Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 10:5-7

Narrator: Chris Genthree

• 3 min. read • grade level: 10

There is no more interesting subject in the Bible (for it opens up the whole truth of redemption) than the servantship of Christ. It began with incarnation; for the words in Philippians, “And took upon Him the form of a servant,” are not prior in time, as some have supposed, to the succeeding clause, “but was made in the likeness of men.” It is, indeed, “taking upon Him the form of a servant, becoming in the likeness of men,” both clauses referring to the same time. The passage in Hebrews is undoubtedly anterior to the appearance of our Lord in this world: it unfolds to us a transaction in eternity, revealing the Eternal Son presenting Himself to God, in view of the sacrifices all failing to answer His mind, saying, “Lo, I come, to do Thy will, O God.” And it was for the accomplishment in this world of this His desire for the glory of God, that a body was prepared for Him, that holy human body in which He glorified God on the earth, and finished the work which was given Him to do. In Psalms 40, whence the passage in Hebrews is a citation, we read, “Mine ears hast Thou opened”—opened, surely, to hear for obedience to the will of God. (Compare Isaiah 1. 4) This was translated in the Greek version of the Old Testament Scriptures, “A body hast Thou prepared me,” and the Spirit of God in the Hebrews adopts this translation as the true sense of the words in the psalm. This explains clearly for us, that it was in incarnation the Lord commenced His servantship, coming down from heaven as He did, not to do His own will, but the will of Him that sent Him. (John 6:38³⁸For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. (John 6:38)) His whole life therefore was one of service: every act and every word alike, yea, every thought, being in obedience to His Father’s will. And as His life so also His death; for, speaking of His death, He says, “This commandment I received of My Father.” (John 10:18¹⁸No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. (John 10:18)) There are two other scriptures, amongst many others, which may be cited. Rebuking His disciples for their self-seeking, He says, “Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28²⁸Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)) And again, on a similar occasion, He said, I am among you as he that serveth.” (Luke 22:27²⁷For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. (Luke 22:27)) Thus He was the servant in all His pathway, in life and in death; but, blessed be His name, His service did not end even at the cross. He might have gone out free, but He loved His Master, His wife, and His children, and became a servant forever. (See Exodus 21:2-6²If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. ³If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. ⁴If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself. ⁵And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: ⁶Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever. (Exodus 21:2‑6)) He is thus in His grace a servant now on behalf of His people: He serves for them in His priesthood with God, in His advocacy with the Father, and in all that He has undertaken as their Representative in heaven; and when the saints are forever with Him in the glory He will still retain His servantship, as He Himself teaches when He says, “ Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when He cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.” (Luke 12:37³⁷Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. (Luke 12:37)) Who can penetrate into all the depths of the grace and love of Him, who at such a cost has thus devoted Himself to the glory of God and the service of His saints?

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