The Loyal Servant

Christ’s allegiance to his Father produced his uncompromising obedience, even if it meant death on a Roman cross.  Jesus summoned his disciples to enter “by the narrow gate. Broad is the way that leads to destruction.” Or to change the metaphor, “Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me.” The path to the kingdom of God includes obedience, humility, and service to others - (Matthew 7:13, 16:24).

The Nazarene gave the ultimate example of his words by submitting to an undeserved death on the Cross. Despite his fears and entreaties to avoid this horrific fate, Jesus prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” His loyalty to God exceeded even his fear of death – (Matthew 26:39).

Another striking example is Christ’s rejection of Satan’s offer of absolute political power. After all, the Scriptures promised that the Messiah would rule the nations and kings of the earth! – (Psalm 2:6-9, 89:27, 110:1, Matthew 4:8-10).

[Photo by Samuel McGarrigle (Northern Ireland) on Unsplash]

How could Jesus subjugate nations and kings without the economic and military might of the State? Imagine the immense good the Son of God could accomplish if he commanded the legions of Caesar! Is this not “the way the world works”?

• “Again, the devil took him to an exceeding high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory. And he said to Jesus, All these things I will give you, if you will fall down and render homage to me. Then Jesus said to him, Depart, Satan! For it is written, YOU WILL RENDER HOMAGE TO THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND WORSHIP HIM ONLY” – (Matthew 4:8-10. Note the citation from Deuteronomy 6:13. Compare Luke 4:6-7).

Thus, in order to obtain absolute power, the Son of God must submit to Satan and acknowledge him as his overlord. The temptation was real. The Devil was offering Jesus a way to avoid the Cross and achieve world domination. However, the choice was not between political power and weakness, but allegiance to God or Satan. Would Christ obey his Father by becoming the Servant of the Lord and sacrificing his life for others or the emperor of the world? Sacrificial Lamb or Caesar the Conqueror?

Jesus was not naïve about the nature of political power. When James and John asked him to appoint them as his coregents, Christ responded by comparing his method of governing to “the way the world works”:

• “You know that those men who presume to rule the nations dominate them, and their great men tyrannize them. But it must not be so among you! But whoever would become great among you, he will be your servant. And whoever will be first among you, he will be the slave of all. For THE SON OF MAN also came not to be served, but to serve, AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE A RANSOM FOR MANY” - (Mark 10:42-45. Compare Isaiah 53:10-12, Daniel 7:13).

In the preceding passage, Jesus alludes to a passage from the Book of Isaiah about the Servant of the Lord, the deliverer who poured out his life to ransom his people from enslavement to sin. The Messiah of Israel was sent to sacrifice his life for God’s people, not to become a tyrant who exploits his subjects and glorifies himself. “I am the good shepherd, and I lay down my life for the sheep” - (Isaiah 52:13, 53:12, John 10:14).

THE PATH OF THE SERVANT

The Apostle Paul echoed the words of the Servant of the Lord when he exhorted members of the church in Philippi to have the same mind as Jesus. Christ submitted to God rather than attempt to seize the divine likeness, becoming obedient even to death, and this is the example Christians must emulate:

• “Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, considered not LIKENESS WITH GOD  something to be seized, but POURED OUT HIS LIFE, taking the form of a slave, being made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, BECOMING OBEDIENT UNTO DEATH, indeed, the death of a cross. Wherefore also, God HIGHLY EXALTED HIM, and gave Jesus the name that is above every name,  that in the name of Jesus, EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth, and that EVERY TONGUE SHOULD CONFESS, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” – (Philippians 2:5-11. Note the verbal allusions to Genesis 3:5, Isaiah 45:23, 52:13, 53:10-12. Compare Ephesians 5:1-2, Titus 2:13-14).

• “Let us put aside every weight and the easily entangling sin, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking away unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who, instead of the joy placed before him, endured the cross, despising shame, and he sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” – (Hebrews 12:2).

Rather than yield to the temptation of political power, Jesus embraced the path of the suffering servant, freely giving his life to save us from the penalty of sin and provide us with everlasting salvation.

True victory is achieved through humility and sacrificial service. Greatness in God’s kingdom is measured by acts of mercy and self-sacrifice, not military might or royal splendor. The path to the kingdom and the glory of God passes through Golgotha, not Rome.

• “For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God” – (1 Corinthians 1:18).

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[Citations of Old Testament passages in this article are based on the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, the Septuagint (see the links here and here). Text printed in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS represents quotations and verbal allusions from the Old Testament. The Septuagint is represented by the Roman numeral for ‘seventy’ or LXX based on the Latin name of the translation, ‘Interpretatio septuaginta virorum’]

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SEE ALSO:

• Christ is King! - (The reign of Jesus Christ from the Messianic Throne began following his Death, Resurrection, and Exaltation)

• King and Servant - (Jesus is the King from the House of David and the Servant of the Lord who endures death to save his people)

• Power and Wisdom - (The power and wisdom of God are revealed in the proclamation of the Messiah who was crucified to save the World)

• Le Serviteur Loyal - (L'allégeance du Christ à son Père a produit son obéissance sans compromis, même si cela signifiait la mort sur une croix romaine)