The Metaphor of Slavery in the Writings of the Early Church: From the New Testament to the Beginning of the Fifth Century

Abstract

Metaphor of Slavery in Writings of Early Church: From New Testament to Beginning of Fifth Century, by I. A. H. Combes. JSNTSup 156. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1998. Pp. 210. $57.50. Commenting on Rom 1:1, Origen speculates on reasons behind Paul's selfdescription as slave in light of his insistence elsewhere that those who live in Christ have received not spirit of slavery but rather spirit of adoption as sons. problem is one of logical inconsistency, and Origen explores number of possibilities for reconciling disparity. His ingenious solution is to infer that Paul understands marriage as form of slavery, and that Rom 1:1 is evidence that when Paul received his call he had wife. This solution has not been influential in history of interpretation. Nonetheless, Origen identifies conundrum with important theological ramifications: seemingly incommensurable uses of tropes of slavery in NT and other early Christian writings. Metaphor of Slavery in Writings of Early Church, revision of 1991 University of Cambridge dissertation, offers thorough introduction to complexities that inform early Christian reliance on metaphors rooted in discourse of slavery. Combes approaches Christian appropriation of language of slavery as case study in religious metaphor. Problems arise when those who deploy religious metaphors confuse them with literal descriptions of world: The area in which this problem probably causes most consternation today is that of use of 'social relationship' terms in speaking of (p. 11). Can society that has rejected monarchy still rely on metaphor of God as King, for example? Combes sets out to examine early Christian permutations of metaphor of human being as slave of God or Christ. Combes concedes that social structure of slavery in ancient influences development of Christian metaphors of slavery, but argues that the theology which makes sense of use of such metaphor creates its own dynamic which results in this metaphor unfolding at completely different pace from any discernible change in relevant culture (p. 15). More strongly, Combes suggests that results of case study supply a reason for disentanglement of religious language from contemporary society, freeing it from need to seek social relevance and (p. 171). first chapter offers an overview of slavery in antiquity, drawing on recent scholarship to provide background for argument of volume. As Combes rightly acknowledges, the ancient world is not itself coherent entity for study, but consists of number of societies geographically and chronologically distant from one another. In light of this acknowledgment, emphasis on classical Greece in section on GrecoRoman seems peculiar. section on slavery in ancient Near East draws largely on OT, but relevance of OT representation of slavery for understanding practice and ideology of slavery in early Christian era is not articulated. More helpful is section offering brief survey of metaphoric uses of slavery in ancient world. Combes also devotes chapter to early church's treatment and perception of actual (rather than metaphoric) slaves. earliest sources take for granted that gospel reaches out to slave as to free. Later sources, however, document some of obstacles that slaves encountered in their pursuit of Christian life, including restrictions on baptism or ordination of slaves in absence of owner's consent. heart of Combes's argument lies in chapters on metaphors of slavery in NT and patristic writings. …