THE EPISTLE TO PHILEMON
Setting of the epistle
It is very probable that Epaphras was one of those used by the Lord to establish the assembly in Colosse. Epaphras came to be with Paul when he was in prison in Rome, and told the apostle of the spiritual progress the believers were making, Colossians 1:4-8. This stirred the apostle to pray for them, even though it seems he had never met them, 2:1. He also wrote the epistle to the Colossians, because they were being influenced by false teachers known as the Gnostics, who sought to lead them astray. He sent this epistle to them by the hand of Tychicus, accompanied by a believer by the name of Onesimus, 4:7,8.
The latter had been a slave in the household of Philemon, who, it is believed, was a prominent member of the assembly in Colosse, with his wife Apphia and son Archippus, who is mentioned in Colossians 4:17. Onesimus stole from Philemon, (see Philemon verses 11 and 18), and ran away, and in some way came into contact with the apostle Paul, heard the gospel again, (for he would have known it from being in Philemon’s household), and by this means was saved.
The epistle to Philemon has three aims. First, to assure Philemon that his runaway slave has been truly converted, second, to appeal to Philemon to take him back, despite the wrong he had done to him, and third, to be a letter of commendation for Onesimus as he returns to Colosse as a saved man.
Structure of the epistle
Despite being a personal letter, there is a structure to it that we may think of as follows:
| (a) | Verses 1-3 | Paul’s address to Philemon and the church |
| (b) | Verses 4-7 | Paul’s appreciation of Philemon |
| (c) | Verses 8-21 | Paul’s appeal to Philemon |
| (d) | Verses 21-25 | Paul’s appendix to the letter |
(a) Verses 1-3
Paul’s address to Philemon and the church
1:1
Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,
Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ- the apostle had been a prisoner in some way or other since he addressed the mob that tried to lynch him in the temple in Jerusalem, and was arrested by the Romans for his own safety, Acts 21:27-22:21. After that, we find the first reference to “Paul the prisoner” in Acts 23:18. So technically he was the prisoner of Rome, but spiritually he was the prisoner of the Lord, having been arrested for preaching the truth. He also called himself “the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles”, Ephesians 3:1, for what enraged the Jews in Jerusalem was that he told them that the Lord had sent him to preach to the Gentiles, Acts 22:21,22, and Jewish prejudice caused them to seek his downfall.
And Timothy our brother- assuming he is using the word “our” meaning “Philemon and myself”, rather than, for instance, “Epaphras and myself”, Timothy may have had some contact with the assembly at Colosse. The apostle sent him on various missions that he could not accomplish himself, such as helping at Ephesus, 1 Timothy 1:3.
Unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer- even though he may never have met Philemon, the apostle had heard about him from Epaphras, and the favourable report he had received endeared him to Philemon, and he respected the work he did in the assembly.
1:2
And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:
And to our beloved Apphia- this is a feminine name, and since the apostle is referring to Philemon’s house, it is reasonable to think that she was his wife. Epaphras has obviously told the apostle enough about her to make him call her beloved, one who the believers love in the Lord. Needless to say this is a perfectly proper way for the apostle to refer to her.
And Archippus our fellowsoldier- every believer is to fight the battles of the Lord, not with the weapons of men, but by putting on the whole armour of God, Ephesians 10-19. That Archippus was vigorously engaged in spiritual warfare is seen in that the apostle is content to call him a fellowsoldier, one who could be relied on in the heat of battle to stand with his fellows.
It might be helpful to consider briefly the various ways in which a believer is waging war, for the Christian life does consist of warfare. Not indeed against men, but against those things that oppose God. Paul exhorted Timothy to “Fight the good fight of faith”, 1 Timothy 6:12. We are to oppose unbelief, and uphold the truths of the Christian faith with vigour and determination, for it is a good fight, worthwhile and spiritually commendable. This supposes that we are conversant with the truths of the faith, being constantly instructed in the doctrine of the word of God by those who have been gifted to do this.
Again, the apostle exhorted Timothy, “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier”, 2 Timothy 2:3,4. A good fight needs good soldiers. Just as soldiers on the battlefields of earth need to be fit, healthy and alert, so do Christian soldiers. And they also need to be free of distraction. So those who are entangled with worldly affairs, allowing them to take up too much of their time and energy, will make poor soldiers. The Romans had a contest in the Games, where a fully-armed gladiator fought with a man who only had a net. It seemed an unequal contest, but the net-man could easily entangle the soldier, and all his weapons were useless.
