Slavery in the New Testament Period

Also known as: How can the New Testament seem to be in favor of slavery?

The Bible includes one idea that all Christians reject. It doesn’t matter that this idea is mentioned in three verses in one New Testament book, in five verses in two NT books, and one NT book is entirely devoted to it. I guarantee that you think it is a horrible idea and reject it no matter how many times it is mentioned in the Bible. The idea? Slavery

Yes, the New Testament does allow for slavery. It is described in Ephesians 5:22-6:9, Colossians 3:22-4:1, I Timothy 6:1&2, and Philemon. For example, the entire letter of Philemon (one chapter) focuses on a slave named Onesimus and his slave owner, Philemon. Onesimus ran away and went to Rome. He apparently was arrested for some reason, and met the Apostle Paul, who was also in prison. Onesimus became a Christian and Paul encouraged him to return to Philemon (who is a friend of Paul’s). In those days a runaway slave could be severely punished or even sold to the gladiators (meaning death). Therefore, Paul wrote his friend, Philemon, and asked him to forgive Onesimus.

So, the New Testament accepts slavery. But why don’t Christians accept and practice slavery today since it is in the Bible? The way to best understand this dilemma is to understand what slavery was like in the days of the New Testament.

Jo-Ann Shelton, in her book As the Romans Did, states that "the sources of slave supply were inhabitants of towns or countries captured in war, rebellious provincials, people seized by pirates or kidnappers, people enslaved for debt, people convicted of capital crimes, children exposed by their families [left outside because the family could not care for them], children sold by families who were no longer able to feed them, and the offspring of slaves." The majority of slaves came from prisoners of war (or criminals) or poor people. Prisoners of war and criminals being used as slaves in those days understandable. But why would poor people voluntarily become a slave?

Think about it this way. If you lost everything, and your family and friends rejected you, you do have a last resort: the government. Through the government, you can receive assistance (food, help with training, etc.) which could help you get back on your feet, find work, and take care of your financial needs.

But the Roman government provided no such assistance. Instead, they did allow for an institution to develop that provided a way of financial escape: slavery. If you lived in the New Testament time peiod, and found yourself destitute and in debt, you could sell yourself and your family to a wealthy individual as slaves. (This was also allowed in the Law of Moses.)

Many people became slaves as a result of trying to escape poverty. In that sense, therefore, slavery could be seen as a good thing. You are poor and cannot provide for your family, so you find a kind, wealthy family to pay off your debts and provide food, clothing, and housing and, in return, you and your family became their slaves. It was really a way to keep people from being homeless or destitute. A contact was written up and both sides had to sign it; the contracts ensured that the wealty family would properly care for the poor family as their slaves.

That is why Paul wrote on behalf of slavery. At that time, it was a good option for those trying to escape poverty. That is why he encouraged slaves to work diligently and their masters to treat them well.

Therefore, the type of slavery the New Testament allows for is not the same type of slavery practiced in southern USA prior to the Civil War. The slavery in the New Testament consisted almost entirely of prisoners of war, convicts, or those escaping poverty. The slavery in southern USA was based on race.

©2006, 2020 Mark Nickens