Revelation Themes and Eschatological Applications

Where We Are & How We Got Here # 5 of 14

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 1998-07-26

Synopsis: John Weaver continues his series on a biblical view of slavery, arguing that slavery is not inherently evil but was instituted and regulated by God. He examines Genesis 9, where Noah curses Canaan to be a servant of servants, as the origin of biblical slavery. Weaver distinguishes between pagan slavery (condemned) and biblical slavery (ordained by God), and demonstrates from both Old and New Testaments that slaveholding is not sinful, that godly patriarchs and New Testament believers owned slaves, and that the apostles regulated master-slave relationships rather than abolishing them. He concludes that abolitionist teaching is contrary to sound doctrine and that collective guilt for historical slavery is unbiblical.

[John Weaver] Well, let's begin today. I want you to open your Bibles to Genesis chapter 9. Genesis chapter 9. I want to take just a few moments and review and just begin Genesis chapter 9. Genesis chapter 9. Genesis chapter 9, beginning there with verse 20. The Word of God says, And Noah began to be a husbandman, and he planted a vineyard. And he drank of the wine and was drunken, and he was uncovered within his tent.

[John Weaver] And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. And their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his younger son had done unto him. And he said, Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem, and Canaan shall be his servant. God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem, and Canaan shall be his servant.

[John Weaver] began this series on slavery a biblical view but I say this began the series actually the series began before because I showed you number one the abolitionist revolution number two the theological revolution remember I told you that any cultural ship is the result of a theological shift. When you have a change in a biblical worldview, then you have a change in society, you have a change in culture. And the reason there have been so many changes in our society is our theology has shifted so rapidly and so quickly.

[John Weaver] And thirdly, I dealt with the political and the economic and the sectional differences that existed between the North and South and showed how everything was going to ahead. And then last week, I was trying to show you that slavery in and of itself is not inherently evil or inherently sinful. Now, I told you that there is a biblical slavery and there is a pagan slavery. Now, pagan slavery very clearly is ungodly and unbiblical, but the biblical slavery is not ungodly.

[John Weaver] And it is certainly right because God ordained it. The problem is that oftentimes you can have a co-mixture of pagan and biblical slavery, and the aspects, therefore, of The pagan slavery intermingled with the biblical slavery would certainly be wrong. I also pointed out the fact that slavery cannot be inherently evil in and of itself, because in Exodus chapter 21, the slave that said very plainly, I love my master, I will not leave him, I will not be free, he was taken to the doorpost and a hole was bored through his ear.

[John Weaver] And then in Psalm 40, I showed you how that passage related to Jesus Christ. And then in Hebrews 10, that same passage is related to Jesus Christ. So, if slavery is inherently evil in and of itself, then Christ would not be using an analogy of that to compare to himself and his ministry and his mission. And over and over in the Bible, he said, I am among you as one that serveth.

[John Weaver] Now, I've told you also there were several ways that a person could become a slave. And let me get them to you very quickly. First of all, there was what you and I would call forced slavery. And of course, the Bible condemns this over and over. God says, He that stealeth a man and selleth him shall surely be put to death. So God specifically in the book of Deuteronomy forbade anyone from stealing and selling child of Israel and then secondly you could become a slave for punishment of a crime according to the chapter 22 and verse 3. Thirdly you could become a slave because of debt. Deuteronomy 15 and verse 12.

[John Weaver] Fourthly you could and I'm going to explain this today. You could become a slave by virtue of a curse. Genesis chapter 9 that we just read, and fifthly, you could become a slave voluntarily, according to Deuteronomy 15, Exodus chapter 21. And then of course you could become a slave if you were purchased, and usually those that were purchased had been POWs. or prisoners of war, they were captured in war. And someone says, well, I don't know if I like POWs being made slaves. Well, had you rather they be put to death, you see. The POW probably would rather be a slave than be put to death. But anyhow, that is how basically someone became a slave. And then, of course, I pointed out the fact that in the Bible, according to the biblical view of slavery, slaves had rights. Slaves, of course, were circumcised.

[John Weaver] That meant they were identified with the household. They were brought into the covenant in that area. Slaves ate the sacred things. They ate the holy things. Slaves could inherit. just all kinds of rights that were given in the Bible concerning slavery. So there is indeed a biblical view of slavery.

[John Weaver] Now, I want to begin with Genesis chapter 9 today. Please remember that in the biblical view of slavery, let me put it to you very plainly, slavery originated with God and was regulated by God. There is nothing shameful embarrassing or ignominious about the truth of biblical slavery.

[John Weaver] Now, what has happened in this country is this. Liberals and unbelievers who deny Christ and deny the Bible, they try to cast dispersion upon the Word of God with this statement, but did you know the Bible allows slavery? Well, of course I know the Bible allows slavery. What's wrong with that? I mean, in other words, like slavery is some inherently evil and sinful way. And remember, I told you last week when we're talking about slavery, I'm not just talking about black slaves, because every race have been slaves at one time or the other. There have been more white slaves than there were black slaves. In fact, there is a huge market for white slaves in the Middle East today. So the truth is that every race has been slaved. In fact, this happened to a man that I know. He was debating sodomy. In other words, his position was sodomy is wicked and wrong and ungodly.

[John Weaver] And here was the liberal over here saying it was all right. And he says, no, but the Old Testament and the New Testament condemns it. And the liberal responded that the Bible allows slavery. and permits slavery.

[John Weaver] Now, what he was going to do was try to get the preacher who was opposing sodomy to say, but slavery is wrong. Now, he said slavery was wrong. What was the liberal going to say next? Well, then the laws against sodomy are wrong as well. You see what I'm saying? So you cannot deny any of the truth of God's word. If someone says, well, the Bible allows slavery, you say, well, yes, it does. But there is a biblical view of slavery, and the slavery that the Bible allows is regulated by God.

[John Weaver] Now let me tell you something, folks. You and I do not need to defend the Word of God. We need to use the Word of God and proclaim the truth of it. Everything that God does and everything that God says is holy, just, righteous, and wise. So consequently, then, slavery is never condemned in the Bible. It's never condemned in the Old Testament. It's never condemned in the New Testament. The only thing that is condemned is that aspect of paganism where men were forcibly kidnapped and sold into slavery. In Exodus 21 verse 16, Deuteronomy 24 and verse 7, and then Revelation chapter 18 verses 12 through 13, there is that condemnation for men who capture other men, not only physically, but also spiritually and sell them into slavery. So even there in those passages, it is not slavery that is being condemned, but rather it is the forced kidnapping and the forced sell of men into slavery. When you come to Genesis chapter 9, you have the first mention of servitude or slavery. Now, we just read from Genesis chapter 9 that Noah planted a vineyard and he drank of the wine and was drunken.

[John Weaver] Now, some have suggested that Noah did not intend to get drunk. I have no idea. The Bible does not make that clear. We do know that drunkenness is a sin. Some says because after the flood, some things were different, and maybe Noah did not know that he would get drunk. I don't know. The Bible doesn't say. All the Bible says is that he was drunk and that he was uncovered in his tent. Then the Bible tells us that Ham, the father of Canaan, went in and saw the nakedness of his father and came out and told his two brothers. Here's something else we don't know. We don't actually know what Ham did. We do not know if he simply laughed at his father, or mocked his father, or made fun of his father, or if he engaged in sodomy. We don't know. The Bible does not say. However, we do know this, that whatever Ham did, it was extremely serious and extremely wicked and vile. Now, how do we know that?

[John Weaver] Let me tell you how. If you look down, In your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 9 and look in verse 22. And Ham the father of Canaan saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brethren without. Now the Hebrew word for nakedness is the word ervah. It is translated in our Bibles as shame, unclean, or nakedness. Now this same Hebrew word is used in the Old Testament of the shameful exposure of the body in Genesis 9 verse 22, in Exodus 20 in verse 26, and Ezekiel chapter 16 verses 36 and 37. This same Hebrew word is also used in Leviticus 18 concerning illicit and abnormal sexual practices. And in Deuteronomy chapter 23 in verse 14, the same word is used for human excrement. Now, what Ham did, I know not. Whether he engaged in some wicked sexual perversion or whether he just laughed and made fun of his father and mocked him, which is also contrary to the Bible. I don't know exactly what he did, but whatever he did, it was extremely wicked and ungodly and contrary to decency and order.

[John Weaver] Now, someone's going to come up with a question, well, if Ham did it, Why was his son Canaan cursed instead of Ham being cursed? Well, now, there are three possible answers to that. There may be more, but I can give you three. Anyhow, first of all, some would say that the reason Canaan was cursed instead of Ham was because God had already blessed Ham. Look in Genesis chapter 9 and verse 1. And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth." Now, if God has blessed Noah and his sons, someone would argue, well, how could God then turn around and curse Ham in the sense that blessings and curses usually cannot abide on the same head at the same time. So some would say theologically the reason Canaan was cursed was because Ham was already blessed. There's another reason, and this is a more biblical reason, I would believe, in Exodus 20, verse 5. If you look there, I can quote it, but I want you to see it.

[John Weaver] Look in Exodus 20, verse 5. This is where God is giving the law. Look what the Bible says, Exodus 20, verse 5. In part of the second commandment, where we are not to bow down to graven images, God says in verse 5, Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them. For I the Lord by God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me." So the curse could have been passed down to Cain because what Ham did was an act not only of hatred toward his father, but hatred toward God Himself.

[John Weaver] By the way, let me just emphasize this. And any young kids, I want you to listen. I want you to understand. However you treat your father and your mother is reflective of how you treat God. To dishonor your father and your mother is to dishonor God, who is our Heavenly Father. For God has given father and mother to be in His place over you. And he's given them parental authority, and they have a position of headship over you. So whatever you do to dishonor and disrespect your earthly parents is also dishonor and disrespect for your heavenly Father.

[John Weaver] And so the truth of the matter is what Ham did was very dishonorable and disrespectful, and therefore it could pass down to the Son. But there's a third possibility, and that's this. could also have either participated in what Ham did, or at least concurred, or agreed, or joined with him in mocking his grandfather. If so, then the curse would likely, and rightly, fall upon Canaan as well.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to understand something. Genesis chapter 9 is more than a prophecy. It is more than a prediction. Genesis chapter 9 is a pronouncement. It is a verdict. When Noah awoke and knew what his son had done unto him, the Bible says, verse 24, and Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his younger son had done unto him, what did he say? He said, Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. So he cursed his grandson.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to understand that no sanction, and I'm using the word sanction there in the form of curse, no sanction or no curse has any merit without the approval and concurrence of God. You remember Balaam tried to curse Israel? God wouldn't let him curse Israel. I could stand up here and curse it. But if God does not concur with that curse, my words are meaningless and empty and void. And so whatever Noah did, God concurred with him, and God brought to pass the curse that Noah pronounced upon Canaan, because the curse that Noah pronounced was exactly what God wanted.

[John Weaver] Now, let me give you a quick quote. Robert L. Dabney, who was a famous Presbyterian theologian, he was aide-de-camp to Stonewall Jackson. He wrote the definitive book on the life and times of Stonewall Jackson. He has theological books, four or five of them that thick, plus other books. In his little booklet, A Defense of Virginia and the South, In this book he is setting forth the biblical position concerning slavery, and in his section on Genesis chapter 9, Here is what he said concerning the curse upon Canaan. Listen carefully. I quote, he said, and we find that it, that is slavery, was appointed by God as the punishment of and remedy for the peculiar moral degradation of a part of the race. God here ordains that this depravity shall find its necessary restraints And the welfare of the more virtuous is safeguard against the depraved by the bondage of the latter."

[John Weaver] So what did he say? He says slavery originated with God. And God pronounced this slavery, this servitude, upon a certain part of the race because of their moral degradation. and because it would also be a safeguard for the righteous. So slavery basically originated with God. It is God's verdict in Genesis chapter 9 upon Canaan and his descendants.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just clarify something for you. You say, but Brother Weaver, in verse 25 he says, Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be. Verse 26, and Canaan shall be his servant. Verse 27, and Canaan shall be his servant. You say, but Brother Weaver, the word is servant, it is not slave. May I remind you that the Hebrew word for servant is ebed, which is translated from the Hebrew word avad, which literally means to enslave. It means a bondman, a bondwoman, or a slave. Let me show you how powerful this word is. I want you to hold Genesis 9, but look in your Bibles to the book of Exodus chapter 1 and verse 13. Now, every time I show you a passage, it is going to be the same identical Hebrew word. Watch in Exodus chapter 1, beginning there with verse 13.

[John Weaver] The Bible says, and the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor. Someone tell me what that means. All right, they made them serve with hardship. How did they make them serve? That is, they enslaved them. It's the same Hebrew word, verse 14, and they made their lives bitter with hard bondage in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of service or slavery in the field, all their service or slavery wherein they made them slaves was with rigor. The same Hebrew word. So if you deny Genesis chapter 9, that Canaan and his descendants were to be real slaves, then you've got to deny that what the Egyptians did to the Hebrews was not slavery either. Look in your Bibles, if you would, to Exodus chapter 13. Look what God says in Exodus chapter 13, beginning there with verse 3.

[John Weaver] And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt out of a house of bondage. Literally, it's the same word out of the house of slavery. By the strength of hand, the Lord brought you out from this place. There shall no leavened bread be. Look down to verse 14. And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? That thou shalt say to him by strength of hand, The Lord brought us out from Egypt out of a house of bondage, or out of a house of slavery." So God calls what happened to the Hebrews in Exodus chapter 1, slavery. It's the same exact word in Genesis chapter 9.

[John Weaver] So what Canaan and his descendants were become were slaves. Now, if you'll look in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 24, Verse 18, Deuteronomy chapter 24. We read this passage last week and I explained it, but I just read these passages. But look what God says. Here's the same Hebrew word. He tells Israel, but thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman or a slave in Egypt. And the Lord thy God redeemed thee, hence therefore I command thee to do this thing. Skip down to verse 22. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, therefore I command thee to do this thing. So God says, remember that you were slaves, and it is the word slave. Thus the only thing that you can come up with in Genesis chapter 9, the verdict that was pronounced against Canaan was the fact of real slavery.

[John Weaver] Now let me say it again. Biblical slavery is not condemned by God, it was instituted by God.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just show you some other passages in the Old Testament before we ever get to the New Testament of how God blessed men who were slaveholders. Look in Genesis chapter 17. Genesis 17. And let's begin reading there with verse 19. Genesis 17 and verse 19. Or verse 9, I'm sorry. Genesis 17 and verse 9. And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou and thy seed after thee in their generation. This is my covenant, which you shall keep between me and you, and my seed after thee. Every man child among you shall be circumcised, and you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you. Every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger which is not of thy seed, he that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised, and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an

[John Weaver] everlasting covenant." Isn't that interesting? God said in verse 12, Abraham, I'm going to make my covenant with you and with every man in your house. Every man child of yours is to be circumcised, and every man that you buy with money. In other words, every slave that you get. Now, if God was going to condemn slavery, here's an excellent opportunity for him to do so, because he's making the covenant with Abraham. Abraham is not dictating the terms, God is. God could have said, Abraham, I want to tell you something. I want every man and child that is born of your own blood to be circumcised.

[John Weaver] And by the way, that's all. No slaves, no strangers. We don't want anybody else. But God says, no. Everybody that you buy with your money. Every male, you circumcise him as well. And so God, instead of condemning Abraham for holding slaves, God makes allowances for Abraham to hold slaves. And he says, you bring them into the covenant. They are to be circumcised as well.

[John Weaver] Now, look in Genesis 14. Let's go back. You say, well, you know, Abraham probably had one or two slaves. Oh, Well, watch this. Lot has been captured by these heathen kings, and Abraham is going to rescue him. And when Abraham heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, that is, his trained slaves, born in his own house, 318, and pursued them unto death. Now, if a man had 318 trained slaves that were born in his own house, How many did he have that were not born in his own house? I mean, that's 318 men that were born to him. What about the women?

[John Weaver] They had to have lives. And certainly there were daughters as well as sons. Here's just 318 trained fighting slaves. If each man had a wife, That's 636. And each one of those men had sisters. That's another 318. Probably Abraham had several thousand slaves, if the truth was known. Look in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 20. Genesis 20 verse 14. Here is where Abimelech, Had sinned against Abraham and against God and taking Sarah. And God comes to Bimelech in a dream and says, if you touch her, you're dead, man. I'll kill you. You give her back to Abraham. You make restitution. Verse 14. Genesis 20, and Abimelech took sheep and oxen and men's servants and women's servants and gave them unto Abraham and restored him, Sarah, his wife. Did you hear that? And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, men's servants and women's servants. Let's translate that. Abimelech took male slaves and women's slaves and gave them unto Abraham. So here Abraham got some more slaves that were not born in his own house.

[John Weaver] I don't know how many. It was plural. It's more than one. That's for sure. Look in Genesis chapter 24 and verse 35. Here's what Eliezer says to Rebekah's parents when he goes to get the bride for Isaac. Verse 34, and he said, I am Abraham's servant. Let's translate it, I am Abraham's slave. And the Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great, and he has given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and men's servants, that is, male slaves and female slaves, and camels and asses.

