Slavery

Slavery in New Testament Times.[1]

When we think of slavery most of us think of it in light of slavery in the south before the Civil War. Slavery in the Roman Empire was much different. Comparing the two is like comparing night and day. While slavery in the south exemplified all the abuses of the institution that was not the case generally in the first century. Slaves were a large population in the Empire, making up about one-third of the population (higher in some places). Slaves were more like household servants in Victorian Britain than slaves in the Antebellum Southern states of America.[2] In the Roman Empire slavery had the following characteristics:

·        It was not a manner of race or racism. Most slaves were conquered people of different races. Race was not a determining factor. The main source of slaves was warfare and birth—being born to a slave meant you were one as well—but it also included  slave trading, kidnapping, and piracy.

·        It was not a manner of poverty. Slaves were not necessarily poor. Slaves could own propriety and accumulate wealth, but could not become citizens unless freed. This process was that of manumission (act of liberating a slave) which was a legal process, not a political one (such as emancipation). Manumission under Rome, contrary to common belief, was not automatic after so long a time (6 years). While manumission did happen, the vast majority of slaves were never freed. To the Roman’s manumission was a reward, not a standard to be exercised.

·        It was not a manner of the lack of education. Many were well educated and were members of the professions (Doctors, lawyers, educators, architects, artists, etc). Slave holders saw it as an honor to educate their slaves. Educated slaves were prized. Respect for their slaves seems to be somewhat of a common element among the Romans.

·        They were not segregated from freeborn members of society, and enjoyed social mobility. Some even held power, not only over other slaves, but over freeborns as well. Imperial slaves were considered the most powerful. The living quarters of the slaves were with freemen.

·        All the evils of slavery were present as well—whipping, forced labor, a denial of dignity, etc. Under no circumstance is slavery a desired condition.

·        “Roman law considered slavery to be against nature, this did not mean that it was .considered morally wrong; the jurists clearly presumed slavery to be legitimate, proper, and morally right.”[3] The treatment of slaves was a moral issue, but not the fact of slavery itself.[4]

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[1]  See, J.A. Harrill, “Slavery,” (Craig A. Evans & Stanley E. Porter, Editors), DICTIONARY OF NEW TESTAMENT BACKGROUND, [Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove IL, 2000], 01124-1127.

[2]  James D.G. Dunn, NIGTC: THE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS AND TO PHILEMON, [Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1996], 252, 302.

[3]  Harrill, “Slavery,” 1124.

[4]   Dunn, NIGTC: THE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS AND TO PHILEMON,  306.