Paul certainly doesn't need me to defend him, and far wiser minds have delved into this passage to provide an understanding of what Paul is writing about.
I once listened to a sermon that pointed out that Paul is actually creating demands on a master that make slavery impossible -- by imploring masters to treat bondservants in the same way, Paul creates a situation of equality in which one individual owning another is impossible. If masters are expected to treat bondservants in the same way, then how could one claim to own another? If there is no partiality, and each individual has the same Master in heaven, then they stand on the same footing, and none can claim superiority. That approach encourages us to look with dignity and equality on all people, treating each as a precious child of God, loving and serving the way God loves and serves us.
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