I have approached this book slightly differently to some of the others, in that I have dealt with it as a whole and not necessarily verse by verse. It was the basis of a sermon or study which I presented to a church. However, I trust that I have done justice to the Scripture.
It is important to try to understand a book of the Bible in its entirety, not so much a verse, passage, or even a chapter, but to see what is being said by the whole book. The books of the New Testament were written to make a point. Paul pursues his point relentlessly and systematically in each of his letters. This book contains only one chapter. It is important to remember that the epistles are complete letters with no verse numbers or division into chapters – Paragraphs maybe. They were written for a purpose, and none so much as this one, it is personal.
Whilst some commentators view this letter as relatively unimportant, there is a great and vital truth here, one that Christians today are failing to grasp. Of all the letters Paul wrote which are recorded for us in Scripture this is probably the most beautiful. It is personal. I’m sure the whole church at Colossae knew about Onesimus and Paul could have incorporated this in the letter written to the church, but he doesn’t. Rather he writes a personal letter to Philemon. This shows Paul’s attitude, his tact and wisdom.
The book is about a runaway slave Onesimus, owned by Philemon to whom Paul pleads to take back and effect a full reconciliation. When the letter was written it is estimated that one-third of the population were slaves, one-third had been liberated from slavery and one-third were slave owners. Nowhere in the letter does Paul seek to criticise slavery nor does he advocate the abolition of slave ownership. We might mention this later.
Here in Philemon, we see how faith must work together with love in very practical ways. The book of Philemon could be described as ‘Love in Action’. It is a short intimate letter carefully and sensitively worded employing both tact and irony. It offers a blend of love, wisdom, humour, gentleness, tact and above all Christian and human maturity. It is a letter about Christian fellowship.
DATE: It is believed that the letter was written about A.D. 62 during Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome and carried by Onesimus and Tychicus at the same time that Tychicus conveyed the separate Colossian letter. So, they set out with two letters one to the church as a whole and the other specifically to Philemon but also to the church in that a request was to be made to the whole church that met in his home. It may be that there was more than one meeting place for the church at Colossae.
It can be rather confusing regarding the date as Paul refers to himself as “Paul the aged” (NKJV) “an old man” (NIV) (v9). Whether this a part of Paul’s humour I am not sure but if you recall the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7v58 we are told that they placed their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. Now that would have been, at the earliest AD 32, so if he was a young man then he is hardly an old man some 30 years later. He would probably be 60 at the most, and when I was 60, I didn’t feel particularly old. You may have thought I was! Maybe this is touch of Paul’s humour in referring to himself as an old man. It may be a case of ‘you are as old as you feel’ or ‘I am old compared with you.’
Paul appeals to Philemon as ‘the aged (one)’ Here is Paul a servant of Christ who had ‘grown old’ in the service of his Lord and Master. He was, no doubt, prematurely old through hard work, anxiety for the churches and persecution, and he was in ill health because of the hardships he had suffered. Because of all this he may have been old before his time.
Its theme may be defined as love exemplified. In so short a letter no less than eleven persons are named: five at the beginning – Paul, Timothy, Philemon, Apphia and Archippus; five at the end of the letter – Epaphras, Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke; and one central figure, the subject and reason for the letter, Onesimus.
Notice how personal Paul is in this letter – he uses the word ‘brother’ 4 times (v1,7,16,20); ‘Friend’ in v1; ‘Beloved’ (v2); ‘Fellow labourer’ (v1, 24); ‘fellow soldier’ (v2); ‘saints’ (v5,7); ‘son’ (v10); ‘partner’ (v17); ‘prisoner’ and ‘fellow prisoner’ (v9,23); ‘no longer a slave’ (v16) and finally ‘guest’ (v22).
The letter to Philemon was one of Paul’s prison epistles, which he wrote while being held a prisoner in Rome while under house arrest there. When the apostle Paul wrote this letter, he was in Rome. (Acts 28.) He was not free, because he expected to appear before the Emperor, Nero. (See Acts 24: 11; 25 etc) Roman soldiers came to watch him every day. No doubt many of them heard the Good News and we know some came to believe in Jesus. (Philippians 1: 12, 13) Paul was not in a prison but under house arrest (Acts 28: 16,23 and 30,31). He calls himself a prisoner (v 1) not of the Emperor but ‘of Christ Jesus’. (v 9) Acts 28 says he was a prisoner in a rented house, he has people coming and going, he’s probably chained to a Roman soldier.
Paul addresses his letter as ‘a prisoner of Christ Jesus’ the Romans thought he was a prisoner of Rome. They had captured him. He was under their authority. But to Paul he was a prisoner of Jesus Christ. He was imprisoned because Christ put him there, not because Rome put him there. Paul calls himself a “prisoner of Christ Jesus” in v1 and repeats the fact three times (v 9, 13, 23), which must have been important to Paul’s purpose. And if you ever have any questions about that, all you have to do is remind yourself of some of the wonderful things that he said while he was in prison.The Lord had him in prison and while he was there, he was evangelising Caesar’s household. The mention of himself as a prisoner of Christ Jesus is also very tactful, probably implying, “In comparison with the sacrifice that I am making is not the favour which I am asking of you a rather easy matter?”
Philemon and Paul clearly knew each other personally. Philemon is a man he loved and a man who had worked alongside him. This friendship probably developed in Ephesus because, so far as we know, Paul never went to Colossae. He founded the church at Ephesus, stayed there three years and out of Ephesus all those other churches in Asia Minor were planted. No doubt during the time Paul was at Ephesus, Philemon was converted, came to know Paul in a personal way even though he lived a little distance away in the very small town of Colossae. So, they had developed a friendship.
All brothers (and sisters)in the Lord should also be fellow workers. No room in the family of God for those who don’t enter into the work of the gospel ministry; we all may have different roles, but it involves commitment and hard work.
GREETING: v3 contains the usual prayer for ‘grace,’ the Greek Christian greeting, and ‘peace,’ the Jewish greeting, which is the fruit of grace or the favour of God.
It is significant that Paul did not write with authority as an apostle as he did in many of his epistles; he writes to Philemon as a personal friend. He could have written all this in the general letter to the Colossian Church, but this is more personal. He addresses not only Philemon but Apphia, and Archippus. It’s almost certain the Apphia was Philemon’s wife and most probably Archippus their son. Apphia is not mentioned anywhere else in Scripture, but Archippus is mentioned in Colossians 4v17 where he is clearly given a work by the Lord and Paul encourages him to complete it.
“I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, 5 hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. 7 For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.” (v4-6)
Paul praises God and thanks Him for such a close friend and such a fine character as Philemon. It was God Who had brought them together. Paul, no doubt, had heard of Philemon’s continued faithfulness and love through Epaphras. How important it is that when we speak about others, we tell the truth. Paul took the time to pray for specific individuals and their needs; the tone of Paul’s prayers was one of thanksgiving. Always tried to accentuate the positive; not looking for things to criticise or to harp on someone’s weaknesses.
Paul used a diplomatic approach to Philemon. There is no censure, either in terms of morals or doctrine, against Philemon. Paul does not even mention Onesimus’ name until v10. The word ‘fellowship’ or ‘communication’ is used by Paul meaning the sharing and giving of material things as well as sharing the faith. From the fellowship between saints comes a ‘full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.’
v6 indicates that we will only be effective in sharing our faith by acknowledging that all we have has come from Christ. Don’t try to share your faith in your own strength or on the basis that you have achieved anything. It is all because of Him.
It seems that Philemon had made many valuable contributions, both material and spiritual, to the welfare of the community and the church of Colossae. Paul says Philemon has refreshed the hearts of the saints- uses the word (v7) translated ‘bowels’ (KJV) ‘hearts’ (NKJV). Paul hopes that Philemon will show the same kind of compassion for Onesimus as the prodigal’s father did to his wayward son. To ‘refresh’ is a military metaphor signifying the rest that an army takes while on the march to regain strength for renewal of warfare.
And Paul now is going to put his friendship on the line. This is a straight-forward letter. He’s going to ask Philemon to do something in the area of forgiveness that is crucial.
C.S. Lewis once said, “Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea, until he has something to forgive.”
Martin Lloyd Jones once said “I say to the glory of God and in utter humility that whenever I see myself before God and realize even something of what my blessed Lord has done for me, I am ready to forgive anybody and anything”
Paul also addresses the church which meets in Philemon’s house because all would have known what Onesimus had done or at least that he had run away. But first he addresses Philemon, the head of the household, was a zealous Christian, probably a businessman and a layman who was without a doubt a wealthy man. His wife, Apphia, would have been aggrieved at Onesimus’ conduct.
Forgiveness is vital to any fellowship.
Broken human relationships always cause pain and create awkward situations. The Apostle Paul inserts himself into the middle of a broken relationship between Philemon and Onesimus. Now Paul is making an impassioned plea for reconciliation. He wants Philemon to set aside his natural feelings for vengeance (He had been wronged, probably robbed and publicly embarrassed) and receive Onesimus back as much more than a slave – but as a beloved brother in the body of Christ.
The Apostle has already been successful in persuading Onesimus to return. Think of the internal struggle that Onesimus must have faced. His life had turned around as he met Paul and as Paul introduced him to the Saviour. What a risk to himself to go back to submit to a former master whom he obviously had not respected enough to stay with or respect his property. But the gospel had so transformed the life of Onesimus that he was willing to trust the Lord to do the right thing and leave the results in His hands.
Paul says I appeal to you for this one, I’m the human instrument of his salvation by the grace of God, he is now my child, he came to Christ here in my imprisonment and I’m sending him back, open your arms to receive him, he’s repentant. Paul was convinced of his true conversion.
He’s humble. He seeks to have a restored relationship with this man whom he has wronged. That is the first element of forgiveness, the reception of the person back into one’s life. Open up and embrace him.
But what would be the reaction of Philemon?
The power of the gospel in transforming lives means that things do not have to remain in their dysfunctional state. As new creatures who have been reconciled to God the Father in Christ, we can experience reconciled human relationships as well. But it’s never easy. Reconciliation requires repentance and restitution and forgiveness. But that’s the type of behaviour that should correspond with the experience of God’s grace and forgiveness in our own lives
Paul shows perfect tact in this letter. He calls out all that is noble in Philemon. He touches all the motives that will induce Philemon to receive Onesimus back in a Christian manner. No excuse is offered for the slave’s running away. He ran away as an unbeliever, but Paul returns him as a Christian.
The Apostle Paul is petitioning Philemon to receive back Onesimus, the slave he had led to the Lord but the slave who had robbed his master and run away to Rome. Paul has been urging Onesimus to make things right with his master; but the question was whether Philemon would be willing to forgive and extend love to Onesimus and whether he would be able to trust him again. This is a test of genuine Christian love. Paul does not want Onesimus to be punished; in fact, he would like him to be freed to be returned to help him in the gospel. But Paul does not presume upon the willingness of Philemon. Paul appeals to Philemon on the basis of love – “For love’s sake”. (v9)
It has been said – “An order applies only to a man’s will, but love appeals to his heart.”
Now there’s risk here because Philemon would have the right to punish Onesimus. But Paul decides to send him back anyway, but not without a letter. And what it basically says is you’ve got to forgive this man; you’ve got to be willing to be merciful. You’ve got to treat this slave the way Christ treated you. Same principle that he put in Ephesians 4:32, and in the other letter to the Colossians 3:13, ‘Forgive as you have been forgiven.’ Remember this letter was sent at the same time as the one to the church at Colossae, so the matter of forgiveness was stressed again.
Wiersbe: “If a slave ran away, the master would register the name and description with the officials, and the slave would be on the ‘wanted’ list. Any free citizen who found a runaway slave could assume custody and even intercede with the owner. The slave was not automatically returned to the owner, nor was he automatically sentenced to death. While it is true that some masters were cruel many of them were reasonable and humane. After all, a slave was an expensive and useful piece of personal property, and it would cost the owner to lose him.”
Philemon lost a heathen slave; Paul gives him back a Christian slave who comes back to his master of his own accord, impelled by a Christian Conscience, to make good his past and to serve his master in a truly Christian way.
Note that Onesimus was to be welcomed back by the entire household – Philemon, Apphia, Archippus and the church. How were they to look upon Onesimus?
v10, 11. PUT AWAY FORMER PREJUDICES
There has been a change in the life of Onesimus:
Paul has already recognized these changes; now Philemon needs to view Onesimus in this new light as well.
Paul refers to him – “I appeal to you for my son Onesimus,” (v10)
Now a Child of God “who became my son while I was in chains.” (v10) (NIV)
Now Useful ‘He formerly was useless to you but now is useful both to you and to me.’ (v11) (my paraphrase)
There is a ‘play on words (a pun)’ here – Onesimus comes from the same Gr. root word onesis meaning ‘profitable‘ or ‘helpful,’ ‘useful’ but he became unprofitable/useless because of his sin of running away from his master and probably for stealing enough money to permit his escape to Rome. Since Onesimus was saved, he became profitable/useful to Paul and upon his return he would be profitable/useful to Philemon. Once Onesimus was useless, but now he is useful – note the contrast – “was…but now.” Once Onesimus belied his name, instead of profitable, he proved unprofitable; but now, since his conversion, he justifies his name.
Name Philemon means ‘affectionate or one who is kind’
Look at how Christ was able to look at Simon Peter and see his potential for ministry
What is more important to you? Hanging on to your old prejudices in terms of how you view the potential of this person or giving the other person the benefit of the doubt regarding his repentance and commitment to following Christ?
How useless Useful became useful. “Useful formerly was useless but now is useful” – Paul’s point is that Onesimus had been radically transformed by God’s grace.
There have been CHANGES:
(v12-13a) Valuable to Paul for his Ministry
‘I am sending him back to you in person, who is my very heart, whom I wished to keep with me,’
(v13b) Valuable to Philemon for his Ministry ‘I 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;’
Onesimus could now serve as an extension of the ministry of Philemon as I guess that Philemon was a support to Paul even while he was imprisoned.
(v14) Voluntary Requirement of this Gospel Ministry Partnership = Your Goodness ‘but I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favour you do (your goodness) will be spontaneous and not forced.’
Reconciliation is ultimately about furthering our partnership in service in the gospel so that the cause of Jesus Christ will be advanced; it is not ultimately about me enjoying more comfortable relationships.
Paul sees that instead of forcing the slave to beg for mercy all by himself, he returns supported by Tychicus and the letter from Paul addressed to the entire congregation of Colossae. If you read the Colossian letter you will see some gentle overlaps in mention of love and forgiveness. In this letter to Philemon his love and the spirit of forgiveness is emphasised; the letter deals specifically with the case of Onesimus. Surely, never did a runaway slave return to his master in better company! Onesimus is going home as if he were (Paul’s) own heart.
The Characteristics of One Who Forgives:
As a result of the sinfulness, the wickedness and the lack of any kind of Christian social restraint we have a society filled with bitterness, filled with vengeance, anger, hate, and hostility toward others. This can be seen in the retaliatory kind of crimes that become so commonplace in our day. It can be seen in the lawsuits against everyone for everything conceivable and inconceivable. We can’t even make food at home to bring to church for fear of someone suing us if they fall ill by eating them. Certainly, ours is the most hostile, the angriest, the most unforgiving, and the most vengeful culture.
Bitterness is not just a sin; it is an infection. And it will infect your whole life.
And bitterness can be directly traced to the failure to forgive. It makes you become caustic. It makes you a condemning person. It gives you a nasty disposition, harassed by the memories of what you can’t forgive, your thoughts become bad toward others, you get a distorted view of life, and you have literally diseased your whole existence. Anger begins to rage in you, and it can easily get out of control.
Unforgiveness gives Satan an open door.
Unforgiveness throws the welcome mat out and invites him and his demons in.
Unforgiveness hinders your fellowship with God. ‘Jesus said if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. If you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.’
Characteristics of one who forgives:
1) Love for The Lord = a true believer – your faith is real
2) Love for people – your love is real
3) Concern for fellowship – you want harmony, peace, unity and blessing; God has given you the capacity to forgive
4) Aim for the glory of Jesus Christ – “Do all to the glory of God”
F. B. Hole stated, if we have done some palpable wrong to another, no more effectual proof of our repentance can be given than that of confession and restitution, as far as that may be within our power. It is ever a trying process, but it is practical righteousness, most effective as a testimony and most glorifying to God.
THE GRACE OF JESUS CHRIST PROVIDES THE MOTIVATION FOR CHRISTIAN RECONCILIATION
Before we can fully grasp the process of Christian reconciliation between two parties, we must understand how Jesus Christ has graciously reconciled us to God the Father.
MacArthur said, Forgiveness is the most God-like and the most Christ-like act a Christian can do because that is what God does, that is what Christ does.
Paul preferred to plead with Philemon, first because he loved him and felt that Philemon would return his love, and also because he was now an old man who had served his Lord faithfully as was evidenced by the fact that he was in prison for his faith. Thus, an old man (!!) who had spent his life in the sacrificial service of Christ and who was now in jail is pleading with one of his converts to forgive another.
The Heart of the Matter – v10 – 14
Onesimus, the runaway slave, who was probably guilty of theft, which was a common sin of slaves, fled the home of Philemon in Colossae and came to Rome. It is possible that while still at the home of Philemon the slave had heard about Paul. He probably arrived at Rome as a fugitive and in dire straits. How did he meet Paul? Was he arrested and thrown into the same jail where Paul was held? Did he come to Paul’s rented quarters in Rome (Acts 28:20) to hear Paul preach?
We don’t know all the details, but we do know that he met Paul in Rome and that Paul led him to Christ and Paul was used of God to change the slave into a brother beloved, the thief into a fellow servant. We also know that Onesimus was now saved; he wanted to return to Philemon and make whatever restitution he could. Since Onesimus’ conversion to Christ Jesus he, who was once a liability to Philemon becomes an asset, both to Philemon and to Paul. Onesimus was willing to continue as Philemon’s slave. He was also a great help to Paul in his ministry.
Paul had a desire to keep Onesimus with him as his ‘minister’ rather than a ‘slave,’ but he would not do so without Philemon’s permission. Paul gave up his right to Onesimus; for the right of the lawful owner had to be respected. “I would have kept him, but you had not given him to me,” Paul implies. Even though Onesimus was converted, he was still a slave of Philemon, who still had to be acknowledged as his master. Paul wanted any decision of Philemon to be not forced but a willing decision.
The Human and Divine 15-22
“For perhaps he was for this reason parted from you for a while, that you should have him back forever, no longer as a slave but better than a slave, as a dear brother.” (v 15,16) (NIV)
Paul’s uses the word “perhaps” but that’s from a human point of view. It really is God’s providence. God can providentially rule and even overrule some human sin and folly.
- Amazing, isn’t it? If Paul had not met Philemon in Ephesus, had not been arrested and taken to prison in Rome he might never have met up with Onesimus and his conversion never taken place. God never makes a mistake! Let us ever remember that God sees the whole picture while we may only see a part of it.
- How similar to Joseph way back in Genesis.
Genesis 45:4-8 and 50:15-21 in which God overruled the folly of Joseph’s brothers when they sold him into slavery. In spite of their folly, God intervened and worked it out for the good of all the sons of Jacob. Joseph said, ‘But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save many people alive’ (Genesis 50:20).
God never plans evil, that’s man’s domain but God can bring good out of evil; we must recognize that ‘His thoughts are higher than man, and His ways past finding out ‘(Isaiah 55:8,9).
I have met quite a few prisoners over the past few months. Several of them have said how glad they were to have been sent to prison because there they have found The Saviour. Committing a crime is not something you would ever advise, but God can use any situation to bring people to Himself and God can use us as instruments to do this. How we must pray for those in prison and for those who are looking to lead them to Christ.
Quotes – “One of the best things that happened to me is coming to prison”
“… I was back in prison; I joined the Bible Studies and within 2 months I was totally transformed by Jesus.” Andy
Paul does not declare the slave set free now, but he implores Philemon not to look upon Onesimus merely as a possession, an instrument or a tool, as slaves were then regarded. He is to be treated as a beloved brother.
v18. He said, “If Onesimus has wronged you, or owes anything, put that to my account.” This is the issue of restitution. Paul knows Onesimus has nothing. He can’t repay what he stole. He can’t repay the 500 denarii that Philemon probably had to spend to get someone to take Onesimus’ place. He doesn’t have that money. So, Paul says instead of trying to get it out of him, just charge it to my account. Paul is so convinced of Onesimus’ conversion but even if not, Paul puts his own reputation on the line.
And then most interestingly, Paul says, “I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay.” (v19) And Paul picks up the pen and signs the IOU with his own name. That’s what he’s doing. I’m writing my own name with my own hand as a guarantee that if you’ll put it on my account I’ll pay it.
Obviously, Paul must have had some funds put aside. You’ll remember that he had received some gifts during his imprisonment. He notes them in Philippians 2 v30 and 4 v 14 to 18 and says to the Philippian church, ‘Thank you for sending me some things, some money, some support in my imprisonment.’ So, he had some resources, perhaps he had enough to pay the debt. Paul is willing to do that.
But then notice what he says next (maybe Paul’s humour!). “Not to mention that you owe me even your very self besides.” What is he saying here? He’s saying, “By the way, I know Onesimus owes you a debt, but may I remind you that you owe me a greater debt than he owes you?” Put his debt on my account and then consider cancelling it because you owe me so much.
Now there’s a principle here. Philemon is not just a man who is owed the payment of a debt. Philemon is also a debtor who owes a far greater and unpayable debt to Paul.
Onesimus owes Philemon a material debt. Philemon owes Paul a spiritual debt.
Onesimus owes Philemon a temporal debt. Philemon owes Paul an eternal debt. Why?
Paul had given him the gospel. Paul had led him to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. How is he ever going to pay that back? So, he says Onesimus’ debt should be put on my account and then cancel because you owe me so much, because I was used by God to deliver you from death and hell.
Wiersbe: This is to me an illustration of what Jesus Christ has done for us as believers. God’s people are so identified with Jesus Christ that God receives them as He receives His Son! We are “accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6) and clothed in His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). We certainly cannot approach God with any merit of our own, but God must receive us when we come to Him “in Jesus Christ.” The word ‘receive’ in Philemon 17 means “to receive into one’s family circle.” Imagine a slave entering his master’s family! But imagine a guilty sinner entering God’s family! . . .
It takes more than love to solve the problem; love must pay a price. God does not save us by His love, for though He loves the whole world, the whole world is not saved.
God saves sinners by His grace (Ephesians 2:8-9), and grace is love that pays a price. God in His holiness could not ignore the debt that we owe, for God must be faithful. So, He paid the debt for us!
v20 GRACE OF JESUS CHRIST REMINDS US OF THE GREAT BLESSINGS OF RECONCILIATION
“Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.”
The forgiveness of Onesimus by Philemon will bring spiritual joy and refreshment because Paul loves both those men. Paul wants them to be one. Paul loves the unity of the church. Paul wants Colossae as a church to see that forgiveness as a great example. If Philemon refuses to forgive Onesimus, it will burden the heart of Paul, it will sadden the heart of Paul, it will trouble the heart of Paul because he loves that church and he loves the unity of the church. Any failure to forgive will injure his relationship with Philemon and it will injure that church. It will mar its ministry and its effectiveness, and it will misrepresent the power of the gospel to the unconverted world that’s watching. So, he simply says you’ve been willing to do so much refreshing for other people, would you just do this for me? Would you forgive this man and refresh me and bless me and give me joy? You owe more than you can ever pay and if you forgive, you’ll bless the saints.
How we need this attitude in our churches today.
“We are all indebted to One greater than Onesimus to Philemon – all we can do is acknowledge the bill, and we have nothing to pay, no means of meeting God’s just demands. He Who in justice demanded payment has in love paid it all” (See: Hebrews 9:28; I Peter 2:24; II Corinthians 5:18,19; Ephesians 2:16; Colossians 1:20,21). So, our Lord paid it all at Calvary in order that He might ask the Father to forgive those whose debt He paid. This is the principle of the atonement. Our Lord PAID IT ALL.
The entire basis for forgiveness is the fact that we have also been forgiven (Matthew 18:21-35).
v21 “Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. “
The ‘obedience’ that Paul seeks is Philemon’s heartfelt response to the call of love. Paul was sure Philemon would go the second mile; he would do more than Paul asked of him. Not only will Philemon receive Onesimus back, but Paul hints that he might even see fit to give Onesimus his freedom. “More than I say” implies and suggests the eventual liberation of Onesimus by Philemon. Paul had been very truthful, but he was also very diplomatic. How can Philemon refuse??
Slavery:
In Col 4v1Paul writes “Master, give your bond servants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.”
Why doesn’t the Bible come out and condemn the institution of slavery? This is a subject which has come to the fore in today’s society.
The message of Christianity is primarily to individuals, and only secondarily to society. It leaves those whom it has influenced to influence society. So, it meddles directly with no political or social arrangements, but lays down principles which will profoundly affect these, and leaves them to soak into the general mind.
v22 “but one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you.” Or because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.
Then, somewhat as an after-thought, Paul says “Oh, by the way,” could I get a visit and hospitality at your house when I am released? In fact, Paul may visit Philemon to see if he complies with his request. Paul was expecting that he would be released and is asking that lodging be prepared for him.
The Benediction 23 -25 “Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow labourers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.”
Timothy is present with him although Paul does not indicate that Timothy is a fellow prisoner. No doubt Timothy came to visit him, or he even stayed in the same house.
“Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers greet you. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.” However, Epaphras is a fellow prisoner. Epaphras was probably the founder of the church at Colossae and a citizen of Colossae. John Mark is again a fellow worker. Demas is still a fellow worker. Luke, the ‘beloved physician’ and evangelist is present also as he has been faithful through the years (Acts 16:10-17; 20:5-15; 21:1-18; 27:1-28:16) as the “we” and “us” passages show. This letter is obviously written before 2 Timothy 4:10 because there we read that Demas had forsaken him, but here (and in the letter to the Colossians) he is still with him.
So, the drama is shared by three main characters. Here is an ex-Jewish rabbi, to whom all Gentiles were once untouchables, a wealthy Gentile to whom an itinerate Jewish preacher in a Roman prison would normally be an object of contempt, and a rootless slave, a thieving, ungrateful ne’er-do-well without hope of human sympathy or even human justice. All three are caught up through their common allegiance to Christ into an entirely new relationship where each acknowledges the other as one of God’s adopted sons and a brother for whom Christ died.
There is no evidence as to how Philemon and his wife, Apphia and Archippus or the church responded to Paul’ letter, but after such a logical, diplomatic, winsome and frank appeal – what do you think?
Let me finish with a true story: As I thought about the mysteries of how God works, I was reminded of a story I heard a few years ago. The story begins with a poor Scottish farmer by the name of Fleming.
One day, while trying to scratch out a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, to his waist in black mud, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death.
The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman’s sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy the farmer had saved. “I want to repay you,” said the nobleman. “You saved my son’s life.”
“No, I can’t accept payment for what I did,” the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer’s own son came to the door of the family hovel.
“Is that your son?” the nobleman asked. “Yes,” the farmer replied proudly.
“I’ll make you a deal. Let me take him and give him a good education. If the lad is anything like his father, he’ll grow to a man you can be proud of.” And that he did. In time, Farmer Fleming’s son graduated from St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School in London and went on to become known throughout the world as Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin. Years afterward, the nobleman’s son was stricken with pneumonia. It was penicillin that saved the nobleman’s son. The name of that nobleman was Lord Randolph Churchill. The son who was saved – Sir Winston Churchill.
We could spend a lifetime trying to figure out how and why God does what He does, but a better use of our time and energy would be to trust that The God who sees the future just as plainly as He sees the past knows better than we do what is good for us. We must trust Him and be obedient, even when we grow uncomfortable or unsure.
In Philemon, the apostle Paul brings God’s providence into the equation. Think about it. Paul travels to Ephesus and leads a man to the Lord. Paul then moves on until years later he is placed in Roman prison hundreds of miles away.
Meanwhile, the man he has led to the Lord has a slave who ran away. Of all the places in the world that slave could have gone, he ends up in Rome, where he too hears the gospel of Christ from Paul and experiences a wonderful change of life.
We can’t script those sorts of events and yet they happen in our lives all the time. That’s one of the reasons Paul was able to write what he did in Philemon 15. “For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever.”
1 John 4:7-11 “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love is of God, for everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us that God sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
