#Exetweet

1/ "Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God." 1 Corinthians 4:1

Typically when you see the word "servant" it is the Greek word δοῦλος (doulos), but not here. Paul is using the word ὑπηρέτης (huperetes).

2/ ὑπηρέτης combines "hupo" (under) and "eresso" (to row). Properly an "under-rower". Under-rowers in ancient times where those oarsman underneath the ship that rowed when the captain commanded. It was not a prestigious position at all, however, it wasn't as low as "doulos".

3/ The "us" in the verse that Paul is referring to are the apostles. Paul is calling himself and the apostles "under-rowers". He called himself a "doulos" before in Scripture. What he means by under-rower is that he is subordinate to his Captain (Christ). He does exactly...

4/...what the Lord directs him to do without question just as an under-rower will put his oar in the water when the captain commands, & will lift it out when the captain commands him to halt. The under-rower never questions his captain thus Paul never questions Christ's commands.

5/ Paul also likens himself and the apostles to "stewards". The word he uses is οἰκονόμος (oikonomos) which means "house manager". The steward of the house was a slave, but he was the slave in charge of all the slaves. Joseph was made house manager by Potiphar over everything...

6/...and everyone who served Potiphar.

Paul is showing us that while the apostles were "douloi" (slaves) they were also the slaves that Christ chose to rank over all the slaves. They were entrusted with the distribution of God's truth (mysteries).

7/ Stewards were the slaves the masters trusted most, so they were given the most responsibility. Paul and the apostles were entrusted as the house managers of all God's affairs on the earth.

This is why Paul says that he is an "under-rower" first, to show his subjection...

8/...to Christ. He heeds His every command. Then he calls himself a "house-manager/steward" to show that God has put he and the apostles in charge of Christ's earthly affairs, thus they rank over other believers in the charge of His word, yet are still subject like us to God.