Philemon: Broader Questions About Slavery

Broader Questions About Slavery

We have carefully explored Paul’s letter to Philemon.  Now let’s look at the broader issue of slavery in the Roman Empire as it affected the early church.  First, some background facts:

When the New Testament was being written, 20% or more of all the people in the Roman Empire were slaves, and the percentage was higher in the Empire’s home province of Italy (Welch and Hall; The British Museum).

Slavery was embedded in the entire fabric of the Roman Empire.  It was central to the social structure and economic system, and it was a central feature of Rome’s military expansion.  The Empire routinely captured thousands of enemy soldiers and civilians when they won military victories and brought them to Rome or other parts of Italy as slaves.

Slaves performed a wide range of jobs, both professional and menial, so they often moved freely around their city and could show up everywhere – sometimes working side by side with freed people.  A master didn’t have to be wealthy to own a slave.

Slaves were allowed to earn money, which served as an incentive for good performance.  They could buy their freedom, if their master was willing.  Masters also sometimes freed slaves by their own choice.

In the early centuries of the Roman Empire, slave owners were allowed to treat their slaves any way they wanted, and abuses were common.  Almost any kind of punishment was permitted.  A slave could be beaten, forced to wear irons, branded on the forehead, or even killed by a master.  In addition, if the government got involved – for example, when there were slave rebellions – the penalty could be crucifixion.  And being a fugitive slave in the Roman Empire was a major crime.  Later, restrictions were placed on how masters treated their slaves.

Both slaves and masters, like other people, were often attracted to the new religion of Christianity.  Therefore, the early church included both slaves and masters, and the church had to figure out how to deal with the constant presence of slaves and masters in their midst.

People sometimes ask why Paul didn’t denounce slavery or call for its abolition.  How might his approach have been affected by his expectation that Christ would be coming back soon?

Considering the structure of the Roman Empire, what do you think would have happened if he or other Christians had worked to abolish slavery in the Roman Empire?  Why might he have chosen not to challenge the slave-based social structure?

In the Gospels, Jesus never calls for the abolition of slavery.  He tells stories about slaves and masters.  He says that the truth will set you free (John 8:31-36), but he is talking about spiritual freedom from sin, not slavery as an institution.  Why do you think Jesus never called for the abolition of slavery?

While Paul does not explicitly call for an end to slavery, he says things that could be seen as undermining the system.  For example, what are the implications of saying that a slave is a beloved brother in the Lord (Philemon 16)?

Paul talks about slaves, masters, and free people in several of his letters.  Let’s look at what Paul says when he brings up the topic:

1 Corinthians 7:20-24 Stay in the state you’re in

Why does Paul encourage people to avoid slavery and to become free if they can?

What attitude does he say people should have if they are slaves?

How is Paul’s teaching here supportive of the existing social structure of slavery?

How does Paul’s teaching here undermine the existing system?

In what ways might saying that slaves are free in the Lord lay the groundwork for an end to slavery?

1 Corinthians 12:13 the Spirit is given to slaves and free people

Consider the social and political distinctions that come with being a slave or a free person.  How is Paul’s teaching here subversive of the existing social structure of slavery?

Galatians 3:26-28 In Christ there is neither slave nor free

How does the principle Paul establishes here undermine the slavery system and lay the groundwork for enslaved people to eventually be freed and treated as equals?

Colossians 3:11 there is no slave nor free; Christ is in all

How does saying that “Christ is in all” add to what Paul said in Galatians 3?

Ephesians 6:5-9 how slaves and masters should treat each other

How do Paul’s instructions to slaves suggest an entirely different way of thinking about their work?

How do Paul’s instructions to masters suggest an entirely different way of thinking about their relationship to their slaves?

Considering what we know about how masters could abuse their slaves with impunity in the Roman Empire, how is Paul fostering a new way of thinking about slaves?

Colossians 3:22–4:1 how slaves and masters should treat each other

These instructions are very similar to the instructions in Ephesians 6.  What words does Paul uses in 4:1 that introduce a new way of thinking about how masters should treat slaves?

Paul says masters should treat their slaves “justly” – a word that raises a question: what is justice for slaves?  And when he says masters should treat their slaves “fairly,” the root of the Greek word he uses is the word for equality (Liddell and Scott; Vine; and the Interlinear Bible).  In other words, Paul is telling masters to treat their slaves with justice and with equality (although he does not elaborate as to whether he means equality among slaves or equality between slaves and free people).

What message about slavery is Paul sending by saying that slaves should be treated justly and fairly?

Conclusion

Different people reach different conclusions about Paul’s handling of the reality of slavery in the Roman Empire.  What do you think about how Paul dealt with this central feature of Roman society?  Do you think his focus on transforming attitudes was appropriate, or do you think he should have done more?

Could we be doing more to challenge the injustices of our time?

Paul Robinson Coleman-Norton is cited as a key source by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, who wrote the commentary on Philemon for The New Jerome Biblical Commentary.  Coleman-Norton (1898-1971) was an authority on Roman law at Princeton University for 40 years.  Coleman-Norton noted that Paul “does not denounce the system [of slavery] itself as wrong; rather Paul tries to transform the relation of master and slave by referring it to Christian considerations.”  He concludes that Paul “enunciates the doctrine which eventually destroyed the system of slavery” (Coleman-Norton, p. 165).  In other words, Paul sowed seeds that eventually led Christians to conclude that the institution of slavery could not be defended.  Do you agree?

When you get to heaven, what would you like to ask Paul about this subject?

Epilogue

Why do you think this letter about a personal matter was included in the New Testament, when most of the letters in the canon were written for the public instruction of a church or a group of churches?

There is an interesting historical footnote to this story.  Around 50 years after Paul wrote this letter, sometime between 108 and 117, Ignatius of Antioch, the bishop or “patriarch” of Antioch, was being taken to Rome to be martyred.  On the way, he wrote 7 letters (which still survive) to various churches in Asia Minor.  In his letter to the church at Ephesus, he praises their bishop, Onesimus.  Scholars wonder whether this Onesimus might be the same Onesimus who Paul wrote to Philemon about.  (If Philemon was a young man when he ran away, he could have been an old bishop 50 years later.)  Some scholars believe that Paul’s letters were assembled into one document at Ephesus.  If Onesimus became the bishop there, he could be the reason why the church at Ephesus preserved this seemingly personal letter from Paul.  (See Orthodox Church in America for a statement of this belief.)

If Onesimus did ultimately become a bishop, that would suggest that Paul was successful in his mission of getting Philemon to allow Onesimus to work in ministry.

Take a step back and consider this:

Every generation faces new or resurrected issues where the Christian faith has something to say that runs contrary to the norms of a culture or society.

If we are trying to influence someone to “do the right thing” in their treatment of a group that might be suffering mistreatment or might be at risk, Paul’s approach to Philemon might offer us some suggestions for how to be effective advocates.  Paul’s leadership tips for how to approach a decision maker might include the following:

• Praise the decision maker for what he or she has already done.

• Praise the people you are advocating for.

• Try to persuade but not command.

• Describe the benefits to the decision maker of following your suggestion.

• Describe the benefits to yourself and the people you are advocating for.

• Offer logical, reasoned arguments.

• Appeal to both the head and the heart.

• Acknowledge that the decision is ultimately in their hands.

What might be an issue today where you feel called to speak up and urge someone to find an appropriate way to put the teachings of Christ into practice?

How could you draw wisdom (and courage) from Paul’s example, regarding how to do it?

What might your next step be?