"Paul, a servant (slave) of Jesus Christ." This is the only place in Paul's writings he uses this exact term. Interestingly it is to the church at Rome. They certainly would understand what he meant by the term. Historians tell us one-half of the population of the Roman Empire were slaves at this time in history.
Paul told the Roman centurion he was, "free born." that is, he was not born into slavery to Rome, but had all the rights of a Roman citizen. But the Apostle knew this was not so in the spiritual sense. He, as all mankind, was born a slave to sin. And the only way to be free was to accept the Great Emancipator's offer to receive HIM as one's Master. Who, in turn, gave each his or her own freedom.
But Paul, as the slave in Exodus Chapter twenty-one, who had been given his freedom by his master, chose to say along with him, "I love my master... I will not go out free...and he shall serve him for ever." Since that momentous day, millions have followed in Paul's train. Thereby making Jesus Christ the greatest slave owner the world has ever seen.
And more important, each one of this unnumbered host of slaves became so voluntarily. They take great personal pride, as Mary, in calling Him, "Rabboni; which is to say, MASTER!"
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