[John Weaver] Now, whoa, whoa, let me back up. And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly, and he is become great, and he the Lord hath given him." What did God give Abraham? Flocks, herds, silver, gold, and slaves. Men and women. Camels and asses. God gave them to Abraham.

[John Weaver] Now is slavery inherently wrong? No. God gave slaves Abraham. Look in Genesis chapter 26. Genesis 26, beginning there with verse 12.

[John Weaver] Then Isaac sowed in the land and received in the same year a hundredfold, and the Lord blessed him. And the man waxed great and went forward, and grew until he became very great. For he, that is Isaac, had possessions of flocks, and possessions of herds, and great store of servants, or slaves. And the Philistines envied him."

[John Weaver] Now let me just stop. Do you remember that Abraham and Isaac are the two of the most revered patriarchs in the Bible? And these two patriarchs were two great slaveholders. And may I remind you that Abraham, who is called the father of the faithful, is also called the friend of God.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you a question. Is holiness and godliness and righteousness incompatible with owning slaves? No. For Abraham was a righteous man and a godly man. So just because someone owns slaves does not mean that that individual is inherently evil. Let me show you something. Look back in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 16. Someone tell me who Sarah's handmaiden was. The Egyptian woman, what was her name? Do you remember? I didn't hear you. Hagar. Now, you remember when Sarah, it looked as if she could not conceive. She told Abraham, you go into my handmaiden.

[John Weaver] And you have a child by her. And he did. Well, I can tell you why God wants you to have one wife. Two women just can't get along. And so when Sarah saw that Hagar was indeed expecting, the restriction And she was so hard on Hagar that Hagar ran away with the child. Now watch this. Genesis chapter 16, beginning there with verse 7. And the angel of the Lord found her, that is Hagar, found her by the way, who's the angel of the Lord?

[John Weaver] That is what we call a Christophany. which is a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ in the Old Testament, before it ever became flesh. So this is Christ. And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way of Shur, and he said, Hagar, Sarah's maid, whence comest thou, and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarah. And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself unto her hands. And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered or multitude." Ah, what did the Lord tell Hagar? You go back and submit.

[John Weaver] He didn't say, it's over with, you made your escape, don't you go back to that slaveholding woman. No, he says, you go back. Look at Numbers chapter 31. I don't have time to give you the whole context of this, but when the men went out to war, and God blessed them, and they came back victorious, they would come back with a large number of captives. And these captives then were made slaves.

[John Weaver] And let me show you something interesting. Look what God says in verse 30. And of the children of Israel's half, in other words, the slaves were divided. between the people of Israel and the soldiers who went to the war. Now, the soldiers who went to the war got a little more booty than the people, because they took the risk, OK? But look what God says, And if the children of Israel's have, thou shalt take one portion of fifty of the persons, that is of the people, of the thieves, of the asses, and of the flocks of all manner of beasts, and give them unto the Levites, which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the Lord. Now what did God say? God said, if some of those people you take one out of fifty and you give to the Levites so they can use them as their slaves around the tabernacle, around the temple. Look in verse 47. Even of the children of Israel's half, Moses took one portion of fifty, both of man and of beast, and gave them unto the Levites, which kept the charge of the tabernacle of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.

[John Weaver] So slaves, were even given to the Levites to help them with their strenuous duties around the tabernacle and around the temple. Now you say, but Brother Weaver, all that's Old Testament. Yes, it is. And I always like to remind people we don't have two Bibles, we have one Bible. And the Old Testament is just as authoritative as the New Testament. And God does not change. God is immutable. He is unchangeable.

[John Weaver] So you've got to ask yourself this question. Does the New Testament contradict the Old Testament? Is slavery condemned in the New Testament while it is regulated and allowed in the Old Testament? Well, let me begin by telling you that the Greek word for slave is the word doulos. And it literally means a slave or a bondman. It is from the Greek word Deo, which means I bind or I enslave or I make a slave.

[John Weaver] Now, in Leviticus chapter 25 and verse 44, turn there just one second. We read this last week. I'm not going to dwell on it now. Leviticus 25 verse 44. Look what God says, Leviticus 25, verse 44. He says,"...both by bondmen and by bondmaids, that is, your slaves, both men and women, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you. Of them shall you buy bondmen and bondwomen." So you could biblically buy slaves of the heathen. I explained why last week. Now, the reason I'm pointing out this verse is when you come to the word bondmen, in bondmaids in the Septuagint. Do you remember what the Septuagint is? The Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. The Septuagint was in existence during the time of Christ and the apostles. They even quoted it from the Septuagint. But the Septuagint is a Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, and when you get to the Septuagint in Leviticus 25 in verse 44, for bondmen and bondwomen, you come up with the word doulos, the same New Testament word.

[John Weaver] Now, doulos is used metaphorically in the New Testament in Acts chapter 4 in verse 29, in Acts chapter 16 in verse 17, and in Romans chapter 1 in verse 7, of the apostles themselves and really and truly of all of God's people. Paul delighted to call himself the bondservant of Jesus Christ. He says, Paul, the servant of Jesus Christ. And every time you see the word servant, it is literally Paul, the bondslave of Jesus Christ. And Paul used that word to express God's purchase, God's ownership and God's authority over his apostles and their obedience that was due to him. Now, one will search the New Testament in vain for a condemnation of slavery or of holding slaves. The mere absence of a condemnation of slaveholding in the New Testament is proof that it is not unlawful.

[John Weaver] Now, you've got to remember this. Christ and his disciples preached in the midst of slaves and slaveholders. You see, in the time of Christ, the institution of slavery was extremely prevalent. And unhappily, in our worst times, most of it was pagan slavery instead of biblical slavery. I'm sure there were some Hebrews who had some slaves, I understand that. But when you talk about Rome, you're talking about pagan slavery. And yet you can search the New Testament vain to try to find a condemnation of slavery. If you will study the New Testament, you will find that the apostles many times listed the prevalent sins of their day. And some of those lists are extremely minute. You'll find them in Romans 1, Galatians 5, Matthew 15, Colossians 3, 2 Timothy 3. But you can search all of these lists that refer to the prevalent sins of their day, and you will never find the sin of holding slaves. It's not listed.

[John Weaver] It just simply is not there. So the New Testament does not condemn slavery. If Christ opposed slavery, as I said last week, he would never have used the analogy of a slave to his own self. And if you turn in your Bibles, and I want you to, to Luke chapter 7, I want to show you where Christ had an excellent opportunity to set the record straight on slavery. Luke chapter 7, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Luke 7, verse 1. Watch carefully. We'll read through verse 10. Luke 7, verse 1.

[John Weaver] Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum. And a certain centurion's servant First of all, someone tell me what a centurion is. I didn't hear you. Two or three people said it and I still didn't hear it. Alright, he was a soldier. What kind of soldier? A Roman soldier. Okay, he was over a hundred men. Thank you, James. Keep teaching him, Henry.

[John Weaver] Or maybe I should say janitor, whoever's doing it. But he's a Roman centurion. So he's not a Hebrew, is what I'm trying to make. OK? Now watch.

[John Weaver] Now when he ended, he said in verse 2, in a certain centurion's servant, the Greek word for servant is doulos, which means slave. Now a certain centurion's servant or slave who was dear unto him, was sick and ready to die, so he had great regard for this slave. And when he heard of Jesus, he sent him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus, they saw him instantly saying that he was worthy for whom he should do this.

[John Weaver] Watch what this Roman soldier had done, for he loved our nation and he had built us a synagogue. So evidently he's very wealthy as well. Then Jesus went with them, and when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself, for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof. Wherefore, neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee, but say it a word, and my servant shall be healed." For I am also a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth, and to another, Come, and he cometh. And to my servant do this, and he doeth it." And when Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him and turned him about and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not at Israel, and they that were sent returning to the house found the servant whole that had been sent. He said, look, Lord, I'm a man under authority.

[John Weaver] I've got slaves. I tell one to come and I tell one to go, and he does exactly what I say. He does it. Lord, you don't have to come to my house. Just speak the word. And our Lord did not say, you dirty, low-down, slave-holding, reprobate. No. Our Lord said, I have not found so great a faith. No, not in Israel.

[John Weaver] Now, if Christ was going to condemn, here would have been a perfect opportunity. But instead of condemning, He commended. Look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 7. Let me show you that there is nothing inherently evil in being a slave. 1 Corinthians 7. Look what the Apostle Paul writes. 1 Corinthians 7, beginning there with verse 20, God says, Let every man abide in the same calling where he was called, or the same vocation where he was called. Now look, Art thou called, that is called in salvation, Art thou called in the Lord being a servant or being a slave? Art thou called being a servant? Look what he says. Care not for it. But if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. Now he explains, for he that is called in the Lord being a servant is the Lord's free man. Likewise, also he that is called being free is Christ's servant. Now let's go back to verse 21. Aren't thou called being a servant? Care not for it. What's he saying? Don't try to get on being a slave.

[John Weaver] There's nothing wrong being a slave. He says, but if thou mayst be made free, use it rather. If you can get free, he says, and use your freedom to serve me more acceptably, fine, go for it. Then he explains why he says that. Watch. For he that is called in the Lord being a slave is the Lord's free man. He says, I free you. Look. Then he says, likewise also he that is called being free is Christ's slave. So there's nothing inherently wrong with simply being A slave. Nothing sinful about it.

[John Weaver] I wish I had time to tell you many of the great men that we know and read about were once slaves themselves. A multitude. Every one of us loved to sing Amazing Grace. John knew. He was a slave. He worked on a slave ship. He himself was a slave at one time, and escaped.

[John Weaver] Now the point I'm trying to make is, there's nothing sinful in and of itself in being a slave. Just like there's nothing sinful in being a ditch digger, or a diesel mechanic, or a gas man, or a veterinary. Nothing's sinful in those occupations in and of themselves.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you something else. You remember the message that I preached several weeks ago on the theological revolution? I showed you where broken churches resulted in a broken nation. And the abolitionists, those in the north, wanted to keep those southern men who held slaves out of the church. They wanted them excommunicated and they wanted them disciplined. I want to show you that in the New Testament, slaveholders were fully admitted into church membership.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 10. And I'm not going to take time to read the entire passage, but here we have another centurion, another Roman soldier, The Bible says there was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian Band. Now, he was a centurion. Watch verse 7. And when the angel who spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, or two of his slaves, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually. So the man is a slaveholder, all right?

[John Weaver] He sent them to Peter, and of course Peter came and preached to him, and they were converted. Now skip down to verse 47. Look what Peter says. Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, who received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord, and they prayed him to tarry with them certain days. They were baptized.

[John Weaver] They were admitted into full fellowship of the church and Cornelius was a slave holder. It didn't matter to Peter. Look in your Bibles to the book of Philemon, chapter 1. We hit this passage a little bit last week. You see, Peter never rebuked Cornelius for holding slaves. Rather, he administered a New Testament ordinance upon him, that is, he baptized him. Now, remember last week I pointed out that Philemon, the little book of Philemon, right before Hebrews, you remember that Philemon was a slaveholder. In fact, he had a fleshly brother, Onesimus, who was one of his slaves. Now, let's read Philemon chapter 1, because there's only one chapter there, verse 1, Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy, our brother, unto Philemon, our dearly beloved and fellow laborer, and unto our beloved Athia and Archippus, our fellow soldier, and to the church in thy house. Now, where was the church? It was in Philemon's house. Now, let's go back to verse 1. Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy, our brother, unto Philemon, our dearly beloved, and what?

[John Weaver] Fellow laborer. That is a term that is used to express the fact that Philemon was a pastor. He pastored the church that met in his house. And what did Paul do after Onesimus, the runaway slave, was converted? He sent him back. And here Philemon was a pastor and held slaves. So very clearly, there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, let me point something out. Paul never rebukes Philemon for holding He sent Onesimus back. Let me show you two passages and we're going to turn back to these just momentarily.

[John Weaver] We'll look in Colossians chapter 1 and Ephesians 1. Go ahead and find Ephesians and then Colossians. We'll read Colossians 1 verse 1. Colossians 1. Look if you would please at verse 2. Now, I want you to remember that the book of Colossians is written to the Colossian church. OK, verse two, to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ, which are at Colossae. Grace be unto you and peace from God, our Father, Lord Jesus Christ. So Paul is writing to the saints and the faithful brethren who are in Christ in the church at Colossae. Now look what he writes to some of the church members in chapter 4 and verse 1. Chapter 4, verse 1.

[John Weaver] Masters, given to your servants, or your slaves, that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have a master in heaven. What is our conclusion? Since Colossians 1 and verse 2 tells us that this epistle was written to the faithful and to the saints which were in the church at Colossae, and you come to chapter 4, verse 1, and he says, Masters, you give to your slaves that which is just and equal. What is our conclusion? There were slaveholders in the church at Colossae. If there were not, why would Paul even be telling them to give that which was just and equal to their slaves? Look in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 1. Verse 1, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. So he's writing to the Ephesian church. Look in chapter 6 of Ephesians and verse 9. Chapter 6, verse 9, And you masters do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening, knowing that your master also is in heaven, neither is there respect of persons with him.

[John Weaver] Ah, so there were slaveholders in the church at Ephesus as well. For Paul writes them and says, May I remind you that you yourself are a slave to the Lord, and your master Now, evidently slaveholders were admitted into full fellowship and membership of local churches in New Testament times. There was not a problem.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you. Very quickly, we're going to cover just several passages. Instead of condemning slavery in the New Testament, The New Testament lays down the duties of slaves to their masters, and of masters to their slaves. Look in your Bibles, since we're there, in Ephesians 6. Let's begin reading there with verse 5. Ephesians 6, verse 5. Servants, let's read it like it is. Slaves, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh.

[John Weaver] with fear and trembling and singleness of your heart as unto Christ. Not with eye service as men pleasers, but as a service of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart." Now let me stop. I want you to understand that what he is telling these Christian slaves is, you don't just do what's right out of eye service for men. You do what's right for the honor and the glory of God. He says, doing the will of God from the heart. Verse 7, with good will, doing service or servitude as unto the Lord and not unto men, knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. And now, God says, and you masters, you who are over these slaves, you do the same things unto them.

[John Weaver] In other words, you treat them biblically and scripturally, forbearing, threatening, Knowing that your master also is in heaven, neither is there any respect of persons with him." In other words, if you treat your servants, your slaves, ill, God will treat you ill as well. You mistreat them, God will mistreat you. Look in your Bible to the book of Colossians chapter 3. Colossians chapter 3. Begin there with verse 22. Servants or slaves. It's the word doulos. Slaves, obey in all things your masters, according to the flesh.

[John Weaver] That is, they've got the rule over you. Servants, obey in all things your masters, according to the flesh, not with eye service as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God. And whatsoever you do, do it heartily as unto the Lord, and not unto men, knowing the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ." Did you hear that? You think you may be serving your Master, but you're actually serving the Lord Christ in your servitude. So you do it as in the Lord, verse 25, but he that doeth wrong, he's talking to the slaves now, but he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done, and there is no respect of persons. God will judge a wicked slave just like He will judge a wicked Master. Verse 1, Master is given to your service that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. So once again, here are the regulations set down that regulates the conduct between slaves and masters, masters and slaves.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to 1 Timothy 6. 1 Timothy 6, beginning there with verse 1. 1 Timothy 6, verse 1. Let as many servants as are under the yoke Ah, let as many slaves are as under the yoke, count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And they that have believing masters, Christian masters, ah, you can be a Christian and hold slaves, huh? You can be a Christian and be church members, yes. And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather do them service because they are faithful and beloved partakers of the benefit.

[John Weaver] These things teach and exhort. If any man teach otherwise, then he can set not the wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the doctrine which is according to godliness. He is proud, knowing nothing but doting about questions and strife, and words whereof come at the envy, strife, railings, evils, surmisings. Now let's stop there. Hold that passage. We're going to come right back to that.

[John Weaver] So God says that the servants are to do their masters well, and those that have believing masters must pay special attention that they do not despise them, but they work with them. Look in your Bibles to the book of Titus, chapter 2. Just over a couple of pages, Titus, chapter 2. Notice verse 9. Titus, chapter 2, verse 9. Exhorts servants to be obedient unto their own master. and to please them well in all things, not answering again, not purloining, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God and our Savior in all things." Isn't that amazing? Exhort slaves to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things, not talking back, not acting slothfully, but showing good faith. Why? That they may adorn the doctrine of God Our Savior in all things. So just because a man is a slave, does not mean that he is not the servant of God. And that he cannot adorn the doctrine of God. Look in 1 Peter chapter 2.

[John Weaver] 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 18. 1 Peter 2 verse 18.

[John Weaver] 1 Peter 2, verse 18. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear. Slaves, be subject to your master with all fear or with all reverence, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. Here's someone that may not be so loving or so kind. God said, that doesn't matter. You still be subject with all reverence, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the fraud. Watch. For this is thankworthy. If a man for conscience toward God endured grief, suffering wrongfully.

