• Terrible Times In The Last Days
• Jesus’ Ear Was Pierced
• Hook's Points
• New Price List
• Ananias and Paul on Conversion
• Polygamy

Several times the following words (the author’s name is not given) have been sung by our congregation. Each time we sang them, I wondered how many of those participating understood to what the words allude.

"Pierce my ear, O Lord my God.
Take me to your door this day.
I will serve no other god.
Lord, I’m here to stay.
For you have paid the price for me.
With your blood you have ransomed me.
I will serve you eternally.
A free man I’ll never be."

Surely, I had read Exodus 21:1-6 many times, but I had not seen the picture of Jesus until it was pointed out by our brother, Given O. Blakeley. There it is written: "When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s and he shall go out alone. But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for life."

Though Jesus "was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant (slave), being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (Phil. 2:6-8).

God gave some to him which he promised to raise up at that last day (John 6:37-39; 10:28-19; 17:2). Through his atonement he was able to say, "Here am I, and the children God has given me." He accepted servitude in order to deliver those subject to lifelong bondage (Heb. 2:10-18).

In his obedience even unto death he destroyed every rule and every authority and power, yet "When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things under him, that God may be everything to every one" (1 Cor. 15:24-28). This all relates to Jesus’ death, resurrection, and his choosing to remain with us earthly crea-tures, the bride given him, in his continuing presence with us.

In all this Jesus chose to remain subject to his Father because of his love for his "wife and children," as it were – those whom God gave him. His ear was pierced as a perpetual witness of his slavery.

This was prophesied by David and Isaiah (Psalms 40:6-7; Isa. 50:5-6) in similar statements relating to his submission to death. David wrote, "Sacrifices and offering thou hast no delight in; mine ears hast thou opened; burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I am come; in the roll of the book it is written of me: I delight to do thy will, O my God… " (ASV). A footnote on the word translated opened reads "Ears hast thou digged (or, pierced) for me." His willingness to do the Father’s will and accept the bearing of the marks of submission were symbolic fulfillment of the literal transaction described in Exodus 21.

In similar manner we choose to bear his marks in our bodies and lives, even as Paul chose, which give testimony of our willing slavery to him. We gladly display our pierced ears.

This brief essay is only suggestive. You may enlarge this theme with many relevant thoughts from the Scriptures. []

Return to the Table of Contents