BIBLICAL BRIEFS 146
The Greek word used here is “doulos”, and simply means “slave”. A dictionary definition spells out the implications of this identity: “one who is subservient to, and completely at the disposal of, his master”. In the Roman law, a slave or “bondservant” is in a permanent position of service obligation, because he/she was the owner’s personal property. Slaves had no rights, and their owners could use, misuse, abuse, even kill them, by their own discretion, with total indemnification of any legal responsibility of what was done to the slave. In Hebrew, the word “ebed” is similar, although the Mosaic law has granted the slave freedom at some point. If you have bought a Hebrew slave, he had to serve you for six years, but in the seventh he left as a free man. However, the slave could choose to stay with the owner, and it was agreed by executing a ritual: “But if the servant plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free’, then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever.” (Ex. 21:5-6). Typologically, it is a beautiful image of the believer as a bondservant whose ear (symbolic of “to hear”, as well as to be obedient) out of free will permanently be joined to the door (= Jesus – John 10: 9). Jesus has also chosen the will of God in his life (“nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” – Luke 22:42, and Heb. 10:7 (AMP) – “Lord I am coming To do Your will, O God – [to fulfil] what is written of Me in the volume of the Book.”). That’s why he is also called God’s “Bondservant” (Isa. 53:11, Phil. 2: 7), in fact, He is the example of the greatest bondservant of all times, a voluntary sacrifice to all people (Mark 9:35). This means that, as a bondservant, I permanently have my ear on the heart of Jesus, and he permanently has his ear on the heart of our Father: “At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.”(John 14:20). It is in this light that men of faith in the Bible are called bondservants: Moses, Abraham, Joshua, David, Isaiah, Paul, Timothy, Peter, James, and many others. It’s a humble but honourable position. It also means that if you choose your slave hood to God, you give up all other masters and people’s claim towards you (Matt. 6:24), also the cruel ownership of sin upon your life (Rom. 6:19-22) and you devote yourself completely to Him and to His will (Matt. 16:24). A bondservant eventually becomes/be like his lord/master (Matt. 10:25). Slave hood is the absolute prerequisite in the Christian faith to obtain any authority (Matt. 20:27 – “And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave.”) Therefore, you are also specifically called “a servant of Christ” (Gal.1:10), the development of absolute willingness to serve the Body of Christ at all levels, so that your true sonship is defined through this and thus gain legitimacy (Gal. 4:7). With this writing, I would like to let myself be known, in absolute humility and willingness, with my ear on the Door, like Paul, in Rom. 1: 1:
Tom Gouws
