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N14. Serving Our Neighbor.    [Make a Comment]

We are to serve our neighbor, seeking not to be served.

This precept is derived from His Word (blessed be He):

Key Scriptures

Matthew 23:11-12
The greatest among you must be your servant, for whoever promotes himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be promoted.

Mark 9:35
He [Yeshua] sat down, summoned the Twelve and said to them, "If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all."

Supportive Scriptures - Serving Our Neighbor

Matthew 20:25-27
But Yeshua called them and said, "You know that among the Goyim, those who are supposed to rule them become tyrants, and their superiors become dictators. Among you, it must not be like that. On the contrary, whoever among you wants to be a leader must become your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave!" (See also Mark 10:42-44)

Luke 22:25-26
But Yeshua said to them, "The kings of the Goyim lord it over them; and those in authority over them are given the title, 'Benefactor'. But not so with you! On the contrary, let the greater among you become like the younger, and one who rules like one who serves."

John 13:12-15
After he [Yeshua] had washed their feet, taken back his clothes and returned to the table, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me 'Rabbi' and 'Lord', and you are right, because I am. Now if I, the Lord and Rabbi, have washed your feet, you also should wash each other's feet. For I have set you an example, so that you may do as I have done to you."

Romans 7:6
But now we have been released from this aspect of the Torah, because we have died to that which had us in its clutches, so that we are serving in the new way provided by the Spirit and not in the old way of outwardly following the letter of the law.

Romans 12:6-7
But we have gifts that differ and which are meant to be used according to the grace that has been given to us. If your gift is prophecy, use it to the extent of your trust; if it is serving, use it to serve; if you are a teacher, use your gift in teaching

1 Corinthians 4:1
So, you should regard us as the Messiah's servants, as trustees of God's secret truths.

1 Corinthians 9:19 (NKJ)
For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more

Galatians 5:13
For, brothers, you were called to be free. Only do not let that freedom become an excuse for allowing your old nature to have its way. Instead, serve one another in love.

Ephesians 6:7
Work willingly as slaves, as people do who are serving not merely human beings but the Lord.

1 Timothy 3:13
For those who serve well as shammashim gain good standing for themselves and much boldness in the trust that comes through Yeshua the Messiah.

Hebrews 6:10
For God is not so unfair as to forget your work and the love you showed for him in your past service to his people - and in your present service too.

1 Peter 4:9-11
Welcome one another into your homes without grumbling. As each one has received some spiritual gift, he should use it to serve others, like good managers of God's many-sided grace - if someone speaks, let him speak God's words; if someone serves, let him do so out of strength that God supplies; so that in everything God may be glorified through Yeshua the Messiah - to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.

Supportive Scriptures - Example of Yeshua Serving

Matthew 20:28
For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve - and to give his life as a ransom for many. (See also, Mark 10:45)

Luke 22:27
For who is greater? The one reclining at the table? or the one who serves? It's the one reclining at the table, isn't it? But I myself am among you like one who serves.

John 13:4-8
So he rose from the table, removed his outer garments and wrapped a towel around his waist. Then he poured some water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the talmidim and wipe them off with the towel wrapped around him. He came to Shim'on Kefa, who said to him, "Lord! You are washing my feet?" Yeshua answered him, "You don't understand yet what I am doing, but in time you will understand." "No!" said Kefa, "You will never wash my feet!" Yeshua answered him, "If I don't wash you, you have no share with me."

John 13:12-15
After he [Yeshua] had washed their feet, taken back his clothes and returned to the table, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me 'Rabbi' and 'Lord', and you are right, because I am. Now if I, the Lord and Rabbi, have washed your feet, you also should wash each other's feet. For I have set you an example, so that you may do as I have done to you."

Philippians 2:5-8
Let your attitude toward one another be governed by your being in union with the Messiah Yeshua: Though he was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God something to be possessed by force. On the contrary, he emptied himself, in that he took the form of a slave by becoming like human beings are. And when he appeared as a human being ...

Supportive Scripture - A Parable

Matthew 25:32-46
All the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. The 'sheep' he will place at his right hand and the 'goats' at his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you made me your guest, I needed clothes and you provided them, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' Then the people who have done what God wants will reply, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and make you our guest, or needing clothes and provide them? When did we see you sick or in prison, and visit you?' The King will say to them, 'Yes! I tell you that whenever you did these things for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did them for me!' Then he will also speak to those on his left, saying, 'Get away from me, you who are cursed! Go off into the fire prepared for the Adversary and his angels! For I was hungry and you gave me no food, thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, a stranger and you did not welcome me, needing clothes and you did not give them to me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they too will reply, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, thirsty, a stranger, needing clothes, sick or in prison, and not take care of you?' And he will answer them, 'Yes! I tell you that whenever you refused to do it for the least important of these people, you refused to do it for me!' They will go off to eternal punishment, but those who have done what God wants will go to eternal life.

Commentary

Serving our neighbor is meeting his needs in the way that we would want him to meet our needs (Matthew 7:12), were our situations reversed. The reason that servanthood is critically important is that it comprises specific ways to love our neighbor that is never without cost or sacrifice to ourselves. When we help our neighbor build because he needs shelter, we give of our time that we could otherwise spend on our own needs or pleasures. When we give our neighbor food (or money) because he is hungry, we give him a valuable resource that we could otherwise consume or spend on ourselves. I am reminded of James 2:15-16:

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food, and someone says to him, 'Shalom! Keep warm and eat hearty!' without giving him what he needs, what good does it do?

The two examples above are of physical helps, but servanthood often involves giving of ourselves in less tangible ways as well, such as correcting, counseling, and praying for our neighbor.

Classical Commentators

This Mitzvah is not addressed by any of the classical commentators.

NCLA: JMm JFm KMm KFm GMm GFm

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