2159、“仆人”是指变成神性之前的属于主的人身，这从先知书中的许多经文清楚看出来。原因（如前面频繁所说明的）是，在主脱去属于祂的人身，并将其变成神性之前，这人身只是一个仆人。属于主的人身来自母亲，因而是软弱的，并从母亲那里获得一种遗传元素；祂通过试探的争战战胜并完全逐出这种遗传元素，甚至到了这种程度：从母亲那里获得的软弱和遗传元素丝毫不剩，直到最终凡来自母亲的东西都荡然无存。因此，祂完全脱去了来自母亲的一切，故不再是她的儿子，祂自己在马可福音中也说到这一点：
他们对耶稣说，看哪，你母亲和你弟兄在外边找你。耶稣回答他们说，谁是我的母亲？谁是我的弟兄？就环视坐在祂周围的人，说，看哪，我的母亲，我的弟兄。凡遵行神旨意的人，就是我的弟兄、姐妹和母亲了。（马可福音3:32-35；马太福音12:46-49；路加福音8:20-21）
一旦脱去这人身，祂就披上神性人身；祂凭这神性人身自称人子，如我们在新约圣言中多次看到的，还自称“神的儿子”。主所说的“人子”是指真理本身，“神的儿子”是指属于变成神性时的人身或人性本质的良善本身。前一种状态是主谦卑的状态，而后一种状态是祂荣耀的状态，如前所述（1999节）。
由于在前一种状态，即谦卑的状态下，祂仍有一个属于祂的软弱人身，所以祂崇拜耶和华如同崇拜不是祂自己的一个人，事实上，祂就像一个仆人，因为相对于神性，人身只是一个仆人；因此，在圣言中，“仆人”这个词论及这人身，如以赛亚书：
为了我自己的缘故，又为了我仆人大卫的缘故，我必保护那城，拯救那城。（以赛亚书37:35）
这论述的是亚述人，一位使者在亚述营中杀了十八万五千人。“大卫”是指主，主因还没有到来，故就人身而言，被称为“仆人”。在圣言中，“大卫”是指主（参看1888节）。
同一先知书：
看哪，我要倚靠的仆人，我所拣选的，我的灵魂就喜悦。我已将我的灵放在祂身上，祂必将公理传给列族。（以赛亚书42:1）
这明显论及主；当祂处于人身时，“仆人”和“所拣选的”这些词就论及祂。又：
除了我的仆人外，谁还那么瞎呢？谁如同我差遣的使者那么聋呢？谁瞎得像一个完全人，谁瞎得像耶和华的仆人呢？（以赛亚书42:19）
这也论及主；当祂处于人身时，“仆人”和“使者”这些词同样论及祂。
又：
耶和华说，你们是我的见证，我所拣选的仆人；你们可以知道，且相信我，又明白我就是祂。（以赛亚书43:10）
又：
耶和华说，就是从子宫中就形成我作祂的仆人，要使雅各再次归向祂，使以色列聚集到祂那里的；祂说，你作我的仆人，建立雅各众支派，尚为小事；我还要使你作列族的光，使我的救恩直达地极。（以赛亚书49:5-6）
这也明显论述主和祂那成为“列族的光”，“使救恩直达地极”之前的人身。又：
你们中间谁是敬畏耶和华、听从祂仆人声音（voice）的？谁是在黑暗中行走，没有亮光的？让他信靠耶和华的名，倚赖他的神。（以赛亚书50:10）
此处“仆人”也表示属于主的人身；“耶和华仆人的声音”表示祂处于这人身，并教导真理之路。
又：
耶和华必在你们前头行；以色列的神必聚集你们。看哪，我的仆人必行事谨慎，必被高举上升，且高高升起。（以赛亚书52:12-13）
显然，“仆人”在此论及当处于人身时的主，因为经上论到祂说，祂“必被高举上升，且升起”。又：
祂没有佳形，也没有威仪。我们看见祂，祂也无美貌。祂被藐视，是忧患之人，多受病痛。耶和华却愿意将祂压伤，使祂软弱；祂若献灵魂为赎罪祭，必看见种，并且延长日子，耶和华的旨意必在祂手中亨通；祂必看见自己灵魂劳苦的果子，便满足；有许多人因认识我的义仆得称为义，并且祂自己担当了他们的罪孽。（以赛亚书53:2-3，10-11）
此处和这一整章一样，公开论述主的谦卑状态；经上还说，那时祂处于一个软弱的人身，即：祂是“忧患之人，多受病痛”、“软弱”，并经历“自己灵魂劳苦”，此外还有其它许多话；在这种状态下，祂被称为“仆人”。
Potts(1905-1910) 2159
2159. That the "servant" denotes the human that appertained to the Lord, before it was made Divine, may be seen from many passages in the Prophets. The reason is-as already shown several times-that until He had put it off and made it Divine the human that appertained to the Lord was merely a servant. The human that appertained to Him was from the mother, thus was infirm, having with it from the mother an hereditary which by means of the combats of temptations He overcame and utterly expelled, insomuch that nothing was left of that which was infirm and hereditary from the mother, nay, at last there remained not anything whatever from the mother. Thus He entirely put off all that was from the mother, and therefore was no longer her son, as also He himself says in Mark:
They said unto Him, Behold Thy mother and Thy brethren without seek for Thee: and He answered them, saying, Who is My mother, or My brethren? And looking round on them that sat about Him, He said, Behold My mother and My brethren; for whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is My brother, and My sister, and My mother (Mark 3:32-35; Matt. 12:46-49; Luke 8:20, 21). [2] And when He had put off this human, He put on the Divine Human, from which He called Himself the "Son of man," as we find many times in the Word of the New Testament; and also the "Son of God;" and by the "Son of man" He meant the truth itself, and by the "Son of God" the good itself, which belonged to His Human Essence when this was made Divine. The former state was that of the Lord's humiliation, but the latter that of His glorification (treated of before, n. 1999). [3] In the former state, namely, that of humiliation, when as yet He had appertaining to Him an infirm human, He adored Jehovah as one other than Himself, and indeed like a servant; for relatively to the Divine the human is nothing else, on which account in the Word the term "servant" is predicated of that human, as in Isaiah:
I will defend this city to save it, for Mine own sake, and for My servant David's sake (Isa. 37:35), where the Assyrians are treated of, in whose camp a hundred and eighty-five thousand were smitten by an angel. "David" denotes the Lord, who, as He was to come, in respect to the human is called a "servant." (That in the Word "David" denotes the Lord, may be seen above, n. 1888.) [4] In the same Prophet:
Behold My servant upon whom I will lean; My chosen, My soul is well pleased. I have put My spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment unto the nations (Isa. 42:1), manifestly concerning the Lord, of whom, when He was in the human, the terms "servant" and "chosen" are predicated. Again:
Who is blind but My servant? and deaf, as the angel I will send? who is blind as the perfect one, and blind as the servant of Jehovah? (Isa. 42:19), where also the Lord is spoken of; and of whom in like manner the terms "servant" and "angel" are predicated when He was in the human. [5] Again:
Ye are My witnesses, saith Jehovah, and My servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He (Isa. 43:10). Again:
Said Jehovah, My Former from the womb to be His servant; to bring Jacob again unto Him, and that Israel be gathered unto Him; and He said, Thou art a slight thing that thou shouldest be My servant, to set up the tribes of Jacob I have given thee for a light of the nations to be My salvation unto the extremity of the earth (Isa. 49:5, 6), where also the Lord and His human are manifestly treated of before He was made the "light of the nations," and "salvation unto the extremity of the earth." Again:
Who is among you that feareth Jehovah, that heareth the voice of His servant, who walketh in darkness, and hath no brightness? let him trust in the name of Jehovah, and lean upon His God (Isa. 50:10). "Servant" here also denotes the human that appertained to the Lord; and that He was in this human and taught the way of truth, is the "voice of the servant of Jehovah." [6] Again:
Jehovah goeth before you, and the God of Israel gathereth you. Behold, My servant shall act prudently, he shall be lifted up, and shall be exalted, and shall be raised up exceedingly (Isa. 5212, 13). It is evident that "servant" is here predicated of the Lord when He was in the human; for it is said of Him that He "shall be lifted up, exalted, and raised up." Again:
He hath no form and no honor; we saw him, but there was no appearance; He was despised, a man of sorrows, acquainted with disease. Jehovah willed to bruise him; He made him infirm; if he shall make his soul guilt, he shall see seed, he shall prolong days, and the will of Jehovah shall prosper by his hand; he shall see of the labor of his soul, he shall be satisfied; by his knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many; and he himself hath carried their iniquities (Isa;. 53:2, 3, 10, 11). Here, as in the whole of this chapter, the Lord's state of humiliation is openly treated of; and it is also said that He was then in an infirm human, namely, that He was a "man of sorrows, acquainted with disease, infirm, was in the labor of His soul," besides a number of other statements, in which state He is called "servant."
