Paul’s letter to Philemon in the New Testament has a fascinating back story. The apostle sent a runaway slave, Onesimus, back to his owner, Philemon, and asked Philemon to welcome him back, forgiving him of any wrongdoing and, if necessary, charging it to Paul’s account. In the Holman QuickSource Guide to Understanding the Bible, Bible scholar Kendell H. Easley explains,
Onesimus, one of Philemon’s slaves, had evidently stolen money from his master and then run away to Rome (v. 18). Somehow Onesimus had made his way to the house where Paul was under arrest, and he had been converted to Christ. His life had been transformed, and he had become a useful helper to Paul.
Paul, however, concluded that it was right for Onesimus to return to his master, even though Philemon had every legal right to deal with Onesimus harshly. Severe floggings were common punishments when runaway slaves were caught. Paul therefore wrote this letter to urge Philemon to forgive Onesimus and to treat him gently (vv. 17-18). Paul also alerted Philemon of his plans to visit him whenever he was released (v. 22).1
As far as we know, the apostle Paul never spoke out publicly, either in his speeches or his letters, directly against the institution of slavery. Yet the apostle’s emphasis on the equal worth of every human being before God, along with the overall teachings of Scripture along these same lines, has dealt a death blow to slavery as an institution in many places around the world. Again, Dr. Easley explains,
Philemon addresses slavery, an ethics problem that has vexed human life —and Christianity—for centuries. The book does not attack the institution of slavery as a sin, which could not have gained a hearing in the first century. Instead, it teaches that in Christ both master and slave are to consider each other as brothers. When the concept of the basic equality of all who are in Christ prevails, slavery will not endure as an institution. This truths has demonstrated its power in many cultures.2
1Kendell H. Easley, Holman QuickSourceTM Guide to Understanding the Bible, (Nashville: Holman Reference, 2002), 348.
2Kensell Easley, 346.
Here are some New Testament passages that speak of equality in the body of Christ: 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Galatians 3:26-29; Ephesians 6:5-9; Colossians 3:9-11.