Christ's (64 Occurrences)

Poor (276 Occurrences)

Underlies (1 Occurrence)

Freedman (1 Occurrence)

Teachings (34 Occurrences)