There are two Greek words that are very interesting:

Kyrios –means lord, master, owner

Doulos –means slave

The apostle Paul and the other apostles, in their letters, present themselves as servants of Jesus Christ, but the original meaning of the word used by them is doulos, this is, in all their letters they present themselves as “slaves of Jesus Christ.”

This gives those who serve God nowadays a much clearer sense, because our condition is as slaves of Jesus, which lets us understand that we have no right to anything other than to serve our Master and Owner.

When Jesus said we couldn’t serve two masters, in the original translation, it would be: “we cannot be slaves to two masters.” This was because the slave could only belong to one owner, who would mark him with his initials so that it was clear whom he belonged to.

At the time of slavery, slaves were the property of their master, so he could do whatever he wanted with them. He could put them to work in the field, with the plow, cleaning the corrals or the house, they could work inside their owner’s home or be sent on a mission representing their master. Meaning the slave would be wherever his owner wanted him to be. And this was not a problem for the slave, because he was aware of his condition.

A slave did not have a right to anything, he had no salary, and not even his wife belonged to him, because as a slave she also belonged to the master. The slave’s children were born as slaves and also belonged to their master. The slave only received food, and a place to sleep, nothing else.

The joy and pleasure of a slave was to see his master happy and pleased with the services he had rendered. There were no prizes or rewards for the slave for the service provided, because it was his obligation.

Jesus said:

So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants (slaves). We have done what was our duty to do.’ Luke 17.10

This was their understanding, so they did not complain about where they were sent, whether inside the house, the corral or the scorching sun of the field, they simply served.

They could not escape, because if they did, they would be killed. This allows us to understand better when Jesus said that if someone puts his hand in the plow and looks back, he is not worthy of the Kingdom of God, because a fleeing slave was a dead and worthless slave.

The consciousness of a servant (slave) goes beyond what we understand today, because, with the end of slavery and the modern era, we now have servants (slaves) with equal rights, who only want to be where it’s good and pleasant. They want their lives to be easy breezy. Many even want to give orders to their master, and impose their will. Some make faces when they are rebuked and do not submit to those who have authority over them. They complain, murmur, are rebellious, and flee. They are an embarrassment to the Lord and to the faithful servants (slaves) who have lived a life of pure bondage for years.

For us, the servants (slaves) of the Lord Jesus, there is comfort and hope: our Lord is righteous and kind, and one day He will come to reward those who have been good and faithful in the service they have rendered throughout their lives.

Do not be surprised when this day comes, because many who are last now, forgotten by men, true strangers who are in the most remote places of the world, will occupy positions of prominence with their Lord who has seen their tears, humiliations, injustices, battles, deserts, and also how they served with all their love and devotion, being good and faithful servants. They remained faithful, clean and fearful. They did not open their mouths to complain or justify themselves, they just waited for the Lord to come back and honor them.

Therefore, to confess Jesus as Lord is to confess Him as our Owner and Master (kyrios) and us as His slaves (doulos).

The question that remains is: What kind of servant (slave) have you been? Good and faithful or fleeing?