In order for us to fully appreciate this image of Jesus we need to take a quick tour of the Greco-Roman world and its social structure. The easiest way in which to envision this structure is to think of a pyramid. At the very top of the pyramid was the Emperor. There was no one to rival the Emperor in terms of power or prestige. The second level was composed of the Imperial household and the administrators who worked from them. One step down was the Senatorial class. These were wealthy and powerful generational families, who commanded armies, sat in the Senate and exercised some influence over the direction of the Empire. Next in line were the equites (equestrian class) who were wealthy land owners who could afford to ride into battle on horses. The lowest level of the "upper classes" contained the local aristocrats, merchants and small land owners. Once we move below this level we encounter soldiers of all kinds, poor merchants, tradesmen and tenant farmers.
At the very bottom of the society were the servants and slaves. While many of them were intelligent, educated, resourceful and highly trusted by their families they were still considered to be somewhat less than human. Roman law considered them to be a piece of property that could be bought and sold. Slaves were those who did everything from clean the toilets, to take care of the animals, to dress, teach and watch over children. While slaves could be, and sometimes were freed by their masters, this was not the usual way of things. To be a servant then was to be on the lowest and most despised rung of society. It was not a position anyone would choose. It was not a position to which anyone would aspire. It was to be avoided at all costs. Yet is a position that Jesus not only takes on himself but commands his disciples to emulate.
The most profound image of Jesus as a servant comes from the Gospel of John in chapter 13. In this chapter we read of Jesus preparing for Passover with his disciples in the upper room. Jesus takes a towel, lays aside his garments, fills a bowl with water and begins to wash his disciples' feet. His followers are horrified. Even after all of Jesus' teaching about humility (which was looked on as a weakness and not a virtue in the first century) they were not ready to see their rabbi-master-messiah act like a slave. Peter is so offended that in the beginning he refuses to allow Jesus to wash his feet. After Peter finally consents Jesus instructs his followers to be servants themselves. It is hard for us to even comprehend how difficult this command was for his disciples to understand.
Jesus later makes clear what he meant by being a servant when he went to the cross. He was willing to give up his life without a fight in order to save the world. Paul picks up on this servant-cross image in his letter to the church at Philippi. He writes, "Have this mind among yourselves which is yours in Christ Jesus who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and become obedient unto death, even death on a cross." (Philippians 2:5-8). Our understanding of this passage is that it was a hymn which Paul quotes, meaning the image of Jesus as servant was already at the heart of the church's theology and worship within fifteen to twenty years after Jesus' death. This is remarkable if for no other reason that it runs, as we have seen, completely against the tide of Roman culture.
While this image continued to be a constant in the life of the church it was never one which was easily taken to. Human nature being what it is the church was constantly struggling for power and control (either secular or sacred) and so living as a servant was never popular. However it lives at the very heart of Jesus' teaching and so the challenge for us is to let it live in our hearts and lives as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment