With everything going on in the US right now, I thought I'd start a thread to discuss what the Bible has to say about slavery and what you think about it.
Slavery and the Bible
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S.O.J.I.A.
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Hebrew slavery was, with the exception of POWs, a part of the Israelite economy that many participated in voluntarily.
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Thedictator
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Slavery was never a problem or a sin to God, but how you treat your slaves that could be a sin. Also slavery was never to be a life long event, or to be passes down from one generation to another. One became a slave by war or debt they were never to be born in to it. Also every 50 years one was to free all slaves.
Both slave and master had responsibilities to each other, it was not to be a one way street. The master was to take care of all the needs of his slave until he left.
Both slave and master had responsibilities to each other, it was not to be a one way street. The master was to take care of all the needs of his slave until he left.
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Also, historically, people were enslaved based on religious difference usually, which in those times identified your ethnicity or nationality as it were. In modern times, once African slaves were Christianized, the Church could no longer sanction their slavery, so for the first time in history, slavery was based solely on color and it became chattel meaning your children would also be slaves. Sinister stuff there when also beatings, whippings, lynchings, and working slaves literally until they dropped dead in the Carribeas sugar plantations.
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com7fy8
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I have been told that in order to get slaves for Americans, traders would hire African tribesmen to raid other tribes' villages, and the raiders were supplied with guns and would kill people in order to capture slaves. The villages of those raiders lost a lot of men who were killed during the raiding. But certain tribal leaders were wise to this, and they did not use their men to do business with the slave traders.
Captured Africans would be walked to the slave ships. A lot of them would die, on the way, and the hyenas which ate the dead humans were reported to look disgusted about always eating the same thing.
If this is true . . . this was not Biblical slavery.
Also, fear was used to keep control of slaves, in America. And it seems the owners lived in fear of uprisings and slaughters by their slaves. Well, they bought, perhaps in some cases, men who had experience with military strategy, in African inter-tribal warfare. And they bought such men and had them on their plantations. So, I would say that was not very smart.
And those in fear of their slaves were in slavery to their fear!!
"fear of death" is slavery to Satan > Hebrews 2:14-15. And fear can deeply degrade someone so he or she is not able to truly love >
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18)
So, there were people who lost much more than human freedom, because of how they used fear and lived in fear while taking human freedom from others.
But now we have people who use fear to socially control and use other people; and so they miss out on how they could find out how to love.
Captured Africans would be walked to the slave ships. A lot of them would die, on the way, and the hyenas which ate the dead humans were reported to look disgusted about always eating the same thing.
If this is true . . . this was not Biblical slavery.
Also, fear was used to keep control of slaves, in America. And it seems the owners lived in fear of uprisings and slaughters by their slaves. Well, they bought, perhaps in some cases, men who had experience with military strategy, in African inter-tribal warfare. And they bought such men and had them on their plantations. So, I would say that was not very smart.
And those in fear of their slaves were in slavery to their fear!!
"fear of death" is slavery to Satan > Hebrews 2:14-15. And fear can deeply degrade someone so he or she is not able to truly love >
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18)
So, there were people who lost much more than human freedom, because of how they used fear and lived in fear while taking human freedom from others.
But now we have people who use fear to socially control and use other people; and so they miss out on how they could find out how to love.
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TheSeabass
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I don't see that slavery was ever intended by God, just like divorce but because of the hardness of man's heart God allowed Moses to give writings of divorce, Matthew 19:8. Slavery was already wide spread by he time God gave the law to Moses and God required slaves to be treated with decency. Yet NT Christianity does away with the idea of slavery.
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Here are a few Biblical passages on slavery:
"7 “If a man sells his daughter as a female slave, she is not to [e]go free as the male slaves [f]do. 8 If she is [g]displeasing in the eyes of her master [h]who designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He does not have authority to sell her to a foreign people because of his unfairness to her. 9 If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters. 10 If he takes to himself another woman, he may not reduce her [j]food, her clothing, or her conjugal rights. 11 If he will not do these three things for her, then she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money." Ex. 21:7-11 (NASB)
"20 “If a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod and he dies [q]at his hand, he shall [r]be punished. 21 If, however, he survives a day or two, no vengeance shall be taken; for he is his [t]property." Ex. 21:20-21 (NASB)
There is a possible translation issue with this verse, since "survives" could mean stand, meaning the slave actually lives.
"44 As for your male and female slaves whom you may have—you may acquire male and female slaves from the pagan nations that are around you. 45 Then, too, it is out of the sons of the sojourners who live as aliens among you that you may gain acquisition, and out of their families who are with you, whom they will have [aa]produced in your land; they also may become your possession. 46 You may even bequeath them to your sons after you, to receive as a possession; you can use them as permanent slaves. But in respect to your [ab]countrymen, the sons of Israel, you shall not rule with severity over one another." Lev. 25:44-46 (NASB)
"7 “If a man sells his daughter as a female slave, she is not to [e]go free as the male slaves [f]do. 8 If she is [g]displeasing in the eyes of her master [h]who designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He does not have authority to sell her to a foreign people because of his unfairness to her. 9 If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters. 10 If he takes to himself another woman, he may not reduce her [j]food, her clothing, or her conjugal rights. 11 If he will not do these three things for her, then she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money." Ex. 21:7-11 (NASB)
"20 “If a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod and he dies [q]at his hand, he shall [r]be punished. 21 If, however, he survives a day or two, no vengeance shall be taken; for he is his [t]property." Ex. 21:20-21 (NASB)
There is a possible translation issue with this verse, since "survives" could mean stand, meaning the slave actually lives.
