The Bible and American Slavery‏

Hello Friends!

Much could be said about the horrors of American slavery. In an honest assessment of the Bible’s teaching on this despicable stain on American history, one would come to the realization that Scripture actually stands in direct opposition to the slave trade…

The Bible and American Slavery

It is often said today that a literal reading of the Scripture was used to validate American slavery. This argument is totally flawed. In fact, the truth is quite the opposite. Yes, the Bible does say in Ephesians 6:5 “slaves, obey your masters” However, the kind of slavery described in the Bible is fundamentally different than the kind of slavery that was practiced in America, and any honest historian should know that fact. Here are four reasons why a literal reading of the Bible actually condemns the institution of American slavery:

1)     Kidnapping someone for any purpose - especially for the purpose of slavery - is a capital crime in the Bible. Exodus 21:16 reads: “Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.” This passage, if treated literally, would have ended the American institution of slavery.

2)     Slavery in Old Testament times was fundamentally different than American slavery. It was an institution of mercy, which people entered voluntarily, for the purpose of providing for their families. It was not based on the kidnapping, sale, and ownership of individuals. As it is written in Exodus 21:2, slaves were released very six years: “When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing.” There is no concept of perpetual slavery found in the Bible.

3)     The Bible prohibits returning run-away slaves to their masters. Deuteronomy 23:15-16 forbids fugitive slave laws: “You shall not give up to his master a slave who has escaped from his master to you. He shall dwell with you, in your midst, in the place that he shall choose within one of your towns, wherever it suits him. You shall not wrong him.”  If a slave runs away, he is given his freedom and is allowed to dwell “wherever it suits him.”

4)     In the Roman world, where kidnapping for slavery was more common, the New Testament says that a person who sinned in such a way was not welcome in the church. In 1 Timothy 1:10, the Apostle Paul writes that “enslavers” have no place in the kingdom of God: “the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine…” The Greek word used for “enslavers” refers to those who took people into slavery against their will.

The Bible clearly condemns both the act of kidnapping and the ownership of a person against his or her will. One can either believe these passages or reject them. In this debate, those holding to slave era hermeneutics ignore the clear teaching of the Scripture in this matter.

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

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Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

 

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