Sermon Tone Analysis

We left off at 1 Tim 6.

We find ourselves today wrapping up Paul's instruction to Timothy on various people groups in the church.

Older and younger men and women, Widows, Elders, and today, the last group slaves and masters.

Beginning in the 3rd verse of Chapter 6, Paul will wind down his letter to Timothy with final charges.

Let's Pray and then we will read 1 Tim 6:1-8

1 Tim 6:1 "Let as many bondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed."

1.

So, we come to this interesting word bondservant- doulos in Greek...slave in English.

These were the lowest class of society, and the doulos was the lowest class of slave.

2. In the Roman world, as many as 1 in 3 in Rome or 1 in 5 across the empire were slaves.

In the first century, the total population of the Roman Empire was about 60 million people, so the slave population would have been somewhere around 13 million slaves throughout the Empire.

3. A freed criminal had more rights.

A slave had no personal freedom, no legal status, no property rights, no right to marry or start a family...they were the personal property of their master.

4. Slavery was the norm in Roman society...and still is the norm in many parts of the world...Africa, India, China, and many other places.

There are an estimated 40 million slaves, in various forms, in the world today.

5.

In Biblical times, slavery came in many forms, but centered on economics...

6.

Some people voluntarily sold themselves into slavery because of debt, because there was not a system of bankruptcy.

7. Slaves were a status symbol...the more slaves and the more exotic slaves one owned, the higher their status.

8. Some people voluntarily chose the life of a slave because they found a good master who was kind and cared for them.

Or, the slave earned freedom, but went voluntarily back into slavery because while they were a slave, they had a child with another slave, and the rest of the family was not freed.

9. Some slaves were forced into labor against their own volition.

This form of slavery was condemned by the bible.

The bible prohibited being a "man-stealer."

(Ex 21:16 "He who kidnaps a man and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, shall surely be put to death.").

10.

All these forms of slavery are awful, but we are not free of atrocities in our society either...some of the wealthiest people in our society have done terrible injustices to other people to achieve their status, so our society is guilty as well...we live in a very violent world as evidenced by death in war, abortions, and so forth.

It's easy to point our finger at other societies or eras.

People often point their finger at God's word as well.

11.

The Bible has been criticized for not openly condemning slavery.

12. From the first century to when Jesus returns, Christianity has never been about revolution or social reform, it's about redemption from the worst slave masters- being a slave to sin.

Jesus did not come for free the oppressed from Roman rule, He came to free people from sin and spiritual death...which has ramifications that stretch into eternity.

13.

But, in regard to slavery, the Bible is vocal about the treatment of slaves, and honoring masters.

Let's look at this verse in Timothy.

14. Paul begins this verse addressing "all slaves"... "Let as many bondservants (or slaves) as are under the yoke"

15.

So, Paul is addressing all slaves, because all slaves are under the yoke.

The yoke is a farming tool... a bar or wooden crosspiece fastened over the neck of two animals and attached to a plow or cart.

The yoke would cause them to share in the pulling.

16.

In the Bible, especially in this context, the yoke symbolized a burden, or being oppressed...typically a hard and unfavorable condition.

17.

Solomon's son, Rehoboam foolishly rejected the advice of his elders and said, "...whereas my father put a heavy yoke on you, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!' " 1 Ki 12:11

18.

In contrast, Jesus said, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Matt 11:28-30

19.

In the context of a slave, they were yoked.

They were under a burden, and like the ox in the field, they had a master driving them.

20.

In this verse, Paul is addressing slaves of unbelieving Masters, as seen by these slaves being "under the yoke", as compared to believing Masters in the next verse.

21.

Regardless of being under the yoke and laboring for unbelieving masters, these slaves in verse 1 are to "...count their own masters worthy of all honor..."

22.

Despite their unfavorable circumstance, the slave (and this assumes the slave is a Christian otherwise they would neither regard Paul's counsel nor care about blaspheming the name of God), these slaves were to respect or honor their masters.

23.

This is not respect or honor for who the person is personally, but an honor due to the position or authority as the master.

24.

Kind of like in the military how you "salute the rank, not the person."

25.

You get a sense of this in 1 Pet 2:18 "Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable."

(harsh, cruel).

26.

And, the reason is "...so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed."

27.

The Christian slave when they respected their master, in their words, their work, their attitude, they protected God's name and teaching from being spoken of reproachfully or being shamed.

The Bible is clear that it is important that God's name is to not be blasphemed:

28.

The 3rd Commandment is "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain."

Exo 20:7

29.

In Romans, Paul chastised hypocritical Jews for this same offense, "You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law?

24 For "the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you," as it is written."

Rom 2: 23-24

30.

And, the prophet Nathan confronted king David, for his sin with Bathsheba, and also referenced this offense ... "... by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme..." 2 Sam 12:18

31.

And, there is nothing new under the sun.

Today, unbelievers blaspheme God's name when a Christian sins, is guilty of hypocrisy, or is a poor laborer.

32.

And, the Christian who is a good laborer may serve as a witness.

Faithfully serving, especially under harsh circumstances, serves as a testimony.

A good testimony serves to start a conversation, a conversation leads to sharing the gospel, and a soul is saved.

33.

For this verse in general, the modern application is for us to be good workers as employees.

This is not a perfect fit, for we have rights, we are not slaves, we can leave our employment.

So, it's not perfect, but it is the closest we have in our country.

34.

We are to work unto the Lord, to honor God, and so His name is not blasphemed.

35.

Col 3:22-24 gives us a good sense of this idea: "Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.

23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ."

Col 3:22-24

continue to verse 2

1 Tim 6:2 "And those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather serve them because those who are benefited are believers and beloved.

Teach and exhort these things."

1. "And those who have believing masters..." Paul now addresses slaves of believing masters.

The idea of a slave and master being Christian brothers or sisters...equal in the Lord...though completely unequal in authority as appointed by man...this was counter-cultural and backwards thinking in the Roman culture.

2. Jesus often made statements that challenged thoughts and perceptions of the time as well.

3. "...whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.

27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave-28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

Mt 20:26-28.

4. Matt 23: 11-12 "But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.

And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

5. So, it was not unusual for Jesus and Christians to have a standard higher than the norms of society.

"Love your enemy," "Going the extra mile," being a servant-leader...these traits of the Christian were not the norm of society, but Christians were exhorted to eternal standards, not simply the standards of the world.

So, Christian slaves were also held to higher standards, despite their lot in life.

6. "...let them not despise them because they are brethren..." In the church at Ephesus it is assumed that there were Christian brothers and sisters who also had a master/servant relationship.

7. God is no respecter of persons, He is not partial, all are equal in the site of God, but before man there was still social order, and God is not a God of chaos.

Order and authority was to be upheld.

8. So, Paul is addressing a problem- deep seated resentments between believers because they are slaves to another Christian and they are in the same church.

There was a heart issue problem in the church.

The word "despise" is a present imperative...Paul is commanding the servants to "stop despising" their masters who were also Christians.

9. Despise means to "think little or nothing of."

This happens all the time in the modern workplace.

You can have 2 Christians working together, someone gets funny because of money, or a disagreement in direction or decisions, or promotions occurs.

And, these Christians act worse than heathens.

10. Paul is addressing this bad situation in the Ephesian church.

11.

Paul says, "...serve them because those who are benefited are believers and beloved."

12.

The heart issue of despising, must have also effected the servants work, because Paul also commands "serve them."

This could be rendered "serve them all the more."

13.

Essentially, Paul is telling the servant, to continue to work heartily even though they have this most unusual relationship as master/servant and Christian brethren.