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SERMON
Well, let's just jump right into it shall we? Today's passage is what
one might call a difficult passage, one with a troubled history.
"Slaves, obey your masters…" This passage is one of several that was
used by some (even by some in the history of our own denomination) to
justify the practice of slavery. It was used as God's stamp of approval
on an evil institution. It was used to keep some people in positions of
power, at the expense of their brothers and sisters in Christ. This
passage was misinterpreted and abused.
I have to admit, I am tempted to avoid all that conflict. I could be
tempted to try and justify this passage, to justify Paul's command, by
whitewashing the ancient world and saying that slavery was "different"
back then, that it wasn't such a big deal. It would be easy to say that
slaves were more like members of the extended family, with a little bit
more in the way of work and a little bit less in the way rights. And to
some small extent, that is even true. But I don't think that is the
answer to this passage. Although some have justified this passage by
minimizing slavery, I'm not going to.
I could, as others have, justify Paul's words by saying that while he
didn't necessarily support slavery, he also didn't really see the need
to challenge it, because he figured that Christ would be returning soon,
and would make big social changes sort of unnecessary. Some have
justified this passage that way, but I'm not going to.
I think any attempts to justify the passage would be unfair to you, and
unfair to the text. Frankly, I don't think this passage really needs
justification. I think that by the time we finish looking at this text,
in its appropriate context, we will either be able to be at peace with
it, or we will be even more uncomfortable with the entirety of Ephesians
and the entirety of the Gospel. But let's just see how the Spirit moves
us.
It's true that if we were to compare slavery in the ancient world with
what we understand slavery to be from the early history of the United
States, we would find that the ancient world was generally a little
better. Slaves had a few more rights. They could own property, could
even own other slaves. Slaves could earn wages and could eventually even
buy their own freedom. But make no mistake, it was still slavery. In the
end it was still human beings owning other human beings. It was still a
situation in which one person had power over another human being's life
and death, and all that was in between.
I'm guessing there aren't many of us here today who would say that
slavery as an institution is ok. So why is it that Paul doesn't seem to
take a stand against it? Why does Paul say "Slaves, obey your masters…"
Why not something like "As for you owners of slaves, I command you in
the Lord, let them go free! And as for you slaves, you are God's people
too, you don't have to put up with this anymore!" This would seem far
more appropriate for our understanding of the gospel of grace. Our
modern sensibilities rebel at Paul's words. "Slaves, obey your masters…"
Even if the people of that time didn't know better, even if they could
not imagine a world without slavery, we should expect that the leaders
of God's church should have. We should expect that those who speak for
our Lord, Jesus Christ, should know better.
And frankly, I'm of the opinion that Paul did know better. I'm of the
opinion that if you read this passage in full context you will encounter
a profoundly liberating equality, and also a profoundly disconcerting
equality. This passage is, of course, a continuation of the past several
weeks, so let's do a quick recap.
From three weeks ago: "Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved
children. Walking in love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up
for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Christ is to be our
model for living. This message is clear; all our living is to be done in
light of who Jesus Christ is and what Jesus Christ has done for us. We
are to copy Christ.
This living is fleshed out further in the household code that we have
been studying the past two weeks. The code opens up with these words:
"Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." I think that
opening verse applies not just to the passages about wives and husbands
that follow, it applies to the whole household code, including today's
passage.
As you heard from Bruce last week, and Alan the week before, the
household code was a cultural understanding that included three areas of
relationships; husband and wife, father and children and slaves and
masters. Paul is addressing an established and accepted cultural
hierarchy. And with that opening verse "Submit to one another…" Paul
changes everything. But to truly understand the difference, we should
know what the accepted belief of the day was. In each of these three
relationships the patriarch, the head of the household, the "papa," had
all the power, all the control. Wives, children and slaves were,
basically, non-persons. They had no rights and, frankly, no hope of
gaining any rights.
And at first glance Paul seems to support that position. Wives are to
submit, children and slaves are to obey. This is the cultural norm. And
it seems that Paul is going to reinforce it, placing God's weight behind
these cultural requirements. So, wives are to submit to their husbands,
"as to the Lord." Children are to obey their parents "in the Lord." And
slaves are to obey their masters "just as you would obey Christ." And
what's more, slaves are to obey "not only to win their favor when their
eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from
your heart."
