Minister For The Master (Colossians 3:22-4:1)

Minister for the Master

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The Bible casts servants in positive and negative light. The positive and approved ones are listed as:

1. faithful and wise servant (Matt 24:45)

2. good and faithful servant (Matt 25:21, 23)

3. servant of all (Mark 10:44)

4. good servant (Luke 19:17)

5. servant of Jesus Christ (Rom 1:1)

6. Christ's servant (1 Cor 7:22, Gal 1:10 Col 4:12)

7. servants to righteousness (Rom 6:19)

8. servants for Jesus' sake (2 Cor 4:5)

9. servants of Jesus Christ (Phil 1:1, Jude 1)

10. servant of the Lord (2 Tim 2:24)

11. servant of God Titus 1:1, 1 Peter 2:16, Rev 7:3)

The negative and accused ones are labeled as:

1. wicked servant (Matt 18:32, Luke 19:22)

2. evil servant (Matt 24:48)

3. wicked and slothful servant (Matt 25:26)

4. unprofitable servant (Matt 25:30, Luke 17:10)

5. servant of sin (John 8:34, Rom 6:17, 20)

6. servants to uncleanness (Rom 6:19)

7. servants of men (1 Cor 7:23)

8. servants of corruption (2 Peter 2:19)

What kind of attitude, relationship and conduct do slaves and masters, employers and employees, supervisors and subordinate ought to have? How can we glorify God in our work, no matter you are a superior or a subordinate?

Set the Tone

3:22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.

A converted cowboy put it very well when he said, “Lots of folks that would really like to do right think that serving the Lord only means shouting themselves hoarse praising His name. Now I'll tell you how I look at that. I am working for Jim here. Now if I would do nothing but sit around the house telling what a good fellow Jim is and singing songs to him, I would not suit Jim. But when I buckle on my straps and hustle among the hills and see that Jim's herd is all right, not suffering for water and feed, or being driven off the range and branded by cow thieves, then I am serving Jim as he wants to be served.”

There are four instances of the verb “obey” in the imperative mood in the Bible, twice for children to obey their parents and twice for slaves to obey their masters, so “obey” is not a derogatory, damaging or dominating term as much as it is one for dutifulness, dependability and disposition. Obedience is a necessary, normal and natural order, not naïve, narrow or nonsensical. If you look at the context of verse 20 for the children’s command, two similar words pop up – “obey” and “all.” There are always exceptions, excesses and exemptions because the corresponding order to obey is different in the Ephesians command to obey because the latter (Ephesians) does not include the word “all” for children (Eph 6:1) or slaves (Eph 6:5).

Obey (hupakouo) comes from the prefix “under” (hupa) and the verb “hear” (akouo), to put or place yourself under a person’s directive, decisions and decree. To hear is the willingness to listen – to lower your guard, lend a ear and learn from others. Obedience is never partial, picky or procedural; the best listening is not out of the fear of punishment, penalty or peril, but because it is proper, pertinent and peaceable.

It must not be done in eye-service (KJV), but in the singleness of heart, which is the contrast of eye and heart. Eye-service (ophthalmodouleia) is eye-slave in Greek, the very word for slave (doulos). An eye slave is chained to his situation and surroundings, his suppositions and sentiments. Sincerity (v 22) is translated as simplicity (Rom 12:8), liberality (2 Cor 8:2) and bountiful (2 Cor 9:11). It means to be single-minded, straightforward and steadfast, not shoddy, short-changing or sour.

Serve the Lord

23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.

Sophie, the scrub woman, was a Christian. One of the gentlemen in the large building where she worked said to her, “Say, Sophie, I understand that you are a Christian.” “Yes, sir, I am a child of the King,” was her immediate reply.

“Oh! So you must be a princess, since God is your King.” “I sure am.”

“Well, if God is your Father, and you are a princess and a child of the King, do you not think that it is beneath your dignity to be found here in New York City scrubbing these dirty steps?” Not being daunted Sophie replied, “There is no humiliation whatsoever. You see, I am not scrubbing these steps for my boss, Mr. Brown. I am scrubbing them for Jesus Christ, my Savior!” (from Illustrations of Bible Truths # 118)