The Holy Bible on Wives and Slaves

The Bible, particularly the New Testament, does not promote slavery, nor does it hijack women’s rights. Instead, it sets up a timed bomb to end the rule of power in human relationships and replace it with the power of love.¹ In those times, Roman law had empowered husbands and masters to dominate and subdue wives and slaves. No laws of the Romans or Greeks demanded any behavioral responsibility on the part of husbands and masters.

However, the Bible commands husbands to love their wives just as Jesus loves his church. And, how much does Jesus love? He gave his life to offer forgiveness of sins to his bride, the church. Further, the Bible commands masters not to be rude to their slaves. Instead, masters must remember that they, too, have a heavenly master who judges them fairly. On the other hand, wives must respect their husbands, and slaves need to serve sincerely as if they are serving Jesus, not their human masters.

Many people give a lopsided presentation of the Biblical truth by overemphasizing God's command to wives and slaves. Paul commanded the master of a household, Philemon, to accept his runaway slave, Onesimus, as a brother and co-equal because Onesimus had received Jesus as his Lord when Paul met him in prison. Above all, remember that the Bible inspired Abraham Lincoln, the Republican Party President of America, to end slavery officially.

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¹ I borrow the time-bomb idea from N.T Wright’s lecture on Philemon, N.T Wright online.


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