The Bible and Slavery is largely still as muddled with incorrect thinking as it was during pre-emanciapation US days when many of us Baptists split our churches over the idea that God was pretty much ok with slavery and us holding slaves. I will keep my comments to the NT and Slavery out of practical necessitiy in what follows.
There are two bottom line things we need to keep in mind to guide our thinking regarding the NT and slavery.
(1) Given the time in history and social context of the NT, and seminal period of the NT Church,
the NT authors were radically, radically anti-slavery.
(2) Given our significant historical distance from the NT world and the socio-cultural inculcation we have into our own world, we tend to severely lack a deep understanding of Roman slavery to guide our thinking.
Now, we ourselves hear point #1 and say, "No the NT authors were not at all radically anti-slavery. They, in fact, upheld Roman slavery."
But we say that because we associate "radically anti-slavery" with things like the Haitian Revolution, the US Civil War, and things like John Brown's activities during the era--things nearly 2000 years after the fact of the closing of the NT cannon. But we have to keep in mind that we are talking about Rome about 2000 years ago to determine our definition of "radically anti-slavery." Not keeping this in mind indicates the lack we have just mentioned in point #2.
We must now give an overview of Roman slavery, and how a Roman slave could gain the types of manumission that were available to him or her under or apart from Roman law. These types of release from slavery are:
(1) Becoming a
freedman
(2)Becoming
adopted as a son
(3) Escape
The following discussion of types of manumission will serve as backdrop for the comments at the core of my argument that will follow.
TYPES OF MANUMISSION
FREEDMAN
A slave could work his way out of slavery and into the status of a
freedman; but this was usually extremely, extremely difficult, since slaves typically worked from the moment they awoke till the moment they collapsed into sleep for the night. Consequently, this meant for many slaves that they simply would not be able to sleep during the times they worked for money to purchase freedom for themselves. And in some sense, when they did purchase their freedom, they were simply purchasing a replacement slave for themselves, since the master would frequently do this with money received in the transaction.
Because of this, many masters with slaves that expressed desire to become
freedman worked out "deals" with their slaves. For many this meant the worst forms of abuse and exploitation. For example, female slaves might be required to have several children, sired usually by a male slave, and these children would then become the slaves of the master in exchange for the woman's freedman status.
Many male slaves simply traded sleep for work, which of course had its obvious drawbacks, not the least of which was their being unable to perform their duties in either place at peak performance because of sleep deprivation. Other times, the master would release slaves, particularly skilled ones, as
freedman, and require a hefty percentage of all they made for the rest of their lives or else many, many years. This "slave on a leash" arrangement was almost always done solely because the master would obtain more benefit in the long run. Rarely would a master simply release his slave as a
freedman and bid him farewell.
It is vital to note that slave names were immediately recognizable by all. And in the
freedman type of release from slavery,
the slave's name was not changed. Instead, it was retained in full, and the Greek word
Libertinus, ("freed" in English) was simply added to it. In translation, the name of a freedman might read,
"Worthless, the Slave of Thedosius Hasmius of Corinth, Freed." This was the
legal name, and the legal name was documented and had to be authenticated in Roman society for transactions to take place. Hence,
freedman would always have much fewer legal rights and social ability and mobility than Roman citizens could have.
ADOPTION AS SONS
But whenever
adoption as a son of a slave (as opposed to one becoming a
freedman) by a Roman citizen occurred, that slave legally became a citizen and was given a new name. This
adoption as a son was the
only legal means out of slavery and into citizenship under Roman law. Again, legal adoption was
the only way out of Roman slavery and into Roman citizenship for a slave.
In
adoption as a son, someone--a Roman citizen master, or another citizen he would permit--
literally and legally adopted the slave as their son or daughter, irrespective of chronological age. As a point of common reference, one might recall in the classic movie
Ben-Hur that exactly this happened, after Judah Ben-Hur saved the life of his master.
Now, look at the text of Philemon.
"My child...Onesimus (new name)...No longer as a slave, but (as) a beloved brother...in the flesh."
Note the following:
(1) That this was Paul's child denoted
adoption as a son.
(2) That Paul changed the slaves name to Onesimus denoted
adoption as a son.
(3) That Philemon's receiving the newly named Onesimus as a brother
in the flesh denoted
adoption as a son.
(4) That Paul meant the newly named Onesimus to be received as he himself would be received (Paul was not a slave, he was a Roman citizen) denoted
adoption as a son.
Hence, what this passage is saying, if understood in its context and time, becomes clear. Onesimus was no longer a slave, and he utilized the only legal means at his disposal under Roman law to obtain it. What was that means?
Under Roman law, slaves had very, very few rights. One of the few rights they had was that in case of real issue with his master, the slave was permitted to "Flee to the Friend of his Master" (phrase from Roman law) so the friend could make an appeal to his master on his behalf.
And this is exactly what Paul did for Onesimus : "I (Paul), appeal to you (Philemon, the master) for my child, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment, Onesimus." This "appeal" was as plain as can be and instantly recognizable to Philemon as to exactly what was going on. And it is interesting to note that, barring Philemon simply doing what was proper in permitting Onesimus his new status,
the Apostle Paul could have simply ordered it so: "Though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper...." And if he
could have, we must assume that without Philemon's willingness, Paul may well
would have. In essence, "If you do not release him based upon friendly appeal in love and the very doctrine of Christian redemption, you will release him based upon an Apostolic order from me."
