PHILEMON

This tiny book – written in Paul’s own writing and delivered at the same time as the letter to the Colossians (60 AD) and only one chapter in length – is Paul’s personal letter to a slave owner, Philemon, who hosted a house fellowship in Colosse. Paul writes to address Philemon regarding his runaway slave named Onesimus, who had apparently run into Paul in Rome and become a Christian by his teaching. Paul handles this situation with the utmost care, using smooth language to encourage Philemon to receive Onesimus as a brother in Christ upon his return. Though Paul could have commanded a specific response – the forgiveness and release of a slave – he instead issues a powerful appeal to Philemon, knowing that a voluntary right response is more valuable than a compelled right response. Paul puts his own friendship with Philemon on the line to evoke the proper response; and though we’re not told the outcome here or elsewhere in Scripture, there is a tradition that says God’s grace, through Paul’s technique, accomplished the right behavioral response from all parties involved. Let’s read and learn from Paul’s letter to Philemon.

¹Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, ²To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home: ³Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ⁴I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, ⁵because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. ⁶I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. ⁷Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints. ⁸Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, ⁹yet I appeal to you on the basis of love. I then, as Paul--an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus-- ¹⁰I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. ¹¹Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me. ¹²I am sending him--who is my very heart--back to you. ¹³I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. ¹⁴But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do will be spontaneous and not forced. ¹⁵Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for good-- ¹⁶no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord. ¹⁷So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. ¹⁸If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. ¹⁹I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back--not to mention that you owe me your very self. ²⁰I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. ²¹Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask. ²²And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers. ²³Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. ²⁴And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers. ²⁵The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Interestingly, we can view this letter concentrically. V1-3 and v23-25 are parallel in the sense that they each mention five names and the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. V4-6 sets the prayerful mood of Paul for his audience, while v22 recalls the prayers of his audience for Paul. In v7-8, Paul notes how Philemon has refreshed the hearts of the saints, and v20-21 points out that Philemon must also refresh the heart of Paul by his response to this issue. In v9-11, Paul points out that Onesimus is his spiritual son; in v18-19, Paul points out that Philemon is his spiritual son. Also, the role of father is exchanged: first Paul is the father who forgives and restores Onesimus, and second, Philemon is the father who can receive Paul’s payment for the sins of Onesimus. In v12, Paul sends Onesimus, and in v17, Philemon must receive and welcome Onesimus as if the one coming were Paul himself. Lastly, v13-16 represent the axis for this concentric letter. Danny Olinger says, “Here, the argument of the whole is summed up precisely and formally advanced. Paul, in building to this point, now persuasively puts forth the main thesis of the letter. Paul desires Philemon not to do anything by compulsion, but of his own free will even as Philemon now finds himself enjoying the freedom that comes from being united to Jesus Christ… Philemon is put in the opportunity of ministering to Paul through Onesimus. Paul petitions Philemon to express his own freedom in Christ and in imitation of Paul by sending Onesimus to him.” Over the next few days, Lord willing, we'll take a closer look.