Monday: Slavery a Divine Institution
WEEK 10
MONDAY
SLAVERY A DIVINE INSTITUTION
Ephesians 6:5-9
The movement for human social emancipation did not come until the Holy Spirit carne. Until then both Jews and Gentiles were in subjection to owners. And both believed slavery was a divine institution. Aristotle said some people are born as natural rulers and some as slaves, as a dog is naturally a dog and a cat a cat. Greek philosophers had time and leisure to philosophize about life, for beneath their glittering civilization was the toil of slaves, who outnumbered the free.
Forced labor built the Hebrew temple. “King Solomon raised a levy of forced labor out of all Israel; and the levy numbered thirty thousand men” (1 Kgs 5:13 RSV). Since he could use slave labor for the house of God, he would also use it to build his house, which took thirteen years. The temple was built in seven, simply because Solomon’s house was large and more costly than the temple! That was the picture in Greece and Palestine when John announced that
Every valley will be filled [depressed humanity raised],
and every mountain and hill will be leveled [exalted positions brought down]. (Luke 3:5)
There was to be a leveling up and leveling down when Jesus inaugurated his movement. Mary, the mother of Jesus, took this up and broke into inspired song:
He has scattered those with arrogant thoughts and proud inclinations [general revolution],
He has pulled the powerful down from their thrones [literal revolution] and lifted up the lowly [social revolution].
He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty-handed [economic revolution]. (Luke 1:51-53)
Jesus took up the same theme,
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. . . .
He has sent me. . . .
to proclaim release to the prisoners . . . ,
to liberate the oppressed. (Luke 4:18)
The coming of the Spirit fulfilled all these prophecies.
O Lord, how can we thank you enough for your grace that frees the slaves so graciously and so effectively? Freed within they are freed without. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: The social revolution is on; I shall be a part of it, lifting everybody.