A servant may be a slave, household attendant, official, or devoted follower. Scripture also uses the term for those who faithfully obey God or Christ and for people enslaved to sin.
Definition
A servant is one whose freedom or status is subordinate to another. The word may denote a slave, hired worker, household attendant, minister, official, king’s subordinate, or a person who respectfully speaks of himself. It can also describe someone characterized by obedience and faithfulness to God or Christ, or one enslaved by sin.
Biblical Usage
Scripture uses servant for slaves and hired workers, attendants such as Joshua in relation to Moses, officials serving kings, and kings serving their people. “Your servant” is a respectful self-designation before superiors and before God. The term also describes faithful servants of God or Christ and those held in bondage to sin.
Historical Background
The biblical term covers several social relationships, including slavery, hired service, royal administration, personal attendance, and religious devotion. Its meaning therefore depends on whether the context emphasizes lack of freedom, subordinate office, respectful speech, or faithful obedience.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Smith's Bible Dictionary
[Slave]
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>sur'-vant ('ebhedh; doulos): A very common word with a variety of meanings, all implying a greater or less degree of inferiority and want of freedom:</p><p>(1) The most frequent usage is as the equivalent of "slave" (which see), with its various shades in position (Ge 9:25; 24:9; Ex 21:5; Mt 10:24; Lu 17:7, and often); but also a hired workman where "hired servant" translates Hebrew and Greek expressions which differ from the above.</p><p>(2) An attendant in the service of someone, as Joshua was the "servant" the Revised Version (British and American) "minister" of Moses (Nu 11:28).</p><p>(3) 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:</p><p>(a) in the presence of superiors (Ge 19:2; 32:18, and often);</p><p>(b) in addressing the Supreme Being (1Sa 3:9; Ps 19:11; 27:9; Lu 2:29, and often).</p><p>(4) Officials of every grade are called the "servants" of kings, princes, etc. (1Sa 29:3; 2Sa 16:1; 1Ki 11:26; Pr 14:35, and often).</p><p>(5) The position of a king in relation to his people (1Ki 12:7).</p><p>(6) One who is distinguished as obedient and faithful to God or Christ (Jos 1:2; 2Ki 8:19; Da 6:20; Col 4:12; 2Ti 2:24). (7) One who is enslaved by sin (Joh 8:34).</p><p>William Joseph Mcglothlin</p>
