Philemon

Chapter 1 Review

Chapter 1

The only prison epistle written to an individual. God in His providence brings a slave from the church of Colossians to Rome. Paul brings Onesimus the run away slave to Christ and returns him along with this letter to his master Philemon. We are taught a valuable lesson about forgiveness and its practical out-workings in church life.

Look for

— Prayers ( Blue )

— Promises ( Green )

— Warnings ( Red )

— Commands ( Purple )

Unique

The book of Philemon is unique in many ways

— Shortest epistle of Paul

— Only prison epistle written to an individual and not a pastor

— The only letter written dealing purely with personal issues

— The only letter in which he downplays rather than asserts his apostolic authority

— Contains no doctrine or theology

— It is about forgiveness but the word never appears in the letter

Forgiveness

— “Forgiveness. Nothing is more foreign to sinful human nature. And nothing is more characteristic of divine grace.” (MacArthur, The Freedom and Power of Forgiveness )

— Greatest illustration is the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)

— Father represents God

— He forgives totally, eagerly, lavishly

Corollaries

Two (2) important corollaries:

— #1 if God is never more like Himself when He forgives

— man is never more like God when he forgives

— We are like God when we forgive others

— “The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression” ( Prov 19:11 )

— #2 God’s forgiveness of us is based on our forgiveness of others

— “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” ( Matt 6:14-15 )

— “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13)

No Forgiveness

— God will not forgive you if you do not forgive others

Paradox

— We are fully forgiven (Eph 1:7)

— But still need ongoing forgiveness (1 John 1:9)

Result

— We forfeit blessings and invite chastening when we do not forgive others

The Book Philemon

The Cast of Characters

By remarkable providence the lives of three men are brought together — a runaway slave, the offended slave owner and a godly apostle

— These men were very different from each other except in one regard: they were all believers in Jesus Christ and therefore members of the same body ( 1 Cor 12:12-14 )

Onesimus

Before becoming a Christian Onesimus (a slave) , ran away and went to Rome

— Rome was a haven for runaway slaves because they could mingle with the large population and avoid detection

— In Rome Onesimus somehow encountered Paul, who was under house arrest awaiting trial on false charges of sedition

— Details are not given but it is clear that Onesimus became a Christian as a result of Paul’s ministry ( Philem 10 )

Useful

Onesimus means “useful”; became useful to Paul ( Philem 11,13 )

— He became a treasured friend and fellow laborer to the apostle Paul

— He ministered personally to Paul when many others were fearful because of potential persecution ( cf 2 Tim 1:8; 4:10-16 )

Philemon

Philemon was the slave owner whom Onesimus had wronged

— He too had come to faith in Christ through Paul’s ministry, possibly during Paul’s time in Ephesus ( Acts 18-20; 19:26 )

— Philemon owned the home where the Colossian church met ( Philem 2; cf Col 4:17 )

— Seemed to be a wealthy and influential man

— At the opposite end of the social spectrum from Onesimus

— Yet a devote Christian and regarded by Paul as a beloved “fellow-worker” ( Philem 1 )

The Plot

Paul and Onesimus must have been reluctant to return the slave back to his master

— Paul said it was like sending back his heart ( Philem 12 )

— Yet Onesimus need to go back and seek forgiveness for what wrongs he had done

— Onesimus was guilty under Roman Law of some serious crimes

— Ran away which was tantamount to stealing

— He may have actually stolen money because Paul offered to reimburse Philemon ( Philem 18 )

— It was a serious matter to be a fugitive slave

— Possibly Paul waited to send Onesimus back with Tychicus to deliver a letter to Ephesus and Colossae

Tychicus

Tychicus’ presence ensured some degree of safety for Onesimus

— But significant risk for Onesimus to return back to Philemon

— Under Roman law, Philemon had full power to punish the runaway slave as he saw fit

— Many slaves were tortured and put to death for more petty offenses

— A standard practice was to brand the salve with the letter “F” (for the Latin fugitivus ) to make it impossible to hid again if they ran away

— At the very least he would be given a severe beating

— A hundred years before a famous revolt was led by Spartacus and from then on Roman law was especially harsh towards runaway slaves

A brief word about Slavery

— Slavery was the universal practice at the height of the Roman Empire

— Slavery countenanced ins Scripture is an indentured slavery, meaning that the slave entered into slavery by contract with the owner — usually for a set period ( cf. Ex 21:2-6 )

— There was nothing inherently oppressive or unjust about such a relationship

— When Scripture instructs slaves to obey their masters, it is like telling employees to submit to their bosses

— But most Roman slavery was not benign

— Slavery throughout the Empire was beset with abuses and harsh practices that were inherently immoral

— Many Roman slaves were acquired and held by force and not indentured

— Many were deprived the right to marry and were bred like animals

Q: Why does the Bible not expressly forbid slavery?

— It was the abuse of slavery, not servitude that was evil

— There’s nothing inherently immoral or unjust about one man serving another

— Furthermore, all abuses of slavery are condemned in Scripture

— Man stealing on which the slave trade in America was based is condemned ( Exod 2:21:16 )

— The inhumanity of slavery is denounced ( cf. Lev 19:15; Is 10:1-2; Amos 5:11-14 )

— The early church did not focus on social reform because ( like today ) the gospel message is inevitably obscured by the human-rights agenda, and the work of the church is compromised

Forgiveness is our Christian Duty

Unthinkable!

Unwillingness to forgive is unthinkable

— Rebellious, an act of disobedience to God

— We must forgive as God has forgiven us (Eph 4:32; Col 3;13)

—Un-forgiveness results in

(A) Imprisons believers in their past

— Keeps the pain alive; feeds anger and resentment; the wound never heals

— Forgiveness opens the prison door!

(B) Produces bitterness

— Bitterness is an infection; grows

— “15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled” ( Heb 12:15 )

— Bitterness in speech - cutting, sarcastic, slanderous

— Distorts emotions - intolerance, thoughts of revenge

(C) Gives Satan an open door

— “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil (Eph 4:26-27)

(D) Hinders fellowship with God

— Matt 6:14-15

— Not our salvation but ongoing relationship, in a place to receive God’s full blessing

Serious

— You cannot be right with God if you are unforgiving, bitter

So Important

— Forgiveness is so important that the Holy Spirit devoted an entire book to it: Philemon

— The whole point of Jesus’ incarnation was forgiveness ( John 3:17)

The Letter ( 1:1-7 )

Q: What was Paul doing when he wrote this letter to Philemon? verse 1

( 1:1) Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer

Prisoner

— Starts his letter saying he is a prisoner of Jesus Christ

— Doesn’t start any other letter this way

— Not emphasizing apostolic authority

— Personal letter to Philemon - only Timothy and Titus received letters

Q: Who also received greetings in verse 2? Where were they meeting?

( 1:2 ) to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:

Apphia His wife

Archippus The son; described as a fellow soldier (cf. 2 Tim 2:3)

— The letter is addressed not only to Philemon, but also Apphia (who must have been Philemon’s wife

— And Archippus no doubt their son ( cf. Col 4:17 )

— Paul thus appeals to the whole family to set the example of forgiveness for the church that met at their home

( 1:2 ) and to the church in your house:

— Early churches met in houses

— Church buildings first used in the 3rd century

— Oldest known church as found at Dura Europos on the Euphrates rives in the Syrian desert

( 1:3) Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace The means of salvation

Peace Peace is the result

His Standard Greeting

Q: In what way did Paul remember Philemon and the other believers? verse 4-5

( 1:4-5) 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

Standard Greeting

— Paul starts 13 of his letters this way

Character

Paul knew Philemon’s character

— first hand knowledge

— Epaphras, Philemon’s former pastor of Colossae, was with Paul in Rome ( 1:23 )

— Philemon’s reputation as a godly and loving Christina was evidently widespread

— It had reached as far as Rom ( 1:5 )

— Such love is characteristic of all true Christians

— “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.” ( 1 Jn 3:14 )

— Love for one another is the natural and expected by-product of a knowledge of God

— “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” ( 1 John 4:7-8 )

( 1:5) hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints

A concern for the Lord

— The first characteristic of one who forgives is a concern for the Lord

— Because the Lord forgave him, he could forgive others

— A genuine believer is concerned about the Lord and how to please Him

A concern for People

— because I hear of your love toward all the saints

— Love is a fruit of the spirit (Gal 5:22)

— Evidence of saving Faith (Gal 5:6; 1 John 3:14)

— The source in us is the Holy Spirit (Rom 5:5)

A concern for Fellowship

Q: Can you state Paul’s desire for Philemon in verse six of this book?

( 1:6) that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

Fellowship

— Real faith and love will result in a concern for fellowship

— No place for individualism

— Failing to concern for Onesimus would upset the harmony, unity, peace of the Colossian church

Sharing κοινωνία (koinōnia) fellowship

— means more than fellowship

— means belonging

Effective ἐνεργής (energēs), effective; active

— Energy, Powerful

— This act of forgiveness would send a powerful message to the church

A concern for Knowledge

Q: How was Philemon going to discover every good thing which was in Him? v6?

( 1:6b ) by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus

— knowledge of every good thing which is in you (ASV)

— deepening your understanding of every good thing (NIV)

— as you understand and experience all the good things (NLT)

Blessed

— We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Eph 1:13)

Knowledge επίγνωσις (epignōsis). n. fem. knowledge, understanding

— Knowledge; deep, rich, experiential knowledge

— In Romans it is used to refer to “spiritual blindness”

— In every occurrence outside of Romans (that is, the remaining 17 times), epignōsis indicates spiritual understanding such as

— knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2:4; 2 Tim 2:25; Titus 1:1; Heb 10:26)

— knowledge of God (Eph 1:17; Col 3:10; 2 Pet 1:2–8)

— or knowledge of God’s will (Phil 1:9; Col 1:9).

Q: What is experiential knowledge?

Philemon could

— Read 1,000 sermons or books but never know forgiveness

Until he forgave

— He would not have experiential knowledge

— Practicing the truths of scripture leads us to epignosis that brings spiritual maturity (Eph 4:12-13)

A Concern for Glory

— For Christ’s sake

— Our goal is to glorify God, for the Glory of Christ (1 Cor 10:31)

— Paul knew Philemon would forgive Onesimus because an unforgiving spirit does not glorify Christ

A Concern to be a Blessing

Q: How was Paul affected by Philemon’s attitude toward the saints?; How does Paul refer to Philemon in verse seven?

( 1:7) For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother

— Philemon had a reputation of love

— We who know God are to love our brothers in Christ but Philemon’s love was extraordinary

— Paul took great encouragement from what he heard about Philemon’s love for the saints

— Showing love to the saints was the ministry for which Philemon was well-known

— Not only had he opened his home to the church at Colossae, but was devoted to refreshing the saints

Heart σπλάγχνον (splanchnon). n. neut. compassion, affection

— Literally, “the bowels of the saints have ben refreshed by you”

— the bowels, emotions, seat of feelings

Refreshed

— Philemon refreshed people hurting emotionally

— A source of blessing

— Paul knew he could count on him to forgive

A Biblical Doctrine of Forgiveness

Q: What are the doctrinal principles, the theological foundation of forgiveness?

(A) It is not only murder that is forbidden in the 6th commandment

— “ “You shall not murder” ( Ex 20:13 )

But Also …

Also anger and a lack of forgiveness

— Also hate, anger, malice, vengeance, and lack of forgiveness

— Jesus gave a deeper explanation of the 6th Commandment ( Matt 5:21-22 )

Matthew 5:21–22 NKJV

21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.

(B) Whatever offends us gives greater offense to God

— David committed adultery with Bathsheba

— He sinned against, her, her husband, his family and his nation ( Ps 51:4 )

Psalm 51:4 NKJV

4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight— That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.

— No one could offend us the way we have offended God

— Those who fail to forgive are like the wicked slave in Matthew 18

(C) Don’t forgive, God will not forgive you

— We will receive chastening and broken fellowship with God ( Matt 6:14-15 )

Matthew 6:14–15 NKJV

14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

(D) Unforgiving spirit will not enjoy the fellowship of others

— Matt 18:31; It was the other slaves who reported his un-forgiveness to the Master

— A picture of church discipline

— Hinders our relationship with the church

(E) We usurp God’s authority

— We presume to take the sword ( Rom 12:14; 19 )

Romans 12:19 NKJV

19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

(F) An unforgiving spirit makes us unfit for worship

— The worshipper told to leave and reconcile first ( Matt 5:23-24 )

Matthew 5:23–24 NKJV

23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

(G) Injuries and offenses are our trials

— We are to love our enemies ( Matt 5:44-45 )

— If we obey - their offense becomes our trial

— if we disobey - their offense becomes a temptation to sin

(H) Offer forgiveness even if not asked for

— Jesus offered forgiveness on the cross

— Stephen forgave as he was being stoned to death

— It does not restore the relationship until the other person desires your forgiveness

— But you are free from bitterness

The Appeal ( 1:8-16 )

Obedience to Christ

Q: Could Paul ordered Philemon to forgive Onesimus? V 8-9?

