Why Didn’t the Bible Condemn Slavery? (Titus; Philemon)
Why didn’t Paul or Jesus outright condemn slavery? In Philemon, Paul writes personally to a church leader, challenging cultural norms through gospel transformation.
Titus 3 and Philemon
Today's Scripture Passage
A Few Thoughts to Consider
Have you ever wondered why Paul or Jesus never explicitly condemned all forms of slavery?
Case in point, the Book of Philemon is a personal letter from Paul to Philemon, a leader in the Colossian church. Paul appeals to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus, a runaway slave who has become a Christian under Paul's guidance. “The letter to Philemon is the shortest of Paul’s letters and is more closely related to the ordinary private and personal letters of the time than others addressed by Paul either to communities or groups of communities.”[1]
While we’re not certain of Onesimus’ offense, Paul says to Philemon in verse 18 that, “If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.” This seems to indicate Onesimus possibly stole some money before running away.
“In the Roman world of Paul’s day slaves sometimes ran away. They joined groups of robbers, attempted to disappear in the sub–culture of large cities, tried to flee abroad and be absorbed into the work–force, or sought refuge in a temple.”[2] But somehow, Onesimus comes into contact with Paul, and Paul determines that the honorable thing to do is write to Philemon and let him know what has happened. To not do so “would not only have been illegal according to Roman law, it would also have involved a breach of Christian fellowship between himself and Philemon.”[3]
While some today look on and can’t imagine why Paul or Jesus didn’t explicitly condemn the entire institution of slavery, we must remember there were many forms of slavery. Some forms were little more than a working relationship with a boss, while others were cruel and barbaric. Because ancient civilization largely revolved around the framework of slavery, to suddenly demand masters release all slaves would have created massive poverty and economic destruction.
Instead, both Paul and Jesus call believers to a high ethic that will, in time, lead believers and entire civilizations to abolish slavery altogether. The key verse in this lone chapter of Philemon is verse 6, where Paul says, “I pray that your participation in the faith may become effective through knowing every good thing that is in us for the glory of Christ.”
This tells us Paul’s appeal to Philemon is rooted in the gospel of Christ. As Paul writes elsewhere in Galatians 3:28, “There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female; since you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
