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New Studies in Biblical Theology #54
The Servant of the Lord and his Servant People: Tracing A Biblical Theme Through The Canon
It is often recognized that the title ‘servant’ is applied to key figures throughout the Bible, culminating in Jesus Christ. Matthew Harmon carefully traces this theme from Genesis to Revelation, examining how earlier ‘servants’ point forwards to the ultimate Servant. While this theme is significant in its own right throughout redemptive history, it also plays a supporting role, enhancing and enriching other themes, such as son, prophet and king.
Harmon shows how the title ‘servant’ not only gives us a clearer understanding of Jesus Christ but also has profound implications for our lives as Christians. When we grasp what it means to be servants of Christ, our love for him and our obedience to him deepen. Understanding that the ultimate Servant, Jesus Christ, indwells his people, to empower them to serve others in love, has the potential to transform how we interact with fellow believers and the world around us.
Harmon shows how the title ‘servant’ not only gives us a clearer understanding of Jesus Christ but also has profound implications for our lives as Christians. When we grasp what it means to be servants of Christ, our love for him and our obedience to him deepen. Understanding that the ultimate Servant, Jesus Christ, indwells his people, to empower them to serve others in love, has the potential to transform how we interact with fellow believers and the world around us.
272 pages, Paperback
Published December 17, 2020
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119 people want to read
About the author
Matthew S. Harmon
19 books20 followersMatthew S. Harmon (PhD, Wheaton College) is professor of New Testament studies at Grace College and Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 2, 2024
Dette er en god bok om et viktig tema. Det var svært nyttig å få en samlet framstilling av tjenermotivet slik det utfolder seg i Bibelen, med Jesus som den store Herrens tjener.
Matthew Harmon viser hvordan GT først inneholder framstillinger av enkeltpersoner som Herrens tjenere (Moses, David o.l.) og hvordan deres tjeneste peker fram mot, oppfylles og overgås av Jesu tjenergjerning, slik vi leser i Jesaja 40-55.
Deretter viser han hvordan NT tydelig knytter an til tjenersangene i Jesaja og anvender disse på Jesus og viser hvordan Jesus er oppfyllelsen av disse profetiene. Etter dette tar han for seg apostlene og siden kirken og forsøker å påvise at også deres tjeneste (både apostlenes og kirkens tjeneste) forstås i rammen av tjenermotivet. Dette siste mener jeg er tematisk riktig og Harmon klarer å vise dette på en tilstrekkelig overbevisende måte.
Det som, etter mitt syn, svekker Harmons framstilling, er at han går for langt i sitt arbeid med språket i NT. Det finnes en rekke sitater fra tjenersangene i NT, og det finnes også steder hvor det helt åpenbart brukes ord og uttrykk som alluderer til tjenersangene. Det jeg ikke liker så godt med Harmons arbeid er at han i altfor stor grad "finner" allusjoner og ekko. Flere ganger under lesningen tenkte jeg på den gamle anekdoten om Luther og Melanchton som sitter i en dyp teologisk samtale og legger ut ting de har oppdaget i Bibelen. Herren lytter til samtalen og tenker med seg selv: "Hmm! Dette har jeg aldri tenkt på...". Litt slik oppfatter jeg mange av Harmons ekkoer og paralleller.
Men det tar ikke bort bokens nytteverdi. Så alt i alt er dette en god bok.
Matthew Harmon viser hvordan GT først inneholder framstillinger av enkeltpersoner som Herrens tjenere (Moses, David o.l.) og hvordan deres tjeneste peker fram mot, oppfylles og overgås av Jesu tjenergjerning, slik vi leser i Jesaja 40-55.
Deretter viser han hvordan NT tydelig knytter an til tjenersangene i Jesaja og anvender disse på Jesus og viser hvordan Jesus er oppfyllelsen av disse profetiene. Etter dette tar han for seg apostlene og siden kirken og forsøker å påvise at også deres tjeneste (både apostlenes og kirkens tjeneste) forstås i rammen av tjenermotivet. Dette siste mener jeg er tematisk riktig og Harmon klarer å vise dette på en tilstrekkelig overbevisende måte.
Det som, etter mitt syn, svekker Harmons framstilling, er at han går for langt i sitt arbeid med språket i NT. Det finnes en rekke sitater fra tjenersangene i NT, og det finnes også steder hvor det helt åpenbart brukes ord og uttrykk som alluderer til tjenersangene. Det jeg ikke liker så godt med Harmons arbeid er at han i altfor stor grad "finner" allusjoner og ekko. Flere ganger under lesningen tenkte jeg på den gamle anekdoten om Luther og Melanchton som sitter i en dyp teologisk samtale og legger ut ting de har oppdaget i Bibelen. Herren lytter til samtalen og tenker med seg selv: "Hmm! Dette har jeg aldri tenkt på...". Litt slik oppfatter jeg mange av Harmons ekkoer og paralleller.
Men det tar ikke bort bokens nytteverdi. Så alt i alt er dette en god bok.
July 29, 2023
At times (and Harmon admits this throughout), I found myself wanting a bit more precision on servanthood as a "vocation" so-to-speak and servanthood as the intrinsic relation of an earth-creature to the Creator of the universe. The profusion of servant/slave vocabulary in the Bible makes it difficult (for me at least) to discern when the thread is being pulled and when its "merely" the available language to describe creatures with respect to their Creator. Michael Morales writes, "All doctrinal roads lead to union with Christ..." and I think this was the element that Harmon could have drawn out a bit more in tracing the Servant of the Lord and his Servant people throughout the Bible to clarify the distinctions between the One 'who took the very form of a servant' and his people who are freed to serve him. All in all, another solid addition to the NSBT and I would certainly recommend--particularly to anyone who wants to reflect further on Isaiah's Servant Songs.
August 18, 2021
Summary: A study of the application of the term “servant” to a number of key figures in scripture culminating in Jesus, and the way these were used by God to form a servant people.
In most contexts the idea of servitude at very least is an undesirable state, and, if involuntary, a breach of human rights. Yet one of the curious themes in scripture underscored by this book, is the idea of being a “servant of the Lord.” Matthew S. Harmon notes the cultural overtones, but also addresses the dignity of those who serve the Lord.
This work centers on key figures who “serve the Lord” through scripture: Adam, Moses, Joshua, David, the servant of Isaiah, Jesus, and the apostles. There is another group as well. Throughout scripture, it becomes clear that God is out to form a servant people–first Israel and then the church. Harmon devotes a chapter to each of these key people or groups of people.
We begin with Adam the servant of the Lord who rules over all creation and is the priest and guard of God’s garden-temple. Adam fails in his task, but in his descendants God continues to call servants–Noah, Abraham, and the patriarchs through whom God begins to form a people. Then Moses becomes the servant of God, a kind of prophet, priest, and king. Harmon traces the language of “servant” relative to Moses through the Torah and the Prophets and Writings. Then Joshua follows as the faithful servant who does what Moses commands, through whom God works similar acts, and who calls Israel as a people to serve the Lord at the end of his life.
Yet when the generation who led with Joshua dies, Israel turns to serve other gods, and are given over by God as prey for the surrounding nations. They want a king. Saul fails to serve God wholeheartedly and David is anointed and becomes the next servant of the Lord. He is not only the king through whom God gives Israel rest in the land from their enemies, but priest who prepares for the construction of the temple, and prophet who wrote songs to God. One of the songs is about David’s greater son. Solomon starts out well but is drawn off to other gods, as are most of his successors. Israel and Israel’s kings have failed at their servant calling. Isaiah writes about this failure and about the servant who will fulfill the service in which Israel fail, suffering for the sins of the people as he does so.
