How Can We Trust a Bible That Tolerated Slavery

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HOW CAN WETRUST A BIBLETHAT TOLERATEDSLAVERY?

BBehind race relations in America lies an uglyhistorical fact. Some

people still believe the Biblejustifies slavery. They citepassages like, “Slaves, obeyyour earthly masters withrespect and fear” (Eph. 6:5).They also point out that churchleaders during the middle 1800sused the Bible to defend slavery.

How can we trust a book thatwas used to justify the terribleevil of buying, breeding, andselling humans like animals? I hope the answer to thesequestions will become clear as we review together what theBible really says about slavery.

Herb Vander Lugt

CONTENTSWorld History And Slavery........................2

The Old Testament And Slavery........................4

As Predicted By Noah .................................4As Practiced By The Patriarchs ..................6As Regulated In Israel...........................10

The New Testament And Slavery .....................22

As Tolerated By Jesus And The Apostles ...........22As Undermined By TheirExample & Teaching .....25

Church HistoryAnd Slavery .....................28

As Ignored Until AD 313 ..................28As Tolerated From AD 313 Until AD 1700 ........................29As Abolished By Christian Leaders...........31

The Heart Of The Matter ......................32

Managing Editor: David Sper Cover Photo:Terry BidgoodScripture taken from the New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 byInternational Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan.All rights reserved.© 1999,2004 RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan Printed in USA

Q1109 Slavery 2col pp 6/15/06 11:07 AM Page 1

© RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.

WORLD HISTORYAND SLAVERY

AAccording to theEncyclopedia

Britannica: “Slaveryis the condition in whichone human being is ownedby another. A slave wasconsidered in law asproperty and was deprived of most of therights ordinarily held by freepersons. Generally, slaveswere outsiders, being of a different race, ethnicity,nationality, or religion fromthat of their owners. . . .Regardless of the slave’sorigin, he was usually amarginal person in thesociety in which he wasenslaved, and he was oftenan object of contempt,neglect, abuse, or brutality”(Micropedia, Vol.10, p.874).

Slavery has existedthroughout most of recordedhistory. When or where itbegan is a mystery. At somepoint in time, groups of

people must have decidedthat making slaves ofcaptives of war and certainlaw-breakers was moreadvantageous than killingthem. Why kill them whenthey could be of service? Thesame logic probably also ledmost primitive societies todecide that making slaves ofa family hopelessly in debtwas a logical and profitablesolution to a perplexingproblem.

Slavery conditions variedwidely. In some cultures,slaves were treated like workanimals, even sacrificed tothe gods and eaten. In othercultures, men and boys from a defeated tribe wereexecuted immediately, butthe females were taken andgradually assimilated intothe new tribe throughintermarriage. In Greco-Roman society, slavery wascruel and heartless in earlieryears but became far morehumane under Roman law.

One of the ugliest 2



features of slavery was theinternational slave trade.African blacks who hadbeen capturing their less-powerful neighbors for theirown purposes found a newmarket in the 15th century.Europeans were sendingships to the coast of WestAfrica to buy primarily adultmales. This worked to theadvantage of slave traders.Up until this time they had killed the adult malesthey captured because theAfrican slaveholders wantedonly women and children.The captured men were soldto white dealers. Thousandsof crew members andcaptured blacks died on theocean voyage, but the slavetraffic went on unabated. By 1867 more than 7 millionAfricans (predominantlymen, but including manywomen and children) wereslaves in the New World.

The story of slaveryin North America is a sadchapter in American history.

Slaves were sold at auctionto the highest bidder withlittle or no regard for theirfamily ties. Many wereowned by church peoplewho didn’t see the intrinsicevil of the practice. Thereligious revivals of the

Great Awakening (1725-1770), however, broughtabout a radical change in the prevailing attitudetoward slavery. By 1804,most northern states hadoutlawed it. Yet it wasn’tuntil Abraham Lincoln’sEmancipation Proclamationin January of 1863 and theend of the Civil War thatthis grave evil took the roadto its national demise.

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The story of slavery in North

America is a sad chapter in

American history.



THE OLDTESTAMENT AND SLAVERY

SSlavery was an integral part of thesocial, economic,

and institutional life of theancient Middle East. TheBible writers refer to itrepeatedly as a fact of life.They neither endorsed norcondemned it. It was sointricately woven into thefabric of society that neitherthe patriarchs nor the nationof Israel could avoid beingcaught up in it. It wasprobably more humane than other alternativespeople would have chosen at that time. Most of thepeople taken as slaves would have otherwise beenslaughtered. Yet the OldTestament does not endorseit. On the contrary, it teachesprinciples which, had theybeen put into practice, wouldhave led to its abolition.

Let’s examine the Old

Testament references toslavery in three distinct,historical eras: 1. Slavery as predicted

by Noah2. Slavery as practiced

by the patriarchs3. Slavery as regulated

in Israel

SLAVERY ASPREDICTED BYNOAHThe first mention of slavery in the Bible is found in Noah’s declaration,“Cursed be Canaan! Thelowest of slaves will he be to his brothers” (Gen. 9:25).He said this after waking up from a naked, drunkenstupor and learning that hehad been mocked by his son Ham. Although Hamwas the guilty party, Noah’sstatement was directed at Ham’s youngest sonCanaan. If he was involvedwith his father in this act ofdisrespect, the statementcan be taken as the

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pronouncement of a curse,“Cursed be Canaan.”