( 1:8-9) Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, 9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ—

Hard to do

— Paul knew it would be hard to do

— Onesimus is probably standing in front of him as he is reading this letter

( 1:8) Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ

— Paul had enough confidence in his apostolic authority to command Philemon

— Paul’s appeal to Philemon contrasts sharply with the approach he takes in all his other epistles

— Here he does not appeal to doctrinal principals or divine law

( 1:9a) yet for love’s sake

— He appeals to Philemon’s own love for the brethren ( cf. 2 Cor 9:7 )

— Paul knew Philemon was motivated by love and would do what was right

Q: What is Philemon’s duty to forgive Onesimus?

Yes

Withholding forgiveness is a violation of the the clear teaching of Christ

— “And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.” ( Lk 17:4 )

— “But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” ( Matt 6:15 )

Withholding forgiveness is a violation of the external moral law of God ( Matt 5:22-24 )

— Jesus expounding on the 6th commandment ( “You shall not murder,” Ex 20:13 ) taught that the Decalogue prohibits anger and a vengeful heart

— Jesus also taught is this verse that it is our obligation to seek reconciliation when we know that we have offended a brother

Consider

— A sin against us always involves a great sin against God

— “Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight— That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.” ( Ps 51:4 )

— If every offense against us involves a great offense against God, and if God forgives the offender, who are we to withhold forgiveness?

— Whatever Onesimus’ offense against Philemon, he had sinned every more seriously against God

— Whom God has forgiven we dare not condemn

( 1:9c ) the aged

— He calls himself the aged

— Paul is 60 years old at this point

— but also aged by years of imprisonment which had taken their toll on Paul

— bad food

— Years of imprisonment

— stoning /beatings, lashings

— thirst, cold and exposure resulting in sickness ( cf 2 Cor 11:23-30 )

— shipwrecks (2 Cor 11:23-30)

( 1:9d ) now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ

— As if that is not enough, he rattles his chains

— Paul is a prisoner for Christ

The Act of Forgiveness ( 1:10-18 )

Reception

Q: How was Onesimus won to Jesus Christ (v10)? How was he characterized before he was saved (11)? Why did he not keep Onesimus with him (14)?

( 1:10-14 ) I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, 11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me. 12 I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, 13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. 14 But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.

Repentant

( 1:10 ) Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains

— Onesimus was repentant standing in front of Philemon

— Talking about Onesimus’ spiritual rebirth

— Paul is saying that he personally led Onesimus to Christ

— The fact that Onesimus returned with the letter to Philemon is evidence of his repentance

Transformed

— Not the same man as before ( cf. 2 Cor 5:17 )

—Formerly a useless rebel but not “useful” ( 1:11 )

Faithful

— He was now faithful; he had spent enough time in Rome to demonstrate his proven faithfulness

— There was irony in all this

— He fled being a bond-servant to Philemon

— He became a bond-servant of Christ

— The very service he refused Philemon he now willingly devoted to the apostle Paul

— And it came at an important time

— The aged apostle was in dire need

— Onesimus was useful to the imprisoned apostle that

— Sending him back was like sending back his own heart

— Had he been able he would have kept Onesimus by his side

Did not presume

— Paul did not presume anything without Philemon’s consent

— Did not want to presume on their friendship

— Therefore, he sent Onesimus back

Restoration

Q: In what way was this whole episode of the runaway slave turning out for the good? (v15)?; If Onesimus ran away as a slave, how was he being returned? (v16)

( 1:15-16 ) For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, 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.

Providence

— Paul was suggesting that God used this evil for good (cf. Gen 50:20; Rom 8:28)

— God takes the myriad of contingencies of human actions and uses them to accomplish His purposes

Once a slave

— He was once a slave and now a beloved brother

— Not calling for emancipation (1 Cor 7:20-22)

— Now a beloved brother working together for the Lord

— Philemon was doubly blessed

Restitution

Q: How were the past debts of Onesimus to be settled? (v18)

( 1:17-18 ) If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. 18 But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account.

