ii. 36, had in his generation served the counsel of God, calls
himself [Pg 209] in his prayer in 2 Sam. vii., not fewer than ten
times, the servant of God, (Vol. i, p. 135, 136); and the same
designation he gives to himself in the inscriptions of Ps. xviii. and
xxxvi. The _Prophets_ are called servants of God in 2 Kings xiii. 3;
Jer. xxvi. 5. In the highest and most perfect degree, that designation
belongs to Christ, who, in the most perfect manner, carried out the
decrees of God, and to whom all former servants and instruments of the
Lord in His kingdom, pointed as types. But the designation has not
merely a reference to the subjective element of obedience, but points,
at the same time, to the _dignity_ of him who is thus designated. It is
a high honour to be received by God among the number of His servants,
who enjoy the providence and protection of their mighty and rich Lord.
That this aspect--the dignity--comes here chiefly into consideration,
in the case of Him who is the Servant of God [Greek: kat'ezochen], and
in whom, therefore, this dignity must reach its highest degree, so that
the designation, _My Servant_, borders very closely upon that of _My
Son_, (comp. Matth. iii. 17, xvii. 5);--that this aspect comes here
chiefly into consideration is probable even from the circumstance that,
in those passages of the second part which treat of _Israel_ as the
servant of God, it is just this aspect which is pre-eminently regarded.
Thus it is in chap. xli. 8: "And thou Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I
have chosen, the seed of Abraham, my friend." To be the servant of God
appears here as an honour, as the privilege which was bestowed upon
Israel in preference to the Gentiles. On ver. 9: "Thou, whom I have
taken from the ends of the earth, and from her borders called thee, and
said unto thee: Thou art my servant, I have chosen thee and not cast
thee away," Luther remarks: "The name, 'my servant,'contains the
highest _consolation_, both when we look to Him who speaks, viz.. He
who has created everything, and also to him who is addressed, viz.,
afflicted and forsaken man." In chap. xliv. 1, 2: "And now hear, O
Jacob, my servant, and Israel whom I have chosen; thus saith the Lord
that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, who will help thee: Fear
not, O Jacob, my servant, and Jeshurun, whom I have chosen," all the
designations of God and Israel serve only for an introduction to the
exhortation: "Fear not," by laying open th