It is possible, however,that Canaan did not join hisfather in making fun of Noah.If so, the statement would be in the form of a prophecy:“Cursed will be Canaan.”(The grammar allows eithertranslation.) Exodus 20:5 and Ezekiel 18:4 clearlydeclare that God punishesthe children for the sins oftheir parents only when they choose to continue thewicked ways of their parents.So this is the preferredtranslation if Canaan was not personally involved.

In either case, God gaveNoah a prophetic knowledgeof the future. The Canaanitesdeveloped an advancedsociety but became involvedin despicable moral andspiritual practices, includingritual prostitution, sexualorgies, and child sacrifice.That is why God warned the Israelites against anyassociation with Canaan’s

citizens (Lev. 18:24-30).Because He knew that the danger of spiritualcontamination for His peoplewas so great, He commandedthe execution of all theCanaanites who resisted theiradvance and the completedestruction of every trace of their religion (Dt. 7:1-6).

It was the failure of theIsraelites to follow God’sdirections that brought aboutthe fulfillment of Noah’sprophecy. Their negligence to consult God led to theirbeing tricked into makingslaves of the Gibeonitesinstead of driving them outof the land or killing them(Josh. 9). Later, they did thesame with another group ofCanaanites (16:10).

Summary. Whethertranslated “Cursed will beCanaan” or “Cursed beCanaan,” Noah’s statementdeclares slavery to be apunishment for sin, not aGod-established norm forsociety.

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SLAVERY ASPRACTICED BY THE PATRIARCHSWe now arrive at a veryimportant period of time inbiblical history—God’s call toa man named Abram (laterAbraham) in about 2000 BC.God told him to leave hisfather’s family in Haran andhead for what we now knowas the land of Israel. Heobeyed, taking with him “his wife Sarai, his nephewLot, all the possessions theyhad accumulated, and thepeople they had acquired”(Gen. 12:5).

The “people they hadacquired” undoubtedlyincluded slaves. As awealthy chieftain, Abrahamhad a large extended family: “menservants andmaidservants” (Gen. 12:16),“herdsmen” (13:5-7), “318trained men born in hishousehold” (14:14), “Eliezerof Damascus” (15:2), alsocalled “the chief servant inhis household” (24:2), and

“an Egyptian maidservantnamed Hagar” (16:1).

Isaac, son of Abrahamand Sarah, acquired evenmore animals and servantsthan his parents (Gen.26:12-14). His son Jacobalso possessed slaves, two of whom became hisconcubines, the mothers of four of his sons (Gen. 29–35).

The book of Genesis doesnot inform us about the lawsregulating slavery duringpatriarchal times. However,the Middle Eastern legaldocuments of that time,known as the Nuzi Tablets,detail many of the rights and privileges of slaves andtheir descendants. And theGenesis narratives portraythe slaves as being treatedmore like family membersthan as property. Note thefollowing:

1. Abram, whenchildless, said that one of his slaves, Eliezer ofDamascus, would most

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likely inherit his estate (Gen. 15:1-3).

2. The slaves were so closely identified withAbraham as sharers of thespiritual blessings of thecovenant he had with Godthat all the males receivedthe sign of circumcisionalong with him and Ishmael(Gen. 17:9-14).

3. The owners and theirchildren worked alongsidetheir slaves. Rebekah, therelative of Abraham whobecame Isaac’s wife, came tothe well with a container todraw water (Gen. 24). WhenJacob first met Rachel, thegirl who became his wife,she was leading sheep to a

well from which she (not a slave) intended to drawwater for them (Gen. 29:1-14). And even thoughJacob’s father was a man ofgreat wealth, Jacob workedfor his cousin Laban to thepoint where he could say he had served “with all mystrength” (Gen. 31:6).

4. When Jacob’s oldestson Reuben slept withBilhah, one of his father’sconcubines (Gen. 35:22), helost his legal status as thefirstborn (49:3-4). Accordingto the laws of that day, hehad violated her rights as thewife of his father. She was tobe treated with all the respectgiven to a wife and would bea family member all her life.She could become the wife ofthe oldest son, but only afterJacob had died.

The story of Hagar beingsent away may seem toconflict with this law (Gen.16; 21:8-20). However, itseems quite clear that sheforfeited her rights by her

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Genesis portraysslaves as being

treated more likefamily membersthan as property.



arrogance. She had shown a haughty attitude towardSarah before the birth ofIsaac. After Isaac was bornthrough God’s intervention,she likely became resentfuland influenced 13-year-oldIshmael to taunt little Isaac.Even so, Abraham wasgreatly distressed whenSarah demanded that Hagarand her son be sent away.He did not do it until afterhe had received the promisefrom God that He wouldwatch over Hagar andIshmael and preserve hisson to become the father ofnations (Gen. 21:8-20).

Summary. Thepatriarchs, like the other richchieftains of their day, ownedslaves. But the slaves of thepatriarchs were consideredmore like members of theextended family thanproperty. Their livingstandard probably was far higher than most of the unattached poor. Theyenjoyed adequate food and

shelter plus freedom from thefear of marauding nomads.In addition, the legaldocuments of that day (theNuzi Tablets) make it clearthat slaves had many rights,including recourse to the lawwhen they were mistreated.

Although this slavery was quite humane, it neverreceived God’s endorsement.God often permits fallenmankind to do things He does not necessarilyendorse. Does God approveof our present situation withone billion of the world’spopulation living in povertywhile millions live inunnecessary luxury? Is Hepleased to see the prosperingone-fifth of the world’spopulation consume 86percent of the world’s wealthwhile the poorest one-fifthconsume just 1.3 percent? To ask these questions is toanswer them. Many of uswish these injustices couldbe remedied, but with all our intelligence we have

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not been able to set up an economic system that can bring about a fairdistribution of the world’smaterial resources. Undercommunism and socialismall but the governmentbureaucrats become poor. A free enterprise systemproduces great wealth, butthe rich keep getting richerand many of the poor keepgetting poorer. And when the government brings incontrols, some of which are necessary, it inevitablybrings with it a new set ofevils and injustices.

The responsibility for thewars, injustices, and crimethat have marked humanhistory lies with us—ourcruelty, our greed, our pride, and our prejudice.Patriarchal society wasimperfect because it wasmade up of imperfect people.But given the conditions ofthose times in the openareas of the Middle East—periodic drought, sparse

vegetation, and roving bandsof robbers—it was probablyas conducive to the well-being of the less fortunate as anything devised in latertimes. It certainly was farbetter than anarchy.

The patriarchs were not heads of nations andtherefore were in no positionto change their culture. Butthrough their contact withGod they came to realizethat all human beingspossess an essentialequality. Note the eloquentexpression of this truth by aman of that time period:

If I have denied justice to my menservants andmaidservants when theyhad a grievance againstme, what will I do whenGod confronts me? Whatwill I answer when calledto account? Did not Hewho made me in thewomb make them? Didnot the same One form usboth within our mothers?(Job 31:13-15).

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When a society reachesthis level of understanding, itwill inevitably abolish slavery.

SLAVERY ASREGULATED IN ISRAELAbout 500 years after the death of Abraham, his descendants throughIsaac were living in Egypt asslaves. Genesis 37 to 50 tellsthe story of how this cameabout. The 10 oldest sons ofAbraham’s grandson Jacobdisliked their younger 17-year-old brother Joseph somuch that they found a wayto sell him to traders who inturn sold him to an Egyptianofficer as a slave.

In his new land, Josephwent through a series of upsand downs and eventuallybecame the prime ministerof Egypt, the highest officialunder the king. God enabledJoseph to foresee anapproaching time of famine,and used him to store upfood and then distribute it

during the famine. Hispolitical position made itpossible for him to settle hisfather’s family in Egypt’smost fertile territory. Herethey prospered for manyyears. However, the timecame when the leaders ofEgypt began to view therapidly growing Israelitecommunity as a threat. As a result, they made slaves of the Israelites, treatingthem with ever-increasingharshness. Finally, desperatebecause the descendants ofJacob continued to multiply,they issued an order that all their male babies bedestroyed at birth.

The first 12 chapters ofExodus tell the story of howthe Lord responded to thecries of His people. Hemiraculously provided Mosesto be their leader, sent 10plagues on the Egyptians,helped the Israelitescelebrate their first Passover,and led them out of the landof bondage. It appears that

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as they left for Canaan, theyhad no slaves. The formerdistinctions between mastersand slaves had been wipedout during their own time ofbondage. The “many otherpeople” (Ex. 12:38) whoaccompanied them wereEgyptians who for onereason or another were eagerto leave their homeland.

It may seem strange thatGod gave these slavelesspeople instructions aboutthe eligibility of slaves to eatthe Passover immediatelyafter their departure (Ex.12:43-45). But we mustthink of the circumstances.He knew that His peoplecould not be a nation in the Middle East of that daywithout encountering thispractice. He knew that onthe way to Canaan theywould inevitably engageenemies, capture soldiers,and be forced to choosebetween killing them ormercifully making themslaves. Undoubtedly God

also foresaw the voluntarysurrender of non-Canaanitepeoples who preferredslavery in Israel to militarycombat (Dt. 20:10-15).

Remember too, at thattime no nation had theability to deal with peoplewho had gotten themselveshopelessly in debt. So they

were allowed to sellthemselves into slavery(often temporarily) inexchange for release fromtheir financial obligations

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God regulatedslavery rather thanabolish it becauseHe knew that Hispeople could notbe a nation in the

Middle East of that day without

encountering the practice.



(Ex. 21:2-4; Lev. 25:39-43;Dt. 15:12).

Finally, we must interpret the permission of slave purchase as statedin Leviticus 25:44-46 in thelight of the culture andaccompanying revelation.The situation was such thatthe Israelites could notabolish the slave trade.Therefore, although Godpermitted them to buyslaves, He gave them aseries of moral-spiritualreminders and a set of civil regulations that weredesigned to guarantee thehumane treatment of allslaves, whether captured or purchased.

Moral-SpiritualReminders. God alwaysprefers that goodness andkindness on the part of Hispeople arise out of moralchoice rather than enforcedlegislation. So before givingthem detailed rules for theirtreatment of slaves, Godappealed to the collective

conscience of the Israelites.He did this by keeping alive among them theremembrance that they wereslaves when He miraculouslydelivered them from Egypt.

