The Book of Philemon
The Book of Philemon
Introduction
We are going to do something very adventurous. We are going to cover a whole book of the Bible in one session!
Actually, it is not really that adventurous – because there is only one chapter in it – it is the book of Philemon.
Why Include this Book?
So why is this simple, one chapter book, in the Bible? And why are we covering it today?
The answer is that it gives a wonderful insight into a part of God’s heart and carries a powerful metaphor of the redemptive nature of the Christian faith and how to outwork it in everyday life.
Sadly, way too few read it – and you hardly ever hear it preached from. So let’s change that, and see what we can learn here.
Some History
Philemon (fa-lee-mon) and his slave Onesimus (oh-nes-umiss) were members of the early Colossian church. The geographical areas where it was, are uninhabited today. The area was completely wiped out by an earthquake in ad 60 so it is assumed that the letter was written shortly before this date.
Onesimus had run away from his master, Philemon, and fled to Rome. Somehow, he encounters Paul and through him comes to the Lord.
Ironically Paul is himself imprisoned in Rome but was permitted to live in his own rented dwelling, though bound with a chain, and in the company of a guard (Acts 28:16, 30; cf. Eph. 6:20).
Paul was in the process of sending Onesimus back to his master although reluctant to part with him. But Roman law required any runaway slave to be able returned to his owner.
But Paul is asking Philemon to receive Onesimus “no longer as a servant, but as “a beloved brother”.
If Philemon accepted this then Onesimus would be a slave no longer. Philemon would gift him his freedom.
If not Onesimus would be punished severely, possibly put to death – or at least be put back into slavery for the rest of his life.
Okay – let’s get into the verses.
Verse 1 – Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved brother and fellow worker,
The letter was written by Paul, who calls himself a prisoner of Jesus Christ. Let me speak to this for a minute.
First point – Notice how Paul doesn’t introduce himself as an Apostle here. He introduces himself as a prisoner or slave. How come? Because he is about to plead the cause of a slave – Onesimus.
Paul really knows how to identify with those he is representing.
Verse 2 – and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
He addresses the letter to Philemon, who he calls his fellow-labourer. As well as Philemon, Paul also adresses the letter to Apphia (ap-fee-uh), and Archippus, (aah-kip-iss) who it seems were meeting together in a house church in Philemon’s house. Apphia may well be his wife.
It seems that all three had reason to be offended by Onesimus, so Paul addresses all of them in his appeal for reconciliation and forgiveness.
Verse 3 – Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Although this was a standard greeting in those days – don’t think it meant nothing. It was sincere and a spoken blessing. I have a friend who speaks a blessing like this every time he comes to our place – I so appreciate it. Our words of blessing carry power in them.
V4-7 – I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints; and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake. For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
I really appreciate the way they both acknowledge and honour one another in their passion for Jesus. The Christian journey has always been hard work. We need to celebrate one another’s passion for God and their ministry to the saints. This was so appreciated by Paul.
Linda and I are fortunate to have friends like this. They are very special people who we long to be with – even though we may not see one another that often.
When we get together we share so much – but the most important topic is always “what is God doing in your life?”
Here is another good point. Although Paul rejoices in what they are achieving he still prays for them. See, even when we see people doing great things, they still need our prayers.
Pray regularly for the special people in your life. Pray that they don’t fall into temptation, that they finish what they have started and that the things of the world don’t ensnare them. Pray that they don’t get discourage from pushing on with the Lord. The enemy is always on the prowl and constant prayer is needed by us and for us all.
Verses 9-11 – Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper, yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you — since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment, who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me.
Philemon and friends had signed up to follow the ways of the Lord, so Paul could appeal to them, in Christ, based on that authority. In fact, he was so confident that this would be what God required that he felt he could order them on that basis. But he wouldn’t. The choice had to be theirs.
Paul pleads for Onesimus with fatherly love. He puts himself side by side with him and calls him his son.
Of interest here is how Paul does this. V 10 – The order of the Greek is this: “I entreat you concerning a son of mine, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment — Onesimus.”
Paul doesn’t name Onesimus until he had mentioned that he had come to consider him as being very useful.
