James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ...
James 1:1a
Some scholars suggest that the word in the Greek for “servant” in James 1:1 is better translated slave.* Why would James refer to himself as a slave of God and the Lord Jesus Christ?
Slaves in ancient Rome were much different than what we understand a slave to be from the painful history of this country.* During the time of Jesus, slaves in the Roman empire fell into four main categories:
Slavery in the mines: often used as punishment for criminals. Life expectancy was low.*
Rural slavery: work conditions were terrible. Many times people enslaved in this way worked while chained in groups. Family life was controlled by the slave owner. Food could be taken away or brought to a minimum if a slave was sick.*
Urban household slave: could be a chosen way of life. It usually lasted several years with the expectation of eventual freedom. Household slaves could expect food, shelter, and training in a new skill.*
Imperial slavery: this slavery placed the slave in the home of the emperor. Some of these positions held a lot of power and wealth, second only to the emperor.*
Can you guess which type the New Testament most often refers? The answer is 3. Urban Household slave.
To be a slave to Christ is to commit oneself to Christ completely, committing unconditional allegiance to Him.* This must be true for us as followers of Jesus no matter how hard life or whatever suffering comes our way.*
We see this quality in Moses, David, and Isaiah, who all hold the title “servant of God.”*
What does your commitment to Christ look like today? Are you completely committed to Him? Did you know that living as His slave means He provides for all that you need and teaches you in His ways?
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to commit yourself to Him as a servant. Perhaps today God would ask you to see that the commitment He asks from you is reflective of the commitment that He first gave to you. Maybe today God wants you to humble yourself before Him in service.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.
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*Blomberg, C. L., & Kamell, M. J. (2008). James (Vol. 16, p. 47). Zondervan.
Stulac, G. M. (1993). James (Jas 1:1). IVP Academic.
Guthrie, G. H. (2006). James. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation (Revised Edition) (Vol. 13, p. 210). Zondervan.
Nystrom, D. P. (1997). James (pp. 34–36). Zondervan Publishing House.