Then Jesus adds this: "Learn of Me." I used to wonder just what that
means. But I think I know a part of its meaning now. You remember the
Hebrews had a scheme of qualified slavery.[4] A man might sell his service
for six years but at the end of that time he was scot-free. On the New
Year's morning of the seventh year he was given his full liberty, and
given some grain and oil to begin life with anew.

But if on that morning he found himself reluctant to leave, all his ties
binding him to his master's home, this was the custom among them. He would
say to his master, "I don't want to leave you. This is home to me. I love
you and the mistress. I love the place. All my ties and affections are
here. I want to stay with you always." His master would say, "Do you mean
this?" "Yes," the man would reply, "I want to belong to you forever."

Then his master would call in the leading men of the village or
neighborhood to witness the occurrence. And he would take his servant out
to the door of the home, and standing him up against the door-jamb would
pierce the lobe of his ear through with an awl. I suppose like a
shoemaker's awl. Then the man became not his slave, but his bond-slave,
forever. It was a personal surrender of himself to his master; it was
voluntary; it was for love's sake; it was for service; it was after a
trial; it was for life.

Now that was what Jesus did. If you will turn to that Fortieth Psalm,[5]
from which we read, you will find words that are plainly prophetic of
Jesus, and afterwards quoted as referring to Him. "Mine ears hast Thou
opened, or digged or pierced for me." And in the fiftieth chapter of
Isaiah,[6] revised version, are these words likewise prophetic of Jesus.