Topical Bible: Servant: Bond: Defaulting Debtors Made

◄ Servant: Bond: Defaulting Debtors Made ►

Topical Encyclopedia

In biblical times, the concept of servitude was multifaceted, encompassing various forms of service and bondage. One particular form was the servitude of defaulting debtors, where individuals unable to repay their debts could become bondservants to their creditors. This practice is rooted in the socio-economic structures of ancient Israel and is addressed in several passages of the Old Testament.

Old Testament Context

The Mosaic Law provided specific guidelines regarding the treatment of debtors and the conditions under which they might become servants. In Exodus 21:2, the law states, "If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years, but in the seventh year he shall go free, without paying anything." This regulation ensured that servitude was not perpetual and provided a means for debtors to regain their freedom.

Leviticus 25:39-41 further elaborates on this practice: "If your brother among you becomes destitute and sells himself to you, you must not force him to do slave labor. Let him stay with you as a hired worker or temporary resident; he is to work for you until the Year of Jubilee. Then he and his children are to be released, and he may return to his clan and to the property of his fathers." This passage highlights the temporary nature of such servitude and the protection of the debtor's dignity and rights.

Jubilee and Redemption

The Year of Jubilee, occurring every fifty years, was a significant institution that provided a reset for economic imbalances, including the release of bondservants. Leviticus 25:10 declares, "And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his clan."

Additionally, the law allowed for the redemption of a servant by a relative, as seen in Leviticus 25:47-49: "If a foreigner or temporary resident among you becomes rich, and your brother among you becomes destitute and sells himself to the foreigner or to a member of the foreigner’s clan, he retains the right of redemption after he has sold himself. One of his brothers may redeem him."

New Testament Reflections

While the New Testament does not directly address the servitude of defaulting debtors, it does emphasize principles of forgiveness and mercy that align with the spirit of the Old Testament laws. Jesus' teachings often highlighted the importance of forgiving debts, both literal and metaphorical, as seen in the Lord's Prayer: "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors" (Matthew 6:12).

The Apostle Paul, in his epistles, frequently uses the metaphor of servitude to describe the believer's relationship to Christ, emphasizing voluntary servitude out of love and devotion rather than compulsion or economic necessity. In Romans 6:22, Paul writes, "But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life."

Cultural and Theological Implications

The practice of making defaulting debtors bondservants reflects the economic realities of ancient Israelite society, where personal and familial bonds were integral to social structure. The biblical laws governing this practice reveal a concern for justice, mercy, and the restoration of individuals to their communities. These principles underscore the broader biblical themes of redemption and liberation, which find their ultimate fulfillment in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

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Leviticus 25:39
And if your brother that dwells by you be waxen poor, and be sold to you; you shall not compel him to serve as a bondservant:
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Matthew 18:25
But for as much as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
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