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Enduring Hardships Christianity preaches a specific message to oppressed people by elevating their sense of spiritual worth. The enslaved Africans, who got no such reassurances in their everyday lives, were buoyed by Jesus' claims of love for all individuals. "Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." (Matthew 10:29-31) The comfort of God's love was often enough to help them to endure incredible hardships. Enslaved Africans were even able to find anti-slavery messages in Jesus' teachings. While Jesus never specifically spoke out against slavery, he did highly praise freedom and spoke often of the equality of men before God. Jesus said, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all." (Mark 10:42-44) He claimed that "many that are first will be last, and [the] last will be first." (Mark 10:31) Jesus derided the hypocrites in authority, and chided his disciples, telling them, "Do not be called 'Master'; you have but one master, the Messiah. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Matthew 23:9-12) Therefore, enslaved Africans saw themselves as being in good standing with God, while the cruel masters were in trouble.
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The Transatlantic Slave Trade Quiz | Resources
| Sponsors | Home Age of Exploration Make some discoveries of your own in this guide to 1000 years of maritime exploration. learn more USS Monitor: History and Legacy This Civil War ironclad was a technological marvel; explore her continuing story. learn more Chesapeake Bay: Our History and Our Future From the Powhatan Indians to modern shipbuilding, explore the character of the nation's largest estuary. learn more Captive Passage: The Transatlantic Slave Trade and the Making of the Americas They arrived in chains, but their contributions have forged new links in the history of the Americas. learn more Battle of the Atlantic: Allied Naval Intelligence in World War II While German U-boats wrecked havoc on merchant shipping in the Atlantic, Allied intelligence worked diligently to break the enemy's communication codes. learn more Birth of the Navy Follow the US on its journey to becoming the world's leading naval power. learn more Women and the Sea She used to remain on shore, but today, she captains the ship. learn more ![[ Navigation Bar ]](../../resources/navigation.gif){kind=small}
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