“If you purchase a Hebrew slave, he is to work six years; but in the seventh, he is to be given his freedom without having to pay anything.”-Exodus 21:1
There were two classes of slaves in ancient Hebrew society: Hebrew slaves and gentile slaves.
The rules outlined here in Exodus chapter 21 deal ONLY with Hebrew slaves.
Later on God will issue rules concerning how non-Hebrew gentile slaves are to be treated.
What we will find in these instructions is quite revolutionary.
If a gentile slave wished to give up his gentile tribal or national identity, he was allowed to do so.
In other words, he transformed from being a “gentile slave” to a “Hebrew slave”.
This act of changing loyalties did not set them entirely free but they did become Hebrew slaves.
They were equal in status and rights to a native-born Hebrew slave.
And they now had access to certain rights they would have been denied had they opted to remain a gentile slave.
Now get this.
If this naturalized now Hebrew slave eventually became free, he was to be considered a full-fledged Hebrew freeman.
His rights and status were to be equal to that of a native-born Hebrew!!!
That’s right.
This person who started out as the lowest of the low, a gentile slave, through proper obedience to God’s Law, could eventually reach the status of a full-fledged Hebrew.
The Lord makes it clear that any gentile who joins Israel and becomes an Israelite by his own choice is NOT to be considered a second-class citizen.
One final detail concerning verse Exodus 21:6 about what happens when a male slave gets his ear pierced.
Although this detail isn’t mentioned, the male slave was to have a ring inserted into his ear as an indication that he had voluntarily committed himself and his family to lifelong servitude to his earthly master.
In this case, the master over this slave family is NOT under obligation to free them after 6 years according to Hebrew law.
However, this also doesn’t mean the master has to keep a slave a slave.
Through his mercy, a master could free a slave whenever he wanted to.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“Remember your former state: you Gentiles by birth
— called the Uncircumcised by those who,
merely because of an operation on their flesh,
are called the Circumcised
— at that time had no Messiah.
You were estranged from the national life of Isra’el.
You were foreigners to the covenants embodying God’s promise.
You were in this world without hope and without God.
But now, you who were once far off have been brought near
through the shedding of the Messiah’s blood.”
-Ephesians 2:11-13
“There is neither Jew nor Gentile,
neither slave nor freeman,
neither male nor female;
for in union with the Messiah Yeshua,
you are all one.”
-Galatians 3:28
“The new self allows no room
for discriminating between Gentile and Jew,
circumcised and uncircumcised,
foreigner, savage, slave, free man;
on the contrary, in all,
the Messiah is everything.”
-Colossians 3:11
When you say “Obedience to God’s Law” are you speaking about the Mosaic Laws [618]? Are you saying Christian Gentiles need to follow the Laws of Moses, and keep the Festivals with the new moons and etc? I can understand following the 10C because, they are universal.
Hi Pastor Russ, My theology is pretty simple. All those whether Jew or Gentile who are grafted into the covenants God made with Israel are under obligation to obey God’s Law. And yes, that would include the Biblical festivals (and why not?! They all point to the Messiah) as well as the dietary restrictions. I believe the Gospel pattern is firmly established in the Torah. God saved Israel FIRST and then AFTERWARDS HE gave them the Law. The Scripture says “You are to have the same law for the foreigner and the native-born. I am the LORD your God.”-Leviticus 24:22.
I am very aware that some people will point to Acts 15 to prove that Gentiles have to only obey four laws. But I think the traditional gentile interpretation of what took place and what was decided at this Jerusalem council is totally erroneous and intend to demonstrate so in excruciating detail in good time.
Just a word of encouragement and caution. You are attempting to bridge a gap between Judaism and Christianity that has long existed. I myself am attempting to bridge a gap about the Gospel and what modern christinaity teaches. I believe we can be beneficial to each other. I have come to the conclusion I need not build a bridge between Judaism and Christianity.
Now on the caution side.
1} We stand on shaky ground when we begin to cut portions out of the scripture [OT/NT]. I have done my own cutting. I have found passages which are contextually and translationally are incorrect. I have cut them out; with much agony; into the dung heap.
2} I have learned not to commit the sin of the church, which is to approach the scripture from a preconceived notion. Preconceived notion have created monstrous teachings such as calvinism, catholic doctrines of saint and Mary worship. And I’m sure if we had time fill this page with corrupt teachings by those who have no understanding of scripture. I have changed many of my doctrines by believing what the scripture teaches as compared to what some man concocts through “Systematic theologies”. Systematic theologies are mostly nothing more than taking out of context verses and stringing them together and creating something never taught. If the scripture does not teach it I don’t believe it.
Part of the answer has to be found in Paul’s writings, because he was a Pharisee who held to those laws. So the question is “why would he not teach them or did he?”. If you can answer that, then you will have a breakthrough. Also, Jesus would often say,”Is it not written in “YOUR LAW”. Jesus was not identifying with a set of laws. What laws was He distancing Himself from? Are these the same laws Paul was distancing himself from? My suspicion is it is the Pharisaical laws which were added unto the laws of Moses. Paul was distancing the Gentiles from the Pharisaical laws. But! The laws of Moses still need to be dealt with. Are those laws meant for everyone or just the Jews? This is the question dealt with in Jerusalem and the apparent ruling of a short version of the law to be obeyed. I don’t have an answer because I have not fully studied it.