A Hebrew man could sell himself as a slave to pay any debt (Ex. 21:1-6; Lev. 25:39-45; Deut. 15:12-18). This type of voluntary slavery shouldn’t be confused with forced slavery, or the slavery of the Antebellum period. Moses said that such slaves were to be released after six years of service. In order for the newly freed slave to start a new life, the master was to give them ample provision.
In some cases a slave may feel happy to stay with his master indefinitely, and decide not to leave. Many Hebrew slaves were treated like family members, such as Abraham’s servant Eliezer (Gen. 24:2-67). The master would ceremonially pierce the ear of the slave as part of the procedure of staying. This piercing marked the slave as being completely committed to his master.
This is a wonderful picture of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul said, “He made Himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Php. 2:7-8). Jesus was God in flesh, but He willingly submitted Himself to servanthood. In doing so, He was pierced for our transgressions (Isa. 53:5).
Jesus became a servant, so He could free us from the slavery of sin. Jesus became what He wasn’t, so we could become what we weren’t. Now that we are free from sin, we willingly become His servants. Like the apostle Paul, we bear in our body the marks of our Master, the Lord Jesus Christ (Gal. 6:17).