The English words _servant_, _to serve_, _service_, _servile_,
_servilely_, _serving_, &c. have descended into the language from the
Latin word _servus_, a slave, and these words, when first introduced
into the language, as distinctly carried with them the idea of slavery
as does now our present term, and will continue to do so wherever the
English language and slavery prevail. In no slave-holding country will
the word servant be applied to a freeman as a legitimate term of
description, but in non-slaveholding communities these words are
sometimes used in a somewhat different sense, yet erroneously, because
they are then used without adherence to their derivation and analogy.
These words, when found in the received translation of the Christian
Scriptures, are in the most of instances translated from some Greek word
that signified or included the idea slavery. But notwithstanding the
obvious error in giving the word _servant_, &c. as the translation of a
word that did not carry with it the idea which was in unison with the
original of these words, yet we find some few instances of such error.
We give a few examples.
“Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of
this world, then would my _servants_ fight.” _John_ xviii. 36.
Here servants is translated from ὑπηρέται, _huperetai_, and signifies a
subordinate. In English it sometimes requires attendants, assistants,
inferior officers, &c., but never associates with the idea of slavery.
“Peter followed him afar off unto the high-priest’s palace, and he sat
with the _servants_, (ὑπηρετῶν, _attendants_, &c.,) and warmed himself
at the fire.” _Mark_ xiv. 54. “And the servants (δοῦλοι, _douloi_,
_slaves_) and officers (ὑπηρέται, _huperetai_, _attendants_, _inferior
officers_, &c.) stood there, who had made a fire of coals, (for it was
cold,) and they warmed themselves.” _John_ xviii. 18.
That the word here used never conjugates with the idea slavery, we quote
it as used in _Luke_ iv. 20, in proof: “And he closed the book, and he
gave it again to the minister,” (ὑπηρέτῃ, _huperete_, _attendant_,
_inferior officer_, &c.) Also, _Acts_ xxvi. 16: “But rise and stand upon
thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a
_minister_ (ὑπηρέτην, _hupereten_, _attendant_, _assistant_, _minister_,
&c.) and a _witness_ both of those things which thou hast seen and of
those things in the which I will appear unto thee.”
Here the requisites of the character required are totally incompatible
with the character of the _doulos_, proving with the greatest certainty
that these two words have no analogy whatever. For we may well here
remark, that human learning has never arrived at a more nicely distinct
and definite perfection in the use of language than is even now manifest
in the sayings of Him “who spoke as never man spake.”
Besides, in the case of _John_ xviii. 18, servants, _douloi_, and
officers ὑπηρέται, _huperetai_, being used consecutively and coupled
together by a conjunction, is a strong proof that the idea appropriated
here severally to these terms could not be expressed by either term
alternately by substitution, and that these terms were by no analogy
synonymous.
The word _servant_ has also in error been rendered from other terms: see
Hebrews iii. 5: “And Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a
_servant_,” (θεράπων, _therapon_.) We have not in English any single
term that fully expresses the idea conveyed by this. It means an
associate or companion who is voluntarily under the direction of one
whom he takes and acknowledges to be his superior. The old Roman
_umbra_, when applied to an attendant, conveyed the idea more exactly
than any one term of ours. Thus, the warrior was called the _therapon_
of Mars, and of the muses and kings of the gods generally. Thus,
Menelaus is called the _therapon_ of his chief, &c. &c. (See _Iliad_,
viii. 113, xviii. 244, xix. 143.)
A similar error is occasionally found in the use of the terms _to
serve_, _served_, _service_, &c., as if they were legitimately derived
from some form of _doulos_. Thus, Luke ii. 37: “But _served_ God with
fasting and prayers night and day,”—“served,” λατρεύουσα, _latreuousa_,
from _latreuo_. The more appropriate term is “to worship,” &c.
The term was used by the Greeks, “to worship” the gods by sacrifices and
offerings. (See _Euripides_, _Electra_, 131; _Iphagenia in Tauris_,
1115.) So in _Acts_ vii. 7: “And after that shall they come forth and
_serve_ me in this place,”—“serve,” λατρεύσουσι, _latreusousi_. It
should have been, “and worship me in this place.” _Rom._ ix. 4: “And the
_service_ of God, and the promises,” λατρεία, _latreia_, worship, &c. So
also _Heb._ ix. 1: “Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances
of divine service,” λατρείας, _latreias_, worship. So also _Heb._ xiii.
10: “We have an altar whereof they have no right to eat which _serve_
the tabernacle,”—“serve,” λατρεύοντες, _latreuontes_, who are
worshipping in the, &c. &c.