[John Weaver] For what glory is it if when you be buffeted for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently. This is acceptable with God. And then he goes on and he uses the example of Christ for even here into where you called. because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should likewise follow in his steps, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, who when he was reviled, reviled not again. When he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judged it righteously."

[John Weaver] And what does he do? He tells servants that they are to do what is right, not only to those who are good and gentle, but to the forward, and when they are suffering for conscience's sake, he's comparing The example of Christ. He says, you suffer for doing what's right, not for doing what's wrong. These are the regulations in the New Testament.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to go back to 1 Timothy chapter 6. I want to show you God's estimate of abolitionism.

[John Weaver] Are you ready? Let's go to 1 Timothy 6, verse 1. Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. Now he says, let as many slaves as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed, and they that have believing masters Let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather do them service because they are faithful

[John Weaver] and beloved partakers of the benefit." Now look what Paul tells Timothy. These things teach and exhort. Teach and exhort what? You teach and exhort the slaves to be obedient to their masters, that the word of God be not blasphemed. And if you've got a believing master, you do them service. You be faithful to them because they are benefactors, that is, they are recipients of the grace of God themselves. This is what I want you to teach. Now look what he says in verse 3. If any man teach otherwise, that is differently from verses 1 and 2. And consent not to the wholesome words, that is what he said in verses 1 and 2, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness. So, this is godly doctrine. He said, if any man teach otherwise, what is he?

[John Weaver] He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strides of words whereupon come envies, strifes, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, destitute of the truth. Supposing that gay is godless, from such withdraw thyself."

[John Weaver] Now what does God say about abolitionists? They're perverse. They're an error. And then what does God recommend for the remedy? Secession. From such, withdraw thyself. That's basically what the South tried to do in 1860.

[John Weaver] Now, the point I'm trying to make is this, folks. Slavery is not wrong in and of itself. There is indeed a biblical slavery.

[John Weaver] Now, I want to try to deal with some of the things connected with this historically in the coming weeks, but let me tell you. This in no wise excuses or glosses over any of the mistreatment of any slave, white, black, pink, purple, or yellow. You follow what I'm saying? Just because there is a biblical truth concerning slavery does not give anyone any right to mistreat or abuse a slave.

[John Weaver] Rather, what God does, God says, here's the regulations, here are how you are to treat slaves, and here how slaves are to treat their masters. And I'm going to show you, and I believe I can prove to you, that although there were occasional cases of abuse in the South, I don't deny that, because not all men are Christians. By and large, what we have swallowed is abolitionist propaganda, and it's a myth. It's not true. And I can give you the words out of the slaves' own mouths where they thank God that they were brought to this country as slaves. I don't know about you, But I'm just thankful God even allowed me to be born in this country.

[John Weaver] How I got here is immaterial, but this is where the gospel was for the longest. It's about the only place it still is. I don't know for how much longer. But there is indeed a biblical view of slavery. Don't let anyone try to load you with guilt and say, you need to make reparations for what your forefathers did. No. What our forefathers did was not evil in and of itself. That does not mean that some of our forefathers did not act evilly and wickedly themselves, and if they did, they are responsible for their own sins. I'm not. If Ed jumps up and runs over there and jumps on Chester and beats him to a pulp, I'm not responsible for that. Now, if I see it happening and I don't try to stop it, then I've got some responsibility. But Ed is responsible for his actions. I'm not.

[John Weaver] And when someone tries to lay a collective guilt upon you, let me tell you something, folks. If I can make you feel guilt, If I can make you sense that you're guilty, I can manipulate you. I can control you. That's all we've had in our country for the last hundred years. Politics by guilt. Guilt and pity. They either make you guilty or try to make you feel sorry for somebody so they can manipulate you.

[John Weaver] Slavery is not wrong in and of itself. You can be a Christian master, and you can be a Christian slave. There's nothing sinful in either position. Let's pray. Father, thank You for Your love. Thank You for Your grace and mercy. We rejoice today that Your Word is truth. We may not always understand, but we bow to it, and we believe it. We ask, Father, that You would teach us, build us up in the most holy faith. In Thy name we pray. Amen.

Where We Are & How We Got Here # 5 of 14

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	1220415036
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Revelation Themes and Eschatological Applications
Genre	Sermon
Date	1998-07-26
Dictation Name
Book	Book 119: Where We Are & How We Got Here — Chapter 5
Source Timed Segments	89

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Review of the Series

Weaver reviews the series on slavery, emphasizing that cultural shifts follow theological shifts, and recaps the distinction between biblical and pagan slavery.

Well, let's begin today. I want you to open your Bibles to Genesis chapter 9. I want to take just a few moments and review and just begin Genesis chapter 9. Genesis chapter 9, beginning there with verse 20. The Word of God says,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 9:20-27

"And Noah began to be a husbandman, and he planted a vineyard. And he drank of the wine and was drunken, and he was uncovered within his tent."

And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. And their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his younger son had done unto him. And he said,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 9:20-27

"Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren."

And he said,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 9:20-27

"Blessed be the Lord God of Shem, and Canaan shall be his servant. God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem, and Canaan shall be his servant."

I began this series on slavery, a biblical view. But I say this: the series actually began before, because I showed you, number one, the abolitionist revolution; number two, the theological revolution. Remember, I told you that any cultural shift is the result of a theological shift. When you have a change in a biblical worldview, then you have a change in society, you have a change in culture. And the reason there have been so many changes in our society is our theology has shifted so rapidly and so quickly. And thirdly, I dealt with the political and the economic and the sectional differences that existed between the North and South and showed how everything was going ahead. And then last week, I was trying to show you that slavery in and of itself is not inherently evil or inherently sinful. Now, I told you that there is a biblical slavery and there is a pagan slavery. Now, pagan slavery very clearly is ungodly and unbiblical, but the biblical slavery is not ungodly.

Ways a Person Could Become a Slave

Weaver lists biblical means of becoming a slave: forced (condemned), punishment for crime, debt, curse, voluntary, and purchase as prisoners of war.

Now, I've told you also there were several ways that a person could become a slave. And let me get them to you very quickly. First of all, there was what you and I would call forced slavery. And of course, the Bible condemns this over and over. God says, "He that stealeth a man and selleth him shall surely be put to death." So God specifically in the book of Deuteronomy forbade anyone from stealing and selling a child of Israel. And then secondly, you could become a slave for punishment of a crime, according to Exodus chapter 22 and verse 3. Thirdly, you could become a slave because of debt, Deuteronomy 15 and verse 12.

Fourthly, you could—and I'm going to explain this today—you could become a slave by virtue of a curse, Genesis chapter 9 that we just read. And fifthly, you could become a slave voluntarily, according to Deuteronomy 15, Exodus chapter 21. And then of course you could become a slave if you were purchased, and usually those that were purchased had been POWs, or prisoners of war, they were captured in war. And someone says, "Well, I don't know if I like POWs being made slaves." Well, had you rather they be put to death, you see. The POW probably would rather be a slave than be put to death. But anyhow, that is how basically someone became a slave. And then, of course, I pointed out the fact that in the Bible, according to the biblical view of slavery, slaves had rights. Slaves, of course, were circumcised.

That meant they were identified with the household. They were brought into the covenant in that area. Slaves ate the sacred things. They ate the holy things. Slaves could inherit. Just all kinds of rights that were given in the Bible concerning slavery. So there is indeed a biblical view of slavery.

Slavery Originated with God and Is Regulated by God

Weaver asserts that biblical slavery is not shameful; it was instituted by God and is never condemned in Scripture, only the kidnapping and selling of persons is condemned.

Now, I want to begin with Genesis chapter 9 today. Please remember that in the biblical view of slavery, let me put it to you very plainly, slavery originated with God and was regulated by God. There is nothing shameful, embarrassing, or ignominious about the truth of biblical slavery. Now, what has happened in this country is this. Liberals and unbelievers who deny Christ and deny the Bible, they try to cast dispersion upon the Word of God with this statement, "But did you know the Bible allows slavery?" Well, of course I know the Bible allows slavery. What's wrong with that? I mean, in other words, like slavery is some inherently evil and sinful way. And remember, I told you last week when we're talking about slavery, I'm not just talking about black slaves, because every race have been slaves at one time or the other. There have been more white slaves than there were black slaves. In fact, there is a huge market for white slaves in the Middle East today. So the truth is that every race has been enslaved. In fact, this happened to a man that I know. He was debating sodomy. In other words, his position was sodomy is wicked and wrong and ungodly.

And here was the liberal over here saying it was all right. And he says, "No, but the Old Testament and the New Testament condemns it." And the liberal responded that the Bible allows slavery and permits slavery. Now, what he was going to do was try to get the preacher who was opposing sodomy to say, "But slavery is wrong." Now, if he said slavery was wrong, what was the liberal going to say next? "Well, then the laws against sodomy are wrong as well." You see what I'm saying? So you cannot deny any of the truth of God's Word. If someone says, "Well, the Bible allows slavery," you say, "Well, yes, it does. But there is a biblical view of slavery, and the slavery that the Bible allows is regulated by God."

Now let me tell you something, folks. You and I do not need to defend the Word of God. We need to use the Word of God and proclaim the truth of it. Everything that God does and everything that God says is holy, just, righteous, and wise. So consequently, then, slavery is never condemned in the Bible. It's never condemned in the Old Testament. It's never condemned in the New Testament. The only thing that is condemned is that aspect of paganism where men were forcibly kidnapped and sold into slavery. In Exodus 21 verse 16, Deuteronomy 24 and verse 7, and then Revelation chapter 18 verses 12 through 13, there is that condemnation for men who capture other men, not only physically, but also spiritually, and sell them into slavery. So even there in those passages, it is not slavery that is being condemned, but rather it is the forced kidnapping and the forced sale of men into slavery. When you come to Genesis chapter 9, you have the first mention of servitude or slavery. Now, we just read from Genesis chapter 9 that Noah planted a vineyard and he drank of the wine and was drunken.

The Curse on Canaan in Genesis 9

Weaver expounds Genesis 9:20-27, arguing that Noah's curse on Canaan was a divine verdict establishing slavery for moral degradation, and that the Hebrew word 'ebed' means slave.

Now, some have suggested that Noah did not intend to get drunk. I have no idea. The Bible does not make that clear. We do know that drunkenness is a sin. Some say because after the flood, some things were different, and maybe Noah did not know that he would get drunk. I don't know. The Bible doesn't say. All the Bible says is that he was drunk and that he was uncovered in his tent. Then the Bible tells us that Ham, the father of Canaan, went in and saw the nakedness of his father and came out and told his two brothers. Here's something else we don't know. We don't actually know what Ham did. We do not know if he simply laughed at his father, or mocked his father, or made fun of his father, or if he engaged in sodomy. We don't know. The Bible does not say. However, we do know this, that whatever Ham did, it was extremely serious and extremely wicked and vile. Now, how do we know that?

Let me tell you how. If you look down in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 9 and look in verse 22: "And Ham the father of Canaan saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brethren without." Now the Hebrew word for nakedness is the word ervah. It is translated in our Bibles as shame, unclean, or nakedness. Now this same Hebrew word is used in the Old Testament of the shameful exposure of the body in Genesis 9 verse 22, in Exodus 20 in verse 26, and Ezekiel chapter 16 verses 36 and 37. This same Hebrew word is also used in Leviticus 18 concerning illicit and abnormal sexual practices. And in Deuteronomy chapter 23 in verse 14, the same word is used for human excrement. Now, what Ham did, I know not. Whether he engaged in some wicked sexual perversion or whether he just laughed and made fun of his father and mocked him, which is also contrary to the Bible, I don't know exactly what he did, but whatever he did, it was extremely wicked and ungodly and contrary to decency and order.

Now, someone's going to come up with a question: "Well, if Ham did it, why was his son Canaan cursed instead of Ham being cursed?" Well, now, there are three possible answers to that. There may be more, but I can give you three. Anyhow, first of all, some would say that the reason Canaan was cursed instead of Ham was because God had already blessed Ham. Look in Genesis chapter 9 and verse 1: "And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth." Now, if God has blessed Noah and his sons, someone would argue, "Well, how could God then turn around and curse Ham?" in the sense that blessings and curses usually cannot abide on the same head at the same time. So some would say theologically the reason Canaan was cursed was because Ham was already blessed. There's another reason, and this is a more biblical reason, I would believe, in Exodus 20, verse 5. If you look there, I can quote it, but I want you to see it.

Look in Exodus 20, verse 5. This is where God is giving the law. Look what the Bible says, Exodus 20, verse 5. In part of the second commandment, where we are not to bow down to graven images, God says in verse 5,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 20:5

"Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them. For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me."

So the curse could have been passed down to Canaan because what Ham did was an act not only of hatred toward his father, but hatred toward God Himself. By the way, let me just emphasize this. And any young kids, I want you to listen. I want you to understand. However you treat your father and your mother is reflective of how you treat God. To dishonor your father and your mother is to dishonor God, who is our Heavenly Father. For God has given father and mother to be in His place over you. And He's given them parental authority, and they have a position of headship over you. So whatever you do to dishonor and disrespect your earthly parents is also dishonor and disrespect for your heavenly Father.

And so the truth of the matter is what Ham did was very dishonorable and disrespectful, and therefore it could pass down to the son. But there's a third possibility, and that's this: Canaan could also have either participated in what Ham did, or at least concurred, or agreed, or joined with him in mocking his grandfather. If so, then the curse would likely, and rightly, fall upon Canaan as well. Now I want you to understand something. Genesis chapter 9 is more than a prophecy. It is more than a prediction. Genesis chapter 9 is a pronouncement. It is a verdict. When Noah awoke and knew what his son had done unto him, the Bible says, verse 24, "And Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his younger son had done unto him." What did he say? He said, "Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren." So he cursed his grandson.

Now, I want you to understand that no sanction—and I'm using the word sanction there in the form of curse—no sanction or no curse has any merit without the approval and concurrence of God. You remember Balaam tried to curse Israel? God wouldn't let him curse Israel. I could stand up here and curse it. But if God does not concur with that curse, my words are meaningless and empty and void. And so whatever Noah did, God concurred with him, and God brought to pass the curse that Noah pronounced upon Canaan, because the curse that Noah pronounced was exactly what God wanted.

Now, let me give you a quick quote. Robert L. Dabney, who was a famous Presbyterian theologian, he was aide-de-camp to Stonewall Jackson. He wrote the definitive book on the life and times of Stonewall Jackson. He has theological books, four or five of them that thick, plus other books. In his little booklet, A Defense of Virginia and the South, in this book he is setting forth the biblical position concerning slavery, and in his section on Genesis chapter 9, here is what he said concerning the curse upon Canaan. Listen carefully. I quote, he said, "And we find that it," that is slavery, "was appointed by God as the punishment of and remedy for the peculiar moral degradation of a part of the race. God here ordains that this depravity shall find its necessary restraints, and the welfare of the more virtuous is safeguarded against the depraved by the bondage of the latter."

So what did he say? He says slavery originated with God. And God pronounced this slavery, this servitude, upon a certain part of the race because of their moral degradation, and because it would also be a safeguard for the righteous. So slavery basically originated with God. It is God's verdict in Genesis chapter 9 upon Canaan and his descendants.

Now, let me just clarify something for you. You say, "But Brother Weaver, in verse 25 he says, 'Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be.' Verse 26, 'and Canaan shall be his servant.' Verse 27, 'and Canaan shall be his servant.' You say, 'But Brother Weaver, the word is servant, it is not slave.'" May I remind you that the Hebrew word for servant is ebed, which is translated from the Hebrew word avad, which literally means to enslave. It means a bondman, a bondwoman, or a slave. Let me show you how powerful this word is. I want you to hold Genesis 9, but look in your Bibles to the book of Exodus chapter 1 and verse 13. Now, every time I show you a passage, it is going to be the same identical Hebrew word. Watch in Exodus chapter 1, beginning there with verse 13.

The Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 1:13-14

"And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor."

Someone tell me what that means. All right, they made them serve with hardship. How did they make them serve? That is, they enslaved them. It's the same Hebrew word. Verse 14,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 1:13-14

"And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of service or slavery in the field, all their service or slavery wherein they made them slaves was with rigor."

The same Hebrew word. So if you deny Genesis chapter 9, that Canaan and his descendants were to be real slaves, then you've got to deny that what the Egyptians did to the Hebrews was not slavery either. Look in your Bibles, if you would, to Exodus chapter 13. Look what God says in Exodus chapter 13, beginning there with verse 3.

Scripture Reading — Exodus 13:3,14

"And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt out of a house of bondage."

Literally, it's the same word, out of the house of slavery.

Scripture Reading — Exodus 13:3,14

"By the strength of hand, the Lord brought you out from this place. There shall no leavened bread be."

Look down to verse 14:

Scripture Reading — Exodus 13:3,14

"And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? That thou shalt say to him by strength of hand, The Lord brought us out from Egypt out of a house of bondage,"

or out of a house of slavery. So God calls what happened to the Hebrews in Exodus chapter 1, slavery. It's the same exact word in Genesis chapter 9.

So what Canaan and his descendants were to become were slaves. Now, if you'll look in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 24, verse 18, Deuteronomy chapter 24. We read this passage last week and I explained it, but I just read these passages. But look what God says. Here's the same Hebrew word. He tells Israel,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 24:18,22

"But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman or a slave in Egypt. And the Lord thy God redeemed thee, hence therefore I command thee to do this thing."

Skip down to verse 22:

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 24:18,22

"And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, therefore I command thee to do this thing."

So God says, remember that you were slaves, and it is the word slave. Thus the only thing that you can come up with in Genesis chapter 9, the verdict that was pronounced against Canaan was the fact of real slavery.

Now let me say it again. Biblical slavery is not condemned by God, it was instituted by God.

Old Testament Patriarchs as Slaveholders

Weaver shows that Abraham, Isaac, and others owned many slaves, and God blessed them and even gave them slaves, proving slaveholding is not incompatible with righteousness.

Now, let me just show you some other passages in the Old Testament before we ever get to the New Testament of how God blessed men who were slaveholders. Look in Genesis chapter 17. Genesis 17. And let's begin reading there with verse 19—or verse 9, I'm sorry. Genesis 17 and verse 9.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 17:9-13

"And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou and thy seed after thee in their generation. This is my covenant, which you shall keep between me and you, and my seed after thee. Every man child among you shall be circumcised, and you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you. Every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger which is not of thy seed, he that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised, and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an

everlasting covenant." Isn't that interesting? God said in verse 12, "Abraham, I'm going to make my covenant with you and with every man in your house. Every man child of yours is to be circumcised, and every man that you buy with money." In other words, every slave that you get. Now, if God was going to condemn slavery, here's an excellent opportunity for him to do so, because he's making the covenant with Abraham. Abraham is not dictating the terms, God is. God could have said, "Abraham, I want to tell you something. I want every man and child that is born of your own blood to be circumcised.

And by the way, that's all. No slaves, no strangers. We don't want anybody else." But God says, "No. Everybody that you buy with your money. Every male, you circumcise him as well." And so God, instead of condemning Abraham for holding slaves, God makes allowances for Abraham to hold slaves. And he says, "You bring them into the covenant. They are to be circumcised as well."

Now, look in Genesis 14. Let's go back. You say, "Well, you know, Abraham probably had one or two slaves." Oh, well, watch this. Lot has been captured by these heathen kings, and Abraham is going to rescue him.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 14:14

"And when Abraham heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants,"

that is, his trained slaves,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 14:14

"born in his own house, 318, and pursued them unto death."

Now, if a man had 318 trained slaves that were born in his own house, how many did he have that were not born in his own house? I mean, that's 318 men that were born to him. What about the women?

They had to have wives. And certainly there were daughters as well as sons. Here's just 318 trained fighting slaves. If each man had a wife, that's 636. And each one of those men had sisters, that's another 318. Probably Abraham had several thousand slaves, if the truth was known. Look in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 20. Genesis 20 verse 14. Here is where Abimelech had sinned against Abraham and against God in taking Sarah. And God comes to Abimelech in a dream and says, "If you touch her, you're dead, man. I'll kill you. You give her back to Abraham. You make restitution." Verse 14:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 20:14

"And Abimelech took sheep and oxen and men's servants and women's servants and gave them unto Abraham and restored him, Sarah, his wife."

Did you hear that?

Scripture Reading — Genesis 20:14

"And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, men's servants and women's servants."

Let's translate that: Abimelech took male slaves and women's slaves and gave them unto Abraham. So here Abraham got some more slaves that were not born in his own house.

I don't know how many. It was plural. It's more than one. That's for sure. Look in Genesis chapter 24 and verse 35. Here's what Eliezer says to Rebekah's parents when he goes to get the bride for Isaac. Verse 34, "And he said, I am Abraham's servant." Let's translate it,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 24:35

"I am Abraham's slave. And the Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great, and he has given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and men's servants,"

that is, male slaves,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 24:35

"and female slaves, and camels and asses."

Now, whoa, whoa, let me back up. "And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly, and he is become great, and he the Lord hath given him." What did God give Abraham? Flocks, herds, silver, gold, and slaves. Men and women. Camels and asses. God gave them to Abraham.

Now is slavery inherently wrong? No. God gave slaves to Abraham. Look in Genesis chapter 26. Genesis 26, beginning there with verse 12.

"Then Isaac sowed in the land and received in the same year a hundredfold, and the Lord blessed him. And the man waxed great and went forward, and grew until he became very great. For he," that is Isaac, "had possessions of flocks, and possessions of herds, and great store of servants," or slaves. "And the Philistines envied him."

Now let me just stop. Do you remember that Abraham and Isaac are two of the most revered patriarchs in the Bible? And these two patriarchs were two great slaveholders. And may I remind you that Abraham, who is called the father of the faithful, is also called the friend of God.

Now let me ask you a question. Is holiness and godliness and righteousness incompatible with owning slaves? No. For Abraham was a righteous man and a godly man. So just because someone owns slaves does not mean that that individual is inherently evil. Let me show you something. Look back in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 16. Someone tell me who Sarah's handmaiden was. The Egyptian woman, what was her name? Do you remember? I didn't hear you. Hagar. Now, you remember when Sarah, it looked as if she could not conceive, she told Abraham, "You go into my handmaiden.

New Testament Evidence for Biblical Slavery

Weaver argues that the New Testament never condemns slavery; Jesus commended a centurion slaveholder, and Paul regulated master-slave relations in churches.

So you've got to ask yourself this question: Does the New Testament contradict the Old Testament? Is slavery condemned in the New Testament while it is regulated and allowed in the Old Testament? Well, let me begin by telling you that the Greek word for slave is the word doulos. And it literally means a slave or a bondman. It is from the Greek word deo, which means I bind or I enslave or I make a slave.

Now, in Leviticus chapter 25 and verse 44, turn there just one second. We read this last week. I'm not going to dwell on it now. Leviticus 25 verse 44. Look what God says, Leviticus 25, verse 44. He says,

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 25:44

"...both by bondmen and by bondmaids, that is, your slaves, both men and women, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you. Of them shall you buy bondmen and bondwomen."

So you could biblically buy slaves of the heathen. I explained why last week. Now, the reason I'm pointing out this verse is when you come to the word bondmen and bondmaids in the Septuagint—do you remember what the Septuagint is? The Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. The Septuagint was in existence during the time of Christ and the apostles. They even quoted it from the Septuagint. But the Septuagint is a Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, and when you get to the Septuagint in Leviticus 25 in verse 44, for bondmen and bondwomen, you come up with the word doulos, the same New Testament word.

Now, doulos is used metaphorically in the New Testament in Acts chapter 4 in verse 29, in Acts chapter 16 in verse 17, and in Romans chapter 1 in verse 7, of the apostles themselves and really and truly of all of God's people. Paul delighted to call himself the bondservant of Jesus Christ. He says, "Paul, the servant of Jesus Christ." And every time you see the word servant, it is literally "Paul, the bondslave of Jesus Christ." And Paul used that word to express God's purchase, God's ownership, and God's authority over his apostles and their obedience that was due to him. Now, one will search the New Testament in vain for a condemnation of slavery or of holding slaves. The mere absence of a condemnation of slaveholding in the New Testament is proof that it is not unlawful.

Now, you've got to remember this. Christ and his disciples preached in the midst of slaves and slaveholders. You see, in the time of Christ, the institution of slavery was extremely prevalent. And unhappily, in our worst times, most of it was pagan slavery instead of biblical slavery. I'm sure there were some Hebrews who had some slaves, I understand that. But when you talk about Rome, you're talking about pagan slavery. And yet you can search the New Testament vain to try to find a condemnation of slavery. If you will study the New Testament, you will find that the apostles many times listed the prevalent sins of their day. And some of those lists are extremely minute. You'll find them in Romans 1, Galatians 5, Matthew 15, Colossians 3, 2 Timothy 3. But you can search all of these lists that refer to the prevalent sins of their day, and you will never find the sin of holding slaves. It's not listed.

It just simply is not there. So the New Testament does not condemn slavery. If Christ opposed slavery, as I said last week, he would never have used the analogy of a slave to his own self. And if you turn in your Bibles, and I want you to, to Luke chapter 7, I want to show you where Christ had an excellent opportunity to set the record straight on slavery. Luke chapter 7, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Luke 7, verse 1. Watch carefully. We'll read through verse 10. Luke 7, verse 1.

"Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum. And a certain centurion's servant..." First of all, someone tell me what a centurion is. I didn't hear you. Two or three people said it and I still didn't hear it. Alright, he was a soldier. What kind of soldier? A Roman soldier. Okay, he was over a hundred men. Thank you, James. Keep teaching him, Henry.

Or maybe I should say janitor, whoever's doing it. But he's a Roman centurion. So he's not a Hebrew, is what I'm trying to make. OK? Now watch. "Now when he ended," he said in verse 2, "and a certain centurion's servant," the Greek word for servant is doulos, which means slave. "Now a certain centurion's servant or slave who was dear unto him, was sick and ready to die," so he had great regard for this slave. "And when he heard of Jesus, he sent him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus, they saw him instantly saying that he was worthy for whom he should do this."

Watch what this Roman soldier had done: "For he loved our nation and he had built us a synagogue." So evidently he's very wealthy as well. "Then Jesus went with them, and when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself, for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof. Wherefore, neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee, but say it a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I am also a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth, and to another, Come, and he cometh. And to my servant do this, and he doeth it." And when Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him and turned him about and said unto the people that followed him, "I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not at Israel." And they that were sent returning to the house found the servant whole that had been sent. He said, "Look, Lord, I'm a man under authority.

I've got slaves. I tell one to come and I tell one to go, and he does exactly what I say. He does it. Lord, you don't have to come to my house. Just speak the word." And our Lord did not say, "You dirty, low-down, slave-holding reprobate." No. Our Lord said, "I have not found so great a faith. No, not in Israel."

Now, if Christ was going to condemn, here would have been a perfect opportunity. But instead of condemning, He commended. Look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 7. Let me show you that there is nothing inherently evil in being a slave. 1 Corinthians 7. Look what the Apostle Paul writes. 1 Corinthians 7, beginning there with verse 20, God says,

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 7:20-22

"Let every man abide in the same calling where he was called,"

or the same vocation where he was called. Now look, "Art thou called,

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 7:20-22

" that is called in salvation, "

Art thou called in the Lord being a servant or being a slave? Art thou called being a servant?" Look what he says. "Care not for it. But if thou mayest be made free, use it rather." Now he explains,

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 7:20-22

"For he that is called in the Lord being a servant is the Lord's free man. Likewise, also he that is called being free is Christ's servant."

Now let's go back to verse 21.

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 7:20-22

"Art thou called being a servant? Care not for it."

What's he saying? Don't try to get on being a slave.

There's nothing wrong being a slave. He says, "But if thou mayst be made free, use it rather." If you can get free, he says, and use your freedom to serve me more acceptably, fine, go for it. Then he explains why he says that. Watch. "For he that is called in the Lord being a slave is the Lord's free man." He says, "I free you." Look. Then he says, "Likewise also he that is called being free is Christ's slave." So there's nothing inherently wrong with simply being a slave. Nothing sinful about it.

I wish I had time to tell you many of the great men that we know and read about were once slaves themselves. A multitude. Every one of us loved to sing Amazing Grace. John Newton. He was a slave. He worked on a slave ship. He himself was a slave at one time, and escaped.

Now the point I'm trying to make is, there's nothing sinful in and of itself in being a slave. Just like there's nothing sinful in being a ditch digger, or a diesel mechanic, or a gas man, or a veterinary. Nothing's sinful in those occupations in and of themselves. Now, let me show you something else. You remember the message that I preached several weeks ago on the theological revolution? I showed you where broken churches resulted in a broken nation. And the abolitionists, those in the north, wanted to keep those southern men who held slaves out of the church. They wanted them excommunicated and they wanted them disciplined. I want to show you that in the New Testament, slaveholders were fully admitted into church membership.

Look in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 10. And I'm not going to take time to read the entire passage, but here we have another centurion, another Roman soldier. The Bible says

Scripture Reading — Acts 10:1-2,7,47-48

there was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian Band.

Now, he was a centurion. Watch verse 7. "And when the angel who spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants," or two of his slaves, "and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually." So the man is a slaveholder, all right? He sent them to Peter, and of course Peter came and preached to him, and they were converted. Now skip down to verse 47. Look what Peter says. "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, who received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord, and they prayed him to tarry with them certain days." They were baptized.

They were admitted into full fellowship of the church and Cornelius was a slaveholder. It didn't matter to Peter. Look in your Bibles to the book of Philemon, chapter 1. We hit this passage a little bit last week. You see, Peter never rebuked Cornelius for holding slaves. Rather, he administered a New Testament ordinance upon him, that is, he baptized him. Now, remember last week I pointed out that Philemon, the little book of Philemon, right before Hebrews, you remember that Philemon was a slaveholder. In fact, he had a fleshly brother, Onesimus, who was one of his slaves. Now, let's read Philemon chapter 1, because there's only one chapter there, verse 1: "Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy, our brother, unto Philemon, our dearly beloved and fellow laborer, and unto our beloved Athia and Archippus, our fellow soldier, and to the church in thy house." Now, where was the church? It was in Philemon's house. Now, let's go back to verse 1. "Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy, our brother, unto Philemon, our dearly beloved, and what?

Fellow laborer." That is a term that is used to express the fact that Philemon was a pastor. He pastored the church that met in his house. And what did Paul do after Onesimus, the runaway slave, was converted? He sent him back. And here Philemon was a pastor and held slaves. So very clearly, there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, let me point something out. Paul never rebukes Philemon for holding slaves. He sent Onesimus back. Let me show you two passages and we're going to turn back to these just momentarily.

We'll look in Colossians chapter 1 and Ephesians 1. Go ahead and find Ephesians and then Colossians. We'll read Colossians 1 verse 1. Colossians 1. Look if you would please at verse 2. Now, I want you to remember that the book of Colossians is written to the Colossian church. OK, verse two: "To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ, which are at Colossae. Grace be unto you and peace from God, our Father, Lord Jesus Christ." So Paul is writing to the saints and the faithful brethren who are in Christ in the church at Colossae. Now look what he writes to some of the church members in chapter 4 and verse 1. Chapter 4, verse 1.

"Masters, given to your servants," or your slaves, "that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have a master in heaven." What is our conclusion? Since Colossians 1 and verse 2 tells us that this epistle was written to the faithful and to the saints which were in the church at Colossae, and you come to chapter 4, verse 1, and he says, "Masters, you give to your slaves that which is just and equal," what is our conclusion? There were slaveholders in the church at Colossae. If there were not, why would Paul even be telling them to give that which was just and equal to their slaves? Look in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 1. Verse 1, "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus." So he's writing to the Ephesian church. Look in chapter 6 of Ephesians and verse 9. Chapter 6, verse 9: "And you masters do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening, knowing that your master also is in heaven, neither is there respect of persons with him."

Ah, so there were slaveholders in the church at Ephesus as well. For Paul writes them and says, "May I remind you that you yourself are a slave to the Lord, and your master..." Now, evidently slaveholders were admitted into full fellowship and membership of local churches in New Testament times. There was not a problem.

New Testament Regulations for Slaves and Masters

Weaver cites Ephesians 6, Colossians 3-4, 1 Timothy 6, Titus 2, and 1 Peter 2 to show that the apostles gave duties to slaves and masters, not abolition.

Now, let me show you. Very quickly, we're going to cover just several passages. Instead of condemning slavery in the New Testament, the New Testament lays down the duties of slaves to their masters, and of masters to their slaves. Look in your Bibles, since we're there, in Ephesians 6. Let's begin reading there with verse 5. Ephesians 6, verse 5. "Servants," let's read it like it is, "Slaves, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh.

with fear and trembling and singleness of your heart as unto Christ. Not with eye service as men pleasers, but as a service of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart." Now let me stop. I want you to understand that what he is telling these Christian slaves is, you don't just do what's right out of eye service for men. You do what's right for the honor and the glory of God. He says, "doing the will of God from the heart." Verse 7, "with good will, doing service or servitude as unto the Lord and not unto men, knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free." And now, God says, "and you masters, you who are over these slaves, you do the same things unto them."

In other words, you treat them biblically and scripturally, forbearing threatening, knowing that your master also is in heaven, neither is there any respect of persons with him. In other words, if you treat your servants, your slaves, ill, God will treat you ill as well. You mistreat them, God will mistreat you. Look in your Bible to the book of Colossians chapter 3. Colossians chapter 3. Begin there with verse 22. "Servants" or slaves. It's the word doulos. "Slaves, obey in all things your masters, according to the flesh."