The first such reminderappears in His preamble tothe Ten Commandments: “Iam the Lord your God, whobrought you out of Egypt,out of the land of slavery”(Ex. 20:2). A truly gratefulpeople would want to obeyGod. Since the essence ofthe Ten Commandments isto love God above all and to love one’s neighbor asone’s self (Mt. 22:37-40),proper gratitude would haveprovided an inner motivationto be kind to all the lessfortunate among them.

A second reminder of thepast appears in Exodus 23:9.“Do not oppress an alien;you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, becauseyou were aliens in Egypt.”This reminder provided aspiritual incentive for the

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wealthy to obey the lawsthat focused primarily onprotecting the poor. TheSabbath regulations couldhave been offensive to thewealthy because those lawsspecifically provided that the “poor,” the “slave,” andthe “alien” (vv.11-12) shareequally with the landownersthe benefits of free food andcomplete rest from daily toil.

Commenting on Exodus23:9, the noted scholarChristopher J. H. Wrightwrites, “Their treatment of aliens within their ownsociety, whether those alienswere the technically free butlandless ‘tenant’ workers, oractual bought slaves, was tobe marked with compassion,born of the memory of Egypt,where it had been denied tothemselves” (An Eye For AnEye, IVP, 1983, p.179).

A third reminder appears in connection with the Lord’s instructionsconcerning the celebrationof the Feast of Weeks and

the Feast of Tabernacles: Count off seven weeksfrom the time you beginto put the sickle to thestanding grain. Thencelebrate the Feast ofWeeks to the Lord yourGod . . . . And rejoicebefore the Lord your God . . . you, your sons and daughters, your menservants andmaidservants, the Levitesin your towns, and thealiens, the fatherless andthe widows living amongyou. Remember that youwere slaves in Egypt, andfollow carefully thesedecrees. Celebrate theFeast of Tabernacles forseven days after you havegathered the produce ofyour threshing floor andyour winepress. Be joyfulat your Feast—you, your sons and daughters,your menservants andmaidservants, and theLevites, the aliens, thefatherless and the widows

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who live in your towns. . . . For the Lord yourGod will bless you in allyour harvest and in allthe work of your hands,and your joy will becomplete (Dt. 16:9-15).This reminder was again

designed to appeal to theconscience of every wealthyperson to make him glad tobear the cost this regulationrequired.

BenevolentRegulations. We havealready alluded to somespecific regulations for thetreatment of slaves, but now let’s consider othersand examine them moreclosely. God provided thesespecific regulations becauseHe knew that even well-motivated and well-intentioned people needauthoritative guidelines.

1. Slave Rights AndThe Religious Life Of TheCommunity. Owners, asalready noted, had to makeit possible for slaves to join

in the celebration of thePassover (Ex. 12:43-45), the weekly Sabbath rest(Ex. 20:8-11), and the 8-dayfestivities of the Feast ofWeeks and the Feast ofTabernacles (Dt. 16:9-17).No limitation expressed! All slaves were included.

2. Hebrew Slaves AndTheir Time Of Servitude.A Hebrew who became aslave (usually because hewas unable to pay his debts) could not be kept in bondage for more than 6years. If he married while hewas a slave, he had to makea choice when his time forrelease arrived. He couldchoose to go free and leavehis wife and children withhis master. Or, if he loved hismaster and valued his familymore than personal freedom,he could choose to remainwith him for life (Ex. 21:2-6).

Sometimes an alien livingin Israel would take as aslave a Hebrew who couldnot pay him what he owed.

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A relative of the Hebrew hadthe right to redeem him bypaying the debt. Or, if thisHebrew prospered while hewas a slave, he could buyinstant freedom. In anycase, he would be freed after6 years or in the Year ofJubilee (an every 49th-yearevent)—whichever occurredfirst (Lev. 25:47-55).

This regulation issignificant because it showsus that even an alien inIsrael had enough freedom to become wealthy and hadrights that allowed him tomake a temporary slave ofan Israelite who owed himmoney he couldn’t pay.Furthermore, slavery in Israelwas so lenient that someslaves could earn enoughmoney to buy their freedom.

3. Female HebrewSlaves And Their Rights.Sometimes a father infinancial difficulty would sella young daughter to a fellowIsraelite to be the wife of afamily member when she

came of age. If no familymember claimed her, thepurchaser could offer her to a friend or relative for thedowry price. If she remainedunclaimed, she was to bereleased with no stringsattached (Ex. 21:7-11). Shecould never be sold on theopen slave market.

While this rule gavedaughters in Israel moreprotection than was given in neighboring nations, ittroubles us. We are revoltedat the idea of a father sellinghis daughter under anycircumstances. We maywonder why God modifiedthis practice instead ofeliminating it. But thatoverlooks the fact that in the Near East culture of thattime the absolute rights ofparents over their children,especially the daughters,was universally assumed.For example, they arrangedthe marriages of sons anddaughters. Their right to doso was never questioned.

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Therefore, it would havebeen neither possible norprofitable to legislate intothat culture regulations thatwould give children therights they possess today.

While we can’t be fullysatisfied with the conditionsthat prevailed in Bible timesin the Middle East, we mustrecognize that godly peoplethen loved their children justas much as we do today. Wehave reason to believe thatthey considered the wishesof their daughters whengiving them in marriage.

For example, consider the story of Rebekah andIsaac (Gen. 24). Abraham’sservant told Rebekah’sfather and brother his desireto take her to be Isaac’swife. Notice that they askedher if she were willing to gobefore they sent her to hernew home (vv.57-58). Few parents would runroughshod over the wishesof their daughters. And forthose who might do so, God

provided laws to protect girlsfrom being exploited.

