Titus 2:9 The message to the slaves

Slaves are to be subject to their own owners…

After the exhortations that Titus would directly or indirectly pass on to men and women, the elderly and the young, a separate category now follows: the slaves. After all, being a slave is not a natural given but a social status. And in general it is also an undesirable status. In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul teaches that a slave need not worry about his position, although he also says that when he gets the chance to be freed, he should certainly take it (1 Cor. 7:21).

The instructions given to the slaves in this passage typify the purpose of the Evangel in this eon. That message is not intended to improve the world or reform society. Paul does not advocate the abolition of slavery, nor does he preach revolution. On the contrary!

The slaves are told that they would submit to the position in which they find themselves. In fact, they would please their masters in everything and show themselves compliant! The reason Paul gives for this attitude (see next verse) aptly illustrates that the Evangel is not about changing social structures but about demonstrating the transformative power of the Evangel in human lives!

Delen: