The descriptions of Jesus in the Bible include the “servant and slave of God”. However, unfortunately, the word “servant” is distorted in many translations of the Bible and translated into such words which do not indicate Jesus’ servitude of God, like “son” and “child”.
However, the word “servant” is the correct translation of the Greek word “pais” (παῖς), but the word “son” or “child” is translated in Greek into “huios” (υἱός).
The following words to be used to prove Jesus’ servitude of God derive their origin from the Greek word “pais” (παῖς), rather than “huios” (υἱός).
We observe that the Greek origin of the word “son”, for example, in Jesus’ description as “the son of man” is “huios” (υἱός). In the Disciples’ Literal New Testament, we read: And Jesus says to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the heaven have nests, but the Son of Man does not have a place where He may lay His head”. (Matthew 8:20)
The following is the Greek original wording of the above verses:
καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς αἱ ἀλώπεκες φωλεοὺς ἔχουσιν καὶ τὰπετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατασκηνώσεις ὁ δὲ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἔχειποῦ τὴν κεφαλὴν κλίνῃ
We observe that the original Greek of the word “son” here is “huios” (υἱός).
In the following examples, we will see that Jesus is described as “pais” (παῖς), i.e. “servant” rather than “huios” (υἱός), i.e. “son”.
We read: “in order that the thing might be fulfilled having been spoken through Isaiah the prophet saying “Behold My servant whom I chose, My Beloved in Whom My soul was well-pleased: I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will announce justice to the Gentiles.” (Matthew 12:17-18)
ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος ἰδοὺ ὁ παῖς μου ὃν ᾑρέτισα ὁ ἀγαπητός μου εἰς ὃν εὐδόκησεν ἡψυχή μου θήσω τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐπ’ αὐτόν καὶ κρίσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσινἀπαγγελεῖ
Despite the difference between Christians and Muslims over the above verses, with Christians believing that it is Jesus who is intended by those verses, while Muslims believing that it is Prophet Muhammad who is intended, if we suppose that the above verses refer to Jesus, this means that he is the servant of God for he is described as “pais” (παῖς), i.e. “servant”.
There are many similar verses in the New Testament. For example, we read: “The God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers— He glorified His servant Jesus, Whom you indeed handed-over and denied in the presence of Pilate, that one having determined to release Him.” (Acts 3:13)
ὁ θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ καὶ ὁ θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ καὶ ὁ θεὸς Ἰακώβ ὁ θεὸς τῶνπατέρων ἡμῶν ἐδόξασεν τὸν παῖδα αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦν ὃν ὑμεῖς μὲνπαρεδώκατε καὶ ἠρνήσασθε κατὰ πρόσωπον Πιλάτου κρίναντος ἐκείνουἀπολύειν
We also read: “God, having raised-up His Servant, sent Him forth to you first— blessing you in turning-away each of you from your evil-ways”.” (Acts 3:26)
ὑμῖν πρῶτον ἀναστήσας ὁ θεὸς τὸν παῖδα αὐτοῦ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτὸνεὐλογοῦντα ὑμᾶς ἐν τῷ ἀποστρέφειν ἕκαστον ἀπὸ τῶν πονηριῶν ὑμῶν
We further read: For in accordance with [Your] truth, both Herod and Pontius Pilate together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel were gathered-together in this city against Your holy servant Jesus Whom You anointed (Acts 4:27)
συνήχθησαν γὰρ ἐπ’ ἀληθείας ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ ἐπὶ τὸν ἅγιον παῖδά σου Ἰησοῦν ὃν ἔχρισας Ἡρῴδης τε καὶ Πόντιος Πιλᾶτος σὺνἔθνεσιν καὶ λαοῖς Ἰσραήλ
Moreover, we read: “While You are stretching-out Your hand for healing, and signs and wonders are taking place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus”. (Acts 4:30)
ἐν τῷ τὴν χεῖρά σου ἐκτείνειν σε εἰς ἴασιν καὶ σημεῖα καὶ τέραταγίνεσθαι διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ ἁγίου παιδός σου Ἰησοῦ
Not only is Jesus described as “servant” “pais” (παῖς), but he is also described as “slave” “doulos” (δοῦλος). In the New Testament, we read: “Be thinking this in you, which also was in Christ Jesus—Who, while being in the form of God, did not regard the being equal with God a thing-to-be-grasped, but emptied Himself, having taken the form of a slave, having come in the likeness of humans. And having been found as a man in outward-appearance” (Philippians 2:5-7)
ὃς ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα θεῷ ἀλλὰ ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσεν μορφὴν δούλου λαβών ἐν ὁμοιώματιἀνθρώπων γενόμενος καὶ σχήματι εὑρεθεὶς ὡς ἄνθρωπος
Thus, Jesus is the servant and slave of God according to the Bible. This is a fact which many translations of the Bible seek to hide and conceal, but it is proven by the original Greek manuscripts of the Bible.
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References:
1- The Holy Bible (Visit biblegateway.com)
2- www.blueletterbible.org
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