4. The Civil Rights OfNon-Hebrew Slaves. Thenon-Hebrew slaves, thoughnot eligible for release likethe Hebrew slaves, didreceive considerableprotection from inhumanetreatment. The law said, “If a man beats his male or female slave with a rodand the slave dies as adirect result, he must be punished” (Ex. 21:20).While the punishment is notdefined, it probably was thedeath penalty. After pointingout that the Hebrew wordtranslated “punished”means “avenged,” Dr. Wright comments, “That is the literal meaningof the verb used, and in anyother context would meanthat the guilty party wouldbe liable to death himself atthe hands of his victim’sfamily. . . . This law’s naturalsense is that the murderousmaster was to be executed

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by the legal community onbehalf of the slave, who hadno family to avenge him”(An Eye For An Eye, IVP,1983, p.180).

The regulation that is listed after the severesentence for the killing of aslave has troubled me foryears because it seems toolenient. It reads, “But he[the slaveowner] is not to be punished if the slave getsup after a day or two, sincethe slave is his property”(Ex. 21:21). A beating thatincapacitated a slave for aday or two was quite severe.But I have come to theconclusion that there mayhave been other factors toconsider. We must realizethat the owner may havebeen providing food andlodging for the captured orpurchased slave and had aright to expect some returnon his investment. Then too, no matter how well theslaves were treated, somemight have been rebellious

and defiant. Forgetting thatthey were alive because theywere taken as war captivesinstead of being executed,they might have blamedtheir master for their slavestatus. They might haveshown their resentment bydestroying property, abusingfellow slaves, or refusing towork. The master may havehad no other way to bringhis slave in line than to usephysical punishment.

The law imposed no fineon the owner who punisheda slave so severely that hecouldn’t work for a day ortwo. But this doesn’t meanhe got off scot-free. He paida penalty, because hereceived no work from theslave until he was healed. It cost him financially, thesame as if he had injured afree fellow Israelite. Notewhat Exodus 21:18-19 says:

If men quarrel and onehits the other with a stoneor with his fist and he doesnot die but is confined to

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bed, the one who struckthe blow will not be heldresponsible if the other gets up and walks aroundoutside with his staff; however, he must pay theinjured man for the loss ofhis time and see that he iscompletely healed.The law provided no

compensation for emotionalanguish, but it made thesame demand for the injuredperson, whether slave orfree. The man who inflictedthe injury was liable for themoney that the injuredperson lost by his inabilityto work during the time ofrecuperation.

The law in Israel affordedthe slave further protectionfrom being physicallyharmed. Exodus 21:26-27stipulates that if the masterdestroys an eye of the slaveor even knocks out a tooth,he must set the slave free.This law showed God’sconcern for the personalhumanity of the slaves.

He wanted them to betreated humanely, as menand women with basic civilrights like the rest of Israel’scitizens. To enforce this law,an injured slave undoubtedlyhad the right to appeal to thecourt of elders against hisown master.

5. Laws Of Asylum And Extradition. Runawayslaves in Israel were grantedasylum. If a slave managedto escape into another town,the authorities there couldnot force him to return to hisowner. They were to allowhim freedom to live wherehe chose and do what hechose to do. Deuteronomy23:15-16 declares:

If a slave has taken refugewith you, do not handhim over to his master.Let him live among youwherever he likes and inwhatever town he chooses.Do not oppress him.In societies surrounding

Israel, runaway slavesreceived no protection.

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In fact, they were treatedwith great severity. This lawwas so radically differentfrom that of the othernations that some Biblescholars say it must haveapplied only to foreign

slaves who fled into Israelfor asylum. They contendthat giving all runawayslaves this protection would

have produced a myriad of legal complications.

The law as written,however, expresses no suchlimitation. It seems best,therefore, to take it asapplying to all runawayslaves. After all, Israel wasuniquely God’s nation andtherefore was to be differentfrom her neighbors. By this law, God showed thatthough He permitted slaveryin Israel because of itsinevitability in the world of that day, He did not viewthe holding of slaves as abasic right to be protected.

This law served anotherpurpose for the owners ofslaves. In addition torevealing God’s attitudetoward slave ownership, it provided them with anadded incentive to be kind to their slaves. If theyvalued a slave, they wouldbe inclined to treat him withkindness and respect so thathe would not want to runaway. This law also provided

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“If a slave hastaken refuge withyou, do not handhim over to hismaster. Let him live among youwherever he likes and in

whatever town he chooses. Do

not oppress him.”Deuteronomy 23:15-16



a way out for a slave whowas either grossly mistreatedor simply could not live with the idea of being theproperty of another man or woman.