Elliott(1983-1999) 2159
2159. That 'servant' means the Lord's human before it was made Divine becomes clear from many places in the Prophets. The reason, which has been given frequently already, is this: The Lord's human, before He cast it off and made it Divine, was nothing else than a servant. His human came from the mother and was for that reason imperfect. From her it possessed a hereditary element which He overcame and utterly cast aside by means of the conflicts brought about by temptations. He did so even to the point when nothing was left of the imperfect and hereditary element received from the mother, indeed until at length nothing whatever from the mother remained. He cast off that which came from the mother so completely that He was no longer her son, as He also Himself declares in Mark,
They said to Jesus, Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are outside, asking for You. And He answered them. saying, Who is My mother, or My brothers? And looking around on those who were sitting around Him He said, Behold My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother, and My sister, and My mother. Mark 3 32-35; Matt 12: 46-50; Luke 8:-20-21.
[2] Once He had cast off this human He put on the Divine Human, by virtue of which He called Himself the Son of Man, as may be seen many times in the New Testament Word, and also the Son of God. By 'the Son of Man' He meant truth itself and by 'the Son of God' good itself which belonged to His Human Essence once this had been made Divine. The former state was that of the Lord's humiliation but the latter that of His glorification, which has been dealt with already in 1999.
[3] In the former state, namely the state of humiliation, when He still had the imperfect human with Him, He worshipped Jehovah as one other than Himself, and was indeed like a servant, for the imperfect human is by comparison nothing else. In the Word also therefore that human is referred to as 'a servant', as in Isaiah,
I will protect this city to save it for My own sake and for the sake of David My servant. Isa 37: 35.
This refers to the Assyrians in whose camp an angel slew a hundred and eighty-five thousand. 'David' stands for the Lord who, because He is yet to come, is, as regards the human, called 'a servant'. That 'David' in the Word stands for the Lord, see 1888.
[4] In the same prophet,
Behold, My servant on whom I will lean, My chosen [in whom] My soul is well pleased. I have put My spirit upon him; he will bring forth judgement to the nations. Isa 42: 1.
This is a plain reference to the Lord, of whom, when He was in the human, the expressions 'servant' and 'chosen one' are used. In the same prophet,
Who is blind but My servant, and deaf as My angela whom I will send? Who is blind as the perfect one, and blind as the servant or Jehovah? Isa 42: 19.
This too is a reference to the Lord, of whom in a similar way, when He was in the human, the expressions 'servant' and 'angel' are used.
[5] In the same prophet,
You are My witnesses, said Jehovah, and My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Isa 43: 10.
In the same prophet,
[Then] said Jehovah who formed me from the worm, to be a servant to Him, to bring back Jacob to Him, and that Israel might be gathered to Him - He said, It is a light thing that you should be a servant to Me to raise up the tribes of Jacob. I have given you as a light of the nations, to be My salvation right to the ends of the earth. Isa 49: 5, 6.
This too is a plain reference to the Lord and to His human before it was made 'a light of the nations' and 'a salvation to the ends of the earth'. In the same prophet,
Who among you fears Jehovah, hearkens to the voice of His servant who walks in darkness and has no brightness? Let him trust in the name of Jehovah and lean on his God. Isa 50: 10.
'Servant' again stands for the Lord's human. His teaching of the way of truth, while He was in that Human, is meant by 'the voice of Jehovah's servant'.
[6] In the same prophet,
Jehovah goes before you, and the God of Israel gathers you up. Behold, My servant will deal wisely; he will be raised up and exalted and lifted up very high. Isa 52: 12, 13.
'Servant' is clearly used in reference to the Lord when He was in the human, because it is said of Him that He will be raised up, exalted, and lifted up. In the same prophet,
He had no form and no honour. We saw him, but there was no beauty in him. He was despised, a man of sorrows, acquainted with sickness. Jehovah was willing to bruise him and make him imperfect. If he makes his soul guilt he will see his seed he will prolong his days, and the will of Jehovah will prosper by his hand. He will see [the fruit of] the travail of his soul and be satisfied; by his knowledge will the righteous one My servant make many righteous; and He has borne their iniquities. Isa 53: 2, 3, 10, 11.
Here reference is openly made, as in the whole of this chapter, to the Lord's state of humiliation. The fact that in that state He was in the imperfect human is also declared, namely in the statements that He was 'a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief', 'was made imperfect', and experienced 'the travail of his soul', besides many other statements, in which state He is referred to as 'a servant'.
