EXODUS CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE ------------------------- Verse 1, Pink says that the law of Moses had three grand divisions: the moral, the civil, and the ceremonial. The first was found in the ten commandments; the second is (mainly) in Ex 21-23; the third (principally) in the book of Leviticus. The first defined God's claims upon Israel as human creatures; the second was for social regulation of the Hebrew commonwealth; the third respected Israel's religious life. Pink adds, in the first we may see the governmental authority of God the Father; in the second, the sphere and activities of God the Holy Spirit--maintaining order among God's people; in the third, we have a series of types concerning God the Son. Verses 2-6, This passage, while dealing with a servant in Israel and was a statute concerning the regulation of their social and civil life, does have an important spiritual application concerning our Blessed Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. We have a beautiful foreshadowment of our Lord's work in our behalf and the unbelievable LOVE that He had for His people. READ: Ps 40:6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. 7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book [it is] written of me, 8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law [is] within my heart. COMPARE with Hebrews 10:5-9 NO DOUBT that this is a Messianic Psalm. Notice the words "mine ears hast thou opened." The word "opened" comes from a Hebrew word which means "digged" or to "dig through." It was translated "dig" 12 times, "make" twice, "pierce" once. and "open" in Ps 40:6. So the passage in Exodus 21:1-6 concerns a slave or servant and in type points to the perfect servant. That Christ was a servant: Isa 42:1 Behold my SERVANT, whom I uphold; mine elect, [in whom] my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. Zec 3:8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they [are] men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my SERVANT the BRANCH. Isa 52:13 Behold, my SERVANT shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. 14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: Isa 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous SERVANT justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Php 3:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a SERVANT, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. What a condescension: From a place of highest authority to a place of servitude and dependence. From honour and glory to a place of shame and suffering. The maker of heaven and earth placing Himself into subjection. The one to whom angels bowed to being made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death (Heb 2:9). Pink says that the design of Mark's gospel was to show Christ as the perfect servant. He came to do the will of His Father, just as the servant does the will of his master. Lu 22:27 For whether [is] greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? [is] not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. Compare to the first Adam: The first Adam was given the place of a servant and he forsook it. He was required to be in subjection to his maker, but he revolted. What enticed him to forsake it? What was the lure? "Ye shall be as gods" (Ge 3:5). But the Son was God, yet he made Himself of NO reputation and took upon Himself the form of a servant. When the devil came to Him and tempted Him with the fact that He was the SON OF GOD, He never faltered from His path of servitude and subjection to His Father. Verse 2, "If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve" The servant was under obligation to serve 6 years. Six is the number of man and it speaks of the obligation under the law. This is what the man owed to the lawful owner. We know that Christ was "made under the law" (Gal 4:4) tells us. Ga 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. Christ came to fulfill the law: Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. We saw in Psalm 40 verse 8 that the law was within His heart. Christ completely fulfilled the law in ever obligation toward God and toward man. Verse 2, "and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing." The seventh year was when his service was completed. Seven is the number of completion. So this speaks of completed service. At this time the master had no more claim over him. He was free from the law of servitude. At some point Christ had lived a perfect life, which Pink thinks that point was on the Mount of Transfiguration. Pink thinks he could have stepped from that mount to the Throne of Glory after fulfilling ever claim that the righteous law had upon a man. YET Christ was not finished. Verses 3-4, "If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself." The Lord Jesus had no wife when He came into this world. Pink thinks that His wife will be restored Israel, but I would have to differ here. I would think that it would be the Church. Pink points out the distinction between the wife and the children, which when one understands the Church this makes perfect sense. However Pink believed in a LOCAL and VISIBLE church. His bride was prepared for Him while He was in this world as a servant. He had no bride before or children before he came into this world, although they were given to Him before the foundation of the world. So the servant could go out free "under the law" but the same law required that he go out ALONE. Christ said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth ALONE: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." (Joh 12:24) Verses 5-6, "And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever." It was UNFATHOMABLE LOVE that compelled Christ to do what He did. He was under NO obligation under the law to go to the cross. It was only when our sins were put upon Him, as a willing substitute, that the law fell upon Him. It was a threefold love: love of Master, love of wife and love of children. In our text the servant "shall PLAINLY say, I love my master." READ John 12:23-28, What drove Him to the cross. Love for His Father. A desire to do the will of His Father. Just as Jesus said, "I you love me you will do my commandments," so then it was Christ's love for His Father which drove Him to do His Father's will. Notice that it was love of master that was put FIRST in our scripture. I love my wife: The wife is clearly distinguished from the children. I love my children: Christ's love was not limited to the Church, but included all of the family of God. Joh 11:52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. Heb 2:13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. "Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever." This threefold love led him to a never ending place of service to his master. He is willfully undertaking a service that the law did not require. It was a service that involved suffering as the boring of the ear would suggest. It left a permanent mark upon him. Christ too has a mark that will last forever. They are in His hands and His side. The door post would suggest that it was a family matter. A household thing. The door posts were where the family entered. It was a thing that DID NOT pertain to a stranger, but only to that household. So too, Christ bored His ear for the master's household, and not the whole world without exception. The blood of the Pascal lamb was put