Is the Bible Pro or Anti-Slavery?

There are skeptics out there who want to believe that the Bible condones and even promotes slavery. This is laughable at best. But to understand the Bible’s view on it, one must put to use good hermeneutics! Why? Because context is everything!

We know that the Mosaic Laws were made up of moral, ceremonial, and judicial. When we know that we can start to see how application can be made. We realize the social pieces were unique for them in their time in for their culture. The ceremonial parts were mostly fulfilled in Christ. The moral elements are ones we need to pay particular attention to. 

Look at Exodus 23:9. ““Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt” (NIV). The Israelites were once slaves in Egypt. They knew oppression. Here we see that oppression and treatment based on birth place was condemned. Look at Genesis 1:27 “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (NIV). This does not mean you are equal to God, but you bear the imago Dei, the image of God. That is all people bear this image. 

Slavery in the Old Testament and to some extent in the New Testament was due to economic reasons and not reasons of ethnicity. Yes, when one kingdom would conquer another slavery could occur. But generally one would enter into slavery voluntarily. Why? Because there wasn’t a bail-out for people. When someone would not be able to repay a loan, they would sell themselves to settle the debt. Exodus 22:3 talks of a thief selling him/herself as a slave to pay for the crime.

What of the New Testament. Timothy writes “for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine” (1 Timothy 1:10 NIV). The New Testament puts slave traders in the same category as reprobates, murders, liars, and sexual sinners. 

Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (NIV). We here again see human rights and the equality of man. 

Christ did not come to eliminate slavery, but He did command slaves to obey their masters. He did command for the masters to treat their slaves with kindness and charity. The New Testament offers regulation for the reality of slavery. John MacArthur gives this commentary, “Slave/master relationships and responsibilities are dealt with much as those of employer/employee, and both testaments give considerable instruction about God’s plan for these relationships and associated responsibilities… New Testament teaching does not focus on reforming and restructuring human systems, which are never the root cause of human problems. The issue is always the heart of man—which when wicked will corrupt the best of systems and when righteous will improve the worst. If men’s sinful hearts are not changed, they will find ways to oppress others regardless of whether or not there is actual slavery” (The MacArthur New Testament Commentary).

It is worth noting that the principles of the Bible put into action ended slavery in Israel as well as here in the United States. Social injustice of any kind should be seriously looked at and addressed by the believer. Whatever actions we take, we must be willing to do so with boldness and with the verbal Gospel. If we rescue a child from the sex trade, practice medicine at a free clinic, or give socks to the homeless, we must present the Gospel. Otherwise we have rescued the girl, given antibiotics, or provided comfortable feet for that person on their road to hell. The Gospel is not mere action but action with the Word.

Finally let’s not forget as Christians we are bond-servants of Christ. Because of our love for what Christ has done to pay our unbearable sin-debt, we willingly become slaves to Him. As I state above, Christ did not come to make slaves free, or make sick people well. He came to make dead people live!

If you want to know more about who Christ is, contact me. He loves you so much that He freely paid for the price of your sin. Don't think you are a sinner? Have you ever lied? Then you are a liar. Have you ever looked at someone and had impure thoughts? Then you are an adulterer. Have you have taken something that wasn't yours? Then you are  thief. You see we are all sinners and need a savior. Karl Barth, theologian, when asked to summarize his Church Dogmantics he said, "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so." Amen!