The Lord's freeman is one whom the Lord has redeemed from Satan, and made his own ; and the Lord's slave is also one whom Christ has purchased for himself So that master and slave stand on the same level before Christ. Comp. Eph. 6, 9.
23. Ye are bought with a price ; be not ye the servants of men.
Ye (i. e. all Christians, bond and free,) were bought with a price. That is, purchased by Christ with his most precious blood, 1 Pet. 1, 18. 19. Ye belong to him ; ye are his slaves, and should therefore act accordingly ; and not be the slaves of men. The slave of one master cannot be the slave of another. One who is redeemed by Christ, who feels that he belongs to him, that his will is the supreme rule of action, and who performs all his duties, not as a man-pleaser, but as doing service as to the Lord, and not to men, Eph. 6, 6. 7, is in- wardly free, whatever his external relations may be. This verse is a proper sequel to the preceding one. The apostle had exhorted all believers, even slaves, to be contented with their external condition. As a motive to such contentment, he had said they were all equally the subjects of redemption. They all belonged to Christ. To him their allegiance was due. They, therefore, whether bond or free, should act in obedi- ence to him, and not in obedience to men. There is a very important sense in which even slaves are forbidden to be the servants of men — that is, they are not to be men-pleasers, but in all things should act from a sense of duty to God.
24. Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.
That is, as all these external relations are of no account, and especially, as a man may be a slave and yet a freeman, let every man be contented with the station which God has assigned him in this life. With God {irapa ^ew) ; near him, perpetually mindful of his presence and favour. In other words, in communion with God. This would secure their contentment and happiness. They would find his favour to be life, and his loving-kindness to be better than life. To live near to God is, therefore, the apostle's prescription both for peace and holiness.