And so we come to Jesus, the culmination toward which all the other servants looked. One of the distinctive aspects of Harmon’s treatment is that he shows how Jesus fulfills what the other servants anticipate. He reverses Adam’s failure in his victory over Satan in the wilderness. He is the prophet greater than Moses, the Joshua who brings his people into eschatological rest. He is the Davidic king whose rule never ends. His whole history from his exile in Egypt on recapitulates Israel’s story. He is the servant whose death and resurrection save his people–all people.
The final two chapters focus on groups. First there are the apostles who speak of themselves as servants of the Lord, even his two brothers, James and Jude. He traces this through the letters they wrote. But there is another group, and we are part of it. The church is portrayed as the servant people of God. It is a people who follow Jesus in his sufferings, but also fulfill the Adamic call to reflect the character of God to all things.
In his conclusion, Harmon considers the implications of this call to be a servant people. It is a call to a new freedom from the tyranny to self, sin and Satan. It is a call to be shaped in a community in the form of love that serves each other, washing each others’ feet. It is a call to be a light to the surrounding world, that others would find their way into this community as we did through repentance and faith. Finally, it is a call to become servant leaders, exercising the kind of kingship of the king who stoops to serve and even die.
This monograph cannot help challenge the contemporary church’s quest for power and influence, the celebrity culture, and the obsession with political influence and access at the expense of humble service. It indicates how little the Servant of the Lord captures our imagination and our allegiance. What may be equally challenging to think about is why we hear so little of this overarching biblical theme from the pulpits of many of our churches. It may be that we are working off the wrong script.
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
In most contexts the idea of servitude at very least is an undesirable state, and, if involuntary, a breach of human rights. Yet one of the curious themes in scripture underscored by this book, is the idea of being a “servant of the Lord.” Matthew S. Harmon notes the cultural overtones, but also addresses the dignity of those who serve the Lord.
This work centers on key figures who “serve the Lord” through scripture: Adam, Moses, Joshua, David, the servant of Isaiah, Jesus, and the apostles. There is another group as well. Throughout scripture, it becomes clear that God is out to form a servant people–first Israel and then the church. Harmon devotes a chapter to each of these key people or groups of people.
We begin with Adam the servant of the Lord who rules over all creation and is the priest and guard of God’s garden-temple. Adam fails in his task, but in his descendants God continues to call servants–Noah, Abraham, and the patriarchs through whom God begins to form a people. Then Moses becomes the servant of God, a kind of prophet, priest, and king. Harmon traces the language of “servant” relative to Moses through the Torah and the Prophets and Writings. Then Joshua follows as the faithful servant who does what Moses commands, through whom God works similar acts, and who calls Israel as a people to serve the Lord at the end of his life.
Yet when the generation who led with Joshua dies, Israel turns to serve other gods, and are given over by God as prey for the surrounding nations. They want a king. Saul fails to serve God wholeheartedly and David is anointed and becomes the next servant of the Lord. He is not only the king through whom God gives Israel rest in the land from their enemies, but priest who prepares for the construction of the temple, and prophet who wrote songs to God. One of the songs is about David’s greater son. Solomon starts out well but is drawn off to other gods, as are most of his successors. Israel and Israel’s kings have failed at their servant calling. Isaiah writes about this failure and about the servant who will fulfill the service in which Israel fail, suffering for the sins of the people as he does so.
And so we come to Jesus, the culmination toward which all the other servants looked. One of the distinctive aspects of Harmon’s treatment is that he shows how Jesus fulfills what the other servants anticipate. He reverses Adam’s failure in his victory over Satan in the wilderness. He is the prophet greater than Moses, the Joshua who brings his people into eschatological rest. He is the Davidic king whose rule never ends. His whole history from his exile in Egypt on recapitulates Israel’s story. He is the servant whose death and resurrection save his people–all people.
The final two chapters focus on groups. First there are the apostles who speak of themselves as servants of the Lord, even his two brothers, James and Jude. He traces this through the letters they wrote. But there is another group, and we are part of it. The church is portrayed as the servant people of God. It is a people who follow Jesus in his sufferings, but also fulfill the Adamic call to reflect the character of God to all things.
