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.

carry the nuance of Jesus’ resurrection. This interpretation finds support in Luke’s almost universal practice of not mentioning Jesus’ death without referring to his resurrection²⁷. Besides, it is not easy to imagine how the Ethiopian eunuch would have been that impressed by a gospel message which related only Jesus’ meek, silent and humble death.

V. Jesus as Servant of YHWH is Also Active after His Resurrection

        At both the beginning (Acts 3,13) and the end of Peter’s discourse in the Portico of Solomon, Jesus is identified as pai=j. According to v. 13 God glorified his Servant; at the end of the discourse Peter asserts that God has raised up his servant (to_n pai=da au)tou=) and sent him to bless the Jews in turning each of them from their evil (v. 26). Elsewhere, I have argued that ‘raise’ in both vv. 22 and 26 refers to Jesus’ resurrection²⁸. Thus, after his resurrection Jesus, the Servant of YHWH, is imaged as a priest sent to bless the Jews; this post- resurrectional blessing consists in the turning each of them from their evil. The other passage in which after his resurrection Jesus, as the Servant of YHWH, would obviously be active is Acts 4,30. Above we argued that in 4,27, Jesus, the holy servant whom God anointed, should not only be understood as Messiah because of the mention of God’s servant David in v. 25, but also as Servant of YHWH. If this interpretation be accurate, then in 4,30, the persecuted Christians would be praying that God work signs, wonders and marvels through Jesus who is likewise the Servant of YHWH. However, the miracles spoken about in this verse must now clearly occur after Jesus’ resurrection, so the Christians’ petition must look to a post-resurrectional activity on the risen Jesus’ part.

        Two other passages which we have already studied indirectly view Jesus, the Servant, as active after his resurrection, namely, Acts 13,47 and 26,23. Each of these passages attributes to Jesus, with Servant-of-YHWH terminology, an activity which is actually being carried out by his followers. In 13,46-47, Paul and Barnabas tell their Jewish audience