The principal object of such a writer must be his money—his pay: if in
great haste to get it in possession, he may be expected sometimes to be
careless; and unless very talented and experienced in the subject on
which he writes, to record contradictions.
Page 83, Mr. Barnes says—“The Hebrews were not essentially distinguished
from the Egyptians, as the Africans are from their masters in this land,
by colour.” But he continues, pages 86 and 87—“They (the Hebrews) were a
_foreign_ race, as the African race is with us. They were not Egyptians,
any more than the nations of Congo are Americans. They were not of the
children of Ham. They were of another family; they differed from the
Egyptians, by whom they were held in bondage, as certainly as the
African does from the Caucasian or the Malay divisions of the great
family of man.”
In page 228, on another subject, he says—“If, therefore, it be true that
slavery did not prevail in Judea; that there is no evidence that the
Hebrews engaged in the traffic, and that the prophets felt themselves at
liberty to denounce the system as contrary to the spirit of the Mosaic
institutions, these FACTS will furnish an important explanation of some
things in regard to the subject in the New Testament, and will prepare
us to enter on the inquiry how it was regarded by the Saviour; for if
slavery did not exist in Palestine in his time: if he never came in
contact with it, it will not be fair to infer that he was not opposed to
it, because he did not often refer to it, and expressly denounce it.”
This is in strict conformity with the following:
Page 242. “There is no conclusive evidence that he ever came in contact
with slavery at all. * * * There is no proof which I have seen referred
to from any contemporary writer, that it existed in Judea in his time at
all; and there is no evidence from the New Testament that he ever came
in contact with it.”
Also, page 244. “There is not the slightest proof that the Saviour ever
came in contact with slavery at all, either in public or in private
life.”
Also, page 249. “We have seen above, that there is no evidence that when
the Saviour appeared, slavery in any form existed in Judea, and
consequently there is no proof that he ever encountered it.”
Permit us to compare these statements with _Matt._ viii. 5–14:
“And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a
centurion, beseeching him, (verse 6,) and saying, Lord, my _servant_,
&c. (Verse 9,) For I am a man of authority, having soldiers under me;
and I say to this man go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he
cometh, and to my SERVANT (δουλῳ, _slave_), Do this, and he doeth it,”
&c.
Also, _Luke_ vii. 2–10. “And a certain centurion’s _servant_ (δοῦλος,
_slave_) was sick,” &c. * * * “beseeching him that he would come and
heal his _servant_ (δοῦλον, _slave_.)” (Verse 10,) “And they that were
sent, returning to the house, found the _servant_ (δοῦλον, _slave_)
whole that had been sick.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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