Philemon injured

— Probably had to buy a replacement slave

— Onesimus probably also stole money to pay for his journey to Rome

— Paul knew that the relationship between the two brethren needed to be reconciled

— Paul appealed to one friend on behalf of another: “receive him as you would me “

Restitution Required

— Restitution is required ( Num 5:6-8 )

Unable

— Onesimus was unable to pay back what was owed

— Paul says take him back as if he were me

( 1:18c ) put that on my account

— Philemon could have forgiven the debt but Paul says “put it on my account”

— you owe me your very salvation

Imputation

— These verses are a wonderful illustration of how imputation works

— Paul asks Philemon to credit Onesimus with the apostle’s own merit

— “ask him as you would accept me” ( 1:17 )

— And he wants Onesimus’ debt placed on his account ( 1:18 )

— This is precisely how Christ justifies the believer

Q: Do you think Philemon forgave Onesimus ?

Seems so

— This letter was widely distributed among the churches

— Would not be in the bible if Philemon did otherwise

— There was an early church elder by the name of Onesimus - maybe the same person

The Cost ( 1:19-20 )

Motives for Forgiveness (The recognition of the un-payable debt)

Q: In what respect was Philemon indebted to Paul? (v19)

( 1:19 ) 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.

— Paul was so committed to seeing reconciliation take place that he reiterated his promise to repay the debt

— In order to make it like an official contract he signed the pledge in his own handwriting

— Paul dramatically closes the letter with this written I.O.U.

My own hand

— Paul hand wrote the closing of this letter in his own hand

— Typically he wrote his letters dictating to an amanuensis

— Sometimes he wrote his own closing comments ( Col 4:18; 2 Thess 3:17 )

— In this case he may have written the entire letter

Offered to Pay

— Paul was in prison but probably could have settled the debts

— The Philippian church had been generous to him in his time of need ( Phil 4:14-18 )

( 1:19 ) you owe me even your own self besides

You owe me

— Put Onesimus’ debt on my account

— But you owe me much more

— A spiritual, eternal debt

— Onesimus is a temporal debt

The principle

— When someone offends us and incurs a debt - remember that we owe debts to others

Q: What kind of a response does Paul expect from Philemon? (v20)

( 1:20 ) Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord

Bring him joy

— Paul would have joy because of Philemon’s obedience and love to the church

— He would mention the unity of the Colossian fellowship

— Forgiveness would bring joy to Paul

And others

— And forgiveness would bring joy to others

The Incentives ( 1:22 )

Q: What could Paul be hinting at when he expects Philemon to do more than he asks of him? (v21)

( 1 :21 ) Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

Confidence

— Confidence in Philemon’s obedience to Christ

— Do more - maybe welcome him back with open arms

— Or participate in ministry, not emancipation (cf. 1:16 )

Q: What was Paul’s hope concerning the future? (v22)

( 1:22 ) But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you.

— Paul hoped to see the fruit of Philemon’s forgiveness

— As an incentive for Philemon to be magnanimous, he informs him that he will visit shortly

Expected Release

He expected to be released from his first imprisonment

— “Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me. 24 But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly.” ( Phil 2:23-24 )

Your Prayers

— Prayers are the nerves that move the muscles of omnipotence

— Means by which God’s will is carried out

— Prayers can accomplish much (James 5:16)

Forgiving One Another

— For a Christian to be willfully unforgiving is unthinkable

— We have been forgiven by God and we have no right to withhold forgiveness from our fellow sinners

— It is so important that it was never far from the focus of what Christ taught

— The Lord’s prayer

— “And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.” ( Matt 6:12 )

— Here and in Lk 11:4 “debts” referred to spiritual “debtors”; those who have committed transgressions against us

— It is significant that of all the phrases in the Lord’s Prayer, it is this one that the Lord explained in more detail

— Immediately after the prayer he said to his disciples

— “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” ( Matt 6:14-15 )

Q: Doesn’t this sound like God’s forgiveness is revocable? That he can withdraw it?

