Leviticus 25:39-55

If thy brother. .. be sold unto thee.

Slavery

I. Texts relating to slaves.

1. Called bondmen (Genesis 43:18; Genesis 44:9).

2. By birth (Genesis 14:14; Psalms 116:16; Jeremiah 2:14).

3. By purchase (Genesis 17:27; Genesis 37:36).

4. Sometimes captives taken in war (Deuteronomy 20:14; 2 Kings 5:2).

5. Strangers, under certain restrictions (Leviticus 25:45).

6. Foreigners, might be purchased (Leviticus 25:44).

7. Debtors, liable to be sold (2 Kings 4:1; Nehemiah 5:4; Matthew 18:25).

8. Thieves were sold (Exodus 22:3).

9. Israelites to be kindly treated (Leviticus 25:39; Leviticus 25:46), and to be liberated after six years (Exodus 21:2; Deuteronomy 15:12); or if they refused to be free, then (Exodus 21:5; Deuteronomy 15:16), when sold to foreigners might be redeemed (Leviticus 25:47), or be free at the jubilee (Leviticus 25:10; Leviticus 25:40; Leviticus 25:54), but could not demand wife and child procured during bondage (Exodus 21:3); were to be furnished liberally on regaining liberty (Deuteronomy 15:13).

10. Foreign slaves to rest on Sabbath (Exodus 20:10), to share in national rejoicing (Deuteronomy 12:18; Deuteronomy 16:11; Deuteronomy 16:14).

11. If ill-treated by masters, to be set free (Exodus 21:26).

12. Laws respecting killing slaves (Exodus 21:20).

13. If they ran away, not to be delivered up (Deuteronomy 23:15).

14. Sometimes rose to rank (Ecclesiastes 10:7), and might intermarry with master’s family (1 Chronicles 2:34).

15. Kidnapping condemned (Exodus 21:16; Deuteronomy 24:7; 1 Timothy 1:10).

II. Note on the above texts. Consider--

1. The nature of slavery as practised by the heathen world (the treatment of Israelites by Egyptians).

2. The restraint laid upon these Israelites in their conduct to foreign bondsmen. But for these laws how might these people--who had been slaves of foreigners themselves--have treated foreigners when in their turn they became masters?

3. The relation of Israelitish slaves to Israelitish masters, with their privileges (social and religious), and certain freedom.

4. The causes for which alone they might become slaves.

5. Especially consider that while these laws ameliorated the condition Of slavery as it then existed--eliminating the elements of cruelty, &c., leaving, in fact, nothing of bondage but the name--they paved the way, by the training of justice and mercy, for the total extinction of slavery.

6. Christianity in spirit, precept, and practice against slavery.

(1) Asserts that there is no bond or free, but that all are one in Christ.

(2) Teaches the fraternity of the race. “God hath made of one blood,” &c. “All we are brethren.”

(3) Strikingly illustrates this by the case of a runaway slave--Onesimus--whom Paul sent back to his master, whom in some way he had wronged, not as a slave, but as a brother beloved (Philemon). Learn:

1. No warrant for modern slavery in the Word of God (Isaiah 58:6).

2. Spiritual slavery the worst form (2 Timothy 2:26).

3. This may be the state of men who are politically free (John 8:34; 2 Peter 2:19).

4. Jesus the great Emancipator (John 8:32; Romans 6:18; Galatians 5:1; 1 Peter 2:16). (J. C. Gray.).