That is, they've got the rule over you. "Servants, obey in all things your masters, according to the flesh, not with eye service as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God. And whatsoever you do, do it heartily as unto the Lord, and not unto men, knowing the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ." Did you hear that? You think you may be serving your master, but you're actually serving the Lord Christ in your servitude. So you do it as in the Lord. Verse 25, "But he that doeth wrong," he's talking to the slaves now, "but he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done, and there is no respect of persons." God will judge a wicked slave just like He will judge a wicked master. Verse 1, "Masters, given to your service that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven." So once again, here are the regulations set down that regulates the conduct between slaves and masters, masters and slaves.

Look in your Bibles to 1 Timothy 6. 1 Timothy 6, beginning there with verse 1. 1 Timothy 6, verse 1. "Let as many servants as are under the yoke..." Ah, let as many slaves as are under the yoke, "count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And they that have believing masters," Christian masters, ah, you can be a Christian and hold slaves, huh? You can be a Christian and be church members, yes. "And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather do them service because they are faithful and beloved partakers of the benefit.

These things teach and exhort. If any man teach otherwise, then he consent not to the wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the doctrine which is according to godliness. He is proud, knowing nothing but doting about questions and strife, and words whereof come at the envy, strife, railings, evils, surmisings." Now let's stop there. Hold that passage. We're going to come right back to that.

So God says that the servants are to do their masters well, and those that have believing masters must pay special attention that they do not despise them, but they work with them. Look in your Bibles to the book of Titus, chapter 2. Just over a couple of pages, Titus, chapter 2. Notice verse 9. Titus, chapter 2, verse 9. "Exhorts servants to be obedient unto their own master, and to please them well in all things, not answering again, not purloining, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God and our Savior in all things." Isn't that amazing? Exhort slaves to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things, not talking back, not acting slothfully, but showing good faith. Why? That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. So just because a man is a slave, does not mean that he is not the servant of God, and that he cannot adorn the doctrine of God. Look in 1 Peter chapter 2.

1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 18. 1 Peter 2 verse 18.

1 Peter 2, verse 18. "Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear." Slaves, be subject to your master with all fear or with all reverence, "not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward." Here's someone that may not be so loving or so kind. God said, that doesn't matter. You still be subject with all reverence, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. Watch. "For this is thankworthy. If a man for conscience toward God endured grief, suffering wrongfully.

For what glory is it if when you be buffeted for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently. This is acceptable with God." And then he goes on and he uses the example of Christ: "For even hereunto were you called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should likewise follow in his steps, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, who when he was reviled, reviled not again. When he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judged it righteously." And what does he do? He tells servants that they are to do what is right, not only to those who are good and gentle, but to the froward, and when they are suffering for conscience's sake, he's comparing the example of Christ. He says, you suffer for doing what's right, not for doing what's wrong. These are the regulations in the New Testament.

God's Estimate of Abolitionism and Conclusion

Weaver interprets 1 Timothy 6:1-5 as condemning abolitionist teaching as proud and corrupt, and concludes that slavery is not inherently sinful; collective guilt is rejected.

Now, I want you to go back to 1 Timothy chapter 6. I want to show you God's estimate of abolitionism.

Are you ready? Let's go to 1 Timothy 6, verse 1. "Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed." Now he says, "Let as many slaves as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed, and they that have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather do them service because they are faithful and beloved partakers of the benefit." Now look what Paul tells Timothy. "These things teach and exhort." Teach and exhort what? You teach and exhort the slaves to be obedient to their masters, that the word of God be not blasphemed. And if you've got a believing master, you do them service. You be faithful to them because they are benefactors, that is, they are recipients of the grace of God themselves. This is what I want you to teach. Now look what he says in verse 3. "If any man teach otherwise," that is differently from verses 1 and 2, "and consent not to the wholesome words," that is what he said in verses 1 and 2, "even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness." So, this is godly doctrine. He said, "If any man teach otherwise, what is he?

He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strides of words whereupon come envies, strifes, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, destitute of the truth. Supposing that gain is godliness, from such withdraw thyself." Now what does God say about abolitionists? They're perverse. They're in error. And then what does God recommend for the remedy? Secession. "From such, withdraw thyself." That's basically what the South tried to do in 1860.

Now, the point I'm trying to make is this, folks. Slavery is not wrong in and of itself. There is indeed a biblical slavery. Now, I want to try to deal with some of the things connected with this historically in the coming weeks, but let me tell you. This in no wise excuses or glosses over any of the mistreatment of any slave, white, black, pink, purple, or yellow. You follow what I'm saying? Just because there is a biblical truth concerning slavery does not give anyone any right to mistreat or abuse a slave.

Rather, what God does, God says, here's the regulations, here are how you are to treat slaves, and here how slaves are to treat their masters. And I'm going to show you, and I believe I can prove to you, that although there were occasional cases of abuse in the South, I don't deny that, because not all men are Christians. By and large, what we have swallowed is abolitionist propaganda, and it's a myth. It's not true. And I can give you the words out of the slaves' own mouths where they thank God that they were brought to this country as slaves. I don't know about you, but I'm just thankful God even allowed me to be born in this country. How I got here is immaterial, but this is where the gospel was for the longest. It's about the only place it still is. I don't know for how much longer. But there is indeed a biblical view of slavery. Don't let anyone try to load you with guilt and say, "You need to make reparations for what your forefathers did." No. What our forefathers did was not evil in and of itself. That does not mean that some of our forefathers did not act evilly and wickedly themselves, and if they did, they are responsible for their own sins. I'm not. If Ed jumps up and runs over there and jumps on Chester and beats him to a pulp, I'm not responsible for that. Now, if I see it happening and I don't try to stop it, then I've got some responsibility. But Ed is responsible for his actions. I'm not.

And when someone tries to lay a collective guilt upon you, let me tell you something, folks. If I can make you feel guilt, if I can make you sense that you're guilty, I can manipulate you. I can control you. That's all we've had in our country for the last hundred years. Politics by guilt. Guilt and pity. They either make you guilty or try to make you feel sorry for somebody so they can manipulate you.

Slavery is not wrong in and of itself. You can be a Christian master, and you can be a Christian slave. There's nothing sinful in either position. Let's pray. Father, thank You for Your love. Thank You for Your grace and mercy. We rejoice today that Your Word is truth. We may not always understand, but we bow to it, and we believe it. We ask, Father, that You would teach us, build us up in the most holy faith. In Thy name we pray. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Biblical slavery is instituted and regulated by God, not inherently evil

Summary: Weaver argues that slavery originated with God as a punishment and remedy for moral degradation, and that Scripture regulates it rather than condemning it.

Evidence: Weaver states: 'slavery originated with God and was regulated by God. There is nothing shameful, embarrassing, or ignominious about the truth of biblical slavery.'

Distinction between biblical and pagan slavery

Summary: Weaver distinguishes between biblical slavery (ordained by God) and pagan slavery (involving kidnapping and abuse), which is condemned.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'there is a biblical slavery and there is a pagan slavery. Now, pagan slavery very clearly is ungodly and unbiblical, but the biblical slavery is not ungodly.'

The curse on Canaan as the origin of biblical slavery

Summary: Weaver teaches that Noah's curse on Canaan in Genesis 9 was a divine pronouncement establishing servitude for Canaan's descendants.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Dabney: 'it was appointed by God as the punishment of and remedy for the peculiar moral degradation of a part of the race.'

Godly patriarchs and New Testament believers owned slaves

Summary: Weaver demonstrates that Abraham, Isaac, Cornelius, Philemon, and members of the Colossian and Ephesian churches were slaveholders and were not rebuked.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'Abraham and Isaac are two of the most revered patriarchs in the Bible. And these two patriarchs were two great slaveholders.'

The New Testament regulates slavery rather than abolishing it

Summary: Weaver shows that apostolic instructions address the duties of slaves and masters, implying the legitimacy of the institution.

Evidence: Weaver cites Ephesians 6:5-9 and Colossians 3:22-4:1 as regulations for slaves and masters.

Abolitionism is contrary to sound doctrine

Summary: Weaver interprets 1 Timothy 6:1-5 as condemning those who teach against biblical slavery, calling them proud and corrupt.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'what does God say about abolitionists? They're perverse. They're in error. And then what does God recommend for the remedy? Secession.'

Rejection of collective guilt for historical slavery

Summary: Weaver argues that individuals are responsible for their own sins, not the sins of their forefathers, and that guilt manipulation is a political tool.

Evidence: Weaver states: 'when someone tries to lay a collective guilt upon you... If I can make you feel guilt, if I can make you sense that you're guilty, I can manipulate you.'

Key Arguments

Slavery cannot be inherently evil because Christ used it as an analogy for Himself

Summary: Weaver argues that if slavery were inherently evil, Christ would not have used the slave analogy in Psalm 40 and Hebrews 10, nor called Himself a servant.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'if slavery is inherently evil in and of itself, then Christ would not be using an analogy of that to compare to himself and his ministry and his mission.'

The Hebrew word 'ebed' in Genesis 9 means slave, not just servant

Summary: Weaver argues that the word translated 'servant' in the curse on Canaan is the same word used for the slavery of Israel in Egypt, proving real slavery is meant.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'the Hebrew word for servant is ebed, which is translated from the Hebrew word avad, which literally means to enslave.'

God blessed slaveholders and gave them slaves

Summary: Weaver points to Abraham and Isaac as examples of godly men who owned slaves and were blessed by God with more slaves.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'God gave slaves to Abraham... And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly, and he is become great, and he the Lord hath given him... slaves.'

Jesus had opportunity to condemn slavery but commended a slaveholder instead

Summary: Weaver cites Luke 7:1-10, where Jesus heals a centurion's slave and commends his faith without rebuking his slaveholding.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'if Christ was going to condemn, here would have been a perfect opportunity. But instead of condemning, He commended.'

Slaveholders were full members of New Testament churches

Summary: Weaver argues that the presence of instructions to masters in Colossians and Ephesians proves slaveholders were in those churches without censure.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'there were slaveholders in the church at Colossae... slaveholders were admitted into full fellowship and membership of local churches in New Testament times.'

1 Timothy 6:1-5 condemns abolitionist teaching

Summary: Weaver interprets the passage as a direct condemnation of those who teach contrary to the biblical instructions on slavery, labeling them proud and corrupt.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'If any man teach otherwise... He is proud, knowing nothing... from such withdraw thyself.'

Scripture References

Genesis 9:20-27

Context: Noah's drunkenness, Ham's sin, and the curse on Canaan establishing servitude.

Exodus 21:16

Context: Condemnation of man-stealing, not slavery itself.

Deuteronomy 24:7

Context: Condemnation of kidnapping and selling persons.

Revelation 18:12-13

Context: Condemnation of those who capture and sell men.

Exodus 20:5

Context: Visiting iniquity of fathers on children, explaining curse on Canaan.

Exodus 1:13-14

Context: Hebrew word for 'serve' is the same as 'slave,' proving Genesis 9 means slavery.

Exodus 13:3,14

Context: God calls Egypt a 'house of bondage' (slavery), same word as Genesis 9.

Deuteronomy 24:18,22

Context: Israel reminded they were slaves in Egypt, same Hebrew word.

Genesis 17:9-13

Context: God commands circumcision of slaves, showing His acceptance of slaveholding.

Genesis 14:14

Context: Abraham had 318 trained slaves born in his house.

Genesis 20:14

Context: Abimelech gave Abraham male and female slaves.

Genesis 24:35

Context: God gave Abraham slaves among other blessings.

Genesis 26:12-14

Context: Isaac had great store of servants (slaves) and was blessed.

Genesis 16:7-9

Context: The angel of the Lord told Hagar to return and submit to Sarah, her mistress.

Numbers 31:30,47

Context: God commanded that slaves be given to the Levites for tabernacle service.

Leviticus 25:44

Context: Israel could buy slaves from surrounding nations; Septuagint uses 'doulos.'

Luke 7:1-10

Context: Jesus heals a centurion's slave and commends his faith without condemning slaveholding.

1 Corinthians 7:20-22

Context: Paul tells slaves not to care about their status; both slave and free are the Lord's.

Acts 10:1-2,7,47-48

Context: Cornelius, a centurion slaveholder, was baptized and received into the church.

Philemon 1:1-2

Context: Philemon, a slaveholder, was a pastor and fellow laborer with Paul.

Historical References

Robert L. Dabney

Context: 19th-century Presbyterian theologian and Stonewall Jackson's aide-de-camp, quoted on Genesis 9 and slavery.

John Newton

Context: Author of 'Amazing Grace,' mentioned as a former slave who worked on a slave ship.

Abolitionist propaganda

Context: Weaver claims that common beliefs about Southern slavery are myths based on abolitionist propaganda.

Southern secession

Context: Weaver likens the biblical command to withdraw from false teachers to the South's attempted secession in 1860.

Important Quotes

slavery originated with God and was regulated by God. There is nothing shameful, embarrassing, or ignominious about the truth of biblical slavery.

Significance: Core thesis that biblical slavery is divinely instituted and honorable.

the Hebrew word for servant is ebed, which is translated from the Hebrew word avad, which literally means to enslave.

Significance: Linguistic argument that the curse on Canaan meant real slavery.

Abraham and Isaac are two of the most revered patriarchs in the Bible. And these two patriarchs were two great slaveholders.

Significance: Uses revered figures to normalize slaveholding.

if Christ was going to condemn, here would have been a perfect opportunity. But instead of condemning, He commended.

Significance: Argues Jesus' silence on slavery implies approval.

what does God say about abolitionists? They're perverse. They're in error. And then what does God recommend for the remedy? Secession. 'From such, withdraw thyself.'

Significance: Applies 1 Timothy 6 to condemn abolitionism and justify separation.

when someone tries to lay a collective guilt upon you, let me tell you something, folks. If I can make you feel guilt, if I can make you sense that you're guilty, I can manipulate you. I can control you.

Significance: Rejects collective guilt for historical slavery as manipulation.

Discussion Questions

How does Weaver distinguish between biblical slavery and pagan slavery, and what are the implications for evaluating historical practices?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that biblical slavery is regulated by God, while pagan slavery involves kidnapping and abuse.

What is the significance of the Hebrew word 'ebed' in Genesis 9 for understanding the nature of the curse on Canaan?

Context: Weaver argues that 'ebed' means slave, not just servant, linking it to Israel's bondage in Egypt.

How does Weaver use the examples of Abraham and Isaac to argue that slaveholding is compatible with righteousness?

Context: Weaver points to their wealth in slaves and God's blessing as evidence.

Why does Weaver believe Jesus' interaction with the centurion in Luke 7 is significant for the slavery debate?

Context: Jesus healed the slave and commended the centurion's faith without condemning slaveholding.

What does the presence of instructions to masters in Colossians and Ephesians imply about the early church's view of slavery?

Context: Weaver argues it shows slaveholders were full church members without censure.

How does Weaver interpret 1 Timothy 6:1-5 as a condemnation of abolitionism, and what are the implications for modern debates?

Context: He sees the passage as labeling abolitionist teaching as proud and corrupt, and commands withdrawal.

What is Weaver's argument against collective guilt for historical slavery, and how does he connect it to political manipulation?

Context: He argues individuals are only responsible for their own sins, and guilt is used to control people.

Applications

Do not be ashamed of biblical truth about slavery

Summary: Believers should not be embarrassed by the Bible's allowance of slavery but should understand and proclaim the biblical view.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'You and I do not need to defend the Word of God. We need to use the Word of God and proclaim the truth of it.'

Honor parental authority as reflecting honor to God

Summary: Weaver applies the lesson from Ham's dishonor: treating parents with disrespect is equivalent to dishonoring God.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'However you treat your father and your mother is reflective of how you treat God.'

Slaves and masters should fulfill their duties as unto the Lord

Summary: Christian slaves should serve wholeheartedly, and Christian masters should treat slaves justly, knowing they have a Master in heaven.

Evidence: Weaver cites Colossians 3:23: 'And whatsoever you do, do it heartily as unto the Lord, and not unto men.'

Reject collective guilt and manipulation

Summary: Believers should refuse to accept guilt for the sins of others and recognize guilt-based manipulation as a political tool.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'If I can make you feel guilt... I can manipulate you. I can control you.'