— This is not the judicial forgiveness of justification and salvation

— It is the daily, parental forgiveness we are to seek when our sins have grieved our heavenly Father

— The interpretive key is the prayer’s address: “Our Father”

— What Jesus us saying is “If you refuse to forgive, your heavenly father will discipline you severely for your sin of unforgivingness”

Forgiving One Another

— What Jesus taught about forgiveness must have been radical for the disciples and they had questions

— The rabbis had twisted the “eye-for-an-eye” provision in the OT

— The rabbis limited the number of times a person could be forgiven for the same offense to three

— They took this from Amos where God pronounced doom on the enemies of Israel

— “Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they have threshed Gilead with implements of iron.” ( Amos 1:3, cf. 6, 9, 11, 13)

— Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” ( Matt 18:21 )

— What was the Lord’s answer in Matt 18:22?

— Doesn’t grace have a point? Is pardon granted indefinitely?

— That is precisely the point!

— Keeping count has not nothing to do with true forgiveness

OT Lamech

Jesus’ words may have an OT allusion

— God promised a 7-fold vengeance on anyone who killed Cain

— “And Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear! 14 Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.” 15 And the Lord said to him, “Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.” ( Gen 4:13-15 )

— Lamech killed a man in self defense and boasted about it to his wives

— “Then Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; Wives of Lamech, listen to my speech! For I have killed a man for wounding me, Even a young man for hurting me. 24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.” ( Gen 4:23-24 )

— Lamech’s boast typifies the tendency of sinful humanity

— The sinful mind loves vengeance and thinks seventy times seven is a fitting ratio by which to measure revenge

— Instead, Christ taught that seventy times seven is the measure by which we ought to forgive

Seven Sins

“Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.” ( Lk 17:3-4 )

— Who would sin the same sin seven times a day and then ask for forgiveness?

— Precisely how we sin against God

— Does God forgive us? Yes!

This is wonderful news for anyone who has sought forgiveness for repeat offenses

— Jesus’s teaching here is that the forgiveness we extend to others should be as boundless as the mercy we desire for ourselves

The unforgivable Debt

— Jesus illustrated unimaginable magnanimity in the parable of the king and servant ( Matt 18:23-27 )

— 10,000 talents was equal to the wages of 10,000 men for 17 years

— The wicked servant sought repayment for 100 talents ( Matt 18:28 )

— illustrates the absurdity of the unforgiving Christian

— The other servant’s outrage

— This is a picture of how one sin can effect the entire body

— One unforgiving person in the church can cause offense to the entire flock

— The King’s anger ( Matt 18:32-34 )

— Some say the servant was not a believer because he was punished severely (hell)

— Or that believers can lose their salvation

— Or a believer who hears the gospel but was never regenerate

— The parable’s meaning is expressed clearly by Christ

— “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” ( Matt 18:35 )

— Basically a commentary on Matt 6:14-15

Therefor the first servant represents a truly regenerate, yet unforgiving believer. The severity of the king’s punishment here is actually illustrative of how God will discipline unforgiving believers

Christians ought to be the most forgiving people on earth, because they have been forgiven as no one else has. Therefore, those who refuse to forgive are worthy of the most severe kind of discipline from the hand of a loving father (The Freedom and Power of Forgiveness, p 97-112 )

The Christian life is not lived in a vacuum

Q: Are we to fore sake the gathering of the saints and live our lives in a vacuum?

( 1:23 ) Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers.

— Paul reminds Philemon that all of them would be witnesses to his treatment of Onesimus

Not a vacuum

— The Christian life is not lived in a vacuum

— Paul sends greetings from five (5) men who are well known to Philemon

— He is accountable to all five (5) men

— Tychicus mentioned in Colossians 4:7; he carried the letter

— Justus also not mentioned

Epaphras

— Was the pastor of the Colossian church ( Col 4:12 )

— Not be confused with Epaphroditus ( Phil 2:25 )

Mark

— Cousin of Barnabas

— Defected on the first missionary trip ( Acts 13:13 )

— Paul and Barnabas had a falling out ( Acts 15:36-39 )

— He came to maturity under Peter ( 1 Peter 5:13 ) and restored ( 2 Tim 4:11 )

Aristarchus

— Jewish believer ( Col 4:11 )

— From Thessalonica ( Acts 20:4; 27:2 )

— At the riots in Ephesus ( Acts 19:29 )

— Shipwrecked ( Acts 27:4 )

— With him in prison ( Col 4:10 )

