SLAVES
SLAVES
1 TIMOTHY 6:1-2
Why should slaves respect their masters? What can we learn from this about relationships at work?
Slaves presented a problem to the early church. On the one hand slavery was an institution accepted throughout the world, and probably no one envisaged a society in which there could be no slaves at all. But on the other hand, there was something in Christianity that was incompatible with slavery and which meant that in time those who took their faith seriously must do away with this monstrous system. Believing slaves were regarded by Christians from the very first as brothers in Christ. They were men for whom Christ died, and they were redeemed just as truly as any free man. So Paul can understand the unity of believers in Christ to mean among other things that “there is neither slave nor free” (Galatians 3:28). He can speak of a slave as “a beloved brother” of his owner (Philemon 16).
Now to some slaves this must have been heady teaching. Accustomed all their lives to being treated as no better than cattle, to being bought and sold in the marketplace, to being chattels for their masters’ use, it was an intoxicating thought that they were their masters’ equals in God’s sight. It was only to be expected that some in this newfound faith were inclined to presume on their new relationship. Especially when their masters were Christians, they found it difficult to retain their ordinary position. And this in turn must have been something of a hindrance to the gospel. If becoming a Christian meant putting up with disrespect from slaves and finding them less ready to work than where the owners were heathen, some slave owners would not even consider the claims of the gospel.
Therefore, the New Testament from time to time has warnings to slaves not to presume on their new relationship to their masters. In this passage Paul is pointing out that slaves should give their owners due respect. Indeed they should serve all the more willingly in that those who receive the benefit of their labors are themselves believers.