Deciphering the Three Classes of Servants in Scripture
The term “eunuch” (from the Greek eunoukhos, meaning “bed-keeper” or “chamberlain”) appears numerous times in the King James Bible, often referring to a powerful court official. Yet, as our Saviour Himself defined, the term encompasses three distinct classes of men, illuminating a profound spiritual truth regarding sacrifice and dedication to God’s kingdom.
I. The Political and Physical Definition
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for eunuch, saris, has a dual meaning. Primarily, it refers to a man who has been castrated, a common, albeit barbaric, practice in ancient Near Eastern monarchies. These men were often placed in positions of great trust—as guards of the royal harem (ensuring no succession rivalry) or as high administrative officials.
However, saris can also be used as a title, meaning simply a high-ranking “officer” or “chamberlain” of the court, irrespective of his physical condition.
- A Historical Example: Potiphar, whom Joseph served, is called “an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard” (Genesis 39:1, KJV). The Hebrew word translated as “officer” is saris, suggesting a position of royal authority.
- The Law’s Exclusion and God’s Mercy: The Mosaic Law initially barred a man “that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off” from the congregation of the LORD (Deuteronomy 23:1, KJV), marking a physical exclusion from full public worship. Yet, the prophetic word of Isaiah promised a reversal of this outcast status for the faithful:
“For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.” (Isaiah 56:4-5, KJV)
This prophecy reveals that God judges the heart and the covenant-keeping obedience, not the physical body or earthly lineage.
II. Christ’s Threefold Distinction
The fullest and most crucial understanding of the eunuch comes from the lips of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who categorized them into three groups, making the term metaphorical as well as literal:
“For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.” (Matthew 19:12, KJV)
- “Eunuchs… born from their mother’s womb”: These are those who are born with some natural physical inability or lack of inclination toward marriage and procreation. This is a condition determined by God’s providence from birth.
- “Eunuchs… made eunuchs of men”: This refers to the literal, historical practice of castration, often for servitude in royal courts, as seen throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Esther’s servants, the men threatened to be taken from Hezekiah’s house in Isaiah 39:7). This is a physical condition imposed by others.
- “Eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake”: This is the crucial, spiritual application. This is not a call to physical self-mutilation, which is contrary to biblical teaching and the spirit of the Law, but a voluntary, lifelong commitment to celibacy and singleness. It is a man or woman who chooses to forego the earthly relationship of marriage to dedicate themselves wholly and without distraction to the work of the Gospel and the expectation of Christ’s return (The Return Question).
III. The Lesson for the Church of the Last Days
The ultimate lesson of the eunuch is one of focused devotion. The man who “makes himself a eunuch for the kingdom of heaven’s sake” (the voluntary eunuch) accepts a divine calling to sacrifice personal comfort and the lawful blessings of marriage to be free from earthly care. This allows him to fully occupy his time and energy in the pursuit of God’s will:
“But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.” (1 Corinthians 7:32-33, KJV)
The Bible’s handling of the eunuch—from the exclusion in the Law to the prophetic promise in Isaiah to Christ’s spiritual application in the Gospel—is a powerful demonstration of God’s grace and redemptive plan. It confirms that the Lord honors all those who, regardless of their earthly circumstance (whether physical, political, or voluntary), set their heart on His covenant and serve in anticipation of the glorious appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ.