Slaves and Masters

Col 3:22-4:1 “Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality. Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.”

a. Slaves obey your masters (3:22-25)

b. Masters, be fair (4:1)

1. INTRODUCTION

2. BODY

a. Slaves obey your masters (3:22-25)

i. Paul starts verse 22 by changing the momentum from speaking to the church and the family to now, in the workplace. Slavery is a difficult topic for us as Americans to talk about because of the antebellum South, but slavery in the Bible is vastly different than slavery in the United States.

ii. So then the logical question is how is slavery different in the Bible than what we have learned in American history? The issue of slavery seems to have differences in four respects.

iii. First, slavery was an integral part of the social and economic world of the first century. Estimates vary widely, but one scholar reckons that one-third of the people in cities such as Colossae would have been slaves. Slaves served in all kinds of capacities, from the grim and frightful mine workers (the “salt mines”) whose life expectancy was very short, to trusted and respected household slaves who helped run businesses and raise children. Slavery was so much a part of the world of that day that, as an institution that it would have gone unnoticed as something evil within society.

iv. Second, “freedom,” or “liberation,” was not in the first-century world the obvious good that it is for us in the modern world. while many people in the ancient world became slaves by force (through war, for instance), many others voluntarily sold themselves into slavery. Nor was slavery in the Greco-Roman world racially based: slaves came from all races and ethnic groups. Moreover, legal freedom was by no means always a positive move for a slave. The treatment slaves received from their owners naturally varied greatly, but all owners had reason to treat their slaves tolerably well since they were an important economic investment for them. Once set free, however, former slaves (“freedmen”) were on their own and often found it very difficult to make a living. Legal freedom would not, then, have been the obvious good in the first century that we would consider it to be today. An example of this is found in Luke 15:17, where the son plans to return back to his father and tell him that he had sinned against heaven and in his sight and asks his father, make me as one of your hired men.

v. Third, the New Testament Christians were a tiny religious group living within an all-powerful, authoritarian empire (제국). They lacked the power to influence government policy. More important, they lacked the categories (simply assumed by those of us who live in liberal democracies) within which they could conceive of what we would call “social action.”

vi. Lastly and most importantly, the early Christians did not understand their calling in these terms. They rejoiced in their identity as the people of the new realm inaugurated by God through Christ. But they also knew quite well that the “old realm” continued to exist and that it would exist until Christ returned in glory. Granted this realism about the continuing existence of the “world that is,” with its many social injustices, the New Testament Christians focused on the creation of an alternative society, a realm in which, whatever the realities around them, kingdom values would be lived out. Slavery, for instance, was not going to be abolished anytime soon; it was a reality that the early Christians lived with. Their focus, then, was on encouraging Christians to realize, in their relationships with each other, that their “new realm” of existence was what ultimately mattered and that this existence must dictate the way they would relate to one another.

vii. This is why Paul has no problem speaking of slaves and masters. What is very uncomfortable here is what Paul writes in verse 22. He tells all slaves, in all things, obey those who are your masters on earth. This is a very difficult statement to make because it is not politically accurate in light of the racism and division in our society today. But the Bible is not politically correct. God understands what He is saying even when it feels difficult to speak about difficult topics.

viii. So how are we to understand these verses? Does the Bible condone, allow slavery? We would make the argument no. Why do I say no? Well, let’s see through Colossians 3:22-25.

ix. First Paul tells slaves that they are to obey their masters in all things. Paul seems to be affirming this idea of slavery and endorse slavery. But if we read carefully here, we see that he undermines the idea of slavery. We have to take notice here that Paul is addressing all slaves. He is not talking to a group of slaves, but rather, if you are a Christian and yet, you are a slave, then this applies to you. He is reminding the slaves that they are to choose to a certain kind of behavior. Another principle we have to recognize here is that the command Paul gives here is the same to the other societal relationships we have seen. He spoke to wives that they are to submit to their husbands. Then Paul commands that children are to obey their parents. What is the principle in which Paul is preaching? Paul is preaching that if you truly are a Christian, if you have been born again, then this is how you will live. This leads us to the topic of slaves.

x. So how are these slaves to live? Paul commands them to obey their masters on earth not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Paul is telling those who are slaves, not simply to work to please their masters and to work when they are being watched, but rather to work with sincerity of heart. What does this mean?

xi. Paul is telling all believers to work hard. Since slavery is not something many people understand correctly, many scholars have stated that slaves here can be better understood as someone who is an employee at a company. The principles that we learn here can apply to both.

xii. Although we can understand this as employee, let’s take it literally in what the Bible is saying as slaves. Are we agreeing with people who claim that the Bible condones slavery?

xiii. So what does this look practically? Well it’s the employee who only works when they see their boss or someone around them and they pretend to be working. You know what this means if you have been working long enough because you see these types of workers often. It’s the workers who are browsing the internet and when you see your boss walk by or come close, you quickly turn the screen away from what you were doing. Well, Paul is saying that you should not work to just please men, but rather to work with sincerity in your heart. Why? Because the motivation here is fearing the Lord.

xiv. What does the fear of the Lord mean? Paul mentions in verse 23, that whatever you do, work heartily, work with passion as for the Lord rather than men. Why should slaves do this Paul? Because of what he writes in verse 24. Paul says that when you work heartily for the Lord, you know that you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.

xv. Notice Paul’s argument here. Paul is telling Christians that they shouldn’t obey their masters because slavery is right. He isn’t telling Christians to work within the system because he believes in the system. Paul does not condone slavery and speak as one who supports slavery. Paul is rather telling Christians that the purpose of why they should behave and work hard is not for the cause of slavery, but rather for the cause of Christ. No, rather he’s telling Christians, that although this might not be what you chose or the life you want, if you understand who Jesus Christ is, look to Him and find your hope in Him. At the end of the day, Paul’s argument here is not to embrace slavery, but for Christians to embrace their current lifestyle because of who and what they have in the Lord Jesus Christ.

xvi. Paul then finalizes his argument in verse 25 by stating that the one who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong he has done and he will not be shown favor.

xvii. Is Paul here addressing the wrong doing here of the slave or the master” Is he saying that if you are a master and you mistreat your slave, you will receive no favor? This seems highly unlikely considering he hasn’t even addressed masters yet. Up to now, Paul has only described how slaves are to live. So it better understood that he’s speaking to slaves. Slaves, if you don’t work heartily unto the Lord, if you just work to please men, and you don’t fear God, then God will show you no favor.

xviii. We have suggested that the most natural explanation for this attention is that the situation of Onesimus, whom Paul is sending back to his master Philemon, is uppermost in Paul’s mind. As the letter to Philemon reveals, this situation is a tricky one. Paul does not deny Philemon’s “rights” over his slave under the law, and he is very careful to give Philemon room to make his own decisions. But he also clearly wants Philemon not only not to punish his runaway slave but to accept him back as a brother in Christ. Paul goes so far as to promise to repay Philemon for any “wrong” Onesimus has done (Philemon 1:18).

xix. This idea of brotherhood here is the reason, because they are equal in Christ, Paul says please, if Onesimus has done anything, He will be responsible for it. This is why it is a misreading of what Paul is teaching in passages such as this to conclude that he endorses slavery as an institution. Paul doesn’t simply look at Onesimus as a slave, and states if he has done anything wrong, I will pay for it. But it is equally clear that he is in these passages seriously concerned that slaves do not view service to their new master, Christ, as reason to treat lightly the obligations they bear to their human masters. Thus he warns them of the judgment that they will incur if they do wrong. This judgment could consist of the punishment that a master would inflict on a disobedient slave.

xx. But who would enact this punishment? Due to the fact that Paul’s argument here is that the Lord is the true master, the earthly owner should not enact it. Paul says don’t hurt him, I’ll pay his debt. Therefore, it seems more adequate here that Paul’s judgment seems that God will deal with the wrong this person has done.

b. Masters, be fair (4:1)

i. Paul, then finally addresses masters here in 4:1. Just as Paul has written previously as those who are head of the households, Husbands (3:19), Fathers (3:21), here Paul addresses the masters.

ii. Paul is telling masters to provide justice and fairness to their slaves. This is simply Paul telling masters to do what is right for the slaves. This goes in line with his argument for how husbands and fathers should treat their wives. What is the motivation? Philippians 2:3-4 tells us that you are to put the interest of others before you put your own interest. Similarly, Paul is saying, treat them fairly because you know that you too have a master in Heaven. You are treating them as if your master is watching you. And just like the slaves who shouldn’t be working on when they are being watched, you should exhibit that always to your slaves.

iii. Now when you read this verse, Paul is telling the masters something critically important. Paul is making it abundantly clear that they too are slaves. Not only are the people under you a slave, but you too are a slave. Who are you a slave to? You too have a master in Heaven. This is why you should treat your slaves with fairness and justice. You shouldn’t do it because you want to pride yourself as a good master. No, you should treat them like that because you love them as brothers in Christ. They aren’t simply slaves. They are brothers in Christ.

iv. I want to close with this question. Does the Bible condone slavery? The Bible would never condone slavery. You might ask, well the Old Testament (Exodus 21:2) seems to suggest this as well as Leviticus 25:39-40 as well as Deuteronomy 15:13-14. But the most important reason the Bible doesn’t condone slavery is because the Bible does not preach politics. It is not concerned with politics and social reform. Rather, it is concerned with bringing new life to people. Social reform is the product of a new life. New Testament teaching does not focus on reforming and re structuring human systems, which are never the root cause of human problems. The issue is always the heart of man. Biblical Christianity’s main goal is not to make society more tolerable or upgrade society. Rather, Biblical Christianity’s main goal is to save sinners from darkness. It is to bring about new life in the person.

v. You see the Bible doesn’t tell us to complain about our situations. Rather, the Bible reminds us that we can persevere through these difficult times. This is why the Bible doesn’t condone slavery. Rather, it gives us hope how to endure through difficulties like slavery. Biblical Christianity is not there to help us get rid of our problems, but it teaches us how to rise above our situations. That’s the hope that Christ has given us.

3. CONCLUSION