A servant is a person who owes his [[allegiance]] to another.<br /><br />

<h2>Terminology</h2>

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Other Hebrew words include <span class="hebrew">נַ֫עַר</span>, <span class="gknumber">H5853</span>, <em>young man</em>; <span class="hebrew">מְשָׁרֵ֥ת</span>, <em>a [[temple]] servant</em>; <span class="hebrew">שָׂכִיר</span>, <span class="gknumber">H8502</span>, <em>hired laborer</em> (as distinct from a slave).<br /><br />

Other Greek words include <span class="greek">διάκονος</span>, <span class="gknumber">G1356</span>, <em>[[minister]] or helper</em>; <span class="greek">μισθίος</span>, or <span class="greek">μισθωτός</span>, <span class="gknumber">G3638</span>, <em>hireling</em>; and <span class="greek">ὑπηρέτης</span>, <span class="gknumber">G5677</span>, <em>assistant</em>, <em>adjutant</em>, or <em>[[officer]].</em><br /><br />

<h2>Usage</h2>

<h3>Old Testament</h3>

What is conspicuously lacking in the Old Testament is the idea that a “servant of God” who exercises [[leadership]] over [[Israel]] is in some sense also a “servant of the people.” Neither the modern notion of a “public servant” nor the [[Roman Catholic]] ideal of a “servant of the servants of God” has any explicit analogy in the Old Testament. The closest approach to such a concept is perhaps the advice of the old men to [[Rehoboam]] in <bibleref ref="1Kgs.12.7">1 Kings 12:7</bibleref> (“be a servant to this people”), but it was advice that went unheeded.

The range of meaning in the servant idea in the Old Testament is best illustrated in <bibleref ref="Lev.25.42">Leviticus 25:42</bibleref>, where <span class="hebrew">עֶ֫בֶד</span>, <span class="gknumber">H6269</span>, is used in two senses: “they are my <em>servants,</em> whom I brought forth out of the land of [[Egypt]]; they shall not be sold as <em>[[slaves]].</em>” The covenant begins with redemption from slavery in Egypt, and to be servants in the covenant is not to be “slaves” of God but to be His people and His sons (cf. <bibleref ref="Exod.4.22">Exod 4:22</bibleref>f.).<br /><br />

Servant also refers to one who is distinguished as obedient and faithful to [[God]] or [[Christ]] (<bibleref ref="Josh.1.2">Jos 1:2</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="2Kgs.8.19">2Ki 8:19</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Dan.6.20">Da 6:20</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Col.4.12">Col 4:12</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="2Tim.2.24">2Ti 2:24</bibleref>).

Officials of every grade are called the "servants" of [[kings]], [[princes]], etc. (<bibleref ref="1Sam.29.3">1Sa 29:3</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="2Sam.16.1">2Sa 16:1</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="1Kgs.11.26">1Ki 11:26</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Prov.14.35">Pr 14:35</bibleref>, and often). Likewise, an attendant in the service of someone, as [[Joshua]] was the "servant" the <span class="auto-link">[[Revised Version]]</span> (British and American) "minister" of Moses (<bibleref ref="Num.11.28">Nu 11:28</bibleref>).

Servant can also be used As a ’term of respectful self-depreciation referring to one’s self, "thy servant." or "your servant" is used in place of the personal pronoun of the first person:<br /><br />

<li>in the presence of superiors (<bibleref ref="Gen.19.2">Ge 19:2</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Gen.32.18">32:18</bibleref>, and often);</li>
<li>in addressing the [[Supreme Being]] (<bibleref ref="1Sam.3.9">1Sa 3:9</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Ps.19.11">Ps 19:11</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Ps.27.9">27:9</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Luke.2.29">Lu 2:29</bibleref>, and often).</li>

<h3>New Testament</h3>

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In contrast to the Old Testament, a “servant of Jesus Christ” is also explicitly seen as a servant to the whole community of believers (<bibleref ref="Mark.10.43">Mark 10:43</bibleref>f.; <bibleref ref="2Cor.4.5">2 Cor 4:5</bibleref>). Again the decisive factor in the shift is [[Jesus]], who reversed the customary patterns of [[authority]] (both [[pagan]] and Jewish) first by His teaching, and then by His own fulfillment of the servant role (<bibleref ref="Mark.10.35-Mark.10.45">Mark 10:35-45</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Matt.23.8-Matt.23.12">Matt 23:8-12</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="John.13.1-John.13.17">John 13:1-17</bibleref>).