The primary significanceof Deuteronomy 23:15-16 isthis: The holding of slaves in Israel, though permitted,was not an inherent right tobe protected by law. Wright’scomments on these versesinclude this quotation fromD.J.A. Clines’ work, Social

Responsibility In The OldTestament:

Is it not extraordinary—not to say amusing—thatthe one society in theancient Near East thathad a law protectingrunaway slaves was thatsociety that traced itsorigin to a group ofrunaway slaves fromEgypt? . . . The point is that Israel hasexperienced God as theone who is sympathetic to runaway slaves. So thislaw is not just an ethicalor legal principle indefense of human rights,but a reflex of Israel’s ownreligious experience—afundamental characteristicof biblical ethics” (An EyeFor An Eye, IVP, 1983,p.181).Summary. Slaves in

Israel were usually domesticworkers in the homes of thewealthy and were treated asfamily members. Those inagriculture apparently

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Although Godpermitted slavery inIsrael because of itsinevitability in theworld of that day,

He did not view theholding of slaves as a basic right to be protected.



worked alongside hired men and women (as in thestory of Ruth). Some peoplewho were captured fromneighboring nations weremade slaves of the state orserved in the maintenanceof the temple complex(Num. 31:28-30,41; Josh.9:23; 16:10; Jud. 1:28; 1 Ki.9:20-21; Ezra 2:43-58; 8:20;Neh. 3:31; 7:46-60). But thebiblical record indicates thatthey were treated well. They probably consideredthemselves fortunate to bein Israel instead of anothercountry.

Often masters developedsuch warm affection for theirslaves that they gave thempositions of influence. Oneof young Saul’s slaves was atrusted advisor (1 Sam. 9:5-10). Gehazi, Elisha’s slave,was a valued confidant untilhe allowed his greed to ruinhim (2 Ki. 4–5). Given the fact that even the non-Hebrew slaves participatedfully in Israel’s religious

observances, they became eligible for marriage to Israelites. In the genealogical list of 1 Chronicles 2 we find:“Sheshan had no sons—only daughters. He had anEgyptian servant namedJarha. Sheshan gave hisdaughter in marriage to hisservant Jarha, and she borehim Attai” (vv.34-35). It’slikely that this sort of thinghappened quite frequently.

Israel’s humanetreatment of slaves canundoubtedly be traced backto God’s reminders of theirown slavery in Egypt. Hislaws providing protection for them and His legislationabout runaway slavesindicated that slaveownership was notsacrosanct. The fact of the matter is that althoughGod permitted and regulatedslavery in Israel, He neitherendorsed it nor made slaveownership an inviolableright.

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THE NEWTESTAMENT AND SLAVERY

MMillions of slaveslived in theRoman Empire

during the time of Jesus andthe apostles. Thousands ofthem became Christiansunder the ministry of theapostles. But they did notturn to Jesus expectingemancipation from theirsocial position. They came to Him to receive the forgiveness of their sinsand everlasting life.

SLAVERY ASTOLERATED BYJESUS AND THEAPOSTLESNeither Jesus nor the apostles made theemancipation of slaves an issue in their ministry.Jesus healed the slave of aRoman centurion and spokeapprovingly of the officer’sfaith, but He did not rebuke

him for being a slaveowner(Lk. 7:1-10). He referred tothe relationship of slavesand their masters in Hisparables, but He saidnothing that indicated Hedisapproved of slavery (Mt.18:21-35; Lk. 12:42-48).

Paul and Peter toldconverted slaves to beobedient, honest, anddiligent in serving theirmasters, and they neveroffered them hope that theirnew faith would bring thememancipation in this life(Eph. 6:5-8; Col. 3:22-25; 1 Tim. 6:1-2; 1 Pet. 2:18-21).Paul revealed a remarkablesensitivity to slaves when hetold their Christian owners,“Do not threaten them, sinceyou know that He who isboth their Master and yoursis in heaven, and there is nofavoritism with Him” (Eph.6:9). Yet, like Jesus, he neverdenounced slavery.

Why were they silent on such an important issue? Three answers to

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this question have beenformulated by Christianscholars. First, slaveryconditions had become sotolerable by the first centuryof the Christian era that itdid not make sense to stirup the waters by making it an issue. Second, sincebelievers were living in adictatorship, any efforts to

abolish slavery would havebeen an exercise in futility.Third, the primary missionof Jesus and His followershad to do with anindividual’s eternal salvationfrom the penalty and powerof sin, not social reform.

The Common-Sense Factor. During the time of Jesus and theapostles, slavery in theRoman Empire was quitehumane. The Romanleaders, needing hugearmies of loyal soldiers tofight their battles and a largepopulace of satisfied citizensas a tax base, had put intoeffect laws that made itpossible for millions ofslaves to obtain theirfreedom. To keep those who were still in slaverycontented, they had given them civil rights that protected them fromexploitation, had guaranteedthem decent housing, andhad made it possible forthem to save enough moneyto eventually obtain theirfreedom. These wise Romanlaws made it relatively easyfor decent people to becontent with the status quo.Why should they risk gettingin trouble for what was thensuch a minor issue?

23

Neither Jesus nor the apostles

made theemancipation

of slaves an issue in their ministry.



The Futility Factor.A second reason given forthe silence of Jesus and Hisfollowers about the evil ofslavery is that the Romangovernment was adictatorship. The emperormight try to please thepeople for pragmaticreasons, but he would nothave taken kindly the effortsof a small group agitating for the abolition of slavery.Fighting slavery would havebeen an exercise in futility.

The Priority Factor.The primary reason Jesusand the apostles did notspeak against slavery is thatthey had a far higher task to perform. Jesus came toreveal the Father and toprovide eternal salvationthrough His death, burial,and resurrection. He made it clear that He did not cometo be a social reformer. Andjust before ascending toheaven, He gave Hisfollowers this commission:“Go and make disciples of

all nations, baptizing themin the name of the Fatherand of the Son and of theHoly Spirit, and teachingthem to obey everything I have commanded you” (Mt. 28:19-20).

