Slaves in the ancient world before the Gospel had no rights and were typically worked to death – literally. Israel knew something about being slaves, and they knew this was not a happy condition for anyone. While the Law of God allowed for slaves, the New Testament moved away from the practice – although not in a revolutionary manner – and subsequent Christian history for the most part frowned on slavery and worked to end it. It’s a sad testimony to the state of Christian faith in the early modern period that chattel slavery was so much a part of the success of colonial economies, and that many Christians defended the practice by wrongly appealing to Scripture.

Slaves in ancient Israel enjoyed certain protections. Owners were discouraged from abusing them and could expect to pay a price if, by mistreatment, they actually killed a slave. To be a slave in Israel was not the same as being a slave in a pagan nation. In Israel, at least, one’s life was protected by Law.

T. M. Moore

The Law of God is the soil which, fertilized by the rest of God’s Word and watered by His Spirit, brings forth the fruit of Christian life. If you’d like to understand this process better, and how to make best use of the Law in your walk with and work for the Lord, order the book, The Ground for Christian Ethics, from our online store.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.