You’d Think They’d Get a Pass
1 Timothy 6:1-2 NLT
1 All slaves should show full respect for their masters so they will not bring shame on the name of God and his teaching. 2 If the masters are believers, that is no excuse for being disrespectful. Those slaves should work all the harder because their efforts are helping other believers who are well loved.
Teach these things, Timothy, and encourage everyone to obey them.
If there is a group that it’s easy to sympathize with, slaves would be close to the top of the list. Slavery still exists today, and in the ancient world, it was even more prevalent. Historians believe that slaves in major cities during Roman rule were from 20-40% of the overall population. Slavery in the ancient world was not as much a function of race as it was warfare, conquest, debt, birth, or judicial punishment. Slaves had no rights and could not marry or own personal property. Slavery was an economic reality and was considered to be an integral part of the ancient world. Romans saw slavery as part of the natural order of how the world existed.
The difference in the Christian church was that slaves were treated with dignity and respect, completely upending the social hierarchies of Roman society. Romans had complete control of slaves and called them a ‘tool with a voice.” The Christians called slaves brothers and sisters in the Lord.
So Paul was not advocating for social reform against slavery but instead was giving instructions to slaves as to how to act toward their masters. Paul’s message to slaves was not to revolt but to respect their masters. The big picture was so that God and His teachings would not be shamed by the conduct of the slaves. You’d think if anyone would have been given a pass, it would have been a slave in the ancient world. But there was no pass given. If you were a believing slave, you still were a representative of the Lord Jesus. To the Kingdom of God, how you lived mattered.
And Paul added another wrinkle to the slave-master relationship. Slaves with masters who were believers were to treat them with respect, not contempt. And the slave was to help this believing master because these masters were brothers in the Lord. And they were well loved. The slaves were to help their masters because they were believers and well loved. What an amazing perspective to bring to a slave. But in the early church, the slave was lifted to a place in Christ that he never could attain to in Roman society. Because in Christ, slavery was not recognized. The most important thing was to be united to Christ.
In this short passage, we can determine that Paul was more concerned with the slaves being united to Christ than with their personal freedom. Again, Paul was not advocating for slavery; he was simply addressing a fact of society in that day. In 1 Corinthians 7:21, Paul shares his stance on slavery. “Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you—but if you get a chance to be free, take it. NLT But until that day, honor God by how you work and respect your earthly master.
If the conduct of slaves in the ancient world mattered, how much more do our actions matter today?
Prayer
Lord, I want You to be honored by my life. You are my Master, and I treat others with respect so that You are glorified in my life.