(a) We war against the wisdom of the world, that which is around
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled”, 2 Corinthians 10:3-6.
The Corinthians believers had to make a decision about a man they had excluded from their company because of immorality. They must make that decision in a spiritual way, and not allow the thinking of the world to influence them. As is seen from the early chapters of the first epistle, the Corinthians believers needed to learn that the wisdom of the world is of no use in salvation; nor is it of any use in the decision-making of the believer. He must actively pull down the strongholds of philosophy and worldly thinking, for they militate against knowing the will of God. Only when every thought is subject to Christ and His interests will their obedience to the truth of God be fulfilled, or complete. Our response to the wisdom of this world should be like that of Joshua at Jericho, for he advanced towards the city and destroyed it.
(b) We war against the flesh, which is within
Peter exhorts us to “Abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul, 1 Peter 2:11. No sooner had Israel escaped Egypt’s cavalry, and had crossed the sea to safety, but they were confronted by Amalek, Exodus 17:8. Having been delivered from Egypt and its temptations, they might have thought themselves beyond temptation. But it was not so, for they murmured against Moses, thus showing the discontent in their hearts. No wonder they were attacked by their enemy Amalek, for they had showed themselves weak. So believers discover that being in isolation does not mean there is no temptation, for it can rise up from our old self, the flesh. Instead of allowing sin to reign in our mortal (and therefore susceptible-to-temptation) bodies, we should yield the members of our bodies to God, to be used as instruments or weapons of righteousness, see Romans 6:12-14. Because the flesh wars against our soul and its best spiritual interests, we should resist it actively and persistently. And the indwelling Spirit of God is the power whereby this may be done. Our response to the flesh-enemy is to “abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul”, 1 Peter 2:11, and “flee also youthful lusts”, 2 Timothy 2:22, just as Joseph did in Potiphar’s house when he was enticed, Genesis 39:7-12.
(c) We war against spirit-forces, which are above
In Ephesians chapters 1-3 the apostle had set out the range of blessings into which believers have been brought through grace. In the following chapters he has exhorted us to walk worthy of that calling into blessing, Ephesians 4:1. As he nears the end of his epistle, however, he warns against the attempts of our enemy to deprive us of the enjoyment of blessings so freely and liberally granted to us. Satan cannot deprive us of the blessings themselves, but he can spoil our enjoyment of them, if we let him. To help us to resist these attacks of the enemy we need to be aware of who the enemy is, and then what weapons are available to us in our fight. Our response to the forces of evil should be that of Shammah, who “stood in the midst of the ground and defended it”, 2 Samuel 23:11.
We return to the epistle of Philemon:
And to the church in thy house- it is very evident from the New Testament that the church is not a material building, but it is a spiritual one. We live in a day of confusion about how Christians should come together. Some meet as they do because of force of habit, others because of their upbringing, or the nearness of the place of meeting. Still others feel that they have no need to be loyal to a particular group, but move from place to place. God is not the author of such confusion, however, therefore its cause must lie elsewhere. He can be relied upon to guide us in this, as in all matters, especially as proper church fellowship is described as “the fellowship of His Son”, and our God is very careful as to what He associates with His Beloved Son.
The meaning of the word church
We must first of all establish what is meant by a church. The only valid way of doing this is to take note of the meaning of the word translated “church”, and also the way it is used in the New Testament.
The Greek word rendered church is made up of two parts, the first meaning “out of”, the second meaning “a calling”. The two together indicate a called out company of people, separated from men in general and called together for specific purposes.’ So the initiative is on God’s side; He does the calling. It is not a question of a few Christians who happen to get along with one another agreeing to meet in a certain place, and calling it a church.
The use of the word church
The word is used in four main senses in the New Testament, but not always in connection with Christians. A brief look, however, at the way the word is used in other senses will help us to see why the Holy Spirit took it up to use in relation to believers.
