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You may be wondering why it is important to talk about black people in the Bible. This topic may seem uncomfortable, especially in our racist American culture. If you fall into this uncomfortable category, I invite you not to run away from these feelings but to lean into them. Maybe there is something God wants to reveal and change in you.
How does the Bible define people?
The Bible does not define people by the color of their skin. This is something our modern culture has done. The Bible does not speak of any advantage or disadvantage based on the color of your skin. The closest we come to discussing skin color as a disadvantage is in contexts where white skin indicates that people have leprosy (Exodus 4:6).
The Bible defines people according to their tribal and ethnic affiliations. It does not hide people’s ethnicities or origins but highlights them. In doing so, the Bible highlights the importance of all ethnic groups and the role that many of them have played in the unfolding of history, whether the history of humanity, the history of Israel, or the history of the Church.
Before we delve further, I want to clarify one point. Salvation is not a matter of culture; it is about Christ. God did not give us the Bible to rally a culture around a certain theme. The Bible reveals who God is and shows all humanity our sinfulness and our need for a savior. This is true for everyone, regardless of their origin. However, given the wide range of ethnicities mentioned in Scripture, the gospel message speaks to people of all nationalities.
One more point of clarity: When I talk about black people in the Bible, don’t think in terms of the racial construct with which we have become familiar. I want you to just think about what countries these people are from and how likely they are to be darker skinned people.
Why can you be sure there are black people in the Bible?
There are several ethnicities represented in scripture. Most are familiar with Israel and the nations they engaged with, such as the Philistines, Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, etc. However, many other ethnicities were represented. Since we are talking about black people in the Bible, let me explain to you why it makes sense that you would find them in the Bible.
When you read the Bible, much of what happened in the Old Testament happened in North Africa and the Middle East. When you get into the New Testament, the Gospel spreads from the central location of Jerusalem and spreads to Rome, Greece, Turkey and further into Africa.
If we look at the history of the Israelites, they spent 400 years in slavery in Egypt, in North Africa. Even Jesus spent a few years in Egypt to escape Herod after he was born in Egypt. Bethlehem. So yes, even Jesus spent part of his life in Africa. Besides Egypt, we find people in the scriptures from Libya, Ethiopia, and Sudan, all countries in North Africa. Considering the races that appear in these nations, it is logical to conclude that black people were present in the Bible.
Who are the important black people mentioned in the Bible?
There are black people in the Bible, in the Old and New Testaments. Here are four notable references.
Moses’ wife
We learn from Numbers 12 that Moses married a Kushite woman. In biblical times, Cush was always associated with Africa; some have placed it in modern-day Sudan or Ethiopia.
The Queen of Sheba
In 1 Kings 10 And 2 Chronicles 9the Queen of Sheba, a notable woman from Africa, heard of the wisdom of Solomon and came to test him with difficult questions. Scholars have long debated Saba’s exact location, but many believe she was in Ethiopia, Yemen, or southern Arabia.
Simon of Cyrene
Simon of Cyrene had the arduous task to help Jesus carry his cross. Mark 15:21 And Luke 23:26 tell us that the Roman soldiers forced Simon to walk behind Jesus, carrying the cross to Golgotha. The Bible indicates where Simon came from, drawing attention to his nationality: the ancient city of Cyrene was in what is now Libya. This further highlights the ethnic diversity you discover in important biblical events.
The Ethiopian eunuch
In the book of Acts, Philip meets an Ethiopian eunucha high official serving in the court of Candace, Queen of the Ethiopians. Again, notice how particular the Bible was in identifying the nationality of this eunuch. The Bible does not hide from ethnicity but embraces it.
Why is it important to highlight black people in the Bible?
I grew up in an all-black neighborhood, but I have lived in churches and multicultural environments my entire life. Honestly, I love it because it is a wonderful expression of who God is.
Growing up, I occasionally encountered people who considered Christianity to be the white man’s religion, and some still do today. One of the main reasons this was said was based on our nation’s history. Christianity was the primary religion of most American slave owners. Instead of teaching freedom in Christ available to all, it has been used to oppress black people. During slavery, the Bible was used to justify slavery and keep people enslaved. Black traveling ministers allowed to preach at Sunday services to slaves could not discuss the parts of the gospel that highlight our freedom in Christ. Slave owners feared that the slaves would hear this and revolt, demanding their freedom. They also neglected to tell the slaves the stories of the Israelites when they were enslaved in Egypt. They conveniently left out the story of the enslaved Israelites crying out to God for their freedom. Nor did they mention that God heard their prayer and delivered them. Coupled with numerous depictions of biblical figures that take on a European aspect, many have misunderstood Christianity as “the white man’s religion.”
The irony is that most of the central characters in Scripture were people from Africa and the Middle East. This means that they were brown or dark-skinned people.
These misuses of Scripture and misdescriptions of characters in Scripture make it necessary to accurately portray characters in the Bible. We don’t do this because we are trying to talk about race or black and white, but because we want to approach Scripture truthfully and accurately. This does not change the message of the Gospel or the hope we find in Christ. Rather, it helps break down barriers and show the true ethnic diversity that is common throughout Scripture. When considering how the Bible has been used against Black people in the past, it becomes necessary to shine a light on Black people in the Bible, in order to destroy these destructive narratives of the past.
How can churches emphasize that there are black people in the Bible?
I always liked the fact that the Bible doesn’t try to cover things up. We see our heroes of faith with all their strengths and weaknesses. Fortunately, the Bible does the same thing with people’s ethnicity.
Churches do not need to go overboard in emphasizing black people in the Bible. However, their existence should not be minimized either. When you see it in the pages of Scripture, say it and don’t act like it’s not there. Remember, this is not a matter of black and white, but a matter of truth and accuracy.
Knowing the different cultures of people depicted in the Bible and that exist in the Church today makes our faith even more appealing. I pray that we demolish everything racial divisions and embrace the biblical view of ethnicity. After all, heaven will be filled with people of all nationalities because that is exactly what God wants.
“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They wore white robes and held palm branches in their hands.” (Revelation 7:9)
Photo credit: “The Baptism of the Eunuch” by Rembrandt via Wikimedia Commons
He is the author of The pursuit of the goalwhich helps readers understand how God leads them in His will, and the author of The Pursuit of Victory: How to Overcome Your Biggest Challenges and Win in Your Christian Life. Clarence also committed to helping 10,000 people learn to study the Bible and published his first course, Bible Study Basicsto achieve this objective. To learn more about his ministry and resources, please visit clarencehaynes.com.
This article is part of our Bible resource for understanding the meaning and significance of biblical phrases and ideas. Here are our most popular Bible articles to expand your knowledge of God’s Word:
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Top 10 Bible Stories for Kids
“Iron sharpens iron” in Proverbs 27:17
“Dreadfully and wonderfully done” in Psalm 139
“Be still and know that I am God” in Psalm 46:10
“No weapon formed against me shall prosper” – Isaiah 54:17
This article was originally published on Christianity.com. For more faith-building resources, visit
