Blogger review: Slave

Slave by John MacArthur is well researched book on the importance of slave-master relationship when slave is the description used by the followers of Christ more than any other. Modern Bibles often times translate the word rather as a servant, but this is misleading of the actual meaning since slave and servant have different status and Bible writers deliberately used word slave to show how Christ bought us for a great price and we are his belongings now. MacArthur gives both historic and biblical background to the word and meaning, which is very well researched. He also includes a chapter on John Huss, a Czech Reformer, which was beautiful since I am a Czech citizen. After reading a book I have a far better understanding of the nature of first century slaves and their differences in comparison with 18^th century slave trade Christians fought against. I find this very helpful.

What I thought was a bit overstatement is the opening argument that a different translation to the word slave is a cover-up or fraud. This seems to me unnecessary conflict over the problem. I, for instance, always understood the tension on why to translate a servant rather a slave, and do not think about it as a purposeful cover up to hide the truth. But this is the typical MacArthur. And would it not be him, if he would not criticize at least once the church growth movement as well as anybody preaching prosperity or numbers. On the contrary, he would push strongly the Calvinist approach to theology that I disagree with, as if you are not Calvinist, you do not understand the Lordship of Christ.

In this light I find the funniest line on page 75 where MacArthur writes: “Nonbliblical ministry, non-expository preaching, and non-doctrinal teaching usurp Christ´s headship, silencing his voice to his sheep.” Wow! So, if you preach non-expository message, you undermine the Lordship of Jesus? Huh? I found it interesting that we do not have a single expository message captured in the New Testament, neither from Jesus, nor apostles. And neither of them actually wrote a Systematic Theology book either. So, they too undermined the Lordship of the Christ? I see! :-) Comments like this put the final mark down in my eyes, because these views undermine the sound mind of the otherwise helpful book.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review, as you can see.