Point – when Paul does mention his name, he has presented him in a different light than what he was previously considered to be. Onesimus is mentioned, not in the light of an ungrateful and disobedient servant, but as someone who has been converted by the labours of his own friend in prison and has become a true Christian brother. This is a great example of disarming prejudice and making an appeal to the recipient’s heart.
People change – but if we constantly hold them in their past, they cannot grow amongst us. Paul not only reflects this – but he phrases his speech so that Onesimus won’t be prejudged until Paul has spoken of who he has become today.
We have a lot we can learn from this. We should speak well of people unless we know for sure that they do not deserve such treatment. We should also be prepared to give someone the benefit of the doubt. The law about being innocent until proven guilty, reflects the nature and character of God and should be predominant in all our dealings with people.
God exchanges beauty for ashes (Isa 61:3). Most of us can testify that we have changed over our years of walking with the Lord. He has not only transformed our inner lives but outwardly we are much more beneficial to others. We must allow that others have had the same thing happen and we should be prepared to acknowledge and celebrate that.
Verses 12-14 – I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel; but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will.
Paul shares how he would like to keep Onesimus. Having a friend or servant to act for him and assist him while he was in prison was a huge help. But by Paul sending him back, Philemon must now make the decision completely on his own account. This is very clever because, although Paul has put some pressure on Philemon, he has still given him every opportunity to make his own decision and be accountable for it (V14). This is a very delicate touch.
Paul had no power to send Onesimus back to his master unless Onesimus chose to go. On leaving Paul, Onesimus could have gone where he pleased. If he chose to go back, he was risking a lot, but failure to do so would mean he would remain a fugitive.
Point: Free will, with some coercion, is how the Holy Spirit works with us. He will attempt to coerce us to do the right thing, but the choice always ultimately sits with us. Another important principle follows here. Just because we are obeying God, it does not mean there will not be a significant cost to it. Obedience to God has led many faithful believers to their death. But their reward awaits them. The foundations of the Kingdom of God are faithfulness and obedience.
Verses 15-17 – For perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever, no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would me.
Paul is never too far away from considering what purpose God may have had in this whole happening. The sovereignty of God was paramount in all Paul’s considerations of life’s happenings.
We should constantly ask the same questions. “God – what do you want here? What are you wanting me to see? What actions of mine will bring the most glory to you here?”
A Comment on Slavery
Although the key point of this letter is not about the evils of slavery, I think there is some justification for the claim many commentators make about this book being anti-slavery.
Paul refuses to send Onesimus back against his will, into a slavery situation. We should understand how big an ask this was of Philemon. Slavery was the main means of getting things done back then, in the way common labourers are in our society today. The abolition of slavery would have brought society to a grinding halt.
Paul made it clear that he was not sending Onesismus back to be regarded and treated as a slave. He added to this by saying to Philemon that if you do that to him you are doing that to me as well (v17).
Verses 18-21 – But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account; I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well). Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.
Here we have Paul making a very gracious offer to assume the financial obligation of Onesimus. Of course, in Paul’s view, Philemon’s spiritual indebtedness to him should easily cover all Onesimus’s wrongdoing. Paul had led Philemon to Christ and when this happens all our sin is paid for in Christ – in a way we could never repay. Paul is extolling the fact that knowing Christ far surpasses any earthly treasure.
But it goes further. Paul is suggesting that if Philemon makes Onesimus his slave, Paul will call in all Philemon owes Paul, thus making Philemon Paul’s slave. Paul has confidence that Philemon, as a true Christian brother, will go the extra mile and do even more than honour this. Could he say the same if he was dealing with us?
Summary
A powerful New Covenant principle that comes through here is the principle of reconciliation. Obviously, forgiveness operates here as well. This is all totally new for a Hebraic mindset – which Paul grew up with. The Hebrew mindset was based around the law and all its processes, including retribution. But this was no longer the case after the death and resurrection of Christ. Reconciliation was now the primary objective.
The Gospel of the Kingdom – a whole new world with a new way of life and thinking, and a new foundation to base all relationships on had come amongst these people. It is the Kingdom of God, and it requires a whole new approach to all of life. Philemon, Onesimus and all of us who subscribe to it are called to embrace it, despite its great risks.
God bless you.
Bruce Billington