How do Christians justify the Bible's endorsement of slavery?

Question

On the easiest moral question of our time -- should we treat humans like farm equipment -- the bible fails miserably. Endorsing it in the Old Testament and tolerating it in the new. The only admonishment is not to beat your slaves so badly that they die that day. If they linger for a couple of days and then die -- no problem. Is this really the best source of morality?

If the best you can say about your religious text is that most of it can be safely discarded - as "relax guy" seems to imply -- that seems to be faint praise indeed

Answer 1

Exodus 21 and 22 Give instructions on how to sell a slave, including selling your children. It gives instructions on how slaves should be beaten.

Leviticus 22:11 Talks about how priests can "buy souls" for their own use.

Leviticus 25:44-46 Speaks of how to enslave other people of other nations, "Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession. And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever."

Slavery for life!

In the New Testament, Slavery was also condoned, passively. Basically the teaching was, if you are a slave, just accept your lot in life.

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
Let 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.

Titus 2:9-10
Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

1 Peter 2:18
Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

So basically it is a sin in the bible for a slave to rebell or seek freedom through aggressive means.

Many who supported slavery and were against abolition would use these scriptures in the bible.

Answer 2

This is an interesting question which pops up from time to time and because of the provocative nature of the very word itself, "slavery" tends to give honest hearted ones reason to pause. Because that is so, there is a tendency to denounce the scriptures as not a good source of morality.

The first thing one must do is understand the slavery legislated in the Mosaic law. There is absolutely no comparison to servitude as regulated under the Mosaic Law and slavery practiced by Egyptians, Romans and white Europeans. Once you understand the difference in, and the reason for, servitude under the Mosaic law, it becomes clear that there is no need for justification.

As for slavery in the so-called "New Testament," this too is quite interesting. However, it should be noted that this slavery was neither endorsed nor advocated by first-century Christians. Roman law allowed slavery; it was perfectly legal. Reprehensible, yes. But legal. Their practice of slavery, however, finds no parallel, by the way, in the servitude that was regulated under the Mosaic law, as mentioned above. Were the first century Christians instructed to overthrow Roman slavery? No. Were they encouraged to fight for the freedom of Roman slaves? No. Did Jesus himself get involved in this socio-political issue or direct his followers to do so? No. Yet he was well aware of the situation. Indeed, he told his followers that they were no part of the world. That precluded taking up arms or even getting involved in politics to revise the social order. Some Christians were slaves as can be seen in Bible books. And the first century Christians certainly wanted freedom. We all do. But they were not prepared to violate the teachings of Christ to get it.

All Christians – then and now – are commanded by God to obey the law of the land as long as that law does not require one to violate God's law. Slavery was legal. And while being a slave was not an enjoyable condition - being a slave did not violate God's law. God's kingdom will deal with all immoral conditions on this earth. Until it does, we are not to take matters into our own hands. We have the example of Jesus and his followers in this matter. I hope this helped you a bit and that you take a closer look at servitude as regulated under the Mosaic Law.

Hannah J Paul

Answer 3

The Bible does not endorse slavery. You speak as though you have researched the matter and have some authortity on the subject when in reality you are nothing but a mockery of intelligence and have no clue as to what the bible really contains. In fact, you are totally wrong.
In fact, the talk of slavery happens only once at one place in the bible. Look below for the answer.

Answer 4

The Bible doesn't condone slavery, but if you DO have a slave, treat the slave with kindness. In fact, every 70th year is the year of jubilee in which all slaves are set free, whether they've been a slave for 1 year or 69 years. "But if the slave does not want to leave his master, " the slave will have a hole in his ear (the first ear piercings?)

But, remember this, that whether you are a slave, or whether you are free, the way you treat others is the way you consider treating Jesus, so if you mistreat a slave, that's the way you would act towards Jesus, and if you, as a slave, rebel against your master, that is the way you would rebel against Jesus.

Slavery back then wasn't what it is today. A closer picture would be the hired hand, because the slave gets paid for the work he does.

Furthermore, whether free or bond, we are ALL bondservants of Jesus, or it doesn't matter WHAT you do towards others, because you're already in rebellion against God, anyway!

