Condoning Slavery?

I was watching a fairly well known Bible teacher on television and at one point he said, ” Why do you think the Lord condoned slavery?” His answer was that the slaves who had benevolent masters were actually much better off then if they had been on their own as they were illiterate.

Q. I was watching a fairly well known Bible teacher on television and at one point he said, ” Why do you think the Lord condoned slavery?” His answer was that the slaves who had benevolent masters were actually much better off then if they had been on their own as they were illiterate.

I can only assume he was referring to slaves of the South before the Civil War. If I’m correct the slaves he is referring to were captured, chained and forcibly removed from their homeland often leaving their families, wives and children. They were put in the bottom of the ship with almost no ventilation, hardly any food, of course no sanitary conditions at all.

I expect you know more then I do but I have to tell you I was totally stunned to hear a Christian say such a thing much less a teacher of God’s Word! I would very much like to know what your opinion is about this. This man, to me, as almost always been right on when teaching God’s Word. There have only been a few things I’ve disagreed with and those have been very minor. Today, when I heard him say this, I was totally shocked and very upset.

A. He was more likely referring to Hebrew slaves of Biblical times. Slavery was condoned in Israel as a means of working off debt. There were a number of humanitarian restrictions on how they were treated, and no one could be enslaved for more than 7 years. After that the slave holder had to consider the debt paid in full, set them free and provide a generous stake to help them get started again. Families who fell into slavery together had to be kept together.

Some slaves were so well treated by their masters that at the end of their time they requested to remain life long servants in their master’s household. These slaves were called bond-servants and were trusted and highly regarded members of the household. Exodus 21:2-11 and Leviticus 25:39-55 are good references.

The slavery practiced in the US and other countries during the 16-1800’s in no way approximated Biblical slavery and was a blemish on human history.