Slaves and Masters

Ephesians 6:5–9 NKJV

5 Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; 6 not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. 9 And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.

Moving on from walking worthy of our calling as it relates to the family, Paul no addresses slaves and masters.

So the first conclusion we can come to from this passage is that there were slaves in the church and there were master’s in the church. So lets address the elephant in the room. Why doesn’t Paul just outright condemn the practice of slavery? And are we to conclude that Paul condoned slavery. This is a big issue. Many have concluded from this passage and others like it that Paul condoned slavery and that the Bible teaches that slavery is an acceptable and normal practice.

Let’s just consider that question for a moment and lets just look at some scriptures

Galatians 3:28 NKJV

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:29 NKJV

29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Colossians 3:10–11 NKJV

10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.

1 Corinthians 7:20–24 NKJV

20 Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. 21 Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. 22 For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 24 Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.

Colossians 4:1 NKJV

1 Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Let consider the story of Onesimus. Onesimas was a slave of Philemon who had robbed him runaway. As he attempts to runaway not only from Philemon but perhaps also God he somehow crosses paths with Paul while he was in prison in Rome. During this time Paul leads him to faith in Christ. A perfect example of someone who is transformed through faith is Christ. He then ministers to Paul in prison. But Paul wants him to be reconciled with Philemon who was also converted through Paul’s ministry in Colossae. So in the his letter to Philemon Paul writes

Philemon 8–16 NKJV

8 Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, 9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ— 10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, 11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me. 12 I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, 13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. 14 But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary. 15 For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

So if we were to follow Paul’s teachings as well as the teaching of Christ to do unto other as you would have others do unto you. And love your neighbour as yourself. Then slavery in practice would be abolished. Paul doesn’t dismantle the institution but under the teaching of the Gospel it is sanctified and slavery as it has been known throughout history is not possible. But Paul did not teach that slaves should stand up against their masters but rather obey them.

Obey Your Masters According to the Flesh

As unto Christ

Ephesians 6:5 NKJV

5 Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ;

1 Peter 2:13–17 NKJV

13 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— 16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. 17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Daniel example King Darius ordered that no one could pray to any god except to him only for a month.

Or when Nebachadnezzar ordered that every bow down and worship the gold image Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego showed that they were slaves to God only.

Ephesians 6:5–7 (NKJV)

5 Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ;

6 not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,

7 with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men,

Ephesians 6:8 NKJV

8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.

Masters, Do the Same Things to Them

That is just as they are to obey as unto Christ treat them as you would Christ.

Matthew 25:37–40 NKJV

37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

Ephesians 6:9 NKJV

9 And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.

This is a warning to those who are in authority. Whether you are a master of a slave or an employer or a governor or a teacher or a elder or a parent or a husband. Be careful how you treat God’s children. They belong to Christ and he bought them with His own blood.