Remember, "You are a slave to the power you choose to obey" So, you are either a slave to sin, or you are a slave to God's Love. If you are a slave to sin, sin will pay you by casting you into the fires of hell. As your master, it has that right! If you are a slave to God, God will reward you by bringing you to heaven, wiping away every tear, and even adopt you into His Forever Family!

Your choice - I'm a slave to God. Whose slave are YOU?

Answer 5

the bible doesn't endorse these behaviors,,just because God doesn't forcefully make people do what's right,,doesn't mean it's being endorsed,,the Isrealites during the time of concubines,,owning slaves,,and having multiple wives were barely getting to know God themselves,,and his laws,,God teaches us little by little,,he doesn't give us more knowledge than we can handle,,however,,later with the release of later scriptures,,most of these behaviors were corrected,,

it's just like christians now have no justification for celebrating holidays,,and birthdays,,that weren't celebrated by early christians,,and ignoring the fact that the only birthdays celebrated in the bible were by non-christians,,those who brutalized them,,even Jesus himself didn't celebrate these pagan holidays,,or his own birthday,,

does God strike us down for this? no,,because he is a loving God and he will with time,,lead us in the right direction,,

Answer 6

After reading the answers I could come to the conclusions that people don't read it not only does the Bible condone slavery it gives the rules for it and some church groups use the passage today to keep their members in line. A lot of things are found to be in error and are changed to the greater good but the words in the Bible are onften defended until a new translation can be used. Maybe in fifty years or so the slave directions will not be as clear as they are in the King James version but it will not change my views of man writing the Bible and making up God as they worte it.

Answer 7

I know in some instances a Hebrew could sell himself into slavery but only for six years in the seventh year he had to be set free. They also had many rights, rest on the Sabbath day, share in religious feasts and if maimed by the master they were to be set free.

Answer 8

Slavery in biblical times was far different than slavery in modern times.

We tend to think of the Africans who were stolen from their homeland, put to work on farms in terrible conditions, and treated as less than human.

Slavery to the Hebrews was more of a family affair. Family was everything to the Hebrews. Multi-generational households were the norm back then.

If you had a cousin, or second cousin (pretty much any sort of a relative for that matter) that was having a difficult time financially, you had a responsibility as "kin" to keep your family member out of trouble.

The common way to do this was to take over his household, making him a "slave" or bond servant. When you did this, you became responsible for your relative's debts, and for his and his family's welfare.

You could put him to work in one of your family businesses, or on one of your family farms. You had to pay him a decent wage, which was defined as one half of the going rate for an outside hire.

Your relative was to remain a bond servant until his debts were paid off, but had to be offered freedom by some time in the seventh year regardless of the status of the debt.

Every 49 years they also celebrated a "Jubilee Year" in which all slaves were offered freedom, all debts were cancelled, and all properties returned to their family owners.

When a slave was released, you had to give him back his property, and basically set him up to make a living for himself on his own. In essence you restored him to self sufficiency, and restored his place in the community.

If your relative was hurt, or could otherwise not take care of himself, he could elect to become a permanent slave by piercing his earlobe and wearing a special sort of earring.

There were provisions for making slaves of conquered nations as well. This was less common, but mandated that the slave masters were responsible for the well-being of their slaves. Masters caught mistreating slaves could be severely punished. Some crimes were punishable by death.

Punishing a slave who misbehaved was permitted, but the admonishment you mention in your question was not the only one. Punishments for various sins included floggings and such, but the masters were cautioned not to get carried away.

Answer 9

If you look at the Biblical concept of "slavery", you'll find that a "slave" was like a Butler that serves for seven years for some giant reward. (e.g. a daughter's hand in marriage, a house etc.)

Sort of like Alfred the Butler on Batman?

The wicked AMERICAN concept of "slavery" is completely different.

Answer 10

GOD allowed his people to fall into slavery because they were worshiping idols and false gods and inter marrying with the heathens around them.they embraced lies so GOD let them reap what they deserved by withdrawing his protection from his people who were no longer worshiping him!there are many things we as people do not ,can not or will not understand but there is enough we can understand!we do not have the same thoughts or reasoning's or holiness that GOD alone has so we are not equipped to judge!