Jesus did not say oneword about becomingpolitical activists. Was Heindifferent to this and othersocial evils? Not at all! Itwas simply a matter ofputting first things first. Byproclaiming the good newsof salvation, the followers ofJesus led thousands of slaves

24

When slavesbecame membersof the family of

God, they received a social status

far more valuablethan freedom from slavery.



as well as free people tobelieve on Him and receiveeverlasting life. These slavesbecame members of thefamily of God, receiving a social status far morevaluable than freedom fromslavery. The first and primarytask of Christians always hasbeen and always will be theproclaiming of God’s Word.

SLAVERY ASUNDERMINED BYTHEIR EXAMPLEAND TEACHINGAlthough Jesus and Hisapostles did not publiclyattack slavery or demandthat converted slaveownersset their slaves free, theirexample and teachingbrought about its eventualabolition. Jesus, by living asone with no lodging (Lk.9:58), identified with thepoorest of the poor. Bygiving special attention tothose who were despised insociety, He made it clearthat every human being is

valuable to God. He madethe slaves and downtroddenrealize that in the eyes ofGod they were made in Hisimage just as truly as therich and honored.

The apostles alsoundermined the institutionof slavery without directlyattacking it. They welcomedslaves into the church. Theyled converted slaveowners to see their converted slavesin a new light, as spiritual

equals, as brothers andsisters in Christ. All learnedto revel in the truth ofGalatians 3:26-28.

You are all the sons ofGod through faith in

25

Jesus and the apostles

undermined theinstitution of slavery

without directlyattacking it.



Christ Jesus, for all of youwho were baptized intoChrist have clothedyourselves with Christ.There is neither Jew norGreek, slave nor free, malenor female, for you are allone in Christ Jesus.People often criticize

Paul for sending convertedOnesimus back to Philemon,the master from whom hehad fled after stealing fromhim (Phile. 12). But it’s notaccurate to interpret this as an indication that Paulviewed the ownership ofslaves as a basic right. Hedid this for the sake of thespiritual welfare of bothOnesimus and Philemon. By returning, Onesimusdemonstrated the reality of his faith. The return ofOnesimus would also testPhilemon. Would he forgiveand receive with grace a manwho had apparently been aproblem slave and had stolenfrom him? Even beyond that,would he respond favorably

to Paul’s suggestion that he free Onesimus so that hecould be an assistant to theapostle himself? Notice howthe apostle underscored hisdesire for the completerelease of Onesimus:“Confident of yourobedience, I write to you,knowing that you will doeven more than I ask” (v.21).

Summary. Jesus andthe apostles didn’t go on ananti-slavery crusade, becausedoing so would have beenfutile and a hindrance totheir primary mission. Thepriority of Jesus was theprovision of salvation. For the apostles it was theproclamation of the gospel.But both Jesus and theapostles undermined thebasis for slavery by making it clear that God equallyloves rich and poor, free andslave, male and female. Theapostles also welcomed intothe church and gave equalstatus to all who believed,regardless of race, gender,

26



nationality, or social position.The principle of spiritual

equality taught by theapostles had an immediateimpact. The New Testamentrecord shows that already in

the first century womenwere treated with respectunknown in the Jewish andpagan world of that day.They served as prophets(Acts 21:9), shared inteaching the Scriptures (Acts18:26), prayed and spoke inmeetings (1 Cor. 11:5), andheld such important

leadership roles that theywere included with men inPaul’s list of highly valuedco-workers (Rom. 16:1-16).

Jews and Gentiles whohad become Christiansworshiped together, sufferedtogether, and became so fondof one another that when theJerusalem believers were inneed, the predominantlyGentile Christians inMacedonia astonished Paulby their surprisingly sacrificialgenerosity (2 Cor. 8:1-5).

Converted slaveownersdid not necessarily free theirconverted slaves, but theycelebrated the Lord’s Supperwith them as spiritual equals.Consequently they began totreat them with kindness andconsideration. Convertedslaves undoubtedly began to be more diligent, morehonest, and more contented.Their possession of eternalsalvation gave them a benefit thousands of timesmore valuable than mereemancipation from slavery.

27

Jesus and theapostles didn’t goon an anti-slaverycrusade, becausedoing so wouldhave been futileand a hindrance to their primary

mission.



CHURCHHISTORY ANDSLAVERY

CCritics wonder why this good beginningdid not take hold

in every area of life andbecome a major factor inchurch history. They pointout that the rights of womento have a voice in church orgovernment affairs, to holdoffice, and to compete withmen in the marketplacewere very slow in coming.They remind us that untilthe 18th century, fewChristian leaders spoke outagainst the evil of slavery.

Their observations arecorrect. While the lives ofthousands of individualChristians were marked bypurity and compassion, therecord of the institutionalchurch in the area of socialconcern is dismal.

The attitude of Christianleaders toward the slaveryissue in church history can

be summarized as follows:(1) From the time of theapostles until AD 313 it waslargely ignored; (2) From AD313 until the 18th century itwas tolerated; (3) From the18th century to the presentit was opposed by themajority and was abolished.

