You are bought with a price; be not the servants of men.
Read Chapter 7
Ambrosiaster
AD 400
We have been bought at so high a price that only Christ, who owns everything, is able to pay it. Therefore whoever is bought with a price ought to serve all the more, in an effort to pay back the buyer. Having been bought by God, we must not once again become slaves of men. Slaves of men are those who accept human superstitions. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.
The price of man is the blood of Christ. “You have been bought,” it is said, “with a price; do not become the slaves of men.” The powers of the evil one are trying to render this price useless to us. They try to lead us back into slavery even after we are free.
With a price. Viz. with the price of the precious blood of Christ. (Estius)
Him only should we serve, for whatever draws us from this allegiance, is perfect servitude, such as the love of any person or thing out of God.
Free men can enslave themselves by agreeing to serve others out of gluttony, greed or a desire for power. Such a person may be technically free, but in reality he is more of a slave than anyone else.
You were bought with a price: become not bondservants of men. This saying is addressed not to slaves only but also to free men. For it is possible for one who is a slave not to be a slave; and for one who is a freeman to be a slave. And how can one be a slave and not a slave? When he does all for God: when he feigns nothing, and does nothing out of eye-service towards men: that is how one that is a slave to men can be free. Or again, how does one that is free become a slave? When he serves men in any evil service, either for gluttony or desire of wealth or for office' sake. For such an one, though he be free, is more of a slave than any man.
And consider both these points. Joseph was a slave but not a slave to men: wherefore even in slavery he was freer than all that are free. For instance, he yielded not to his mistress; yielded not to the purposes which she who possessed him desired. Again she was free; yet none ever so like a slave, courting and beseeching her own servant. But sh...