In his conclusion, Harmon considers the implications of this call to be a servant people. It is a call to a new freedom from the tyranny to self, sin and Satan. It is a call to be shaped in a community in the form of love that serves each other, washing each others’ feet. It is a call to be a light to the surrounding world, that others would find their way into this community as we did through repentance and faith. Finally, it is a call to become servant leaders, exercising the kind of kingship of the king who stoops to serve and even die.
This monograph cannot help challenge the contemporary church’s quest for power and influence, the celebrity culture, and the obsession with political influence and access at the expense of humble service. It indicates how little the Servant of the Lord captures our imagination and our allegiance. What may be equally challenging to think about is why we hear so little of this overarching biblical theme from the pulpits of many of our churches. It may be that we are working off the wrong script.
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
October 15, 2022
Here’s another interesting title in the the NSBT series that is a series with some of the most incredible variety of any that I know. Though there are several books on slavery in biblical times and ones on the Suffering Servant in Isaiah, and though there are many devotional titles on being a servant, this theological treatise carves out its own niche.
It has an interesting introduction that looks at the words in Hebrew and Greek that can be translated as either slave or servant. It well explains what a challenge it can be and how it all depends on the context as the words have quite a range of meanings.
In chapters 2-5 Harmon explores four key OT characters as servants. Adam, Moses, Joshua, and David are quite effectively presented as servants though not rigidly in the same way. Good stuff!
The next two chapters cover the Isaianic servant and Jesus the servant par excellence in turn. From there a group, the apostles, are covered including Paul, Peter, and others. Finally, the church in each part of the NT is presented as a servant people.
In addition to the interesting theme, every passage used has carefully done exegesis for you. That has its own distinct value and can be used in study of the passages themselves.
This volume joins other recent releases in the series as a winner. I’m not surprised!
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
It has an interesting introduction that looks at the words in Hebrew and Greek that can be translated as either slave or servant. It well explains what a challenge it can be and how it all depends on the context as the words have quite a range of meanings.
In chapters 2-5 Harmon explores four key OT characters as servants. Adam, Moses, Joshua, and David are quite effectively presented as servants though not rigidly in the same way. Good stuff!
The next two chapters cover the Isaianic servant and Jesus the servant par excellence in turn. From there a group, the apostles, are covered including Paul, Peter, and others. Finally, the church in each part of the NT is presented as a servant people.
In addition to the interesting theme, every passage used has carefully done exegesis for you. That has its own distinct value and can be used in study of the passages themselves.
This volume joins other recent releases in the series as a winner. I’m not surprised!
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
February 7, 2021
Jesus is known as a “servant,” but where does this idea come from, and how should it change us? In The Servant of the Lord and His Servant People, Matthew S. Harmon beautifully traces this biblical theme through the canon.
Harmon seeks to show: (1) The role of key figures in redemptive history, (2) how these key figures point forward to Christ, (3) the identity of God’s people, and (4) how we interact with fellow believers and the world around us. Understanding this biblical theme has implications for our identity and purpose.
Adam, Moses, and Joshua
Human beings reflect who God is and what he is like. Human beings represent God. Human beings are to rule over creation. And it is all done in a relationship with God. With Eden as a prototypical Temple, we see how Adam was the first servant Priest. God created humanity in his own image to be a servant people who carry out his commission. Noah and Abraham are key servants, but it isn’t until Moses where we start to see hope for God’s promises to be kept and fulfilled.
Moses is the servant prophet, and he has the special role of delivering God’s people and seeing God establish his covenant to create a servant people. God speaks directly to his people through his servant Moses and his law. When Joshua enters the scene, he does what Moses the servant commanded. He is a faithful servant conqueror who leads God’s people into the Promised Land.
David, Isaiah, and Jesus
Harmon places emphasis on David as the singing servant, and I appreciated how he looks at the Psalms that show David’s self-understanding of being a servant. He anticipates a son greater than Solomon who will fulfill God’s creational and redemptive purposes. Isaiah looks to a suffering servant, and Harmon shows how Israel had failed miserably as a servant of the Lord. Yahweh will raise up a new servant who will save God’s people.
