A slave was a person owned as property by another. It also refers to the relationship that bound the owner and the slave. Slavery was widespread in the ancient Near East, although the economy was not dependent upon it. By Roman times, slavery was very commonplace. In the early Christian period one out of every two people was a slave. From at least 3000 BC, captives in war were the primary source of slaves (Genesis 14:21; Numbers 31:9; Deuteronomy 20:14; Judges 5:30; 1 Samuel 4:9; 2 Kings 5:2; 2 Chronicles 28:8). Slaves could be purchased locally from other owners or from foreign travelling merchants. The latter sold slaves along with cloth, bronze ware and other goods (Joel 3:4-8). Joseph was sold by Midianites and Ishmaelites to an Egyptian (Genesis 37:36; Genesis 39:1) in this manner. Debt was the basic cause for many families being reduced to slavery. An entire family could be subject to slavery (2 Kings 4:1; Nehemiah 5:5-8). The law code of Hammurabi (the last great king of the first Babylonian dynasty) called for a maximum of three years of slavery for the family. Under Hebrew Law the maximum was six years (Deuteronomy 15:18). Voluntary slavery was widespread as a means of escape from poverty and starvation (Leviticus 25:47-48). When Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery (Genesis 37:27-28), they committed a capital offense under the law code of Hammurabi and the Mosaic Law (Exodus 21:11; Deuteronomy 24:7). In Sumerian society, slaves had legal rights, could borrow money and could engage in business. The normal price for a slave was probably less than that for a strong donkey. The slave always had the hope that he could save sufficient money to purchase his freedom. Slaves performed tedious labour on farms and in households. However, some gifted individuals occupied executive positions in households. Despite provisions in ancient law, the release of slaves was not always honoured on schedule. A Hebrew who voluntarily entered slavery was normally released the next jubilee year. Theoretically, no Hebrew could be enslaved for life (Exodus 21:2; Leviticus 25:10-13; Deuteronomy 15:12-14). The Israelites made a deliberate attempt to safeguard the slave from brutality by a master or overseer. By law, a maimed slave had to be released (Exodus 21:26-27). Hebrew slaves frequently toiled alongside their masters in the fields. They and household slaves often had a reasonable and secure existence, compared with the threat of starvation and poverty of the poorest free men. In Greek and especially in Roman times, when the number of slaves increased dramatically, household slaves remained the best treated. Many became servants and close friends. Some even established good businesses to their own and their masters’ benefit. Information from the book of Genesis and other sources shows that where a wife was childless, the female slave could bear the master’s child (Genesis 16:2-4). Legally a Hebrew master could agree to marry a young female slave, have his own son marry her or establish her as a concubine (secondary wife). If she was later abandoned or if the agreement was not fulfilled, she would be released from her slavery (Exodus 21:7-11). Conquered people were required to perform forced labour for the state (2 Samuel 12:31; 1 Kings 9:15, 21-23). This included the Israelites themselves in Lebanon (1 Kings 5:13-18). Captured in war, the Midianites (Numbers 31:28-30, 47) and Gibeonites (Joshua 9:23-25) were made slaves to serve the temple. The practice continued through the reigns of David and Solomon (Ezra 2:58; 8:20). Nehemiah records that foreign slaves helped make repairs on the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 3:26, 31). The New Testament attitude toward slavery indicates that the status of a slave was more like that of a servant. Apparently the institution of slavery generally was declining. There was no strong opposition to slavery from Yeshua or the apostles. Instead, slaves and servants were admonished to serve their masters faithfully. In like manner, masters were told to treat their slaves humanely and fairly (Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 4:1; 1 Timothy 6:2; Philemon 1:16). Paul never preached against slavery, but he personally tried to attain freedom for the slave Onesimus from his Christian master, Philemon.

HOW DOES THE BIBLE REFER TO THE MATTER OF SLAVERY?

THE BIBLE USES SLAVERY TO PICTURE OUR RELATIONSHIP TO HAMASHIACH.
“This letter is from Paul, Yeshua HaMashiach’s slave, chosen by YAHVEH to be an apostle and sent out to preach His Good News.” (Romans 1:1) Paul humbly calls himself a servant of Yeshua HaMashiach and an apostle ("one who is sent"). For a Roman citizen; which Paul was; to choose to be a servant was unthinkable. But Paul chose to be completely dependent on and obedient to his beloved Master. What is your attitude toward HaMashiach, your Master? Our willingness to serve and obey Yeshua HaMashiach enables us to be useful and usable servants to do work for Him; work that really matters.

THE BIBLE USES SLAVERY TO PICTURE OUR RELATIONSHIP TO SIN BEFORE HAMASHIACH.
“Our old sinful selves were crucified with HaMashiach so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with HaMashiach we were set free from the power of sin.” (Romans 6:6-7) The power and penalty of sin died with HaMashiach on the cross. The part of us that “loves to sin” is our sinful nature, died once and for all, so we are freed from its power. The “sin-loving body” is not the human body, but our rebellious sin-loving nature inherited from Adam. Though our body willingly cooperates with our sinful nature, we must not regard the body as evil. It is the sin in us that is evil. And it is this power of sin at work in our body that is defeated. Paul has already stated that through faith in HaMashiach we stand acquitted, “not guilty” before YAHVEH. Here Paul emphasizes that we need no longer live under sin’s power. YAHVEH does not take us out of the world or make us robots; we will still feel like sinning and sometimes we will sin. The difference is that before we were saved we were slaves to our sinful nature, but now we can choose to live for HaMashiach (see Galatians 2:20).

THE BIBLE PORTRAYS SLAVERY AS A SHADOW OF ALL PEOPLE’S HORRIBLE SLAVERY TO SIN.
“Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you; but if you get a chance to be free, take it. And remember, if you were a slave when our Adonai called you, our Adonai has now set you free from the awful power of sin. And if you were free when our Adonai called you, you are now a slave of HaMashiach.” (1 Corinthians 7:21-22) Slavery was common throughout the Roman Empire. Some Christians in the Corinthian church were undoubtedly slaves. Paul said that although the Christian slaves were slaves to other human beings, they were free from the power of sin in their life. People today are slaves to sin until they commit their life to HaMashiach, who alone can conquer sin’s power. Sin, pride and fear no longer have any claim over us, just as a slave owner no longer has power over the slaves he has sold. The Bible says we become HaMashiach’s slaves when we become Christians (Romans 6:18), but this actually means we gain our freedom, because sin no longer controls us.

HUMAN SLAVERY WAS ACTUALLY UNDERMINED BY THE FREEDOM GIVEN THROUGH HAMASHIACH.
“You slaves must obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Obey them willingly because of your reverent fear of our Adonai.” (Colossians 3:22) Paul does not condemn or condone slavery, but explains that HaMashiach transcends all divisions between people. Slaves are told to work hard as though their master were HaMashiach Himself (Colossians 3:22-25); but masters should be just and fair (Colossians 4:1). Perhaps Paul was thinking specifically of Onesimus and Philemon; the slave and master whose conflict lay behind the letter to Philemon (see the book of Philemon). Philemon was a slave owner in the Colossian church and Onesimus had been his slave (Colossians 4:9).