Old Testament
General culture
Ancient peoples distinguished between foreigners (OK to enslave them) and citizens (not OK).
Prisoners taken in war were enslaved as a standard operating procedure for the age. If you won the battle, you took slaves; if you lost, you became a slave.
A father could sell his children into slavery.
Specific laws
Self-sale into slavery–a way to clear debts. The slavery was limited to six years, but the person could choose to remain in bondage in perpetuity.
Children of slaves were enslaved.
A thief who could not repay could be enslaved (Ex 22:3).
Slaves were mated, not married. The mate and children could stay in bondage even if the other was freed.
There was a distinction between killing a slave and killing a free person.
Women could be bought and sold as sex-slaves (concubines).
Ex 21:7-11
Dt 21:10-14
Gen 16:1 ff, 30:3, 9
A slave could marry a free woman (1 Ch 2:35).
New Testament
Eph 6:5-9
Col 3:22-4:1
1 Tim 6:1 ff
1 Pet 2:18
Philemon!
But:
1 Cor 7:21-23 – the Lord owns us all.
1 Cor 12:13: “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.”
Gal 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Gal 5:1: “For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.”
Col 3:11
“Historically, Christianity has been the only effective destroyer of slavery” (McKenzie).
Slavery in the United States
Thirteenth Amendment: “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”
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