Topical Bible: Servant: Bond by Paul

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The concept of being a "bond-servant" or "servant" is a recurring theme in the writings of the Apostle Paul, reflecting a profound theological and spiritual significance. In the Greco-Roman world, a bond-servant, or "doulos" in Greek, was someone who was bound to serve a master, often without the rights of a free person. Paul appropriates this term to describe his relationship with Christ, emphasizing total devotion, humility, and obedience.

Paul's Self-Identification as a Bond-Servant

Paul frequently identifies himself as a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, underscoring his complete submission to the will of God. In Romans 1:1, he introduces himself as "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God." This self-identification is not merely a title but a declaration of his life's purpose and mission. By calling himself a servant, Paul aligns himself with the Old Testament prophets who were also described as servants of God, thus placing his apostolic mission within the broader narrative of God's redemptive work.

Theological Implications

The notion of being a bond-servant carries deep theological implications. It signifies a life surrendered to the lordship of Christ, where personal ambitions and desires are secondary to the calling and mission given by God. In Philippians 2:7, Paul speaks of Christ Himself, who "emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness." This passage highlights the humility and obedience of Christ, setting an example for believers to follow. For Paul, being a bond-servant is not a position of shame but one of honor, as it mirrors the servanthood of Christ.

Servanthood and Christian Freedom

Paradoxically, Paul teaches that true freedom is found in servitude to Christ. In Galatians 5:1, he writes, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery." Here, Paul contrasts the bondage of sin and the law with the liberating servitude to Christ. By becoming bond-servants of Christ, believers are freed from the enslavement of sin and empowered to live righteously.

Servanthood in the Christian Community

Paul extends the concept of servanthood to the Christian community, urging believers to serve one another in love. In Galatians 5:13, he exhorts, "For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love." This call to servanthood within the community reflects the unity and mutual care that should characterize the body of Christ. It is a practical outworking of the theological truth that all believers are servants of the same Lord.

Conclusion

Paul's use of the term "bond-servant" is a powerful expression of his identity and mission as an apostle. It encapsulates the essence of Christian discipleship—total devotion to Christ, humility, and a life of service. Through his writings, Paul invites believers to embrace this identity, finding true freedom and purpose in serving the Lord and one another.

Nave's Topical Index

Philemon 1:21
Having confidence in your obedience I wrote to you, knowing that you will also do more than I say.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Are You Willing to be a Servant?
... Says Paul, "We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus, the Lord, and ourselves your
bond-servants for ... 7-1O. "But which of you, having a servant plowing or ...
//christianbookshelf.org/hession/the calvary road/chapter 8 are you willing.htm

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Philippians
... Paul tells how his captivity has been a means of spreading the gospel in ... stripped
Himself in self-surrender, and took the "form" or nature of a bond-servant. ...
/.../pullan/the books of the new testament/chapter xvi the epistle of.htm

Paul at Corinth
... it, was near enough to make a kind of bond as of ... Paul did not go so far away but
that any whose hearts ... we not say that the yearning of the servant is caught ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/paul at corinth.htm

Phoebe
... learn of her that she was a 'servant,' or, as ... a wonderful testimony of the truth
of Paul's triumphant exclamation ... there is 'neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/phoebe.htm

Philemon i. 17-19
... and not as if it were the offense of a servant, but of a ... own hand." At once movingly
and pleasantly; if when Paul did not refuse to execute a bond for him ...
/.../homily iii philemon i 17-19.htm

Another Instance of Marcion's Tampering with St. Paul's Text the ...
... Paul Announced ... was born of the free woman; whereas from the son of the bond maid
came ... 5380] Moreover, "the world is crucified unto me," who am a servant of the ...
/.../the five books against marcion/chapter iv another instance of marcions.htm

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians
... Derbe, etc., would be "Galatians." Their bond of union ... Paul asserts that the Law
did not come direct from ... of a Greek "tutor," ie a trusted servant who attended ...
/.../pullan/the books of the new testament/chapter xii the epistle of.htm

Philemon i. 6-Apr
... "No longer as a bond-servant, but more than a bond-servant, a brother ... For if Paul
was not ashamed to call one "his son, his own bowels, his brother, his beloved ...
/.../homily ii philemon i 6-apr.htm

Moreover, --To Touch Briefly Some of the More Recondite Topics ...
... by those most wicked rulers, which same bond Christ, when ... This Paul signifies under
a great mystery, when he says of ... upon Him the form of a servant, being made ...
/.../15 moreoverto touch briefly some.htm

Against those who Maintain that the Spirit is in the Rank Neither ...
... a son honoureth his father and a servant his master ... to fellow man than of the slavery
of bond and free ... Paul's non-condemnation of slavery on the ground that its ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/chapter xx against those who.htm