"44 As for your male and female slaves whom you may have—you may acquire male and female slaves from the pagan nations that are around you. 45 Then, too, it is out of the sons of the sojourners who live as aliens among you that you may gain acquisition, and out of their families who are with you, whom they will have [aa]produced in your land; they also may become your possession. 46 You may even bequeath them to your sons after you, to receive as a possession; you can use them as permanent slaves. But in respect to your [ab]countrymen, the sons of Israel, you shall not rule with severity over one another." Lev. 25:44-46 (NASB)
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It does? Where?
Paul had ample opportunity to condemn slavery and instruct Christian slave owners to release their slaves. He never did so.
The NT also specifically says we are slaves to God.
"and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." - Romans 6:18
"you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price" - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
"he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave." - 1 Corinthians 7:22
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SoldierOfTheKing
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There is no specifically "biblical" slavery. There was the slavery of the Bronze Age Near East, of which the Old Testament speaks, and the slavery of the Roman Empire, of which the New Testament speaks.
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TheSeabass
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I am speaking about slavery where one human owns another, not in a spiritual sense.
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I think this following scripture is important to know, when people speak about slavery in the Bible.
The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people who were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty to them; that every man should let his man-servant, and every man his maid-servant, who is a Hebrew or a Hebrewess, go free; that none should make bondservants of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother. All the princes and all the people obeyed, who had entered into the covenant, that everyone should let his man-servant, and everyone his maid-servant, go free, that none should make bondservants of them any more; they obeyed, and let them go: but afterwards they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids. Therefore the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying, At the end of seven years you shall let go every man his brother who is a Hebrew, who has been sold to you, and has served you six years, you shall let him go free from you: but your fathers didn't listen to me, neither inclined their ear. You were now turned, and had done that which is right in my eyes, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbor; and you had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name: but you turned and profaned my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom you had let go free at their pleasure, to return; and you brought them into subjection, to be to you for servants and for handmaids. Therefore thus says Yahweh: you have not listened to me, to proclaim liberty, every man to his brother, and every man to his neighbor: behold, I proclaim to you a liberty, says Yahweh, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the earth.
Jeremiah 34:8-17
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Yeah, and like I just said, Paul talked about the kind of slavery where one human owns another, and never condemned it, never said Christian slave owners had to free their slaves.
So, again, could you show where the New Testament "does away with" slavery?
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TheSeabass
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In the Philemon epistle, Paul was dealing with slavery, Philemon owned a slave named Onesimus. Onesimus possible robbed Philemon (verse 18) and ran away and came into contact with Paul who converted him to Christianity (verse 10). Paul sends Onesimus back to Philemon and in Paul's letter to Philemon, Paul says:
1) For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever;
Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?
The relationship is now different between Philemon and Onesimus, it is no longer just a owner/slave relationship but a brother/brother in Christ (Galatians 3:28; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Colossians 3:11).
One commentary puts it: Any person obeying the gospel of Christ becomes the brother beloved of every other Christian, to whom all the rights, honors, privileges and love of Christian fellowship accrue as a right derived from their being "in the Lord"; and this is the heart of the great ethic which Paul here hurled in the face of a'slave-owner. The institution of slavery would in time wither and fade away under the impact of such a concept as this. The apostle doubtless foresaw this;....." Coffman
Verse 21 "Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say." "This can hardly refer to anything except the manumission of Onesimus, and possibly his being sent back again to Paul. Exactly in this way Christianity was to work out the release of the slave - not by command, but by free and natural inference of its emphatic declaration of the true brotherhood in Christ." Alfred Barry
2) If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.
Any devout Christian that knew Paul, as Philemon, would not remotely think of treating Paul as a personally owned slave.
Some may say Paul painted here a picture that compares Philemon and Onesimus to Christ and the sinner. The sinner cannot forgive and free himself from his own sins, he is in need of a Saviour as Christ to get forgiveness. Likewise Onesimus could not free himself but needed mercy from Philemon to set him free. And Christians are to be Christ-like in their forgiveness. There was the parable where a servant was forgiven his debt but that servant would not forgive the one who owed him and therefore he was condemned. Philemon's debt was erased when by Paul with Paul willing to take on any thing Onesimus owed may have owed Philemon (verses 18-19), Philemon should likewise should relieve Onesimus of his debt. Paul's point may have been somewhat masked but it is there. Paul did not pointedly tell Philemon to let Onesimus go, but gave the best why he should do so.
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TheSeabass
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That would be your opinion.
Words have meaning and there was a purpose and point behind the words Paul wrote to Philemon.
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There's his words, and then there's injecting your interpretation into his words. Two different things.
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TheSeabass
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Everyone, when they read words, must interpret those word to mean some thing.
--You have not proven my interpretation of Paul's words as wrong.
--You have not yet told us what your "interpretation" is as to what was Paul's point to Philemon.
So far you are making claims with no proof to back those claims.
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I don't need to. You need to substantiate your interpretation.
How can I "prove" that Paul never instructs Christian slave owners to free their slaves? How can I "prove" Paul never claims slavery in and of itself is sinful? I can't quote things that don't appear in the text.
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TheSeabass
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As I said earlier, Paul did not directly, pointedly tell Philemon to free Onesimus but Paul used NT principles, that if Philemon would follow, he would free Onesimus.
The "that's just your opinion" is no argument at all, it refutes nothing nor proves anything. I substantiated my post with book, chapters and verse.
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... according to your opinion.
Sure, you gave Bible passages. The devil used Bible passages to tempt Jesus. Quoting a passage doesn't automatically make you right.
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