Slavery Part 3: Slavery in Roman World in the New Testament

In my last article I talked about slavery under the Law of Moses. Under the Roman rule, slaves had few rights. However, each territory under Roman control, including Galilee, Samaria, and Judea could place their own restrictions on the institution. All of the laws of Moses concerning slavery basically remained in tact in Israel.

When St. Paul wrote his various epistles, he was writing to many different churches in different regions—not just Palestine. He was writing primarily to Gentiles (but his words apply to all cultures). When he says, “Slaves, obey your earthly masters…” (Ephesians 6:5), he not advocating any particular political position on the subject, but he was merely instructing slaves to obey the law of the land. There are more general statements which express the idea that people should obey the civil laws and authorities (I Peter 2:13, 14, 17). One should not obey laws which require one to do something contrary to scripture or to not do something that the Bible says that we should do. This same exception applies to the obedience of children to their parents.

Like Job (Job 31:13-15), St. Paul considered slaves and masters to be equal before God (Ephesians 6:9) and asked masters to treat slaves better than the law required (yes, Christians were permitted to have slaves in New Testament ethics). Jesus was willing to do the duties of a slave, in service to his own disciples, a stunning example of Christian service that was meant to be an example for us today (John 13:4-7).

In some instances Paul encouraged, but did not demand that Christian masters free their slaves (Philemon 8, 14). In Rome, freed slaves automatically became citizens (which was ordinarily obtained only by birth, at a high price, or for some heroic deed). There were, at times, restrictions on the manumission of slaves because they feared that the native citizenry populace would become too diluted with foreigners. St. Paul encouraged slaves to obtain their freedom if they could (I Corinthians 7:21) and encouraged the free not to become slaves (I Corinthians 7:23). Paul encouraged slaves of unbelieving masters to take advantage of their position so that they might win their masters for Christ (Titus 2:9-10). Even though slaves who were Christians sometimes had to remain slaves, they lived under a higher law which made them free in reality (I Corinthians 7:22). Slavery in America is next.