Mr. Barnes has quoted some few passages of Scripture to which he applies
a meaning we deem erroneous; but we attach no blame to him on this
account; because our English version itself, of the passages referred
to, has a tendency to lead to an inadequate conception of the idea
conveyed by the original. The doctor says, page 128—“That even the
servant that was _bought_ was to have compensation for his labour; and
there are some general principles laid down, which, if applied, would
lead to that: thus, _Jer._ xxii. 13, 'Wo unto him that buildeth his
house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that uses his
neighbour’s _service_ without wages, and giveth him not for his work.'”
He quotes this same passage for the same purpose, pp. 353 and 360, and
seems to regard it as a secure pillar, and on which he founds his
doctrines. The words, “_that_ useth his neighbour’s service without
wages, and giveth him not for his work,” are translated from
מִשְׁפָּ֑ט בְּרֵעֵ֨הוּ֙ יַֽעֲבֹ֣ד חִנָּ֔ם וּפֹֽעֲל֖וֹ לֹֽא יִתֶּן־לֽוֹ׃
The passage admits of two additional readings, thus: _Who shall judge
for a neighbour as to his slave undeservedly no wages, no gifts_; or,
_Who shall have adjudged as to his neighbour that he shall slave
himself, undeservedly or gratuitously, without wages or reward_. The
meaning is: _Who shall corruptly judge that his neighbour shall not
receive wages or compensation for the services of his slave_; or, that
the neighbour himself shall so slave himself to another without wages or
compensation. The word עֶבֶד _a slave_ is often used as a verb, to
express such action as would be that of a slave.
On page 67, Mr. Barnes says—“The word, ἀνδραποδίστης, _andrapodistĕs_,
occurs once, 1 _Tim._ i. 10, with the most marked disapprobation of the
thing denoted by it. ‘The law is made for murderers of fathers,
murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for
_man-stealers_, for liars,’ &c.”
The truth is, that the word δουλος, _doulos_, is the peculiar word to
denote slavery, and is so used in the New Testament and everywhere else;
but this word also means _slave_, &c., and is never used disconnected
from the idea of slavery, but carries with it the idea of some change,
as to _place_, _condition_, _possession_, or _ownership_. We shall
notice how some men are striving to change the Greek, as to the meaning
of the word δοῦλος, _doulos_, because, unless they do so, the New
Testament is strongly against them. However, of the word used in 1 Tim.
i. 10, ἀνδραποδισταῖς, _andrapodistais_, it is true, that it is used
“with the most marked disapprobation of the thing denoted by it;” and it
is just as true that the thing denoted by it is _the stealing and
enticing away other men’s slaves_! _Slave-stealers_ is its only and
legitimate meaning in the place used. Had St. Paul intended to express
the idea, _men-stealers_, he would have used the word ἀνθροποκλεπταῖς,
_anthropokleptais_; which would have expressed the very thing wanted by
Mr. Barnes. We shall examine these words in another portion of our
study. But Mr. Barnes does not appear to be aware why it was that St.
Paul instructed Timothy that the law was made for _slave-stealers_: for
whose benefit we will explain; and by which explanation he will learn
that the abolitionists commenced their labours during the days of the
apostles. From some of the relations of Christianity, not well
understood by the Gentile churches, the idea was entertained by some
that the operation of Christianity abolished the bonds of matrimony
between a believing and an unbelieving party; that it abolished the
authority of an unbelieving parent over a believing child; that it
abolished slavery in case the slave was converted to the faith, and
especially if the master belonged to the household of God. On these
subjects and others, the Corinthian church addressed St. Paul for
instruction and advice. It is to be regretted that their letter has not
come down to us; but, we can gather what it contained, from the answer
of St. Paul: “Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me.” 1
_Cor._ vii. 1.
Touching the subject before us, see his answer in the 20th to the 25th
verse; and the same subject continued in _Eph._ vi. 5–10; also _Col._
iii. 22–25; he found it necessary to instruct Titus on this subject: see
_Tit._ ii. 9–15, and, finally, as in the passage before us, and also vi.
1–15. St. Peter also found it necessary to correct the errors of these
abolitionists, and to give them instruction on this subject. 1 _Pet._
ii. 18–25.
Had St. Paul regarded slavery as an evil, he certainly had no excuse for
not denouncing it. Nor do we know of any of the early fathers of the
church that did so. St. Ignatius, in his second epistle to Polycarp,
says—“Overlook not the men and maid _servants_. Let them be the more
subject to the glory of God, that they may obtain from him a better
liberty. Let them not desire to be set _free_ at public cost, that they
be not slaves to their own lusts.” See also, _General Epistle of
Barnabas_, xiv. 15: “Thou shalt not be bitter in thy commands towards
any of thy servants that trust in God, lest thou chance not to fear him
who is over both; because he came not to call any with respect to
persons, but whomsoever the Spirit prepared.”
Such is the construction of the human mind, and of human language, that
whenever a thing is made a subject of remark, or merely brought to mind,
it, of necessity, must be so, in one of three positions: either a thing
to be commended; to be reprehended; or as a thing of total indifference.
A glaring sin and gross evil could not have been a thing of indifference
to Jesus Christ and his apostles. They, therefore, cannot be supposed to
have acted honestly in not condemning a sin, when by them mentioned, or
brought to mind. It is a supposition too gross for refutation!
But it is conceded by Mr. Barnes, page 260, that “the apostles did not
openly denounce slavery as an evil, or require that those who were held
in bondage should be at once emancipated. * * * These things seem to me
to lie on the face of the New Testament; and whatever argument they may
furnish to the advocates of slavery in disposing of these facts, it
seems plain that the facts themselves cannot be denied.”
The facts, then, must stand in commendation and approval. They cannot be
got rid of by arguing ever so ingeniously, that Jesus Christ and his
apostles were cunning; that they acted with prudence; that they
dexterously taught it to be an evil by implication; or that they acted
with deep-seated and far-reaching expediency; nor by any other
subterfuge by which the enemies of God are striving to mould his essence
and character into an idol to suit themselves.
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