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The
word "bailment", like the word "larceny" does not
appear in any English translation of the Bible that
I am aware of, though the Bible does address both
concepts.
Black's
Law Dictionary defines "bailment" as "A delivery of
goods or personal property, by one person (bailor)
to another (bailee), in trust for the execution of
a special object upon or in relation to such goods,
beneficial either to the bailor or bailee or both,
and upon a contract, express or implied, to perform
the trust and carry out the object, and thereupon
either to redeliver the goods to the bailor or
otherwise dispose of the same in conformity with
the purpose of the trust."
The
concept of bailment appears plainly in the Parable
of the Talents (Mt. 25:14 et.seq.) and also in
Exodus 22, which spells out the obligations of one
to whom an animal is entrusted and the penalties
should that bailment be violated.
With
respect to the way in which you probably saw the
concept used on our website - the idea that man
receives his life as a bailment from God for God's
own purposes - that idea is articulated explicitly
in both the Old and New Testments. Ps. 100:3 "Know
ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made
us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and
the sheep of his pasture." 1 Cor. 6:20 says "For ye
are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in
your body, and in your spirit, which are
Gods."
The
Christian thinkers who first set out the ideas that
American Liberty is based upon echoed this idea.
For example, in his 2nd Treatise on Government,
John Locke says that men are "all the Servants of
one Sovereign Master, sent into the World by his
order and about his business, they are His
Property." For this reason, the people who hold the
power of government may not use that power
arbitrarily but must protect the rights of others
that come from the moral prohibitions of God's
rules.
Thanks
for your question, hope this info helps. Don't
hesitate to write again.
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