Διάκονος, _diakonos_, is also sometimes erroneously translated
_servant_, _service_, _to serve_, &c. An instance occurs, _John_ ii. 5:
“And his mother saith unto the _servants_,” διακόνοις, _diakonois_, from
_diakonos_: as a verb, it means to minister unto, to wait upon, to
manage affairs, to perform some function to another; and hence, in
English, we may occasionally require some other term of cognate meaning.
From this term our word “deacon” has been legitimately derived. The word
is of less elevated import in Greek than _therapon_ (see Aristophanes,
_Ornithes_, line 1322, ὡς βλαχιχῶς διαχονεῖς,) but never consorts in the
least degree with the idea slavery. “Saith unto” them who ministered,
who waited upon the guests, &c. So also _John_ ii. 9: “But the
_servants_ which drew the water knew,”—servants, διάκονοι, _diakonoi_,
“they who ministered unto.” See also _Rom._ xvi. 1: “I commend unto you
Phebe our sister, which is a _servant_ of the church,” &c., διάκονον,
_diakonon_, _one who ministers unto_, &c. So also _John_ xii. 26: “If
any man _serve_,” διακονῇ, _diakone_, wait upon, minister unto me. “And
where I am there shall my _servant_ be,” διάκονος, _diakonos_, one who
waits upon, who ministers unto; “him will my Father honour.” It is not
always in English easy to select a phrase distinctly the best adapted to
express the precise difference between the words _diakonos_ and
_huperetes_, but it may be remarked that the _huperetes_ was of an
employment more of public character: hence those who in the ships held
certain banks of oars were called by that name; also those of a
particular rank in the army, or in civil government; but the word
_diakonos_ was used as a term more applicable to domestic, personal, or
private life. Keeping this distinction in mind, the same word may often,
in English, give the sense of either; yet _huperetes_ will often appear
in Greek where _diakonos_ would be ill used. A more correct use of this
word than the preceding will be found in _Matt._ iv. 11: “Then the devil
leaveth him, and behold, angels came and _ministered_ unto him,”
διηκόνουν, _diekonoun_, ministered unto, attended to.
_Matt._ xx. 26: “But whosoever will be great among you, let him be your
_minister_,” διάκονος, _diakonos_, minister, &c. And here is shown the
distinction between this word and _doulos_, a slave; for he proceeds,
“And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your _servant_,”
δοῦλος, _doulos_, slave. Also, _Luke_ viii. 3: “And Joanna the wife of
Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others which ministered
unto him of their substance,” διηκόνουν, _diekonoun_, ministered, &c. We
have deemed it proper to notice these inaccuracies in our translation,
to prevent the word _servant_, &c., when used to mean _slave_, &c.,
being confounded with its use when given in translation as above; and it
may be proper also to notice that the _hired_ labourer, a freeman
_hired_ into the employ of another, is never described by any term
implying _slavery_, or even having any analogy with it, as examples will
show:
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man that is a householder, which
went out early in the morning to _hire labourers_ (μισθώσασθαι ἐργάτας,
_misthosasthai ergatas_, to hire labourers) into his vineyard.” “They
say unto him, Because no man hath hired us,” (ἐμισθώσατο, _emisthosato_,
hath hired.) “So when the evening was come, the Lord of the vineyard
saith unto his steward, call the labourers and give them _their hire_,”
μισθὸν, _misthon_, wages, &c. “And when they had received it, they
murmured against the good man of the house.” _Matt._ xx. 1, 7, 8, 11.
“And when he came to himself, he said, How many _hired servants_
(μίσθιοι, _misthioi_, hired persons) of my father’s have bread,” &c.
_Luke_ xv. 17. “But he that is a hireling, (μισθωτὸς, _misthotos_, a
person hired,) and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth
the wolf, &c. and the wolf catcheth them and scattereth the sheep. The
_hireling_ (μισθωτὸς, _misthotos_, a person hired) fleeth because he is
a _hireling_ (μισθωτὸς, _misthotos_, a person hired,) and careth not for
the sheep.” _John_ x. 12, 13. “For the labourer is worthy of his
_hire_,” τοῦ μισθοῦ hire, wages, payment, &c. _Luke_ x. 7. “Behold, the
hire (ὁ μισθὸς, payment for being hired) of the labourers (τῶν ἐργατῶν,
_ton ergaton_, the labourers, not slaves) who have reaped down your
fields.” _James_ v. 4.
He who is seeking to obtain a correct view of the truth will perceive
the propriety of keeping in mind the distinction between the different
characters thus in our version called by the same name, “_servants_,”
and not suffer his mind to be governed, or even influenced, by any bias
which has been produced by an incomplete examination of the whole gospel
of God.
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Study VIII.
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