Does the Bible Support Slavery?

Dr. Matthew LaMaster  | 

One frequent objection to Christianity is that the Bible supports slavery. But is this true? To be clear, there is no question that some Christians have supported slavery, and that they have tried to use the Bible to do so. But is this legitimate? Does the Bible actually support slavery?

A number of verses are pointed to to argue that the Bible does support slavery (Exod 21:2–6, 16, 20–21, 26–27; Lev 25:1–7, 10, 39–55; 1 Cor 7:20–24).¹

The Old Testament

A number of features should be noted about these verses, particularly in the Old Testament.

First, there is a difference between endorsing a new practice and legislating a pre-existing one. Legislation can actually make a practice onerous, and, in the end, disincentivize it, even if it does not outlaw it directly. This is a common legislative strategy (think of those seeking to outlaw the death-penalty, abortion, and gun-rights). Incrementalism often has a longer-lasting effect than immediate and total bans. An honest reading of the Bible recognizes that this seems to be the way the Scriptures deal with slavery.

Second, slaves became defacto members of the covenant family (Gen 17:12–13; Deut 21:10–14). This fact should not be understated. Regulations about slavery distinguishing between Jew and Gentile (cf. Lev 25:39–46) were difficult to enforce because one became an Israelite by circumcision which all male slaves received. In other words, they were treated as Israelites because of the covenant. This ambiguity is purposeful; a slave who was foreign born could legitimately claim to be an Israelite if they wished to claim their status as covenant people. Lest this seems specious, this is exactly how we know the laws were treated by early Jews.²

Third, the OT transforms slavery into a seven-year indentured servitude (Exod 21:2; Lev 25:1–7, 10, 39–55; Deut 15:12–18). In other words, it was a way of paying off one’s debt. After the seven-year period was up, the masters were to liberally furnish them to get them on their feet (Deut 15:12–18). In a subsistence economy, sometimes it was a more secure situation to remain with one’s master after the seven-year period, a situation which depended on the slave’s consent (Exod 21:5–6). If this slave ran away, the master could not bring him back, and all Israelites were to help runaway slaves (Deut 23:15–16). Masters would often pay the bride-price for their male slaves to marry, which created some economic questions (Exod 21:3–4).

Some might object that this was only for Israelites, but not foreigners (Lev 25:45–46). Consider our second point above, however, how slaves received circumcision and became members of the covenant people. They were effectively Israelites. Further, regulations in Leviticus built upon previous regulations in Exodus 21. It is clear that these slaves are those who gave their consent to remain with their masters. If any slave—Jew or Gentile—ran away, they could not be retrieved and could expect aid from other Israelites (Deut 23:15–16). Slavery after this seven-year period was by consent—which could be revoked.

Fourth, the practice common in the ancient world of raiding a settlement and enslaving its inhabitants received the death penalty (Exod 21:16; 1 Tim 1:10; Deut 24:7). The slave trade was ubiquitous in the ancient world because of its profitability, but the Bible’s abolition of this practice is as unusual as it is strong.

Fifth, even slaves possessed dignity as bearers of God’s image. Vengeance was legislated for slave-killers (Exod 21:20–21). Lasting harm to slaves resulted in emancipation (Exod 21:26–27). Slaves received the same Sabbath rest as the Israelite people, for example (Exod 20:8–11; Deut 5:12–15). When Israelites took female captives in battle, they were allowed to marry them, but they were to be treated the same as other wives; they could not be chattel, given and sold for sexual purposes (Deut 21:10–14). This prevented rape and slaughter as was so frequent in ancient warfare.

Sixth, Israelites were explicitly forbidden from buying other Israelite slaves (Lev 25:45–46), but they were to consider them as hired workers. If one of them did sell himself into slavery, his relatives were to redeem him (Lev 25:47–55).

All of this made slavery in ancient Israel complicated and, at times, unprofitable. Many of the greater incentives towards slavery were effectively removed in the Old Testament. Further, the Scriptures sought to change the way that people thought about slaves, not as chattel, but as fellow members of the covenant.

The New Testament

The New Testament also subtly encouraged slavery’s dissolution:

• First, the NT pictures slave masters who set their slaves free as benevolent (Matt 18:23–35).³ Slave masters should not see themselves as superior to their slaves (Col 4:1; Eph 6:9), rather they should see their Christian slaves as beloved brothers and sisters (Philem 16).
• Second, the NT encourages slaves to seek freedom (1 Cor 7:21). Paul even writes a whole letter pleading with a slave master (Philemon) to forgive and emancipate his runaway slave (Onesimus) who has become a brother in Christ (Philem 16). The NT goes so far as to call slavery an unjust suffering which is reminiscent of the sufferings of Christ (1 Pet 2:18–25).
• Third, the NT confers a dignity and an identity on slaves in Christ which is superior to their status under the law (Gal 3:27–28; 1 Cor 7:20–24; Eph 6:5–9; Col 3:22; 1 Pet 2:18–25). Both slaves and slave masters have a greater master in heaven (Col 3:22–4:1; Tit 2:9–10) who punishes wicked masters (Col 4:1; 1 Pet 2:25). In this, masters are turned into slaves and slaves into freemen. In other words, the Bible removes the ability of the government to call some “free” and others “slave.” We all live Coram Deo—not Coram Caesar.
• Fourth, the early church named one of their church offices after servants (the diaconate), transforming the image of slaves into something honorable and removing stigma from those who had once been slaves (1 Tim 3:8–13; Phil 1:1; Acts 6:1–7). After all, Christ himself took the form of a slave (Phil 2:1–11). When serving others became a holy action, slavery lost its power.

Conclusion

Given the weight of all this, there is no doubt in my mind about the Bible’s attitude towards slavery: the Bible does not support or condone the practice known as slavery.

The Bible does, on the other hand, work to undermine the foundation of forced servitude. Slavery was ubiquitous in the ancient world, but the Scripture makes its practice onerous. Its prohibition on slave trade (Exod 21:16; 1 Tim 1:10; Deut 24:7) and injunction to aid runaways (Deut 23:15–16) sowed the seeds for emancipation. It gave slaves dignity and hope.

What we see in the main, Biblically, is an effort to engage and transform not only the slave, but also the slave-owner so that he would not desire slaves, but rather recognize both the wickedness of the practice and the dignity of the person they called slaves. The Bible engaged the slave by giving him both dignity and solace in his suffering. This is what we call playing the long-game. It is also the only way this practice could ever truly be (and was) eradicated.