Philemon - 1-7 - Intro and Thanksgiving

Philemon

This morning we begin a new series examining the text of one specific book of the Bible. It will be a relatively short series given that the book we are examining is the third shortest in the Bible, containing just over 330 words in just 25 verses total. This is the book of Philemon, one of the oft overlooked prison epistles of Paul. It was written around 62 AD during a time when Paul is incarcerated, some suggest in the form of being under house arrest. During this time he writes to a fellow Christian, a friend in the faith dealing with an interpresonal issue, a matter of forgiveness, love, and humanity. Paul writes to Philemon, a wealthy Roman citizen who is most likely from Colossae as well as Apphia and Archippus who many believe are family members of Philemon. We know little about Philemon and his family other than the fact that they are believers. Philemon is described as a “fellow worker” by Paul and Paul mentions that the church meets in his house. Church traditions of the Eastern Orthodox church tell us that he was one of the 72 disciples, a bishop of the early church, and later in the late 60’s AD to become a Martyr under the persecutions of Nero at the end of his reign. These traditions are far from certain, but they are certainly possible. Philemon was undoubtedly a leader in the church and Paul has close ties to him and loves him deeply as brother in Christ. But before we begin our reading for today there is one more important detail to note about Philemon - he was a slave owner. This is important because this is really what the letter is all about - dealing with the fate of one of Philemon’s slaves who had run away - Onesimus. With this in mind let’s read the word of the Lord.

Philemon

Philemon 1–7 ESV

Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and 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. For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.

The word of the Lord.

Paul is a prisoner, most likely in Rome at this point and most likely under something akin to house arrest. He is able to write and receive visitors and even able to evangelize with various persons during this time. We know he has at least one other brother in Christ alongside him in captivity, that being Epaphras and he has numerous fellow laborers who visit him like Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke. So Paul is during his incarceration able to see friends and receive visitors. One such visitor we believe is the runaway slave Onesimus. We know little about Onesimus and why he flees the house of Philemon. Some scholars posit based upon clues in the text that Onesimus had stolen money from Philemon, which is certainly possible given how far he would have had to travel to reach Paul. When Onesimus finally does reach Paul something beautiful happens. Onesimus becomes a brother in Christ, he is converted. Not only that but he begins serving and ministering to Paul. He becomes an invaluable aid and even more than that a dear friend to Paul in a very difficult time.

Paul writes to Onesimus master Philemon, giving a fairly standard opening to his letter, declaring who is writing and to whom, but Paul also changes the greeting slightly. Rather than saying Paul an Apostle of Christ Jesus, he says Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus. I don’t believe Paul is simply stating his physical predicament here, I believe he is intentionally setting up everything that is to follow in the letter, relating his sorry state in the eyes of his captors. They view him as a criminal, much as Philemon must view Onesimus, rightly or wrongly in the eyes of Roman law as a criminal. Paul is condescending, lowering himself and relating his state to the state of Onesimus in order to do what he will do later in the letter. At least that’s my opinion - take it or leave it.

Paul gives the address, who the letter is to, and then does something that really bothers many modern readers - he gives thanks for and praises Philemon. Let’s reread that section

Philemon

Philemon 4–7 ESV

I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and 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. For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.

Think about this for just a moment - Paul is praising and giving thanks for who? A slave owner! So many people lose their minds over this in our culture. How could Paul possibly do such a thing! Why wouldn’t he just tell Philemon that slavery is a sin outright and condemn his behavior?

Well a couple of things to remind us that we need to take off our Western spectacles for just a moment.

Slavery was not the same in the ancient world as it was in America just 200 years ago - Slavery in the ancient world was not always akin to “owning” another human being. Sometimes it certainly was. Prisoners of war were often regarded as property, though this was not as American slavery was still since it was not bound up in racial inequality. But though many slaves were prisoners of war, many others where something more akin to indentured servants. They, for lack of a better word, sold themselves into slavery, most often for a set period of time in order to pay off a debt or earn a wage and have a place to live. We must rightly recognize these types of slavery as what took place in this time frame and not see this as racial.

The loudest voices crying out in protest against Paul praising a slave owner here are the same voices crying out that Christians need to be more accepting and tolerant of any and all forms of sexual deviancy - My friends there is an inconsistency in the worldview of anyone who condemns a slave owner and praises a homosexual. If you have problem with slavery, but not a problem with homosexuality you are inconsistent and a hypocrite. Either you must embrace both as acceptable fully and not condemn either or you must reject both fully and love them both and correct them both in the same way Paul loves and corrects Philemon. Inconsistency is the sign of a failed argument.

So is Paul saying slavery is ok by not outright condemning slavery and treating Philemon as a brother in Christ? Absolutely not. We will address this more in depth in the coming weeks, but Paul makes it abundantly clear to Philemon what he is to do. But today let’s focus on this particular text, knowing that we will address these big questions further in.

Paul says that he is thankful for Philemon. He gives thanks to God for Philemon and remembers Philemon always in his prayers. We know from Paul’s statements that Philemon loves Jesus. We know he loves the followers of Jesus. We know he runs a church out of his house. We know he shares the faith with many. We know he loves Paul dearly as a brother in the Lord. We know that he refreshes the hearts of the saints, that is the believers in Jesus Christ. We know that he is a comfort to Paul, who undoubtedly is always concerned for the local church. And for all of this Paul gives thanks to God always.

Paul is grateful for having a co-laborer in the faith who cares so much and sacrifices so much and is willing to do what is needed in the service of others and the service of the Kingdom.

We are entering a season of thanksgiving here in America. A time of year where we spend time with family, we feast, and we give thanks. I like thanksgiving, because it is a set reminder on our calendar every year that we should be thankful, but I honestly wish we did this more. We have been blessed beyond belief, every single one of us - so much so that when something bad happens, even the least little thing we think woe is me. Whereas in other parts of the world many people struggle to survive to the point that if anything good happens, even the least little thing they offer thanksgiving because they are so used to hardship and struggle and so unused to the types of blessing we take so for granted.

May we have grateful hearts and minds that are ever thankful for all of our blessings, not just material things, but more importantly the people that we have been blessed to know and have in our lives. May we be ever thankful to the Lord for His blessings and provisions and most importantly for our Lord Jesus Christ.

For it is only through the Lord Jesus that sinners such as Philemon, Onesimus, Paul, Peter, you, and me may be saved. Not only through Jesus are the elect of God saved, but they are drawn together and made family. In Christ you and I are family, we are one body, one brotherhood, one church that despite our differences and despite our disagreements share a common fellowship. This unifying belief and trust in Jesus is powerful and it undergirds all that follows in Philemon. Paul loves Philemon in the Lord and Philemon loves Paul in the Lord. And through this love they are bound together, so much so that Paul is going to be able to say some things, powerful and difficult things that only by the grace of God is Philemon going to be able to accept.

How do I know? I don’t for sure. But church tradition within the Eastern orthodox church, specifically the liturgical book, the Menaion, in the daily reading for November 22 tells us that Philemon died a martyr in 68 AD. Now I know you’re wondering why is that significant? Many people died martyrs - how do you know that Philemon changed? How do you know Philemon repented and did as Paul says? Because in this liturgical reading those who died as martyrs alongside Philemon are listed. They include: Apphia, Archippus, and… Onesimus.

Now we don’t know for absolute certain the historical accuracy of this tradition, but I like to think that Philemon receives what Paul is about to say, which we’ll address next week, and that by the power of Christ at work in him and through the words of God spoken by Paul he is changed. That Philemon receives Onesimus back, no longer as a slave, but as a brother.

I believe this because I believe in the power of God to change a person, to remake them and conform them to the image of Christ. And I am ever grateful for it, because without the power of God working in such a way, I would be hopeless. But I am not hopeless, because my hope in one who walked on water. My hope is in one who calmed the storm and drove out demons. My hope is in one who bore my iniquities, my sins, my wrongdoings, my rebellions and carrying them all to the cross died as a substitutionary sacrifice on my behalf. As a perfect sacrifice on my behalf. So perfect that He cleanses me from every sin, and washes away every stain of sin. He removes the spiritual punishment for my sin entirely and completely and by the grace of God, Jesus own perfection is credited to me as my righteousness. This is why I am thankful, because the work of Christ changed Paul’s life, it changed Philemon’s life, it changed Onesimus’ life and it changed my life.

My friends may we be ever thankful for the life changing work of Jesus Christ our Lord. Let us pray.

PRAYER

INVITATION