The Prison Epistles: Philemon

EPISTLE TO PHILEMON:
GREAT JOY AND ENCOURAGEMENT
pdf
Dr. Paul Manuel—2017

 (This is one of four posts, each studying one of the four epistles the apostle wrote while in prison in Rome.) 

Outline:

I. Paul addresses a good friend (Philemon 1-7).

A. He extends a greeting (vv. 1-3).
B. He expresses his thanks (vv. 4-7).

Application: If you want to benefit from God's good impressions, it is important to recall and to heed the advice He has left you (Ps 103:17-18).

II. Paul intercedes for a slave (Philemon 8-21).

A. He attests Onesimus' industry (vv. 8-16).
B. He requests Philemon's indulgence (vv. 17-21).

Application: Keeping your relationships with others in good order may be more important than completing a religious obligation (Matt 5:23-24).

III. Paul gives some closing remarks (Philemon 22-25).

A. He anticipates a visit (v. 22).
B. He greets some individuals (vv. 23-24).
C. He appends a benediction (v. 25).

Application: The challenge for you is to find your particular role in the church and then to fulfill it (Rom 12:4-5).

Paul's letter to Philemon (62) was one of four epistles he composed (with Timothy) from a Roman prison after his third missionary journey to Asia Minor.¹ The missive was in response to a visit from Onesimus, who then returned to Philemon with this letter from Paul:²

I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. (v. 12)

Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for good. (v. 15)

The moral imperative for the letter is to repair the estranged relationship between Philemon and Onesimus.

I. Paul addresses a good friend (Philemon 1-7).

A. He extends a greeting (vv. 1-3).

Phlmn 1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,³ to Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, 2 to Apphia our sister [Philemon's wife/sister?], to Archippus [Philemon's son?] our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home:⁴ 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the letter's prescript, Paul directs his missive to a small group of Christians. Some early believers were part of established synagogues, while other early believers, such as this group, were so few in number that they met in private homes.⁵ The leader of this group was Philemon, a man of some financial means and social standing, having a house with a dedicated "guest room" (v. 22) and at least one servant.

B. He expresses his thanks (vv. 4-7).

Phlmn 4 I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear⁶ about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. 6 I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.⁷ 7 Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.

As was his custom, Paul begins this letter with an expression of gratitude for the recipients' faith and love.⁸ The apostle's practice of prayer is evident here in its consistency ("always" v. 4) and content ("thank...God" and "remember you" v. 4).

Application: Making a good impression, as Philemon did on Paul, is not necessarily easy, and only God leaves consistently good impressions. Moreover, His are not merely good feelings but influences that can benefit you. So calls to remember something He did or something He said span generations and have a lasting impact:⁹

[The Lord said] I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures.... Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will...remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures.... (Gen 9:15-16)

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. (Exod 20:8)

Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. (Deut 5:15a)

Although God made those statements hundreds of years ago, His call to remember made a lasting impact on His people, changing their behavior for countless generations. David writes, "From everlasting to everlasting the LORD'S love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children—with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts" (Ps 103:17-18). If you want to benefit from God's good impressions, it is important to recall and to heed the advice He has left you.

II. Paul intercedes for a slave (Philemon 8-21).

A. He attests Onesimus' industry (vv. 8-16).

Phlmn 8 Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, 9 yet I appeal to you on the basis of love. I then, as Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus—10 I appeal to you for my son¹⁰ Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains.¹¹ 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

Paul notes the irony of his situation: Onesimus, who was once a slave but has recently become a free man (although not legally) now serves a man who was once a free man but has recently become a prisoner (legally). Paul also notes another difference: He who was once "useless" is now "useful" (v. 11).

B. He requests Philemon's indulgence (vv. 17-21).

Phlmn 12 I am sending him—who is my very heart¹²—back to you. 13 I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel.¹³ 14 But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do will be spontaneous and not forced. 15 Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for good— 16 no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.

Onesimus may leave Philemon's service without his master's permission, or Philemon may instruct Onesimus to visit the apostle. In either case, while there, Paul convinces Onesimus to become a believer (v. 10), which qualifies him for his freedom, as Paul hinted earlier:¹⁴ "Were you a slave when you were called? Don't let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so" (1 Cor 7:21).¹⁵ Nevertheless, the slave overstays his leave, requiring Paul to provide an excuse for the delay (Bruce 1984:197).¹⁶

Phlmn 17 So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand.¹⁷ I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self. 20 I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

Paul tells Philemon to accept (v. 17) Onesimus, which is what the apostle earlier told Christians in Rome: "Accept one another...just as Christ accepted you" (Rom 15:7). The apostle wants Philemon to treat Onesimus as a brother in Christ, which would mark a radical change in their relationship, even if Onesimus remains in the employ of Philemon's household.

Unlike some of Paul's other letters,¹⁸ this one is so brief that he may pen it himself and not use an amanuensis.¹⁹ Whether a scribe is even available to him in prison is unknown. If he does write it himself, the effort would stress the personal nature of his request. In any case, the particular mention here of his own handwriting may highlight "Paul's personal guarantee to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus" (Dunn 1996:340). While Paul often worked as a "tentmaker" (Acts 18:3), he probably received little income in prison, so he may not intend his offer to repay Philemon literally (contra Bruce 1984:220). Nevertheless, he does expect Philemon to accept his marker.²⁰

Application: Confronting an unresolved relationship is not comfortable, which is why most people prefer to avoid them. You may think a problem will eventually go away if you just disregard it long enough, but rarely does that work out. So Jesus said,

If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift (Matt 5:23-24).

Even if you are in the middle of something very important, like making an offering in the temple, drop it when you remember that you have an unresolved relationship dispute; go and make it right.²¹ God will wait for that.²² Keeping your relationships with others in good order may be more important than completing a religious obligation.

III. Paul gives some closing remarks (Philemon 22-25).

A. He anticipates a visit (v. 22).

Phlmn 22 And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.

In the letter's postscript, Paul reveals that he expects his incarceration to end at some point soon, freeing him to visit Philemon.

B. He greets some individuals (vv. 23-24).

Phlmn 23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. 24 And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.²³

"It can hardly be accidental that just these four are mentioned, since it is just these four who are also included in the greetings in Col. 4:10-14" (Dunn 1996:348), confirming that Paul wrote the two letters at the same time and from the same place.

C. He appends a benediction (v. 25).

Phlmn 25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Paul's final blessing, with its appeal to grace, echoes his opening salutation and strengthens the apostle's desire that the church have a common response to the request of this letter (Dunn 1996:349).

Application: Ministry is a group activity. However important one person's role may be, the success of his venture also relies on the contributions and support of others, like the interworking of a human body:²⁴ "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others" (Rom 12:4-5)²⁵ The challenge for you is to find your particular role in the church and then to fulfill it.

When Onesimus comes to Paul, neither he nor Philemon probably expects Onesimus to return as a Christian, a cause for "great joy and encouragement" (v. 7). Yet that is what happens, and the relationship among the three men forever changes. They are now all brothers in the Lord, despite their very different backgrounds and very different circumstances. Except for Paul's epistles to Timothy and Titus, the New Testament says nothing more about them, but they share a common fate that unites them for eternity because of their common faith in Christ.

For the Bibliography and Endnotes see the pdf here.