Slavery in the Bible vs. Slavery in the U.S.?

Question

Why do some people insist that the slavery of the Bible is the same as slavery that went on in the U.S.?

Matthew 10:24-25 is interesting: "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master." In this case the slave is likened to an apprentice. Matthew 18:26 shows a slave claiming to be able to repay a debt...something that true slaves would be unlikely to do. They probably wouldn't be in debt unless they made money, and wouldn't be able to repay a debt without income, either. The same passage shows that slaves had the freedom to roam about. Matthew 24 shows that slaves weren't simple laborers, but were often put in charge of a master's entire household. Matthew 25 speaks of throwing out a worthless slave...suggesting that it was the slave who lost the benefit of the relationship, not the master.

Luke 12:37 shows a master serving his slaves...an odd relationship indeed, if you make the mistake of assuming that they were held against their will in the manner of modern slavery. Luke 19 shows a master giving money to slaves and leaving on a trip, telling them to "do business" with the money. In John 15:15 Jesus tells His disciples that He no longer would call them slaves, but friends.

Clearly, slavery of the type occurring in our era was not condoned in Scripture...but servitude was a fact of the day, and appears to have been beneficial to both parties. Combined with the fact of translation that can confuse "brothers" with "slaves", it's easy to make the mistake of believing that the Bible condones slavery when it clearly does not.

Bettie, you don't get it and never will. Obviously you didn't read, but hey, that's you. God bless.

Thank you Just Sam and God bless you also.

Answer 1

God is all for Slavery. He wants everyone to be a slave. All of the Apostles called themselves "doulos" which means "bond servant" or slaves of Christ.

A man can buy as many sex slaves as he wants as long as he feeds them, clothes them, and screws them!

Exodus 21:7-11
7And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do.
8If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.
9And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.
10If he take him another [wife]; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.
11And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money.

The Bible says you can beat both male and female slaves with a rod so hard that as long as they don't die right away you are cleared of any wrong doing.

Exodus 21:20-21
20And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished.
21Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he [is] his money.

Slavery is still approved of in the New Testament

Ephesians 6:5
Servants, be obedient to them that are [your] masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

1 Timothy 6:1-2
1Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and [his] doctrine be not blasphemed.
2And they that have believing masters, let them not despise [them], because they are brethren; but rather do [them] service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.

Jesus clearly approves of beating slaves even if they didn't know they were doing anything wrong.

Luke 12:47-48
47And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not [himself], neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many [stripes].
48But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few [stripes]. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

Answer 2

If you take things out of context then that's exactly what you'll receive ..out of context information.

Slavery did exist for thousands of years and it is stilll thriving in sections of the world today.

The Bible was used to justify slave trade to it's abomination and
once again it was the good old Catholic churches blessing it and condoning it that made it prosper.

Just see the movie, called :The Mission" Robt. DeNiro". It is 100% historically correct documenting g the slaughter of the Indians in South America by the Portuguese Slavers with the Popes blessing!

Abe Lincoln proposed a Bill in Congress that all Blacks were to be repatriated to Africa and a new State was formed there called "Liberia".

He said, "The Blacks can and will never be able to live in harmony with the whites in this land therefore they are to be sent back..." but as we know he was assassinated.

How different this land would have been had it been carried out.

Answer 3

Stop the silly scriptural cherry-picking. Slavery in the bible was REAL slavery and none of your "selecting" is going to change that.

Exodus on the question of a master who's beating a slave to death:
"Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money." So you just beat him to death over a day or two & you're OK. Nice, huh? And spare me the "new covenant" nonsense. Just tell me how it could EVER be justified.

You may have a different dance, but it's the same old song. They were a brutal lot and there's not enough "faith" in the whole universe to cover their despicable behaviour.

Answer 4

I agree. Slavery didn't really have the same meaning as it does now. Slavery in the US was exploitation, plain and simple. I think it gets confused because people don't understand the meaning of slavery in a Biblical sense. According to the Bible, what happened in our country is a condemning act. It was torture, rape, racism and biggotry. God would never smile upon such a thing.

I know there's going to be a lot of criticism about Christianity on this topic, but people need to do their research. There's a clear line between what the Bible says is accepted and what actually happened in the US.

Answer 5

I agree...slavery back then wasnt like it was a century ago. God never condoned beating the snot out of servants but having slaves was condoned because unless you were already rich, or a craftsman, you didn't eat, so you sold yourself or your family sold you into slavery for wages. I don't think it's a whole lot different than modern day employment really. Abuse was not condoned but the employment was and they are commanded to pay fairly.

Answer 6

Slavery in Greece and Rome became into dealt with in a definite way. Slavery as practiced in different factors of the international for the time of background has been distinctive. distinctive human beings, distinctive cultures, distinctive techniques. there's no longer, nor has there ever been, a codified Slave proprietor's handbook to nicely suited Practices. Now, what's your question?

Answer 7

The Bible was written over hundreds of years. The slavery in the Bible that is compared to slavery in the US is found in the Old Testament, mainly in the book of Exodus. This is where the Israelites invaded Canaan and killed or enslaved the native Canaanites. They were uprooted from their homes and taken to live elsewhere against their will. The women were raped. It's all there in Exodus.

Answer 8

It clearly maintains that genocide is often commanded by God (Joshua 10:40-42 and I Samuel 15: 2, 3 and 8) and that, after killing all the adults in a race, taking the female children as sex slaves is permissible (Numbers 31: 17-18).

try again

Answer 9

People think slavery in the Bible is the same as it was in the United States because of the following.

20 “And if a man beats his male or female servant with a rod, so that he dies under his hand, he shall surely be punished. 21 Notwithstanding, if he remains alive a day or two, he shall not be punished; for he is his property.

Answer 10

Exodus 21:20-21 ""And if a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod and he dies at his hand, he shall be punished. "If, however, he survives a day or two, no vengeance shall be taken; for he is his property."
aLthough it's obvious a sLaves Life matters it is aLso obvious that the sLaves Life does not matter as much as a normaL persons. it may not have been as bad as a century ago, but it was stiLL immoraL

Answer 11

Slavery is slavery, no matter how you label it. It wrong to own another human being. Who are we to place a price on someone else's life? And then determine how long they should work and when they should be free? A system somewhat likened to indentured servitude might work-if man were not so cruel to one another.