ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Falaite Me 19, 2023

Ear-Piercing, Hebrew Style  רצע 

VILI TELINGA FAKA-HEPELU

DEUTERONOMY 15:16-17

"IF [YOUR HEBREW SERVANT] SAYS TO YOU, 'I WILL NOT GO OUT FROM YOU, BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU AND YOUR HOUSEHOLD, SINCE HE IS WELL-OFF WITH YOU, THEN YOU SHALL TAKE AN AWL, AND PUT IT THROUGH HIS EAR INTO THE DOOR, AND HE SHALL BE YOUR SLAVE FOREVER."

TEUTALONOME 15:16-17

16 Ka ‘oka ‘iloange te ne pehē kiate koe, ‘E ‘ikai te u ‘alu atu meiate koe, koe‘uhi ‘oku ne ‘ofa kiate koe mo ho fale, he ‘oku ne tu‘umālie ‘ene nofo mo koe; 17 pea te ke to‘o ‘a e vili, ‘o vili fakau‘u hono telinga ki he matapā, pea te ne hoko ko ho‘o tamaio‘eiki ‘o ta‘engata. Pea te ke fai pehē foki ki ho‘o kaunanga.

When hard times fell on the Israelites, they would sometimes willingly become temporary servants of their fellow believers. Every seventh year (the Sabbath year), they would be liberated. Sometimes, however, if they grew to love the people for whom they labored, they chose to remain lifelong servants in that household. In such cases, they received an earpiercing, Hebrew style. The verb ratza ("pierce") occurs only once: "His master shall ratza his ear through with an awl" (Exod. 21:6). This earpiercing marked him or her as a willing permanent servant. The ear was especially fitting because, henceforth, the servant would "give ear" to the instructions of his master.

The Messiah says to his Father, you have "given me an open ear" (Ps. 40:6). What the ear-piercing of servants symbolized, Christ made a reality. He had no need of piercing, for the ears of this anointed Servant were always open to the voice of his Father, willingly and everlastingly doing his will to accomplish the salvation and freedom of humanity.

Open our ears, heavenly Father, to hear the voice of the Spirit of your Son speaking through your Word.