Servant of God

The motto of the Prince of Wales is a short but very expressive one: “I serve.” At first sight it may seem peculiar that “I serve” should be the motto of a prince, but a prince is never more really a prince than when he is giving himself to the service of others. The true prince is a servant.

The figure of the Servant of Jehovah in Isaiah xl.-lxvi. is the unique and magnificent contribution of that evangelical prophet to the revelation of the Messiah. In a series of chapters, from xli.-liii. various aspects of the Servant are brought before us; He is a Divine Messenger, a Prophetic Witness, a Suffering Martyr, a Sacrificial Victim, and a Victorious King. Yet in all these offices He is essentially and predominately the Servant.

The idea of Messiah as Servant finds its beautiful fulfillment in the New Testament in the revelation of Jesus of Nazareth, Son of Man and Son of God. From the earliest recorded word, “I must be about My Father’s business,” we have illustration after illustration of our Lord as the Servant of God. “I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but to do the will of Him that sent Me”; “The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

This conception of our Lord as the Servant of Jehovah is necessarily something far more and deeper than a mere picture of Divine love and perfect service. It is intended to have a practical effect on all who profess and call themselves followers of Christ. The “Servant of God” is the Master of men, and His Service which wrought their salvation also bought their lives; and now the Apostolic word says: “Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. vi. 19, 20).