Withdraw from those who teach contrary to sound doctrine on slavery

Summary: Based on 1 Timothy 6, believers should separate from those who advocate abolitionist or unbiblical views on slavery.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'from such withdraw thyself.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T02:28:40Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T15:54:28Z

Clean Transcript

Where We Are & How We Got Here # 5 of 14

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Well, let's begin today. I want you to open your Bibles to Genesis chapter 9. I want to take just a few moments and review and just begin Genesis chapter 9. Genesis chapter 9, beginning there with verse 20. The Word of God says, "And Noah began to be a husbandman, and he planted a vineyard. And he drank of the wine and was drunken, and he was uncovered within his tent."
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And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. And their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his younger son had done unto him. And he said, "Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren." And he said, "Blessed be the Lord God of Shem, and Canaan shall be his servant. God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem, and Canaan shall be his servant."
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I began this series on slavery, a biblical view. But I say this: the series actually began before, because I showed you, number one, the abolitionist revolution; number two, the theological revolution. Remember, I told you that any cultural shift is the result of a theological shift. When you have a change in a biblical worldview, then you have a change in society, you have a change in culture. And the reason there have been so many changes in our society is our theology has shifted so rapidly and so quickly.
#3 | 1:18 to 1:50 | cleaned
And thirdly, I dealt with the political and the economic and the sectional differences that existed between the North and South and showed how everything was going ahead. And then last week, I was trying to show you that slavery in and of itself is not inherently evil or inherently sinful. Now, I told you that there is a biblical slavery and there is a pagan slavery. Now, pagan slavery very clearly is ungodly and unbiblical, but the biblical slavery is not ungodly.
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And it is certainly right because God ordained it. The problem is that oftentimes you can have a co-mixture of pagan and biblical slavery, and the aspects, therefore, of the pagan slavery intermingled with the biblical slavery would certainly be wrong. I also pointed out the fact that slavery cannot be inherently evil in and of itself, because in Exodus chapter 21, the slave that said very plainly, "I love my master, I will not leave him, I will not be free," he was taken to the doorpost and a hole was bored through his ear.
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And then in Psalm 40, I showed you how that passage related to Jesus Christ. And then in Hebrews 10, that same passage is related to Jesus Christ. So, if slavery is inherently evil in and of itself, then Christ would not be using an analogy of that to compare to himself and his ministry and his mission. And over and over in the Bible, he said, "I am among you as one that serveth."
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Now, I've told you also there were several ways that a person could become a slave. And let me get them to you very quickly. First of all, there was what you and I would call forced slavery. And of course, the Bible condemns this over and over. God says, "He that stealeth a man and selleth him shall surely be put to death." So God specifically in the book of Deuteronomy forbade anyone from stealing and selling a child of Israel. And then secondly, you could become a slave for punishment of a crime, according to Exodus chapter 22 and verse 3. Thirdly, you could become a slave because of debt, Deuteronomy 15 and verse 12.
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Fourthly, you could—and I'm going to explain this today—you could become a slave by virtue of a curse, Genesis chapter 9 that we just read. And fifthly, you could become a slave voluntarily, according to Deuteronomy 15, Exodus chapter 21. And then of course you could become a slave if you were purchased, and usually those that were purchased had been POWs, or prisoners of war, they were captured in war. And someone says, "Well, I don't know if I like POWs being made slaves." Well, had you rather they be put to death, you see. The POW probably would rather be a slave than be put to death. But anyhow, that is how basically someone became a slave. And then, of course, I pointed out the fact that in the Bible, according to the biblical view of slavery, slaves had rights. Slaves, of course, were circumcised.
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That meant they were identified with the household. They were brought into the covenant in that area. Slaves ate the sacred things. They ate the holy things. Slaves could inherit. Just all kinds of rights that were given in the Bible concerning slavery. So there is indeed a biblical view of slavery.
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Now, I want to begin with Genesis chapter 9 today. Please remember that in the biblical view of slavery, let me put it to you very plainly, slavery originated with God and was regulated by God. There is nothing shameful, embarrassing, or ignominious about the truth of biblical slavery.
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Now, what has happened in this country is this. Liberals and unbelievers who deny Christ and deny the Bible, they try to cast dispersion upon the Word of God with this statement, "But did you know the Bible allows slavery?" Well, of course I know the Bible allows slavery. What's wrong with that? I mean, in other words, like slavery is some inherently evil and sinful way. And remember, I told you last week when we're talking about slavery, I'm not just talking about black slaves, because every race have been slaves at one time or the other. There have been more white slaves than there were black slaves. In fact, there is a huge market for white slaves in the Middle East today. So the truth is that every race has been enslaved. In fact, this happened to a man that I know. He was debating sodomy. In other words, his position was sodomy is wicked and wrong and ungodly.
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And here was the liberal over here saying it was all right. And he says, "No, but the Old Testament and the New Testament condemns it." And the liberal responded that the Bible allows slavery and permits slavery.
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Now, what he was going to do was try to get the preacher who was opposing sodomy to say, "But slavery is wrong." Now, if he said slavery was wrong, what was the liberal going to say next? "Well, then the laws against sodomy are wrong as well." You see what I'm saying? So you cannot deny any of the truth of God's Word. If someone says, "Well, the Bible allows slavery," you say, "Well, yes, it does. But there is a biblical view of slavery, and the slavery that the Bible allows is regulated by God."
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Now let me tell you something, folks. You and I do not need to defend the Word of God. We need to use the Word of God and proclaim the truth of it. Everything that God does and everything that God says is holy, just, righteous, and wise. So consequently, then, slavery is never condemned in the Bible. It's never condemned in the Old Testament. It's never condemned in the New Testament. The only thing that is condemned is that aspect of paganism where men were forcibly kidnapped and sold into slavery. In Exodus 21 verse 16, Deuteronomy 24 and verse 7, and then Revelation chapter 18 verses 12 through 13, there is that condemnation for men who capture other men, not only physically, but also spiritually, and sell them into slavery. So even there in those passages, it is not slavery that is being condemned, but rather it is the forced kidnapping and the forced sale of men into slavery. When you come to Genesis chapter 9, you have the first mention of servitude or slavery. Now, we just read from Genesis chapter 9 that Noah planted a vineyard and he drank of the wine and was drunken.
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Now, some have suggested that Noah did not intend to get drunk. I have no idea. The Bible does not make that clear. We do know that drunkenness is a sin. Some say because after the flood, some things were different, and maybe Noah did not know that he would get drunk. I don't know. The Bible doesn't say. All the Bible says is that he was drunk and that he was uncovered in his tent. Then the Bible tells us that Ham, the father of Canaan, went in and saw the nakedness of his father and came out and told his two brothers. Here's something else we don't know. We don't actually know what Ham did. We do not know if he simply laughed at his father, or mocked his father, or made fun of his father, or if he engaged in sodomy. We don't know. The Bible does not say. However, we do know this, that whatever Ham did, it was extremely serious and extremely wicked and vile. Now, how do we know that?
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Let me tell you how. If you look down in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 9 and look in verse 22: "And Ham the father of Canaan saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brethren without." Now the Hebrew word for nakedness is the word ervah. It is translated in our Bibles as shame, unclean, or nakedness. Now this same Hebrew word is used in the Old Testament of the shameful exposure of the body in Genesis 9 verse 22, in Exodus 20 in verse 26, and Ezekiel chapter 16 verses 36 and 37. This same Hebrew word is also used in Leviticus 18 concerning illicit and abnormal sexual practices. And in Deuteronomy chapter 23 in verse 14, the same word is used for human excrement. Now, what Ham did, I know not. Whether he engaged in some wicked sexual perversion or whether he just laughed and made fun of his father and mocked him, which is also contrary to the Bible, I don't know exactly what he did, but whatever he did, it was extremely wicked and ungodly and contrary to decency and order.
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Now, someone's going to come up with a question: "Well, if Ham did it, why was his son Canaan cursed instead of Ham being cursed?" Well, now, there are three possible answers to that. There may be more, but I can give you three. Anyhow, first of all, some would say that the reason Canaan was cursed instead of Ham was because God had already blessed Ham. Look in Genesis chapter 9 and verse 1: "And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth." Now, if God has blessed Noah and his sons, someone would argue, "Well, how could God then turn around and curse Ham?" in the sense that blessings and curses usually cannot abide on the same head at the same time. So some would say theologically the reason Canaan was cursed was because Ham was already blessed. There's another reason, and this is a more biblical reason, I would believe, in Exodus 20, verse 5. If you look there, I can quote it, but I want you to see it.
#17 | 11:36 to 12:50 | cleaned
Look in Exodus 20, verse 5. This is where God is giving the law. Look what the Bible says, Exodus 20, verse 5. In part of the second commandment, where we are not to bow down to graven images, God says in verse 5, "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them. For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me." So the curse could have been passed down to Canaan because what Ham did was an act not only of hatred toward his father, but hatred toward God Himself.
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By the way, let me just emphasize this. And any young kids, I want you to listen. I want you to understand. However you treat your father and your mother is reflective of how you treat God. To dishonor your father and your mother is to dishonor God, who is our Heavenly Father. For God has given father and mother to be in His place over you. And He's given them parental authority, and they have a position of headship over you. So whatever you do to dishonor and disrespect your earthly parents is also dishonor and disrespect for your heavenly Father.
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And so the truth of the matter is what Ham did was very dishonorable and disrespectful, and therefore it could pass down to the son. But there's a third possibility, and that's this: Canaan could also have either participated in what Ham did, or at least concurred, or agreed, or joined with him in mocking his grandfather. If so, then the curse would likely, and rightly, fall upon Canaan as well.
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Now I want you to understand something. Genesis chapter 9 is more than a prophecy. It is more than a prediction. Genesis chapter 9 is a pronouncement. It is a verdict. When Noah awoke and knew what his son had done unto him, the Bible says, verse 24, "And Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his younger son had done unto him." What did he say? He said, "Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren." So he cursed his grandson.
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Now, I want you to understand that no sanction—and I'm using the word sanction there in the form of curse—no sanction or no curse has any merit without the approval and concurrence of God. You remember Balaam tried to curse Israel? God wouldn't let him curse Israel. I could stand up here and curse it. But if God does not concur with that curse, my words are meaningless and empty and void. And so whatever Noah did, God concurred with him, and God brought to pass the curse that Noah pronounced upon Canaan, because the curse that Noah pronounced was exactly what God wanted.
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Now, let me give you a quick quote. Robert L. Dabney, who was a famous Presbyterian theologian, he was aide-de-camp to Stonewall Jackson. He wrote the definitive book on the life and times of Stonewall Jackson. He has theological books, four or five of them that thick, plus other books. In his little booklet, A Defense of Virginia and the South, in this book he is setting forth the biblical position concerning slavery, and in his section on Genesis chapter 9, here is what he said concerning the curse upon Canaan. Listen carefully. I quote, he said, "And we find that it," that is slavery, "was appointed by God as the punishment of and remedy for the peculiar moral degradation of a part of the race. God here ordains that this depravity shall find its necessary restraints, and the welfare of the more virtuous is safeguarded against the depraved by the bondage of the latter."
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So what did he say? He says slavery originated with God. And God pronounced this slavery, this servitude, upon a certain part of the race because of their moral degradation, and because it would also be a safeguard for the righteous. So slavery basically originated with God. It is God's verdict in Genesis chapter 9 upon Canaan and his descendants.
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Now, let me just clarify something for you. You say, "But Brother Weaver, in verse 25 he says, 'Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be.' Verse 26, 'and Canaan shall be his servant.' Verse 27, 'and Canaan shall be his servant.' You say, 'But Brother Weaver, the word is servant, it is not slave.'" May I remind you that the Hebrew word for servant is ebed, which is translated from the Hebrew word avad, which literally means to enslave. It means a bondman, a bondwoman, or a slave. Let me show you how powerful this word is. I want you to hold Genesis 9, but look in your Bibles to the book of Exodus chapter 1 and verse 13. Now, every time I show you a passage, it is going to be the same identical Hebrew word. Watch in Exodus chapter 1, beginning there with verse 13.
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The Bible says, "And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor." Someone tell me what that means. All right, they made them serve with hardship. How did they make them serve? That is, they enslaved them. It's the same Hebrew word. Verse 14, "And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of service or slavery in the field, all their service or slavery wherein they made them slaves was with rigor." The same Hebrew word. So if you deny Genesis chapter 9, that Canaan and his descendants were to be real slaves, then you've got to deny that what the Egyptians did to the Hebrews was not slavery either. Look in your Bibles, if you would, to Exodus chapter 13. Look what God says in Exodus chapter 13, beginning there with verse 3.
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"And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt out of a house of bondage." Literally, it's the same word, out of the house of slavery. "By the strength of hand, the Lord brought you out from this place. There shall no leavened bread be." Look down to verse 14: "And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? That thou shalt say to him by strength of hand, The Lord brought us out from Egypt out of a house of bondage," or out of a house of slavery. So God calls what happened to the Hebrews in Exodus chapter 1, slavery. It's the same exact word in Genesis chapter 9.
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So what Canaan and his descendants were to become were slaves. Now, if you'll look in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 24, verse 18, Deuteronomy chapter 24. We read this passage last week and I explained it, but I just read these passages. But look what God says. Here's the same Hebrew word. He tells Israel, "But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman or a slave in Egypt. And the Lord thy God redeemed thee, hence therefore I command thee to do this thing." Skip down to verse 22: "And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, therefore I command thee to do this thing." So God says, remember that you were slaves, and it is the word slave. Thus the only thing that you can come up with in Genesis chapter 9, the verdict that was pronounced against Canaan was the fact of real slavery.
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Now let me say it again. Biblical slavery is not condemned by God, it was instituted by God.
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Now, let me just show you some other passages in the Old Testament before we ever get to the New Testament of how God blessed men who were slaveholders. Look in Genesis chapter 17. Genesis 17. And let's begin reading there with verse 19—or verse 9, I'm sorry. Genesis 17 and verse 9. "And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou and thy seed after thee in their generation. This is my covenant, which you shall keep between me and you, and my seed after thee. Every man child among you shall be circumcised, and you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you. Every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger which is not of thy seed, he that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised, and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an
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everlasting covenant." Isn't that interesting? God said in verse 12, "Abraham, I'm going to make my covenant with you and with every man in your house. Every man child of yours is to be circumcised, and every man that you buy with money." In other words, every slave that you get. Now, if God was going to condemn slavery, here's an excellent opportunity for him to do so, because he's making the covenant with Abraham. Abraham is not dictating the terms, God is. God could have said, "Abraham, I want to tell you something. I want every man and child that is born of your own blood to be circumcised.
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And by the way, that's all. No slaves, no strangers. We don't want anybody else." But God says, "No. Everybody that you buy with your money. Every male, you circumcise him as well." And so God, instead of condemning Abraham for holding slaves, God makes allowances for Abraham to hold slaves. And he says, "You bring them into the covenant. They are to be circumcised as well."
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Now, look in Genesis 14. Let's go back. You say, "Well, you know, Abraham probably had one or two slaves." Oh, well, watch this. Lot has been captured by these heathen kings, and Abraham is going to rescue him. "And when Abraham heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants," that is, his trained slaves, "born in his own house, 318, and pursued them unto death." Now, if a man had 318 trained slaves that were born in his own house, how many did he have that were not born in his own house? I mean, that's 318 men that were born to him. What about the women?
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They had to have wives. And certainly there were daughters as well as sons. Here's just 318 trained fighting slaves. If each man had a wife, that's 636. And each one of those men had sisters, that's another 318. Probably Abraham had several thousand slaves, if the truth was known. Look in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 20. Genesis 20 verse 14. Here is where Abimelech had sinned against Abraham and against God in taking Sarah. And God comes to Abimelech in a dream and says, "If you touch her, you're dead, man. I'll kill you. You give her back to Abraham. You make restitution." Verse 14: "And Abimelech took sheep and oxen and men's servants and women's servants and gave them unto Abraham and restored him, Sarah, his wife." Did you hear that? "And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, men's servants and women's servants." Let's translate that: Abimelech took male slaves and women's slaves and gave them unto Abraham. So here Abraham got some more slaves that were not born in his own house.
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I don't know how many. It was plural. It's more than one. That's for sure. Look in Genesis chapter 24 and verse 35. Here's what Eliezer says to Rebekah's parents when he goes to get the bride for Isaac. Verse 34, "And he said, I am Abraham's servant." Let's translate it, "I am Abraham's slave. And the Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great, and he has given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and men's servants," that is, male slaves, "and female slaves, and camels and asses."
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Now, whoa, whoa, let me back up. "And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly, and he is become great, and he the Lord hath given him." What did God give Abraham? Flocks, herds, silver, gold, and slaves. Men and women. Camels and asses. God gave them to Abraham.
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Now is slavery inherently wrong? No. God gave slaves to Abraham. Look in Genesis chapter 26. Genesis 26, beginning there with verse 12.
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"Then Isaac sowed in the land and received in the same year a hundredfold, and the Lord blessed him. And the man waxed great and went forward, and grew until he became very great. For he," that is Isaac, "had possessions of flocks, and possessions of herds, and great store of servants," or slaves. "And the Philistines envied him."
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Now let me just stop. Do you remember that Abraham and Isaac are two of the most revered patriarchs in the Bible? And these two patriarchs were two great slaveholders. And may I remind you that Abraham, who is called the father of the faithful, is also called the friend of God.
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Now let me ask you a question. Is holiness and godliness and righteousness incompatible with owning slaves? No. For Abraham was a righteous man and a godly man. So just because someone owns slaves does not mean that that individual is inherently evil. Let me show you something. Look back in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 16. Someone tell me who Sarah's handmaiden was. The Egyptian woman, what was her name? Do you remember? I didn't hear you. Hagar. Now, you remember when Sarah, it looked as if she could not conceive, she told Abraham, "You go into my handmaiden.
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And you have a child by her." And he did. Well, I can tell you why God wants you to have one wife. Two women just can't get along. And so when Sarah saw that Hagar was indeed expecting, the restriction—and she was so hard on Hagar that Hagar ran away with the child. Now watch this. Genesis chapter 16, beginning there with verse 7. "And the angel of the Lord found her," that is Hagar, "found her by the way." Who's the angel of the Lord?
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That is what we call a Christophany, which is a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ in the Old Testament, before He ever became flesh. So this is Christ. "And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way of Shur, and he said, Hagar, Sarah's maid, whence comest thou, and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarah. And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself unto her hands. And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered or multitude." Ah, what did the Lord tell Hagar? "You go back and submit."
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He didn't say, "It's over with, you made your escape, don't you go back to that slaveholding woman." No, he says, "You go back." Look at Numbers chapter 31. I don't have time to give you the whole context of this, but when the men went out to war, and God blessed them, and they came back victorious, they would come back with a large number of captives. And these captives then were made slaves.
