Philemon an Introduction

Philemon

Philemon is a personal letter written to a good friend

by the Apostle Paul in regards to a new brother in Christ, Onesimus

Onesimus was and still is a slave of Philemon

Paul is sending back Onesimus to Philemon

but not just as a slave but a brother

we are looking at the introduction of this epistle

Read Philemon

Pray

Setting The Scene

Philemon was a wealthy man from Colosse

He had slaves

Slaves were the workers of the Roman world

slaves had no rights

the owners had absolute rule over a slave even to crucify them

slaves were the occupation of what was needed

doctors, lawyers, masons, cooks, bakers,

whatever occupation was needed, and whatever the owner could afford

we know Philemon’s home was big enough for the church to meet there

He had a guest bedroom

He owned Onesimus a slave who wanted his freedom

Onesimus escapes and heads to Rome Where by the providence of God, he sees Paul preaching on a street corner

Acts 17:24–26 CJB

“The God who made the universe and everything in it, and who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in man-made temples; nor is he served by human hands, as if he lacked something; since it is he himself who gives life and breath and everything to everyone. “From one man he made every nation living on the entire surface of the earth, and he fixed the limits of their territories and the periods when they would flourish.

start at the beginning -Creation- before creation there was nothing

in 6 days God created the universe

planets, stars, sun, earth, plants, trees animals, fish, were spoken into existence

but on the 6th day God made a special creation Man

formed him with his hands from the dust of the ground

Breathed into him the breath of life

Man was created in the image of God, special, then Gave him a wife

Genesis 2:15–17 CJB

Adonai, God, took the person and put him in the garden of ‘Eden to cultivate and care for it. Adonai, God, gave the person this order: “You may freely eat from every tree in the garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You are not to eat from it, because on the day that you eat from it, it will become certain that you will die.”

So the enemy of God, and Man: satan entered into a serpent

Genesis 3:1–6 CJB

Now the serpent was more crafty than any wild animal which Adonai, God, had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You are not to eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman answered the serpent, “We may eat from the fruit of the trees of the garden, but about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden God said, ‘You are neither to eat from it nor touch it, or you will die.’ ” The serpent said to the woman, “It is not true that you will surely die; because God knows that on the day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it had a pleasing appearance and that the tree was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her; and he ate.

So we have inherited the sin nature from Adam

we are born sinful thus deserving Hell

Romans 5:12 CJB

Here is how it works: it was through one individual that sin entered the world, and through sin, death; and in this way death passed through to the whole human race, inasmuch as everyone sinned.

Romans 3:12 CJB

all have turned away and at the same time become useless; there is no one who shows kindness, not a single one!

in order to be with God, we need to be as righteous as God

We could not have sinned even once

there is no way for man to be with God

Romans 3:23 (LEB)

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23 (CJB)

For what one earns from sin is death; but eternal life is what one receives as a free gift from God, in union with the Messiah Jesus, our Lord.

there has to be a penalty of death for sin,

But there is Good News

Romans 5:18 CJB

In other words, just as it was through one offense that all people came under condemnation, so also it is through one righteous act that all people come to be considered righteous.

There has to be death for sin, there is no other way

2 Corinthians 5:21 CJB

God made this sinless man be a sin offering on our behalf, so that in union with him we might fully share in God’s righteousness.”

Romans 5:8–10 CJB

But God demonstrates his own love for us in that the Messiah died on our behalf while we were still sinners. Therefore, since we have now come to be considered righteous by means of his bloody sacrificial death, how much more will we be delivered through him from the anger of God’s judgment! For if we were reconciled with God through his Son’s death when we were enemies, how much more will we be delivered by his life, now that we are reconciled!

God gives us a free gift of salvation

John 3:16–17 CJB

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life, instead of being utterly destroyed. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but rather so that through him, the world might be saved.

when we believe God gives us a new life a new family, a new hope

Colossians 1:12–14 CJB

giving thanks to the Father for having made you fit to share in the inheritance of his people in the light. He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. It is through his Son that we have redemption—that is, our sins have been forgiven.

So to close in short

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 CJB

For among the first things I passed on to you was what I also received, namely this: the Messiah died for our sins, in accordance with what the Tanakh says; and he was buried; and he was raised on the third day, in accordance with what the Tanakh says;

for our salvation

.....

Onesimus heard the good news and responded to the call

Onesimus became a great help to Paul

Paul taught him the scriptures

taught him how to be a Christian

one day Onesimus made a confession about his past

an escaped slave of Philemon of Colossae

so Paul writes a letter to Philemon, and the church at Colossae

sends the letters with the returning slave and Tychicus

Colossians 4:7–9 (LEB)

Tychicus, my dear brother and faithful servant and fellow slave in the Lord, will make known to you all my circumstances,

whom I have sent to you for this very reason, in order that you may know our circumstances and he may encourage your hearts,

together with Onesimus, my faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you all the circumstances here.

The Letter

the letter is a very private letter that the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write

Paul is trying to convince Philemon to forgive and love this slave, who is now his brother

this man who used to be property and now a member of the family

try to bring Philemon to a reconciliation of himself and his runaway slave to be equals in Christ

a thought or practice that was totally foreign, and unheard of

Justice is what is called for and well deserved

but Christ calls us to forgive and love

William Orr

There is no hint in Scripture as to how Philemon received Onesimus. However, tradition has it that he not only took him back, but, taking Paul's hint, gave Onesimus his freedom.

There is a tradition that Onesimus became a bishop in the Greek city of Berea. A writer, some years later, makes mention of one named Onesimus as being bishop there in that very city of Berea.