It kind of looks like Paul has taken an oppressive cultural system and
placed the weight of God behind it. Except that, with that opening verse
about submitting to one another, and again, in each specific
relationship, Paul does something new. Paul turns to the one in power,
the "man in charge" the paterfamilias, and says "You, do
likewise."
It may not necessarily seem like a big thing at first glance. But this
changes everything. For Paul to say to the man of the house, the one who
has, culturally and legally, complete authority… for Paul to say "Love
your wife as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her," or to
say "do not exasperate your children; instead bring them up in the
training and instruction of the Lord," for Paul to say these things is
profound. And then today's passage: "Masters, treat your slaves in the
same way…" In the same way? In the same way means "with respect
and fear," "just as if it were Christ," not only when your slaves are
watching you but at all times "doing the will of God from your heart"
"wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord." It's a big thing to
pass this command on to the masters. Slaves were property, not people.
To quote Aristotle, they were literally viewed as "living tools." And
now Paul is placing them on the same level as those that had always had
complete power over them.
And then this next verse, which I think summarizes the whole household
code so well; "since you know that he who is their Master and yours is
in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him."
Paul, it is true, does not seem to take on or try to reorder any
cultural institutions. Paul takes on and tries to reorder something far
more significant, our hearts. He addresses God's people, husband and
wife, parent and child, master and slave, and says to each of them,
"look to Jesus Christ. Model your relationships with one another on the
relationship God has begun with you in Jesus Christ." If we look at the
character of Jesus Christ, we will find all the other relationships in
our lives falling into place.
I couldn't help but flip a few pages farther from Ephesians to
Philippians as I read this passage about slaves obeying their masters.
Philippians 2:5 and following, explains so well:
"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God
something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very
nature of a slave, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became
obedient to death- even death on a cross! Therefore
God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above
every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven
and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus…"
This passage is called the kenosis passage, kenosis being the Greek word
for "emptying." Jesus Christ possessed all the power, all the authority,
all the rights in the whole universe, and he emptied himself. He let it
go.
Jesus Christ, in very nature God, emptied himself of all his power, all
his rights, and became a slave… an obedient slave. The heart of our
passage today, the heart of the entire household code is found in the
action of Jesus Christ. Jesus had it all, and Jesus let it go, and made
himself a slave. And as Jesus reminded his disciples the night he was
arrested, the very same night that he wrapped a towel around his waist
and performed the lowliest slave's task as he washed their feet… Jesus
reminded them that "no servant is greater than his master, no messenger
is greater than the one who sent him."
In baptism we are united with Christ, sealed by the power of the Holy
Spirit for eternal life. But in this water there is also a laying down.
Even as you take up the new life offered through the sacrifice of Jesus,
you also lay down your own life, your old life. To this baptismal font
we bring all our rights, our power, our authority, our privilege… and we
let it go. Remember your baptism.
It's something that we remember and experience also as we share the
table together. This is the body of Christ, broken for you. As we pass
the bread along we remind one another that we can pick up this new life
because Christ had it and let it go for us. This is the cup of the new
covenant, the new relationship with God, sealed in Christ's blood… shed
for you and for many. We are reminded as we share in the one cup that we
are all in the same position before our Lord. It is not just about us,
for God calls many to his table. It is HE who has done this for us. And
the many that share the table with us are our brothers and sisters in
Christ, we are to serve them.
We are reminded in the sacraments that we are free from the slavery of
sin and death, but we are also sealed for the service of one another and
the world, in obedience to our Lord. This same Lord, this obedient slave
is the model for all our relationships. This is the profoundly troubling
equality. We are called to be slaves to one another out of love for
Christ. Paul doesn't call for the abolition of slavery, Paul calls us to
enter into slavery. Are you ready to give up the power that you hold in
your relationships with others, and turn to them in service? Are you
able to look at those people whom you have contact with every day and
say "today I will be your slave, I will treat you as if you were Christ
himself?"
Wives and husbands, children and parents, slaves and masters… all ya'all,
submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Whatever authority,
whatever power, whatever right, whatever claim you have, bring it to the
cross and let it go. This is the profound equality found in these
passages… it's an equality that is based upon the command for each of us
to be like Christ. If Christ was able to give everything up to be a
slave for you, should you not be able to be slaves for one another? I'll
be the first to admit that it isn't an easy task, but by God's grace we
have one who has gone before us in service and knows the way.
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