Jesus' Public Service

In the original Greek, one important word having to do with worship is lei-tour-gi'a, which  is translated "public service"  in the New World Translation. In Christendom lei-tour-gi'a has given rise to the word "liturgy." However, the formalistic liturgies if Christendom are not a truly beneficial public service.  

The apostle Paul used a Greek word related to lei-tour-gi'a with reference to Israel's  priests. He said:  "Every priest takes his station from day to day to render public service [a form of  lei-tour-gi'a] and to offer the same sacrifices often." (Hebrews 10:11)   Levite priests  rendered a very valuable public service in Israel.  They taught God's Law and offered sacrifices  that covered the sins of the people.  (2 Chronicles 15:3; Malachi 2:7) When the priests and the people followed Jehovah's Law, the nation had reasons to be joyful. -Deuteronomy 16:15. 

Rendering public service under the Law was a real privilege for Israelite priests, but their service ceased to have any value when Israel was rejected because of  unfaithfulness. (Matthew 21:43) Jehovah arranged  for something far grander-the public service performed by Jesus, the great High Priest. Concerning him, we read:  "He because of continuing alive forever has his priesthood without any successors.  Consequently he is able to  save completely those who are approaching God through him, because he is always alive to plead for them." ." -Hebrews 7:24, 25.

Jesus continues as priest forever, without successors. Thus, only he can save people completely. He performs that unparalleled public service, not in a man-made temple, but in the antitypical temple, Jehovah's great arrangement for worship that went into operation in 29 C.E. Jesus  now serves in the Most Holy of that temple, in heaven.  He is "a public servant  [lei-tour'gi'os] of the holy place and of the true tent, which  Jehovah put up, and not man." (Hebrews 8:2; 9:11, 12) Lofty as jesus' position is, he is still "a public servant."  He uses his high authority to give, not to take. And such giving brings him joy. It is part of "the joy that was set before him" and that strengthened him to endure throughout his course on earth. -Hebrews 12:2. 

There is another aspect of Jesus; public service.  Paul wrote: "Jesus has obtained a more excellent public service, so that he is also the mediator of a correspondingly better covenant, which has been legally established upon better promises."  (Hebrews 8:6) Moses mediated the covenant that was the basis of Israel's relationship with Jehovah. (Exodus 19:4, 5)  Jesus mediated  a new covenant, which made possible the birth of a new nation,  "The Israel of God," Composed of spirit-anointed Christians from many nations.  (Galatians 6:16; Hebrews 8:8, 13; Revelation 5:9, 10)  what an excellent public service that was!  How happy we are to be acquainted with Jesus, a public servant through whom we can render acceptable worship to Jehovah! -John 14:6. 

Next time: Christians Also Render Public Service

From the Watchtower magazine, 2000