Does the Bible condone slavery?

When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing.

When you buy a Hebrew slave, after serving for six years he will be released a freedman.

The Old Law (‘Law of Moses’) is being given to Moses on Mt Sinai (beginning chapter 20 with the Ten Commandments). Much of chapter 21 contains laws concerning the master-slave relationship, within the tone of this foundational law. The Hebrew word translated “slaves” (from Hebrew ‘ebed’), could also be “servant”. Other laws include:

• vss 4-10: laws regarding his family,
• vs 16: death penalty for kidnapping a person and selling or keeping him,
• vs 20: punishment for a master striking a slave who dies under his hand, with the distinction in verse 21,
• vss 26-27: freedom for a slave whose eye or tooth is destroyed by the master,
• vs 32: payment to the master if an ox gores a slave.

If your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you. And when you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty-handed.

If your countryman is sold to you, they will serve you six years and in the seventh year you will free him with ample provisions.

Moses is re-telling the law to the people before they enter in to the Promised Land. In this chapter, he is focusing on the laws pertaining to the ‘Sabbath year’ (or, seventh year).

You shall not give up to his master a slave who has escaped from his master to you. He shall dwell with you, in your midst, in the place that he shall choose within one of your towns, wherever it suits him. You shall not wrong him.

You shall not return a slave to his master when he has escaped to you. The slave shall remain with you and live in your midst wherever he likes. You shall not mistreat him.

Moses is re-telling the law of God to the people before entering the Promised Land.

If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant, when they brought a complaint against me, what then shall I do when God rises up? When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him? Did not he who made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb?

God formed and made both me and my servants in the womb. It is to Him that I must answer whenever He asks. If any of my servants have a complaint, my treatment and resolution are answerable to God.

Job is trying to reconcile his recent tragedies and misfortunes to himself while also defending charges of disobedience and “punishment from God” from his friends.

For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

Maybe this is why he [Onesimus, Philemon’s slave] was separated from you [Philemon] for a time, that you might be reunited not as master-slave, but as beloved brothers – as he is to me [Paul], and even more to you, both physically and spiritually.

Paul’s letter to Philemon. This entire letter (one chapter) is about Paul’s encouragement to Philemon to restore his relationship with his runaway slave, Onesimus. Apparantly, he had wronged Philemon in some way (vss 18-19). Remarkably, while away, Onesimus encounters Paul (vs 10) and is converted. The relationship between master and slave has now also become one of Christian brother to brother (vs 16).

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

Whoever has been baptized into Christ has been clothed in Christ. Everyone (that’s been clothed) is one in Jesus Christ, regardless if they are Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female. Likewise, if you’re clothed in Christ, you are part of Abraham’s spiritual family and heirs according to the promise made to him by God.

Paul’s letter to the churches of Galatia (a region). Chapter 3 specifically argues the Christian’s justification by faith in Christ, not the [Old] law of Moses, while at the same time, drawing strong parallels between the two. He has just stated that those “in Christ” are sons of God.

Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in all things, not only when they are watching lest you simply please man, but with a sincere heart to please and obey God.

Paul is encouraging the Colossians to “keep seeking the things above” (vs 1) and imploring them to “put off” (vs 8) the sins of the world. In this immediate context he is giving specific “in the Lord” behavioral instructions for members of a household.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

The Holy Spirit is upon me and has anointed me [Jesus] to preach the gospel message to the poor. He has sent me to preach freedom to the prisoners and sight to the blind, to free those that are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

Jesus has just begun His public ministry and has returned to Nazareth where he was raised (vs 16). While in the synagogue on the Sabbath day, Jesus reads this from Isaiah 61:1-2 and tells them it has been fulfilled through Him (vs 21).

Then God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

Then God announced, “Let us make man in our image and likeness,”, letting him have dominion over the fish, birds, livestock, and creeping creatures, and all the earth.

The Creation account in the first chapter that culminates in God making man. The next chapter retells and elaborates on the creation of man, and chapter three of their sin.

Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.

Masters, do the same to them and stop threatening since God in heaven is Master over you all and there is no partiality with Him.

Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus gives encouragement and instruction. In this immediate context, Paul is instructing on household relationships. He speaks specifically to wives (5:22-24, 33), to husbands (5:25-33, 6:4), to children (6:1-3), and finally to the master-servant relationship (6:5-9).

Were you a slave when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a slave of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.

Were you converted as a slave? Don’t be concerned about it (but if you are able to gain your freedom then do it). If you were a slave when called, you are free in Christ. Likewise, if you were free in life, you are a slave in Christ (when converted). You were bought with a price! Don’t fall back into being a slave of men . Therefore, brethren, in whatever physical state you were called, there let him remain with God.

Paul is emphasizing the ‘higher calling’ of Christians, over and above whatever their calling in life might be. He just gave an example of a physical condition (circumcision), and here he gives an example of a role or station in life.

Slaves are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

Slaves should submit to their masters in all things, being well-pleasing, non-combative, not stealing from but showing good faith in all of their actions so that they might display through their character the doctrine of God our Savior.

Paul is writing to a young preacher, Titus. He provides instructions regarding many of the other roles in the congregation including pastors/elders in chapter one. He continues to give instruction regarding behavior to certain segments/groups within the church: older men (2:2), older women (2:3), younger women (2:4), younger men (2:6), and finally slaves (2:9). With all of these, their behavior is to be exhibited as would “accord with sound doctrine” (1:9, 2:1, 2:10).

Let all who are under a yoke as slaves regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.

Any that are under the bondage of slavery are to honor their masters in order to not discredit the name and word of God. Those that have believing masters but not take advantage of that fact, but should be even more excellent in their service since those benefitting from it are brothers [in Christ].

Paul’s instructions to Timothy, a young preacher. Here he is giving instruction regarding the master/slave relationship after having given other, very role-specific (e.g. man, woman, young, old, married, widowed) instructions regarding behavior and actions as Christians.

But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

We thank God that though you were once slaves to sin, you have become obedient from your heart and remained committed to the standard of teaching you heard. You were set free from sin and have since become slaves of righteousness.

Paul is making the broader point of the richness and fullness of God’s grace toward sinful man (chap 5) before turning to man’s response (and responsibility) for salvation. He states the absurdity of continuing “in sin” (vs 1) because they killed off their old self through baptism (vs 3), and uses the very real master/slave (“human terms” as Paul puts it in vs 19) relationship to illustrate.

Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

We know that the law is good if applied justly, and it is not for the obedient, but rather for the lawbreakers and disobedient. The same that are ungodly, sinners, unholy, profane, those who strike their parents, murderers, sexually immoral, practicing homosexuality, slave-trading, liars, perjurers, and anything else contrary to sound doctrine and not aligning with the gospel of the glory of God with which I [Paul] have been sent to preach.

Paul’s instructions to the young preacher Timothy, ending chap 1 with two named individuals that were engaged in false teaching and as a result made a “shipwreck of their faith” and have been “handed over to Satan to learn…”