Bible Study on Letter to Philemon

· Slaves were common at the time of the empire. Rome’s military advances supplied most of the slaves. The armies brought back thousands of captives who were sold to increase the investments of private citizens who supported the army. Some reports indicate that often as many as ten thousand slaves per day were placed on the auction blocks in Delos[1]

· Slaves had not rights, no possessions

· In the Roman world, treatment of slaves varied considerably. Strictly speaking, the owner had the complete right to do whatever he wished: Slaves were viewed as chattel.

· Left at the whims of their masters, slaves could be worked to death, starved, tortured, and killed for the sake of enjoyment

· Sometimes a person would sell themselves into servitude to pay of a dept (BOND SERVANT)

· Master could simple free them

· Peculium to save up and buy their freedom

· Conditional citizens – clients of their former masters

· No go for under the age of 30

· 476 AD ended with the fall for the fall for the Roman Empower

Slavery and the First Century Church

There were slaves and masters in the Church

Ephesians 6:5–6 ESV

Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,

Ephesians 6:7–9 ESV

rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.

INSTRUCTIONS

Sincere obedience

Serve unto the Lord

Serve with a hope of blessings

Masters treat slaves with sincerity

God will judge both slaves and masters

Colossians 3:22–23 ESV

Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,

Colossians 3:24–25 ESV

knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

Colossians 4:1 ESV

Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

INSTRUCTIONS

Sincere obedience

Serve the Lord

Serve with a hope of blessing

The Lord serves with you

God will punish evil slaves

Masters judge fairly

Masters have a Master in heaven

What you don’t see is a call to rise up and revolt

1 Corinthians 7:21–22 ESV

Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ.

Paul was not calling for a revolt but calling on God’s will concerning this issue

IMPORTANT FACTS

The early Church recognize no difference between slave and masters

Slaves were allowed to serve as elders and deacons

Christian graves did not mark whether one had been a slave or not

IMPORTANT FACTS

Church funds were often used to buy the freedom of slaves (Ignatius)

Some Christians gave up their own freedom to ransom or free others

Christians urge other Christians to free their slaves or give them the opportunity to buy their freedom

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