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And let me show you something interesting. Look what God says in verse 30: "And of the children of Israel's half," in other words, the slaves were divided between the people of Israel and the soldiers who went to the war. Now, the soldiers who went to the war got a little more booty than the people, because they took the risk, OK? But look what God says: "And if the children of Israel's half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty of the persons," that is of the people, "of the beeves, of the asses, and of the flocks of all manner of beasts, and give them unto the Levites, which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the Lord." Now what did God say? God said, "If some of those people you take one out of fifty and you give to the Levites so they can use them as their slaves around the tabernacle, around the temple." Look in verse 47: "Even of the children of Israel's half, Moses took one portion of fifty, both of man and of beast, and gave them unto the Levites, which kept the charge of the tabernacle of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses."
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So slaves were even given to the Levites to help them with their strenuous duties around the tabernacle and around the temple. Now you say, "But Brother Weaver, all that's Old Testament." Yes, it is. And I always like to remind people we don't have two Bibles, we have one Bible. And the Old Testament is just as authoritative as the New Testament. And God does not change. God is immutable. He is unchangeable.
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So you've got to ask yourself this question: Does the New Testament contradict the Old Testament? Is slavery condemned in the New Testament while it is regulated and allowed in the Old Testament? Well, let me begin by telling you that the Greek word for slave is the word doulos. And it literally means a slave or a bondman. It is from the Greek word deo, which means I bind or I enslave or I make a slave.
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Now, in Leviticus chapter 25 and verse 44, turn there just one second. We read this last week. I'm not going to dwell on it now. Leviticus 25 verse 44. Look what God says, Leviticus 25, verse 44. He says, "...both by bondmen and by bondmaids, that is, your slaves, both men and women, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you. Of them shall you buy bondmen and bondwomen." So you could biblically buy slaves of the heathen. I explained why last week. Now, the reason I'm pointing out this verse is when you come to the word bondmen and bondmaids in the Septuagint—do you remember what the Septuagint is? The Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. The Septuagint was in existence during the time of Christ and the apostles. They even quoted it from the Septuagint. But the Septuagint is a Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, and when you get to the Septuagint in Leviticus 25 in verse 44, for bondmen and bondwomen, you come up with the word doulos, the same New Testament word.
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Now, doulos is used metaphorically in the New Testament in Acts chapter 4 in verse 29, in Acts chapter 16 in verse 17, and in Romans chapter 1 in verse 7, of the apostles themselves and really and truly of all of God's people. Paul delighted to call himself the bondservant of Jesus Christ. He says, "Paul, the servant of Jesus Christ." And every time you see the word servant, it is literally "Paul, the bondslave of Jesus Christ." And Paul used that word to express God's purchase, God's ownership, and God's authority over his apostles and their obedience that was due to him. Now, one will search the New Testament in vain for a condemnation of slavery or of holding slaves. The mere absence of a condemnation of slaveholding in the New Testament is proof that it is not unlawful.
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Now, you've got to remember this. Christ and his disciples preached in the midst of slaves and slaveholders. You see, in the time of Christ, the institution of slavery was extremely prevalent. And unhappily, in our worst times, most of it was pagan slavery instead of biblical slavery. I'm sure there were some Hebrews who had some slaves, I understand that. But when you talk about Rome, you're talking about pagan slavery. And yet you can search the New Testament vain to try to find a condemnation of slavery. If you will study the New Testament, you will find that the apostles many times listed the prevalent sins of their day. And some of those lists are extremely minute. You'll find them in Romans 1, Galatians 5, Matthew 15, Colossians 3, 2 Timothy 3. But you can search all of these lists that refer to the prevalent sins of their day, and you will never find the sin of holding slaves. It's not listed.
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It just simply is not there. So the New Testament does not condemn slavery. If Christ opposed slavery, as I said last week, he would never have used the analogy of a slave to his own self. And if you turn in your Bibles, and I want you to, to Luke chapter 7, I want to show you where Christ had an excellent opportunity to set the record straight on slavery. Luke chapter 7, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Luke 7, verse 1. Watch carefully. We'll read through verse 10. Luke 7, verse 1.
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"Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum. And a certain centurion's servant..." First of all, someone tell me what a centurion is. I didn't hear you. Two or three people said it and I still didn't hear it. Alright, he was a soldier. What kind of soldier? A Roman soldier. Okay, he was over a hundred men. Thank you, James. Keep teaching him, Henry.
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Or maybe I should say janitor, whoever's doing it. But he's a Roman centurion. So he's not a Hebrew, is what I'm trying to make. OK? Now watch.
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"Now when he ended," he said in verse 2, "and a certain centurion's servant," the Greek word for servant is doulos, which means slave. "Now a certain centurion's servant or slave who was dear unto him, was sick and ready to die," so he had great regard for this slave. "And when he heard of Jesus, he sent him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus, they saw him instantly saying that he was worthy for whom he should do this."
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Watch what this Roman soldier had done: "For he loved our nation and he had built us a synagogue." So evidently he's very wealthy as well. "Then Jesus went with them, and when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself, for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof. Wherefore, neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee, but say it a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I am also a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth, and to another, Come, and he cometh. And to my servant do this, and he doeth it." And when Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him and turned him about and said unto the people that followed him, "I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not at Israel." And they that were sent returning to the house found the servant whole that had been sent. He said, "Look, Lord, I'm a man under authority.
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I've got slaves. I tell one to come and I tell one to go, and he does exactly what I say. He does it. Lord, you don't have to come to my house. Just speak the word." And our Lord did not say, "You dirty, low-down, slave-holding reprobate." No. Our Lord said, "I have not found so great a faith. No, not in Israel."
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Now, if Christ was going to condemn, here would have been a perfect opportunity. But instead of condemning, He commended. Look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 7. Let me show you that there is nothing inherently evil in being a slave. 1 Corinthians 7. Look what the Apostle Paul writes. 1 Corinthians 7, beginning there with verse 20, God says, "Let every man abide in the same calling where he was called," or the same vocation where he was called. Now look, "Art thou called," that is called in salvation, "Art thou called in the Lord being a servant or being a slave? Art thou called being a servant?" Look what he says. "Care not for it. But if thou mayest be made free, use it rather." Now he explains, "For he that is called in the Lord being a servant is the Lord's free man. Likewise, also he that is called being free is Christ's servant." Now let's go back to verse 21. "Art thou called being a servant? Care not for it." What's he saying? Don't try to get on being a slave.
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There's nothing wrong being a slave. He says, "But if thou mayst be made free, use it rather." If you can get free, he says, and use your freedom to serve me more acceptably, fine, go for it. Then he explains why he says that. Watch. "For he that is called in the Lord being a slave is the Lord's free man." He says, "I free you." Look. Then he says, "Likewise also he that is called being free is Christ's slave." So there's nothing inherently wrong with simply being a slave. Nothing sinful about it.
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I wish I had time to tell you many of the great men that we know and read about were once slaves themselves. A multitude. Every one of us loved to sing Amazing Grace. John Newton. He was a slave. He worked on a slave ship. He himself was a slave at one time, and escaped.
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Now the point I'm trying to make is, there's nothing sinful in and of itself in being a slave. Just like there's nothing sinful in being a ditch digger, or a diesel mechanic, or a gas man, or a veterinary. Nothing's sinful in those occupations in and of themselves.
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Now, let me show you something else. You remember the message that I preached several weeks ago on the theological revolution? I showed you where broken churches resulted in a broken nation. And the abolitionists, those in the north, wanted to keep those southern men who held slaves out of the church. They wanted them excommunicated and they wanted them disciplined. I want to show you that in the New Testament, slaveholders were fully admitted into church membership.
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Look in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 10. And I'm not going to take time to read the entire passage, but here we have another centurion, another Roman soldier. The Bible says there was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian Band. Now, he was a centurion. Watch verse 7. "And when the angel who spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants," or two of his slaves, "and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually." So the man is a slaveholder, all right?
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He sent them to Peter, and of course Peter came and preached to him, and they were converted. Now skip down to verse 47. Look what Peter says. "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, who received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord, and they prayed him to tarry with them certain days." They were baptized.
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They were admitted into full fellowship of the church and Cornelius was a slaveholder. It didn't matter to Peter. Look in your Bibles to the book of Philemon, chapter 1. We hit this passage a little bit last week. You see, Peter never rebuked Cornelius for holding slaves. Rather, he administered a New Testament ordinance upon him, that is, he baptized him. Now, remember last week I pointed out that Philemon, the little book of Philemon, right before Hebrews, you remember that Philemon was a slaveholder. In fact, he had a fleshly brother, Onesimus, who was one of his slaves. Now, let's read Philemon chapter 1, because there's only one chapter there, verse 1: "Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy, our brother, unto Philemon, our dearly beloved and fellow laborer, and unto our beloved Athia and Archippus, our fellow soldier, and to the church in thy house." Now, where was the church? It was in Philemon's house. Now, let's go back to verse 1. "Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy, our brother, unto Philemon, our dearly beloved, and what?
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Fellow laborer." That is a term that is used to express the fact that Philemon was a pastor. He pastored the church that met in his house. And what did Paul do after Onesimus, the runaway slave, was converted? He sent him back. And here Philemon was a pastor and held slaves. So very clearly, there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, let me point something out. Paul never rebukes Philemon for holding slaves. He sent Onesimus back. Let me show you two passages and we're going to turn back to these just momentarily.
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We'll look in Colossians chapter 1 and Ephesians 1. Go ahead and find Ephesians and then Colossians. We'll read Colossians 1 verse 1. Colossians 1. Look if you would please at verse 2. Now, I want you to remember that the book of Colossians is written to the Colossian church. OK, verse two: "To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ, which are at Colossae. Grace be unto you and peace from God, our Father, Lord Jesus Christ." So Paul is writing to the saints and the faithful brethren who are in Christ in the church at Colossae. Now look what he writes to some of the church members in chapter 4 and verse 1. Chapter 4, verse 1.
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"Masters, given to your servants," or your slaves, "that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have a master in heaven." What is our conclusion? Since Colossians 1 and verse 2 tells us that this epistle was written to the faithful and to the saints which were in the church at Colossae, and you come to chapter 4, verse 1, and he says, "Masters, you give to your slaves that which is just and equal," what is our conclusion? There were slaveholders in the church at Colossae. If there were not, why would Paul even be telling them to give that which was just and equal to their slaves? Look in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 1. Verse 1, "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus." So he's writing to the Ephesian church. Look in chapter 6 of Ephesians and verse 9. Chapter 6, verse 9: "And you masters do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening, knowing that your master also is in heaven, neither is there respect of persons with him."
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Ah, so there were slaveholders in the church at Ephesus as well. For Paul writes them and says, "May I remind you that you yourself are a slave to the Lord, and your master..." Now, evidently slaveholders were admitted into full fellowship and membership of local churches in New Testament times. There was not a problem.
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Now, let me show you. Very quickly, we're going to cover just several passages. Instead of condemning slavery in the New Testament, the New Testament lays down the duties of slaves to their masters, and of masters to their slaves. Look in your Bibles, since we're there, in Ephesians 6. Let's begin reading there with verse 5. Ephesians 6, verse 5. "Servants," let's read it like it is, "Slaves, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh.
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with fear and trembling and singleness of your heart as unto Christ. Not with eye service as men pleasers, but as a service of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart." Now let me stop. I want you to understand that what he is telling these Christian slaves is, you don't just do what's right out of eye service for men. You do what's right for the honor and the glory of God. He says, "doing the will of God from the heart." Verse 7, "with good will, doing service or servitude as unto the Lord and not unto men, knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free." And now, God says, "and you masters, you who are over these slaves, you do the same things unto them."
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In other words, you treat them biblically and scripturally, forbearing threatening, knowing that your master also is in heaven, neither is there any respect of persons with him. In other words, if you treat your servants, your slaves, ill, God will treat you ill as well. You mistreat them, God will mistreat you. Look in your Bible to the book of Colossians chapter 3. Colossians chapter 3. Begin there with verse 22. "Servants" or slaves. It's the word doulos. "Slaves, obey in all things your masters, according to the flesh."
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That is, they've got the rule over you. "Servants, obey in all things your masters, according to the flesh, not with eye service as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God. And whatsoever you do, do it heartily as unto the Lord, and not unto men, knowing the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ." Did you hear that? You think you may be serving your master, but you're actually serving the Lord Christ in your servitude. So you do it as in the Lord. Verse 25, "But he that doeth wrong," he's talking to the slaves now, "but he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done, and there is no respect of persons." God will judge a wicked slave just like He will judge a wicked master. Verse 1, "Masters, given to your service that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven." So once again, here are the regulations set down that regulates the conduct between slaves and masters, masters and slaves.
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Look in your Bibles to 1 Timothy 6. 1 Timothy 6, beginning there with verse 1. 1 Timothy 6, verse 1. "Let as many servants as are under the yoke..." Ah, let as many slaves as are under the yoke, "count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And they that have believing masters," Christian masters, ah, you can be a Christian and hold slaves, huh? You can be a Christian and be church members, yes. "And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather do them service because they are faithful and beloved partakers of the benefit.
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These things teach and exhort. If any man teach otherwise, then he consent not to the wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the doctrine which is according to godliness. He is proud, knowing nothing but doting about questions and strife, and words whereof come at the envy, strife, railings, evils, surmisings." Now let's stop there. Hold that passage. We're going to come right back to that.
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So God says that the servants are to do their masters well, and those that have believing masters must pay special attention that they do not despise them, but they work with them. Look in your Bibles to the book of Titus, chapter 2. Just over a couple of pages, Titus, chapter 2. Notice verse 9. Titus, chapter 2, verse 9. "Exhorts servants to be obedient unto their own master, and to please them well in all things, not answering again, not purloining, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God and our Savior in all things." Isn't that amazing? Exhort slaves to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things, not talking back, not acting slothfully, but showing good faith. Why? That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. So just because a man is a slave, does not mean that he is not the servant of God, and that he cannot adorn the doctrine of God. Look in 1 Peter chapter 2.
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1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 18. 1 Peter 2 verse 18.
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1 Peter 2, verse 18. "Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear." Slaves, be subject to your master with all fear or with all reverence, "not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward." Here's someone that may not be so loving or so kind. God said, that doesn't matter. You still be subject with all reverence, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. Watch. "For this is thankworthy. If a man for conscience toward God endured grief, suffering wrongfully.
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For what glory is it if when you be buffeted for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently. This is acceptable with God." And then he goes on and he uses the example of Christ: "For even hereunto were you called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should likewise follow in his steps, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, who when he was reviled, reviled not again. When he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judged it righteously."
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And what does he do? He tells servants that they are to do what is right, not only to those who are good and gentle, but to the froward, and when they are suffering for conscience's sake, he's comparing the example of Christ. He says, you suffer for doing what's right, not for doing what's wrong. These are the regulations in the New Testament.
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Now, I want you to go back to 1 Timothy chapter 6. I want to show you God's estimate of abolitionism.
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Are you ready? Let's go to 1 Timothy 6, verse 1. "Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed." Now he says, "Let as many slaves as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed, and they that have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather do them service because they are faithful
#80 | 1:00:43 to 1:01:15 | cleaned
and beloved partakers of the benefit." Now look what Paul tells Timothy. "These things teach and exhort." Teach and exhort what? You teach and exhort the slaves to be obedient to their masters, that the word of God be not blasphemed. And if you've got a believing master, you do them service. You be faithful to them because they are benefactors, that is, they are recipients of the grace of God themselves. This is what I want you to teach. Now look what he says in verse 3. "If any man teach otherwise," that is differently from verses 1 and 2, "and consent not to the wholesome words," that is what he said in verses 1 and 2, "even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness." So, this is godly doctrine. He said, "If any man teach otherwise, what is he?
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He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strides of words whereupon come envies, strifes, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, destitute of the truth. Supposing that gain is godliness, from such withdraw thyself."
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Now what does God say about abolitionists? They're perverse. They're in error. And then what does God recommend for the remedy? Secession. "From such, withdraw thyself." That's basically what the South tried to do in 1860.
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Now, the point I'm trying to make is this, folks. Slavery is not wrong in and of itself. There is indeed a biblical slavery.
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Now, I want to try to deal with some of the things connected with this historically in the coming weeks, but let me tell you. This in no wise excuses or glosses over any of the mistreatment of any slave, white, black, pink, purple, or yellow. You follow what I'm saying? Just because there is a biblical truth concerning slavery does not give anyone any right to mistreat or abuse a slave.
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Rather, what God does, God says, here's the regulations, here are how you are to treat slaves, and here how slaves are to treat their masters. And I'm going to show you, and I believe I can prove to you, that although there were occasional cases of abuse in the South, I don't deny that, because not all men are Christians. By and large, what we have swallowed is abolitionist propaganda, and it's a myth. It's not true. And I can give you the words out of the slaves' own mouths where they thank God that they were brought to this country as slaves. I don't know about you, but I'm just thankful God even allowed me to be born in this country.
#86 | 1:03:47 to 1:04:51 | cleaned
How I got here is immaterial, but this is where the gospel was for the longest. It's about the only place it still is. I don't know for how much longer. But there is indeed a biblical view of slavery. Don't let anyone try to load you with guilt and say, "You need to make reparations for what your forefathers did." No. What our forefathers did was not evil in and of itself. That does not mean that some of our forefathers did not act evilly and wickedly themselves, and if they did, they are responsible for their own sins. I'm not. If Ed jumps up and runs over there and jumps on Chester and beats him to a pulp, I'm not responsible for that. Now, if I see it happening and I don't try to stop it, then I've got some responsibility. But Ed is responsible for his actions. I'm not.
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And when someone tries to lay a collective guilt upon you, let me tell you something, folks. If I can make you feel guilt, if I can make you sense that you're guilty, I can manipulate you. I can control you. That's all we've had in our country for the last hundred years. Politics by guilt. Guilt and pity. They either make you guilty or try to make you feel sorry for somebody so they can manipulate you.
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Slavery is not wrong in and of itself. You can be a Christian master, and you can be a Christian slave. There's nothing sinful in either position. Let's pray. Father, thank You for Your love. Thank You for Your grace and mercy. We rejoice today that Your Word is truth. We may not always understand, but we bow to it, and we believe it. We ask, Father, that You would teach us, build us up in the most holy faith. In Thy name we pray. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T02:28:40Z

