Philemon

In the spring of 2020, my friend Rebekah suggested we study Philemon in our small group, and we did. It is a small book of just one chapter with twenty-five verses and yet it is packed with powerful truths. It is a nugget of gold. It is the only private letter of Paul we possess.

The book of Philemon is about a runaway slave named Onesimus who meets Jesus through Paul and turns his life around. Paul then sends him back to his master (Philemon) and appeals to him to accept Onesimus back not as a bondservant but as a beloved brother.

Introduction
Philemon is about reconciliation between God (vertical) and one another (horizontal). Philemon was a believer who had a home church in Colossae. Onesimus was a slave at the household of Philemon. He wronged Philemon in someway and fled from his house. During this time Onesimus meets Paul in prison and becomes a believer. 

Paul wrote this letter and gave it to Onesimus to carry it back to Philemon (Col 4:9). Paul appealed to Philemon to accept Onesimus back into his household, no longer as a bondservant but as a beloved brother (v16). Paul even offers to pay whatever debt Onesimus might owe Philemon.

Cultural Context
Understanding the cultural context is important especially for a book like Philemon. When we hear the word slave the first thing that comes to our mind is the slave trade that happened in the western world during the seventeenth through the nineteenth centuries. During the slave trade, people went to mostly Africa and got shiploads of people and took them to Europe/America and enslaved them there. They were forced to migrate to this new world and work for their new masters. Slavery during Paul’s time was not based on race, skin colour or ethnicity. Slaves consisted of all races. Anyone could become a slave. If one loses a battle you become a slave. If one is poor, they sold themselves to slavery. Slaves were permitted to work for pay and to save enough to buy their freedom (Matt 25 :15 where the “servants” [Gk. doulos] were entrusted with immense amounts of money and responsibility).

Also, a runaway slave can incur serious consequences. Roman society brutally punished fugitive slaves, at best he would be branded with a red hot iron on the forehead with the letter F – standing for fugitive and at the worst he would be put to death by crucifixion. Paul is asking Philemon to do something quite extraordinary by forgiving Onesimus’s debt and accepting him back not as a slave but as a beloved brother. Paul wanted Philemon to receive Onesimus as he would receive Paul himself. Paul expected Philemon to do much more than what he had asked for.

Paul was seeking a transformed relationship between a slave and his master—a new relationship that would defy all the ingrained status distinctions of the surrounding Greek and Roman culture. If one follows Paul’s advice of love found in this letter the institution of slavery will have no option but to wither over time.

The church in Philemon’s house – Due to the political status of Christianity, the early church met in private homes, there were no buildings dedicated for church services. Philemon may have accepted Christ during Paul’s three-year ministry in Ephesus (A.D. 52–55). He began serving the cause of Christ in the Colossian community, opening his home for a group of Christians to meet there regularly.

Biblical Context
Paul is in prison. Prison was a place where you awaited trial where you would receive either exoneration or punishment. The imprisonment Paul refers to in verses 1, 9, 10, 13 & 23 was his imprisonment in Rome (Acts 27 & 28).

Structure 
Greetings (v1-3)
About Philemon (his love and faith) (v4-7)
Paul’s Bold Requests (v8-v22)
Appeal – I (v8-16) – Paul’s role in Onesimus’ salvation
About Paul (v8, 9)
Onesimus’ Salvation (v10-13) & God’s Sovereignty (v15 a)
Request for Onesimus – (v 15b–16a).
Appeal – II – (v17-20) – Paul’s role in Philemon’s salvation
Request for Onesimus – (v17-19).
Philemon’s Salvation – (v19b) to say nothing of your owing me even your own self.
Appeal – III – (v20-22) Paul’s confidence and request for him
Request for Paul –  (v20). 
Paul’s request for Onesimus – (v21). 
Request for Paul – (v22).
Final Greetings (v23-25)

Main Characters – Who – What do we learn about Philemon, Paul & Onesimus in this book.
Philemon

• Beloved fellow worker with Paul (To Philemon our beloved fellow worker – v1b)
• He had a home church – (the church in your house – v2b).
• Philemon’s partners in his home church – (Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier – v2).
• He loved God and loved his fellow believers – (I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints – v4).
• He was very hospitable – (the church in your house – v2b; For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you – v7; Prepare a guest room for me – v22a).
• Philemon came to know the Lord through Paul (to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. – v19).
• A man of prayer – for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you. v 22b). 

Onesimus

• Onesimus is now Paul’s child and his very heart (v10, v12)
• Mr. Useless to Mr. Useful (v11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me).
• He has served Paul during his imprisonment for the gospel. (v13 )
• Onesimus fled from Philemon (v15)
• Onesimus is a bondservant (v16)
• Onesimus should now be treated no longer as a bondservant but as a beloved brother. Onesimus must be received as how Paul will be received (v16, v17). 

