CONCLUSION

There is not enough evidence to answer conclusively whether or not Paul did
seriously condone slavery, and so the question is, and will continue to be,
treated speculatively. It has been seen that Paul is concerned primarily with
spiritual identity; he encourages the church in Colossae to set their minds on
heavenly and not earthly things (Colossians 3 verse 2). And so, for Paul, whose
mind is striving for the consideration of heavenly things, the earthly issue of
slavery isn’t overly problematic. Certainly, Paul calls not only for a fair
treatment of slaves, but a good one – although, this appears not dissimilar to
the treatment he asks of any of the ‘brothers’ and ‘sisters’ in Christ. So long as
enquirers are intent on answering definitively the question of whether or not
Paul condoned slavery, it seems they will struggle to find satisfaction. Paul –
the arguable master of contentment (Philippians 4 verse 11) – was content
with simply adopting a ‘Christian approach’ to the issue of slavery (whatever
that is/was). Perhaps it would be most beneficial for scholarly insight if we
were able to adopt a similar contentment and could accept that for Paul, there
really is ‘neither slave nor free’.