AS IGNORED UNTIL AD 313Christians of the second andthird centuries, like those ofthe apostolic age, focusedon preaching the gospel ofsalvation and teaching thespiritual truths of the NewTestament. Millions, largelyfrom the ranks of the slaves,became believers duringthese years. Churchhistorians tell us that eventhough thousands died asmartyrs during periods ofintense persecution, theykept growing numerically.Believers made up aboutone-tenth of the populationof the Roman Empire whenthe persecutions ended with

28



the Edict of Milan in AD313. But they had remaineda persecuted minority.Moreover, they were sofocused on the realm of thespiritual and eternal thatthey had no inclination tobecome involved in politics.A scholar, whose articleshows that he is unwilling to admit the supernaturalelements of the NewTestament, neverthelessportrays Christians of thesecond and third centuriesas a fine group of people.

The ancient world did notpossess a working-classmovement in the modernsense, and Christianitydid not create or fosterone. After the example of their master, theChristians encouragedhumility and patiencebefore wicked men. Eventhe institution of slaverywas not the subject offundamental Christiancriticism before the 4thcentury. The church,

however, was not lost in pious mysticism. . . .Inheriting a Jewish moralideal, its activitiesincluded food for the poor,orphans, and foundlings;care for prisoners, and acommunity funeral service(Encyclopedia Britannica,Macropedia, Vol.16,p.258).This quote shows us

that although these earlyChristians focused on thespiritual and avoidedpolitics, they possessed asensitive social conscience.Most of them had beendrawn from the ranks of thepoor, yet they sacrificiallyreached out to the mostneedy in their world.

AS TOLERATEDFROM AD 313 UNTIL AD 1700With the conversion ofConstantine, the churchbegan to experiencegovernmental assistanceinstead of opposition. While

29



this brought about a rapid numerical increase in church members, it was a mixed blessing. As allies of the state, church leaders

tended to be moreconcerned about pleasingthe civil authorities thanseeking justice for the poorand the oppressed.

The new situation,however, made it possiblefor sensitive individuals toexpress their concern for thedisadvantaged. People likeFrancis of Assisi were ableto influence large numbersof Christians to a self-

sacrificial andcompassionate ministry to the poor and oppressed.But these efforts made littleimpact. Most people were so poor, their lives so brutishand brief, that they werehardly aware of theexistence of slavery. Those who were moreeducated and prosperouswere generally content toaccept the status quo. Some of them expressedtheir Christian faith by being kind to their slaves,but they accepted slavery asan unfortunate yet inevitableelement in society.

Still, the efforts of thosewho sacrificially organizedgroups to help the poor anddisadvantaged were nottotally in vain. They neitherabolished slavery noreradicated injustice, but byfeeding the hungry, helpingwidows and their families,and establishing orphanagesthey kept the compassion ofJesus alive in the church.

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There is neither Jew nor Greek,slave nor free,

male nor female,for you are all one

in Christ Jesus.Galatians 3:28



AS OPPOSED ANDABOLISHED FROMTHE 18TH CENTURYTO THE PRESENTThe terrible nature of theinternational slave tradeinvolving blacks was such a monstrous evil that manyChristian leaders could notremain silent. John Wesley,Granville Sharp, ThomasClarkson, Jonathan EdwardsJr., and Theodore Dwightwere among the prominentpreachers in England andNorth America whodenounced it as an evil to be abolished. Christianstatesmen like William Pittand William Wilberforce in England, after a longstruggle, succeeded inoutlawing the slave trade in 1807 and abolishingslavery in 1833.

Some American ministerstried to stem the anti-slaverytide by defending the slaveryof blacks on the basis oftheir wrong interpretation ofGenesis 9:24-25. But they

were unsuccessful. Thepassing of the ThirteenthAmendment to the UnitedStates Constitution in 1865outlawed slavery in all the

states. The biblical teachingthat all human beings arecreated equal and that noone should be the propertyof another has prevailed inthe church and throughoutthe Western world.

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The terrible nature of the

international slavetrade involving

blacks was such a monstrous evil

that many Christianleaders could not

remain silent.



THE HEART OFTHE MATTER

SSlavery has been a grave social evil.Thankfully, it no

longer exists in most of our civilized world. Terribleeconomic inequities remain,and as Christians we shoulddo what we can to endthem. But this is the task of individual Christiancitizens, not of the church.The mandate of the churchis to evangelize, to teach theScriptures, and to providefor believers an atmospherein which they can growtoward Christlikeness incharacter and conduct.

In our age, when manyboast about their freedom to live their lives as theychoose, our primary task is not just to make peopleaware of moral law.Changing their thinkingabout moral matters is notenough. Our responsibility is to point them to Jesus

and the freedom He alone can bring. He issued a solemn warning to a groupof people who boastedabout their freedom: “I tellyou the truth, everyone whosins is a slave to sin” (Jn.8:34). Since “the wages ofsin is death” (Rom. 6:23),bondage to sin is the worstof all forms of slavery.

To deliver us from the eternal separation fromGod in hell, God in theperson of Jesus became amember of the human racethrough a miraculous virginbirth. He lived a sinless life,and then went to the crosswhere the Father “madeHim [the Son] who had nosin to be sin for us, so thatin Him we might becomethe righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21). Those whobelieve on Jesus are set freefrom the guilt of sin, receivepower to overcome sin, andare delivered from the fear of death. Now that’s realfreedom!

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How Can We Trust a Bible That Tolerated Slavery

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