Paul

• Paul a prisoner for Christ Jesus (v1, v9, v10, v13 & v23 )
• A man of thankfulness (v4 – I thank God always when I remember you in my prayers)
• He knows his audience (v5 – because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints).
• A man of prayer – (v6 – I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ).
• Blessed by Philemon’s hospitality (v7 – For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.).
• Paul’s authority as an apostle – (v8 – Though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required)
• Paul’s love and his audacious request – (v9 22- for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you).
• Paul an old man (v9b – Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus)
• Paul’s love for Onesimus – He calls him his child & his very heart & he wanted to keep Onesimus with him – (v10 – I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. v12 I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. v13- I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel).
• Paul does not want to take Philemon’s goodness for granted (v14 – I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord)
• Paul’s coworkers – v1 – Timothy our brother Philemon our beloved fellow worker v2 – and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier v23 – Epaphras (fellow prisoner), Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke 

Where – Geography
Colossae – Philemon lived in the city of Colossae which was about 100 miles (161 km) inland from Ephesus.
Ephesus – Paul ministered in Ephesus for three years (A.D. 52-55). It is believed that Philemon heard the gospel during this time and got saved.
Rome – Onesimus met Paul in the prison in Rome. The distance between Rome and Colossae is 1200 miles. Onesimus really wanted to get away from Philemon and he traveled great lengths to achieve it.

When did Paul write this letter – The letter was probably written c. A.D. 62. Paul may have written it at roughly the same time that he wrote Colossians and Ephesians. All three letters were sent with Tychicus and Onesimus. The ESV Study Bible (p. 2353).

Key verses
Transformation – Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me. (Phm 11).
Reconciliation – For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. (Phm 15–17).

Author’s aim to his audience
Original Audience – Philemon and the church that meets in his home.
Author’s aim – Philemon is about the transformation that happens in one’s heart because of Jesus and the reconciliation that should follow because of the transformation.

Connection to the gospel

• To love one another as thyself. Jesus when he was hanging on the roman cross, he said Father forgive them for they know not what they do. He was able to forgive those who had harmed him.
• Sin always comes with a price. Someone must pay it. Onesimus wronged Philemon and Paul was willing to pay the price for Onesimus. Similarly, Jesus Christ died on the cross and paid the price for all our sins.

The power of the Gospel
Onesimus – A runaway slave who has wronged a friend is now the son of Paul. (v10 for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment). From useless to useful (v 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.)
Philemon – The most hospitable Philemon who refreshed the hearts of saints must extend the same love to someone who had wronged him. Philemon had to receive Onesimus not as a bondservant but as a beloved brother. Not as he would receive anyone but as he would receive Paul himself.
Me – Christ forgave my sins and accepted me for who I am and I am pleased by it. It’s now my turn to extend the same love, grace to the people who have harmed me.

Conclusion
At the foot of the cross there is no rich or poor, there is no Jew or Greek, there is no wise or unwise, there is no white or black, there is no big or small we are all at the same level ground and just as how he accepts us as equals regardless of our social and cultural status, we need to accept one another with love. Not only to the ones who love us and have showered us with blessings, not only to the one we respect but the socially marginalized and the ones who have wronged us.

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Reflections

• Do I have a Paul in my life who would write me and help me with reconciliation? Who is my mentor? Who is a well wisher who is willing to point out areas I should work on? Who knows me in and out?
• If I did have a Paul would I be okay to receive a letter like this? The reason I say is when my friends or family have pointed out my issues/sin I do not receive it well. I try to explain my point of view and wrestle before I acknowledge (I seldom do). I felt Paul was extremely aggressive and made his point very clear. He wanted nothing but reconciliation.
• Refreshed – The heart of the saints has been refreshed by Philemon. Am I hospitable person? Do I refresh the hearts of my friends/fellow believers?
• Just as how Christ sees me through his lens and not through mine and because of that I am clean, even though I am not, it’s time to show that grace to someone who has wronged me. It is one thing to receive grace and it’s a whole another thing to give one. I could see myself say but Paul do you know how I was wronged/cheated by Onesimus? Do you know the heartache he caused me? Do you know how many days it took me to clean up his mess?
• Higher calling – You could be a great person like Philemon. We see he opened his home for church, it says that the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through Philemon. Yet now something bigger is asked of him. He is now to receive a runaway slave not as a bondservant but as a beloved brother.  A runaway slave during this time was condemned to death not treated with equal status. Paul’s ask is big. Paul wants Philemon to receive Onesimus as he would receive Paul. He wants him to do more than what Paul has asked him to. Paul commends Philemon for the love and faith he has for all the saints and for Paul. Now he must show the same love he showed Paul to a runaway slave who has wronged him. May I never forget this. I am called for a higher purpose.
• I have hurt people because of my selfishness or sometimes because of personal differences do I take the time to set the relationship straight.

Some Greek to ponder
to command you – Bold (Gk. parrēsia) suggests “frankness” or “openness” to speak freely about difficult matters. The ESV Study Bible (p. 2355).

Sharing (Gk. koinōnia) used here would seem to carry a wide range of meaning, including the ideas of generosity, partnership, and fellowship that result from the common faith and common life that believers have in Christ. This usage of koinōnia is similar to the way Paul commends the Philippians for their tangible generosity (“partnership,” in supporting the cause of the gospel (Phil. 1:5). Paul is laying the groundwork for his appeal to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus. Philemon’s sharing will result in his own deeper knowledge of every good thing in Christ, that is, a deeper awareness and experience of the blessings that Christ has for him. The ESV Study Bible (p. 2355).

Partner (Gk. koinōnos) is from the same root as “sharing” (Gk. koinōnia) in v. 6. The good that is in Philemon should now be expressed in his new relationship with Onesimus. As God has received his people for the sake of Christ, they are to receive one another (see Rom. 5:6–11; 2 Cor. 5:16–21; note on 2 Cor. 2:10). ESV Study Bible (p. 2356).

Other Resources
Blue letter bible – Study Guide for Philemon by David Guzik (blueletterbible.org)
Bible Project – Watch: Philemon Bible Book Overview Video | BibleProject™).