Latin(1748-1756) 2159
2159. Quod `servus' sit humanum apud Dominum antequam Divinum factum, constare potest ex pluribus locis apud Propheta' causa est, de qua aliquoties prius, quod humanum apud Dominum non aliud fuerit, antequam illud exuerit, et Divinum fecerit: humanum apud Ipsum fuit ex matre, ita infirmum, secum habens inde hereditarium, quod per tentationum pugnas {1} evicit et prorsus expuli usque adeo ut nihil reliqui de infirmo et hereditario (c)ex matre habuerit, immo tandem nec quicquam a matre; sic ut exuerit prorsus maternum ut non amplius filius ejus; quemadmodum etiam Ipse dicit, apud Marcum, Dixerunt Jesu, Ecce mater Tua, et fratres Tui foris quaerunt Te; et {2} respondit illis, dicens, Quae est mater Mea, aut fratres Me et circumspiciens circumcirca, qui circum Ipsum sedebant, dixi Ecce mater Mea, et fratres Mei; quisquis namque fecerit voluntatem Dei, hic frater Meus, et soror Mea, et mater Mea, iii 32-35; Matth. xii 46-49 [A.V. 46-50]; Luc. viii 20, 21. [2] Cumque exuerit hoc humanum, induit Humanum Divinum, ex quo appellavit Se `Filium hominis,' ut pluries in Verbo Novi Testamenti, tum etiam `Filium Dei'; et per `Filium hominis' significavit ipsum verum et per `Filium Dei' ipsum bonum, quod fuit Humanae Ipsius Essentiae cum facta Divina; prior status fuit humiliationis Domini, hic autem glorificationis Ipsius, de quo prius, n. 1999: [3] in statu priore, nempe humiliationis, cum adhuc habuit {3} apud se' humanum infirmum, adoravit Jehovam sicut alium a Se, et quidem sicut servus, nam humanum `infirmum' non aliud est respective; quare etiam in Verbo de humano illo praedicatur `servus'; ut apud Esaiam, Protegam super civitatem hanc ad servandum illam propter Me, et propter Davidem servum Meum, xxxvii 35;ubi de Assyriis, in quorum castris ab angelo percussi sunt centum et octoginta quinque omnia; `David' pro {4} Domino Qui quia venturus, quoad humanum dicitur `servus'; quod `David' in Verbo pro Domino, videatur n. 1888: [4] apud eundem Prophetam, Ecce, servus Meus, cui innitar, electus Meus, beneplacet anima Mea, dedi spiritum Meum super illum; judicium gentibus proferet, xlii 1;
ubi manifeste de Domino de quo `servus et electus,' cum fuit in humano, praedicatur: apud eundem, Quis caecus, nisi servus Meus et surdus sicut angelus [Meus, quem] mittam? quis caecus sicut perfectus, et caecus sicut servus Jehovae? xlii 19;
ubi etiam de Domino de quo similiter `servus et angelus,' cum fuit in humano, praedicatur: [5] apud eandem, Vos testes Mei, dictum Jehovae, et servus Meus, quem elegi; propterea ut sciatis et credatis Mihi, et intelligatis, quod Ego Ipse, xliii 10:
apud eundem, Dixit Jehovah formator meus ab utero in servum sibi, ad reducendum Jacobum ad Ipsum, et Israel Ipsi congregetur:... et dixit, Leve est {5}, ut sis Mihi servus ad erigendum tribus Jacobi,... dedi te in lucem gentium, ad esse salutem Meam usque ad extremitatem terrae, xlix 5, 6;
ubi etiam manifeste de Domino, ac de humano Ipsius, antequam factus `lux gentium,' et `salus ad extremitatem terrae '{6}: `apud eundem, Quis inter vos timens Jehovae, audiens vocem servi Ipsius, qui ambulat in tenebris, et non splendor ei? confidat in nomine Jehovae, et innitatur Deo suo, l 10;
`servus' etiam pro humano apud Dominum, in quo cum fuit et docuit viam veritatis, est `vox servi Jehovae': [6] apud eundem, Vadens coram vobis Jehovah, et colligens vos Deus Israelis, ecce prudenter aget servus Meus, (x)extolletur et exaltabitur et evehetur valde, lii 12, 13;
quod de Domino cum fuit in humano praedicetur `servus,' constat nam de illo dicitur, quod `extolletur, exaltabitur et evehetur': apud eundem, Non forma illi, et non honor, vidimus illum, sed non aspectus,... contemptus, vir dolorum, notus morbo; Jehovah voluit conterere illum, infirmum fecit: si posuerit reatum animam suam, videbit semen, prolongabit dies, et voluntas Jehovae per manum Ipsius prosperabitur: ex labore animae suae videbit, saturabitur, per cognitionem suam justificabit justus servus Meus multos; iniquitates eorum Ipse portavit, liii 2, 3, 10, 11;
ubi aperte, sicut in toto hoc capite {7} agitur de statu humiliationis Domini; quod tunc in infirmo humano, etiam dicitur, nempe quo `vir dolorum, notus morbo, infirmus, in labore animae suae fuerit praeter plura, in quo statu praedicatur `servus.' @1 i et victorias.$ @2 at.$ @3 apud se haberet.$ @4 i ibi.$ @5 es I.$ @6 i hoc est Deus et Jehovah.$ @7 i apud prophetam.$