METAPHOR
|
PARALLEL
|
| A Servant is one chosen to office. If men have work or business to do, they choose one to be their servant, whom they think fitly qualified, and able to do it. |
Christ was chosen by the Father. Not to one office only, but to many. To be a Mediator, King, Priest and Prophet. “Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen,” Isaiah 43:10. He was every way furnished and fitly qualified for the great work appointed him. “I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people,” Psalms 89:19. |
| A Servant is a name of subordination and subjection, it respects an office of an inferior rank and quality. |
Christ in his humiliation was abased so low, as to be in subjection to the Father. “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant,” Philippians 2:6-7. “I am among you as he that serveth,” Luke 22:27. |
| A Servant is one that hath a trust committed to him, by a master or superior, to whom he is to be accountable. |
Christ hath a great trust committed to him. “It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob,” Isaiah 49:6. And as all the treasurers and riches of Egypt were committed to Joseph, Genesis 41:41, so are all the riches of heaven, both of grace and glory, committed to Christ. “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” Colossians 2:3. |
| A Servant is oftentimes employed to labour, and hard work, as to plough and sow, build and plant, etc. |
Jesus Christ was employed in hard work, to redeem, and not only so, but to build the temple or house of God. “And upon this rock I will build my church,” Matthew 16:18. “Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD,” Zechariah 6:12. “Behold, a sower went forth to sow; He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man,” Matthew 13:3, 37. |
| A Servant is not to seek his own glory, nor to do his own will, no further than it agrees with the glory and will of his master or father, but doth every thing that is commanded him, not being ashamed to acknowledge himself to be a Servant. |
Jesus Christ, as God’s Servant, sought not his own glory. “I honour my Father,” John 8:49. “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true,” John 7:17-18. “Saying, Father … nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done,” Luke 22:42. “But the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak,” John 12:49. “Even as I have kept my Father's commandments,” John 15:10. |
| A Servant is sent sometimes abroad to do business, far from home, and is thereby exposed to many dangers, and great hardships. |
Jesus Christ, to do the work of God as Mediator, was sent on a long journey, as far as it is from heaven to earth, and was thereby exposed to much difficulty, and great hardships, from men and devils. He was persecuted from place to place, his life being often in jeopardy; he had no place where to lay his head; and was at last most basely betrayed and put to death, Matthew 8:20. |
| A Servant that is faithful, delights to do his father’s or master’s business, preferring it above his meat and drink, as appeared by the Servant of Abraham, who would not eat nor drink before he had done his errand, Genesis 24:33. |
The Lord Christ was most faithful. “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered,” Hebrews 5:8. “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work,” John 4:34. “I delight to do thy will, O my God,” Psalms 40:8. “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?” Luke 2:49. |
| A Servant that is faithful, will not go beyond his commission in any thing. Saith God to Moses, “And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount,” Exodus 25:40. “Thus did Moses: according to all that the LORD commanded him, so did he,” Exodus 40:16. |
The Lord Christ was faithful, in doing all things which God required of him; he went not beyond his commission, nor did he neglect any part of his work. “For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God,” John 3:34. “And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak,” John 12:50. “Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house,” Hebrews 3:2. |
| A Servant hath a right to wages, and expects it, as the desert of his work: as Jacob said, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled,” Genesis 29:21. He demanded his wife, after he had served seven years for her. |
The Lord Jesus Christ hath an absolute right to a reward for his work’s sake. Though there is no merit or desert for the works which believers do, being unprofitable Servants when they have done all; yet there is very great merit and worth in what Christ did. And the Father will give him wages; he shall have his wife, his Church, for whom he served above fourteen years; nay, “I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession,” Psalms 2:8. “Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high,” Isaiah 52:13. “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death,” Isaiah 53:12. “But we see Jesus, who for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man,” Hebrews 2:9. |
| It is the hope and expectation of a reward, that causeth a Servant to go through difficulties and hardships cheerfully; as it was in Jacob’s case; “Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night,” Genesis 31:40. “And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her,” Genesis 29:20. |
The Lord Jesus Christ, having in his eye that eternal advantage his elect should receive, and what glory he, as man, should be raised unto, as the reward of his undertaking, went through all his sorrows with much cheerfulness. “Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God,” Hebrews 12:2. |
| A Servant is attended with fear, “and if I be a master, where is my fear?” Malachi 1:6. |
The Lord Jesus Christ was subject whilst he was here in our nature, in the form of a Servant, (at some time) unto fear. “Made under the law,” Galatians 4:4. “He was troubled in spirit,” John 13:21. “And was heard in that he feared,” Hebrews 5:7. |
