Robert F. O'Toole, «How Does Luke Portray Jesus as Servant of YHWH», Vol. 81 (2000) 328-346

This article explains Luke's meaning of Jesus as Servant of YHWH and claims this title as part of Luke's christology. Many references to Jesus as Servant of YHWH are unique to Luke, and a few summarize Jesus' ministry. These summary passages particularly look to Jesus' saving activity, universal mission and suffering. Other Servant of YHWH passages point out that Jesus is specially chosen and pleasing to God and determined to do his will. In particular, Acts 8,32-33 summarize Jesus' passion during which Luke views Jesus as the Servant and thus humble, innocent and silent. As the Servant Jesus is also risen and active.

IV. Jesus’ Resurrection Associated
with His Being the Servant of YHWH

Luke has associated Jesus’ resurrection with his being the Servant of YHWH:

The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus (o( qeo_j tw=n pate/rwn h(mw=n, e)do/casen to_n pai=da au)tou= 'Ihsou=n) ... and you killed the author of life whom God raised from the dead (Acts 3,13-15).

        The immediate context itself suffices to justify the claim that e)do/casen refers not only to the miracle which Jesus has just performed but also to his resurrection²⁵. True, the miracle could be the only source of this glory. However, between the two statements of Jesus’ resurrection in Acts 3,13-15, Peter speaks of his audience’s handing over, rejection, and execution of the holy and just one; and so we have a kind of chiasmus which emphasizes Jesus’ suffering and resurrection (‘glorified’ – ‘handed over and denied’ – ‘you denied’ – ‘you killed whom God raised from the dead’). This claim is supported by the Emmaus story where Jesus chides the two disciples because they do not believe what the prophets said, namely, that the Christ must suffer and enter his glory (kai_ ei)selqei=n ei)j th_n do/can au)tou=; cf. Luke 24,26), for in this passage do/can has to be a reference to Jesus’ resurrection.

        Another passage which probably likewise refers to Jesus’ resurrection is the citation of Isa 53,8 in Acts 8,33, o#ti ai!retai a)po_ th_j gh_j h( zwh_ au)tou=²⁶. It appears that Luke has intentionally not included all of the actual LXX text:

o#ti ai!retai a)po_ th=j gh=j h( zwh_ au)tou, a)po_ tw=n a)nomiw=n tou= laou= mou h!xqh ei)j qa/naton

That his life was taken from the earth; for the transgressions of my people, he was lead to death.

        This allows Luke to do two things. As noted above, he apparently wanted not to speak of Jesus’ death as redemptive; but also the wording of the other part of Isa 53,8 found in Acts 8,33, ‘that his life was taken from earth’, could mean that Jesus’ life was moved from earth and so