Letter to Philemon – Part 1

Christianity is the very antithesis of slavery. In the first century, when this brief letter was written, slavery was endemic throughout the Roman empire. It has been suggested that as many as one third of the population under Rome’s authority were slaves. Their individual experience varied widely. For those with caring and benevolent masters, life could be tolerable. A slave, however, remained the property of the one who had paid the purchase price, usually from a defeated and subjugated people, and many were used, misused, or disposed of at the whim of the owner. To be a slave meant loss of freedom, loss of possessions, loss of dignity and loss of any self-worth.

It was men and women of Christian faith and conviction who formed the vanguard of opposition to slavery both in principle and practice, leading to the 1807 and 1834 Abolition of Slavery laws within the British Empire. These were followed by the thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1865 which outlawed slavery and set free more than 100, 000 enslaved people across the country. Sadly, however, it took four years of civil war in which over 600, 000 lost their lives, to achieve a satisfactory amendment.

The Letter to Philemon is written against the background of events in a first century home in Colossae, a town in Asia Minor, now modern-day Turkey. It is remarkable evidence of both the inspiration and preservation of scripture that a brief, personal example of correspondence between friends should be found in our hands today, some 2, 000 years after its composition. Philemon, it would appear, was a man of some means, having household slaves and a house large enough to offer hospitality to the Christians forming a local assembly in Colossae, v. 2. The narrative of the letter centres around a man, quite possibly a young man, called Onesimus, a servant (lit. bondman or slave), v. 16, belonging to Philemon. Onesimus means ‘profitable’ and may not have been his given name, but simply the way in which he was referred to within the household as ‘the useful one’.

There came a day, however, when Onesimus saw and seized an opportunity for freedom. Having stolen money, or goods of monetary value, vv. 18, 19, he left Colossae and headed for the metropolis of Rome, no doubt hoping to find anonymity. The journey would have been both difficult and dangerous, as passage by sea was his only realistic option. Far from finding obscurity, however, subsequent events ensured that his name is indelibly recorded in the eternal word of God!

The sovereignty of God is written large over these twenty-five verses, not least in reminding us of the lengths to which the Spirit of God will go to reach one soul, and that a soul whom the world would consider worthless. For Onesimus, far from finding the freedom he sought, he found himself in prison! Whether by misdemeanour or menial employment, we do not know. What we do know, however, is that in the Roman prison he met Paul the apostle, friend, and spiritual father of Philemon and his family. ‘Lucky chance’, the world would say. ‘Coincidence’, but those words are not in God’s dictionary. The Christian sees the overruling hand of a loving God, ordering events according to the counsel of His own will and purpose.

Having led Onesimus to the Lord, Paul instructs him, somewhat reluctantly, v. 13, to return to Philemon, and paves the way for his reception with this brief letter, full of Christian grace and generosity. With him, as added support, Paul will send the faithful Tychicus bearing the letter to the assemblies at Colossae, Col. 4. 7-9.

The letter is not doctrinal, as are most of Paul’s writings, but intensely practical. It does not lend itself to clinical and alliterative divisions, but it reveals the very heart of the apostle, beating with warmth and affection for his fellow believers, notwithstanding his own restricted circumstances.

Paul does not introduce himself as an apostle, one having direct authority from God, nor yet as a servant who obeys the will of another, but as a prisoner, one who is dependent upon the mercy of others. This is not a plea for pity, but rather, by acknowledging Christ Jesus as the One who holds the key to his cell door, he raises the status of his situation to the highest level. Paul would see those locks and bars as part of the ‘great things he must suffer for my name’s sake’, Acts. 9. 16. Paul then links with himself his beloved Timothy, of whom he had said to the Corinthians, ‘he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do’, 1 Cor. 16. 10.

The primary recipient of the letter was Philemon, but its contents involved the family and the local assembly. Apphia would doubtless have been Philemon’s wife, and Archippus, his son. This godly couple are addressed as ‘beloved’, a genuine note of affection, not flattery, 1 Thess. 2. 5, and although we know so little of him, Paul recognized Philemon as a ‘fellowlabourer’; a description which speaks of dignity, responsibility, and unity.

In verse 2, we have the only example of Paul addressing a letter to a sister, but a Christian wife alongside a believing husband is a sure foundation on which to build. Archippus is called a fellow soldier - the seasoned campaigner Paul reaches out to grasp the hand of the young recruit, acknowledging that they are in the same conflict together.

But then the local church is also addressed, since the reception of Onesimus is involved. It would seem that there were several companies of believers in Colossae, one of which met in Philemon’s house. Another was found in the house of Nymphas, Col. 4. 15. The Epistle to the Colossians was to be read by each company and also passed on to the church at Laodicea, Col. 4. 16. Onesimus is mentioned in the Colossian letter as a ‘faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you’, 4. 9. His past life is not revealed, that was known only by the church in Philemon’s house, and of no concern to any other company. We often talk of the autonomy of assemblies. Would to God that we understood and practised it as we should.

The divine blessings of grace and peace accompany the letter. Grace, that which is not deserved, and peace, the fruit of grace in the recipient. Both are appropriate given the subject matter which follows.

This little Epistle is a letter of commendation not only for the reception of the returning Onesimus, but also for the character of Philemon, vv. 4-7. The prayer life of the apostle is a rewarding study. From the word spoken to Ananias concerning the newly converted Saul of Tarsus, ‘behold, he prayeth’, Acts. 9. 11, to Paul’s final writing to Timothy, ‘I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day’, 2 Tim. 1. 3, the apostle heeded his own exhortation to ‘pray without ceasing’, 1 Thess. 5. 17. Prayer takes many forms, 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2, and in verse 4 it is a prayer of thanksgiving. Paul was deeply grateful for the many individuals and groups of believers whose lives had been reached and changed by the Spirit of God working through him. He was always aware that while he and others may plant and water, it was God who gave the increase, 1 Cor. 3. 6. And so he will give thanks for the kind and generous Philemon, whom Paul was pleased to be able to call his brother.

The ‘care of all the churches’ was constantly on the mind of the apostle, 2 Cor. 11. 28, and news had filtered through to him of those meeting in the home of Philemon, though evidence would suggest that Paul may not have visited Colossae as yet, Col. 2. 1. Two commendable virtues were conspicuous in Philemon, love and faith; the order is important. Faith can be genuine, but inactive. Love, on the other hand, is intensely practical. Note again the order, first toward the Lord Jesus, then to the saints. Our love for other believers is a measure and reflection of our love for the Lord. Would Philemon’s love reach out to the prodigal but repentant slave Onesimus?

The subject matter of Paul’s prayer in verse 4, is now expressed in verse 6. His desire was that Philemon’s practical fellowship may cause others to perceive and acknowledge that his benevolence resulted from his faith in Christ Jesus; it was not just altruistic philanthropy. Here was a man who, like his Lord, looked not on his own things, but also on the things of others, Phil. 2. 4. Paul’s knowledge of this caused his heart to rejoice in knowing that other saints were blessed by Philemon’s love and fellowship, v. 7. On Philemon’s part, what he did for others was ‘as unto the Lord’, little knowing that his actions would be recorded on the page of scripture and become a challenge and encouragement to the people of God throughout the day of God’s grace, Heb. 6. 10.