— Martyred in Rome under Nero

Demas

— Left the ministry and chose the world ( 2 Tim 4:10; 1 John 2:15 )

— His “agape” love for the world was stronger than his love of Christ

Luke

— The beloved physician ( Col 4:14 )

— A Gentile and a doctor; wrote Luke

— Alone with Paul at the end ( 2 Tim 4:11 )

( 1:25 ) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen

Prayer

— This is prayer, but really a prayer for Philemon; a benediction

— He could not forgive Onesimus on his own strength but through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ working with the spirit

— Only in that way could he forgive Onesimus

Same Grace We have the same grace that allowed Christ to forgive

The Outcome

Q: Did Philemon forgive Onesimus ?

— We don’t know but several reasons to believe that he was forgiven

— Paul’s letter found its way into the cannon of scripture

— If Philemon had refused it is unlikely the early church would have recieved this letter without objection

— History records that Paul was released from prison and if he fulfilled his plans he would have returned to Colossae

Ignatius

A few decades later Ignatius wrote three epistles to the church at Ephesus

— The first two of those epistles refer to the pastor at Ephesus as “Onesimus, a man of inexpressible love”

— if the same Onesimus he would have been in his 70s or someone named after Onesimus

Everyone wins

For Paul and Philemon and Onesimus, the reconciliation of this broken relationship would have been one of those sublime moments when everyone came out triumphant — Paul because he shared the joy of reconciling two dear friends, Onesimus because he was forgiven an unpayable debt, and Philemon because he received the eternal blessings that come to the one who forgives ( The Freedom and Power of Forgiveness, 75-96)

Conclusion: “No More Pearl Harbors”

Macarthur

There is a story in our own century that also illustrates the power of forgiveness. It begins at 7:55 AM on Sunday, December 7, 1941. In a daring surprise air raid, the Japanese attacked the United States Naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. In less than 2 hours, 2403 American soldiers, sailors, and civilians were killed, and another 1178 wounded. Aircraft losses totaled 188 planes, and much of the United States Pacific fleet was destroyed or damaged.

The raid was led by a brilliant 39-year-old Japanese Navy pilot named Mitsuo Fuchida , whose idol was Adolf Hitler. Although his plane was hit several times by ground fire, he survived the raid. The attack on Pearl Harbor led to the United States entry into World War II, and ultimately to the devastation of the Japanese homeland by American conventional and atomic bombs.After the war, for Fuchida was haunted by memories of all the deputy witnessed. In an attempt to find soulless, he took up farming near Osaka. His thoughts turned more and more to the problem of peace, and he decided to write a book on the subject. In his book, which he intended to call no more Pearl Harbor, he would urge the world to pursue peace. Fuchida struggled in vain, however, to find a principle upon which peace could be based. His book is picked up by Donald a Rosenberger, an American naval yeoman who survived the Pearl Harbor attack. He writes,

[Fuchida] heard 2 stories about prisoners of war that fill him with excitement. They seem to illustrate the principle for which he was searching.

The 1st report came from a friend --- a lieutenant would been captured by the Americans and incarcerated in a prisoner of war camp in America. Fuchida just saw his name in a newspaper, in a list of POWs who were returning to Japan. He determined to visit him. When I met they spoke of many things. Then Fuchida asked the question uppermost in his mind. "How did they treat you in the POW camp?" His friend said that they were treated fairly well, although they suffered much mentally and spiritually. But then he told Fuchida a story which, he said, had made a great impression upon him and upon every prisoner in the camp "Something happened at the camp where I was interred," he said, "which has made it possible for us who were in that camp to forgo all our resentment and hatred and return with a forgiving spirit and a feeling of lightheartedness instead."

There was a young American girl, named Margaret "Peggy" Covell, whom they judged to be about 20, who came to camp on a regular basis doing all she could for the prisoners. She brought things to them that they might enjoy, such as magazines and newspapers. She looked after their sick, and she was constantly solicitous to help them in every way. They received a great shock, however, when they asked her why she was so concerned to help them. She answered, "because my parents were killed by the Japanese Army!"

