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The Doulos Commitment - Bondage for Life


JavaJane
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Started this thread because of this section of scripture quoted in the thread Tethered to TWI

Old Skool makes a fair point here. Just as there was to be a commitment from a slave to the master (especially where there is a choice for the slave to go free, leave the master) so the master had commitments to his slaves. These include the right to fair treatment, not to be abused to the point of permanent damage, and for other provisions.

Ex 12:1 Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them. 2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve : and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. 3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married , then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself. 5 And if the servant shall plainly say , I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: 6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever. …

24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. 26 And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish ; he shall let him go free for his eye's sake. 27 And if he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake.

Matthew Henry Commentary -first two paragraphs

TWI had a great thing about teaching us to be "douloses" or ("douleia" for women) – sold-out bondslaves-servants to God. But then – they put themselves in God's place, as his spokesman. They made themselves lords over God's flock. Without ever taking on the responsibilities of the owner of servant-slaves.

TWI uses these verses to tell us that we should endeavor to be servants, bondslaves, sold out to the Lord (by which, of course, they mean TWI.)

This is one of the first things that I studied for myself in the Bible that really started me questioning TWI's interpretation of scripture. God tells us first and foremost that we are his children, sons and daughters of God. To teach that we are servants, bond slaves and then use that as a way to control people is wrong.

They teach that this is a choice an individual makes as a lifetme commitment to serve. But as Twinky put it above, they provide nothing in return.

But when you look at all of the records of doulos in the Bible we see that CHILDREN were considered to be doulos - now, how can a CHILD make an informed decision to become a bondslave for LIFE? Also, we are to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free... We are sons of God, no longer servants compelled to a life of bondage.

It was all just another way to compel people to give their commitments to TWI and enslave themselves even further to their legalistic standards, to get them to forget who they actually were - Children of God.

I need to pull out my notes (if I haven't thrown them out by now with all the other twi stuff) because there were a lot more specifics on the subject.

Edited by JavaJane
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Ok, so I can't find the original notes, but this is what I can reconstruct - and you might agree, you might not - this was all from my Way Daze when I worked it.

Doulos - (from Strong's) a) a slave b) metaph. , one who gives himself up to another's will. Those who's service is used by Christ in extending and advancing his cause among men c) devoted to another to the disregard of one's own interests d)a servant, attendant.

from deo - a) to bind, fasten with chains, to throw into chains b) metaph. 1)Satan is said to bind a woman bent together by means of a demon, as his messenger, taking possession of the woman and preventing her from standing upright 2)to bind, put under obligation, of the law, duty, etc. - a) to be bound to one, a wife, a husband. 3) to forbid, prohibit, declare to be illicit.

According to some references, doulos was considered the lowest of all slaves, the one who would was the feet of guests. (Sound familiar? Jesus washed the feet of the disciples. The BOT and BOD have the disciples wash their feet, not the other way around.) According to some theologians (and I can't find my notes!) the term doulos was considered an insult in Jesus' time, not the respected position in society that TWI taught. The true meaning of doulos was that those who wish to serve God should be without ego, willing to serve God's people... not be served by God's people.

I am not sure what word the Septuagint uses for "servant" in Exodus 21:2 - anyone who still has research material handy, could you look it up? I don't think it is EXACTLY the same thing in meaning as the doulos who is born into the lowest slavery as it was used by the Greeks.

The first occurance of doulos in the NT is in reference to a child or young person:

Luke 7:2 And a certain centurion's servant (doulos), who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die.

and another verse regarding the same record uses pais, meaning a child or young person:

Matthew 8:6 And saying, Lord, my servant (pais) lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

This is in regards to a Roman centurion asking for his servant (doulos or pais) to be healed. I don't think this can be the same meaning as the record in Exodus, due to two things: #1 the age of the servant, not old enough to make a proper decision about wanting to serve his master for the rest of his life; and #2 The servant's owner is a Gentile, who would not be operating under the law in Exodus which was followed by the Jews. (HOLY COW, I almost typed "Judean" instead of "Jew" I still have some deprogramming to do!)

So, pretty much you have two different meanings behind the bond-slave - the one from Exodus, and then the slave born into slavery as used by the Greek/Roman culture.

Obviously, we are not born into slavery to God (or TWI for that matter). We are supposed to be born AGAIN as CHILDREN of GOD.

An interesting contrast in the use of the word doulos to mean both servant by choice and servant by birth is in Galatians:

Galatians 1:10 For do I now persuade men or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant (doulos) of Christ.

This verse is in reference to being a servant to Christ by choice - in contrast to being a men pleaser (server of men).

Galatians 4:1 Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant (doulos), though he be lord of all.

This verse seems to be referring to the Greek/Roman idea of doulos, born into slavery.

The commitment to decide to serve God as a "doulos" needs to be understood within the context of God ACTUALLY being our parent, not our Master (I hope that makes sense.)

Galatians 4:7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant (doulos) , but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Anyway, that's what I can dredge up from my fallible memory. I had a whole notebook filled with this stuff... Bottom line, TWI pushed the doulos lifetime commitment to serve as a method of putting people into bondage to TWI. I don't see the true example of the HUMILITY of a DOULOS anywhere within TWI's upper leadership - only ego and pride and wanting to be served and waited upon by others when they themselves should be washing the disciples' feet as Jesus did. Hypocrisy upon hypocrisy...

Philippians 2:5-9 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant (doulos), and was made in the likeness of men:

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

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I am not sure what word the Septuagint uses for "servant" in Exodus 21:2 - anyone who still has research material handy, could you look it up? I don't think it is EXACTLY the same thing in meaning as the doulos who is born into the lowest slavery as it was used by the Greeks.

douleusei, which would be a form of douleuo is the word for serve

paida (from pais) is the word for servant (child?)

Hit "Post" before I finished

Edited by Gen-2
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There's a group I love called Doulos (not to derail your thread JJ) This is one of their songs:

期待

多少汗 多少淚 多少黃河的水

多少哀 多少樂 多少長江的浪

流水淙淙 浪濤湧湧 古今往事卻無蹤

多少星 多少雲 多少未完的夢

多少風 多少雪 多少長城的血

多少春 多少秋 多少耕耘的手

五千寒暑 憂患處處 一葉海棠帶滄桑

多少星 多少雲 多少未完的夢

多少淚珠 多少笑容 在天空中閃動

多少尋覓 理想的新面孔

誰能夠看透他們隱藏的傷痛

每雙迷惘的眼睛 每個失落的心靈

期待上帝的祝福

Expect (by Doulos)

(Song Lyrics: Wang Xi Lin Mo)

How many tears and how much sweat made the water of the Yellow River

How sadly goes the melody of the waves the Yangtze River

Water sings as waves meander past the ancient Quewu course

How many stars greatly cloud the vast number of unfulfilled dreams

How much snow, wind and blood has the Great Wall seen?

Numbers of Springs and autumns and how many labored hard

Many summers and winters of tremendous hardships, yet everywhere an apple.

How many stars greatly cloud the vast number of unfulfilled dreams

How many tears and smiles flash across the sky

How many new faces look for the ideal

Who can see past their hidden pains

Every pair of eyes for every lost soul is lost

Expecting God's blessing

MP3 (Chinese Language BTW) >>will open & play in your default media player<<

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