By looking at Jesus’ brith and early childhood, baptism, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension -- Harmon displays how Jesus fulfills Isaiah’s prophecies and surpasses previous servants of the Lord. Paul, Peter, James, Jude, and John are all servants of Christ and this is an essential self-designation for these key leaders in the early church.
The Church: A Servant People
The Church is God’s fulfillment of a servant people. Harmon points out that the Church calls back specifically to Isaiah as a suffering servant people, as well as Adam as an image-bearing servant people. Harmon concludes by showing how this understanding of servanthood impacts our identity, corporate life, mission, and leadership.
I now have a greater understanding of what it means to be a servant leader. My role as a worship leader has more of a significance than just leading singing. And I pray that I can grow in serving my family better as a father and husband. I feel a fuller sense of my identity, and I have a clearer purpose for how I want to live my life in serving others. And I have a deeper love for my Servant King.
I received a media copy of The Servant of the Lord and His Servant People and this is my honest review.
Harmon seeks to show: (1) The role of key figures in redemptive history, (2) how these key figures point forward to Christ, (3) the identity of God’s people, and (4) how we interact with fellow believers and the world around us. Understanding this biblical theme has implications for our identity and purpose.
Adam, Moses, and Joshua
Human beings reflect who God is and what he is like. Human beings represent God. Human beings are to rule over creation. And it is all done in a relationship with God. With Eden as a prototypical Temple, we see how Adam was the first servant Priest. God created humanity in his own image to be a servant people who carry out his commission. Noah and Abraham are key servants, but it isn’t until Moses where we start to see hope for God’s promises to be kept and fulfilled.
Moses is the servant prophet, and he has the special role of delivering God’s people and seeing God establish his covenant to create a servant people. God speaks directly to his people through his servant Moses and his law. When Joshua enters the scene, he does what Moses the servant commanded. He is a faithful servant conqueror who leads God’s people into the Promised Land.
David, Isaiah, and Jesus
Harmon places emphasis on David as the singing servant, and I appreciated how he looks at the Psalms that show David’s self-understanding of being a servant. He anticipates a son greater than Solomon who will fulfill God’s creational and redemptive purposes. Isaiah looks to a suffering servant, and Harmon shows how Israel had failed miserably as a servant of the Lord. Yahweh will raise up a new servant who will save God’s people.
By looking at Jesus’ brith and early childhood, baptism, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension -- Harmon displays how Jesus fulfills Isaiah’s prophecies and surpasses previous servants of the Lord. Paul, Peter, James, Jude, and John are all servants of Christ and this is an essential self-designation for these key leaders in the early church.
The Church: A Servant People
The Church is God’s fulfillment of a servant people. Harmon points out that the Church calls back specifically to Isaiah as a suffering servant people, as well as Adam as an image-bearing servant people. Harmon concludes by showing how this understanding of servanthood impacts our identity, corporate life, mission, and leadership.
I now have a greater understanding of what it means to be a servant leader. My role as a worship leader has more of a significance than just leading singing. And I pray that I can grow in serving my family better as a father and husband. I feel a fuller sense of my identity, and I have a clearer purpose for how I want to live my life in serving others. And I have a deeper love for my Servant King.
I received a media copy of The Servant of the Lord and His Servant People and this is my honest review.
May 29, 2025
In The Servant of the Lord and His Servant People, Matthew Harmon offers a rich theological exploration of the "servant" theme as it unfolds across Scripture. Tracing God’s redemptive plan from creation through to the church, Harmon argues that God advances his purposes through key individual servants—beginning with Adam, who was tasked with royal, priestly, and prophetic responsibilities. Adam’s failure did not derail God’s intent; rather, it set the stage for the promise of a future servant who would succeed where others fell short.
