Question 43 – How can God approve of slavery?

If Jesus Christ was the Christian God, then He must have been ethically perfect. Some critics point out an apparent contradiction, arguing that Jesus tacitly condoned the practice of slavery while also endorsing Old Testament texts that mention and regulate slavery. If He was God, why did He not intervene and use His power to change this evil system?

Before we dive into deeper analysis, let us highlight an important point. The word "slavery" conjures negative associations for the modern individual, often bringing to mind iron shackles, harsh whips, and inhumane treatment, among other horrors. This, indeed, was one possible form of slavery (and sadly, still exists in some places today). However, throughout history, slavery has taken on various forms, ranging from inhumane to more humane practices. When discussing slavery and the Bible, we should distinguish at least two different perspectives.

1) Jesus' Silence

Let's begin with a quote from Morton Smith and some foundational thoughts that are explored in the book The Case for Christ:

"There were innumerable slaves of the emperor and of the Roman state; the Jerusalem Temple owned slaves; the High Priest owned slaves (one of them lost an ear in Jesus' arrest); all of the rich and almost all of the middle class owned slaves. So far as we are told, Jesus never attacked this practice.... There seem to have been slave revolts in Palestine and Jordan in Jesus' youth; a miracle-working leader of such a revolt would have attracted a large following. If Jesus had denounced slavery or promised liberation, we should almost certainly have heard of his doing it. We hear nothing, so the most likely supposition is that he said nothing " [22]

How, then, is it possible that Jesus did not advocate for the abolition of slavery? He possessed the power, so why did He not help them? Dr. Carson, professor of New Testament studies, states:

"I really think that people who raise that objection are missing the point. If you'll permit me, I'll set the stage by talking about slavery, ancient and modern, because in our culture the issue is understandably charged with overtones that it didn't have in the ancient world." [2]

All major world cultures up until modern times had the institution of slavery. This fact becomes logical when considering how these cultures flourished (through wars, territorial conquests, etc.). The reasons were both military and economic. Slaves were often the result of conquering new territories (whether from enemy soldiers, dangerous individuals, or regular citizens) or instances of "personal bankruptcy." Back then, there were no social welfare benefits, assistance, or human rights protection. If someone went bankrupt and wished to survive, selling themselves into slavery was sometimes an option. It is also worth noting that not all slaves performed demeaning and soul-crushing tasks. Some slaves held respectable jobs, and there were even instances of slaves comparable to people with doctorates in philosophy serving in prominent families.

Considering that people at the time frequently died at a young age (due to diseases, wars, etc.) and lived in constant uncertainty, the institution of slavery provided a form of survival. This is not to justify or endorse it, but the absence of slavery in many instances would likely have led to people either killing each other or starving to death, which is undoubtedly a greater evil. Yet, our question still holds – why did Jesus not make a more significant stand or directly oppose it? Even the most humane version of slavery partially impinges on human rights. There are several ways to answer this:

• Jesus did not come to overthrow any human or economic system, and slavery was a part of such systems. Jesus targeted deeper issues. He came to abolish the slavery of sin and to offer true freedom from that which enslaves humanity before God.
• Through His message, Jesus transformed human hearts, the source of hatred and all evil. In doing so, He undermined not only the consequences and evils of slavery, but also numerous other societal issues He did not directly address.
• Revolutions and attempts to overthrow tyrannical regimes are plentiful, often resulting in significant loss of life. Even if He managed to dismantle a local regime, it probably wouldn't have solved anything globally. Thus, it is said that if you desire lasting change, you must transform human hearts – and this is precisely what Jesus was doing.
• It's worth mentioning that the abolition of slavery in the Western world was largely achieved through Christian reform movements.

To accuse Jesus of non-response is akin to blaming a doctor for treating the underlying cause of our illness instead of merely addressing one of its symptoms.

2) The Institution of Slavery in the Bible

Similarly to other cultures, Israel faced the issue of slavery due to military conquests or individual financial ruin. Therefore, God regulated the treatment of slaves and the institution of slavery within certain boundaries and guidelines. I believe the biblical model of slavery in the Old Testament to be one of the most humane.

• According to divine command, every slave was to be freed during the Year of Jubilee (unless they chose to remain with their master – and this was not uncommon).

• Often, it provided a means of survival and livelihood. The Jews were instructed not to treat slaves inhumanely. In many cases, this slavery can be likened to our contemporary understanding of employment in the service industry.

• They were not allowed to work on the Sabbath, just like everyone else, and were given rest.

• Slaves participated in religious life, joining Israel in celebrations and festivals.

Broadly speaking, the Bible does not exalt or glorify slavery. From its context, it can be inferred that God established and tolerated this institution as a necessary evil, not as an ideal.

Summation

The institution of slavery in the Jewish context held a different meaning than we know today. God tolerated slavery as a necessary compromise in a corrupted and broken world, significantly humanizing it through His commands and mitigating its negative impacts. Jesus refrained from directly opposing slavery because He was focused on a much more critical issue – the regeneration of the human heart.