THE BIBLE AND SLAVERY

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Some critics argue that the Bible supports slavery and is therefore unethical. They often point to the instructions about slavery in the Mosaic Law (found in the first five books of the Bible) as well as in New Testament epistles (Ephesians 6:5–9; Colossians 4:1, and others) to claim that Scripture condones the practice. They also highlight the presence of slaves in biblical narratives as supposed proof that the Bible endorses inhumane teaching. How should we respond to these accusations? This issue has been addressed in many ways, but here are a few key points:

1. DESCRIPTIVE VERSUS PRESCRIPTIVE

Yes, the Bible contains passages describing slavery, but it is wrong to assume that God or Scripture approves of it. These passages record (describe) the existence of slavery without ever promoting (prescribing) it. No biblical text endorses the practice. The Bible notes that Hagar was Sarah’s slave (Genesis 16:1), but it never instructs readers to acquire slaves. It recounts how Joseph was sold into slavery (Genesis 37:28), yet the narrative does not advocate human trafficking.

2. IN THE IMAGE OF GOD

Scripture consistently affirms the value of every human being. From the very beginning, it declares that all people are created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). The New Testament echoes this truth, teaching that everyone comes from God (Acts 17:26, 29) and that He shows no favoritism (Acts 10:28, 34; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9). Early opponents of slavery relied on this very reality: because all people bear the image of God, it is wrong to treat anyone as mere property.

3. CONCESSIONS OVER THE IDEAL

God’s instructions in the Mosaic Law rarely reflect His ultimate, perfect will. Commands regarding sacrifices did not mean animal offerings could truly remove sin—“for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4). Only Christ’s sacrifice accomplishes that. Yet God permitted sacrifices temporarily and even gave guidelines for them. Likewise, God’s ideal is for marriage to remain unbroken (Mark 10:9), but He allowed divorce regulations (Deuteronomy 24:1–4) because of human hardness of heart (Mark 10:5). In the same way, God gave laws that limited the damage of slavery rather than abolishing it outright.

4. A MORE HUMANE APPROACH

Slavery was an entrenched institution long before the Bible was written. Through Moses, God provided instructions that made it more humane instead of eradicating it overnight. A fellow Israelite could not be a permanent slave (Deuteronomy 15:12). Runaway slaves were to be given refuge (Deuteronomy 23:15). Masters were forbidden to mistreat slaves (Exodus 21:20, 26). In the New Testament we see God’s ideal more clearly. Paul and Peter told slaves to obey their masters (Ephesians 6:5; Titus 2:9; 1 Peter 2:18), not because they supported slavery but because it was the social reality of their day. Such systems could not be dismantled instantly. Paul also commanded masters to treat their slaves justly and fairly, remembering that they too have a Master in heaven (Colossians 4:1). He even wrote, “Masters, do the same to them” (Ephesians 6:9), meaning they were to serve their slaves in the same way slaves served them (see 6:5–8). This begins to overturn the old order. In Christ, social classes disappear: “There is neither slave nor free… for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). That is why Paul urged Philemon to welcome his runaway slave Onesimus as a beloved brother (Philemon 16).

5. WHY PAUL DID NOT CALL FOR ABOLITION

If Christianity opposed slavery, why didn’t Paul explicitly condemn it in his letters? In the New Testament era, slavery was not a public controversy, so few sought its abolition. Most slaves were household servants who often enjoyed a better standard of living than many free citizens. Some gained wealth and freedom over time. Household slavery was still unjust but not identical to the brutal systems later seen in places like the Americas. If Paul had aimed to abolish it, he would have appealed to civic authorities, not to personal letters read by both masters and slaves.
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Though the Bible never supports slavery, it does teach that every believer is a “slave of Christ”: “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life” (Romans 6:22). This, of course, is a very different matter. Stay Curious

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