What's In a Word

Last night, Joel and I watched a DVD we received from Grace to You entitled, "Slaves for Christ," which challenged us to reevaluate how we view our relationship with Him. Contrary to the pervasive health, wealth, and prosperity message of personal fulfillment, the Christian life is best described by the word "slave." Our natural reaction to this term is, of course, one of aversion. John MacArthur points out that "slave" (Greek "doulos") appears 130 times in the New Testament original text, but most translations prefer to use "servant" or "bondservant" instead. In fact, "slave" is only found once in the King James New Testament. The E. J. Goodspeed translation is the only N. T. translation that always uses "slave" for "doulos." Translators don't have a problem using "slave" when it applies to actual slavery or to mean bondage to an inanimate object (i.e. slave to sin), but they avoid the use of the word as it describes our relationship with Christ. Two examples cited by MacArthur are: Matthew 6:24 which should read, "No one can be a slave to two masters," and Matthew 25:21 which should read, "Well done, good and faithful slave..." He asserts that inaccurate translations diminish the clarity, power and richness of the intended metaphor.

Consider the culture of the Greek and Roman world at the time the New Testament was written. There were an estimated 10 - 12 million slaves who had no freedom, no citizenship, no rights, no choices about their life or purpose, and who were subject to an alien will. In the midst of this situation, the gospel went forth, a general call for all people to become slaves of Christ. The Apostle Paul saw himself as the slave of God and of Christ, and he addressed his readers in the same manner. That metaphor is consistent throughout the New Testament. But does it really make any difference if translators use "bondservant" in lieu of "slave?" It seems as though the word "servant" connotes an element of personal autonomy...a servant may or may not choose to engage his service to another person, and servants generally receive wages for their service. Slaves, on the other hand, are characterized by the following:

1. exclusive ownership because they are bought for a price.
2. complete and constant availability and obedience.
3. subject to one alien will and singular devotion to the master.
4. complete dependence on his master for everything.
5. all discipline and rewards come completely at the discretion of the master.

Christians are indeed bought for a price (I Peter 1:18-19; I Cor. 6:20), and we are called to live lives of complete obedience and dependence, and singular devotion to our Master, the Lord Jesus. And it is He who disciplines us in love and rewards us according to His good pleasure. The difference for Christians, though, is that we are not only "slaves" of Christ, we are also joint heirs of the Kingdom with Him, and we receive all His lavish riches for our joy (Romans 8:17, James 2:5).