Prologue — Ecclesiasticus 33:31

^33:31^ If you have a faithful servant, let him be to you as your own soul: treat him as a brother: because in the blood of your soul you have gotten him.

1. The wise man shows three things concerning master and slave, namely, what is required on the side of the servant; what ought to be the feeling of the master towards the servant; and what is the use of the servant.

From the servant fidelity is asked, for in this he is a good servant, because what he is and all that he has he ought to give to the master. Matthew: who do you think is the faithful and prudent servant (Matt 24:45). And he says, if you have a faithful servant, because fidelity is found in few. Proverbs: but who shall find a faithful man? (Prov 20:6).

The master ought to feel towards his servant as a friend, hence it is said, as your own soul. For this is proper to friends, that they are of one mind in what they will and what they do not will. Now the multitude of the believers were of one heart and one soul (Acts 4:32). By which we are given to understand that there is a consensus of master and servant, when the faithful servant becomes a friend.

As for his use, he should be treated like a brother, for he is a brother, both with respect to generation of nature, because they have the same author: if I have despised to abide judgment with my man-servant (Job 31:13); have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? (Mal 2:10); and with respect to the generation of grace, which is the same for both. For all you who have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor freeman; there is neither male nor female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:27). And all you are brothers (Matt 23:8).

2. These words are relevant to the matter of this epistle. For as it was shown above how spiritual prelates should relate to their subjects, so here he shows how temporal masters should relate to their temporal servants, and how the faithful servant to his master.