The word is used in the following ways:-
1. By Stephen, Acts 7:38, of the nation of Israel when they were in the wilderness.
2. By the town-clerk of Ephesus, Acts19:39, of a company of unbelievers.
3. By the Lord Jesus and His apostles of all the Christians of this present age, Matthew 16:18, Colossians 1:18.
4. By the apostles of the Christians who meet together in a particular locality, 1 Corinthians 1:2; 11:17,18.
The first two uses of the word will help us to understand the last use, which is our present subject. A reading of the passages mentioned above will clearly show that the word church is never used of a material building. It is also clear from 1 Corinthians 5:2,13, that it is possible to be a true believer, and therefore in the church which is Christ’s body, and yet not be in a local church, either because one has been put away from it, or has never joined.
Stephen’s use of the word church
Stephen uses the word church of the nation of Israel because they were a called-out company. They had been redeemed by the blood of the Passover lamb, as described in Exodus 12; “baptized” in the Red Sea, Exodus 14:21,22; 1 Corinthians 10:1,2; and brought to the foot of Mount Sinai to listen to God’s word, Exodus 19:17, 20:1. As such they give to us an illustration of those in this age who have been called out of the world by the gospel; redeemed by the blood of Christ, the Lamb of God; baptized in water to signify, amongst other things, allegiance to Him; and gathered together as a church in a locality to bow to the authority of the word of God. This illustration should not be pressed too far, however, or else we shall arrive at the unscriptural notion that since infants crossed the Red Sea, then infant baptism is in order. The Scriptures are crystal clear that this is not the case.
The use of the word by the town clerk
The town clerk of Ephesus used the word in its secular sense in Acts 19:39, when he spoke of a “lawful assembly”. The townsfolk would understand that he meant by this a gathering of those possessing civic rights in a free Greek city, who were called together for the carrying out of public affairs. Strangers, and those deprived of citizenship, could not be part of this called out company.’
Characteristics of the members of a local church
When we put these uses of the word together, and apply them to a local church, we can say it has the following characteristics:
1. Only believers. It is composed only of those who have responded to the call of God in the Gospel, and have been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, just as a civic assembly did not include strangers.
2. Only those sound in doctrine and morals. It is composed only of those who have not forfeited their rights because of moral or doctrinal evil, just as a civic assembly did not consist of those who had been deprived of the rights of citizenship through misconduct.
3. Only those baptized. It is composed only of those who have been baptized by immersion in water after they were saved, just as all the people of Israel went through the Red Sea to get to the wilderness.
4. Only those subject to God’s Word. It is composed only of those who are prepared to submit to the authority of the Word of God, just as Israel gathered at the foot of Mount Sinai to hear God speaking to them, and then said “all that the Lord hath spoken we will do”, Exodus 19:8. Moses called that day “The day of the assembly”, Deuteronomy 9:10.
5. Only those who have joined. It is composed only of those who have been exercised in heart to join, just as the Israelites had been exercised in heart to sprinkle the blood, cross the sea, and gather at Sinai. When Paul went to Jerusalem, he “assayed to join himself to the disciples”, Acts 9:26. The word for join means to cement, or glue, and therefore indicates an act of commitment, not the start of a casual relationship.
It was this sort of company that met in the house of Philemon. Given the spiritual and holy nature of the church, it says much for Philemon and his wife and son that their home was a fit meeting place for the Lord’s people.
It was not until the time of the Emperor Constantine that professed Christians began to build special places in which to meet. The apostolic simplicity of a church in a house was exchanged for increasingly elaborate buildings. Constantine tried to unify his empire, which was showing signs of strain, by compromising with the heathen world. He reasoned that if a new religion, consisting of elements from paganism and Christianity was to be formed, the empire would be at peace. He incorporated heathen festivals such as Saturnalia, the celebration of “the birth of the unconquered sun”, (a reference to Nimrod), on December 25th, and the feast to Astarte, the goddess of love and fertility, (known as Easter), at the beginning of Spring. Many other practices were adopted also, and are still carried out in the Roman Catholic system. So it was that professed Christians felt it necessary to build meeting places to rival heathen temples.
Now it is convenient for several reasons for assemblies to have their own building, rather than renting a property with all its uncertainty. But there needs to be moderation in this as in all other matters. Unnecessary expense should be avoided, not only for its own sake, (for there is much need amongst poor saints in the world), but for the sake of the testimony. We profess to be a heavenly people, and to not be building for earth. The unsaved could be forgiven sometimes for raising their eyebrows when they see the lavish halls arise, with their expensive fitments and facilities. The Lord Jesus met with His own in a large upper room furnished, so it was adequate and suitable. This is the standard.
1:3
Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ- it is important to notice when “you” is used in this epistle, and when “thee”. The former is plural, the latter is singular. One of the many faults of newer versions of the Bible is that they do not preserve this distinction, the reason being that they have abandoned the “thee” and “thou” of the word of God in the interests of being trendy and modern.
So when he seeks grace and peace for “you”, he is not just addressing Philemon, but the church which is in his house. This is confirmed by the fact that when individuals are greeted by Paul in his epistles, mercy is asked for also; see 1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2; Titus 1:4.
Grace has been called “the fount of all blessings”, and peace the ” crown of all mercies”. Grace is God’s unmerited favour towards those who do not deserve it and can never fully repay it. It is known first in salvation, “for by grace are ye saved”, but is known continually in the Christian life, for we receive “grace for grace”, John 1:16. The grace we receive from Christ, whether initially or constantly, exactly corresponds to our need at the moment, so that the grace (expressed in Christ), corresponds to the grace (we need from Christ). We needed grace to deliver us initially, and we need expressions of God’s free favour constantly, so that we may live in a way which pleases Him.
Peace is known by every believer, for “being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”, Romans 5:1; this is judicial peace. But the apostle is here wishing that the believers in the church in Philemon’s house might have peace practically, as they rest in what God has become to them in Christ. This varies according to the individual, but the apostle desires that they all have it in good measure.
Note the testimony to the Deity of Christ in that Divine blessings come equally from God the Father and the Lord Jesus. Such testimony is as powerful as direct statements as to the equality of Christ with God.
(b) Verses 4-7
Paul’s appreciation of Philemon
1:4
I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,
I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers- the apostle now writes specifically to Philemon as he embarks on the main body of the epistle, hence the “thee”, singular. Despite his many apostolic duties, the apostle found time to pray for those he had probably never met, but who he had heard of through others. His daily occupation allowed him to do this as he sat making tents. As Samuel said, “God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you”, 1 Samuel 12:23.
1:5
Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;
Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints- apparently this is a construction where out of four main ideas, the first is connected to the fourth, and the second is connected to the third. So love is in relation to saints, and faith in relation to the Lord Jesus. Perhaps this is a literary device in order to bond together the ideas of love to the saints and faith in the Lord Jesus, for the love is the outflow of the faith. This is a very similar expression to the one in Colossians 1:4, “praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints”.
1:6
That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
That the communication of thy faith may become effectual- we might think that love is outgoing but faith is static and personal. But here the apostle writes of the communication or fellowship of Philemon’s faith, for “faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone”, James 2:17. There is such a thing as the “work of faith”, 1 Thessalonians 1:3. Faith, if it is genuine, will always work itself out as works of some spiritual kind or other. We know well enough that we cannot be saved by good works, but we are saved “unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them”, Ephesians 2:10. As the apostle wrote to the Philippians, “he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”, Philippians 1:6.
So when believers do a good work, they are working out God’s eternal purpose, such is the dignity and importance of what they do. It may be dismissed by the world, or even by carnal believers, but God takes account of it. “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister”, Hebrews 6:10.
By the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus- Paul is not exhorting Philemon to work for God, for he was already doing that, but Paul’s concern was that what he was already doing might become effective. It would be if those who were the objects of Philemon’s efforts were ready to respond to his activity by acknowledging that what he was doing was because of his relationship with Christ Jesus.
1:7
For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother- clearly Philemon’s testimony among his fellow believers was a good one, and it would be safe for the apostle to send Onesimus back to him. The Hebrews believed that our inward parts, “bowels”, were the seat of the emotions. The peace offering, that was brought by a man who had the peace of God in his heart, was largely the inwards of the animal, see Leviticus 3:3,4. Typically, these represented the tender feelings of the Lord Jesus when He was here on earth, one who was perfectly at harmony with His Father. But as we appreciate these things as they were found in Him, they become part of us too. This had happened with Philemon.
(c) Verses 8-21
Paul’s appeal to Philemon
1:8
Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient,
Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient- as an apostle, Paul had authority from Christ, and that would be an expression of truth. But truth worketh by love, and this is the better way. That which is convenient is not “what fits in with your schedule”, which is how we use the word, but that which is fitting and becoming.
1:9
Yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
Yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee- it is far better if Philemon is given the opportunity to respond to a loving request, rather than an apostolic edict.
Being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ- two factors are mentioned here which will appeal to Philemon’s tender heart. Despite the age of the apostle, and the fact that, even though he is a prisoner, and therefore dependent on others to give him help, he is prepared to let Onesimus go, which shows his consideration for others. The apostle Paul was probably around sixty years old at this time, but in New Testament times that was quite a good age. This is especially true when we consider the trials he had been through, some of which are listed in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28. The word he uses for aged is presbuteros, which is the normal word for elder. This shows that elders in the assembly should be spiritual old men, whose wisdom and experience can be used to guide the assembly aright. It also shows that since Paul was not an elder either in the assembly in Rome or in Colosse, to be aged does not automatically mean that you are an elder. It is clear from 1 Timothy 3;1-7 that there are strict criteria for being an elder, (in the church sense), and the apostle declares an elder “must” have these features, verse 2.
1:10
I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:
I beseech thee for my son Onesimus- like Timothy and Titus, Onesimus was a son of Paul in the sense that there were “sons of the prophets” in Samuel’s day and afterwards, 1 Kings 20:35, young men who were actively learning the things of God from a prophet. So Onesimus was well-versed in the truth as he went back to Colosse.
The apostle exhorted Timothy in this way, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2. There is a great need today for young men to be taught thoroughly and systematically the truths of the faith, so that they in turn may teach the next generation. This is the only Divinely-recognised kind of “apostolic succession”. Of course prospective teachers of the word must study for themselves, but they would do well to take advantage of those who have a lifetime of Bible study behind them, and who are willing to give them the benefit of the time they have spent with the word of God.
Whom I have begotten in my bonds- so Onesimus was not only a son of Paul, but begotten by him. It is not certain that Timothy and Titus were converted through the preaching of the apostle, but the phrase “begotten in my bonds” suggests Onesimus was. In some way he had come into contact with the apostle, perhaps as an errand boy bringing food to him in his hired house, and he was brought again into contact with the gospel. Philemon might have wondered why Onesimus had not got saved whilst working for him, and may have felt he had failed the Lord in that respect. But God had His plan to work out. There may be many links in the chain whereby a soul at last gets saved, but God is sovereign, and works out His own will. As the Lord Jesus told Nicodemus, “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8. That does not mean that a born again person does not know where they came from or where they are going. The point is that the Spirit works sovereignly in a person’s life until God’s will is done, and then He moves on to work in another’s life. We make a big mistake if we try to interfere in that process, and think our bright ideas can speed up the work. Our task is to ensure that unbelievers have free access to the teaching of the word of God, for only so will God grant them eternal life. The apostle Peter made it very clear that the gospel is the means whereby the word of God is made known, for he wrote, “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you”, 1 Peter 1:25. If the word of God is not expounded, the gospel is not preached.
1:11
Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:
Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me- there is a play on the meaning of Onesimus’ name here, for it means “profitable”. It seems from verse 18 that he had stolen from Philemon, perhaps to finance his journey to Rome, and in that sense had been unprofitable to his master. Paul is confident, however, that now Onesimus is a saved man, that he will be a useful servant. The gospel changes attitudes as well as destinies, and turns servants into loyal, hard-working assets to their masters. The apostle had written to those believers in the assembly at Colosse who were domestic servants, telling them that “ye serve the Lord Christ”, encouraging them in the fact that by working well for their earthly masters they were in fact working well for their heavenly Master, Colossians 3:24. Onesimus was profitable to Paul in some way, but he was prepared to forego the benefit of having Onesimus with him, to send him back for Philemon’s benefit. The apostle speaks approvingly of Onesimus in Colossians 4:9, calling him “a faithful and beloved brother”.
1:12
Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:
Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels- the Lord promised Abraham that “he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir”, Genesis 15:4. In other words, Abraham would have a son, and would not need to make Eliezer his servant into his heir. So “mine own bowels” in this verse is the same idea as “begotten in my bonds” in verse 10. It indicates that Paul was his spiritual father, for Onesimus had got saved through his testimony. Philemon is to think of Onesimus as one of Paul’s children.
1:13
Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:
Whom I would have retained with me- it says much for Onesimus that in a short while he had become very useful to the apostle, no doubt both spiritually and in everyday things. Hannah made a new coat for Samuel every year because he was making steady physical growth, 1 Samuel 2:19. It should be the same with us in the spiritual realm.
That in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel- Philemon clearly had local responsibilities in the assembly, so could not replace Onesimus in Rome. Those who cannot go to lands afar may support those who can and have. It does not appear that Onesimus was in bonds, or else Paul could not have sent him back to Colosse. It is the apostle who is in bonds because of his stand for the gospel.
1:14
But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.
But without thy mind would I do nothing- Philemon’s first thought might not to have been to receive Onesimus back, so the apostle is writing a letter of explanation, which he believes will convince Philemon of the rightness of receiving Onesimus back. But Paul does not assume anything.
That thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly- it is far better all round if Onesimus is received heartily, and not in a grudging manner. Note the way the apostle speaks of the benefit to Philemon if he receives his slave back, thus strengthening the appeal the apostle is making.
1:15
For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever;
For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever- in a further gentle encouragement to Philemon, the apostle contrasts the short while that Onesimus had been away, with the unlimited time he would be with him when he returned.
1:16
Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?
Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved- no longer is Onesimus just Philemon’s runaway slave, but a loved member of the family of God.
Specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord? Now that Onesimus is saved, he will, if he is true to the gospel, work even harder and better for his earthly master. Moreover, since Paul had described him as “a faithful and beloved brother”, Colossians 4:9, he would be an asset to the assembly meeting in Philemon’s house.
1:17
If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.
If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself- it is important that believing masters, if they have believing employees, do not make unreasonable demands of them simply because they are believers. The conscientiousness of believing servants should not be taken advantage of. This would not happen with Philemon if he received Onesimus as if he were receiving Paul.
1:18
If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;
If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account- the apostle does not directly say that Onesimus had wronged or robbed Philemon, but the fact that he mentions paying him back himself strongly suggests that he had. Onesimus had been forgiven by the Lord when he repented and turned to Christ, but that did not mean that past sins did not have present consequences which should be taken account of. The apostle wrote to those who had been thieves before they were saved, “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth”, Ephesians 4:28. So a former burglar may not be able to reimburse the actual people he had robbed, but he must make amends by repaying his debt to society in general. If he does this it will show the reality of the change wrought at conversion. The apostle very generously offers to pay anything that Onesimus owed Philemon. He did not force Onesimus to pay it himself. This too is an evidence of the change that grace brings into the heart.
1:19
I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.
Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it- Paul may have had bad eyesight, (see Galatians 4:15; 6:11), but he takes the trouble to take the pen from his secretary, (who some say was Onesimus himself), to bind himself legally to pay what Philemon was owed.
Albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides- the apostle refuses to put Philemon under any obligation in this matter, so he does not advance the fact that Philemon was somehow one of his converts as a way of modifying his kind offer to pay. He is refusing to put Philemon under pressure, so that when he does receive Onesimus back it is an arrangement Philemon is very happy about.
1:20
Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.
Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord- Philemon should welcome the opportunity to bring the apostle joy and refreshment by complying with his request. We too, in a general sense, should welcome opportunities to bring joy and refreshment to fellow believers in a dreary world full of sadness.
1:21
Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.
Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say- one of the signs of genuine conversion is the willingness to go “the extra mile”. In what men call the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord Jesus was testing those who professed to follow Him, which is why He speaks of the kingdom of heaven, the sphere of profession. During that address He said, “And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain”, Matthew 5:41. So an eagerness to be kind and helpful, to go beyond the call of duty, is a mark of reality. Although we should note that there are unbelievers who are helpful and so on, so as believers we should seek to exceed them.
(d) Verses 21-25
Paul’s appendix to the letter
1:22
But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.
But withal prepare me also a lodging- what a privilege to have the apostle Paul to stay. But in a very real sense it would be no greater privilege than having the most obscure saint to stay, for we are “all one in Christ Jesus”. When the apostle went to Galatia they received him as if he was an angel of God, and even as if he was Christ Jesus Himself, Galatians 4:14. The Lord Jesus will say when He judges the living nations, “I was a stranger, and ye took me in”, Matthew 25:35. And when those to whom He is speaking ask when they did this, He will reply, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me”, verse 40.
Of course, we should be very careful who we allow into our homes, so we need to pray for wisdom. The apostle John was very clear as he wrote to “the elect lady and her children”, 2 John 1, urging her “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed”, verses 9,10. So people like the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons, who deny, (whatever they might say), the Deity of Christ, should not be allowed over the threshold of our houses.
For I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you- so Philemon would give Paul a lodging, and in return, Paul would be given unto him, in the sense that he would have the privilege of having him to stay. The apostle does not think of his movements as being dictated by Caesar in Rome, but by the Lord in heaven as he responds to the prayers of His people. Whoever wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews asked prayer of the Lord’s people, that he might be “restored to you the sooner”, Hebrews 13:19. So prayer does change things, not only events, like the apostle going to Colosse, but also the timing of those events, like someone being restored sooner.
1:23
There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus;
There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus- we know from Colossians 4:12 that Epaphras was from Colosse, and was “always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hieropolis”, Colossians 4:13,14. He had informed the apostle of the good spiritual condition of the assembly, 1:3-8, but also of the dangers they faced from false teachers. This had prompted him to write the epistle to the Colossians. It seems that Epaphras had been imprisoned also with Paul, showing the dangers these men faced by associating with the apostle.
1:24
Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.
Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers- how remarkable that in the same house should be Mark, Luke and the apostle Paul, who together, under God, were responsible for at least 46% of the New Testament writings. There is evidence to suggest that the gospel records were in circulation very early on. Gildas, a Sixth Century historian, states that the gospel arrived in Britain in the last years of the reign of Tiberias. He reigned from 14-37 AD, and since Christ was probably crucified in the year 30 AD, then the record of the gospels was in the lifetime of those who were involved.
As is well known, there was a settlement of the Essenes, (a strict Jewish sect), on the shores of the Dead Sea. When the Romans were advancing into Palestine in 69 AD, they destroyed this settlement. Before they did so, however, the Essenes, who were great literary men, hid their valuable scrolls in caves nearby. In Cave 11 there has been found a scrap of parchment from Mark’s gospel. So that gospel must have been written before 69 AD. But handwriting styles changed during that century, and the form of writing used on the scrap in Cave 11 was in use in the 50’s AD. This lowers the date of writing still further. But more than this, Matthew’s Gospel is usually thought to be the earliest gospel, so that was written earlier than the 50’s. So when Gildas says that the gospel reached Britain before 37 AD, that may very well have involved the written gospel as well as the preached gospel.
So much for the theories of the so-called Higher Critics, who say the gospels were a collection of fables put together in the second century! The fact is that they were in circulation when the people involved were still alive, and could be called to testify if necessary. The apostle Paul mentions a company of five hundred brethren who saw the Lord Jesus in resurrection, of whom, he says, the greater part were still alive, 1 Corinthians 15:6. That epistle was written at around 57-59 AD.
Notice the other two who send greetings. Aristarchus was a Macedonian, (as opposed to being a Grecian; Luke is very careful about his historical details), from Thessalonica, Acts 20:4. He was a companion of the apostle, like Luke, and was with them on the ship when it was shipwrecked, Acts 27:2. (Notice the “us”, so Luke who wrote the Acts is including himself). Now he is with the apostle during another of his trials.
Then there is Demas. The Epistle to Philemon was written in about 64 AD, but in 66 AD the apostle has to tell Timothy that “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica”, 2 Timothy 4:10. How sad that one who was closely associated with those who wrote a large proportion of the New Testament, has now left Paul. And what a contrast to Aristarchus, who had remained faithfully by the side of the apostle during his afflictions and dangers. And how quickly it happened! What a change took place in just two short years. How we need to be very careful to keep close to the Lord, and not allow this present world to draw away our affections. Mark, Luke and Paul wrote of the world above, the world that remains, and Aristarchus was content to company with them. Demas was drawn away to this present world, which “passeth away”, 1 John 2:17, and parted from them. As the apostle wrote, “Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall”, 1 Corinthians 10:12.
1:25
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen- we see how necessary this is in view of the previous verse. Believers have received of the fulness of grace and truth which is found in the Lord Jesus at conversion, John 1:16, but as that verse also says, “and grace for grace”. That is, we need ongoing grace from Christ to meet the ongoing need, and this He gives. This grace is a spiritual blessing, and strengthens our spirit to continue for Him.