Where We Are & How We Got Here # 5 of 14

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver continues his series on a biblical view of slavery, arguing that slavery is not inherently evil but was instituted and regulated by God. He examines Genesis 9, where Noah curses Canaan to be a servant of servants, as the origin of biblical slavery. Weaver distinguishes between pagan slavery (condemned) and biblical slavery (ordained by God), and demonstrates from both Old and New Testaments that slaveholding is not sinful, that godly patriarchs and New Testament believers owned slaves, and that the apostles regulated master-slave relationships rather than abolishing them. He concludes that abolitionist teaching is contrary to sound doctrine and that collective guilt for historical slavery is unbiblical.

Introduction and Review of the Series

Weaver reviews the series on slavery, emphasizing that cultural shifts follow theological shifts, and recaps the distinction between biblical and pagan slavery.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 9:20-27

"And Noah began to be a husbandman, and he planted a vineyard. And he drank of the wine and was drunken, and he was uncovered within his tent."

Scripture Reading — Genesis 9:20-27

"Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren."

And he said,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 9:20-27

"Blessed be the Lord God of Shem, and Canaan shall be his servant. God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem, and Canaan shall be his servant."

Ways a Person Could Become a Slave

Weaver lists biblical means of becoming a slave: forced (condemned), punishment for crime, debt, curse, voluntary, and purchase as prisoners of war.

Slavery Originated with God and Is Regulated by God

Weaver asserts that biblical slavery is not shameful; it was instituted by God and is never condemned in Scripture, only the kidnapping and selling of persons is condemned.

The Curse on Canaan in Genesis 9

Weaver expounds Genesis 9:20-27, arguing that Noah's curse on Canaan was a divine verdict establishing slavery for moral degradation, and that the Hebrew word 'ebed' means slave.

Scripture Reading — Exodus 20:5

"Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them. For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me."

The Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 1:13-14

"And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor."

Someone tell me what that means. All right, they made them serve with hardship. How did they make them serve? That is, they enslaved them. It's the same Hebrew word. Verse 14,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 1:13-14

"And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of service or slavery in the field, all their service or slavery wherein they made them slaves was with rigor."

Scripture Reading — Exodus 13:3,14

"And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt out of a house of bondage."

Literally, it's the same word, out of the house of slavery.

Scripture Reading — Exodus 13:3,14

"By the strength of hand, the Lord brought you out from this place. There shall no leavened bread be."

Look down to verse 14:

Scripture Reading — Exodus 13:3,14

"And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? That thou shalt say to him by strength of hand, The Lord brought us out from Egypt out of a house of bondage,"

or out of a house of slavery. So God calls what happened to the Hebrews in Exodus chapter 1, slavery. It's the same exact word in Genesis chapter 9.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 24:18,22

"But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman or a slave in Egypt. And the Lord thy God redeemed thee, hence therefore I command thee to do this thing."

Skip down to verse 22:

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 24:18,22

"And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, therefore I command thee to do this thing."

Now let me say it again. Biblical slavery is not condemned by God, it was instituted by God.

Old Testament Patriarchs as Slaveholders

Weaver shows that Abraham, Isaac, and others owned many slaves, and God blessed them and even gave them slaves, proving slaveholding is not incompatible with righteousness.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 17:9-13

"And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou and thy seed after thee in their generation. This is my covenant, which you shall keep between me and you, and my seed after thee. Every man child among you shall be circumcised, and you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you. Every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger which is not of thy seed, he that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised, and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an

Scripture Reading — Genesis 14:14

"And when Abraham heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants,"

that is, his trained slaves,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 14:14

"born in his own house, 318, and pursued them unto death."

Now, if a man had 318 trained slaves that were born in his own house, how many did he have that were not born in his own house? I mean, that's 318 men that were born to him. What about the women?

Scripture Reading — Genesis 20:14

"And Abimelech took sheep and oxen and men's servants and women's servants and gave them unto Abraham and restored him, Sarah, his wife."

Did you hear that?

Scripture Reading — Genesis 20:14

"And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, men's servants and women's servants."

Let's translate that: Abimelech took male slaves and women's slaves and gave them unto Abraham. So here Abraham got some more slaves that were not born in his own house.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 24:35

"I am Abraham's slave. And the Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great, and he has given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and men's servants,"

that is, male slaves,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 24:35

"and female slaves, and camels and asses."

Now is slavery inherently wrong? No. God gave slaves to Abraham. Look in Genesis chapter 26. Genesis 26, beginning there with verse 12.

New Testament Evidence for Biblical Slavery

Weaver argues that the New Testament never condemns slavery; Jesus commended a centurion slaveholder, and Paul regulated master-slave relations in churches.

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 25:44

"...both by bondmen and by bondmaids, that is, your slaves, both men and women, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you. Of them shall you buy bondmen and bondwomen."

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 7:20-22

"Let every man abide in the same calling where he was called,"

or the same vocation where he was called. Now look, "Art thou called,

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 7:20-22

" that is called in salvation, "

Art thou called in the Lord being a servant or being a slave? Art thou called being a servant?" Look what he says. "Care not for it. But if thou mayest be made free, use it rather." Now he explains,

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 7:20-22

"For he that is called in the Lord being a servant is the Lord's free man. Likewise, also he that is called being free is Christ's servant."

Now let's go back to verse 21.

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 7:20-22

"Art thou called being a servant? Care not for it."

What's he saying? Don't try to get on being a slave.

Look in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 10. And I'm not going to take time to read the entire passage, but here we have another centurion, another Roman soldier. The Bible says

Scripture Reading — Acts 10:1-2,7,47-48

there was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian Band.

New Testament Regulations for Slaves and Masters

Weaver cites Ephesians 6, Colossians 3-4, 1 Timothy 6, Titus 2, and 1 Peter 2 to show that the apostles gave duties to slaves and masters, not abolition.

1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 18. 1 Peter 2 verse 18.

God's Estimate of Abolitionism and Conclusion

Weaver interprets 1 Timothy 6:1-5 as condemning abolitionist teaching as proud and corrupt, and concludes that slavery is not inherently sinful; collective guilt is rejected.

Now, I want you to go back to 1 Timothy chapter 6. I want to show you God's estimate of abolitionism.

Where We Are & How We Got Here # 5 of 14

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	1220415036
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Revelation Themes and Eschatological Applications
Genre	Sermon
Date	1998-07-26
Dictation Name
Book	Book 119: Where We Are & How We Got Here — Chapter 5
Source Timed Segments	89

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Review of the Series: Weaver reviews the series on slavery, emphasizing that cultural shifts follow theological shifts, and recaps the distinction between biblical and pagan slavery.
Ways a Person Could Become a Slave: Weaver lists biblical means of becoming a slave: forced (condemned), punishment for crime, debt, curse, voluntary, and purchase as prisoners of war.
Slavery Originated with God and Is Regulated by God: Weaver asserts that biblical slavery is not shameful; it was instituted by God and is never condemned in Scripture, only the kidnapping and selling of persons is condemned.
The Curse on Canaan in Genesis 9: Weaver expounds Genesis 9:20-27, arguing that Noah's curse on Canaan was a divine verdict establishing slavery for moral degradation, and that the Hebrew word 'ebed' means slave.
Old Testament Patriarchs as Slaveholders: Weaver shows that Abraham, Isaac, and others owned many slaves, and God blessed them and even gave them slaves, proving slaveholding is not incompatible with righteousness.
New Testament Evidence for Biblical Slavery: Weaver argues that the New Testament never condemns slavery; Jesus commended a centurion slaveholder, and Paul regulated master-slave relations in churches.
New Testament Regulations for Slaves and Masters: Weaver cites Ephesians 6, Colossians 3-4, 1 Timothy 6, Titus 2, and 1 Peter 2 to show that the apostles gave duties to slaves and masters, not abolition.
God's Estimate of Abolitionism and Conclusion: Weaver interprets 1 Timothy 6:1-5 as condemning abolitionist teaching as proud and corrupt, and concludes that slavery is not inherently sinful; collective guilt is rejected.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Slavery cannot be inherently evil because Christ used it as an analogy for Himself

Weaver argues that if slavery were inherently evil, Christ would not have used the slave analogy in Psalm 40 and Hebrews 10, nor called Himself a servant.

Weaver says: 'if slavery is inherently evil in and of itself, then Christ would not be using an analogy of that to compare to himself and his ministry and his mission.'

The Hebrew word 'ebed' in Genesis 9 means slave, not just servant

Weaver argues that the word translated 'servant' in the curse on Canaan is the same word used for the slavery of Israel in Egypt, proving real slavery is meant.

Weaver says: 'the Hebrew word for servant is ebed, which is translated from the Hebrew word avad, which literally means to enslave.'

God blessed slaveholders and gave them slaves

Weaver points to Abraham and Isaac as examples of godly men who owned slaves and were blessed by God with more slaves.

Weaver says: 'God gave slaves to Abraham... And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly, and he is become great, and he the Lord hath given him... slaves.'

Jesus had opportunity to condemn slavery but commended a slaveholder instead

Weaver cites Luke 7:1-10, where Jesus heals a centurion's slave and commends his faith without rebuking his slaveholding.

Weaver says: 'if Christ was going to condemn, here would have been a perfect opportunity. But instead of condemning, He commended.'

Slaveholders were full members of New Testament churches

Weaver argues that the presence of instructions to masters in Colossians and Ephesians proves slaveholders were in those churches without censure.

Weaver says: 'there were slaveholders in the church at Colossae... slaveholders were admitted into full fellowship and membership of local churches in New Testament times.'

1 Timothy 6:1-5 condemns abolitionist teaching

Weaver interprets the passage as a direct condemnation of those who teach contrary to the biblical instructions on slavery, labeling them proud and corrupt.

Weaver says: 'If any man teach otherwise... He is proud, knowing nothing... from such withdraw thyself.'

Scripture References

Genesis 9:20-27: Noah's drunkenness, Ham's sin, and the curse on Canaan establishing servitude.
Exodus 21:16: Condemnation of man-stealing, not slavery itself.
Deuteronomy 24:7: Condemnation of kidnapping and selling persons.
Revelation 18:12-13: Condemnation of those who capture and sell men.
Exodus 20:5: Visiting iniquity of fathers on children, explaining curse on Canaan.
Exodus 1:13-14: Hebrew word for 'serve' is the same as 'slave,' proving Genesis 9 means slavery.
Exodus 13:3,14: God calls Egypt a 'house of bondage' (slavery), same word as Genesis 9.
Deuteronomy 24:18,22: Israel reminded they were slaves in Egypt, same Hebrew word.
Genesis 17:9-13: God commands circumcision of slaves, showing His acceptance of slaveholding.
Genesis 14:14: Abraham had 318 trained slaves born in his house.
Genesis 20:14: Abimelech gave Abraham male and female slaves.
Genesis 24:35: God gave Abraham slaves among other blessings.
Genesis 26:12-14: Isaac had great store of servants (slaves) and was blessed.
Genesis 16:7-9: The angel of the Lord told Hagar to return and submit to Sarah, her mistress.
Numbers 31:30,47: God commanded that slaves be given to the Levites for tabernacle service.
Leviticus 25:44: Israel could buy slaves from surrounding nations; Septuagint uses 'doulos.'
Luke 7:1-10: Jesus heals a centurion's slave and commends his faith without condemning slaveholding.
1 Corinthians 7:20-22: Paul tells slaves not to care about their status; both slave and free are the Lord's.
Acts 10:1-2,7,47-48: Cornelius, a centurion slaveholder, was baptized and received into the church.
Philemon 1:1-2: Philemon, a slaveholder, was a pastor and fellow laborer with Paul.

Historical References

Robert L. Dabney: 19th-century Presbyterian theologian and Stonewall Jackson's aide-de-camp, quoted on Genesis 9 and slavery.
John Newton: Author of 'Amazing Grace,' mentioned as a former slave who worked on a slave ship.
Abolitionist propaganda: Weaver claims that common beliefs about Southern slavery are myths based on abolitionist propaganda.
Southern secession: Weaver likens the biblical command to withdraw from false teachers to the South's attempted secession in 1860.

Important Quotes

slavery originated with God and was regulated by God. There is nothing shameful, embarrassing, or ignominious about the truth of biblical slavery.

Core thesis that biblical slavery is divinely instituted and honorable.

the Hebrew word for servant is ebed, which is translated from the Hebrew word avad, which literally means to enslave.

Linguistic argument that the curse on Canaan meant real slavery.

Abraham and Isaac are two of the most revered patriarchs in the Bible. And these two patriarchs were two great slaveholders.

Uses revered figures to normalize slaveholding.

if Christ was going to condemn, here would have been a perfect opportunity. But instead of condemning, He commended.

Argues Jesus' silence on slavery implies approval.

what does God say about abolitionists? They're perverse. They're in error. And then what does God recommend for the remedy? Secession. 'From such, withdraw thyself.'

Applies 1 Timothy 6 to condemn abolitionism and justify separation.

when someone tries to lay a collective guilt upon you, let me tell you something, folks. If I can make you feel guilt, if I can make you sense that you're guilty, I can manipulate you. I can control you.

Rejects collective guilt for historical slavery as manipulation.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does Weaver distinguish between biblical slavery and pagan slavery, and what are the implications for evaluating historical practices?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that biblical slavery is regulated by God, while pagan slavery involves kidnapping and abuse.

[Question]

What is the significance of the Hebrew word 'ebed' in Genesis 9 for understanding the nature of the curse on Canaan?

[Context]

Weaver argues that 'ebed' means slave, not just servant, linking it to Israel's bondage in Egypt.

[Question]

How does Weaver use the examples of Abraham and Isaac to argue that slaveholding is compatible with righteousness?

[Context]

Weaver points to their wealth in slaves and God's blessing as evidence.

[Question]

Why does Weaver believe Jesus' interaction with the centurion in Luke 7 is significant for the slavery debate?

[Context]

Jesus healed the slave and commended the centurion's faith without condemning slaveholding.

[Question]

What does the presence of instructions to masters in Colossians and Ephesians imply about the early church's view of slavery?

[Context]

Weaver argues it shows slaveholders were full church members without censure.

[Question]

How does Weaver interpret 1 Timothy 6:1-5 as a condemnation of abolitionism, and what are the implications for modern debates?

[Context]

He sees the passage as labeling abolitionist teaching as proud and corrupt, and commands withdrawal.

[Question]

What is Weaver's argument against collective guilt for historical slavery, and how does he connect it to political manipulation?

[Context]

He argues individuals are only responsible for their own sins, and guilt is used to control people.

Applications

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