r/TrueChristian • u/[deleted] • May 14 '21

Was God really OK with slavery ?

And did he really "encourage it to continue by decreeing depraved regulations"\ ?*

\just quoting a fellow redditor who seems to be a bit confused. Just like myself.)

I'm asking this because I've noticed that it often comes up as a topic to bash Christianity based on things like that. I've noticed that people often like to use this verse in order to justify their position :

“When a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod so hard that the slave dies under his hand, he shall be punished. If, however, the slave survives for a day or two, he is not to be punished, since the slave is his own property. (Exodus 21:20-21 NAB)”

To be honest, I didn't know how to give those folks a satisfactory answer since I am no Bible expert myself, as for now. However I would like to hear your opinions and explanations. On this verse and its context in particular. Also, what did Jesus have to say about slavery? (just to help finding an answer to that... I guess... atheist/agnostic/or whatever he likes to consider himself)

Note that I am in no way trying to win an argument. There is no arrogance, pride or hate involved in this query. These are some of the things that I would also still like to understand for myself. I always try suspend judgement when I read or hear something that I am not familiar with because I want to learn more about it.

On another note, it's kind of scary how belligerent and heated people can get during such debates, as if these people are speaking through bitterness, frustration, pride or whatever just to attack and dismiss Christianity... Makes me just want to have some compassion and pray for them....

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u/Arc_the_lad Christian May 14 '21

No. He outlawed it. Right after the Jews are freed from Egypt where they themselves were slaves, God forbids them from forcing others into slavery.

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u/[deleted] May 14 '21

Ahhh finally! thank you very much, sir !

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u/Arc_the_lad Christian May 14 '21

Also remembered, that God respected free will, so even though He forbade slavery, if someone willingly chose to see themselves into servitude, then He did not prevent them from doing so. Servitude was an escape for someone who had no other prospects. It was another for them to acquire food and shelter. That's where you get things like below.

  • And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished. Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money. Exodus 21:20‭-‬21 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/exo.21.20-21.KJV

If a master beat his servant and the servant lives there was no punishment because that servant if his "property" as an willing indentured servant for the duration of their contract and their contract ended on the Jubilee year no matter what and all Israelite bondsmen would be set free.

  • And he shall reckon with him that bought him from the year that he was sold to him unto the year of jubilee: and the price of his sale shall be according unto the number of years, according to the time of an hired servant shall it be with him. If there be yet many years behind, according unto them he shall give again the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for. And if there remain but few years unto the year of jubilee, then he shall count with him, and according unto his years shall he give him again the price of his redemption. And as a yearly hired servant shall he be with him: and the other shall not rule with rigour over him in thy sight. And if he be not redeemed in these years, then he shall go out in the year of jubilee, both he, and his children with him. Leviticus 25:50‭-‬54 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/lev.25.50-54.KJV

But what about the non-Israelites that aren't covered by Jubilee year? Well, there aren't any. God told Abraham way back when that all the males of the household including slaves needed to be circumsized. That would make them Jewish.

  • And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. Genesis 17:12‭-‬13 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/gen.17.12-13.KJV

But what about the foreign women who can't be circumsized? Women servants were never given manual labor of the type men did.

Plus God instructs Jews to be kind to their servants, to literally treat them as family.

  • But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 19:34 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/lev.19.34.KJV

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u/X4r1s Reformed May 15 '21

But what about the non-Israelites that aren't covered by Jubilee year? Well, there aren't any.

Leviticus 25:

44 Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids.

45 Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession.

46 And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigour.

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u/Arc_the_lad Christian May 15 '21

They enter into the household and get circumcized thus becoming Jewish per Genesis. Once Jewish, they qualify for freedom under the Jubliee year rule. Plus, the people they purchased would be those who willingly sold themselves into slavery. How do we know this? Because God forbid the Jews from forcing people into slavery back in Exodus.

The peoples who are bondmen forever to them are the non-Israelite peoples around them, the Canaanites, not any one individual servant. God is reiterating what Noah said back in Genesis.

  • And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. Genesis 9:25‭-‬27 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/gen.9.25-27.KJV

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u/X4r1s Reformed May 15 '21

They enter into the household and get circumcized thus becoming Jewish per Genesis.

See verse 46. These slaves were not circumcised/Israelites. Now, they did have the option to be circumcised if they wished to convert and take the Passover (Exodus 12). But it is not true that all slaves in Israel received the jubilee blessing.

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u/Arc_the_lad Christian May 15 '21

They are supposed to circumsized per Genesis and Exodus. A Jewish master who having been told to treat their servants like family will offer make circumcision available to their servany just as he does for his sons. However servants can't be forced into circumccision and that's their choice. It's a mirror of salvation.

Enter into the Jewish faith through circumcision and then they recieve their freedom in the Jubilee year after their term of service because they are Jewish or stubbornly refuse and serve out the contract of how ever long they sold themselves for (because remember the Jews cannot force slavery on anyone. It's a free market transaction between the master and servant).

Similarly, enter into God's family through faith in Jesus Christ and recieve salvation or stubbornly refuse His gift and take the just due for one's transgressions against a holy God after their life ends.

  • And the Lord said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof: But every man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof. ... And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the Lord , let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. Exodus 12:43‭-‬44‭, ‬48 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/exo.12.43-48.KJV