1 Timothy: Instructions to Slaves

INTRODUCTION

· In our last lesson, I mentioned that verses 1-2 of fall into the section that began at 5:3. In this section, there are three areas where Paul encourages believers to honor a certain group of people. In verses 3-16, Paul taught how widows were to be honored. In verses 17-25, Paul taught how Timothy was to show honor to the elders of the congregation he was working with.

· Staring in 6:1, we have instructions to slaves/bondservants. There were believers in many churches that were slaves, and they are told to live before their masters in a certain way, which we will talk about shortly…

· But before we look at these two passages, I would like to say a few things in general about this topic as it is seen in scripture… Passages like this one and others talking about slavery in the Bible are difficult for us in our society… The reason being because of our understanding of slavery as it was practiced in the United States during the slave trade. Because of this, this topic is one that we find uncomfortable as we read about it in the Bible. These passages may be some that we would like not to be in the Bible, and we surely do not want anyone to ask us any questions about what God says about slaves and masters.

· The topic of slavery also tends to be a topic that unbelievers use to discredit the Bible, to say that God is immoral, or to try to prove that God does not exist by showing there is a contradiction in the Bible between the ideas of God being good and permitting/commanding slavery.

· Hopefully through our lesson today, we will be able to look at this topic and come out of it a little more comfortable to deal with and answer questions/challenges about.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

Not all kinds of slavery are created equal… There are many types of slavery in the Bible.

· There were foreign-born servants whose lives were spared during war and allowed to live indefinitely in the service of their master…

· Some could make themselves slaves for a short period of time that ended on the seventh year in Israel. This would be similar to indentured servants who would sell themselves into slavery for a period of time to pay off debts. But in these instances, they belonged to their masters until the contractual time period expired…

· In , you have a daughter who was sold into slavery for a bride-price and was to be cared for as a wife…

· In , if someone was caught stealing and was unable to pay the restitution, they would be sold into slavery for their theft, which

In these instances of slavery, God gives legislation so that these activities that were common at the time could be done in a way that was pleasing to Him. This is important to keep in mind because we may often be tempted to think that ’slavery’ as an idea is inherently sinful and wrong. This is not true. slavery is neither moral nor immoral in and of itself. It really depends on how it is practiced. Just as the systems of capitalism, democracy, or monarchies are neither moral nor immoral in and of themselves, the same is the case with slavery. It depends on how it is done.... No matter the system, it needs to be done in a way that is in obedience to the word of God. God who created man has the authority to give legislation to regulate slavery/servanthood so it can be done in ways that please Him. This goes to show that these types of slavery are approved of by God as long as they are done as He commands in His word.

The Bible is NOT talking about American slavery when it uses the word. The types of slavery that I have referred to are not what was practiced in America and Great Britain during the slave trade. Even though American slave-masters tried to use passages from the Bible to prove they could own slaves, the process of their getting slaves was not right. People were kidnapped out of their homelands and sold to others, which is condemned in scripture. , which builds upon the command not to steal, literally says, “whoever steals a person (Heb. ganab- to steal) is to be put to death.” This is what was done in American slavery. It is clearly sinful. God does not condone it, and this is not what the Bible is referring to when it mentions slaves.

GOD IS GOOD! Many believe that since God gives legislation about some types of slavery and implicitly shows endorsement of it that He is in some way immoral. The argument usually goes, “Slavery is evil - God endorses slavery in the Bible – God is evil.” To answer this argument, we first need to understand our first point (not all forms are slavery are created equal – some forms are sinful and some are not). Second, to in any way think that God is evil misrepresents how He reveals Himself in the Bible. God describes Himself as a God who cannot and will not do any evil, so to call the God of the Bible immoral is not logical. It is a straw-man argument. They are misrepresenting Him.

· : “This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.”

· : “For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; No evil dwells with You”

· : “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Love and faithfulness go before You”

Once again, God reveals that He is holy and good. All He does is holy and good. HE CANNOT AND WILL NOT do evil. God does give legislation showing that some forms of slavery can be done and those practicing it can still be pleasing to God. You and I don’t have to agree with what God says, but our opinions don’t change the fact that God is good, righteous, and holy in all that he says and does.

SLAVERY IN THE EPISTLES OF PAUL:

Then in our passages in 1 Timothy and Titus:

• "Let as many slaves as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name and doctrine of God may not be blasphemed. And those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brothers. But rather let them serve, because they are faithful and beloved, those of the good service receiving in return. Teach and exhort these things" ().

• "Slaves are to be obedient to their masters, to please them well in all things, not talking against, not stealing, but showing all good faith, so that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things." ().

shows they are under the yoke, which implies probably hard work and also a lack of freedom… Under these kind of circumstances, this may lead a slave who is a Christian to become resentful or bitter towards their master in their thinking, which would not be a godly attitude to have towards them. And in some instances, slaves may be tempted to sin against their master because of their negative attitudes towards them…

Paul tells Christian slaves that whether their master is a harsh and cruel unbeliever or a Christian brother, their being a slave and not having their freedom is NOT an excuse to live like a non-Christian… They are still held to a high standard in their character…

And if the master is a Christian, serve them all the more! The fact that your master may be a Christian does not excuse you to try to take it easy or to take advantage of your master… Make sure your master benefits from your labors… You should love them as a brother… show your love for them by your hard work…

The slave was to think of their relationship to their master differently than unbelieving slaves… They look to be helpful, to serve zealously, and to show love… They are to live their lives the way that Christ would if He were in their position… (which He was as God’s suffering servant/slave)… Paul says in that he made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant/slave… and in this position, he was willing to empty Himself of life itself to be a benefit to others and to serve His Great Master in Heaven who He has willfully submitted His will to…

APPLICATIONS

There really are not any perfect parallels today in our society here in America to the types of slavery Paul is referring to in these passages. The application that is most commonly referred to with these passages is the employer-employee relationship, but even here it is comparing apples and oranges, unless you feel at times your work is like slavery… The two are not really comparable other than the fact that both are forms of work… And to try to compare the two in my mind diminishes/minimizes the yoke that slaves were under… But I won’t be dogmatic if you want to make this application… It is true that a Christian should honor their employer, benefit their employer, work hard, and live as a Christian whether their employer is a Christian or not… This is true whether we use this passage or not just based on the command to love your neighbor as yourself…

But there seems to me that there is a better, more broad application of these passages for us as Christians. In the New Testament, Christians are called slaves…

We are slaves of Jesus Christ and of righteousness

· - Paul says to slaves that if they were slaves when becoming Christians, changing their circumstances is not the foremost concern they should have. If it is possible to gain freedom to have a bigger impact for Christ, that is fine, but one can serve Christ faithfully as a slave.

· - We were delivered from the bondage of sin to become slaves of another… Jesus is Lord and Master… We are now devoted to doing His will instead of our own.

· - We were bought at a price, and as slaves, we do not belong to ourselves. My life is not my life to do whatever I want with it… I belong to Christ and must live for Christ.

As His slave, you and I must give Him the honor and respect he is deserving of for what He has done for us… His teaching must be what we devote ourselves to obeying… no matter what relationships we have physically in this life. No matter the relationship, we must be useful to our Master, doing all that we do as though we are doing it for Him and knowing that He sees all that we do in His service…

And returning back to our passage in , Paul gives the slaves their motivation to live the way he is commanding them to in the passage…

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works." ()

Paul tells them, as well as the others he is talking to in the context, that they are held to a high standard because Jesus died for them in order to bring them salvation… Their devotions in life, because of this, must be different. They must be focusing on their ultimate Master’s return. While they waited for Him, they needed to remember that Jesus redeemed them from slavery to sin to belong to a much greater master. They (as we) are to serve our Master zealously as good slaves…