This epistle is of great value as a practical illustration of the influence of the gospel upon the relation of master and servant. Slave-holding was an established institution throughout the Roman empire, and both masters and slaves were found in most of the churches for which Paul labored. In the cities, where slaves many times outnumbered the free population, laws of the most terrible severity were considered necessary to keep them in subjection. A wealthy Roman owned hundreds of slaves, of every rank, of every nation, and of every accomplishment. The master had full control of the souls and bodies of these helpless beings. He could inflict upon them any suffering he chose; but if one of them in retaliation or self-defense ventured to raise a hand against his owner, the whole family of the offender would be inhumanly sacrificed, however innocent they might be. Even the slightest mistake, accident, or carelessness was punished without mercy.{LP 288.1}

Dette brev er af stor værdi som en praktisk illustration på evangeliets indflydelse på forholdet mellem mester og tjener. Slavehold var en etableret forordningen udover romerriget, og der fantes både mestre og slaver i de fleste af de menigheder Paulus arbejdede for. I byerne var slaver mange gange i overtal i befolkningen, de strengeste love blev anset for nødvendige for at holde dem underlagt. En velhavende romer ejede hundredvis slaver, af enhver rang, ethvert folk og til enhver slags virksomhed. Mesteren havde fuld kontrol over disse sjæle og kroppe hos disse hjælpeløse væsener. Han kunne forvolde dem enhver lidelse han valgte; men hvis nogen af dem vovede at hæve sin hånd i gengæld eller selvforsvar, imod sin ejer, ville hele forbryderens familie lide offer, uanset hvor uskyldige de måtte være. Endog den mindste fejltagelse, ulykke eller skødesløshed blev straffet uden nåde.