Philemon 1-3

Introduction

Paul’s is a prisoner of Jesus Christ

Patterns in literature are important. They provide structure that allows the reader to have a deeper understanding of a text. For example, in the tabernacle and Temple there were different rooms within the priestly operation of worship. There was the Holy place and the Holy of Holies. A veil separated the Holy place from the Holy of Holies. The Holy of Holies was the most sacred place in the tabernacle and temple. God met Israel by filling the Holy of Holies with His presence. This was such a sacred place that the High Priest could only enter the room once a year to offer a sacrifice for Israel’s sins. Moses not kings could enter the Holy of Holies. The pattern is established in Exodus and Leviticus.

However, at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the veil that separated the Holy place from the Holy of Holies was torn presumably right down the middle into two parts. Mark 15:38 “And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.” The importance of the veil being town into two parts is based upon the pattern of the veil’s function in the Old Testament. Without the pattern, we would not grasp fully what was being said. In Hebrews 10:20 (“By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.”) the veil represented the body of Jesus. We now have access to the Holy of Holies because of the broken body of Jesus. You can see with this example the importance patterns have in literature.

I bring this up becasue Paul breaks his pattern in Philemon 1 “Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer.” Usually, Paul references himself in his introductions as an Apostle of Jesus. In the 13 epistles that we know he wrote, he introduces himself as an apostle 9 times. In Philippians, he introduces himself as a servant of Jesus Christ. In 1 and 2 Thessalonians he just mentions his name. In Philemon 1:1 he introduces himself as a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

There are four prison epistles: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. These four epistles were written during Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome. Paul introducing himself s a prisoner of Jesus Christ and not as a prisoner of Rome is shocking. There could be a number of reasons he chose this is his introduction. One reason could be the focus of the letter is not based on authority but (apostolic authority) but lowliness ( a prisoner). Regardless of the reason(s), Paul describing himself as a prisoner of Jesus does does have implications.

Paul was not captive to his environment but to Jesus Christ. Even though he was in a Roman prison, he was not Rome’s prisoner. Christians are never captive to their situation but prisoners of Jesus. A cancer patient is not cancer’s prisoner but Jesus.’ Regardless of the ebbs and flows of the day, we are not captive by the ups and downs of the day. Our stability in the fact that we are captives of Jesus. One Greek dictionary wrote that Paul’s “(i)mprisonment symbolizes his whole life and ministry.”