THE BIBLE ON SLAVERY

THE BIBLE ON SLAVERY

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Instructions:

These are just a few of the passages from the Christian Bible defining the legal rights of slave owners and slaves. As you read, please answer the questions in your notes and be prepared to share them in class.
Think about through-lines from previous materials as you read and add them to your notes.
I took these passages from Oremus.org. You may use any edition of the Bible you wish for passages not printed here, such as those from Genesis 16 – 20. Other online versions are acceptable.

OLD TESTAMENT

Exodus 21: 20 When a slave-owner strikes a male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies immediately, the owner shall be punished. 21But if the slave survives for a day or two, there is no punishment; for the slave is the owner’s property.

Genesis 16:16; 17:1-27; 18:1-15; 20-21:9-17*

Cite passages in the story of Hagar from which you can infer that God condones her enslavement.
Cite passages that indicate that God disapproves of Abraham’s treatment of Hagar.
In light of your answers to numbers 1 and 2, why does God go along with the actions of Sarah and Abraham

Ex. 20: 8-11 and 17

To whom exactly are these commandments written?

Ex. 21: 2-12

What can you infer about the moral norms of the ancient Israelites from the law regarding the marriages of and to slaves? For instance, is slavery a legal way to get a wife for the ancient Israelites? Note: In verse 10, the pronoun “he” refers to the son to whom the slave was given.

Lev. 25: 39-46

39 If any who are dependent on you become so impoverished that they sell themselves to you, you shall not make them serve as slaves. 40They shall remain with you as hired or bound labourers. They shall serve with you until the year of the jubilee. 41Then they and their children with them shall be free from your authority; they shall go back to their own family and return to their ancestral property. 42For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as slaves are sold. 43You shall not rule over them with harshness, but shall fear your God. 44As for the male and female slaves whom you may have, it is from the nations around you that you may acquire male and female slaves. 45You may also acquire them from among the aliens residing with you, and from their families that are with you, who have been born in your land; and they may be your property. 46You may keep them as a possession for your children after you, for them to inherit as property. These you may treat as slaves, but as for your fellow Israelites, no one shall rule over the other with harshness.

Explain God’s double standard regarding slavery described in this passage.
According the law of God, is the moral code regarding slavery a universal one or a communal one?

NEW TESTAMENT

Luke 12: 41-59

If you don’t know what a parable is in the New Testament, you should look it up before proceeding.

What is relationship that slavery is analogous to in this parable? To what extent does Jesus’s use of slavery as a metaphor imply that he condoned slavery?

Read all of the following New Testament passages and then respond to this question: When Paul writes in Galatians, “there is no longer slave or free,” does he mean this literally or figuratively? How can you tell both within Galatians and taking the other passages into account as well?

Galatians 3:23-29

23 Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. 27 As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.

Colossians 4

41Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, for you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

Ephesians 6: 5-9

Note: Many versions of the scriptures continue to attribute the writing of Ephesians to Paul despite the fact that we have known for many decades that he was dead before it was written. It was probably written by a disciple of Paul, who put Paul’s name on it as a mark of respect according to the custom of the era. Regardless, it is in the official Christian canon, i.e The Bible.

5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as you obey Christ; 6not only while being watched, and in order to please them, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. 7Render service with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not to men and women, 8knowing that whatever good we do, we will receive the same again from the Lord, whether we are slaves or free.

9 And, masters, do the same to them. Stop threatening them, for you know that both of you have the same Master in heaven, and with him there is no partiality.

1 Corinthians 7: 20-24

20 Let each of you remain in the condition in which you were called. 21 Were you a slave when called? Do not be concerned about it. Even if you can gain your freedom, make use of your present condition now more than ever. 22 For whoever was called in the Lord as a slave is a freed person belonging to the Lord, just as whoever was free when called is a slave of Christ. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of human masters. 24 In whatever condition you were called, brothers and sisters, there remain with God.