Table Talk: Philemon (the who's and more)

Pulling the who’s.

We want to read the letter and pull out all the who’s we find in here.

Paul (v.1)

Jesus Christ (v.1)

Timothy (v.2)

Philemon (v.1)

Apphia (v.2)

Archippus (v.2)

God our Father (v.3)

Onesimus (v.10)

Epaphras (v.23)

Mark (v.23)

Aristarchus (v.23)

Demas (v.23)

Now we need to look at each of these people and see what we can learn about them from within the letter and maybe other places.

Paul (v.1)

What can we know about Paul, may need to scan the letter to find more information than what we see in (v.1)

He is a prisoner of Jesus Christ (1)

He is with Timothy (1)

He thanks God for them, so he prays for them (4)

He is acknowledging and encouraging (v.5-6)

He has great joy and love (v.7)

He is bold, commanding (v.8)

He is appealing (v.9-10)

He is committing/assuring (v.12)

He is requesting (vv.13-16)

He is personal (personally writing) (v.19)

He is confident (v.21)

Jesus Christ (v.1)

He is Lord (v.3)

Every good thing is found in Jesus (v.6)

He is the authority (v.8)

Timothy (v.1)

He is our brother (v.1)

What else do you know about Timothy from other places?

Philemon (v.1)

He is beloved (v.1)

Fellow laborer (v.1)

He is the recipient of the letter (v.1)

Had church in their house (v.2)

He is known for his love and faith (v.5)

He is known for sharing, evangelizing (v.6)

He is refreshing (v.7)

Counted as a partner with Paul (v.17)

He is obedient (v.21)

He is hospitable (v.22)

Apphia (v.2)

Is beloved (v.2)

She is a sister (NASB) (v.2)

Had church in their house (v.2)

There are no other verses that have Apphia noted. As mentioned last week, common belief is that she is Philemon’s wife, Archippus mother.

Archippus (v.2)

He is beloved (v.2)

Fellow soldier (v.2)

Church in their house (v.2)

He was trusted and entrusted by Paul with ministry in Colossi (Col4:17)

God our Father (v.3)

He is worth giving thanks to (v.4)

Give me a few other things we can know about God from scripture?

Onesimus (v.10)

He became a Christian while in chains with Paul (v.10)

Was once unprofitable, but now is profitable (v.11)

He is going back to Philemon (v.12)

He is desired by Paul (v.13)

He is no longer a slave, but a beloved brother (v.16)

We can find him in scripture in (Col4:8-10) he is beloved and he was faithful. also, as mentioned last week that there are external documents that point to him be the bishop of Ephesus (elder) and an early martyr.

Epaphras (v.23)

He was a fellow prisoner (v.23)

He sends greetings (v.23)

From (Col1:7) we can know he was an evangelist who brought the gospel to Colossi

Paul considered him a bond-servant also (Col4:12)

Mark (v.23)

He sends greetings (vv.23-24)

Fellow laborer (v.24)

OK, what else do you know about Mark from outside of our passage?

Aristarchus (v.23)

Sends greetings (v.23-24)

He was a Macedonian travel companion with Paul (Act19:29, 20:4)

Was a prisoner with Paul (Col4:10)

Traveled and shipwrecked with Paul on way to Rom (Act27:2)

Demas (v.23)

Sends greetings (vv.23-24)

Traveled with Paul (v.24)

We can see further traveled with Paul (Col4:14)

but also that he loved the world and abandon Paul (2Tim4:10)

The characters found in the letter matter, as do those in each letter book, we need to be willing to ask ourselves, why are they noted, what significance do they have?

Some characters we have very limited information, but the recipeients of the letters or original writings they would have had great significance.

Think about Mike he was beloved here and in the region with school district, community, bible camps, but may not have much significance elsewhere.

What significance are you making? For everyone can!