3. Treatment of slaves. — Discipline without undue laxity was recognized as the right treat- ment of slaves (cf. Sir 33'^^^-, where the two pro- minent features are the severity to which the discipline might legally be carried, viz., 'yoke and thong' and even 'I'acks and tortures,' and the kindliness that was the customary rule). So in NT times the master could legally imprison or chastise a slave (Mt 25^, Lk \2*^ with the alter- native rendering ' severely scourge '), though the power of life and death was withheld, as also any punishment that led to the loss of a limb. An early tradition recounts a controversy between Pharisees and Sadducees, assumed to have taken place in or about our period, as to the incidence of the resp6ns4.bility for an injury done by a slave (Yadnyim, iv. *?). The solution of the Pharisees was that the slave himself, and not the master, must be held responsible, as the slave was capable of reasoning, and not to be classed with beasts of
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SLOTHFULNESS
burden. Another regulation (Babd kammd, viii. 4) required the slave to make compensation on his release, and thus has clearly in view a case of temporary servitude amongst Jews, akin to those met with in the OT.
At a time when Pharisaism was predominant, such slaves as were found in a Jewish household, whether Hebrews or aliens by birth, had on reli- gious grounds to be treated humanely. They shared tlie family worship, and in regard to obliga- tions were classed with the women and children as bound to observe all religious ritual in the home, except the repetition of the Shenici and the wearing of phylacteries. Laws of an eai'lier date required the circumcision of slaves (Gn 17'^) and their participation in feast and sacrifice (Dt 12'^ 16"). Such regulations could not have fallen into desuetude without involving tlie ceremonial pollu- tion from which it was one of the first objects of the legalists of the first century to escape. The knitting together of master and slave in religious bonds supjilied a strong motive for kindness and forbearance. And in later literature the life of tlie Jewish home is represented as united and happy, master and slave partaking of the same food, exchanging words of respect and tenderness, and mourning over the separation effected by death [Bei-akhuth \Qb, Kethubuth Q\). Altogether tlie condition of slavery, as far as it existed, was much less oppressive than in Greece or Rome, and was already being superseded by the freer re- lationships of voluntary service, which alone are in complete accord with the genius of Chris- tianity.
4. Teaching of the Gospels.— The institution of slavery was not directly condemned by Christ, but its continuance was undermined by the new principles of social life Avhich He emphasized. Supreme praise is passed upon service marked by absolute submission (Mk 10^^). The title of slave is appropriated to the highest usage (Mt 21^^ Mk 122-^, Lk 20''*'-), and sanction is thus given to the l^ractice Avhicli had applied it to Moses (cf. Jos 14^, Ps 105-^), and made it the formal style of a prophet (cf. Jer 7-°, Zee 1", and the Pauline usage of the term). Redemptive love recognizes no dis- tinctions of sex or status, but makes men of all social ranks equally responsible for their attitude towards God ; and thus society becomes an organ- ism of free men, amongst whom the only authority that is strictly imperial or beyond questioning is that of Christ. The bond-servant of Jesus Christ can be bound to no other master ; and in their equal dependence upon Him disciples cease to be able to maintain artificial distinctions of grade or privilege.
Literature. — Articles in the handbooks of Jewish Archaeo- logy, and in such Cyclopaedias as those of Hamburger, Riehiu, and Herzog-Hauck ; Winter, Die Stellunq der Sklaven bei den Juden . . . nach talm. Quellen; Griinfeld, Die Stelhmg . . . nach bibl. und talm. Quellen ; Brace, Gesta Christi, ch. v. For the conditions in non-Jewish districts see Momnisen, and Smith's Diet, of Gr. and Horn. Ant. Ji. "W, MoSS.
SLEEP {vtrvos, KadeiSw, d<pVTrv6ui, Koifiaotxai). — The mention of sleep is frequent in the Gospels, both in its literal and in its figurative meanings.
1. Literallij, e.g. ' Joseph being raised out of sleep ' (Mt P4) ; ' Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep ' (Lk 9^^) . ( Jesus) ' findeth tliem asleep ' (Mt 26^0-*) ; ' Simon, sleepest thou?' (Mk 1437). Jesus, as is noted by all the Synoptists, fell asleep in the boat as He and His disciples were crossing to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (Mt 8^^ || Mk 438||Lk 8^3). Mk. adds the detail that He slept 'on the pillow' {(ttI rb TrpoaKe(pd\ai.ov), probably a boat cushion, or a head- rest made of wool. Lk. indicates that He was fast asleep {d(pvTrv6u), which accords with the fact that
the severe storm which had burst forth while they were crossing did not awake Him.
2. Figuratively : (i.) As a metaphor for death, ' The maid is not dead, but sleepeth ' (/ca^ei^Set, Mt 9=^ II Mk 539 II Lk ^■'-) ; ' Our friend Lazarus sleepeth ' (is fallen asleep, KeKolfjL-rjTai, Jn IP^). No distinc- tion is to be made between the verbs KadeiJdiij and KOL/j.do/j.aL, for the disciples reply, ' Lord, if he sleep {KtKoifjLTjTai), he shall do well' (v.^^) ; cf. also Mt 27''^ with Mt 28" II Lk 22« and Ac 7"" 13^8 with Ac 126. St. Paul frequently uses Koifidofj-aL to describe the dead (1 Co IS^^- 2» || 1 Th 4^^-'^^), and to express the fact of death (1 Co V^ IP" lo"- si ; cf. also 2 P 3*). The metaphor is very ancient. It is fo»nd in the OT, ' Since thou art laid down ' (in the LXX ' fallen asleep' [/ce/fot>7?(rat]. Is 148; ^f, jg 431711 i k H^). and in classical literature (Horn. II. xi. 241 ; Soph. Elect. 509). (ii.) As symbolizing the lack of watchfulness: 'while men slept his enemy came' (Mt 13^^); 'lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping' (Mk IS^*^). (iii.) The interpretation of the sleep of the virgins ( ' while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered [j-uo-rafw, ' nodded '] and slept,' Mt 25^) is uncertain. Many of the ancient interpreters take it as the sleep of death which comes to all. By some modern writers it has been interpreted as the sleep of ignorance, symbolizing that the day of the coming of the bridegroom, i.e. of Christ, is unknown, or as a hint that that day is not immediately at hand. Others take it as the sleep of security, indicating that the wise and the foolish virgins, having made such preparation as they thought necessary, awaited tlie coming of the bridegroom with such calmness of mind that they fell asleep. Probably the best interpretation is that which regards the sleep as the natural and innocent unconsciousness or obliviousness of the future and the eternal, and especially of the coming of Christ, which inevitably creeps over the wise and the foolish alike. This forgetrulness, however, is full of danger to those who do not keep them- selves in such a condition of readiness for any event that they are prepared for it when it comes. We are not to be always thinking of the Lord's coming, but are to live so that that event will not come upon us in a state of unreadiness. 'The tension of the mind may innocently and must naturally vary. It is enough that its intention is ever the same — that we live under the power of the future and the eternal even when not thinking of it' (Bruce).