Epistle of Philemon
1 A prisoner of Jesus Christ, a phrase found nowhere else, shows that Paul did not look on himself merely as a
prisoner of the Roman Empire. His witness for Christ in prison made him a prisoner. His our dearly beloved, and
fellow laborer tells us all we know about Philemon: he was dear to Paul, who considered him a valued coworker in the
ministry.
2 Apphia was probably Philemon's wife. Archippus may have been Philemon's son, but was more likely the minister in
the church (Colossians 4:17). The church in thy house: The earliest churches met in homes; Christian church
buildings were unknown until the third century. Philemon was probably one of the wealthier church members, since it
met at his house, and since he was a slave-owner.
3 The salutation, almost identical to other Pauline greetings (Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians,
Philippians), expresses a beautiful connection between two great works of God: grace, or His undeserved favor,
which is intimately associated with peace, the settled confidence that comes from being right with God.
4 Paul always opens his letters with a word of thanksgiving. (Galatians is the exception.)
8 Paul's request that Philemon take back Onesimus has a connotation of brotherly persuasion, rather than a formal
appeal to apostolic authority. Onesimus is now both a son to Paul (verse 10) and a brother to Philemon (verse 16).
Though he possessed no legal rights in the Roman world, Onesimus the slave was now on an equal spiritual plane
with both his owner and the apostle Paul.
11 Onesimus means "useful." Through a clever word-play Paul is saying: "Onesimus was useless to you in the past,
but in the future he will live up to his name!"
13, 14 Paul might have exploited his brotherly relationship with Philemon to request that Onesimus remain with him
as a helper, but he could not take advantage of Philemon in this way.
16 Paul's appeal that Philemon receive the runaway slave is well slated here: Onesimus has a new relationship to
Philemon as a brother in the Lord. Whether Philemon subsequently freed Onesimus is not known, but certainly
Paul's statements imply that slavery is incompatible with Christian teaching. In the Bible, slavery is usually viewed as
an existing social and economic practice. Like divorce, it is tolerated, but consistent application of Christian theology
leads to the abolition or discouragement of both.
18 Onesimus's crime is not mentioned, but probably it was stealing from his master. Paul writes, put that on mine
account, using a current bookkeeping term in Greek.
22 Prepare me also a lodging reflects both Philemon's financial status, and Paul's confidence that he would be
released from prison. It may be also a subtle encouraging that Philemon should fulfill Paul's request.
23, 24 This list of people is almost identical with that in Colossians 4:10-14. (Only one name is missing here.) It is
another proof of how closely related these two epistles are.