Such a statement might shock a person from any culture, but it was incomprehensible to the Japanese. In their society, no offense could be greater than the murder of one's parents. Peggy tried to explain her motives. She said her parents had been missionaries in the Philippines. When the Japanese invaded the islands, her parents escaped to the mountains in North Luzon for safety. In due time, however, they were discovered. The Japanese charge them with being spies and told them they were to be put to death. They earnestly denied they were spies, but the Japanese would not be convinced, and they were executed.

Peggy didn't hear about her parents state until the end of the war. When the report of their death reached her, her first reaction was intense anger and bitter hatred. She was furious with grief and indignation. Thoughts of her parents last hours of life filled her with great sorrow. She envisioned them trapped wholly at the mercy of their captors, with no way out. She saw the merciless brutality of the soldiers. She saw them facing the Japanese executioners and falling lifeless to the ground on that far off Philippian mountain.

Then Peggy began to consider her parents selfless love for the Japanese people. Gradually, she became convinced that they are forgiven the people God has called them to love and serve. Then it occurred to her that if her parents died without bitterness or rancor toward their executioners, why should her attitude be different? Should she be filled with hatred and then fullness when they had been filled with love and forgiveness, her answer could only be, "Definitely not." Therefore she chose the path of love and forgiveness. She decided to minister to the Japanese prisoners in the nearby POW camp as a proof of her sincerity.

Fuchida was touched by the story, but he was especially impressed with the possibility that it was exactly what he had been searching for: a principle sufficient to be a basis for peace. Could it be that the answer for which he was seeking was a forgiving love, flowing from God to man, and then from man-to-man? Could that be a principle upon which the message of this projected book, N more Pearl Harbor's should be based?

Shortly after this, Fuchida was summoned by General Douglas MacArthur to Tokyo. As he got off the train at Shibuya station, he was handed a pamphlet entitled, "I was a prisoner of Japan." It told about an American Sergeant Jacob to DeShazer, who had spent 40 months in a Japanese prison cell and who, after the war, had come back to Japan to love and serve the Japanese people helping them to come to know Jesus Christ. Fuchida read the story with interest. DeShazer had been a bombardier and one of the 16 Army B-25 airplanes which, under the leadership of General Jimmy Doolittle, had been launched on 18 April 1942 from the deck of the USS hornet to bomb Tokyo. None of the planes were shot down, but all of them ran out of gasoline before they could be landed properly. The crew of 5 in the plane in which DeShazer was flying bailed out over occupied China. The next morning, they were captured and incarcerated for the duration of the war.

DeShazer notes that all prisoners were treated badly. He said that one point he almost went insane from his violent hatred of the Japanese guards. Then one day a guard brought in the Bible. They were all in solitary confinement, so they took turns reading it. When it was DeShazer's, he had it for 3 weeks. He read it eagerly and intensely, both Old and New Testaments. Finally, he writes, "the miracle of conversion took place June 8, 1944."

DeShazer determined that if he lived until the war was over, and if he was released, he would return to the United States, devout the period of time to serious Bible study, and then returned to Japan to share the message of Christ with the Japanese people. That is exactly what he did. Great crowds came to hear his story, and many responded to his invitation to receive Christ.

Fuchida was deeply impressed. Here was again: a 2nd example of love overcoming hatred. He sensed the power forgiveness actually change the hearts and lives of people… Excitedly, he sensed that it could be a principle strong enough to be the basis for his projected book. He determined to learn all he could about DeShazer and his beliefs

At the train station on his way home, he obtained a copy of the New Testament in Japanese. A few months later, he began to read 2 or 3 chapters a day in the Scriptures… Then in September 1949, Fuchida read Luke 23. This was the 1st time he had read story of the crucifixion.

The Calvary scene pierced Fuchida's spirit. It all came alive in St. Luke's starkly beautiful prose. In the midst of the horror of his death Christ said, "father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Tears sprang to Fuchida's eyes; he had reached the end of his "long, long wondering." Surely these words were the source of the love that to DeShazer and Peggy Colwell had shown… As Jesus hung there, on the cross, he prayed not only for his persecutors but for all humanity. That meant He had prayed and died for for Fuchida, a Japanese man living in the 20th century. ( What Happened to the Man Who Led the Attack on Pearl Harbor?" Command, Fall/Winter 1991)

Additional Resources:

John MacArthur. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary. Colossians and Philemon. The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. 1992.

John MacArthur. The Freedom and Power of Forgiveness. Crossway Books. Wheaton Illinois. 1998