Slavery in the New Testament and Beyond
- Alexander Lang
- 39 minutes ago
- 4 min read
I regularly have authors reach out to me to review their new book. I pass on 99% of the requests either because I don’t have time or because the topic doesn't interest me. However, recently I received a request to review a book that piqued my interest. The name of the book is Ancient Slavery and its New Testament Contexts edited by Dr. Christy Cobb and Dr. Katherine Shaner.
The book is a compilation of different scholars who are experts in the field of slavery in the ancient world. Every scholar’s work occupies a different chapter, delving deep into a specific facet of how slavery functioned as an institution in the ancient world and, in particular, during the New Testament era.
What I appreciated about this book is that it attempts to do something that has never been done before: Dr. Cobb and Dr. Shaner created a work that is both accessible to the lay person without any background in religious studies and provides a measure of depth that will greatly enhance any reader’s understanding of the topic.
Personally, I had no idea that slavery was operating in the background of the New Testament as much as it was. What became abundantly clear to me is that I was missing a large component of the culture context of Jesus' era. Simply put: You’ll never view the New Testament or Jesus’ story the same way after reading this book.
I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to interview both Dr. Cobb and Dr. Shaner about this compelling new work. We not only talked about the book, but we also talked more broadly about the issue of slavery and its persistence throughout history.
Below is the full interview, which I recommend you watch if you have time. However, if you don’t have 50 minutes at your disposal, I’ve cut out some highlights for you to watch below with a short introduction to each segment.
What Did You Learn about Slavery?
One of the first questions I posed to Dr. Cobb and Dr. Shaner might seem odd given they have spent their careers emersed in learning about this topic. As experts in the field of ancient slavery, I wondered if they learned anything new as a result of compiling this book?
To my great delight, they said, "Absolutely!" Their answers helped me to understand why this particular volume turned out to be such a positive contribution to the study of the New Testament. Obviously, as a non-expert in this field, I learned a ton, but if Dr. Cobb and Dr. Shaner are learning, then you know that this process was a worthy endeavor.
Slaves and the Last Supper
Something that becomes strikingly clear when you read their book is that slavery is in the background of everything that happens in the New Testament. Slaves were an integral part of the economic engine that drove both the Roman Empire and region of Judea.
It just so happened that we recorded this interview on Maundy Thursday, the day we remember Jesus' last meal with his disciples during the Passover. I posed the question to Dr. Cobb and Dr. Shaner: Would slaves have been present during the Last Supper?
Slavery: Then vs. Now
One of the biggest reasons why Dr. Cobb and Dr. Shaner wrote this book was to dispel certain myths about slavery in the ancient world. However, one of the myths that we deal with today is that slavery is no longer as prevalent as it was 2000 years ago, when in reality there is more human slavery today than at any other point in human history.
This led to a discussion about slavery in its modern incarnation where we explored the idea that even though slavery in its institutional form has been mostly dismantled, slavery still persists in other ways. Therefore, I posed the question: How can studying ancient slavery help us address the problem of ending modern slavery?
Why Read This Book?
The final question I posed to Dr. Cobb and Dr. Shaner is why the average Christian, with no background in religious studies or interest in New Testament slavery, should invest time and resources into the reading their book?
Ultimately, I asked the question on your behalf because I wanted them to make a case for this work being more than a textbook for college and seminary courses. I found their answers to be both touching and surprising. Watch and see if you agree!
Conclusion
Personally, I greatly enjoyed reading this book! As someone who is always trying to add new layers of context to an ancient manuscript I've read hundreds of times, this book was a breath of fresh air. Dr. Cobb and Dr. Shaner worked very hard to make the chapters accessible to the lay reader. That said, you may not love every chapter as some of the content is designed more for the classroom than the casual reader. However, I guarantee that you will walk away with a much richer understanding of how slaves are the unseen connective tissue that propel the New Testament forward...and, sadly, our world as well.
Again, you can purchase Ancient Slavery and its New Testament Contexts on Amazon.