Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Hired Hand Or Bond Slave?

Biblegems #13
In the parable of the prodigal son, why did the son want to be a hired hand, independent, working for pay, instead of a bond slave who recieved no pay, had no legal rights and no freedom (Luke 15:17-20)?

Bond slaves in the New Testament are symbolic of the believer’s position in Christ. We have been bought with a price and are His possession with no rights of our own, no independence, and totally under the authority of our Master. Why then, in Jesus’ parable, does the son seek a paid position in which he retains his independence?

The primary difference between a hired servant and a bond slave is, of course, that one gets paid while the other does not. It would seem on the surface that the prodigal son saw himself as deserving to get compensation for his work (if his father would even hire him), whereas in the role of a slave he could reasonably expect no more than food, shelter and the level of protection extended to any “property” owned by the father.

In New Testament times, however, when up to one out of every three persons was a slave, a bond slave was usually a permanent fixture in a family. That in itself provided a nearly guaranteed “job security” that a hired servant could only dream about. A hired servant could be let go when no longer needed, fired, have his pay withheld, etc. Not only so, but he was paid only for work actually performed, which may or may not have been sufficient to meet his needs. A bond slave, on the other hand, was fed, clothed and housed regardless of the fluctuations in workload from day to day. Slavery, in that sense, was much like a salaried position with benefits.

In addition to all this, because bond slaves were such a permanent part of the household, they were more often than not treated as family, even loved as family. Those who served with distinction and loyalty frequently received pay or bonuses to acknowledge their hard work and faithfulness. The life of a slave in many cases was much more comfortable than the hired servant who worked just as hard or harder, but received less for his trouble.

So, for the prodigal son to beg his father to take him on as a hired servant rather than a bond slave meant that he was offering himself for a position with no job security, no benefits and no sense of family or belonging. His independence would be a detriment rather than an asset.

In Jesus’ parable, the prodigal son does not see himself worthy of the privileges a bond slave has over a hired servant. He no longer hopes for any special treatment whatsoever. The depth of his repentance makes him willing to be cut off from any meaningful relationship with his family, resigned to a life of independence that will make him a slave of loneliness. Fortunately, his father’s love and mercy save the son from such a fate, providing what the son could never provide for himself. What a beautiful story of God’s saving grace!

1 comment:

  1. I enjoyed this part of your post in particular: "In addition to all this, because bond slaves were such a permanent part of the household, they were more often than not treated as family, even loved as family."

    This makes me think of this explanation from HELPS word-studies on the meaning of "doulos".

    HELPS word-studies with extensive explanations of their Greek origins:

    doúlos (a masculine noun of uncertain derivation) – properly, someone who belongs to another; a bond-slave, without any ownership rights of their own. Ironically,...doúlos ("bond-slave") is used with the highest dignity in the NT – namely, of believers who willingly live under Christ's authority as His devoted followers.
    ~~~ ~~~

    Deuteronomy 15:16 And if it happens that he says to you, 'I will not go away from you,' because he loves you and your house, since he prospers with you,... (NKJV)

    Exodus 21 (NKJV)
    2 If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing. 3 If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master has given him a wife, and she has borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself. 5 But if the servant plainly says, 'I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,' 6 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.

    Deuteronomy 15 (NKJV)
    12 "If your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you. 13 And when you send him away free from you, you shall not let him go away empty-handed; 14 you shall supply him liberally from your flock, from your threshing floor, and from your winepress. From what the Lord has blessed you with, you shall give to him. 15 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this thing today. 16 And if it happens that he says to you, 'I will not go away from you,' because he loves you and your house, since he prospers with you, 17 then you shall take an awl and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also to your female servant you shall do likewise.
    ~~~ ~~~

    I now focus on your words: "...bond slaves were...even loved as family." This is a very powerful concept, one with which I wholeheartedly agree!!

    Notice how many times the dearest affection of love and belonging is associate with "bondslave" from the verses above:

    Exodus 21:5 But if the servant plainly says, 'I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,'... (NKJV)

    Deuteronomy 15:16 And if it happens that he says to you, 'I will not go away from you,' because he loves you and your house, since he prospers with you,... (NKJV)

    American society is noted so much by "affluence through independence and yet also the contrasting concept of networking" and by the
    coupled with "pulling yourself up by your bootstraps".

    I wish modern American society had this real sense of love and belonging and community which I almost feel "oozing" from God's Word in the passages dealing with bondslaves.

    God's calling to - and blessing upon - community with love and belonging is lacking so much in modern America. I pray this will change, and that we will make it change. One person at a time.

    Pastor Vance Brown

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