Any of men can be GOD’s servant, naturally and morally. But the former mode [natural] attributes nothing of proper praise to Moses, since in fact all — as much the good as the evil — perform servitude toward GOD; nay, in a manner even all things, as much spiritual as corporeal, as much animate as inanimate, as much in heaven as on earth. For He is utterly their supreme Lord — immense, perpetual, needing nothing, depending on none, circumscribed by no kind of things, persons, duration, or of any [particular] manner or use. So that, by the custom of the divine letters and of the Christian people (which no other nation, or writer, dared to use of their gods), He is everywhere called, by antonomasia, “Lord.” But morally, he alone is His servant who obeys Him — commanding, or assenting, persuading, or wishing something — and does, or omits, what He commanded, assented to, persuaded, [or] wished. And I use words of this kind, several [of them], that I may signify that this title is acquired not only by GOD’s precepts, but also by His counsels. And this can be considered both on the part of the things which—
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—[the things] which are commanded, or wished, [rather] than on the part of the manner in which they are done. For in the former mode, either there is only one such thing, or several; and again a greater or lesser [one]. But in the latter mode, either greater or lesser care is applied to effecting those things. For without doubt, one who effects several things — yet of the same magnitude — is to be called GOD’s servant with a greater title than one who [effects] one; and again, one who [effects] greater [things] than one who [effects] lesser; and one who [effects them] with greater and interior care than one who [does so] with lesser and slacker [care]. But with the greatest [title] of all, [is he] who [effects] both more and greater [things], with greater care. For this can be gathered from the very nature of servitude, and from the common opinion about good servants. Whence also the Lord (Luke 17, v. 10) comparatively calls him “unprofitable” who does only what the Lord had commanded, but not also those [things] which He had hinted and shown to be pleasing to Him: “Doth [the Lord],” He says, “have thanks [gratia] to that servant, because he did the [things] he had commanded him?” And again: “So you also, when you shall have done all the [things] that are commanded you, say: We are unprofitable servants. What we ought (namely, by precept) to do, we have done.” Rightly indeed [says] Seneca (bk. 3 On Benefits, ch. 21): “By a servant is rendered to [his] Lord a [due] service; and sometimes even a benefit, when more than is necessary is rendered by him.” Masius, therefore, judges [that] Moses is called “GOD’s servant” for one single cause of a command which he had carried out at GOD’s nod. But that praise of Moses would be too narrow and too common. For, in the first place, even Saul, and almost any other King, or Judge, or Prince, is GOD’s servant in that mode. “For there is no power but from GOD” (Rom. 13); and “by Him Kings reign” (Proverbs 8:15). Nay, Nabuchodonosor is thus, in the scriptures, called even GOD’s servant (Jeremiah ch. 25:9; 27:6; 43:10). Then elsewhere, as below (ch. 22), most often is [Moses] adorned with this same praise of “servant of GOD,” as will appear below, even where no account was taken of his rule and governance, but rather of [his] virtues and his utmost diligence in obedience to GOD. Why not, therefore, in this place also? Thirdly, Scripture is wont to bestow this epithet more willingly on account of distinguished labor in GOD’s worship, and assiduous zeal, than on account of the mere governance of some people. For thus are called “servants of God”: Abraham (Ps. 104 [& 105]:43 [143]); Isaac (Dan. 3); Jacob (2 Macc. 1); Job himself (ch. 1, 2, 42:7–8); David (Ps. 88:4 & 21; Ezek. 34 & 38; Jer. 33; Isa. 37; 1 Macc. 4); Daniel (in his own book, ch. 6:20; ch. 14:36); the Prophets themselves (Dan. 9:10; Zech. 1:6); and elsewhere, and others everywhere, so many. St. Jerome (at the beginning of the epistle to Titus): “This servitude is not that of which the Apostle himself says: ‘For you have not received the spirit of servitude again in fear, but you have received the spirit of the adoption of sons, whereby we cry, Abba, Father’; but [it is] a noble servitude, of which David also speaks to GOD: ‘I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid.’ And the blessed Mary [says] to the Angel: ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word.’ This servitude Moses too had, of whom the Lord [says] to Jesus son of Nave: ‘Moses (says He) my servant is dead.’ And in another place: ‘Moses the servant of the Lord died in the land of Moab by the word of the Lord.’ Far be it, indeed, that we should believe Moses and Mary had the spirit of servitude in fear, and not in the love of GOD. Nor [is it any] wonder [that], although [they be] holy men, yet [they are] nobly called servants of GOD — since, through the Prophet Isaiah, the Father speaks to the Son: ‘It is a great thing for thee to be called my puer [servant/child]’: which—
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—in Greek is said: μέγα σοί ἐστι τὸ κληθῆναί σε παῖδά μου [mega soi esti to klēthēnai se paida mou, “it is a great thing for thee to be called my servant/child”]. But “puer” — that is, παῖς — because it can, according to the Greeks, signify both servant and son*: in the Hebrew we sought, and found [that] it is written not “my son,” but “my servant,” that is* עבדי [avdi]. Whence also the Prophet Abdias [Obadiah] — whose [name] is interpreted “servant of the Lord” — received [his] name from [his] service to GOD.” Moses, therefore, was GOD’s servant, because he served GOD [with] his whole life, and directed all his actions, studies, and thoughts to His worship and will — and that with a certain special care and straining of mind — although sometimes he lapsed a little, by the fault of human weakness.