Getting Biblical in Daily Life
Slavery
Okay, this topic is totally a no-brainer. Obviously, slavery is a terrible, immoral, awful idea, right? It's not something the Bible could support.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but…
Paul is totally okay with slavery. He actually has a couple really famous pieces of advice for enslaved people:
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as you obey Christ; not only while being watched, and in order to please them, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. Render service with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not to men and women, knowing that whatever good we do, we will receive the same again from the Lord, whether we are slaves or free. (Ephesians 5:5-8)
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched and in order to please them, but wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters, since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong has been done, and there is no partiality. (Colossians 3:22-25)
Yeah, those weren't his finest moments. Basically, Paul is telling slaves to be obedient to the people who own them. He never (even for a second) wonders whether or not God might be a little ticked that some of his people are considered property. Paul just thinks that if slaves are cheerful and work hard, everything will be a-okay. God will see their good work and how they'd suffered and they'll get their reward in Heaven. How…nice?
We gonna go out on a limb and say that's kind of messed up.
If you stopped right there, then we'd be thinking twice about our admiration for Paul. But to his credit, the guy goes on:
Masters, do the same to them. Stop threatening them, for you know that both of you have the same Master in heaven, and with him there is no partiality. (Ephesians 5:9)
Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, for you know that you also have a Master in heaven. (Colossians 4:1)
Okay, so it's no Emancipation Proclamation, but it's a start. Paul is morally fine with the institution of slavery, but he also thinks that masters have some responsibility to their slaves to be at least halfway decent. He reminds the slave owners that everyone is a slave in God's eyes.
Lots of other Bible verses discuss (and endorse) human slavery, but many times, the biblical authors do what Paul does here and put restrictions on how masters could treat and deal with slaves. Israelites could be kept as slaves, but only for seven years (Exodus 21:2). They were allowed to celebrate the Sabbath. You could also get the death penalty for beating a slave to death (Exodus 21:20-21).
Paul also strikes another blow for equality when he says that for believers "there is no longer […] slave and free" (Colossians 3:11). Slaves everywhere totally got their hopes up before he added, "Well, not literally, okay. I mean, you know, still keep being slaves and masters, but well, figuratively we're all free, right?"
Eh, you tried Paul.
Wondering how a guy who thinks that everyone is equal in God's eyes could just give slavery a big ol' shoulder shrug? Well, in the 1st century CE, slavery was just a way of life in the Roman Empire (source). Foreigners and prisoners of war were routinely kept as slaves. Sometimes Romans would even sell their children into slavery. Yeah, it sucked.
Remember, too, that Paul is a pretty big fan of enforcing social and cultural norms. He wants Christians to behave in a way that doesn't attract attention. If any Christians (especially slaves) start getting too lippy, disobedient, and outspoken, it's gonna reflect really poorly on the whole community. Christianity can't risk rocking the boat. Maybe in another 1,800 years they'll be in a better place.
Marriage
Mawwiage. That bwessed awwangement. That dweam within a dweam.
Paul himself never married, but you don't think that would stop him from letting you know all his thoughts about marriage, do you? No way.
Paul actually has some warm and fuzzy things to say about matrimony. He quotes Genesis when he writes that marriage means "a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh" (Ephesians 5:31). Aww. Two become one. Isn't that sweet?
But what about the practical aspects of marriage? How does Paul think man and wife should run their household?
Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church, the body of which he is the Savior. Just as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives ought to be, in everything, to their husbands. (Ephesians 5:22-24)
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. (Colossians 3:18)
Um, okay. That's one way of doing things. Basically, the ideal wife recognizes that her man's in charge and is always on her best behavior at home. No nagging about taking out the trash or complaining that he spends too much time with the boys. Make him a sandwich while you're at it!
Essentially, Paul is reinforcing traditional Roman gender roles. The man was the head of the household and he made all the decisions. He represented the family in public and had total control over his wife, children, and household. The rest of the family just had to do what he said and hope to their gods he wasn't a huge jerk in the process (source).
So social norms upheld? Well, before you rage too much at the patriarchy, check out Paul's advice for husbands:
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word, so as to present the church to himself in splendor, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind—yes, so that she may be holy and without blemish. In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church. (Ephesians 5:25-29)
Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly. (Colossians 3:19)
Notice that he's got a whole lot more to say to husbands. With great power comes great responsibility, gents. Husbands are supposed to love their wives with a capital L. Treat your wife as good as you'd treat yourself. If you need a model for good husbandly behavior, just look at Jesus. He loved his church like you should love a wife. And, remember, he died for her. Yup, that's the standard you're being held to, guys.
Good luck.
This is all part of Paul's big theme in these sections on household management: "Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ" (Ephesians 5:21). Equality is a huge deal today, but 1st century folks didn't worry their pretty little heads about it too much. Men ruled and their women obeyed. That's the way things worked. By saying that husbands and wives each had responsibilities to each other, Paul was being downright radical.
Of course, he is saying that men and women had different roles to play in a marriage. Though some Christians today will argue this is still how a marriage should still be run, most modern couples aren't generally all in on the gender roles. Today, wives work and bring home a paycheck. Men cook and clean and take care of kids. Everybody loves and respects everyone else…if they know what's good for them.
But just because guys and gals are equal, doesn't mean they're not different. After all, men are from Mars and women are from Venus, right?
Or are they?