Many Bible teachers have pointed out that the slave in 21:1-6 is a type of the Lord Jesus. I agree. The slave in these verses does typify Christ. The Lord Jesus lived on earth as a slave. Thus, as the standard of the highest human living, the Lord in His living fulfilled the requirement of the first ordinance of the law concerning our relationship with others.
According to Exodus 21, a slave who loved his master and wanted to remain in his service was brought to the doorpost, and his ear was bored through with an awl (vv. 5-6). This indicates that a slave’s ear was to be opened to hear the voice of his master. Two portions in the Old Testament which speak prophetically of Christ as a slave mention the Lord’s ear. In Psalm 40:6 we have the Lord’s word to God: “Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened.” Here we see that what God desires is not sacrifice or offering, but ears which are open to Him. God opened the ears of the Lord Jesus so that He could do God’s will. Speaking of Christ, Isaiah 50:4 and 5 say, “The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. The Lord God hath opened mine ear....” As a slave of God, the Lord Jesus was given the tongue not of a teacher, but of a learned one. He also said that God opened His ears that He might hear as a learned one and listen to God’s word. This reveals that if we are not learned ones, we cannot speak for God. Before we can speak for Him, we must first be taught by Him.
In John 14:31 the Lord Jesus said, “But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father commanded Me, so I do.” Because the Lord Jesus loved God the Father, He kept the Father’s word not only as a Son, but especially as a slave. He listened to God and did God’s will by keeping His word. It was the will of God that the Lord Jesus die on the cross to redeem God’s chosen people. The Father gave this commandment to the Lord, and out of love for the Father the Lord obeyed Him as a slave and went to the cross. Thus, His death on the cross was an act of obedience. Paul says that Christ became “obedient even unto death, and that the death of a cross” (Phil. 2:8). Out of obedience to God, Christ died in a shameful manner. He died the death of a criminal, of a malefactor, executed by crucifixion according to the way of the Romans. Only a slave would be willing to die in this way.
The Bible reveals that as believers in Christ, we are not only God’s creatures, but also God’s sons. In the old creation we are creatures of God; in the new creation we have become sons of God. However, if we maintain our rank as creatures and sons, we shall not be able to keep God’s word. To keep His word, we need to empty ourselves and humble ourselves, laying aside the rank both of a creature and of a son. Then we shall be slaves with God as our Master. According to the type in Exodus 21, Christ is the slave, and God is the Master. If we would take Christ as our pattern, we must learn to be slaves, those who sacrifice everything for others.
The apostle Paul followed the Lord Jesus to be a slave. He opens the book of Romans with these words: “Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus.” In Titus 1:1 he refers to himself as “a slave of God.” As a slave of Christ and of God, Paul was willing to empty himself, humble himself, and sacrifice his rank, rights, and privileges. There is no question that in this matter he walked in the steps of the Lord Jesus. The Lord was a slave of God, and Paul also was such a slave by the serving and sacrificing life of Christ.
I would again emphasize that the reason the ordinance concerning slaves comes first is that if we do not have the spirit of a slave, we cannot keep the other ordinances to have a proper human life before God. For example, 23:4 says that if an Israelite saw his enemy’s ox going astray, he was to return it to him. Furthermore, if an Israelite saw an ass belonging to someone who hated him lying under his burden, he was to render help (23:5). If the Israelite had the spirit, the attitude, of a slave, he would be willing to help in this way. He would say to himself, “I am a slave serving God my Master. I love my Master, and I love His people. Even though this Israelite hates me and is an enemy to me, he is nonetheless one of God’s people. I must fulfill the duty of a slave and take care of his cattle.” However, if the Israelite did not have the spirit of a slave, he might rejoice to see harm done to cattle belonging to his enemy. He may regard this as God’s way to judge his enemy and punish him. Such an attitude would be far from that of a slave.
If we would keep the divine ordinances, we must be slaves. God’s law requires this. Those who are not willing to be slaves cannot keep God’s law. As One who Himself became a slave, the Lord Jesus taught His disciples, at the very time they were striving to be first, to take the position of a slave. He said to them, “Whoever wants to be first among you shall be your slave; even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:27-28).