Concise Bible Dictionary:
The organ of hearing is often used symbolically in scripture. When a servant, whose time of service had expired, preferred to stay with his master, saying, “I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,” his ear was bored with an awl to the door post, and his ear belonged to his master perpetually, he was to hear only that one as master: type of Christ and His love to the church (Ex. 21:5-6; Deut. 15:17). Of Christ also it is said, “mine ears hast thou opened” (Psa. 40): quoted in Hebrews 10:5 from the LXX, “a body hast thou prepared me,” both signifying that He was the obedient one. “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” was said by the Lord to His hearers, and to each of the seven churches in Asia, and also said when the beast, representing the future Roman power, is worshipped, signifying that a spiritual discernment was needed to catch the meaning of what was uttered (Matt. 13:9,43; Rev. 2:7,11,17,29; Rev. 3:6,13,22; Rev. 13:9).
From Manners and Customs of the Bible:
Psalm 40:6. Mine ears hast thou opened.
The Psalmist uses this expression to denote the fact that he is a servant of God, ready to do his will, as he further declares in the eighth verse. He seems to have in his mind the ceremony by which a Hebrew servant, if unwilling to leave his master, might be bound to him for life. “Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him forever” (Ex. 21:6). See also Deuteronomy 15:16-17. This custom was observed, not only by the Jews, but also by many other ancient nations.
Related Books and Articles: