Philemon

Philemon

Written about AD 60-62 - same time as Colossians. Tychicus and Onesimus actually delivered the letter. During Paul’s two year imprisonment referred to in Acts 28:30. He was in his own rented house - a curious form of house arrest, called by the Romans as “free custody”.

Philemon was a believer and leader of the church at Colosse, which apparently met at his home. Probably he had hosted Paul, and was an upstanding member of the Christian community. He also wanted Philemon to prepare a place for Paul to stay, as he was expecting to be released from custody.

Apparently, the meeting of Onesimus and Paul in Rome was not planned by either. Paul would’ve known Onesimus from his time in Colosse and his closeness with Philemon. I would say this is a “G-dincidence” or as Hallmark Channel would say a “Godwink”. After meeting Paul, Onesimus became a believer, and helped Paul in his ministry. But Paul, because it was the right thing to do, advised Onesimus to return to Philemon.

This is one of the most personal of Paul’s epistles – written to a friend

Philemon 1-3

Greeting

1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy ourbrother, To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer,

Philemon was not only a friend, fellow believer, but he was actively involved in building up the church at Colosse.

JVM: Paul identified as a “prisoner of Christ Jesus”, because he was imprisoned as part of G-d’s will.

From Pastor Chuck’s commentary - So here he (Paul) sees himself, interestingly enough, not as a prisoner of Rome. Rome can't hold Paul nor can it hold back the work of the Spirit of God in Paul's life. "I'm a prisoner of Jesus Christ." And when you see things that way, it puts a whole different light on our experiences. I can endure; I can accept it when I realize that it is for the Lord and in His name and for His cause that I am experiencing these things.

Do we have that attitude? Do we consider ourselves prisoners of Christ? We should think about what that means in our life. The time may come shortly for us to imprisoned for our beliefs, or not bowing to the government -- are we ready to be prisoners for Christ?

I speaking to myself as much as you - I need to work on my relationship to G-d.

Also, he does not refer to himself as an apostle, but is writing on a personal level - not wanting to use his authority.

2 to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:

Apphia was probably Philemon’s wife and Archippus was a minister of the church in Colosse, and possibly Philemon’s son.

Col 4:17

The church used to meet in people’s homes…Kind of like our home fellowships.

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace and Peace were typical greetings - one Roman, the other Jewish. But Paul adds “to you” - I believe this is an indication of the personal relationship that existed between Philemon and Paul.

Philemon 4-7

Philemon’s Love and Faith

4 I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers,

The Greek word for “I thank” is eucharisteo - which means actively expressing gratitude

always – do we?

How often do we pray for our friends and family - Paul apparently had a rather extensive list of people he prayed for on a regular basis - Timothy, Luke, Philemon, the Ephesians, Colossians, etc.

How many times we pray for one or two people and think that is enough?

When we consider our prayer time, we wonder how are we going to pray for 1/2 an hour? We hear of saints who would pray for 2 or 3 hours - they are able to because they are praying for family, friends and others, by name. I would challenge you (and me) to start this practice - pray for each of the members of our church by name, our families, and neighbors.

At our prayer meeting, we discussed the ACTS method of prayer

A - adoration

C - confession

T - thankfulness

S – supplication

This fits the model or type of prayer Jesus outlined in the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13, Luke 11:2-4

Ephesians 5:19-20

5 hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints,

What a great witness! Can this be said of us?

Not to put a guilt trip on you, but we need to be demonstrating G-d’s love to others continually. To everyone, not just those we like.

6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

sharing - the Greek word is koinonia - fellowship, association -

This would be an example of how we share our faith - thru our association with others -

Paul is praying that the sharing of our faith would become effective because people recognize Jesus in us.... and we can only do this because of the work of Jesus in our lives.

MH says about this verse: The apostle joins prayer with his praises, that the fruits of Philemon’s faith and love might be more and more conspicuous, so as that the communication of them might constrain others to the acknowledgment of all the good things that were in him and in his house towards Christ Jesus; that their light might so shine before men that they, seeing their good works, might be stirred up to imitate them, and to glorify their Father who is in heaven. Good works must be done, not of vain-glory to be seen, yet such as may be seen to God’s glory and the good of men.

7 For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.

Word of Philemon’s love for the saints in Colossae reached Paul - again what a great witness!

This is a lot to live up to, eh?

But this is a by-product of our service for the Lord, not a goal.

Philemon 8-16

The Plea for Onesimus

8 Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting,

9 yetfor love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ—

Hayford Bible Handbook: [Paul] desired a genuine Christian reconciliation between a wronged slaveowner and a forgiven slave. Paul tactfully, yet urgently, interceded for Onesimus and expressed complete confidence that Philemon’s faith and love would result in restoration (vv. 5, 21).

Paul had the right to command or order Philemon to accept Onesimus, but he did not want to do this. He wanted Philemon to accept Onesimus based on Christian principles.

10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains,

In the original Greek, Onesimus’ name came last in the sentence. Philemon, by the time he reached the subject of Paul’s letter - Onesimus’ return, he was totally disarmed by the praise Paul had given him.

11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.

