Email on Slavery in the Bible

<personal information censored> To the Leader of the Family Group,

I had a few thoughts about the discussion that I decided not to voice for fear that I might not be able to properly communicate them and would end up getting grossly misunderstood.  Please bear with me through this entire email before reaching conclusions about what I’m saying.

In the discussion, it seemed to me that everyone was in agreement that slavery is bad, and that the Bible just avoided saying so, possibly for the reasons mentioned. However, this idea, to me, does not seem entirely coherent with other things I’ve read in the Bible.

I’m just going to go ahead and say it, but bear with me while I clarify. Slavery, in and of itself, is neither “bad” nor a sin. Abuses of slavery are. For example, if someone works 80 hours a week and gets paid $100, and to top it off, let’s say their boss physically abuses them. That is both bad and sinful. However, employment is not. I think it is much the same with slavery. Killing slaves is/was sinful. Abusing them is, also. And, I do not know if you know this, but the slave trade is also sinful. It would seem to me that if the Bible explicitly states the slave trade as a sin, it would be better to just say that slavery is a sin if, indeed, it is. That would make it unnecessary to state that the slave trade is a sin.

1 Timothy 9-11:
⁹We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, ¹⁰for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine ¹¹that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.

But something I think is also important to state is the definition of slavery. When you or I or any other American thinks of slavery, we think of forced labor, physical abuse, the hot sun, murder, torn families, and so on. But that is not what slavery is. Those are the abuses of slavery. Slavery itself is merely, and I use that word loosely, one human making the decisions for another, and that “other” having no significant freedom. And freedom is not the glorious thing we make it out to be in this country. Don’t get me wrong, I love freedom, I love being free, and I am 99% glad we don’t have slavery in America today (ultimately, I think modern technology would make slavery in America pointless anyway). However, look at what happens with slavery. Look at all the homeless people who are homeless by choice, because they are unable to accept the responsibility that comes with their freedom. Look at the drug addicts who would certainly be better off were someone else to be in charge of their life decisions. There are a good many other examples as well.

In the Bible, I believe we have two main categories of slaves: Israel, and the rest of the world (mainly Roman). Each of these has to sub-categories; slaves who sold themselves, and prisoners of war. I think we can agree that when one person sells himself into slavery, there is nothing wrong with that as long as he is not tricked into doing so. I think we can also agree that if any alternative to slavery were available, the man selling his freedom would take it. Therefore, this man likely has no other choice if he wishes to live. So, if you take away slavery, what is this man to do? How will he earn enough to eat or be sheltered? In America, this really isn’t an issue, but in biblical times, I think it would have been.

Or how’s this for a scenario (and this would be applicable in modern America). Let’s say a man, who we’ll say for argument’s sake is not a disciple, has an addiction. Maybe it’s drugs. Maybe it’s something more sinister, like murder. Maybe it’s gluttony. Either way, let’s say he has an addiction that he wants to get rid of (he isn’t a disciple, but still wants to be “good” by his own standard, and that requires losing the habit). He tries and tries and tries again and fails every time (sounds like a lot of smokers I know). Then, he has an idea. He could sell himself into someone’s service (you could sell yourself for a specific length of time, at least in Israel; and there’s also the Year of Jubilee). Because his freedom is taken from him, he can’t do whatever it was (what master would want a valuable slave to overeat or do drugs?). This man’s quality of life has been greatly improved by slavery! And there are people like that today. If no one else, there are those who check themselves into rehab.

I also have a bit of a side comment about one of the younger guys’ question. He asked you if slaves back then got paid. You said they didn’t. In the literal sense, and for the purposes of that question, I suppose that’s right. However, think for a moment about the expression “time is money.” You could take that and turn it into many other expressions, like “time is food” or “time is shelter” because everything has a specific value and a specific amount of time attached to it. So, although slaves did not get paid, they were compensated, after a fashion. They received food, shelter, and security (of varying degrees, I’m sure).

Now, let’s take a look at those who were prisoners of war. In Israel, the people were, as everyone knows, supposed to kill everyone within a certain geographic area when they conquered Canaan. But they were permitted to take slaves from peoples outside this area, if the people of a city surrendered without a fight.

Deuteronomy 20:10-18:

¹⁰ When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace. ¹¹ If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject to forced labor and shall work for you. ¹² If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. ¹³ When the LORD your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it. ¹⁴ As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the LORD your God gives you from your enemies. ¹⁵ This is how you are to treat all the cities that are at a distance from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.

¹⁶ However, in the cities of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. ¹⁷ Completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you. ¹⁸ Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the LORD your God.

I can think of three reasons for this. First, labor was needed in Israel. Second, perhaps the Lord wanted to spare as much bloodshed as possible without endangering his relationship with Israel. Thirdly, I’m not aware of a specifically prescribed path then, as there is now, for “achieving” salvation. We know that people from that time will be in paradise (we probably don’t go to Heaven, per se, but that’s another discussion), since we have examples. Elijah, for one. Also, Jesus states that John the Baptist will be wherever we go, and he died before the death, burial, and resurrection. But, my best guess for that time period is that you would have to follow all the laws of the Lord. Now, about those slaves from surrendered cities. Would they ever have been able to be saved this way living where they were? In all liklihood, no. But if they’re taken as slaves by the Israelites, their chances increase dramatically.

Now let’s compare this to the Roman slaves or let’s say, hypothetically, that we had slavery in America today. If a Roman or American disciple took a non-disciple as a slave, is not that slave forced to see, every day, a disciple living out his life for Jesus? What better way can you think of for getting someone to want to become a disciple?

Also, I would think life would be much simpler as a slave. Not easier, but simpler. You would do your work, do as your told, and be done. You would not have to worry about finances or decide what direction to go with your life. Personally, I can think of several temptations in my life that would evaporate were I a slave. Now, I never will be because Galatians 5:3 (”It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”) could be meant in the literal sense. And that makes sense to me. First, a disciple should not make himself the slave of a non-disciple. Imagine the circumstances when the non-disciple wants you to do something sinful. Second, I would think a disciple owning another disciple would be awkward, to say the least. There’s also the favouritism you mentioned, and Philemon 1:12-21.

¹²I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. ¹³I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. ¹⁴But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do will be spontaneous and not forced. ¹⁵Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for good— ¹⁶no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.

¹⁷So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. ¹⁸If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. ¹⁹I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self. ²⁰I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. ²¹Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

So, essentially, what I am trying to say is that the reason the Bible does not say slavery is sinful is because it is not. It’s a tricky subject, to be sure. And any abuse of slavery is most definitely sinful, but the actual act itself is not.

Your Infant Brother in Christ,

<personal information censored> Guffy Conservative

P.S. I’m pretty tired right now, so if there’s some sentence fragments that don’t totally make sense, sorry.

P.S.S. One last point. There is quite a bit of evidence that slavery is not the abomination we in America are conditioned to think it is. Certainly that is the case with Israel’s slavery: Deuteronomy 15:12-18

¹² If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, sells himself to you and serves you six years, in the seventh year you must let him go free. ¹³ And when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed. ¹⁴ Supply him liberally from your flock, your threshing floor and your winepress. Give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you. ¹⁵ Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today.

¹⁶ But if your servant says to you, “I do not want to leave you,” because he loves you and your family and is well off with you, ¹⁷ then take an awl and push it through his ear lobe into the door, and he will become your servant for life. Do the same for your maidservant.

¹⁸ Do not consider it a hardship to set your servant free, because his service to you these six years has been worth twice as much as that of a hired hand. And the LORD your God will bless you in everything you do.

It seems to me that the verses 16-17 would be entirely unnecessary if slavery was a bad thing.