on the door posts of the houses concerned. Pink says that he died for the "household of God" and none else. "and he shall serve him for ever": Even after Christ ascended up on high, He still makes intercession for us. Will this be true of Christ? Yes it will! Lu 12:37 Blessed [are] those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and SERVE them. What LOVE! There will be an eternal activity of Divine love, delighting to minister to others. Pink says, "The spring of His service was love, seen in His declining to go out free. The duration of His service, is 'forever.'" Verse 7-11, He sells his daughter because of poverty to be a servant. Gill says that according to Jewish cannons, a Hebrew handmaid might not be sold but to one who laid himself under obligation to espouse her to himself, or his son, when she was fit to be betrothed. She does not please her master, that is she is evil in his eyes, and will not complete the marriage that he has promised, when he bought her. Then she may be redeemed by her father for an amount that compensated for the years of her service. Gill says that she could not even be sold to another family, but only to the family that had sold her. The word nation was translated people 1836 and nation 17 times. The master did not fulfill his obligation toward her, but dealt deceitfully with her. If he hath betrothed her to his son, then she shall be treated as his daughter, and a dowry shall be given to her. The son shall provide for her food, raiment, and the duty of marriage. And if he take to him another wife besides her then his obligations toward her are not to be diminished in any way. Three things: 1) Espousing her to himself 2) Espousing her to his son 3) Let her be redeemed by her father Then she shall go out free. Verse 12, If anyone strike another person, no matter what nationality or gender, then he shall be put to death by the civil magistrates. Gill says that this is the original law of Gen 9:6 Ge 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. The decalogue had stated "Thou shalt not kill." Other scriptures: Le 24:17 And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death. Nu 35:16 And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he [is] a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. Nu 35:17 And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he [is] a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. Verse 13, If a man slay another man unwittingly, that is he did not lie in wait, but some situation came up by God's providence, since NOTHING is by chance, as this scripture points out. This would be more like "manslaughter" in our day. In such a case there is appointed a place of refuge that the man may flee to, which seems to be the altar as the next verse would indicate. Gill says that Jarchi said it was the camp of the Levites, while Israel was in the wilderness. Verse 14, But if a man in anger willingly and with craft slays his neighbour. The RSV reads "But if a man willfully attacks another to kill him treacherously." If this be the case then he shall be taken from the place of refuge and so that he may be executed. Verse 15, This act must be hated by God. Gill says that if the son was to leave a mark on his parents with such a blow, then he was to be put to death. When God says, "Honour thy father and thy mother" He must have really meant it. This was a POSITIVE command. De 21:18 If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and [that], when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: 19 Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; 20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son [is] stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; [he is] a glutton, and a drunkard. 21 And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear. Verse 16, Though this was given to Israel it was meant for menstealers in general, for Paul makes reference to it in: 1Ti 1:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for MENSTEALERS, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; If he be caught in his had before he has sold him, or it can be proven that he did sell him, then he shall be put to death. This was the stealing of a man so that he may sell him into slavery for a profit. This is what happened in Africa when blacks were sold and brought to America. Verse 17, Not only strike them but curse them, then he shall be surely put to death. Jesus said, "For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death." (Mat 15:4) Le 20:9 For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood [shall be] upon him. Pr 20:20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness. Pr 30:11 [There is] a generation [that] curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. Pr 30:17 The eye [that] mocketh at [his] father, and despiseth to obey [his] mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. Verses 18-19, This would be a quarrel or fight and in the heat of battle strike the other with a stone or his fist, and the blow is such that he is resigned to his bed, but he does not die then the man who stuck him will be quit or clear, but must pay for his loss of time, and see that he is healed no matter what the expense. In our time he would be responsible for any hospital bills, etc. Verses 20-21, A master was to be punished if he struck his servant with the rod of punishment and NOT with a sword or such meaning to slay them, and caused him to die, but if did not die and continued a day or two then the master who struck him was clear, since he had paid for the servant and would not want to loose the money he had spent in the first place. Gill says that this law was to prevent masters from using severe and cruel punishment toward their servants. Verses 22-25, The word mischief means "harm," "hurt," or "evil." No mischief, probably means that even though the child has come soon he or she is alright and survives the ordeal; then the man who struck the woman will pay whatever the husband and the judges decide. But if mischief does follow, that is the child or the woman dies, then LIFE for LIFE, etc. This would seem to suggest that ABORTION is MURDER. Verses 26-27, A servant was to be set free if his master smote out his eye, that is he looses his sight in that eye or his sight is corrupted, as the Septuagint version reads, or the servant looses his tooth. This would be during correction. Here the master would loose his property if he dealt too harshly with his servants. Verses 28-32, Here we see that if the owner of an ox knew before hand that his ox was dangerous to the lives of others and made no effort to contain him but let the ox go free, then if the ox killed a man the owner must pay with his life. He was guilty as though he were a murderer. But if the owner knew nothing of the ox's tendency then the owner was clear of any charge against him. Verses 33-34, If a man dig a pit, then he is obligated to cover it and make it safe, else if another man's livestock fall in then the owner of the pit shall buy the livestock. Verses 35-36, If the owner did not know that his ox pushed then they shall divide both oxes between themselves. The money that they get from selling the live ox and the money that they get from the carcass of the dead animal. However if the owner knew that his ox did this, then he shall pay for the dead ox with a good ox or whatever the ox was worth and the carcass shall be his.