We do not know upon which basis Philemon complied—whether by love or order. But we do know that the book of Colossians was written after the book of Philemon, and this is in Colossians:
For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts; and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of your number. They will inform you about the whole situation here (Colossians 4:8-9).
With
“adoption as a son” came all the attendant familial rights of a son upon the former slave. This includes an exculpation (forgiveness) of all prior wrongs done, the receiving of an inheritance from the family’s wealth (riches), and in short, a whole new beginning and the full entering into the position of being full heir to all the family’s goals and purposes.
ESCAPE
We must mention escape from slavery to be complete and to appreciate the full value of
freedman and
adoption as a son by way of contrast. Simply put, escape rarely happened. First, as mentioned prior, legal documentation was necessary for employment or other societal transactions to take place. And the penalty for harboring a fugitive was death. Returned slaves would usually be branded with a "Fugitive" mark on their foreheads. Too, Roman masters had Roman law on their side. Roman law permitted masters to kill their slaves for many reasons. One of these was to kill slaves upon their return after an escape attempt. In fact, it was even worse, and it was all by design. In many instances, the entire household of slaves was killed when an escape by one slave occurred. Roman law and the masters reasoned that a slave could not escape without other slaves at least hearing of the plan, and possibly aiding in it. So if they did not warn the master, it was assumed by masters to be conspiracy and in the compelling state interest of Rome. Thus, whole households of slaves labored under the cloud that if one of their number escaped, the whole household of slaves might be put to death; so other slaves were vigilant for their lives in reporting possible escape plans to the master by other slaves. Too, slaves rarely even attempted escape, since a slave's fellow slaves in a household were frequently his family members. No matter how badly slaves may have wanted to escape, they did not want the possibility of their whole family being slaughtered. There is even clear record of entire households of Roman slaves being crucified where revolts of the whole household of slaves occurred. Of course, Philemon was under Apostolic command to treat slaves in a radically new way—a way when, coupled with the implications of Christian redemption, would ultimately end the institution of slavery wherever it existed, which was the goal all along.
ALL ARE SLAVES
To show this, consider the very language in which Paul framed his soteriological doctrine.
The very core of the discourse of Pauline soteriology came straight out of the discource of the Roman slave culture, and its legal ins and outs. The following gives the most clear displaying of it. As you read it, keep in mind what you now know about the Roman slave culture, and imagine you are a slave hearing this read.
Ephesians 1: 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love
5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight
9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him
10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him
11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,
12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.
15 For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints,
16 do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers;
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.
18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might
20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,
23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
2: 1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
CONCLUSION
Hopefully, you will by now have seen the radical implications contra slavery inherent in Paul articulating the doctrine of Christian redemption with the discourse of the Roman slave culture and its legal norms. We are all "slaves" and have been "redeemed" by the very method that Roman slaves could be redeemed. All of us, slaves every one of us, have now been "chosen" by "the Father," "rich in mercy," "kind" and "loving," who has "predestined us to
adoption as sons". We have "the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace." This has been "freely given us" and we need not "work" our way out of slavery. Those
adopted as sons have the full rights of sonship: "we have obtained an inheritance" and all its "riches," a new purpose and "works" to do within a new family. And even better, this is all "sealed with a promise." and we have even been given "a new name" (Rev. 2:7), and all that entails. In short, we have been redeemed.
By Paul taking up Roman slavery discourse to articulate Christian redemption, he is showing that slavery and Christian redemption are fundamentally and ultimately incompatible, temporary concessions within it notwithstanding. Paul simply knew that once Christian redemption took hold within cultures, slavery would by default fade away. It was an incredibly wise, long-term strategy to do away with slavery the world over that only God could have inspired. Though actual redemption may not have come to many slaves in Paul's time, he knew the redemption would indeed come "in the fullness of time." And for the very most part, slavery in its worst forms have indeed disappeared the world over because of applied Christian redemption.
But there are many lesser forms of slavery the world over. Consider debt peonage and land-tenure systems that keep millions of peasants in the developing world enslaved. Also consider systems of prostitution-slavery within SE Asia, India, and Eastern Europe. Too is the enormous debt that most third-world countries are saddled with--they need a jubilee. And what about the fact that young families in the US must pay two to three times for their house because of present mortgage practices? And why must poorer students have to indenture themselves to investment bankers (student loans) to go to college so they can prepare to make their contributions to society? Indeed, we yet have many "good works" to do in seeing lesser forms of slavery abolished from cultures through the applied implications of Christian redemption. The abolition of such slavery systems awaits our fullest Christian attention. The warning is that we as Baptists need to be utterly careful to not repeat our history of defending practices of slavery, whatever their from or type, which we most certainly will in the end regret, as history has already shown us. Because one way or another, the abolition of slavery forms and systems in the world through the works of Christians must, and indeed will, continue to march on. God has predestined it to be so, and predestined to do it through us.
Romans 6:17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves....
Galatians 4:7 ...you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
Eph. 1:5 ...he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ.... 7 In him we
have redemption.
Philemon 1:16 ...no longer as a slave, but...as a dear brother...both in the flesh and in the Lord.
Amen.
[ May 16, 2002, 03:12 PM: Message edited by: LP ]
