Bible Team Challenge

During the time of legal slavery, the masters would use several passages from the Bible that alluded to the Bible encouraging slavery. Other arguments have been fought using other verses that prove the Bible does not in fact encourage slavery. It is an ongoing fight that I believe is still being fought today. 

Slavery in the Bible has been talked about a number of times such as in Exodus with the Egyptians enslaving the Israelites and in Genesis when Joseph was sold into slavery. In both of these stories it is shown how God turns both of these situations around for good. The slave masters in the past would not have shown the slaves these passages due to not wanting them to rebel or gain a sense of nonconformity. 

In the Bible, there are multiple accounts where slavery is mentioned as not being right or wrong. In the letters that Paul writes to Philemon about Onesimus, the slave, Paul is sending his son to Philemon to be free from slavery and to save himself. In the article about Paul and his son it states "...seems to have allowed a runaway slave to seek asylum in the home of a friend of the family". Paul also writes his letters to advise slaves to obey their masters while also addressing the masters in telling them to treat their slaves with kindness. The Bible also addresses slavery in Exodus 21:2-6 where we see the conditions under which Hebrew slaves could be free after six years of service but allows for the possibility of lifelong servitude. That could be perceived as more of an Indentured Servant rather than a lifelong slave depending on the circumstance. In 1 Peter 2:18 it says "You who are servants, be good servants to your masters - not just to good masters, but to bad ones" showing the fact that the bible explains slavery as obeying your master even if they treat you badly. 

Within the Bible there are multiple areas that mention slavery, even though each area might not agree with each other the Bible does not give a definite response to slavery. In the Bible slavery is based on the time and how the people were saved due to being God's people. Over the centuries, the Bible has been used both to justify and to condemn slavery, highlighting how its texts can be understood in various ways depending on the readers perspective and historical context. Today, the moral trajectory of biblical teachings is often seen as aligning with principles of human dignity and freedom, contrasting sharply with the institution of slavery. Thus, while the Bible reflects the realities of its time, its overarching messages of compassion and justice have contributed to the broader movement toward recognizing and upholding the inherent rights and equality of all people.