How does Leviticus 25:44 relate to New Testament teachings on slavery? Setting the Stage • Scripture never shrinks from describing the social realities of its day. • Both Old and New Testaments speak to slavery, yet always within the larger story of redemption and God’s character. Reading Leviticus 25:44 in Context “‘As for your male and female slaves whom you may have—you may acquire male and female slaves from the nations around you.’” (Leviticus 25:44) • Verse 44 appears in a chapter about the Year of Jubilee, when Hebrew debt-servants were released (vv. 39-43). • Foreign slaves, however, were not released at Jubilee (vv. 45-46). Old Testament Guardrails Around the Institution • Slavery recognized, yet limited: kidnapping for slavery was a capital crime (Exodus 21:16). • Runaway slaves from foreign nations were not to be returned to harsh masters (Deuteronomy 23:15-16). • Masters were accountable for brutality (Exodus 21:26-27). • Hebrew Jubilee foreshadowed ultimate liberation (Leviticus 25:10). Why Permanent Slavery for Foreigners? • Israel was to remain distinct from surrounding nations; permanent service of foreigners protected land inheritance for each tribe. • Economic survival in an agrarian society required labor; yet God imposed humane boundaries. New Testament Era: Slavery Still Present • Rome’s economy ran on servitude; one-third of the empire were slaves. • The gospel spread inside that structure without endorsing cruelty. Key New Testament Passages • 1 Timothy 1:10—“slave traders” listed among the lawless. • Ephesians 6:5-9—slaves obey “with sincerity of heart… masters, do the same… there is no favoritism with Him.” • Colossians 4:1—“Masters, supply your slaves with what is right and fair.” • 1 Corinthians 7:21-23—if freedom can be gained, “make the most of it… you were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.” • Philemon vv. 15-16—Onesimus received “no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a beloved brother.” • Galatians 3:28—“There is neither slave nor free… for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Lines of Continuity Between Testaments • Both Testaments treat slavery as a real institution. • Both impose moral restraints on masters. • Both emphasize God’s sovereignty over human authority. Points of Development • Old Covenant: ethnic Israel’s land and lineage were protected; foreign slavery remained indefinitely. • New Covenant: Christ’s redemption creates spiritual equality, undermining the very foundations of human ownership (1 Corinthians 7:22). • Seed of change: the gospel’s call to love one’s neighbor (Matthew 22:39) makes permanent human subjugation incongruent with discipleship. Gospel Trajectory Toward Freedom • The Jubilee principle of release finds fulfillment in Christ (Luke 4:18-21). • By condemning slave-trading and commanding mutual submission, the New Testament sows the seed that eventually broke slavery’s legal chains. • Believers are now “slaves of Christ” (Ephesians 6:6), redefining ownership entirely. Bringing It Together for Today • Leviticus 25:44 accurately describes how Israel regulated slavery before Christ. • The New Testament neither ignores nor endorses oppression; instead, it reframes relationships in light of the cross. • Taken together, Scripture moves from regulated permanence (for foreigners) to a redemptive call that makes every master-slave relationship submit to the lordship of Christ, ultimately pointing toward freedom, dignity, and brotherhood for all. |
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