One person owning another person as their property is immoral, evil, and cruel. It was then and it still is today. That is the message that should be sent out for people to understand. Paul did not undermine the legitimacy of slavery, because he sent Onesimus back to his slave-master, Philemon, with a personal request that Philemon not punish Onesimus too harshly for having escaped. Paul did not ask Philemon to free Onesimus, nor did he ask Philemon not to punish him for escaping. He simply stated that Onesimus had been useful to him and asked Philemon to take that into account before meting out punishment. Nothing in all this undermined the legitimacy of slavery.
One person owning another person as their property is immoral, evil, and cruel. It was then and it still is today. That is the message that should be sent out for people to understand.
Paul did not undermine the legitimacy of slavery, because he sent Onesimus back to his slave-master, Philemon, with a personal request that Philemon not punish Onesimus too harshly for having escaped.
Paul did not ask Philemon to free Onesimus, nor did he ask Philemon not to punish him for escaping. He simply stated that Onesimus had been useful to him and asked Philemon to take that into account before meting out punishment. Nothing in all this undermined the legitimacy of slavery.