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Decisive for this development is the identification of Jesus with the [[suffering]] servant of <bibleref ref="Isa.52.13-Isa.53.12">Isaiah 52:13-53:12</bibleref>, because of His [[sacrifice|sacrificial]] [[death]] (cf. <bibleref ref="Mark.10.45">Mark 10:45</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="1Pet.2.24">1 Pet 2:24</bibleref>f.).

<h3>Servant vs. Slave</h3>

The most frequent usage is as the equivalent of "slave," with its various shades in position (<bibleref ref="Gen.9.25">Ge 9:25</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Gen.24.9">24:9</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Exod.21.5">Ex 21:5</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Matt.10.24">Mt 10:24</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Luke.17.7">Lu 17:7</bibleref>, and often); but also a hired workman where "hired servant" translates Hebrew and Greek expressions which differ from the above.

In more instances, however, “servant” is a better translation than “slave” because the words have to do with [[service]] or [[obedience]] in a far more general sense than what is known today as slavery. A servant can be anyone committed to someone more powerful than he: e.g. a trusted [[steward]] (<bibleref ref="Gen.24.2">Gen 24:2</bibleref>), a [[soldier]] in an army (<bibleref ref="Jer.52.8">Jer 52:8</bibleref>), a court official (<bibleref ref="1Sam.8.14">1 Sam 8:14</bibleref>f.), or a vassal [[king]] (<bibleref ref="2Kgs.17.3">2 Kings 17:3</bibleref>). He is dependent on his [[master]] for protection (<bibleref ref="2Kgs.16.7">16:7</bibleref>), and in turn agrees to fight if need be to protect or further his master’s interests (<bibleref ref="2Kgs.10.3">10:3</bibleref>).

A servant-master relationship can be a kind of [[covenant]] (e.g. <bibleref ref="Josh.9.6">Josh 9:6</bibleref>ff.), voluntarily undertaken with such words as “we are your servants” (<bibleref ref="Josh.9.8">Josh 9:8</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="2Kgs.10.5">2 Kings 10:5</bibleref>), or “I will be your servant” (<bibleref ref="2Sam.15.34">2 Sam 15:34</bibleref>). A servant addressing his master can express his [[humility]] and dependence by speaking of himself as “your servant.” This may remind the master of their agreement, especially if the servant is seeking help or protection, though in some instances it becomes little more than a formality, a polite substitute for “I.”<br /><br />

"Slave to sin" terminology (especially <span class="hebrew">עֶ֫בֶד</span>, <span class="gknumber">H6269</span>) is used often in the [[Old Testament]] to refer to slaves, regarded as property, though possessing also certain rights (for laws pertaining to slaves see <bibleref ref="Exod.21.1-Exod.21.11">Exod 21:1-11</bibleref>, <bibleref ref="Lev.25.39-Lev.25.55">Lev 25:39-55</bibleref>, <bibleref ref="Deut.15.1-Deut.15.18">Deut 15:1-18</bibleref>).

<h3>Covenantal Use</h3>

“Covenantal” use of servant terminology is especially conspicuous in passages where the servant is a servant of [[God]]. [[Elijah]] proclaims his [[allegiance]] to God with the words “I am thy servant” (<bibleref ref="1Kgs.18.36">1 Kings 18:36</bibleref>). [[Judges]] and [[kings]] address the Lord much as any servant would address his earthly master (<bibleref ref="Judg.15.18">Judg 15:18</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="1Sam.3.9">1 Sam 3:9</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="1Sam.14.41">14:41</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="1Sam.23.10">23:10</bibleref>f.).

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In the widest sense the servants of God are the people of God, all the faithful of [[Israel]] regarded either as His “servants” (<bibleref ref="Isa.65.9">Isa 65:9</bibleref>) or collectively as “Israel my servant” (<bibleref ref="Isa.41.8">Isa 41:8</bibleref>f.; cf. <bibleref ref="Isa.44.1">44:1</bibleref>f.; <bibleref ref="Ps.136.22">Ps 136:22</bibleref>).

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<li>[[Slavery]]</li>
<li>[[Slave]]</li>
<li>[[Occupations and Professions]]</li>