BBC: The slave who was returning to Philemon was a better slave than the one who had run away. It has been said that in NT times Christian slaves commanded a higher price on the market than others. It should be true today that Christian employees are more valuable as workers than unbelievers.

12 I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,

Paul is asking Philemon to receive Onesimus as if he were receiving Paul.

13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel.

Paul trusted Onesimus and wanted to keep Onesimus in Rome to help him, but...

14 But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.

KJVBible Commentary - Paul knows that if kindness or helpfulness is in any way forced, it becomes insincere. Philemon’s goodness always proceeded willingly from a heart of compassion. We must constantly examine our own lives to ensure that proper actions are produced by proper motives.

15 For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose,that you might receive him forever,

G-d used Onesimus’ disobedience

16 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.

Spurgeon lays out the following highlighting the importance of Philemon:

First, it illustrates the breaking down of social and cultural barriers that occurred between Christians (see Gl 3:28). Paul, a highly educated Roman citizen, takes up the cause of a poor runaway slave whose life was in danger because of his theft and flight (Phm 18). Social and cultural barriers are eliminated in Christian fellowship.

Second, it reflects early Christian attitudes towards slavery. Although Paul accepts (but does not endorse) slavery as an existing social condition and as a legal fact (see v. 12), he emphasizes Onesimus’s higher identity as a Christian brother and sets the master-slave relationship on a new footing (v. 16) and so ultimately undermines the institution of slavery. This contrasts with dominant views of the ancient world. For instance, Aristotle defined a slave as “a living tool, just as a tool is an inanimate slave” (Nicomachean Ethics viii. 11. 6).

Third, it shows a skillful pastor at work: Paul gives up his apostolic right to issue commands (vv. 8–9) and prefers to appeal to Philemon’s free choice (vv. 10, 14) to follow his Christian conscience in deciding how his love should be expressed (vv. 5, 7); he identifies with Onesimus, his spiritual son (v. 10), calling him “my very own heart” (v. 12) and guaranteeing to repay his debts (vv. 18–19); and he gives his requests to Philemon in the hearing of the whole local church (vv. 1–3, 22–25).

Fourth, it pictures the heart of the gospel (vv. 16–19). When we come to God in repentance and faith, he gives us a new status and welcomes us as if we were Christ. What we owe God, he has debited to Christ’s account. Christ assumed personal responsibility for the full repayment of our debt to God.

Philemon’s Obedience Encouraged

17 If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me.

An example of forgiveness - Philemon had the right to execute Onesimus under Roman law, but Paul implored him, as a Christian, to accept him as a fellow believer, not just a returning slave.

18 But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account.

Two statements in Paul’s letter to Philemon remind us of what Jesus did for us. “Receive him [Onesimus] as you would me” (v. 17) reminds us that we are “accepted in the Beloved”

Eph. 1:6.

“Put that on my account” (v. 18) reminds us that Jesus paid the price for our redemption

Rom. 4:7–8; 2 Cor. 5:21).

From the Believer’s Bible Commentary:

This little missive shows the courtesy, tact—with a dash of humor—and the loving heart of Paul. While it does not teach doctrine outright, it is a perfect illustration of the doctrine of “imputation” because of Paul’s command to “charge that to my account.” Just as Onesimus’ failings were charged to Paul’s “account” and Paul’s ability to pay applied to Onesimus’ helpless estate, so the Christian has his sins “imputed,” or charged, to our Lord’s account and our Lord’s saving merits put on his own ledger.

IMPUTATION The act of reckoning a legal debit or credit to an account. The term was used in Graeco-Roman legal language and was understood in secular commerce as “enter into the books” (Balz and Schneider, 355). The concept is also used in a religious sense in the Old and New Testament. Protestant Christians recognize imputation in three doctrinal areas: original sin, atonement, and justification.

Going back to the issue of slaves – as Onesimus was - actually, we were all slaves at some point - slaves to sin. It is only thru Christ’s sacrifice that we can be made whole, and with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that we can overcome our slavery to sin. So, maybe all of us can claim reparations -

John 8:34 - Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.”

19 I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay—not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides.

Reinforces the personal nature of this letter - he wrote it himself, not dictating it to someone else.

Possibly due to Paul leading Philemon to the Lord, and now he has eternal life.

20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.

Paul has confidence that Philemon will do even more than what he asks.

21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

JVM: It is characteristic of real believers to do more than is requested. Jesus asks us to go the second mile. Maybe the reason that some of us are so poor today is that we have been stingy with the Lord. The Lord is a generous Lord. We should be generous people.

Ephesians 4:31 - “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.”

22 But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you.

He was expecting to be released soon and hoped to return to Colosse.

Farewell

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,

Epaphras possibly planted the church at Colosse.

Col 1:7-8

He was also imprisoned with Paul in Rome.

24 as doMark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers.

Mark - who wrote the gospel, Aristarchus is a fellow believer from Thessalonica who accompanied Paul on some of his missionary trips. Demas - who later left the Church (2Tim4:10 - For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.)

And Luke - writer of the gospel of the Luke, and Paul’s physician.

25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

As a result of Christ, we are Accepted and Redeemed

Are we truly ready to be a “prisoner of Christ”? This is not a question to be taken lightly, with a glib answer. We need to really evaluate our faith, and our position in it.