The narrative then follows a succession of imperfect yet significant figures—such as Moses, David, and others—each foreshadowing the ultimate Servant to come. This eschatological hope is crystallized in Jesus Christ, whom Harmon identifies as the Servant par excellence. Jesus fully embodies the roles that earlier servants only partially fulfilled. He is portrayed as the new Adam, the greater Moses, the true King, and the suffering Servant who bears the sins of his people and is vindicated by God.
Importantly, Harmon emphasizes that Jesus' servant work, while completed in one sense, continues through his people. The church, indwelt and empowered by Christ, becomes his servant body on earth—called to carry out his mission to the ends of the earth. Harmon’s book not only provides a compelling biblical theology of servanthood but also offers a powerful vision of Christian identity and purpose. It is a thoughtful and encouraging resource for those seeking to understand their role in God’s redemptive story.
The narrative then follows a succession of imperfect yet significant figures—such as Moses, David, and others—each foreshadowing the ultimate Servant to come. This eschatological hope is crystallized in Jesus Christ, whom Harmon identifies as the Servant par excellence. Jesus fully embodies the roles that earlier servants only partially fulfilled. He is portrayed as the new Adam, the greater Moses, the true King, and the suffering Servant who bears the sins of his people and is vindicated by God.
Importantly, Harmon emphasizes that Jesus' servant work, while completed in one sense, continues through his people. The church, indwelt and empowered by Christ, becomes his servant body on earth—called to carry out his mission to the ends of the earth. Harmon’s book not only provides a compelling biblical theology of servanthood but also offers a powerful vision of Christian identity and purpose. It is a thoughtful and encouraging resource for those seeking to understand their role in God’s redemptive story.
March 1, 2021
Harmon presents a concise and well-researched study of the concept of "servant" throughout the biblical narrative. I didn't realize the somewhat narrow focus of the concept throughout the Old Testament, and how it sets the stage for a more universalizing perspective in the New Testament.
The end result isn't new. The more practical side of Harmon's study is the sort of stuff you'd see in any study on sanctification. I noticed particular parallels with Wright's After You Believe since they both place the "priests and kings" motifs as central aspects of their respective studies. However, even if Harmon's conclusion isn't particularly novel, how he got there is!
Where this book lost a star for me was in its repetition. This is to be expected to an extent. A biblical theology of one theme will necessarily circle back. However, especially when we hit the New Testament chapters, I feel as if Harmon's argument boils down to an inventory of texts that reinforce his earlier points. Take the chapter on the church as an example. The main argument here is that the church inherits Christ's call to servanthood. Texts follow that prove that basic point, without really exploring the full nuance of how the church pursues that call. You could argue that this is a limitation inherent in the texts themselves, but Harmon's conclusion chapter, which focused on these practical applications, was pretty scant on details as well.
The end result isn't new. The more practical side of Harmon's study is the sort of stuff you'd see in any study on sanctification. I noticed particular parallels with Wright's After You Believe since they both place the "priests and kings" motifs as central aspects of their respective studies. However, even if Harmon's conclusion isn't particularly novel, how he got there is!
Where this book lost a star for me was in its repetition. This is to be expected to an extent. A biblical theology of one theme will necessarily circle back. However, especially when we hit the New Testament chapters, I feel as if Harmon's argument boils down to an inventory of texts that reinforce his earlier points. Take the chapter on the church as an example. The main argument here is that the church inherits Christ's call to servanthood. Texts follow that prove that basic point, without really exploring the full nuance of how the church pursues that call. You could argue that this is a limitation inherent in the texts themselves, but Harmon's conclusion chapter, which focused on these practical applications, was pretty scant on details as well.
November 2, 2024
This was a good exploration of the theme of the Servant of the Lord. There were quite a few spots where I think Harmon conflated the humility of the speaker, (your servant) with the unique role of "the servant." He acknowledged when he was stretching it, which I appreciate. I do find that this work feel an exploration of an angle on the pioneering work of Beale. Having read him, this volume was less impactful but definitely helpful.
April 4, 2022
Helpful, but felt there was more that could be said.
Want to read
October 16, 2022Goodreads review
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews